Search

Abstract Background The extent of natural salt-laden groundwaters used for irrigation is increasing worldwide, which is a fast-emerging threat to agroecosystems and global food security. The salt buildup in the soil is linked to deteriorated soil chemical, physical, and biological health and decreased land productivity. Alkali waters with high residual sodium carbonate (RSC) is one of the severe poor-quality waters that deteriorate soil. We evaluated soil microbial dynamics and soil health at critical growth stages of rice crop receiving two-decade-long irrigation with three levels of alkali water and two reclamation strategies. These included good-quality water (GQW), alkali water (ALKW) with an RSC concentration of 5 me L⁻1 (ALKW1), ALKW with an RSC concentration of 10 me L⁻1 (ALKW2), ALKW2 treated to neutralize RSC to 5 me L⁻1 using gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O; ALKW2 + GYP), and ALKW2 treated with sulfuric acid (H2SO4; ALKW2 + SA). Eleven microbial parameters were used to develop a soil microbial activity index (SMAI), and eight soil health indicators were correlated with changes in SMAI and crop productivity. Results The SMAI peaked under good-quality water (GQW) conditions (0.84–0.89), while the lowest values were recorded under ALKW2 (0.06–0.18). Neutralized alkali waters, ALKW2 + SA and ALKW2 + GYP, significantly improved SMAI with corresponding values of 0.25–0.35 and 0.13–0.32, respectively. SMAI across all stages correlated positively (R 2 = 0.91–0.98) with rice yield. Microbial activity varied with the crop growth stage, peaking at tillering. Gypsum application alone, aimed at neutralizing alkalinity from an RSC of 10 to 5 me L⁻1, proved insufficient in bringing the SMAI up to the ALKW1 (RSC level of 5 me L⁻1). Conclusions The application of dilute sulfuric acid demonstrated better results in restoring the soil microbial activity index than gypsum amendment; however, sulfuric acid treatment depends on native calcium carbonate (CaCO3) dissolution for its effectiveness. It may not suffice for soil stability improvement in the long term, especially when native CaCO3 is low. Therefore, integrating gypsum and dilute sulfuric acid for RSC neutralization is worthwhile; however, further assessment is needed to confirm their combined impact on soil biochemical and physical properties.

ABSTRACTIn this research work, we explore antibacterial activity and the UV-protection of cotton fabric functionalized with copper oxide-titanium dioxide nano composites particles (CuO+TiO2 NCPs). Cotton fabrics (Cot) were treated with L-methionine (Am) and functionalized with bimetallic CuO+TiO2 NCPs by pad and rolling technique. Cu(NO3)2 and titanium isopropoxide (TIP) were used as sources of Cu(OH)2 and TiO2 colloid respectively, which were then converted into CuO and TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) for making antibacterial and UV-protective cotton. The method yielded a crystallite size of CuO and TiO2 NPs of 18.09 and 32.5 nm, respectively. FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, High-resolution scanning electron microscopy-Energy dispersive Spectroscopy (HRSEM), (EDS), X-ray photo spectroscopy (XPS), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and XRD were used to analyze the functional group, morphology, chemical composition, thermal stability and crystalline structure of the functionalized cotton fabric samples. The results showed that an esterification reaction occurred between Am and OH in cotton fabric, which further enhanced the binding of NCPs. AmCot-CuO+TiO2 NCPs exhibit outstanding antibacterial activity against gram-positive S. aureus and gram-negative E. coli. The UV protection factor (UPF) for AmCot-CuO+TiO2 NCPs reached 50+; thus, multifunctional cotton fabrics with excellent antibacterial and anti-ultraviolet properties were obtained.

Metering fluids is critical in various industries, and researchers have extensively explored factors affecting measurement accuracy. As a result, numerous sensors and methods are developed to precisely measure volume fractions in multi-phase fluids. A significant challenge in multi-phase fluid pipelines is the formation of scale within the pipes. This issue is particularly problematic in the petroleum industry, leading to narrowed internal diameters, corrosion, increased energy consumption, reduced equipment lifespan, and, most crucially, compromised flow measurement accuracy. This paper proposes a non-destructive metering system incorporating an artificial neural network with capacitive and photon attenuation sensors to address this challenge. The system simulates scale thicknesses from 0 mm to 10 mm using COMSOL multiphysics software and calculates counted rays through Beer Lambert equations. The simulation considers a 10% interval of volume variation in each phase, generating 726 data points. The proposed network, with two inputs—measured capacity and counted rays-and three outputs—volume fractions of gas, water, and oil—achieves mean absolute errors of 0.318, 1.531, and 1.614, respectively. These results demonstrate the system’s ability to accurately gauge volume proportions of a three-phase gas-water-oil fluid, regardless of pipeline scale thickness.

Polyhalite-based POLY4, a multi-nutrient source containing potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulphur, is increasingly recognised for its potential to improve crop yields and soil health in agricultural systems. It is also been considered as a feasible approach for addressing the deficiency in potassium, calcium, and sulphur within a single application source. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of polyhalite-based POLY4 application, either as a complete or partial substitute for traditional potassium fertiliser and gypsum supplement, on the improvement of peanut (Arachis hypogaea) growth and soil quality. An extensive field study was conducted from 2021 and 2022, employing ten distinct nutrient management treatments with three replications in a randomised complete block design. The findings of the study indicated that the application of polyhalite (POLY4) in conjunction with only NP fertilisers resulted in a higher yield advantage (approximately 150–200 kg ha-1) than in plots treated with NPK + gypsum (at 500 kg ha-1) and control plots. The application of polyhalite-based fertiliser (POLY4) at a rate that was 100% equivalent to K along with NP fertilisers resulted in a significant increase in pod yield (5.3–12.8%) over NPK + gypsum and control plots. Thus, the increased crop yield led to an increase in gross returns of 4.88% and in net returns of 4.28% with the application of POLY4 (100%) + NP fertilisers over other treatments. Likewise, variable rates of conventional fertilisers along with POLY4 (100% recommended) + NP + gypsum at 310 kg/ha significantly increased the linoleic acid content (38.5%), oleic acid content, and oil content (48.1%) by reducing palmitic acid (11.96%) content in the groundnut seed. Interestingly, POLY4 use at the 50% recommended rate also resulted in yields that were comparable with those obtained with 100% NPK. Therefore, applying POLY4, a polyhalite fertiliser, in either a 100% or 50% equivalent of essential K can be an effective way of increasing the production of peanut crops and promoting agricultural sustainability.

Introduction: Altered DNA methylation pattern in sperms has been associated with infertility in males demonstrating defective spermatogenesis or low semen quality. Vitamin B-12, by affecting 1-carbon metabolism pathways, might alter the DNA methylation pattern. We aimed to study the correlation of serum vitamin B12 levels with aberrant DNA methylation in infertile male patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 17 oligozoospermic infertile males (WHO criteria, 2010) and 10 healthy fertile males. Serum vitamin B12 levels were estimated using the chemiluminescence method. Global methylation was determined using the ELISA system (Imprint Methylated DNA Quantification Kit, Sigma–Aldrich). The levels of global DNA methylation were calculated and compared relative to the methylated (100%) control DNA provided with the kit. Results: Mean serum vitamin B12 concentration in the control group was higher than that of the case group. This difference in serum vitamin B12 concentration in both groups was found statistically significant. Although the results of this study show that oligozoospermic men have relatively lower global DNA methylation as compared to normozoospermic control, the values could not reach a statistically significant level. A small positive correlation was found between serum vitamin B12 levels and percent methylation defect (r = 0.14) but was statistically insignificant. Conclusion: Our study concludes that oligozoospermic infertile males have a significant deficiency of vitamin B12 as compared to normozoospermic fertile males. This study did not find any significant difference in global DNA methylation between the two groups. The present study does not suggest any correlation between serum vitamin B12 level and percent DNA methylation.

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of the telemedicine-based pulmonary rehabilitation programme in COVID-19 pneumonitis. Design: Prospective intervention study. Setting: Rehabilitation outpatient department, Tertiary-Care institute. Participants: Consecutive sample of patients (N = 50) in recovered COVID-19 infection. Intervention: Six weeks of telemedicine-based pulmonary rehabilitation in recovered patients of COVID-19 infection. Outcome Measures: All patients were clinically assessed by six minutes walk test (6MWT), Modified Medical Research Council Scale (mMRC), 30s-STS and SF 36 at zero week and six weeks post-intervention. Statistical Analysis: Difference in means of pre- and post-intervention was compared using paired t-test. A P value

Parthenium hysterophorus (PH), often known as parthenium weed, is one of the seventh most devastating weeds in the world. The primary aim of the study was to produce and optimize fungal FPase enzymes under solid-state fermentation (SSF) conditions for application in enzymatic hydrolysis to produce bioethanol. The impact of various physiological factors was verified through a systematic approach, initially using the one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) method. Further optimization was carried out using statistical tools by response surface methodology (RSM), selecting three variables, i.e., lactose concentration, peptone concentration, and pH level. The outcomes of this research demonstrated that the RSM-based model led to the optimization of enzyme activity, resulting in 4.08U/ml of FPase, with a lactose concentration of 1.62 %, a peptone concentration of 1.5 %, and a pH level of 6 being the ideal conditions. When employing the FPase enzyme for biomass hydrolysis, the maximum yield of reducing sugar, at 0.37 ± 0.01 g/g, was achieved within a 96-hour period, using enzyme and substrate levels of 30 FPU/100 ml and 3 % (w/v), respectively. Fermentation of enzymatic hydrolysate was carried out by Saccharomyces cerevisiae at 30 °C, pH 6.0, and 120 rpm, which resulted in 0.45g/g ethanol yield after 48 h. Overall, our findings reveal that PH biomass can be introduced into sugar-based biorefineries to produce biofuels and other valuable chemicals.

The priority of research efforts over the past two decades has been focused on the effective detection of harmful gases and the development of small, efficient, and reliable nanodimensional sensors. The adsorption of carbon monoxide (CO) gas molecules on zigzag gallium phosphide nanoribbons (zGaPNRs) has been studied using first-principle calculations within the context of Density Functional Theory (DFT). Here, we have evaluated the potential of single-atom thick zGaPNRs in different configurations of nanoribbons for the detection of CO. Many possible configurations of studying the CO molecule adsorption on zGaPNRs have been explored. It is established that the interaction of CO molecules has an impact on the electrical and transport properties of zGaPNRs. The H-GaP-H is the most stable structure with the binding energy ( E b ) of −5.70 eV. The stability is compromised with CO adsorption with CO-GaP-CO being the least stable structure. Pristine structure is semiconducting with the energy band gap ( E G ) of −3.95 eV. The computed sensitivity (S) values are found to be highest for Co-GaPNRs with the S value of 1. 7 7 × 1 0 1 8 and the least sensitive structure is H-GaP-CO with the computed S as 3. 8 4 × 1 0 1 7 . Additionally, it is noted that CO molecules always establish a stable chemical bond with the nanoribbon edges through the C-side. The unique behavior is revealed by the transport characteristics, which demonstrates that when CO adsorption occurs near the Ga edge, the current magnitude is noticeably greater. Our research demonstrates the potential of specific CO adsorption and detection for the development of nanosensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyhalite-based POLY4, a multi-nutrient source containing potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulphur, is increasingly recognised for its potential to improve crop yields and soil health in agricultural systems. It is also been considered as a feasible approach for addressing the deficiency in potassium, calcium, and sulphur within a single application source. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of polyhalite-based POLY4 application, either as a complete or partial substitute for traditional potassium fertiliser and gypsum supplement, on the improvement of peanut (Arachis hypogaea) growth and soil quality. An extensive field study was conducted from 2021 and 2022, employing ten distinct nutrient management treatments with three replications in a randomised complete block design. The findings of the study indicated that the application of polyhalite (POLY4) in conjunction with only NP fertilisers resulted in a higher yield advantage (approximately 150-200 kg ha-1) than in plots treated with NPK + gypsum (at 500 kg ha-1) and control plots. The application of polyhalite-based fertiliser (POLY4) at a rate that was 100% equivalent to K along with NP fertilisers resulted in a significant increase in pod yield (5.3-12.8%) over NPK + gypsum and control plots. Thus, the increased crop yield led to an increase in gross returns of 4.88% and in net returns of 4.28% with the application of POLY4 (100%) + NP fertilisers over other treatments. Likewise, variable rates of conventional fertilisers along with POLY4 (100% recommended) + NP + gypsumat 310 kg/ha significantly increased the linoleic acid content (38.5%), oleic acid content, and oil content (48.1%) by reducing palmitic acid (11.96%) content in the groundnut seed. Interestingly, POLY4 use at the 50% recommended rate also resulted in yields that were comparable with those obtained with 100% NPK. Therefore, applying POLY4, a polyhalite fertiliser, in either a 100% or 50% equivalent of essential K can be an effective way of increasing the production of peanut crops and promoting agricultural sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation aims to synthesize a novel (AlCuCoFeMnNi)3O4 type high entropy spinel oxide through the sol‐gel and investigate the effect of different carbon‐based additives on charge storage performance. The formation of the inverse spinel phase of [B(AB)O4] type inverse spinel phase was confirmed through the detailed x‐ray diffraction analysis of the synthesized sample. The synthesized spinel phase was indexed with the space group of Fd−3m and has a lattice parameter of 8.2697 Å. The synthesized high entropy oxide (HEO) phase Ni, Co, and Fe coexists in +2 and +3 states. At the same time, Cu in +2 state, Al in +3 state, and Mn in +3 and +4 states confirmed through x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The electrochemical charge storage performance of synthesized HEO was measured through the three‐electrode setup in 2 M KOH aqueous electrolyte solution in two different potential windows, such as −0.2 to 0.4 V and 0.0 to 0.5 V. Different carbon‐based conducting materials such as acetylene black, reduced graphene oxide (RGO), and carbon particles obtained from 10‐hour ball‐milling of used dry cell carbon electrode (CP). The charge storage mechanism changes from electrochemical double layer capacitance to pseudocapacitive type as the potential window varies from −0.2 to 0.4 to 0 to 0.5 V. The value of specific capacitance for an electrode made of HEO with acetylene black, RGO, and CP was found to be 32.67, 7.50, and 4.58 F/g and 30.68, 16.33, and 9.05 F/g in the potential window of −0.2 to 0.4 V and 0 to 0.5 V at a scan rate of 5 mV/s, respectively. The cyclic performance of the developed three electrodes was measured at a scan rate of 100 mV/s for 1000 cycles, and it was found to be 94%, 98%, and 99% for electrodes made of HEO with acetylene black, RGO, and CP, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Angewandte Chemie is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Producing sp3‐hybridized carbon‐enriched molecules is of particular interest due to their high success rate in clinical trials. The installation of aliphatic chains onto aromatic scaffolds was accomplished by nickel‐catalyzed C(sp2)−C(sp3) cross‐electrophile coupling with arylsulfonium salts. Thus, simple non‐prefunctionalized arenes could be alkylated through the formation of aryldibenzothiophenium salts. The reaction employs an electrochemical approach to avoid potentially hazardous chemical redox agents, and importantly, the one‐pot alkylation proved also viable, highlighting the robustness of our approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]