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IMPORTANCE: Antiseizure medications (ASMs) are frequently prescribed for acute symptomatic seizures and epileptiform abnormalities (EAs; eg, periodic or rhythmic patterns). There are limited data on factors associated with ASM use and their association with outcomes. OBJECTIVES: To determine factors associated with ASM use in patients with confirmed or suspected acute symptomatic seizures undergoing continuous electroencephalography, and to explore the association of ASMs with outcomes. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This multicenter cohort study was performed between July 1 and September 30, 2021, at 5 US centers of the Post Acute Symptomatic Seizure Investigation and Outcomes Network. After screening 1717 patients, the study included 1172 hospitalized adults without epilepsy who underwent continuous electroencephalography after witnessed or suspected acute symptomatic seizures. Data analysis was performed from November 14, 2023, to February 2, 2024. EXPOSURE: ASM treatment (inpatient ASM continuation ≥48 hours). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Factors associated with (1) ASM treatment, (2) discharge ASM prescription, and (3) discharge and 3-month Glasgow Outcome Scale score of 4 or 5 were ascertained. RESULTS: A total of 1172 patients (median [IQR] age, 64 [52-75] years; 528 [45%] female) were included. Among them, 285 (24%) had clinical acute symptomatic seizures, 107 (9%) had electrographic seizures, and 364 (31%) had EAs; 532 (45%) received ASM treatment. Among 922 patients alive at discharge, 288 (31%) were prescribed ASMs. The respective frequencies of inpatient ASM treatment and discharge prescription were 82% (233 of 285) and 69% (169 of 246) for patients with clinical acute symptomatic seizures, 96% (103 of 107) and 95% (61 of 64) for electrographic seizures, and 64% (233 of 364) and 48% (128 of 267) for EAs. On multivariable analysis, acute and progressive brain injuries were independently associated with increased odds of inpatient ASM treatment (odds ratio [OR], 3.86 [95% CI, 2.06-7.32] and 8.37 [95% CI, 3.48-20.80], respectively) and discharge prescription (OR, 2.26 [95% CI, 1.04-4.98] and 10.10 [95% CI, 3.94-27.00], respectively). Admission to the neurology or neurosurgery service (OR, 2.56 [95% CI, 1.08-6.18]) or to the neurological intensive care unit (OR, 7.98 [95% CI, 3.49-19.00]) was associated with increased odds of treatment. Acute symptomatic seizures and EAs were significantly associated with increased odds of ASM treatment (OR, 14.30 [95% CI, 8.52-24.90] and 2.30 [95% CI, 1.47-3.61], respectively) and discharge prescription (OR, 12.60 [95% CI, 7.37-22.00] and 1.72 [95% CI, 1.00-2.97], respectively). ASM treatment was not associated with outcomes at discharge (OR, 0.96 [95% CI, 0.61-1.52]) or at 3 months after initial presentation (OR, 1.26 [95% CI, 0.78-2.04]). Among 623 patients alive and with complete data at 3 months after discharge, 30 (5%) had postdischarge seizures, 187 (30%) were receiving ASMs, and 202 (32%) had all-cause readmissions. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This study suggests that etiology and electrographic findings are associated with ASM treatment for acute symptomatic seizures and EAs; ASM treatment was not associated with functional outcomes. Comparative effectiveness studies are indicated to identify which patients may benefit from ASMs and to determine the optimal treatment duration.

In recent decades, there has been considerable interest in investigating advanced energetic materials characterized by high stability and favorable energetic properties. Nevertheless, reconciling the conflicting balance between high energy and the insensitivity of such materials through traditional approaches, which involve integrating fuel frameworks and oxidizing groups into an organic molecule, presents significant challenges. In this study, we employed a promising method to fabricate high-energy-density materials (HEDMs) through the intermolecular assembly of variously substituted purines with a high-energy oxidant. Purines are abundant in nature and are readily available. A series of advanced energetic materials with a good balance between energy and sensitivity were prepared by the simple and effective self-assembly of purines with high-energy oxidants. Notably, these compounds exhibit incredibly improved crystal densities (1.80–2.00 g·cm–3) and good detonation performance (D: 7072–8358 m·s–1; P: 19.82–34.56 GPa). In comparison to RDX, these self-assembled energetic materials exhibit reduced mechanical sensitivities and enhanced thermal stabilities. Compounds 1–5demonstrate both high energy and low sensitivity, indicating that self-assembly represents a straightforward and effective approach for developing advanced energetic materials with a balanced combination of energy and safety. Moreover, this study offers an avenue for synthesizing energetic materials based on naturally occurring compounds assembled through intermolecular attractions, thereby achieving a balance between energy and sensitivity along with versatile functionality.

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Three new complexes, namely BP1, GP1, and FP1 were synthesized by interacting metal zinc with benzoic acid, gluconic acid, and folic acid (BL1, GL1, and FL1), respectively. Elemental analysis, Infrared (IR) spectroscopy, thermal analysis (TGA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were employed for the thorough characterization of the complexes. The thermal breakdown mechanism of the compounds was studied using TGA/DSC and DTA. The decomposition process was found to occur in one step for BL1 and two steps for BP1 and GP1, with thermal degradation at 150–270 °C, 150–470 °C,120–600 °C, and percentage weight loss is 98.3, 70.7, and 51.04%, respectively. The complex BP1 crystallized in the monoclinic system, with lattice parameters a = 7.9721 Å, b = 14.7279 Å, c = 9.5524 Å, and α = 91.755° and crystallinity of the material is 61.49%. Biological data revealed that both GL1 and GP1 had the highest anticancer activity (119.68 ± 1.16, and 70.31 ± 8.34), respectively while in antibacterial activity GL1 (12.33 ± 1.53 mm), and GP1 (12.5 ± 0.5 mm) show maximum inhibition against S. Aureusand BL1 (12.67 ± 1.15 mm), and BP1 (9.17 ± 0.29 mm) has highest inhibition against E. coli12.67 ± 1.15 mm.

In the current study, samples were taken from the sewage treatment plant to isolate rubber-degrading microbial strains. The sludge samples were screened for rubber degradation microbes and later on, each strain was separately characterised for rubber degradation. Initially, strain BA23 showed half the rubber degradation ratio in mineral salt medium. The isolated microbial strains were identified based on 16SrRNA gene sequence analysis, morphological and biochemical characteristics and named Brucellasp. belonging to the genus Bacillus.Later on, the medium conditions for strain BA23 were optimised based on carbon, nitrogen sources, pH, temperature and incubation period. After optimising various environmental and nutritional conditions, the rubber degradation increased twice when inorganic nitrogen sources (aammonium nitrate) used 1 g/L in the medium at pH 7.5. Furthermore, the structural changes that occurred in the rubber polymer associated with the rubber polymer were analysed through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and the breakdown of important functional groups such as aldehyde, ketone ester and carboxylic acid was observed. Finally, the gravimetric weight loss of CO2during rubber degradation was 42.88 g/L, showing CO2evolution greatly when the rubber degradation occurred in the mineral salt medium. It was concluded that strain BA23 has a maximum potential for rubber degradation when it is used for future solid waste management of rubber and its products for a long period in the environment.

Background: Pain is a traumatic experience for most patients on hemodialysis. In this trial, we compared prilocaine/lidocaine cream with piroxicam gel for pain reduction during arteriovenous fistula needling.Methods: This randomized double-blind crossover clinical trial was done at dialysis unit of a tertiary care hospital from June to August 2022. Adult patients, aged 18–75 years, on maintenance hemodialysis through an arteriovenous fistula were selected randomly. Pain severity during needling of fistula was assessed during initial two hemodialysis sessions without application of any drug. Patients were then randomized into two groups receiving 5% prilocaine/lidocaine cream or 0.5% piroxicam gel 1 h before the next two hemodialysis sessions. After a 7-day washout period, patients crossed over to other groups for another two hemodialysis sessions. Pain was assessed on all these occasions. Primary outcome was reduction in pain with each intervention.Results: There were 32 patients aged 46.44 ± 11.58 years. Pain intensity was 6.69 ± 0.58, 3.13 ± 1.28, and 4.55 ± 1.95 without any medication, prilocaine/lidocaine cream and piroxicam gel respectively. There was greater pain reduction with prilocaine/lidocaine cream than piroxicam gel (3.56 ± 1.35 vs 2.14 ± 1.78; p= 0.001). Local redness with prilocaine/lidocaine cream was reported by one (3.13%) patient, whereas no side effects were seen with piroxicam gel (p= 1.000).Conclusion: Prilocaine/lidocaine cream provides better pain relief than piroxicam gel during arteriovenous fistula needling.

Tetrazoles and their derivatives are essential for compound synthesis due to their versatility, effectiveness, stability in air, and cost-efficiency. This has stimulated interest in developing techniques for their production. In this work, four compounds, tetrazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidin-5-amine (1), N-(4-azidopyrimidin-2-yl)nitramide (2), tetrazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidin-5(6H)-one (3), and tetrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-5-amine (4), were obtained from commercially available reagents and straightforward synthetic methodologies. These new compounds were characterized by infrared (IR), 13C, and 1H NMR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The solvent, temperature, and electron-donating group (EDG) factors that were responsible for the steering of azido-tetrazole equilibrium in all compounds were also studied. In addition, the detonation performance of the target compounds was calculated by using heats of formation (HOFs) and crystal densities. Hirshfeld surface analysis was used to examine the intermolecular interactions of the four synthesized compounds. The results show that the excellent properties of 1–4are triggered by ionic bonds, hydrogen bonds, and π–π stacking interactions, indicating that these compounds have the potential to be used in the development of high-performance energetic materials. Additionally, DFT analysis is in support of experimental results, which proved the effect of different factors that can influence the azido-tetrazole equilibrium in the synthesized pyrimidine derivatives in the solution.

ABSTRACTPRRs(pseudo-response regulators) genes play crucial roles in plant growth and development, stress response and other life activities. However, this gene family in cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitataL) has yet to be comprehensively studied. To fully understand the status of PRR in cabbage, ten BoPRRgenes were extracted from the whole genome of cabbage through bioinformatics analysis, and their gene structure, protein conservative motifs, cis acting elements and collinearity relationships were identified and analysed. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to explore the expression patterns of BoPRRgenes in cabbage leaves under various abiotic stresses. Based on phylogenetic analysis, the ten BoPRRgenes were divided into three branches, located on four chromosomes. In addition, many photoresponsive elements exist in the promoter region, and specific response elements with low temperature, drought and abscisic acid (ABA). In terms of gene expression patterns, all ten BoPRRgenes were found to be expressed in cabbage leaves and showed response to abiotic stress. This study represents the first comprehensive examination of the PRR family in cabbage, providing a theoretical basis for further research on abiotic stress and offering a new gene resource for breeding stress-resistant varieties.

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Cloud computing-based virtual learning environments (CVLE) can help students with rural backgrounds improve their academic skill set. However, the teachers and students are not satisfied with this pedagogical model. This study empirically examines whether CVLE-related performance attributes, characteristics, and administrative factors can help students with a rural background build internal feelings of trust in CVLE and satisfaction with its use to manage knowledge. As a result, they will intend to use CVLE to become academically competitive. We employed a mixed-method research approach, collected data from 449 university students with a rural background in Hefei, China, and performed analyses using Smart-PLS. We employed the stimulus–organism–response theory. We considered and empirically confirmed that CVLE-related performance attributes (perceived ease of use and usefulness), characteristics (interactivity, omnipresence), and administrative factors (university support) are stimuli to build an organism (trust, satisfaction). This organism will, in response, results in students’ intention to use CVLE. We also examined the mediating role of trust and satisfaction between stimulus and response factors and found a significant mediation between 11 out of 14 mediating associations. This study has theoretical implications for researchers and practical implications for policymakers, government educational authorities, the administration of higher education institutes, and cloud computing service providers.

The prosperity of the Internet economy enables consumers to better participate in corporate innovation and value creation; therefore, corporate innovation needs to be based on customer needs and market orientation, especially from the relationship quality between customer and company departments, to give full play to the market orientation and customer participation, which plays an essential part in company innovation performance. This study examined the direct effect of market orientation on innovation performance from employees’ perspectives, while the moderating effect of customer participation and relationship quality from customers’ perspectives. We collected data from 265 respondents, including Chinese high-tech companies’ managerial staff and company customers, and analyzed using the IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and SPSS Analysis of Moment Structures AMOS software. The results of regression analyses show that customer participation plays a positive moderating role in the relationship between market orientation and company innovation performance; a quality relationship can also promote the moderating effect of customer participation. At the same time, under the conditions of high customer participation and high relationship quality, market orientation has the most significant impact on company innovation performance. The findings of this study have significant implications for researchers, chief executives of high-tech companies, and government regulatory bodies.

AbstractThis is a perspective, about the future climate policy of Pakistan, to improve the harvest of Green Climate Funds (GCF). This paper takes upon the calculation of climate financing potential in the context of the energy sector of Pakistan by estimating the potential of becoming a net-zero sector in Pakistan’s Economy. The study has identified several options for the government to reallocate the energy mix and tie the energy demand targets with climate targets for a green future of Pakistan. The study has used basic excel tools to calculate facts from the available data sets in Pakistan. The study found that, if Pakistan chooses to shift from dirty sources of energy production to the use of cleaner inputs for energy production, Pakistan can generate a significant amount of climate finance by reducing the emissions from energy production, which are recordable, traceable, and can be evaluated by any of the third-party evaluating organization. The initial cost for Pakistan will cause some discrepancies in some of the macroeconomic indicators and may also cause budget imbalances it will surely help the economy to achieve the targets of becoming a net-zero economy and be able to harvest Green Climate Funds in long term with much faster rate, which can overpass the investments made or being made in this sector and will create a significant amount jobs in the economy, which will be green jobs, promoting environmental friendly output and sustainable growth.

AbstractThe issue of climate change and environmental degradation has been prevailing for the last few decades. Yet economies are further expanding due to free trade agreement which accelerates the trade of energy and carbon intensive commodities across the regions. A prominent example of such free trade is the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (R.C.E.P.), which mostly remains ignored. The current research study explores the influence of financial development (F.D.) and energy efficiency (E.N.E.F.) on carbon emissions in the R.C.E.P. economies. Also, this study analyses the role of economic growth and renewable energy on environmental quality during the period from 1990 to 2020. Panel data approaches such as slope heterogeneity, cross-section dependence, and the second-generation panel unit root test are used. The non-normally distributed variables are found cointegrated. Therefore, a novel method of moments quantile regression is used. The results demonstrate that F.D. and economic growth are positively associated with CO2emissions. At the same time, E.N.E.F. and renewable energy consumption (R.E.C.) significantly reduce the emissions level and promote a green environment in all quantiles. The environmental Kuznets curve is found valid in the R.C.E.P. economies. These results are robust as validated by Fully-Modified Ordinary Least Square – a parametric approach. A two-way significant causal association exists between carbon-economic growth, carbon-F.D., carbon-R.E.C., and carbon-E.N.E.F.. The findings suggest an enhancement in R.E.C., improvement in the E.N.E.F. approaches, and implications for green F.D. in the region.

Distributed Generation (DG) studies are generally conducted considering a single type of DG units integrated with the Distribution System (DS). However, these studies may not evaluate optimum benefits offered by the DG integration. This paper presents a novel framework for individual and simultaneous allocation of different types of DG units in DS while considering varying load demand and probabilistic generation of DG units. A Salp Swarm Algorithm (SSA) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) based new hybrid method that utilizes a single controlling parameter is proposed for simultaneous allocation of DG units, aiming to minimize a multi-objective index. The strength of the proposed SSA-PSO hybrid approach is validated on seventeen benchmark functions and the performance of the novel framework for optimal allocation of DG units is validated through implementation on the 69-bus system. The results demonstrate that the proposed hybrid approach performs better as compared to other meta-heuristics techniques. Moreover, simultaneous allocation significantly reduces the multi-objective index as compared to individual DG units’ integration.

Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is an important plant hormone required for various plant growth and developmental activities. YUCCA proteins are the enzymes for IAA synthesis that catalyze the rate-limiting step. However, the YUCCAgene family in Japanese apricot has not been thoroughly characterized. Here, we investigated the effect of rootstocks on scion growth of Japanease apricot and genes involved in auxin biosynthesis (YUCCA). Growth characteristics revealed that the height of ‘Longyan’ [Prunus mumeSieb. et Zucc] plants with P. mumerootstock were significantly shorter than ‘Longyan’ plants with P. persicarootstock. This study isolated 13 PmYUCCAgenes from the Japanese apricot genome. Bioinformatics and expression studies were undertaken to investigate the functions and characteristics of YUCCAgenes. The physicochemical properties, gene structure, conserved domains, conserved motif, and phylogenetic relationships of YUCCAgenes were determined using bioinformatics analysis. Likewise, we analyzed the expression of PmYUCCAgenes in Japanese apricot’s leaf and stem-bark (scion). The expression levels of PmYUCCA3and PmYUCCA5genes were noticeably lower in the leaves of ‘Longyan’/P. mumegraft combination than that of the ‘Longyan’/P. persicagraft combinations, suggesting their distinct roles in regulating growth vigor. This research explores the genome-wide identification, characterization, and possible relationship between growth vigor and expression profile analysis of the YUCCAgene family in Japanese apricot.

In this study, we present a novel, efficient method for the oxidative amination of sulfenamides using diacetoxyiodobenzene (PhI(OAc)2) and amines under basic conditions. This innovative technique streamlines the synthesis of sulfinamidines under mild, metal-free conditions, achieving outstanding yields of up to 99%. Furthermore, we propose possible pathways that elucidate the observed molecular sequence of events in this reaction. This cutting-edge approach not only advances the synthesis of valuable sulfinamidine compounds but also expands the synthetic toolbox available to chemists, paving the way for future discoveries in organic synthesis and potential applications in medicinal chemistry.

The emergency departments (EDs) of tertiary hospitals (THs) are significantly overcrowded, while primary healthcare centers (PHCCs) are underutilized. Therefore, the Chinese government is attempting to reduce outpatient flow from THs and establish a referral system between the EDs of THs and PHCCs. First, in this article, we propose a mobile-based outpatient healthcare service delivery framework (MOHSDF), which can help divert the flow of outpatients toward the PHCCs before they visit the EDs of THs. Second, this article examines that the MOHSDF-specific characteristics, including performance attributes (e.g., effort expectancy and performance expectancy), communicative power (e.g., interactivity), and perceived government support, are the stimuli that can help build an organism (e.g., initial trust and internal satisfaction). This organism will result in the behavioral intent to prescribe treatment using the MOHSDF. The data are collected from 292 TH physicians in Hefei, China, and analyze using Smart-PLS. All the proposed hypotheses are accepted, excluding two direct and one mediating relationship. These insignificant direct relationships are between performance attributes and internal satisfaction. Moreover, internal satisfaction does not mediate the relationship between effort expectancy and behavioral intent to prescribe treatment using the MOHSDF. This article has significant implications for researchers, government healthcare authorities, policymakers, and m-health service providers.

Keeping in view, the recent energy conditions and contribution of non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs) towards organic solar cells (OSCs), a series of NFAs (D1-D9) was designed. The novel fused ring NFAs (D1-D9) having A-D-A architecture were designed by structural engineering of Rmolecule with effective benzothiophene based acceptor moieties. For current study, all the calculations were accomplished at M06/6-311G (d,p) level. Different computational approaches like density of states (DOS), binding energy (Eb), transition density matrix (TDM), absorption spectra (UV–Vis), electronic properties (FMOs) and open circuit were performed to investigate the photovoltaic response of newly designed D1-D9chromophores. The terminal substitution of end-capped acceptors exhibited a reduction in energy gap (ΔE = 2.222–1.986 eV) with high electron mobility rate in all the derivatives (D1-D9) than that of R. All the designed chromophores exhibited wider absorption spectrum (λmax = 845.039–786.552 nm) along with lower excitation energy as compared to R(λmax = 770.040 nm) except D1and D9. Interestingly, lower binding energy (Eb = 0.419–0.473 eV) accompanying with higher excition dissociation rate was seen in derivatives than that of reference compound. Moreover, a comparable value of Vocwas noted in derivatives when calculated viaLUMOacceptor–HOMOPBDBT.Among all fore-said chromophores (D1-D9), D4exhibited lowest binding energy and thus ensured easier and faster excition dissociation rate along with highest Voc(1.586 V). In cessation, this structural modification by utilizing various acceptors played a significant role in obtaining auspicious photovoltaic response in compounds. Hence, our study encourages the experimentalists for synthesizing these proposed organic systems for the attaining high efficacy photovoltaic devices.

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to investigate how organization retain the knowledge of Contract Workforce (CWF) and to understand the associated challenges in this regard. Design/methodology/approach: Adopting an inductive approach, 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior managers, project heads and consultants working in leading oil and gas companies across eight countries (USA, Australia, UAE, KSA, Pakistan, UK, Thailand and Russia). Thematic analysis was carried out to analyze the data collected. Findings: CWF appears to be a significant source of knowledge attrition and even knowledge loss in the oil and gas sector. There are various risks associated with hiring of CWF, such as hallowing of organizational memory, repeated training of contractors, no knowledge base, workforce shortage among others which can impede the knowledge retention capability of O&G companies in the context of contract workforce. Various knowledge retention strategies for CWF have been revealed, however, there is interplay of various factors such as proportion of CWF deployed, proper resource utilization, cross-functional multi-level teams' involvement and strength of transactional ties. Maintaining strong relationships (Transactional ties) is crucial to maintain a virtual organizational memory (partial knowledge retention) and to follow a adopting a rehired when required policy. Originality/value: The knowledge retention issue in the context of CWF has not be addressed in past researches. This article attempts to fill this gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACTAluminium alloy 5083 plates were joined using friction stir welding (FSW) technique individually or in combination with boron carbide (B4C) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The effect of these reinforcements on mechanical properties, microstructure evolution and corrosion behaviour after FSW has been investigated. Radiography confirmed good fusion in the welded zone and the absence of surface or subsurface defects. The tensile testing results indicated a 35% decrease in tensile strength after FSW of the Al-5083 plates compared to the base metal, but it increased once again after the addition of individual reinforcements of B4C and CNTs due to grain refinement and second phase strengthening. In the sample with hybrid reinforcement, premature failure was observed due to lack of fusion and improper bonding between the two reinforcing materials. A similar trend was observed in the case of flexural testing. Severe plastic deformation and reduced grain size increased the micro-Vickers’ hardness values of reinforced samples. Evolution of the aluminium grain structure was analyzed using optical and stereo microscopy, while uniform dispersion of reinforcements and chemical composition was characterised by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), respectively. Increase in corrosion resistance was also observed after FSW and addition of reinforcements.

This manuscript describes the synthesis of three new selenium vinyl/allyl adducts (IV–VI),which incorporate imidazolium- N-heterocyclic carbene salts (I–III)are. The characterization was carried out using NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. Particularly, for adduct IV, its structural elucidation was further validated through X-ray diffraction. The vinyl/allyl compounds (I–VI) were evaluated toward two different bacterial strains Escherichia coliand staphylococcus aureus. Salt IIIshows a MIC = 62.5 µg/ mL and its respective adducts VIshows MIC = 31.2 µgmL−1against Escherichia coli. All the compounds (I–VI)exhibited significant efficacy against S. aureuswith MIC value in the range of 31.2–250 µgmL−1. The highest activity is shown by compound VIi-e 31.2 µg/ mL. All the compounds (I–VI)have thrombolytic potential (65.2 ± 0.89–88.2 ± 0.11%), suggesting their viability as effective agents for thrombolysis. Hemolysis showed cytotoxicity in the range of 2.87 ± 0.12 to 5.49 ± 0.28% which demonstrated they have not injurious effect on health and thus safe.

AbstractThe current study aims to explore the role of environmental taxes and regulations for the renewable energy consumption, focusing on reporting policy suggestions to overcome climate change issues and achieve environmental sustainability. The main objective of this paper is to examine the relation between renewable energy, environmental taxes, environmental technologies, and environmental regulations in 29 OECD countries during 1996–2018. More precisely, we inspect the impact of the environmental regulations and environmental technologies on the renewable energy consumption. The authors employ CIPS and CADF unit root tests, panel Westerlund co-integration test, FMOLS, and Quantile regression methods for the econometric analysis. The econometric analysis suggests that the environmental regulations impede the renewable energy consumption in OECD economies. The study suggests that environmental policy initiatives should focus on implementing environmental strategies to inspire cohesiveness between environmental regulations and the development of environmental technologies in order to promote the renewables industry in the developed countries.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is vital in versatile applications and has attracted significant attention. Carbon-based semiconductors are recognized as promising candidates for photocatalytic (PC) H2O2synthesis. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in PC H₂O₂ production, focusing on systems such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), graphite carbon nitride (CN), and covalent organic frameworks (COFs). It delves into the fundamental mechanisms of PC H₂O₂ generation, mainly through oxygen reduction and water oxidation reactions. It discusses various modification approaches to enhance the separation and transportation of photoinduced charge carriers in these materials. Additionally, the review explores the challenges and future opportunities within this field. In light of the growing interest in environmentally friendly and cost-effective methods of H₂O₂ production, this review emphasizes the necessity of a detailed examination of carbon-based photocatalysts capable of meeting these demands. By consolidating current research, identifying gaps, and highlighting the importance of further innovation, this review aims to advance the development of economically viable carbon-based photocatalysts. The insights are expected to guide future research and development efforts, ultimately contributing to the advancement of sustainable H₂O₂ production technologies.

For better estimation of renewable environmental friendly and carbon-free energy resources, precise prediction of solar energy is very essential. However, accurate prediction of solar energy is a challenging task due to its fluctuations and due to climatic factors those make it very nonlinear in nature. Therefore, in this study, the novel robust soft computing method is applied to predict solar​ radiation of two stations located in the southeast region of China. For modeling solar radiation of selected stations, the improved version of multi verse optimizer algorithm (IMVO) is utilized with integration of least square support vector machine (LSSVM) for better tuning the hyperparameters of LSSVM model. For validation, the newly developed method is compared with other algorithms integrated with LSSVM models, such as LSSVM with genetic algorithm (LSSVM-GE), LSSVM with gray wolf optimization (LSSVM-GWO), LSSVM with sine–cosine algorithm (LSSVM-CSA) and LSSVM with multi verse algorithm original version (LSSVM-MVO). It is found that newly developed method, LSSVM-IMVO, provided more accurate results in comparison to other models. For better visualization of data and model application, three different training testing data splitting strategies are used. It is found that the increase in training sample size considerably improved the models’ accuracies.

In the field of catalysis and energy applications, heterostructures of halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) and functionalized graphene are emerging as promising materials. In such heterostructures, it is critical to gain insights into the knowledge that governs the charge and energy transfer dynamics between the components of the heterostructures because it directly affects the efficiency of devices. In this work, we present heterostructures that consist of mercaptoacetic acid (MAA)-functionalized CsPbBr3NCs and alanine-functionalized graphene. The surface functionalization of CsPbBr3NCs and graphene enables an effective attachment of the NCs and graphene. The use of MAA as a functionalizing ligand not only passivates the surface of NCs but also provides the possibility of tuning the size of NCs and further coupling with alanine-functionalized graphene. Varying the amount of MAA allows us to synthesize the brightest CsPbBr3NCs with an absolute photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 49% and an emission spectral width of 25 nm. By combining alanine-functionalized graphene, the photoluminescence (PL) quenching of the NCs is observed. The photoexcited electron transfer from NCs to alanine-functionalized graphene is responsible for the occurrence of PL quenching that is advocated by time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) studies and cyclic voltammetry (CV) analysis. Our work provides a method to control the energetics and analyze the types of charge transfer in functionalized perovskite NCs and graphene heterostructures and motivates further research about the basic knowledge of charge transfer in functionalized donor–acceptor heterostructures.

Abstract Purpose--The purpose of this paper is to construct a financial development index (FDI) for the Indian economy and also examine the relationship between FDI and economic growth. Design/methodology/approach--Augment Dickey [...]

We investigated the forensic efficacy of the 30 insertion/deletion (Indel) markers included in the Qiagen Investigator® DIPplex kit in 529 Pakistani individuals from five major subpopulations in Pakistan (Punjabi, Pashtun, Sindhi, Saraiki, and Baloch). In the Sindhi population, the distribution of HLD81 and HLD97 alleles deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium after Bonferroni correction. The combined match probability ranged from 2.0E-12 (Pashtun and Baloch) to 1.0E-12 (Sindhi), and the mean paternity exclusion power varied from 0.995 (Punjabi, Sindhi, and Saraiki) to 0.996 (Pashtun and Baloch). The high combined power of discrimination (0.999 999 999 999 97) and low combined match probability (1.7E-12) for all subpopulations studied support the utility of the 30 Indel markers for forensic identification in the studied subpopulations. The allele frequencies of the Indel markers in the Pakistani subpopulations were compared with those from 18 other populations. The results show that the populations clustered according to geography. The subpopulations investigated in this work showed a close genetic relationship with others from Pakistan, as well as with South Central Asian and Middle Eastern populations. The results suggest that the Investigator®DIPplex kit can be useful as a supplementary tool for human identification in the five Pakistani subpopulations investigated in this study. KEY POINTSThe Investigator®DIPplex kit is useful as a supplementary tool for human identification.Reference data for the alleles of the loci in the Investigator®DIPplex kit were established for the Pakistani subpopulations Punjabis, Pashtuns, Sindhis, Saraikis, and Baloch.The Baloch were genetically slightly different from the other investigated Pakistani subpopulations.

The aim to conduct present research was to evaluate the chemical composition of ethanolic extract of Rhazya stricta. The ethanolic extracts obtained were converted into two types. The first extract was left as it is in greenish form whereas the second one was made colorless by using activated charcoal. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents of both extracts were also determined. The chemical composition of ethanolic extract of Rhazya strictawas evaluated by using HPLC–PDA. The compounds which were identified by HPLC–PDA were 14. Quercetin, kaempferol pentoside, p-coumaric acid, catechin, quercetin-rhamno-di-hexoside, carnosol, methyl carnosate, carnosic acid, apigenin, kaempferol, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid and rosmarinic acid. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents of ethanolic extract of Rhazya strictawere 148.25 ± 0.02 (mg GAE/g) and 479.62 ± 0.04 (mg CE/g). Colorless extract was also examined by HPLC–PDA. Eleven compounds were analyzed in it. These compounds were gallic acid, galloyl catechin, cirsimaritin, epicatechin, quercetin pentoside, ellagic acid, di-galloyl coumaroyl hexoside, kaempferol pentoside, afzelin, tiliroside and tri-p-coumaroyl spermidine. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents of colorless extract were 106.67 ± 0.57 (mg GAE/g) and 243.72 ± 0.01 (mg CE/g). Kaempferol pentoside is the common compound in both greenish and colorless extract.

The planned postoperative utilization of the intensive care unit decreases perioperative mortality. However, the preoperative request for ICU admission is made subjectively. Some high-risk elective procedures can get delayed or cancelled due to the unavailability of the ICU bed. The American College of surgeons national surgical quality improvement (ACS NSQIP) risk calculator estimates the likelihood of postoperative complications. Thus, the increased probability of postoperative complications can guide the physician to book ICU in advance to avoid unplanned ICU admission. The primary objective was to determine the number of preoperative ICU requests generated and their utilization postoperatively after an elective surgical procedure. The secondary objective was to evaluate the characteristics of these patients using the ACS NSQIP risk calculator and its effectiveness as a predictive tool for postoperative ICU admission.

Global warming and energy security are currently the two most challenging issues facing the globe. Economic fitness (EF) is a country's ability to deal with complex issues like environmental degradation (ED) and energy insecurity, which are major global concerns. The significance of this study lies in the fact that it investigates the influencing factors of CO2emissions (CO2E), as these factors contribute to SDGs. This study, which uses panel data from 1995 to 2015, aims to investigate the impact of EF on CO2E from biofuels (BFs) and fossil fuels (FFs) combustion in the BRICS countries. The FGLS and PCSE results show an N-shaped relationship between EF and BFs-CO2E, and an inverted N-shaped association between EF and FFs-CO2E. The results of this study are robust even after including control variables. In addition, urbanization, economic growth, and financial development are positively related to both BFs' & FFs' CO2E. The policy implication is that government should focus on increasing country EF to reduce CO2E. Moreover, this study provides crucial information for the policy makers and practitioners looking for the pathway to reduce CO2E and achieve sustainable development.

Single cell protein (SCP) has a potential to be used as an alternative to conventional protein sources. It can be produced at lower cost on different food industrial wastes. This study focused on optimization of SCP production from carrot pomace which would help in sustainable food waste management. SCP successfully produced through submerged fermentation at 30 °C during 5 days of incubation. The supplementation of SCP increased the protein contents of noodles in a dose-dependent manner, e.g., an addition of 20% SCP resulted in a 30% increase in protein contents. Likewise, amino acids profile of noodles improved significantly (p < 0.05), as obvious from different indices like essential amino acids to total amino acids ration, protein efficiency ratio, and essential amino acids index. The cooking time of noodles decreased significantly (p < 0.05) from 11.5 to 9.35 min at 8% SCP concentration. Moreover, absorption capacities (water and oil absorption), swelling index and cooking yield of noodles increased significantly (p < 0.05). The organoleptic evaluation indicated that supplementation of SCP in noodles was acceptable up to 8%. Thus, SCP may be used to enhance nutritional value of formulated noodles.

This paper assesses the skill of the Saudi-King Abdulaziz University coupled ocean–atmosphere Global Climate Model, namely Saudi-KAU CGCM, in forecasting the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-related sea surface temperature. The model performance is evaluated based on a reforecast of 38 years from 1982 to 2019, with 20 ensemble members of 12-month integrations. The analysis is executed on ensemble mean data separately for boreal winter (December to February: DJF), spring (March to May: MAM), summer (June to August: JJA), and autumn (September to November: SON) seasons. It is found that the Saudi-KAU model mimics the observed climatological pattern and variability of the SST in the tropical Pacific region. A cold bias of about 0.5–1.0 °C is noted in the ENSO region during all seasons at 1-month lead times. A statistically significant positive correlation coefficient is observed for the predicted SST anomalies in the tropical Pacific Ocean that lasts out to 6 months. Across varying times of the year and lead times, the model shows higher skill for autumn and winter target seasons than for spring or summer ones. The skill of the Saudi-KAU model in predicting Niño 3.4 index is comparable to that of state-of-the-art models available in the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) and North American Multi-Model Ensemble (NMME) projects. The ENSO skill demonstrated in this study is potentially useful for regional climate services providing early warning for precipitation and temperature variations on sub-seasonal to seasonal time scales.

The concept of a smart factory, under Industry 4.0 relies heavily on cyber physical systems (CPS) and intra-enterprise-wide-networks (IWN). Cloud-based implementation is incumbent to accomplish the promises of enterprise integration, automation, seamless information exchange and intelligent self-organisation. Extensive research has been conducted in this domain, however, there is still much research to be done from the perspective of such frameworks in small to medium size enterprises (SMEs). In this context, the agent-oriented smart factory (AOSF) framework provides a generic end-to-end supply chain (SC) model, compliant with CPS and Industry 4.0 standards. In order to support the crucial side of warehouse management, this paper presents AOSF's recommended agent-oriented storage and retrieval (AOSR) warehouse planner with hybrid logic-based strategy, which yields a smart time-stamped plan to manage product placement and retrieval efficiently. The AOSF-associated AOSR-planner uses the hierarchical task network (HTN) AI planning to ensure different warehouse operations in a timely manner.

ABSTRACTZika virus (ZIKV) infection can cause severe neurological disorders, including Guillain–Barre syndrome and meningoencephalitis in adults and microcephaly in fetuses. Here, we reveal that laminin receptor 1 (LAMR1) is a novel host resistance factor against ZIKV infection. Mechanistically, we found that LAMR1 binds to ZIKV envelope (E) protein viaits intracellular region and attenuates E protein ubiquitination through recruiting the deubiquitinase eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3 subunit 5 (EIF3S5). We further found that the conserved G282 residue of E protein is essential for its interaction with LAMR1. Moreover, a G282A substitution abolished the binding of E protein to LAMR1 and inhibited LAMR1-mediated E protein deubiquitination. Together, our results indicated that LAMR1 represses ZIKV infection through binding to E protein and attenuating its ubiquitination.

Byline: Dr. Gulzar Akhtar, Muhammad Adnan Nawaz and Dr. Ahsan Akram In modern ages, with devouring crew of hard work, it is very essential to represent hand work with reasonable, [...]

Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality.

Nitrate is the main nitrogen source for plant growth and development. Increasing evidence indicates that nitrate plays an important role in root growth and development. However, the effects of different concentrations of nitrate on the physiological and transcriptional response of soybean [Glycine max(L.) Merr.] root development at the seedling stage are not well understood. In this study, we found that both high and low concentrations of nitrate inhibited the growth and development of the soybean root system compared with optimal nitrate supply at the seedling stage. Using transcriptome sequencing technology, we identified 1,654, 1,283, and 2,083 significantly differentially expressed genes in soybean root grown under the low nitrate concentration, optimal nitrate concentration, and high nitrate concentration conditions, respectively. These genes were enriched in the Gene Ontology terms of metabolic process, catalytic activity, and membrane. The genes enriched in the pentose and glucuronate interconversions and glutathione metabolism pathways may play important roles during soybean root response to different concentrations of nitrate. In addition, the expression of 18 nitrate transporter genes changed significantly under different nitrate concentrations. Among them, the expression of two GmNPF6.3genes was upregulated under the NL condition but downregulated under the NH condition, whereas six GmNPF7.3genes exhibited opposite expression patterns. Taken together, our physiological data can enable a better understanding of the soybean root response under different nitrate concentrations, and the transcriptome data provide a list of candidate genes for further investigation of the mechanisms of root response under different nitrate concentrations. Optimal nitrate supply promote soybean root development better than low or high nitrate supply.Nitrate‐response DEGs were identified from low, optimal and high nitrate treatment groups.Nitrate significantly alter the expression levels of some nitrate transporters in soybean root.

The motive of this study is the rapid increase of industrial and domestic wastewater application for the growth of agricultural crops, which is closely associated with human health. In this study, the accumulation of eight heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Cr, Ni, and Cd) in the edible parts of five different species of common vegetables—cauliflower, bitter gourd, radish, pumpkin, and apple gourd—irrigated by two different water irrigation sources (wastewater/freshwater) grown in Pakistan’s industrial and agricultural city Gujranwala and human health risks associated with the consumption of vegetables were evaluated. The mean concentration of each metal (Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Cr, Ni, and Cd) in five selected freshwater irrigated vegetables was observed as 48.91, 38.47, 133, 87.5, 4.62, 0.92, 1.46, and 0.36 mg/kg, respectively, while the mean concentration of each corresponding metal in wastewater irrigated vegetables was found to be 59.2, 49.5, 188, 90.9, 6.08, 2.66, 3.98, and 1.76 mg/kg, respectively. The estimated daily intake of metals (EDI), target health quotient (THQ), hazard index (HI), and target cancer risk (TCR) were computed to assess the impact of a raised level of metals in vegetables on human health. The grand THQ (G-THQ) values of individual freshwater irrigated vegetables were lower than the G-THQ values of individual wastewater irrigated vegetables and the G-THQ values of Cu, Cr, Pb, and Cd were found to be greater than the safety limit in wastewater irrigated vegetables. The HI values were found to be 7.94 and 4.01 for the vegetables irrigated with wastewater and freshwater, respectively. The TCR data reveal adverse carcinogenic risks induced by Ni, Cr, and Cd through the consumption of wastewater irrigated vegetables and Ni and Cd from the consumption of freshwater fed vegetables. The principal component analysis (PCA) to predict the sources of metals and Monte Carlo simulation were conducted to reduce the uncertainty in the data. The results indicate that higher significant health risks (carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic) would be posed to the adult population through the consumption of wastewater irrigated vegetables comparatively.

Purpose: Drawing from social exchange theory, the purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of servant leadership on organizational citizenship behavior, turnover intentions and work performance through mediating role of job embeddedness. Design/methodology/approach: The data were gathered from 252 frontline employees of Pakistan's hotel industry in two-time lags with an interval of two months by using purposive sampling. PLS-SEM was applied for the analysis of data and hypothesis testing. Findings: The study ascertained that job embeddedness is a potent mediator between the nexus of servant leadership and aforementioned work outcomes. The study results portray that servant leadership promotes job embeddedness, OCB, work performance and reduces turnover intentions. Research limitations/implications: Hotel management can use job embeddedness to boost servant leadership and reduce turnover intentions. In addition, management should also increase servant leadership by organizing training and workshops for their managers, which ultimately improves followers' organizational citizenship behavior and work performance. Practical implications: Hotel management can use job embeddedness to boost OCB, work performance and reduce turnover intentions. In addition, management should also increase servant leadership by organizing training and workshops for their managers, which ultimately improves followers' citizenship behavior and work performance. Originality/value: There are numerous calls for research to ascertain as well as sparse literature available whether job embeddedness act as a mediator in the nexus of servant leadership and work outcomes or not. The current study fills these voids and contributes to the literature by empirically examining the mechanism of job embeddedness between servant leadership and the work outcomes.

This study centered on exploring the adsorptive potential of the raw cotton for methylene blue dye adsorption. Several laboratory experiments conducted to optimize operational factors like pH, concentration of dye, adsorbent dose, contact time, and temperature. Optimized conditions of the study include an adsorbent dose of 0.35 g, pH of 7, an initial dye concentration of 20 ppm with contact time of 30 min at 20 ºC wherein 83% of adsorption take place. The mean values ± standard deviation from triplicate experiments were used to express the results with P < 0.05. The investigational data fit well with the Langmuir isotherm model having R2of 0.9477 and pseudo second order kinetic model having R2= 1. The values obtained for adsorption capacities through non-linear models exhibit a significant degree of similarity with those derived from linear models. Thermodynamic study showed a negative ∆G, positive ∆H and increased ∆S values revealing that the reaction was spontaneous and endothermic in nature. The developed method was also tested with tap water which showed 72% of dye removal and subsequent regeneration of the system led to nearly 79% desorption of the dye. Results of the study revealed that additive salts had a minimum effect on the adsorption process. The originality of this study is that no research has been reported till yet, for adsorption of methylene blue by using low-cost raw cotton specifically in its non-modified form.

ABSTRACTA novel coronavirus (2019-nCov) emerged in China, at the end of December 2019 which posed an International Public Health Emergency, and later declared as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) named it SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2), while the disease was named COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease- 2019). Many questions related to the exact mode of transmission, animal origins, and antiviral therapeutics are not clear yet. Nevertheless, it is required to urgently launch a new protocol to evaluate the side effects of unapproved vaccines and antiviral therapeutics to accelerate the clinical application of new drugs. In this review, we highlight the most salient characteristics and recent findings of COVID-19 disease, molecular virology, interspecies mechanisms, and health consequences related to this disease.

This paper presents projected changes in extreme temperature and precipitation events by using Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6) data for mid-century (2036–2065) and end-century (2070–2099) periods with respect to the reference period (1985–2014). Four indices namely, Annual maximum of maximum temperature (TXx), Extreme heat wave days frequency (HWFI), Annual maximum consecutive 5-day precipitation (RX5day), and Consecutive Dry Days (CDD) were investigated under four socioeconomic scenarios (SSP1-2.6; SSP2-4.5; SSP3-7.0; SSP5-8.5) over the entire globe and its 26 Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (SREX) regions. The projections show an increase in intensity and frequency of hot temperature and precipitation extremes over land. The intensity of the hottest days (as measured by TXx) is projected to increase more in extratropical regions than in the tropics, while the frequency of extremely hot days (as measured by HWFI) is projected to increase more in the tropics. Drought frequency (as measured by CDD) is projected to increase more over Brazil, the Mediterranean, South Africa, and Australia. Meanwhile, the Asian monsoon regions (i.e., South Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia) become more prone to extreme flash flooding events later in the twenty-first century as shown by the higher RX5day index projections. The projected changes in extremes reveal large spatial variability within each SREX region. The spatial variability of the studied extreme events increases with increasing greenhouse gas concentration (GHG) and is higher at the end of the twenty-first century. The projected change in the extremes and the pattern of their spatial variability is minimum under the low-emission scenario SSP1-2.6. Our results indicate that an increased concentration of GHG leads to substantial increases in the extremes and their intensities. Hence, limiting CO2emissions could substantially limit the risks associated with increases in extreme events in the twenty-first century.

We evaluate the performance of a large ensemble of Global Climate Models (GCMs) from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) over South America for a recent past reference period and examine their projections of twenty-first century precipitation and temperature changes. The future changes are computed for two time slices (2040–2059 and 2080–2099) relative to the reference period (1995–2014) under four Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs, SSP1–2.6, SSP2–4.5, SSP3–7.0 and SSP5–8.5). The CMIP6 GCMs successfully capture the main climate characteristics across South America. However, they exhibit varying skill in the spatiotemporal distribution of precipitation and temperature at the sub-regional scale, particularly over high latitudes and altitudes. Future precipitation exhibits a decrease over the east of the northern Andes in tropical South America and the southern Andes in Chile and Amazonia, and an increase over southeastern South America and the northern Andes—a result generally consistent with earlier CMIP (3 and 5) projections. However, most of these changes remain within the range of variability of the reference period. In contrast, temperature increases are robust in terms of magnitude even under the SSP1–2.6. Future changes mostly progress monotonically from the weakest to the strongest forcing scenario, and from the mid-century to late-century projection period. There is an increase in the seasonality of the intra-annual precipitation distribution, as the wetter part of the year contributes relatively more to the annual total. Furthermore, an increasingly heavy-tailed precipitation distribution and a rightward shifted temperature distribution provide strong indications of a more intense hydrological cycle as greenhouse gas emissions increase. The relative distance of an individual GCM from the ensemble mean does not substantially vary across different scenarios. We found no clear systematic linkage between model spread about the mean in the reference period and the magnitude of simulated sub-regional climate change in the future period. Overall, these results could be useful for regional climate change impact assessments across South America.

ABSTRACTThe control of DC microgrids is a growing area of research. DC distribution networks present an effective solution to the integration of stochastic energy sources as renewable energy and renewable storages. A communication layer is required to exchange measured and estimated values for the secondary control loop. Faults and failures within the communication layer lead to malfunctions and divergence in system values. The control structure is presented using adaptive droop based secondary control for detection of communication islanding and stabilize the operation of the system. Recent years, more robust techniques and methodologies have been suggested to increase system resilience, but the communication islanding detection has not been addressed in DC microgrid at the multi-level control. This work, therefore, modifies the secondary level control to include a communication failure detection scheme that identifies communication islands within this network. Adaptive droop is employed to mitigate the effect of communication islands and regulate current sharing. The proposed scheme is verified using system-level simulations and analytical studies.