Search

The presented research paper proposes a novel integrated technique combining LeNet-5 with Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) along with Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM). The purpose of this integration is to improve the performance of mechanisms used for the detection of defects in rotatory machines across various operating conditions. The Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) assists the presented CWT-LeNet-5-LSTM technique in finding the complex characteristics in the data, while LSTM learns the trends in the dataset and performs the necessary analysis of vibrations occurring in faulty machines. The developed model was examined for various loads and faults to extract results having accuracies of 99.6%, 96.9%, 92.5% and 96.6% for load conditions 3, 2, 1, and 0, respectively. These results demonstrate the ability of the proposed model to adapt according to varying load conditions while having the necessary levels of accuracy. This validates the model to perform precise fault detection and diagnosis, offering capabilities of predictive maintenance in industrial settings.

Abstract This study investigates the effects of lead stress on tomato plants and explores the potential role of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) to alleviate this stress. The experiment was conducted in pots, introducing varying lead levels (0, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 mg kg⁻¹) using lead nitrate. For rhizobacterial inoculation, pre-characterized LTPGP strains S5 Pseudomonas fluorescens A506 and S10 Pseudomonas fluorescens LMG 2189 were used. Data were recorded on growth parameters (shoot and root length, fresh and dry weight), physiological attributes (chlorophyll content, proline content, electrolyte leakage, and lead accumulation), and antioxidant activities (catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase) in tomato plants. Results revealed that lead contamination significantly impaired plant growth, reducing shoot and root lengths by approximately 49.78–57.62%, and negatively impacted physiological attributes and antioxidant enzyme activities. However, inoculation with PGPR strains S5 and S10 led to notable improvements in growth parameters, enhanced physiological traits, and better antioxidant activities, effectively mitigating lead stress. These findings highlights the potential of PGPR to improve tomato plant resilience to lead contamination.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the class of large MR-Kannan contractions on Banach space that contains the classes of Kannan, enriched Kannan, large Kannan, MR-Kannan contractions and some other classes of nonlinear operators. Some examples are presented to support the concepts introduced herein. We prove the existence of a unique fixed point for such a class of operators in Banach spaces.

Abstract Gladiolus, a widely cultivated cut flower known for its aesthetically pleasing multicoloured spikes, has earned significant commercial popularity. A comprehensive understanding of the rhizosphere bacterial community associated with gladiolus is imperative for revealing its potential benefits. Molecular characterization is considered an effective method to gain insights into the structural and functional aspects of microbial populations. The soil characteristics and bacterial communities in the rhizosphere are typically influenced by quorum sensing (QS) and quorum quenching (QQ) mechanisms. This study aims to explore the niceties and diversity of rhizospheric bacterial populations linked with gladiolus corms, with a specific focus on understanding the dynamics of QS and QQ mechanisms in their complex interactions. The isolation of bacterial strains was achieved through the serial dilution method on nutrient agar (NA) media. The identification of the isolates was accomplished by amplifying 16 S rRNA gene sequences via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) via the use of universal primers. Sequence analysis was conducted via BLAST on the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database. The characteristics of the isolated bacteria were elucidated via biosensors. This study identified three QS strains and five QQ strains. A consortium of quenchers was formulated utilizing five strains that demonstrated efficacy in mitigating the impact of disease on gladiolus and fostering growth. Among the three treatments—Scale, Descale, and Descale and Cut Half (DSC)—the DSC treatment emerged as the most effective. This treatment exhibited a broader range of variation in biological parameters over time, aligning with prevailing trends in the local market.

This research introduced a new method, the Aboodh Tamimi Ansari transform method ($ (AT)^2 $ method), for solving systems of linear and nonlinear fractional partial differential equations. The method combined the Aboodh transform method and the Tamimi Ansari method, allowing for the simultaneous solution of linear and nonlinear terms without restrictions. The Caputo sense was considered for fractional derivatives. The effectiveness of the proposed method was demonstrated through numerical solutions, graphical representations, and tabular data, showing strong agreement with exact solutions. The approach was deemed precise, easy to apply, and could be extended to address further challenges in fractional-order problems. Computational tasks were carried out using Mathematica 13.

Abstract Background Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is a genetically heterogeneous condition that is associated with reduced or absent melanin pigment in the skin, hair, and eyes, resulting in reduced vision, high sensitivity to light, and rapid and uncontrolled eye movements. To date, seventeen genes have been associated with OCA including syndromic and non-syndromic forms of the condition. Methods Whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed to identify pathogenic variants in nine Pakistani families with OCA, with validation and segregation of candidate variants performed using Sanger sequencing. Furthermore, the pathogenicity of the identified variants was assessed using various in-silico tools and 3D protein structural analysis software. Results WES identified biallelic variants in three genes explaining the OCA in these families, including four variants in TYR, three in OCA2, and two in HPS1, including two novel variants c.667C > T: p.(Gln223*) in TYR, and c.2009 T > C: p.(Leu670Pro) in HPS1. Conclusions Overall, this study adds further knowledge of the genetic basis of OCA in Pakistani communities and facilitates improved management and counselling services for families suffering from severe genetic diseases in Pakistan.

ABSTRACT Introduction The degree of improvement in serum creatinine (SCr) has previously been suggested as a sensitive indicator of treatment response in patients with hepatorenal syndrome‐acute kidney injury (HRS‐AKI), while HRS reversal remains the primary endpoint in clinical trials. Methods A total of ≥ 30% SCr improvement was analyzed as an exploratory prespecified endpoint in the CONFIRM trial. In this post hoc analysis, intent‐to‐treat population data from three Phase 3 studies (OT‐0401, REVERSE, and CONFIRM) conducted in North America in patients with HRS‐AKI were pooled to assess the incidence of > 30% improvement in SCr and its association with clinical outcomes. Results Significantly more patients treated with terlipressin achieved > 30% improvement in SCr compared with those who received a placebo (42.9% vs. 23.4%; p 30% improvement in SCr, those who achieved this threshold had a lower incidence of renal replacement therapy (RRT) (55.2% vs. 14%, respectively; p 30% improvement in SCr without HRS reversal were comparable to the overall group that achieved HRS reversal. Conclusion A total of > 30% improvement in SCr levels even without HRS reversal may serve as a clinically meaningful endpoint to define renal recovery in patients with HRS‐AKI.

The quality of vegetables and fruits are judged by their visual features. Misclassification of fruits and vegetables lead to a financial loss. To prevent the loss, superstores need to classify fruits and vegetables in terms of size, color and shape. To improve the accuracy of models for classifying fruits and vegetables, researchers have introduced various CNN architectures like VGG16, AlexNet, DenseNet-121 and different attention-based variants by compromising models' complexity leading to high computational cost and overlooking feature's contribution for interpretable predictions. Additionally, the major drawback in most of the existing works is the utilization of the limited dataset and number of classes for fruit and vegetable classification task instead of the benchmark dataset like Fruit-360 which comprises of 141 distinct fruit and vegetable classes. In this study, an explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) driven enhanced attention-CNN (EA-CNN) is proposed for accomplishing the fruit and vegetable classification task accurately and efficiently. The proposed EA-CNN model (a) detects the class of fruits and vegetable accurately through visual features by manipulating undiscover customized pooling technique and enhanced attention feature extraction mechanism, (b) classifies the fruits and vegetables efficiently through a simplified architecture, (c) provides interpretable predictions through XAI approach. By utilizing entire fruit-360 database, this research noteworthily enhances the model's capability to classify wide range of fruits and vegetables, thus providing an effective and reliable solution for practical applications. The proposed study outclasses baseline models with regard to accuracy and computational cost on fruit-360 benchmark dataset. EA-CNN achieves better accuracy of 98.1 % in smaller number of iterations as compared to benchmark models. Moreover, to further prove the efficiency, generalization ability, robustness, scalability and adaptability of this research, the architecture of proposed EA-CNN model is validated on another real-world dataset named as ‘Fruit Recognition’. The experimental outcomes display that the proposed EA-CNN model produces substantial performance on Fruit-Recognition dataset as well by attaining a generalized accuracy of 96 %.

The current study aims to establish that emojis are graphic equivalents for prosodic features in natural speech. The rapid emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of communication urged to investigate emojis, used as a strategy to achieve visual prosody in computer-mediated communication (CMC). The study adopts mixed- methodology and computer-mediated-discourse analysis (CMDA) that focuses on manipulation of grammatical rules to create typographic impression to achieve prosody. Data is collected from 300 WhatsApp and Facebook users using an instrument—questionnaire. Data has been analyzed in two ways: descriptive analysis of chats and quantitative analysis getting frequencies of the emojis. The study arguably provides: (i) syntactic variants of the use of emojis: emoji aspect, ellipsis, embedding, embedded, bare, partial bare, beside words, repetition of emoji and repetition of emoji encoded utterance, (ii) variant manifestations of emojis displaying emotions at scalar level, and (iii) basic emotions: anger, joy, sarcasm, fear and neutral displayed via emojis’ varying manifestations; laughter, pouting face, non-emotion emojis representing objects and human faces. The overall findings predict that the observed construction is encoded with different placements of emojis and emojis are displaying diverse manifestations to exhibit prosodic features in CMC such as intonation, rhythm, duration, pause and stress. These prosodic features of emojis manifest aggression, love, hate, sadness and joy. The study hopes to augment the knowledge in the field of CMC and motivates the future researchers to conduct further studies in graphic switching and social implementation of CMC.

Abstract Dragon fruit (Selenicereus undatus), known for its captivating appearance and remarkable nutritional profile, has garnered considerable attention in recent years. Despite its popularity, there's a dearth of research on optimal conditions for seed germination and early growth stages such as seedling shoot length, which are crucial for optimal crop yield. This study aims to bridge this gap by evaluating various growing media's performance on dragon fruit germination and early growth stages. Dragon fruit seeds were obtained from local markets in Pakistan and evaluated in five different growing media: cocopeat, peat moss, sand, vermiculite, and compost. Germination parameters were observed for 45 days, including seed germination percentage, mean germination time, and mean daily germination percentage, among others while early growth was monitored for 240 days. Statistical analysis was conducted using ANOVA and Tukey’s HSD test. Significant differences were found among the growing media regarding germination percentage, mean germination time, and mean daily germination. Vermiculite exhibited the highest germination rate (93.33%), while compost showed the least (70%). Peat moss and sand media facilitated rapid germination, while compost showed slower rates. Stem length was significantly influenced by the growth media, with compost supporting the longest stems. Vermiculite emerged as the most effective medium for dragon fruit seed germination, while compost showed slower but steady growth. These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing dragon fruit cultivation, aiding commercial growers and enthusiasts in achieving higher yields and quality. Further research could explore additional factors influencing dragon fruit growth and development.

IntroductionThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has posed extraordinary challenges to global health systems and economies. The virus’s rapid evolution has resulted in several variants of concern (VOCs), including the highly transmissible Omicron variant, characterized by extensive mutations. In this study, we investigated the genetic diversity, population differentiation, and evolutionary dynamics of the Omicron VOC during the fifth wave of COVID-19 in Pakistan.MethodsA total of 954 Omicron genomes sequenced during the fifth wave of COVID-19 in Pakistan were analyzed. A Bayesian framework was employed for phylogenetic reconstructions, molecular dating, and population dynamics analysis.ResultsUsing a population genomics approach, we analyzed Pakistani Omicron samples, revealing low within-population genetic diversity and significant structural variation in the spike (S) protein. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the Omicron variant in Pakistan originated from two distinct lineages, BA.1 and BA.2, which were introduced from South Africa, Thailand, Spain, and Belgium. Omicron-specific mutations, including those in the receptor-binding domain, were identified. The estimated molecular evolutionary rate was 2.562E-3 mutations per site per year (95% HPD interval: 8.8067E-4 to 4.1462E-3). Bayesian skyline plot analysis indicated a significant population expansion at the end of 2021, coinciding with the global Omicron outbreak. Comparative analysis with other VOCs showed Omicron as a highly divergent, monophyletic group, suggesting a unique evolutionary pathway.ConclusionsThis study provides a comprehensive overview of Omicron’s genetic diversity, genomic epidemiology, and evolutionary dynamics in Pakistan, emphasizing the need for global collaboration in monitoring variants and enhancing pandemic preparedness.

Alzheimer's is one of the brain syndromes that steadily affects the brain memory. The early stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is referred to as mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and the growth of Alzheimer's is not certain in patients with MCI. The premature detection of Alzheimer's is crucial for maintaining healthy brain function and avoiding memory loss. Different multi-neural network architectures have been proposed by researchers for efficient and accurate AD detection. The absence of improved feature extraction mechanisms and unexplored efficient optimizers in complex benchmark architectures lead to an inefficient and inaccurate AD classification. Moreover, the standard convolutional neural network (CNN)-based architectures for Alzheimer's diagnosis lack interpretability in their predictions. An interpretable, simplified, yet effective deep learning model is required for the accurate classification of AD. In this study, a generalized fractional order-based CNN classifier with explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) capabilities is proposed for accurate, efficient, and interpretable classification of AD diagnosis. The proposed study (a) classifies AD accurately by incorporating unexplored pooling technique with enhanced feature extraction mechanism, (b) provides fractional order-based optimization approach for adaptive learning and fast convergence speed, and (c) suggests an interpretable method for proving the transparency of the model. The proposed model outperforms complex benchmark architectures with regard to accuracy using standard ADNI dataset. The proposed fractional order-based CNN classifier achieves an improved accuracy of 99 % as compared to the state-of-the-art models.

Background: Pakistan’s economy largely depends on citrus cultivation, and citrus fruits generate significant foreign exchange. Xanthomonas citri pv. citri (Xcc) is the primary cause of citrus canker (CC), which poses a significant threat to the industry. The management of disease is made more difficult by the lack of resistant variants against different Xcc races. Understanding and addressing Xcc are critical for maintaining the industry given the economic reliance on citrus. Methods: In order to isolate Xcc in a lab, a thorough survey was conducted in the districts of Bahawalpur, Multan, and Dera Ghazi Khan to collect samples showing canker symptoms. Gram-negative bacteria were identified in the isolates by biochemical analysis, and Koch’s postulates confirmed Xcc as the CC causing agent. DNA extraction and sequencing were used in the molecular characterization, which confirmed the phylogenetic relationship with Xcc. Using the disc sensitivity method, nine antibiotics were tested at 300, 500, and 700 ppm concentrations to evaluate CC management. Amoxicillin was found to be highly effective in inhibiting the growth of Xcc colonies. Results: The study provided morphogenetic insights and established Xcc as the causal agent of CC. All strains matched Xcc in molecular characterization, but antibiotic sensitivity testing revealed inconsistent efficacy. Amoxicillin proved to be very effective at stopping the growth of Xcc colonies at every tested dosage. Conclusion: This study makes an important contribution to our understanding of XCC and helps the citrus industry develop better disease control plans. Future interventions against citrus canker can benefit greatly from the understanding provided by morphogenetic characterization and antibiotic sensitivity profiles. The discovery of amoxicillin’s high efficacy highlights the drug’s potential for treating diseases linked to Xcc. These results help to protect citrus growing, maintaining the viability of an important industry in Pakistan’s agricultural landscape.

ABSTRACT Malware growth has accelerated due to the widespread use of Android applications. Android smartphone attacks have increased due to the widespread use of these devices. While deep learning models offer high efficiency and accuracy, training them on large and complex datasets is computationally expensive. Hence, a method that effectively detects new malware variants at a low computational cost is required. A transfer learning method to detect Android malware is proposed in this research. Because of transferring known features from a source model that has been trained to a target model, the transfer learning approach reduces the need for new training data and minimizes the need for huge amounts of computational power. We performed many experiments on 1.2 million Android application samples for performance evaluation. In addition, we evaluated how well our framework performed in comparison with traditional deep learning and standard machine learning models. In comparison with state‐of‐the‐art Android malware detection methods, the proposed framework offers improved classification accuracy of 98.87%, a precision of 99.55%, recall of 97.30%, F1‐measure of 99.42%, and a quicker detection rate of 5.14 ms using the transfer learning strategy.

Abstract Land transportation is a major source of heavy metal contamination along the roadside, posing significant risks to human health through inhalation, oral ingestion, and dermal contact. Therefore, this study has been designed to determine the concentrations of vehicular released heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Ni, and Cu) in roadside soil and leaves of two commonly growing native plant species (Calotropis procera and Nerium oleander).Two busy roads i.e., Lahore-Okara road (N-5) and Okara-Faisalabad roads (OFR) in Punjab, Pakistan, were selected for the study. The data were collected from five sites along each road during four seasons. Control samples were collected ~ 50 m away from road. The metal content i.e. lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) nickel (Ni) and copper (Cu) were determined in the plant leaves and soil by using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Significantly high amount of all studied heavy metals were observed in soil and plant leaves along both roads in contrast to control ones. The mean concentration of metals in soil ranged as Cd (2.20–6.83 mg/kg), Pb (4.53–15.29 mg/kg), Ni (29.78–101.26 mg/kg), and Cu (61.68–138.46 mg/kg) and in plant leaves Cd (0.093–0.53 mg/kg), Pb (4.31–16.34 mg/kg), Ni (4.13–16.34 mg/kg) and Cu (2.98–32.74 mg/kg). Among roads, higher metal contamination was noted along N-5 road. Significant temporal variations were also noted in metal contamination along both roads. The order of metal contamination in soil and plant leaves in different seasons was summer > autumn > spring > winter. Furthermore, the metal accumulation potential of Calotropis procera was higher than that of Nerium oleander. Therefore, for sustainable management of metal contamination, the plantation of Calotropis procera is recommended along roadsides.

Although statins have served as the cornerstone for pharmacological lowering of lipid levels in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk reduction, many patients are unable to achieve target doses of statin medication due to side effects or target levels of cholesterol reduction on statin monotherapy. The landscape of lipid-lowering strategies has expanded in recent years, with the emergence of therapies that make use of small interfering RNA (siRNA) and antisense oligonucleotides, in addition to traditional small-molecule agents. Non-statin therapies that have shown promising results in randomized controlled trials include adenosine triphosphate-citrate lyase inhibitors, proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 (PCSK9)-inhibiting antibodies and siRNA, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and lipoprotein(a) gene-inhibiting siRNA and ASOs, in addition to older therapies such as ezetimibe. In contrast, cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibitors have shown less promising results in randomized trials. The purpose of this narrative review is to summarize the evidence for these medications, with a focus on phase III randomized trials.

The Agrobacterium-mediated technique is widely employed for soybean transformation, but the efficiency of this method is still relatively modest, in which multiple factors are involved. Numerous chemical and physiological cues from host plants are needed for A. tumefaciens attraction and subsequent T-DNA integration into the plant genome. Susceptible genotypes may permit this attachment and integration, and the agronomically superior genotypes with susceptibility to A. tumefaciens would play an important role in increasing transformation efficiency. In this study, we aimed to elevate the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation efficiency of soybean by integrating susceptibility alleles from William82 and flavonoids accumulating alleles from LX genotypes in the same soybean line. The crossing was made between LX () and William82 () soybean by hand pollination. Expectedly, the resulting hybrid soybean progenies inherited susceptibility traits and high flavonoid contents (i.e., genistein, genistin, apigenin, naringenin, quercetin, and cinnamic acid) essential for potential plant–pathogen interaction. Furthermore, the progenies and susceptible William82 soybean were subjected to transformation using A. tumefaciens (GV3101) harboring the GmUbi-3XFlag-35S-GFP and reassembled GmUbi3XFlag-35S-GFP: GUS vectors during separate events. Important transformation-related traits like shoot induction and shoot regeneration ability were also significantly improved in progenies. The progenies designated as ZX-3 exhibited superiority over the William82 parental line in all three traits, i.e., shoot induction, regeneration, and Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The transient transformation efficiency of the ZX-16 line was remarkably higher when half-cotyledon explants were wounded and transformed with A. tumefaciens harboring GUS assembly vector and then co-cultivated on MS medium supplemented with 2 mg/L spermidine, 0.3 g/L GA3, 0.3 mg/L kinetin, and 1.3 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine. In addition, the shoot elongation was also higher than that of William82 after two weeks of culture on the shoot induction medium. The newly generated soybeans have the potential to serve as a valuable source for high transgene production and represent a promising avenue for future soybean varietal development.

Soybean’s lengthy protocols for transgenic plant production are a bottleneck in the transgenic breeding of this crop. Explants cultured on a medium for an extended duration exhibit unanticipated modifications. Stress-induced somaclonal variations and in vitro contaminations also cause substantial losses of transgenic plants. This effect could potentially be mitigated by direct shoot regeneration without solid media or in-planta transformation. The current study focused primarily on developing a rapid and effective media-free in-planta transformation technique for three soybean genotypes (Wm82) and our newly developed two hybrids, designated as ZX-16 and ZX-3. The whole procedure for a transgenic plant takes the same time as a stable grown seedling. Multiple axillary shoots were regenerated on stable-grown soybean seedlings without the ectopic expression of developmental regulatory genes. An approximate amount of 200 µL medium with a growth regulator was employed for shoot organogenesis and growth. The maximal shoot regeneration percentages in the Wm82 and ZX-3 genotypes were 87.1% and 84.5%, respectively. The stable transformation ranged from 3% to 8.0%, with an average of 5.5%. This approach seems to be the opposite of the hairy root transformation method, which allowed transgenic shoots to be regenerated on normal roots. Further improvement regarding an increase in the transformation efficiency and of this technique for a broad range of soybean genotypes and other dicot species would be extremely beneficial in achieving increased stable transformation.

Cannabis sativa is a significant crop of the family (cannabaceae).Interest has been resurgent in the usage of the cannabis plant for medical purposes, industrial fibre, seed oil, food, and recreation.Auxin and cytokinins act antagonistically with each other in which cytokinins promote shoot branching and inhibit root branching, while auxin inhibits shoot branching and promotes root branching. Young cannabis leaves and petioles were used and inoculated in the MS medium with various combinations. Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium for explant were developed in additions of 25µl-450µl 2, 4 D, 25µl-450µl Kinetin, and 50µl-450µl BAP for callus induction. Shoot induction was developed on 2-3ml/l BAP-supplemented MS media from the callus. Root induction was developed from the shoot on MS5ml/2 litters (indole-3-acetic acid) IAA + 8ml/2 litters (indole-3-butyric acid)IBA-supplemented media.Seeds of cannabis were inoculated in the MS medium. After one week, seed germination was observed in the seeds of the DG Khan variety of Cannabis. MS media found better and more abundant Callus induction with 450µl 2, 4D +450µl Kinetin+450µlBAP from cannabis sativa leaves. 3ml/l BAP observed the high growth of the shoot. Better growth of roots was observed by 5ml/2 litters (indole-3-acetic acid) IAA + 8ml/2 litters (indole-3-butyric acid) IBA. In the present study, seed, callus, shoot, root, and meristem growth were observed using the combination and concentration of different growth regulators. By using different phytohormones, the growth rate and productivity of Cannabiswere significantly increased, which can be valuable for medical purposes.

Potato farming is a vital component of food security and the economic stability especially in the under developing countries but it faces many challenges in production, blackleg disease caused by Pectobacterium atrosepticum (Pa) is one of the main reason for damaging crop yield of the potato. Effective management strategies are essential to control these losses and to get sustainable potato crop yield. This study was focused on characterizing the Pa and the investigating new chemical options for its management. The research was involved a systematic survey across the three district of Punjab, Pakistan (Khanewal, Okara, and Multan) to collect samples exhibiting the black leg symptoms. These samples were analyzed in the laboratory where gram-negative bacteria were isolated and identified through biochemical and pathogenicity tests for Pa. DNA sequencing further confirmed these isolates of Pa strains. Six different chemicals were tested to control blackleg problem in both vitro and vivo at different concentrations. In vitro experiment, Cordate demonstrated the highest efficacy with a maximum inhibition zones of 17.139 mm, followed by Air One (13.778 mm), Profiler (10.167 mm), Blue Copper (7.7778 mm), Spot Fix (7.6689 mm), and Strider (7.0667 mm). In vivo, Cordate maintained its effectiveness with the lowest disease incidence of 14.76%, followed by Blue Copper (17.49%), Air One (16.98%), Spot Fix (20.67%), Profiler (21.45%), Strider (24.99%), and the control group (43.00%). The results highlight Cordate’s potential as a most effective chemical against Pa, offering promising role for managing blackleg disease in potato and to improve overall productivity.

Shigella dysenteriae has been recognized as the second most prevalent pathogen associated with diarrhea that contains blood, contributing to 12.9% of reported cases, and it is additionally responsible for approximately 200,000 deaths each year. Currently, there is no S. dysenteriae licensed vaccine. Multidrug resistance in all Shigella spp. is a growing concern. Current vaccines, such as O-polysaccharide (OPS) conjugates, are in clinical trials but are ineffective in children but protective in adults. Thus, innovative treatments and vaccines are needed to combat antibiotic resistance. In this study, we used immuno-informatics to design a new multiepitope vaccine and identified S. dysenteriae strain SD197’s membrane protein targets using in-silico methods. The target protein was prioritized using membrane protein topology analysis to find membrane proteins. B and T-cell epitopes were predicted for vaccine formulation. The epitopes were shortlisted based on an IC50 value

The rapid surge in internet-driven smart devices and bandwidth-hungry multimedia applications demands high-capacity internet services and low latencies during connectivity. Cloud radio access networks (C-RANs) are considered the prominent solution to meet the stringent requirements of fifth-generation (5G) and beyond networks by deploying the fronthaul transport links between baseband units (BBUs) and remote radio heads (RRHs). High-capacity optical links could be conventional mainstream technology for deploying the fronthaul in C-RANs. But densification of optical links significantly increases the cost and imposes several design challenges on fronthaul architecture which makes them impractical. Contrary, Ethernet-based fronthaul links can be lucrative solutions for connecting the BBUs and RRHs but are inadequate to meet the rigorous end-to-end delays, jitter, and bandwidth requirements of fronthaul networks. This is because of the inefficient resource allocation and congestion control schemes for the capacity constraint Ethernet-based fronthaul links. In this research, a novel reinforcement learning-based optimal resource allocation scheme has been proposed which eradicates the congestion and improves the latencies to make the capacity-constraints low-cost Ethernet a suitable solution for the fronthaul networks. The experiment results verified a notable 50% improvement in reducing delay and jitter as compared to the existing schemes. Furthermore, the proposed scheme demonstrated an enhancement of up to 70% in addressing conflicting time slots and minimizing packet loss ratios. Hence, the proposed scheme outperforms the existing state-of-the-art resource allocation techniques to satisfy the stringent performance demands of fronthaul networks.

Tropical cyclones (TC) are dynamic atmospheric phenomena featuring extreme low-pressure systems and powerful winds, known for their devastating impacts on weather and the environment. The main purpose of this paper is to consider the subtle involvement of TCs in the air quality index (AQI), focusing on aspects related to the air quality before, during and after cyclones. This research employs multimodal methods, which include meteorological data and different satellite observations. Deep learning approaches, i.e., ConvLSTM, CNN and Real-ESRGAN models, are combined with a regression model to analyze the temporal variability in the air quality associated with tropical cyclones. Deep learning models are deployed to uncover complex patterns and non-linear interdependencies between cyclones’ features and the AQI to give predictive insights into the air quality fluctuations throughout the different stages of tropical cyclones. Furthermore, this study explores the aftermaths of TCs in terms of the air quality with respect to post-cyclone recovery. The findings offer an enhanced view of the role of TCs in the regional or global air quality, which will be useful for policymakers, meteorologists and environmental researchers. Utilizing a CNN for tropical cyclone (TC) classification and the extra trees regressor (ETR) for AQI prediction results in accuracy of 92.02% for the CNN and an R2 of 83.33% for the ETR. Hence, this work adds to our knowledge and enlightens us on the complex interactions between TCs and the air quality, highlighting wider public health concerns regarding climate adaptation and urban renewal.

Abstract Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by impaired social and communication skills, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors. The prevalence of ASD among children in Qatar was recently estimated to be 1.1%, though the genetic architecture underlying ASD both in Qatar and the greater Middle East has been largely unexplored. Here, we describe the first genomic data release from the BARAKA-Qatar Study—a nationwide program building a broadly consented biorepository of individuals with ASD and their families available for sample and data sharing and multi-omics research. Methods In this first release, we present a comprehensive analysis of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data of the first 100 families (372 individuals), investigating the genetic architecture, including single-nucleotide variants (SNVs), copy number variants (CNVs), tandem repeat expansions (TREs), as well as mitochondrial DNA variants (mtDNA) segregating with ASD in local families. Results Overall, we identify potentially pathogenic variants in known genes or regions in 27 out of 100 families (27%), of which 11 variants (40.7%) were classified as pathogenic or likely-pathogenic based on American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) guidelines. Dominant variants, including de novo and inherited, contributed to 15 (55.6%) of these families, consisting of SNVs/indels (66.7%), CNVs (13.3%), TREs (13.3%), and mtDNA variants (6.7%). Moreover, homozygous variants were found in 7 families (25.9%), with a sixfold increase in homozygous burden in consanguineous versus non-consanguineous families (13.6% and 1.8%, respectively). Furthermore, 28 novel ASD candidate genes were identified in 20 families, 23 of which had recurrent hits in MSSNG and SSC cohorts. Conclusions This study illustrates the value of ASD studies in under-represented populations and the importance of WGS as a comprehensive tool for establishing a molecular diagnosis for families with ASD. Moreover, it uncovers a significant role for recessive variation in ASD architecture in consanguineous settings and provides a unique resource of Middle Eastern genomes for future research to the global ASD community.

Abstract Reusing of alloy has become a need of time due to the increasing demand, depletion of resources, and substantial increase in their price. The alloys used require a long-term stay in the oral cavity exposed to a wet environment, so they must have good wear resistance, biocompatibility, and mechanically good strength. In this study, the vertical marginal discrepancy, surface roughness, and microhardness of the new and recast nickel–chromium (base metal) alloys were evaluated. 125 wax patterns were fabricated from a customized stainless steel master die with a heavy chamfer cervical margin divided into 5 groups. Each group had 25 samples. Group A: 25 wax patterns were cast using 100% by weight of new alloy, Group B: the casting was done by using 75% new alloy and 25% alloy by weight, Group C: wax patterns were cast using 50% new alloy and 50% alloy, Group D: 25% new alloy and 75% alloy and Group E: 100% recast alloy. The vertical marginal discrepancy was measured by an analytical scanning microscope, microhardness was tested on a universal testing machine, and surface roughness was on a tester of surface roughness. Castings produced using new alloys were better than those obtained with reused alloys. Alloys can be reused till 50% by weight along with the new alloy and accelerated casting technique can be used to save the lab time to fabricate castings with acceptable vertical marginal discrepancy, microhardness, and surface roughness. This indicated that 50% recasting of (Ni–Cr) can be used as a good alternative for the new alloy from an economical point of view.

For effective tillage, design and selection of tillage tool according to soil type and condition is very important. The present study is carried out for in-depth investigation of different types of shovels of tine cultivator and behavior of soil in response to loads subjected during tillage using finite element analysis. Different types of shovels like reversible, duck foot, seed drill and cultivator shovel are simulated with different types of soil like sand, clay and loam. The origination, level and distribution of stresses and deformations in shovels experienced in different types of soils are probed. Furthermore, high stressed and crack sensitive regions are identified. The stresses of 18, 53, 64 MPa are generated in reversible shovel of tine cultivator during ploughing in sandy, clay and loamy soil respectively. In addition, results of different shovels are compared, and it is found that the duck foot type shovel experiences highest stress and deformation. The duck foot shovel experiences about 20 and 71% higher stresses in loam compared to that in clay and sand respectively. Moreover, the study of soil mechanical behavior shows that the soil block (clay soil) experiences maximum stress of 34 MPa while tilling with reversible shovel. The statistical analysis is also conducted that shows high significance of simulation results.

Aim: This study aimed to assess the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 and disease symptoms in Malakand, Pakistan. Materials & method: 623 samples with suspected SARS-CoV-2 were collected from different regions of Malakand and analyzed to detect SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies using ELISA. Results: 306 (49.1%) 0 f 623 patients were anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG reactive, with a higher prevalence in males (75%) than females (25%). In this study, we enrolled two groups, subjects working in a non-medical setting and subjects working in a medical setting. Clinical symptoms were statistically linked with SARS-CoV-2. Four weeks of follow-up analysis of IgG titers in health care workers showed an increase in IgG antibodies titer. Conclusion: This study gives insights into the community-based spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection, associated immunity, and herd immunity in the studied population. This study can provide insights to the government about early vaccination of this population as most of the population is not yet vaccinated.

Abstract In order to develop integrated management approaches for Pectinophora gossypiella, basic studies are crucial. The two-sex life table is the most important tool for describing the fitness and population parameters of both sexes (male and female) of an insect, while the traditional life table only explains the female sex of an insect. However, no study has reported on the biology of P. gossypiella using two-sex life table tools. Therefore, this study explains the rearing dynamics of P. gossypiella on a cotton seed-based artificial diet and a natural diet (mature cotton bolls). According to the results, the oviposition period of P. gossypiella was recorded to be longer on the artificial diet (9.07 ± 0.24) compared to the natural diet (7.40 ± 0.11). The total fecundity of P. gossypiella was greater on the artificial diet (125.94 ± 3.06) in comparison to the natural diet (60.37 ± 1.10). The population parameters, including intrinsic rate of increase, finite rate of increase, gross reproductive rate, and net reproductive rate of P. gossypiella were highest on the artificial diet in comparison to the natural diet. This study concluded that the cotton seed-based artificial diet was most suitable for the rearing of P. gossypiella. In the future, P. gossypiella may be studied in depth in light of the findings in this study.

Ants belonging to the Monomorium indicum (Formicidae: Hymenoptera) species are ubiquitous insects that are commonly associated with household settings in Pakistan. Packaged foodstuffs are easily destroyed by household ants when packaging is made with materials that have a high susceptibility. This study evaluated the susceptibility of three common flexible plastic packaging materials namely: opaque polyethylene, transparent polyethylene and polypropylene, which were each tested at thicknesses of 0.02 mm for their susceptibility against M. indicum. Except opaque polyethylene which is only available at 0.02 mm thickness, both transparent polyethylene and polypropylene were tested at higher thickness of 0.04 mm and 0.06 mm also against M. indicum. In order to simulate household settings, experiments were conducted at the faculty building of the agriculture and environment department of The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan during summer vacations when the building was quiet. Different corners were selected near water sources for maximum exposure to the largest number of ants. Experimental cages used for the experiment were built with wood and 2 mm iron gauze to allow only ants to enter the cages. Daily activity of ants was used as an infestation source in cages. Experiments were run over three time spans of fifteen days each from June 20th 2022 to August 15th 2022. Results showed all packaging materials were susceptible against M. indicum at the 0.02 mm thickness level. Polypropylene was susceptible at 0.04 mm thickness but resistant to ants at 0.06 mm thickness, whereas polyethylene was still susceptible to ants at the higher thickness of 0.06 mm. Correlation of packaging damage with weather factors showed that temperature had a positive relationship, while relative humidity had a negative association with M. indicum attack. Overall correlation of packaging damage with packaging thickness showed packaging thickness was negatively associated with packaging damage from the ants. Because major cutting role is performed by the mandibles, we studied mandibles of ants and three frequent pests of packaged foodstuff namely Rhyzopertha dominica, Tribolium castaneum and Trogoderma granarium. The results showed that ants had the largest mandible and frontal mandibular tooth lengths compared with the mandibles and frontal teeth of the common stored product pests, indicating M. indicum household ants have a higher pest status for packaged foodstuffs compared to common stored product pests. Although the thickness of the flexible plastic packaging was a major factor against household ants, the study results recommend the use of polypropylene with a thickness of at least 0.06 mm as foodstuff packaging against household ants compared with polyethylene packaging, which was found to be susceptible to ants even at 0.06 mm thickness.

Teaching of English as an international language (EIL) necessitates promoting intercultural communicative competence (ICC) to enable the individual to survive and progress in multicultural societies. It thereby requires them to develop intercultural attitudes—one of the essential components of ICC. The current paper strives to fathom their intercultural attitudes before and after the intervention, and to measure the impact of the treatment on their intercultural attitudes. Based on the material designed for promoting intercultural competence, a semester-long course was carried out as the intervention. Unlike the control group, the treatment group was exposed to the treatment. A self-report survey was administered to both groups before and after the treatment. Though both groups reported improvement in their attitudes, the mean differences and effect size values for the cumulative scale and subscales indicate a substantial difference between the attitudes of the two groups; it thereby may be inferred that the treatment proved to be effective in cultivating intercultural attitudes. Furthermore, female participants slightly surpassed the male participants in certain attitudes, but the difference infinitesimal.

Image denoising and super-resolution play vital roles in imaging systems, greatly reducing the preprocessing cost of many AI techniques for object detection, segmentation, and tracking. Various advancements have been accomplished in this field, but progress is still needed. In this paper, we have proposed a novel technique named the Enhanced Learning Enriched Features (ELEF) mechanism using a deep convolutional neural network, which makes significant improvements to existing techniques. ELEF consists of two major processes: (1) Denoising, which removes the noise from images; and (2) Super-resolution, which improves the clarity and details of images. Features are learned through deep CNN and not through traditional algorithms so that we can better refine and enhance images. To effectively capture features, the network architecture adopted Dual Attention Units (DUs), which align with the Multi-Scale Residual Block (MSRB) for robust feature extraction, working sidewise with the feature-matching Selective Kernel Extraction (SKF). In addition, resolution mismatching cases are processed in detail to produce high-quality images. The effectiveness of the ELEF model is highlighted by the performance metrics, achieving a Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) of 42.99 and a Structural Similarity Index (SSIM) of 0.9889, which indicates the ability to carry out the desired high-quality image restoration and enhancement.

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

Saffron, the "golden spice" derived from Crocus sativus L., is renowned for its richness in secondary metabolites such as crocin and safranal, contributing to its unique properties. Facing challenges like decreasing global production, optimizing cultivation techniques becomes imperative for enhanced yields. Although the impact of factors like planting density, planting depth, spacing, and corm size on saffron growth has been studied, the interaction between corm size and planting depth remains underexplored. This study systematically investigates the interactive effects of corm size and planting depth on saffron growth and yield, providing evidence-based guidelines for optimizing cultivation. A factorial experiment, employing a completely randomized design, was conducted to assess the influence of corm size (05-10g, 10.1-15g, 15.1-20g) and planting depth (10cm, 15cm, 20cm) on saffron yield. Uniform-sized corms were obtained, and a suitable soil mixture was prepared for cultivation. Morphological and agronomic parameters were measured, and statistical analyses were performed using ANOVA and Tukey's HSD test. The study revealed that planting depth significantly affected saffron emergence. The corms sown under 15cm depth showed 100% emergence regardless of corm size (either 05-10g, 10.1-15g, 15.1-20g) followed by 10cm depth corms. Corm dry weight exhibited a complex interaction, where larger corms benefited from deeper planting, while intermediate-sized corms thrived at shallower depths. Similar patterns were observed in shoot fresh weight and dry weight. Specifically, the largest corm size (t3, 15.1-20g) produced the greatest fresh-weight biomass at the deepest planting depth of 20cm (T3), while intermediate-sized corms (t2, 10.1-15g) were superior at the shallowest 10cm depth (T1). The total plant biomass demonstrated that larger corms excelled in deeper planting, while intermediate-sized corms were optimal at moderate depths. This research highlights the intricate interplay between corm size and planting depth in influencing saffron growth. Larger corms generally promote higher biomass, but the interaction with planting depth is crucial. Understanding these dynamics can aid farmers in tailoring cultivation practices for optimal saffron yields. The study emphasizes the need for a coordinated approach to corm selection and depth placement, providing valuable insights for sustainable saffron production and economic growth.

The widespread use of English around the world has changed its status from being a language spoken by some powerful countries to language used by a large number of non-native speakers around the world (Llurda, 2004). In recent years, the total number of non-native English language teachers is greater than the English language teachers whose native language is English. Therefore, to study English as an International Language (EIL) from the perspective of government school English teachers, whose native language is not English, is essential. This research paper investigates the attitudes and perceptions of government school English teachers in Pakistan regarding pronunciation in English as an international language (EIL). A quantitative research design was employed, with data collected from 28 government school teachers through online questionnaires. Data obtained through online questionnaires from high school English teachers revealed that English has always been considered the correct standard for English Language Teaching (ELT). The findings suggest that participants perceive English as an international language as a language easily understood by everyone and are using it for various communicative purposes. They are open to and embrace all varieties of English and demonstrate adaptability and flexibility in their behavior and speech when interacting with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. Findings revealed insights into teachers' attitudes, beliefs, and experiences related to pronunciation teaching

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in HIV Clinic of a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan. Study Design: A descriptive study covering the data of clients who were offered PrEP. Place and Duration of Study: HIV treatment center Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Islamabad, Pakistan, from October 2019 to September 2022. Materials and Methods: Total of 118 people without HIV from various high-risk population groups were reported in HIV treatment center PIMS during a period of 3 years including 39 females from serodiscordant couples, 16 transgender females, and 63 men having sex with men (MSM). All of them were given oral PrEP after necessary screening, investigations, and evaluation. These clients were prescribed a fixed drug combination of Tenofovir/Lamivudine (TDF/3TC) one tablet daily as PrEP. The alternate regimen used was Event-driven PrEP (EDP) for MSM. Monthly follow-up was performed, and all patients were found to be HIV negative. Results: All 118 clients receiving PrEP remained seronegative on regular monthly follow-ups after a sufficiently long period of unsafe sexual practices that frequently exposed them to HIV-positive sex partners. Based on their age mean age of the clients in young group below 35 years was 27 + 6, all 62 young clients had 100% protection. Similarly, 41 middle aged (mean age 43 + 6) and 15 old clients (mean age 56 + 5) had 100% protection with PrEP. Six women from serodiscordant couples while receiving PrEP became pregnant with partners who had completely suppressed viral load (

The Internet of Things (IoT) can enable seamless communication between millions of billions of objects. As IoT applications continue to grow, they face several challenges, including high latency, limited processing and storage capacity, and network failures. To address these stated challenges, the fog computing paradigm has been introduced, purpose is to integrate the cloud computing paradigm with IoT to bring the cloud resources closer to the IoT devices. Thus, it extends the computing, storage, and networking facilities toward the edge of the network. However, data processing and storage occur at the IoT devices themselves in the fog-based IoT network, eliminating the need to transmit the data to the cloud. Further, it also provides a faster response as compared to the cloud. Unfortunately, the characteristics of fog-based IoT networks arise traditional real-time security challenges, which may increase severe concern to the end-users. However, this paper aims to focus on fog-based IoT communication, targeting real-time security challenges. In this paper, we examine the layered architecture of fog-based IoT networks along working of IoT applications operating within the context of the fog computing paradigm. Moreover, we highlight real-time security challenges and explore several existing solutions proposed to tackle these challenges. In the end, we investigate the research challenges that need to be addressed and explore potential future research directions that should be followed by the research community.

Objective: to evaluate the beneficial role of Nebivolol on bone formation in Experimental model of rat. Study Design: Laboratory-based experimental study Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmacology, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Jun-Aug 2020 Methodology: Fourteen (14) rats of the Sprague Dawley variety were obtained for the study. The bone defect was made in each rat's upper quadrant of the right femur shaft by surgical intervention.1-2mm bone defect was created using a Dental Engine motor, avoiding any injury to muscles or other areas of bone. Rats were divided into two equal groups. The Disease Control Group was labelled as Group-A, which was restricted to normal drinking water and feed for three weeks after surgery. Nebivolol-Group was tagged as Group-B, given Nebivolol (2.5mg/kg) once daily (OD) for three weeks starting postop Day 1. Rats included in the study were sacrificed at the end of the three weeks, and their right femurs were collected in sample jars for radiography and histopathology. Results: The radiographic scores, as well as the histopathology scores, were analyzed. Results depicted noteworthy differences between Group-A and Group-B and found to be highly significant (p-value

OBJECTIVES This study evaluated pain relief and functional outcomes in patients who underwent surgical stabilization following post-operative discitis. METHODOLOGY A cross-sectional was conducted at the Department of Orthopedic and Spine Surgery, Peshawar. The study duration spanned from 2020-2023. The inclusion criteria for participants involved patients who had experienced post-operative discitis and subsequently underwent surgical stabilization, with a stipulated minimum follow-up period of two weeks. Pain relief was measured using the Visual Analogue Score (VAS) for back and leg pain, while functional outcomes were evaluated using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). The acquired data were subjected to analysis utilizing SPSS version 26.0. RESULTS Out of the 35, 51.4% were male, and 48.6% were female, with a mean age of 47.5 years (SD ± 10.9 years). The most frequently affected lumbar spine level was L4-L5 in 57.1% of patients. 31.4% were smokers, and 45.7% had comorbidities, primarily consisting of diabetes or hypertension. Significant improvements were observed for back pain (baseline: 9.29 ± 0.71, post-stabilization: 5.37 ± 1.47, p = 0.001) and leg pain (baseline: 3.32 ± 2.17, post-stabilization: 1.91 ± 1.02, p = 0.001). Functional outcomes also showed substantial recovery (baseline: 51.57 ± 6.91, post-stabilization: 34.89 ± 6.85, p = 0.001). Preoperatively, the patients exhibited a spectrum of disability levels, with 29% experiencing severe disability. After two weeks of surgical intervention, substantial improvement was noted, 6% had severe disability. At the last follow-up, only 1% remained severely disabled, underlining the significant enhancement in functional outcomes post-stabilization. CONCLUSION Surgical stabilization is associated with significant pain relief and improved functional outcomes in patients with post-operative discitis.

Background: This study assessed the potential cost-effectiveness of high (80–100%) vs low (21–35%) fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) at preventing surgical site infections (SSIs) after abdominal surgery in Nigeria, India, and South Africa. Methods: Decision-analytic models were constructed using best available evidence sourced from unbundled data of an ongoing pilot trial assessing the effectiveness of high FiO2, published literature, and a cost survey in Nigeria, India, and South Africa. Effectiveness was measured as percentage of SSIs at 30 days after surgery, a healthcare perspective was adopted, and costs were reported in US dollars ($). Results: High FiO2 may be cost-effective (cheaper and effective). In Nigeria, the average cost for high FiO2 was $216 compared with $222 for low FiO2 leading to a −$6 (95% confidence interval [CI]: −$13 to −$1) difference in costs. In India, the average cost for high FiO2 was $184 compared with $195 for low FiO2 leading to a −$11 (95% CI: −$15 to −$6) difference in costs. In South Africa, the average cost for high FiO2 was $1164 compared with $1257 for low FiO2 leading to a −$93 (95% CI: −$132 to −$65) difference in costs. The high FiO2 arm had few SSIs, 7.33% compared with 8.38% for low FiO2, leading to a −1.05 (95% CI: −1.14 to −0.90) percentage point reduction in SSIs. Conclusion: High FiO2 could be cost-effective at preventing SSIs in the three countries but further data from large clinical trials are required to confirm this.

Background/Aims: Crohn’s disease (CD) results in significant morbidity, mortality, and healthcare burden. This study evaluated the temporal trends of CD hospitalizations with a fistula over the last decade to understand the outcomes of severe CD. Methods: National Inpatient Sample database from 2009 to 2019 was used to identify CD hospitalizations with a fistula. The outcomes of interest included temporal trend analysis of length of stay (LOS), mean inpatient cost (MIC), and mortality. Results: There was an increase in the total number of fistulizing CD hospitalizations from 5,386 in 2009 to 12,900 in 2019 (p

The study uses a quantitative research methodology to examine how in-service English teachers in Peshawar, Pakistan feel about L1 identity, Non-Native Speakers' (NNS) English accents, language ownership, and the legitimacy of language usage by NNSs. Fifty in-service instructors were given a meticulously designed questionnaire that was organized around each variable adopted from different research studies (Curran & Chern, 2017; Ren et al., 2016; Rahatlou et al., 2018). Descriptive statistics including frequency, means, percentage, and standard deviations, are applied to the quantitative data to identify response dispersion and central patterns. There are differences in opinions regarding students learning English based on Native Speaker (NS) models, even if there is agreement that successful communication should come before native-like competency. The findings provide light on the intricate interactions between historical, cultural, and educational elements that shaped the perspectives of the participants. Kumaravadivelu (2012) highlights a multifaceted perspective formed by colonial legacies and internal and external constraints, as seen by the coexistence of varied perspectives on language ownership and pride in Non-native accents. Divergent perspectives on students acquiring English highlight the impact of learning environments.

Abstract Waves with tailored shape and vectorial non-homogeneous polarization are of much interest due to the many prospects for relevant applications in the classical and quantum domains. Such vector beams can be generated naturally via conical diffraction in optically biaxial crystals. The recent strongly revived attention to this phenomenon is motivated by modern applications such as optical trapping, polarimetry or super-resolution imaging, partly enabled by new configurations increasing the beam complexity, like those with several crystals in cascade. However, up to now all beams generated by conical diffraction conserve at their sharpest plane the underlying circular shape connected with the planar section of light cones. Here we show that a proper manipulation in wave-vector space within a conical diffraction cascade produces vector beams with highly peculiar non-circular forms, leading to an interesting and reconfigurable platform for easily shaping all structured wave properties, increasing complexity and information content. The experimental observations are confirmed by numerical integration of a paraxial model incorporating the effects of the wave-vector space manipulation.

The aim of this paper is manifold. We first define the new class of operators called MR-Kannan interpolative type contractions, which includes the Kannan, enriched Kannan, interpolative Kannan type, and enriched interpolative Kannan type operators. Secondly, we prove the existence of a unique fixed point for this class of operators. Thirdly, we study Ulam-Hyers stability, well-posedness, and periodic point properties. Finally, an application of the main results to the variational inequality problem is given.

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a contagious infection of cattle caused by a virus of the Poxviridae family, genus Capripoxvirus. In Pakistan, recent outbreaks have resulted in significant nationwide mortality and economic losses. A 20-day prospective cohort study was performed on sixty infected cattle with the aim to evaluate LSD-induced oxidative stress’s genotoxic role and to determine the ameliorative effect of antioxidant therapy using principal component analysis (PCA) and a multivariable ordinal logistic regression model. LSDV was identified from scab samples and nodular lesions using RPO30-specific gene primers. The infected cattle were divided into control and treated groups. The animals were observed initially and finally on day 20 to evaluate the homeostatic, oxidative, and genotoxic changes. The animals in the treated group were administered a combination of selenium (Se) and vitamin E at the standard dose rate for five consecutive days. A substantial (p < 0.05) improvement in the hematological indices was observed in the treated group. The treated group also showed a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in levels of serum nitric oxide (NO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) post-therapy. The PCA at the final sampling data of the treated group showed that Principal Component (PC1 eigenvalue 1.429) was influenced by superoxide dismutase (SOD; 0.3632), catalase (CAT; 0.2906), and glutathione (GSH; 0.0816) and PC2 (eigenvalue 1.200) was influenced by CAT (0.4362), MDA (0.2056), and NO (0.0693). A significant correlation between serum NO (76%) and MDA levels (80%) was observed with genetic damage index (GDI) scores. The ordinal logistic regression model regarding the use of antioxidant therapy revealed 73.95-times (95%CI; 17.36–314.96) improvement in the GDI in treated animals. The multivariable ordinal logistic regression showed that each unit increase in NO and MDA resulted in a 13% increase in genotoxicity in infected individuals. In conclusion, our study revealed that LSD-induced oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation product causes genotoxicity in affected animals. Furthermore, the combined Se and vitamin E therapy significantly alleviated oxidative stress and genotoxicity in LSD-affected cattle.

Abstract Potential role of triacontanol applied as a foliar treatment to ameliorate the adverse effects of salinity on hot pepper plants was evaluated. In this pot experiment, hot pepper plants under 75 mM NaCl stress environment were subjected to foliar application of 25, 50, and 75 µM triacontanol treatments; whereas, untreated plants were taken as control. Salt stress had a significant impact on morphological characteristics, photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange attributes, MDA content, antioxidants activities, electrolytes leakage, vitamin C, soluble protein, and proline contents. All triacontanol treatments significantly mitigated the adversative effects of salinity on hot pepper plants; however, foliar application triacontanol at 75 µM had considerably improved the growth of hot pepper plants in terms of plant height, shoot length, leaf area, plant fresh/dry biomasses by modulating above mentioned physio-biochemical traits. While, improvement in gas exchange properties, chlorophyll, carotenoid contents, increased proline contents coupled with higher SOD and CAT activities were observed in response to 75 µM triacontanol followed by 50 µM triacontanol treatment. MDA and H2O2 contents were decreased significantly in hot pepper plants sprayed with 75 µM triacontanol followed by 50 µM triacontanol foliar treatment. Meanwhile, root and shoot lengths were maximum in 50 µM triacontanol sprayed hot pepper plants along with enhanced APX activity on exposure to salt stress. In crux, exogenous application triacontanol treatments improved hot pepper performance under salinity, however,75 µM triacontanol treatment evidently was more effective in mitigating the lethal impact of saline stress via controlling the ROS generation and increment in antioxidant enzyme activities.

Microbes play a crucial role in maintaining health by aiding in digestion, regulating the immune system, producing essential vitamins, and preventing the colonization of harmful bacteria. The stability of the microbiota is, therefore, necessary for overall well-being. However, several environmental factors can negatively affect the microbiota, including exposure to industrial waste, i.e., chemicals, heavy metals, and other pollutants. Over the past few decades, industries have grown significantly, but the wastewater from those industries has seriously harmed the environment and the health of living beings both locally and globally. The current study investigated the effects of salt-contaminated water exposure on gut microbiota in chickens. According to our findings, amplicon sequencing showed 453 OTUs across control and salt-contaminated water exposure groups. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteriota were the most dominant phyla in the chickens regardless of treatment. However, exposure to salt-contaminated water resulted in a remarkable decline in gut microbial diversity. While, the beta diversity revealed substantial differences in major gut microbiota components. Moroever, microbial taxonomic investigation indicated that the proportions of one bacterial phylum and nineteen bacterial genera significantly decreased. Also, the levels of one bacterial phylum and thirty three bacterial genera markedly increased under salt-contaminated water exposure, which indicates a disruption in gut microbial homeostasis. Hence the current study provides a basis to explore the effects of salt-contaminated water exposure on the health of vertebrate species.

Pakistan is an agricultural country and requires an adequate supply of water for irrigation throughout the year. Water is one of the most precious natural resources and its effectual management is a main concern in various agricultural systems around the world. The major problem is the water accumulation by the wealthy farmers store water for their own fields and allow water to pass to other farmers after receiving the money. Secondly, most of the time water wastage occurs due to over watering, it is because there is very large area in the fields (in acres) that is very difficult for the famers to supervise all the area. Similarly, sometime there is inadequate water supply, which cause the damage of crops or results in lesser yield on some section of the field. This paper presents solution of the mentioned problems and increasing the hold of Indus River Systems Authority (IRSA) on the irrigation mechanism so that the required quantity of water can only be delivered at the specific time for each field (as per requiring output from sensors grounded in field). The presented system consists of implement of the sensors in each corner of the fields, when the sensor value (in voltage) goes to satisfied number it sends notification to IRSA and if the water level goes to danger level, it will automatically close the gate from where water is released. New water system with electrical control advancements can improve water utilization proficiency, compelling water sparing and diminishing the natural affects. The target of the presented system is to dodge wastage of water and enhance efficiency of irrigation by utilizing a PLC based irrigation framework with the assistance of soil dampness sensors. An automatic control system of gates helps to close or open the gates if the water level in soil reaches a critical value. The motivation behind this work was to create a self-administering water supply framework that works on utilization of a solitary model according to which; the water supply follows a pre-supplied timetable along-with the monitoring of the in-field conditions, prompting a sensible sparing in the measure of water supply. It should likewise be dependable and effectively deployable to work under cruel outside conditions without the requirement for oversight or customary checking. The deployed electronic system can be powered through solar energy. The developed mechanism can make farmers capable of fulfilling their irrigation needs besides the PV based generated extra electricity can be shared or sold to neighbors or water and power Development authority (WAPDA).

Background: Upper cross syndrome is a relatively prevalent musculoskeletal disorder among the general population due to increased usage of smart gadgets and poor postural habits. Objective: To determine the immediate and prolonged effect of breathing exercise on pain, functional disability, and quality of life parameters in the population with the upper cross syndrome. Methodology: A randomized control trial study was conducted at Jinnah Memorial Trust Hospital Gujranwala. The duration of the study was 15 months (Feb-2021 to Jan-2022). A sample of 76 upper cross syndrome enrolled and equally (n=38) randomized into the control group (regular physical therapy treatment) and experimental group (regular physical therapy treatment + breathing exercises). The treatment effect was investigated on the outcomes including pain (NPRS), functional disability (NDI), and Quality of life (SF-36). Treatment time was a total of 4 weeks; outcomes variables were compared at baseline vs after 1st session, for immediate effects, and Baseline vs after 4th week for prolonged effects. Data was analyzed with SPSS 21. Results: The mean age of 76 participants was 32.51 + 6.33 years (4 males (5.3%) and 72 females (94.7%)). For both, immediate effects NPRS, NDI, and SF-36 domains (general health, general health perception, physical functioning, role limitation due to physical health, emotional health, role limitation due to emotional health, energy, and bodily pain) were significantly improved (p

Background: Exploring genetic diversity in traits of interest and utilizing it to breed high yielding, disease-resistant and high market value varieties is the prime objective of plant breeders. Unfortunately, genetic diversity in most of the crops has declined due to selection and reutilization of already adapted germplasm. Chemical mutagens are widely used to create novel changes in germplasm; however, these have been rarely tested for chili germplasm in Pakistan. Methods: We used ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) and sodium azide (SA) to induce mutations for obtaining novel alterations in morphological and yield-related traits of four chili genotypes (i.e., ‘Mexi’, ‘Dandi Cut’, ‘Nageena’ and ‘Talhari’). Firstly, concentrations of both mutagens were calibrated, i.e., 1.5 % EMS and 0.5 % SA. Afterwards, seeds of four chili cultivars were treated and grown in peat trays. As the nursery was established, seedlings were transferred to media (sand: silt: clay + 1 kg well-decomposed FYM) after 30 days of germination. Different mutants were isolated based on differential morphological and phenotypic expressions. Results: It was found that efficiency of EMS was greater than SA and more variants were noticed in case of EMS-treated populations. Genetic analysis showed that almost all the traits were affected by mutagens in the M1 generations although the stability of isolated mutants was not checked in later generations. All the traits showed higher estimates of heritability but in some traits genetic advance was non-significant. Conclusion: It is recommended that isolated mutants could be used as rich genetic diversity source to breed new varieties. Furthermore, EMS proved a suitable mutagen for targeted mutations.