Search

Abstract Anaplasma spp. and Rickettsia spp. are intracellular vector-borne pathogens and harbored by a wide range of ticks and vertebrate hosts. Aim of this study was to molecularly characterize Anaplasma spp. and Rickettsia spp. in different ticks collected from livestock hosts in nine districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. In total, 862 ticks were collected from cattle, goats and sheep. Highest tick’s infestation was observed on cattle 56.14% (32/57), followed by goats 45.45% (40/88), and sheep 42.05% (45/107). Rhipicephalus microplus (305/862, 35.38%) was predominant species, followed by Haemaphysalis sulcata (243/862, 28.19%), Hyalomma anatolicum (133/862, 15.42%), Haemaphysalis bispinosa (120/862, 13.92%), and Hyalomma kumari (61/862, 7.07%). A subset of 135 ticks were screened for Anaplasma spp. and Rickettsia spp. based on the amplification of partial 16 S rDNA and outer-membrane protein A (ompA) fragments, respectively. In total, 16 ticks (11.85%) were positive for Anaplasma spp. and Rickettsia spp. Obtained 16 S rDNA sequences for Anaplasma spp. detected in Ha. bispinosa and Ha. sulcata showed 99.98% identity with Anaplasma bovis, while other detected in Rh. microplus showed 99.84% identity with Candidatus Anaplasma boleense. Similarly, detected ompA sequence in Ha. sulcata showed 100% identity with Rickettsia sp. and 97.93% with Rickettsia slovaca, and another sequence detected in Rh. microplus showed 100% identity with Candidatus Rickettsia shennongii. In phylogenetic trees, these sequences clustered with corresponding species from Pakistan, China, Turkey, South Korea, South Africa, and Herzegovina. This is the first study reporting detection of A. bovis in Ha. bispinosa and Ha. sulcata, Ca. A. boleense in Rh. microplus collected from goats, and R. slovaca-like in Ha. sulcata. Our results enforce the need for regular surveillance of Rickettsiales in hard ticks infesting livestock in the region.

Abstract VANET is a category of MANET that aims to provide wireless communication. It increases the safety of roads and passengers. Millions of people lose their precious lives in accidents yearly, millions are injured, and others incur disability daily. Emergency vehicles need clear roads to reach their destination faster to save lives. Video streaming can be more effective as compared to textual messages and warnings. To address this issue, we proposed a methodology to use visual sensors, cameras, and OBU to record emergency videos. Initially, the frames are detected. After re-recording, the frames detection algorithm detects the specific event from the video frames. Blockchain encrypts an emergency or specific event using hashing algorithms in the second layer of our proposed framework. In the third layer of the proposed methodology, encrypted video is broadcast with the help of 5G wireless technology to the connected nodes in the VANET. The dataset used in this research comprises up to 72 video sequences averaging about 120 seconds per video. All videos have different traffic conditions and vehicles. The ResNet-50 model is used for the feature extraction process of extracted frames. The model is trained using Tensorflow and Keras deep learning models. The Elbow method finds the optimal K number for the K Means model. This data is split into training and testing. 70% is reserved for training the support vector machine (SVM) model and test datasets, while 30%. 98% accuracy is achieved with 98% precision and 99% recall as results for the proposed methodology.

This study aimed to evaluate the potential of integrating Photovoltaic (PV) with commercial load and examine the impact on distribution networks. To estimate the hourly PV output power, 13 years of historical weather data were used. Furthermore, a beta probability density function was modeled to handle large amounts of data and generate a 24-hour predicted PV curve. Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) was used to determine the location and size of multiple PV units, ranging from 1 to 3. PV performance was tested on IEEE 33-bus and 69-bus test systems using time-varying commercial load, with power loss index (PLI) set as the objective function. PV penetration level was also calculated. The results showed a significant power loss reduction and PV penetration levels when 3 PV units were integrated into the system compared to a single PV unit. Specifically, the power loss reduction improved from 32.71% to 45.37% and 43.80% to 48.08%, producing PV penetration levels of 43.08% and 40.15% in 33-bus and 69-bus systems, respectively. The results indicated that the integration of multiple PV units was better than the single PV integration. The proposed model using PSO determined the impact of considering weather-dependent PV generation simultaneously with time-varying loads. It also provided knowledge to model the optimal location and sizing of multiple PV units in the distribution networks based on the generated solar irradiance patterns.

Epibulbar dermoid, benign tumors resulting from the improper function of the pathogenic protein Patched 1 (PTCH1), surgical interventions are employed to mitigate the lethal effects. However, these procedures often lead to complications such as scleral weakening and corneal astigmatism. Due to the absence of effective medical treatments, there is a critical need for novel approaches to prevent the spread of this disease. This study not only fills a key gap in medical therapy for epibulbar dermoid, but it also demonstrates AI’s transformational potential in drug development. Employing an AI drug design service, three efficient de novo therapeutic compounds targeting the PTCH1 protein were crafted with Fisetin. The method included obtaining the PTCH1 protein sequence from NCBI, computing physiochemical parameters with Expasy Protparam, and estimating the 3D structure with SWISS-MODEL. Quality assessment, binding site prediction, drug design with WADDAICA, Lipinski’s Rule of 5, toxicity screening, ADMET evaluation, docking analysis with CB-dock and Patch dock, and MD simulations with IMOD all work together to provide an adequate basis for the development and validation of AI-designed phytochemical medicines for epibulbar dermoid. Comprehensive pharmacokinetic and toxicity assessments demonstrated the outstanding absorbency of AI-designed Fisetin in the blood–brain barrier, emphasizing its non-toxic nature. The AI-designed Fisetin exhibits a notable affinity of approximately −9.2 kcal/mol during docking with the PTCH1 protein, suggesting its potential as a drug. While the in silico results indicate efficiency and safety, the necessity for in vivo testing is acknowledged to validate these promising findings. This research significantly advances the frontier of knowledge by proposing a non-invasive solution to epibulbar dermoid, addressing current limitations, and offering potential alternatives to conventional surgical interventions.

Abstract Cancer cells re-program normal lung endothelial cells (EC) into tumor-associated endothelial cells (TEC) that form leaky vessels supporting carcinogenesis. Transcriptional regulators that control the reprogramming of EC into TEC are poorly understood. We identified Forkhead box F1 (FOXF1) as a critical regulator of EC-to-TEC transition. FOXF1 was highly expressed in normal lung vasculature but was decreased in TEC within non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). Low FOXF1 correlated with poor overall survival of NSCLC patients. In mice, endothelial-specific deletion of FOXF1 decreased pericyte coverage, increased vessel permeability and hypoxia, and promoted lung tumor growth and metastasis. Endothelial-specific overexpression of FOXF1 normalized tumor vessels and inhibited the progression of lung cancer. FOXF1 deficiency decreased Wnt/β-catenin signaling in TECs through direct transcriptional activation of Fzd4. Restoring FZD4 expression in FOXF1-deficient TECs through endothelial-specific nanoparticle delivery of Fzd4 cDNA rescued Wnt/β-catenin signaling in TECs, normalized tumor vessels and inhibited the progression of lung cancer. Altogether, FOXF1 increases tumor vessel stability, and inhibits lung cancer progression by stimulating FZD4/Wnt/β-catenin signaling in TECs. Nanoparticle delivery of FZD4 cDNA has promise for future therapies in NSCLC.

α-Synuclein (α-syn) is a small protein that is involved in cell vesicle trafficking in neuronal synapses. A progressive aggregation of this protein is the expected molecular cause of Parkinson's disease, a disease that affects millions of people around the world. A growing body of evidence indicates that phospholipids can strongly accelerate α-syn aggregation and alter the toxicity of α-syn oligomers and fibrils formed in the presence of lipid vesicles. This effect is attributed to the presence of high copies of lysines in the N-terminus of the protein. In this study, we performed site-directed mutagenesis and replaced one out of two lysines at each of the five sites located in the α-syn N-terminus. Using several biophysical and cellular approaches, we investigated the extent to which six negatively charged fatty acids (FAs) could alter the aggregation properties of K10A, K23A, K32A, K43A, and K58A α-syn. We found that FAs uniquely modified the aggregation properties of K43A, K58A, and WT α-syn, as well as changed morphology of amyloid fibrils formed by these mutants. At the same time, FAs failed to cause substantial changes in the aggregation rates of K10A, K23A, and K32A α-syn, as well as alter the morphology and toxicity of the corresponding amyloid fibrils. Based on these results, we can conclude that K10, K23, and K32 amino acid residues play a critical role in protein-lipid interactions since their replacement on non-polar alanines strongly suppressed α-syn-lipid interactions.

African swine fever is a hemorrhagic disease of pigs with high mortality rates. Since its first characterization in 1921, there has been sufficient information about African swine fever virus (ASFV) and related diseases. The virus has been found and maintained in the sylvatic cycle involving ticks and domestic and wild boars in affected regions. The ASFV is spread through direct and indirect contact with infected pigs, their products and carrier vectors especially Ornithodoros ticks. Severe economic losses and a decline in pig production have been observed in ASFV affected countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and Europe. At the end of 2018, the ASFV adversely affected China, the world’s leading pork-producer. Control strategies for the disease remained challenging due to the unavailability of effective vaccines and the lack of successful therapeutic measures. However, considerable efforts have been made in recent years to understand the biology of the virus, surveillance and effective control measures. This review emphasizes and summarizes the current state of information regarding the knowledge of etiology, epidemiology, transmission, and vaccine-based control measures against ASFV.

For the growth of sustainable energy, increasing the efficiency of photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) systems is still essential. Particularly ternary hybrid nanofluids have shown promise as a means of improving the systems' electrical and thermal performance. This study delves deeply into the exploration of a three-dimensional annulus-type Photovoltaic Thermal (PV/T) system, centering on its cooling function through the utilization of ternary hybrid nanofluids featuring diverse nanomaterial shapes. The system structure involves a circular cylinder enveloped within glass, silicon, and copper layers, forming the core of the PV panel. The investigation employs COMSOL Multiphysics 6.0 with boundary conditions like radiative heat flux on the upper domain. Nanofluids with varied shapes (spherical, brick-like, cylindrical, platelet, and blade-shaped) comprising copper, aluminum oxide, and micro-wall carbon Nanotubes suspended in water are scrutinized as the base fluid. Using COMSOL Multiphysics, our simulation employs a conjugate heat transfer interface to solve the intricate three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations and energy equations, addressing the combined convection challenges in the system. Analyzing parameters such as Reynolds number (100–1500), aspect ratios (0.1, 0.15, 0.2), shape factors (3–8.9), and total volume fractions of nanomaterials (1%–10 %), we noted a significant decline (21–28 %) in the average Nusselt number as nanoparticle concentration increased. This trend highlights strengthened convection processes, notably observable with increased flow pipe diameter or aspect ratio. This decrease suggests that the system's convective heat transfer efficiency has decreased. Nonetheless, because the PV cells are better cooled, the decrease in convective heat transfer is accompanied by an increase in the electrical efficiency of the system. The practical implication of this trend is that even though the thermal performance in terms of heat removal may decline, the overall cooling effect still helps to keep the PV cells' temperature down, thereby raising their electrical output. The study revealed enhanced electrical efficiency (up to 9.3834 %) with blade-shaped particles under specific conditions: Re = 1500, 10 % volume fraction, and an aspect ratio of 0.1. Additionally, the investigation suggests a potential for achieving a maximum thermal efficiency of 85.62 %. These findings underline the promising impact of nanomaterial manipulation on both electrical and thermal efficiencies within the PV/T system while the maximum temperature at the outlet reaced to 5.470 C.

Afghanistan is known for its long history of war and conflict. Since the invasion of the Soviets, the country has been facing subsequent invasions from other powers as well as internal conflicts among different religious sects and political groups for gaining power. Due to this history of turmoil and conflicts, the people of Afghanistan were severely affected. Many of them were displaced and migrated to other countries while those who remained suffered from the horrors and brutalities of war. It also caused them great physical, economic, and mental losses. During this era of absurdity, mental depression, and chaos writers felt the urge to express new experiences and realities in new ways, and thus war became a dominant theme in the writings of many Afghan writers. One among such leading authors is Khalid Husseini who has realistically and boldly reflected the life of Afghans during wartime and brutal realities of war in his novels. The current study probes into the author’s dealing with the war subject through the use of imagery in his novel ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ published in 2007. The study's main objective is to highlight how imagery has been a useful tool in the hand of the novelist to depict the brutalities and horrors of war. For this purpose, a qualitative research approach is adopted, including an introspective and contrapuntal reading of different quotations and excerpts from the novel in light of the theoretical framework adopted by Cuddon (1994). The key findings of the study are that imagery has been a useful tool in the hands of the writer for revealing the horrors and brutalities of war such as; mental trauma and chaos of characters, the portrayal of War Driven Landscape, nostalgia for the lost Cultural Heritage, separation of the loved ones and disintegration of social fabrics and physical violence against the civilians.

In this paper, we constructed a novel Lie group by using oblate spheroidal coordinates. First, we took the metric tensor of oblate spheroidal coordinates, then found its Killing vectors by using the Killing equation. After solving a system of partial differential equations, we obtained the Killing vectors. With the help of these Killing vectors, we first constructed finite Lie algebra and then proved that Killing vectors form a Lie group. Also, we described the geometric properties in which this Lie group forms a regular surface, defined the differential map and differential of normal vector field, and found the gaussian and mean curvatures.

Abstract Background Tick control is mostly hampered by the rise of acaricide-resistant tick populations. Significant efforts have focused on developing alternative control methods, including cross-species protective and/or cocktail-based anti-tick vaccines, to achieve protection against various tick species. Methods In this study, full-length open reading frames encoding subolesin (SUB) from Rhipicephalus microplus and ferritin 2 (FER2) from Hyalomma anatolicum as well as the partial 60S acidic ribosomal protein (P0) from R. microplus were cloned, expressed in Escherichia coli and used as vaccine antigens against Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (R. sanguineus s.l.) infestation in rabbits. Results In silico analyses revealed that the SUB, P0 and FER2 proteins were antigenic and displayed limited similarity to the host's homologous proteins. The proteins shared identities of 97.5%, 100% and 89.5% with their SUB, P0 and FER2 R. sanguineus s.l. orthologous sequences, respectively. Antibodies against each recombinant protein cross-recognized the native proteins in the different tissues and developmental stages of R. sanguineus s.l. Overall efficacy of the SUB, FER2 and cocktail (SUB+FER2+P0) vaccines against R. sanguineus s.l. infestation was 86.3%, 95.9% and 90.9%, respectively. Conclusions Both mono-antigen and the cocktail anti-tick vaccines affected the biological parameters of R. sanguineus s.l. infestation in the rabbit model, which could be extrapolated to its infested host under natural conditions. These findings support the possibility of using mono-antigenic and cocktail-based vaccines for large-scale anti-tick vaccine development against multiple tick species. Graphical Abstract

In this study, we explore a hybrid non-orthogonal multiple access and time division multiple access (NOMA-TDMA) approach designed to maximize sum throughput in a wireless powered Internet of Things (IoT) network (WPIN). Hybrid access points send energy signals to users on downlink, and users in various groups utilize that harvested energy to transmit information on uplink. This process is facilitated by the NOMA-TDMA scheme wherein users of the same group use NOMA for simultaneous transmissions, and separate time slots are assigned to each group through TDMA. Under this hybrid NOMA-TDMA scheme, the main objective is to enhance the network’s sum throughput by jointly optimizing both the allocation of time for downlink and uplink and the downlink beamforming vectors. Given the complex interdependence of variables, the problem is inherently non-convex, making it difficult to solve numerically. Therefore, we reformulate the problem as a bi-level programming problem—the outer-level sub-problem addresses beamforming vectors using a genetic algorithm while the inner-level sub-problem deals with the allocation of downlink and uplink time through the Lagrange multiplier method. Numerical results show that the proposed hybrid NOMA-TDMA scheme outperforms baseline schemes like orthogonal multiple access and equal time allocation, in terms of the sum throughput of the WPIN.

Curves are the leading cause of road departure crashes that turn into deaths and severe injuries. Most crashes occur on curved roads because they have different geometrical circumstances from straight roads. A sharp turn on the road creates more difficulty for the driver than a normal curve road. To Avoid crashes on the curved road, there is a prerequisite to identify the curved road for drivers that this turn is problematic. Responding intelligently to save precious human life and the country’s gross domestic product is necessary. Our paper proposed a Curve Crash Avoidance Protocol (2CAP) in Vehicular Ad-hoc Network (VANET). The Intelligent Curve Crash Avoidance Algorithm is proposed to avoid disastrous vehicle crashes. The sensing Node Operation algorithm works for multiple sensors embedded in the Onboard Unit to gather information on vehicles and road environments. On the other side, road-side unit requests for this collected data via a secure communication channel for processing. A Linear Regression machine learning technique implements the intelligent Unit Operations algorithm. The Intelligent Unit decides to notify the onboard Unit based on gathered data and trained dataset. We implement the scheme using the Linear Regression Machine Learning Model. Multiple sensors, Global Positioning Systems, and Global Information systems use the dataset methodology to classify and predict results. The proposed model is expected to be effective for proper coordination with wireless sensor network equipment.

Ever-increasing dynamic surges in renewable-based electric power systems, notably wind and photovoltaic farms bring adverse impacts and challenges in terms of reliability and stability. The intermittency of renewable sources imposes significant deviations in frequency due to variations in demand. Wind power induces instability in the grid due to its vulnerable nature, and reduction in system inertia. To mitigate these dynamics issues, an optimal control technique based on flatness-based Active disturbance rejection control (FADRC) and utilizing an enhanced Beluga Whale optimization algorithm (EBWO) for a multi-area interconnected power system with photovoltaic generation. The proposed LFC model addresses the load perturbation and the deviation of tie-line power, with system uncertainties considered as lumped disturbances that are approximated by extended state observers. To achieve optimal performance, the Enhanced Beluga Whale optimization algorithm is adopted and integrated with the suggested controller to fine-tune the controller. To validate the formidable performance of the suggested scheme, different cases have been studied with the existing approaches. The simulation results reveal the supremacy and robustness of the dynamic response of the Flatness-based active disturbance rejection control as compared to other approaches under load variations and parameter uncertainty.

This study explored the consequences of incorporating Sc and Zr into hypoeutectic Al–9Ce cast alloys, specifically investigating their influence on microstructure and mechanical properties. The findings demonstrated the significant reduction in the grain size of the Al–9Ce alloy while successfully maintaining the distinctive shape of the eutectic Al11Ce3 phase through the incorporation of Sc and Zr additions. During aging treatments, Al3(Sc,Zr) coherent precipitates formed both at the interface between the α-Al and Al11Ce3 phases and within the α-Al matrix. Remarkably, this led to optimal hardness achieved within a short duration of 3 h at 350 °C. Peak-aged quaternary Al–9Ce–xSc–yZr alloys showed significantly better tensile strength than the binary Al–Ce alloy at both ambient and elevated temperatures. Overall, the study underscored promising prospects of Al–Ce–Sc–Zr alloys for use in high-temperature applications, as they exhibited enhanced mechanical properties.

Honey is a prebiotic food that has many health benefits. Honey contains oligosaccharides that can be used to protect sensitive bioactive compounds. The purpose of this study was to see how encapsulation affects the survival of probiotics under different conditions. L. rhamnosus GG was encapsulated with sodium alginate and honey. The study had three treatments: free probiotics (control), encapsulated probiotics with sodium alginate (MWS) and encapsulated probiotics with honey (MWH). The microcapsules were analyzed using morphology, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The survival of both free and encapsulated probiotics was tested under simulated gastrointestinal conditions and high temperatures. Encapsulation with honey had significantly higher encapsulation efficiency (97%) and the probiotics encapsulated with honey had a higher survival rate compared to free cells. In conclusion, adding honey to encapsulated probiotics can improve their viability and stability under stressful conditions.

The genus Amblyomma contains the highest percentage of reptile-associated ticks, and comprises approximately nine subgenera. One of these subgenera is Adenopleura, which also encompasses Amblyomma javanense, and its type species Amblyomma compressum. This study describes a new Amblyomma species associated with Bengal monitor lizards (Varanus bengalensis) based on morphology and its mitogenome in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Reptiles belonging to different genera were examined for Amblyomma ticks and only the monitor lizard was infested with ticks in the District Bajaur. Collected Amblyomma cf. javanense ticks were analyzed and formally described as a new species. Overall, 57 A. cf. javanense ticks were collected on monitor lizards (4/27) with a 15% prevalence of infestation, 2.1 mean abundance, and 14.3 mean intensity. Ticks comprised males (n = 23, 40%), females (n = 14, 25%) and nymphs (n = 20, 35%), while no larvae were found. BLAST analysis of A. cf. javanense sequences showed the following maximum identities; 98.25% with undetermined Amblyomma species based on 12S rRNA, 96.07% with A. javanense based on 16S rRNA, 99.56% and 90.95% with an Amblyomma sp. and A. javanense, respectively, based on ITS2. Moreover, the mitochondrial genome of A. cf. javanense showed maximum identities of 80.75%, 80.48% and 79.42% with Amblyomma testudinarium, A. javanense, and Amblyomma sp., respectively. The phylogenetic analysis of A. cf. javanense revealed that its 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA are closely related to an Amblyomma sp. and A. javanense, respectively, from Sri Lanka, its ITS2 is closely related to A. javanense from China and an Amblyomma sp. from Sri Lanka, and its mitogenome is closely related to A. javanense and Amblyomma sp. from China. The pairwise distance analysis resulted in divergence of 0–1.71% (12S rRNA), 0–17.5% (16S rRNA), 0–9.1% (ITS2) and 0–20.5% (mitochondrial genome). We also contributed the full-length mitochondrial genome sequence of A. compressum and showed that this species does not share a most recent common ancestor with A. javanense. As the subgenus Adenopleura is paraphyletic, this study could help to understand the systematics and phylogeny of this taxon.

Economic growth—through growth affordability, growth investments, and growth-awareness associations—may lead to increased access to clean fuel and technologies for cooking (ACF&T). The current paper presents the trend and comparative analyses regarding GDP per capita, access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking, and renewable energy consumption (REC) in the South Asian economies. The data from Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan between 2000 and 2020 shows a strong positive correlation between GDP per capita and access to clean cooking technologies. India has made the most significant improvements, followed by Pakistan and Bangladesh. All three economies negatively correlate GDP per capita and renewable energy consumption. Bangladesh shows the steepest decline, followed by India and Pakistan, indicating a more pronounced shift towards nonrenewable energy sources as economic prosperity increases. The study concludes that economic development often involves transitioning from traditional renewable energy sources (such as biomass) to more modern, nonrenewable energy sources (such as fossil fuels), often more efficient and reliable for industrial and large-scale energy needs. Hence, developing infrastructure and industrial sectors might lead to higher consumption of nonrenewable energy sources. This points to a potential challenge for sustainable development, as increased economic prosperity might be accompanied by more significant environmental impact unless there are concerted efforts to promote renewable energy sources.

The present study represents a significant understanding, employing cutting-edge Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) technologies by conducting a comprehensive landslide susceptibility modelling in the Doda, Kishtwar, and Ramban (DKR) districts of the Union Territory of the Jammu and Kashmir in the NW Himalaya. The primary objective of this study is to determine the areas that are at high risk of landslides and accordingly classified these risk zones into five distinct categories, ranging from very high (VH) to very low (VL) susceptibility. To achieve this, a multifaceted approach, involving the utilization of various terrain thematic layers in the GIS environment was applied. The preferred framework employed in this study is the Weighted Overlay (WO) analysis. The final outcome of the study is the final landslide susceptibility map which is a significant and valuable resource for a wide range of stakeholders, including decision-makers, land managers, and local communities. It equips these stakeholders with the information and insights required to adopt proactive strategies in response to the identified landslide susceptibility zones.

Pollen grains are the male reproductive part of the flowering plants. It is collected by forager honey bees and mixed with their salivary secretions, enzymes, and nectar, which form fermented pollen or “bee bread” which is stored in cells of wax honeycombs. Bee pollen (BP) is a valuable apitherapeutic product and is considered a nutritional healthy food appreciated by natural medicine from ancient times. Recently, BP has been considered a beneficial food supplement and a value-added product that contains approximately 250 different bioactive components. It contains numerous beneficial elements such as Mg, Ca, Mn, K, and phenolic compounds. BP possesses strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, analgesic, immunostimulant, neuroprotective, anti-cancer, and hepatoprotective properties. It is used for different purposes for the welfare of mankind. Additionally, there is a growing interest in honey bee products harvesting and utilizing for many purposes as a natural remedy and nutritive function. In this review, the impacts of BP on different organisms in different ways by highlighting its apitherapeutic efficacy are described.

Melatonin (MT) participates in plants' responses in plants’ response to cadmium (Cd) tolerance, although its work model remains elusive. Here, the function of MT in adjusting Cd accumulation in Gossypium hirsutum (CCRI12) was investigated. In this research we observed that exogenous 50 μM MT significantly reduced the Cd accumulation under 100 μМ Cd stress for 7 days of treatment in cotton seedlings. Cd markedly induced the ROS (H2O2, O2-) accumulation and elevated the expression of transporters for Cd uptake and translocation. After application of MT reduced ROS and MDA accumulation in response to high induction of antioxidant defense system; the genes encoding superoxide dismutase (GhSOD), catalase (GhCAT), and peroxidase (GhPOD), ascorbate peroxidase (GhAPX), and glutathione S-transferase (GhGST) were significantly upregulated accompanied by their level of content. Furthermore, MT down-regulated transporters for Cd uptake include Natural Resistance-Associated Macrophage Protein 1 (GhNRAMP3), Zinc/Iron-regulated transporter-like protein (GhZIP1/4/6), Heavy Metal ATPase gene (GhHMA2), and ATP-binding Cassette sub family C (GhABCC3/2). Exogenous application of MT raised the hemicelluloses, cellulose and pectin content accompanied by their expression levels, xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase (GhXTH28/6/9/B), cellulose synthase like (GhCSLG1/2) and COBRA-like (GhCOBL4), pectin acetylesterases (GhPAE8/7), pectin methylesterases (GhPME31) which in turn increased the cell wall's binding capacity to Cd.

Objective: To find out the mode of presentation and severity of cardiac involvement in children presented with established rheumatic heart diseases (RHD) at first presentation at a tertiary care setup. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Pediatric Cardiology, National Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Karachi Pakistan, from Jul 2020 to Jun 2021. Methodology: One hundred seven children of genders aged 3 to 18 with a confirmed diagnosis of RHD were included. Demographic features, chief presenting complaints, possible reasons for late presentation, and echocardiographic findings were noted. Results: In 107 patients with RHD, 63(58.9%) were male. The sensation of the rapid pounding of heartbeat (palpitation) was observed among 72(67.3%) children, while a similar number of cases, 72(67.3%), presented with breathlessness. There were 33(30.8%) children who were diagnosed for the first time with RHD. The most common reason for late diagnosis was socioeconomic factors in children (18, 26.1%). Primary prophylaxis for acute rheumatic fever (ARF)/RHD was noted to be given in 11(10.3%) patients. Mitral regurgitation was the most common echocardiographic finding in 103(96.3%), followed by aortic regurgitation in 99(92.5%). Conclusion: The majority of children with RHD are diagnosed late, which exposes them to an increased risk of undiagnosed valvular disorders. Palpitation, orthopnea and breathlessness were RHD most frequent presenting clinical features. Mitral regurgitation and aortic regurgitation were the most common echocardiographic findings.

Different grasping gestures result in the change of muscular activity of the forearm muscles. Similarly, the muscular activity changes with a change in grip force while grasping the object. This change in muscular activity, measured by a technique called Electromyography (EMG) is used in the upper limb bionic devices to select the grasping gesture. Previous research studies have shown gesture classification using pattern recognition control schemes. However, the use of EMG signals for force manipulation is less focused, especially during precision grasping.In this study, an early predictive control scheme is designed for the efficient determination of grip force using EMG signals from forearm muscles and digit force signals. The optimal pattern recognition (PR) control schemes are investigated using three different inputs of two signals: EMG signals, digit force signals and a combination of EMG and digit force signals. The features extracted from EMG signals included Slope Sign Change, Willison Amplitude, Auto Regressive Coefficient and Waveform Length. The classifiers used to predict force levels are Random Forest, Gradient Boosting, Linear Discriminant Analysis, Support Vector Machines, k-nearest Neighbors and Decision Tree. The two-fold objectives of early prediction and high classification accuracy of grip force level were obtained using EMG signals and digit force signals as inputs and Random Forest as a classifier. The earliest prediction was possible at 1000 ms from the onset of the gripping of the object with a mean classification accuracy of 90 % for different grasping gestures.Using this approach to study, an early prediction will result in the determination of force level before the object is lifted from the surface. This approach will also result in better biomimetic regulation of the grip force during precision grasp, especially for a population facing vision deficiency.

This paper examines the effect of green foreign direct investment (GFDI) on environmental quality (EQ) in 34 less-developed countries (LDCs) from 2003 to 2021. We analyze balanced panel data using Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS) and Panel-Corrected Standard Errors (PCSE). Our findings reveal several vital insights: (1) GFDI helps improve EQ. (2) Environmental costs associated with economic growth are negative. (3) Trade openness positively influences EQ. (4) EQ is enhanced by institutional quality, energy use, and population expansion in the chosen countries. (5) The existence of a U-shaped curve was established. This is valuable to the relatively scanty literature on GFDI, especially in LDCs. To the best of our awareness, this study simultaneously employs the Load Capacity Factor (LCF) and Total Value of Announced Greenfield projects as proxies for environmental sustainability and GFDI for the first time. Secondly, incorporating PCSE and FGLS models in this context is an innovative methodological strategy. The present research work provides to the existing theoretical and empirical discussions on GFDI and EQ and has practical implications that inform policy-making.

Abstract Background Psoriasis is a chronic, autoimmune, papulosquamous skin disorder, characterized by the formation of drop-like papules and silvery-white plaques surrounded by reddened or inflamed skin, existing predominantly on the scalp, knees and elbows. The characteristic inflammation and hyperproliferation of keratinocytes in psoriasis is regulated by progranulin (PGRN), which suppresses the expression and release of inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α. Methodology In this study mutation analysis of the PGRN gene was performed by extracting the genomic DNA from blood samples of 171 diagnosed psoriasis patients and controls through standard salting-out method, followed by amplification and sequencing of the targeted region of exon 5–7 of PGRN gene. Results Three single nucleotide polymorphisms, rs25646, rs850713 and a novel point mutation 805A/G were identified in the PGRN gene with significant association with the disease. The variant alleles of the polymorphisms were significantly distributed among cases and controls, and statistical analysis suggested that the mutant genotypes conferred a higher risk of psoriasis development and progression. Multi-SNP haplotype analysis indicated that the CAA (OR = 8.085, 95% CI = 5.16–12.66) and the CAG (OR = 3.204, 95% CI = 1.97–5.21) haplotypes were significantly associated with psoriasis pathogenesis. Conclusions These findings demonstrate that polymorphisms in PGRN might act as potential molecular targets for early diagnosis of psoriasis in susceptible individuals.

Scanning microscopic imaging has become a valuable research tool in micromorphology with improved techniques playing an important role in analysing the ultrastructure of leaf specimens. The foliar epidermal anatomy of 25 selected poisonous plants with special emphasis on stomata and trichomes was reported using microscopic techniques, for instance, light micrographs (LMs) and scanning micrographs (SEMs). This study aimed to investigate micromorphologies of studied species that are helpful for the identification of poisonous plants. Plants were collected, pressed, dried, identified and then analysed for microscopic study. For making microscopic slides, 1 or 2 leaves were taken in a test tube and dipped in 30% nitric acid and 70% lactic acid for few minutes, and then placed on petri plates for separating the epidermis. Numerous quantitative and qualitative foliar anatomical features of adaxial and abaxial surfaces, including epidermal cell shapes, stomata size, subsidiary cell size, the pattern of the anticlinal wall, the morphology of the stomatal complex and trichome diversity, were examined. A small number of the considered species had anomocytic and anisocytic stomata; a few species had paracytic stomata, for instance, Ricinus communis, Euphorbia royleana, Buxus pilosula and Sorghum halepense; and only Ipomoea carnea had cyclocytic stomata in the studied taxa. The epidermal cells of the analysed species were irregular, while some exhibited polygonal, wavy, tetragonal and elongated cell morphologies. Overall, this study emphasises the significance of foliar micromorphology analysis as a valuable resource for identifying potentially poisonous plants and demonstrates its contribution to maintaining public welfare, thereby benefitting public health and safety.

Abstract Background Hepatic ischemia–reperfusion (IR) injury is the primary reason for complications following hepatectomy and liver transplantation (LT). Insulin-induced gene 2 (Insig2) is one of several proteins that anchor the reticulum in the cytoplasm and is essential for metabolism and inflammatory responses. However, its function in IR injury remains ambiguous. Methods Insig2 global knock-out (KO) mice and mice with adeno-associated-virus8 (AAV8)-delivered Insig2 hepatocyte-specific overexpression were subjected to a 70% hepatic IR model. Liver injury was assessed by monitoring hepatic histology, inflammatory responses, and apoptosis. Hypoxia/reoxygenation stimulation (H/R) of primary hepatocytes and hypoxia model induced by cobalt chloride (CoCl2) were used for in vitro experiments. Multi-omics analysis of transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics was used to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying Insig2. Results Hepatic Insig2 expression was significantly reduced in clinical samples undergoing LT and the mouse IR model. Our findings showed that Insig2 depletion significantly aggravated IR-induced hepatic inflammation, cell death and injury, whereas Insig2 overexpression caused the opposite phenotypes. The results of in vitro H/R experiments were consistent with those in vivo. Mechanistically, multi-omics analysis revealed that Insig2 is associated with increased antioxidant pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) activity. The inhibition of glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase (G6PD), a rate-limiting enzyme of PPP, rescued the protective effect of Insig2 overexpression, exacerbating liver injury. Finally, our findings indicated that mouse IR injury could be attenuated by developing a nanoparticle delivery system that enables liver-targeted delivery of substrate of PPP (glucose 6-phosphate). Conclusions Insig2 has a protective function in liver IR by upregulating the PPP activity and remodeling glucose metabolism. The supplementary glucose 6-phosphate (G6P) salt may serve as a viable therapeutic target for alleviating hepatic IR.

Abstract Background Respiratory tract infections are among the most common infections in the pediatric population throughout the globe. Globally around 20% of all deaths in children below 5 years of age are secondary to acute respiratory infections, mostly pneumonia. Probiotics are live microorganisms that when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. Their mechanism in preventing respiratory tract infections is not known but it is thought that probiotics act by modulating the immune system. This study was conducted to find out whether using probiotics is effective in decreasing the severity and frequency of recurrent respiratory tract infections or not. Methods A Quasi-experimental study was conducted at the Pediatric Medicine Department of Abbassi Shaheed Hospital Karachi during 2021–2022. The study was approved by the institutional ethical review committee i.e. advanced studies and research board (ASRB). The sampling technique was non-probability consecutive sampling and the sample size was 70 patients with recurrent respiratory tract infections, aged six months to 12 years of age. All enrolled children were given probiotics containing Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus Acidophilus for two weeks. Data were analyzed by using SPSS version 22. A p-value of

Abstract In recent years, global energy demand has surged, emphasizing the need for nations to enhance energy resources. The photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) system, capable of generating electrical energy from sunlight, is a promising renewable energy solution. However, it faces the challenge of overheating, which reduces efficiency. To address this, we introduce a flow channel within the PV/T system, allowing coolant circulation to improve electrical efficiency. Within this study, we explore into the workings of a PV/T system configuration, featuring a polycrystalline silicon panel atop a copper absorber panel. This innovative setup incorporates a rectangular flow channel, enhanced with a centrally positioned rotating circular cylinder, designed to augment flow velocity. This arrangement presents a forced convection scenario, where heat transfer primarily occurs through conduction in the uppermost two layers, while the flow channel beneath experiences forced convection. To capture this complex phenomenon, we accurately address the two-dimensional Navier–Stokes and energy equations, employing simulations conducted via COMSOL 6.0 software, renowned for its utilization of the finite element method. To optimize heat dissipation and efficiency, we introduce a hybrid nanofluid comprised of titanium oxide and silver nanoparticles dispersed in water, circulating through the flow channel. Various critical parameters come under scrutiny, including the Reynolds number, explored across the range of 100–1000, the volume fractions of both nanoparticle types, systematically tested within the range of 0.001–0.05, and the controlled speed of the circular cylinder, maintained within the range of 0.1–0.25 m/s. It was found that incorporating silver nanoparticles as a suspended component is more effective in enhancing PV/T efficiency than the addition of titanium oxide. Additionally, maintaining the volume fraction of titanium oxide between 4 and 5% yields improved efficiency, provided that the cylinder rotates at a higher speed. It was observed that cell efficiency can be regulated by adjusting four parameters, such as the Reynolds number, cylinder rotation speed, and the volume fraction of both nanoparticles.

HxTx-Hv1h, a neurotoxic peptide derived from spider venom, has been developed for use in commercial biopesticide formulations. Cell Penetrating Peptides (CPPs) are short peptides that facilitate the translocation of various biomolecules across cellular membranes. Here, we evaluated the aphidicidal efficacy of a conjugated peptide, HxTx-Hv1h/CPP-1838, created by fusing HxTx-Hv1h with CPP-1838. Additionally, we aimed to establish a robust recombinant expression system for HxTx-Hv1h/CPP-1838. We successfully achieved the secretory production of HxTx-Hv1h, its fusion with Galanthus nivalis agglutinin (GNA) forming HxTx-Hv1h/GNA and HxTx-Hv1h/CPP-1838 in yeast. Purified HxTx-Hv1h exhibited contact toxicity against Megoura crassicauda, with a 48 h median lethal concentration (LC50) of 860.5 μg/mL. Fusion with GNA or CPP-1838 significantly enhanced its aphidicidal potency, reducing the LC50 to 683.5 μg/mL and 465.2 μg/mL, respectively. The aphidicidal efficacy was further improved with the addition of surfactant, decreasing the LC50 of HxTx-Hv1h/CPP-1838 to 66.7 μg/mL—over four times lower compared to HxTx-Hv1h alone. Furthermore, we engineered HxTx-Hv1h/CPP-1838 multi-copy expression vectors utilizing the BglBrick assembly method and achieved high-level recombinant production in laboratory-scale fermentation. This study is the first to document a CPP fusion strategy that enhances the transdermal aphidicidal activity of a natural toxin like HxTx-Hv1h and opens up the possibility of exploring the recombinant production of HxTx-Hv1h/CPP-1838 for potential applications.

The desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria (Forsk., 1775), stands as one of the most pervasive pests globally, inflicting extensive damage across Asia and Africa. Facilitated by intercontinental migration, the desert locust engages in population exchange between different source areas, perpetuating its widespread proliferation. Despite the wind being recognized as a key factor during migration events, elucidating its precise influence on intercontinental migration has remained elusive. In this study, we scrutinized monitoring data sourced from the FAO monitoring system, pinpointing 13 desert locust events featuring intercontinental migrations since 1967. From these events, four migration routes were summarized, traversing the Red Sea (RS-WE and RS-EW) and the northern Indian Ocean (IO-WE and IO-EW). Typically, RS-WE and IO-EW migrations occurred between December and March, whereas RS-EW and IO-WE migrations were observed from May to June and April to July, respectively. Our examination of wind field data spanning the past 15 years revealed that wind direction and speed facilitated intercontinental migrations. Furthermore, migration trajectory modeling indicated that desert locusts might exhibit migratory behavior both during the day and at night in the cases of RS-WE and RS-EW, with cross-oceanic migration potentially lasting for a week for IO-WE and IO-EW. In summary, our study identifies four migration routes for the intercontinental migration of the desert locust, providing crucial support for the scientific prediction of its occurrence and contributing to international food security efforts.

I am writing this letter to highlight the importance of research and evidence-based practice among nursing undergraduate students in Pakistan. Nurses are the backbone of the healthcare system and build a strong foundation for any healthcare needs in the hospital setting. Research and Evidence-based clinical practice are crucial parts of a nursing career, to be able to promote better evidence-based practice, research needs to be taught in nursing undergraduate programs to ensure high-quality practice1. The core focus is to determine the role of evidence-based practices in reducing bedsores in the clinical sector. According to this aspect, undergraduate nursing students can provide quality care to patients as well as can be able to incorporate evidence-based practices in their professional lives

Bubur singkong merupakan salah satu pemberdayaan masyarakat untuk memaksimalkan potensi-potensi yang dimiliki oleh suatu desa untuk meningkatkan kesejahteraan masyarakatnya. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui bentuk dari adanya aksi pemberdayaan masyarakat pada produksi bubur singkong. Pengabdian masyarakat yang dilaksanakan oleh mahasiswa universitas ma’arif lampung di Kampung Rukti Basuki, Kecamatan Rumbia, Kabupaten Lampung Tengah. Dimana dalam kegiatan ini dilaksankan di gedung TK AL HUDA Rukti Basuki, Melalui Pengajaran kepada Masyarakat sekitar baik yang tergabung dalam kelompok PKK maupun Ibu rumah tangga tentang produksi bubur dengan memanfaatkan potensi lokal yaitu singkong. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan jenis penelitiannya adalah studi kasus. Teknik pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan wawancara dan observasi. Metode yang digunakan dalam pengabdian ini yaitu perencanaan, pelaksanaan, dan evaluasi. Pemberdayaan masyarakat ini dilakukan dengan mengoptimalkan produksi bubur singkong untuk dijadikan umkm berbasis potensi lokal masyarakat. Kurangnya edukasi mengenai pengolahan singkong menjadi produk olahan menjadi masalah utama dalam pengabdian ini. Sehingga pengabdian mencoba memberikan solusi berupa diversivikasi produk singkong menjadi bubur singkong. Pengabdian ini bertujuan 1) membantu masyarakat Desa Rukti Basuki untuk memanfaatkan potensi lokal yang ada yaitu singkong. 2) Memberikan pemahaman dan skill bagi masyarakat sekitar agar dapat membuat bubur singkong;; 3) Memberikan keterampilan kepada masyarakat untuk memanfaatkan singkong yang ada disekitar kita yang mana selama ini kurang dimanfaatkan oleh para masyarakat; serta 4) Membantu meningkatkan pendapatan masyarakat dari sektor perdagangan. Hasil dari pengabdian menunjukkan bahwa masyarakat dapat memanfaatkan potensi yang ada berupa singkong untuk diolah menjadi bubur singkong yaitu salah satu makanan yang lebih memiliki nilai ekonomis.

The advent of nanotechnology has been instrumental in the development of new drugs with novel targets. Recently, metallic nanoparticles have emerged as potential candidates to combat the threat of drug-resistant infections. Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are one of the dreadful complications of diabetes mellitus due to the colonization of numerous drug-resistant pathogenic microbes leading to biofilm formation. Biofilms are difficult to treat due to limited penetration and non-specificity of drugs. Therefore, in the current investigation, SnO2 nanoparticles were biosynthesized using Artemisia vulgaris (AvTO-NPs) as a stabilizing agent and were characterized using ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Furthermore, the efficacy of AvTO-NPs against biofilms and virulence factors of drug-resistant Candida albicans strains isolated from DFUs was assessed. AvTO-NPs displayed minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 1 mg/mL to 2 mg/mL against four strains of C. albicans. AvTO-NPs significantly inhibited biofilm formation by 54.8%–87%, germ tube formation by 72%–90%, cell surface hydrophobicity by 68.2%–82.8%, and exopolysaccharide (EPS) production by 69%–86.3% in the test strains at respective 1/2xMIC. Biosynthesized NPs were effective in disrupting established mature biofilms of test strains significantly. Elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in the AvTO-NPs-treated C. albicans could be the possible cause of cell death leading to biofilm inhibition. The useful insights of the present study could be exploited in the current line of treatment to mitigate the threat of biofilm-related persistent DFUs and expedite wound healing.

Background Patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention are often considered to be at a high bleeding risk (HBR). Drug‐eluting stents have been shown to be superior to bare‐metal stents in patients with HBR, even when patients were given abbreviated periods of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). Short DAPT has not been evaluated with the EluNIR ridaforolimus‐eluting stent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a shortened period of DAPT following implantation of the ridaforolimus‐eluting stent in patients with HBR. Methods and Results This was a prospective, multicenter, binational, single‐arm, open‐label trial. Patients were defined as HBR according to the LEADERS‐FREE (Prospective Randomized Comparison of the BioFreedom Biolimus A9 Drug‐Coated Stent versus the Gazelle Bare‐Metal Stent in Patients at High Bleeding Risk) trial criteria. After percutaneous coronary intervention, DAPT was given for 1 month to patients presenting with stable angina. In patients presenting with an acute coronary syndrome, DAPT was given for 1 to 3 months, at the investigator's discretion. The primary end point was a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or stent thrombosis up to 1 year (Academic Research Consortium definite and probable). Three hundred fifteen patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention were enrolled, and 56.4% presented with acute coronary syndrome; 33.7% were receiving oral anticoagulation. At 1 year, the primary end point occurred in 15 patients (4.9%), meeting the prespecified performance goal of 14.1% (P

Alectorobius species are soft ticks primarily infesting birds, such as swallows, while Dermacentor species are hard ticks mainly infesting mammals, such as small ruminants. This study for the first time reported on the morphological and molecular bases of two tick species, namely A. coniceps and a Dermacentor sp. in Pakistan. The former species was examined in swallows’ nests in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, while the latter species was examined in small ruminants in Balochistan province. In total, 25 ticks were collected, with 14 ticks morphologically identified as A. coniceps (males = 9 and females = 5) and 11 ticks identified as Dermacentor sp. (males = 7 and females = 4). Following morphological identification, molecular identification was gained by obtaining 16S rDNA and cox1 sequences for these ticks. The BLAST results for the 16S rDNA and cox1 sequences from A. coniceps shared a maximum identity of 97.46% and 96.49% with the same species from Malta. The BLAST analysis of the 16S rDNA and cox1 sequences from Dermacentor sp. showed maximum identities of 98.42% and 97.45% with Dermacentor pavlovskyi from China. The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA and cox1 of A. coniceps showed a close evolutionary relationship with the same species. The case of Dermacentor sp., based on 16S DNA and cox1, indicated a close evolutionary relationship with Dermacentor pavlovskyi from China.

Prolonged unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia is defined as neonatal jaundice persisting beyond 14 days of life. Hereditary Spherocytosis (HS) often remains underdiagnosed and is a notable cause of prolonged neonatal jaundice. Coombs negative haemolytic anaemias are an important cause of unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia, and HS is one of the most common inherited red cell membrane disorders. Other causes of prolonged unconjugated jaundice include extravasated blood (cephalhaematoma, bruises, intraventricular haemorrhage in preterm infants), haemolysis (blood group incompatibility, red blood cell enzymopathies, and membranopathies), urinary tract infection, congenital hypothyroidism, and rare familial disorders such as Gilbert’s syndrome and Crigler-Najjar syndromes I and II. Herein, the authors present a case report of two male neonates (three week-old and 25dayold) who presented with hyperbilirubinaemia requiring intensive phototherapy, blood transfusion, an exchange transfusion, and were diagnosed with HS. A significant family history suggested haemolytic anaemia, and red cell indices, namely Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), and the ratio of MCHC/MCV (neonatal HS index), helped suspect HS. Whole exome sequencing identified the specific mutation and confirmed the diagnosis of HS. Both of these neonates presented with prolonged neonatal jaundice, and HS was suspected based on the family history and red cell indices, namely MCHC and MCHC/MCV ratio, as highlighted in the present case series.

Despite abundant solar resources, Mali has remained one of the least electrified countries in the world. Besides daily life activities and the economy, the shortage of electricity has severely affected the quality of healthcare services in the country. In the absence of electrical grids, standalone photovoltaic (PV) systems could be an alternative option in Mali for the electrification of isolated community health centers. However, because standalone PV systems are highly weather-dependent, they must be properly sized according to the local weather conditions. This paper presents the optimal sizing of standalone PV systems for the electrification of community health centers in Mali. The optimization for PV systems was performed for five different locations through simulation and modeling using PVsyst, considering the autonomy of 1 to 3 days and the probability of loss of load for 1 to 5%. Furthermore, for the economic analysis, the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), payback period and return on investment for the standalone PV systems were calculated. Through the optimization, it was found that the standalone PV systems with PV array sizes ranging from 1650 to 2400 watts, along with 606 Ah battery storage, would be suitable to supply the daily energy demand for community health centers anywhere in the country. Moreover, by only replacing the 606 Ah battery storage with 1212 Ah and 1818 Ah sizes, the PV systems would be able to help and keep the energy reserves for 2 and 3 autonomous days, respectively. Furthermore, the results show that in comparison to a LCOE of 0.94–0.98 USD/kWh for a diesel generator, the LCOE for the standalone PV system would range from 0.23 to 0.46 USD/kWh without discounted rates and from 0.33 to 0.60 USD/kWh if discounted at 6%. In addition to a lower LCOE, the saving of 46–76 tons of CO2 during the project’s lifespan, the short payback periods and high return of investment (ROI) values make standalone PV systems a suitable electrification option for Mali. Considering the total expenses, LCOE, payback period, and ROI, standalone PV systems for community health centers were found to be economically viable in all cases for Mali.

Nickel–Titanium based shape memory alloys (SMAs) are a unique category of smart materials that possess remarkable properties like super-elasticity, shape memory effect, high wear and corrosion resistance, thereby rendering them appropriate for uses such as composite structures, aerospace, and biomedical uses etc. These distinctive features make these alloys ‘difficult in machining’ using the traditional approach of machining process. In the present investigation, machinability aspects of Ni55.65Ti-SMAs using non-traditional electric discharge machining process has been studied. The effect of input process parameters i.e., pulse time ON, duty factor, peak current on the surface roughness and material removal rate has been investigated. The output responses viz. Minimum surface roughness along with maximum material removal rate having values of 6.828 μm and 4.552 mm3/sec respectively were achieved. Furthermore, empirical modelling and ANOVA study have been executed based on the full factorial design analysis. The non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm IIalgorithm IIalg2 commonly known as NSGA II, used crowding distance approach for multi-objective process optimization. The results obtained with NSGA-II were again ranked using Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) approach to give a more thorough understanding of the solution space and opt for the best possible solution.

ABSTRACTIn this study, grape juice was concentrated through a microwave vacuum-assisted technique. The concentrate was prepared at different powers (30, 50, 80 W) and vacuum pressures (35, 50, 70 kPa) for different time intervals to optimize the processing conditions. The highest evaporation rate (5.32 g/100 g min) and the lowest moisture ratio (0.18) were observed at a higher level of microwave power (80 W) and vacuum pressure (70 kPa). Moreover, different mechanistic models were used to predict the values of the moisture ratio. Among them, the Midilli (R2 = 0.999, SSE = 1.970 × 10−8, RPD = 0.012%) model best fits the experimental values. The effective diffusivity (1.69 × 10−14 m2/s), activation energy (1.56 W/kg), and extraction yield (69.30%) possessed maximum values at 80 W and 70 KPa. While concentrate had exhibited higher antioxidant activities (77.2%) than fresh juice (25.28%) at 30 W. Overall results indicated that the microwave-vacuum technique had significantly reduced the processing time and energy requirement.

Abstract Fruits and vegetables have shorter shelf life due to their perishable nature. Tomato, being a nutritionally rich fruit needs to be preserved for a longer period. In this context, this study was designed to dry the tomato slices through microwave–vacuum drying. This process was optimized for moisture ratio and drying rate using response surface methodology (RSM). The process was investigated at different power levels (30, 50, 80, and 100 W), pressure (0, 15, 20, and 25 inHg), and time (0, 4, 6, and 10 min) using Box–Behnken design. Results indicated that color, energy efficiency, and drying characteristics were significantly affected by changing power, vacuum levels, and processing time. Besides, nine mathematical models were applied on experimental data to deeply understand the moisture ratio of tomato slices. Amongst, Midilli model was found best to describe the drying process at 100 W and 25 inHg supported by R2 (0.9989), RMSE (0.001), and X2 (1.34e−4). This study was focused on finding the optimal combinations of power, vacuum pressure, and time for better drying and reduced wastage of the fruit owing to its perishable nature. From all the microwave powers, higher microwave power and vacuum level showed better energy consumption, energy efficiencies, color retention, and rehydration capacity.

The increasing demand for renewable energy sources, such as photovoltaic thermal systems, requires efficient cooling techniques to improve performance. Hybrid nanofluids have shown promise in enhancing the cooling performance of such systems. This work seeks to investigate the effect of varying parameters on the performance of a two-dimensional photovoltaic thermal system using hybrid nanofluids for cooling. This work aims to enhance the performance of two-dimensional photovoltaic thermal systems by using hybrid nanofluids for cooling. The hybrid nanofluids use water as their base fluid and contain a mixture of Copper (Cu) and Aluminia oxide. The photovoltaic thermal system is assumed to have a monocrystalline silicon absorber and a backward step as the flow channel. The conduction and forced convection process will occur on the top two layers of silicon and absorber, respectively, while forced convection will occur in the flow and heat transmission channel. The finite element software COMSOL 6.0 will be used to simulate the issue using the energy and Navier-Stokes equations in a two-dimensional, incompressible, and steady-state problem. A parametric study will be conducted by varying the inlet temperature, Reynolds number, volume fraction of Copper, and height downstream of the backward step channel. The results will be verified using a mesh-independent study and the heat transfer coefficient from the available literature. The study demonstrates that increasing the amount of Cu in the base fluid, the upstream channel's channel height and the corresponding Reynolds number improves the performance of the photovoltaic thermal system.

There are numerous problems in the world, but environmental pollution is the biggest threat to life. Air pollution is the most critical form of environmental pollution because air is the most essential need of life. However, industrialization, population growth, and fossil fuel use increase hazardous and greenhouse gas concentrations daily. Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) contribute to global warming; hence, efficient, inexpensive, sustainable, and ecologically friendly air purification solutions are required. This study proposed a new method for synthesizing N- and P-rich polyphosphazene-based hyper cross-linked polymer (HCP) for CO2 adsorption. Due to their persistent porosity, low density, and high surface area, hyper cross-linked porous organic–inorganic hybrid phosphorus and nitrogen-rich polymers are cost-effective and promising gas adsorption materials. We synthesized hybrid organic and inorganic polyphosphazenes with nitrogen and phosphorus backbones and aromatic side groups cross-linked by the Friedel–Crafts alkylation process. HCP-A and HCP-B were cross-linked phosphazene-based microporous hybrid organic–inorganic polymers. HCP-A and HCP-B were produced in two stages. Hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene reacts with 1-napthylamine to form naphthyl amino phosphazene, which is cross-linked under optimum conditions to make cyclic HCP-A. Phosphorous dichlorophosphazene reacts with 1-naphthylamine to form poly[bis(1-naphthylamino) phosphazene] and is cross-linked to form linear HCP-B. HCP-A and HCP-B porous networks were studied with Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface areas of 170.89 and 492.03 m2 g−1 and narrow pore sizes of 0.8–1.18 nm. These polymers are promising CO2 adsorbents due to their easy and cost-effective production, thermal stability, surface area, and CO2 absorption capacity.

Bartonella henselae is a Gram-negative bacterium causing a variety of clinical symptoms, ranging from cat-scratch disease to severe systemic infections, and it is primarily transmitted by infected fleas. Its status as an emerging zoonotic pathogen and its capacity to persist within host erythrocytes and endothelial cells emphasize its clinical significance. Despite progress in understanding its pathogenesis, limited knowledge exists about the virulence factors and regulatory mechanisms specific to the B. henselae strain Houston-1. Exploring these aspects is crucial for targeted therapeutic strategies against this versatile pathogen. Using reverse-vaccinology-based subtractive proteomics, this research aimed to identify the most antigenic proteins for formulating a multi-epitope vaccine against the B. henselae strain Houston-1. One crucial virulent and antigenic protein, the PAS domain-containing sensor histidine kinase protein, was identified. Subsequently, the identification of B-cell and T-cell epitopes for the specified protein was carried out and the evaluated epitopes were checked for their antigenicity, allergenicity, solubility, MHC binding capability, and toxicity. The filtered epitopes were merged using linkers and an adjuvant to create a multi-epitope vaccine construct. The structure was then refined, with 92.3% of amino acids falling within the allowed regions. Docking of the human receptor (TLR4) with the vaccine construct was performed and demonstrated a binding energy of −1047.2 Kcal/mol with more interactions. Molecular dynamic simulations confirmed the stability of this docked complex, emphasizing the conformation and interactions between the molecules. Further experimental validation is necessary to evaluate its effectiveness against B. henselae.

This research study focuses on the growing concern of academic misconduct in distance education courses. A quasi-experimental study was conducted to measure the impact of introducing webcam recording software as an online supervision tool for high-stakes exams in two separate online courses (Management and Accounting). Results revealed that overall performance decreased following implementation of the software, and persisted after taking potential confounding factors into account. Additionally, the explanatory power of the regression analysis was higher for scores under supervision, which suggests that cheating was occurring before online supervision was introduced. It can be concluded from this study that online supervision is an effective tool to combat academic dishonesty in distance education courses.