Search

In this study, the composition and antibacterial activity of essential oil from the flower of Nyctanthes arbor-tristis were determined. The extraction was carried out utilizing the microwave-assisted extraction technique with a short extraction time of 60 min, yielding 0.342% (w/w). Separation and characterization were performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis, identifying a total of 34 constituents, including major compounds: phenyl ethyl alcohol (26.1%), eucarvone (18.7%), furfural (10.7%), benzaldehyde (4.8%), phytol (4.7%), and methyl hexadecanoate (3.1%). In the next step, an agar disk diffusion assay was performed to assess the antimicrobial activity of the oil against four different bacterial strains, namely Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, resulting in zones of inhibition measuring 9, 12, 11, and 9 mm, respectively. However, the broth macrodilution method was carried out against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae, revealing minimum inhibitory concentrations of 2.5 and 5 mg/mL, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for modern electronics and semiconductors has increased throughout the years, which has enabled the innovation and exploration of solution-processed deposition. Solution-based processes have gained a lot of interest due to the low-cost fabrication and the large fabrication areas without the need for high-vacuum equipment. In this study, we utilized the ZnO ink for inkjet printer ink to fabricate a thin film via Electrohydrodynamic printing. Three different ink solutions were prepared for experimentation. The EHD printing technique demonstrated the ink's compatibility with and without the modifications. The outcomes of the EHD printed materials were comparable with the spin-coated thin films. The EHD-printed films demonstrated better results in comparison to spin-coated films. Ra and Rq of the EHD film measured at 3.651 nm and 4.973 nm, respectively. It improved the absorbance up to two-fold at 360 nm wavelength and electrical conductivity up to 40% compared to the spin-coated films. Furthermore, the optimization of the printing parameters can lead to the improved morphology and thickness of the EHD thin films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce some set-theoretic operations and laws of the IV-CFSSs, such as interval-valued complex fuzzy soft complement, union, intersection, t-norm, s-norm, simple product, Cartesian product, probabilistic sum, simple difference, and the convex linear sum of min and max operators. We define the distance measure of two IV-CFSSs. This distance measure is then used to define the δ -equality of IV-CFSSs. We establish some particular examples and basic results of these operations and laws. Moreover, we use IV-CFSSs in decision-making problems. We develop a new decision-making method using the interval-valued complex fuzzy distance measures under the environments of IV-CFSSs. We discuss the real-life case based on the proposed decision-making method. A real-life example demonstrates that the decision-making method developed in the paper can be utilized to deal with problems of uncertainty. Further, the comparative study of IV-CFSSs with complex fuzzy soft sets, interval-valued fuzzy soft sets, and fuzzy soft sets is established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fully-coupled general circulation model of intermediate complexity is documented. The study presents an overview of the model climatology and variability, with particular attention to the phenomenology of processes that are relevant for the predictability of the climate system on seasonal-to-decadal time-scales. It is shown that the model can realistically simulate the general circulation of the atmosphere and the ocean, as well as the major modes of climate variability on the examined time-scales: e.g. El Niño-Southern Oscillation, North Atlantic Oscillation, Tropical Atlantic Variability, Pacific Decadal Variability, Atlantic Multi-decadal Variability. Potential applications of the model are discussed, with emphasis on the possibility of generating sets of low-cost large-ensemble retrospective forecasts. We argue that the presented model is suitable to be employed in traditional and innovative model experiments that can play a significant role in future developments of seasonal-to-decadal climate prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disease diagnosis using the medical image is a very technical and tedious process. Small abnormalities in multiple medical images could be noticed by medical specialists but deep analysis of a medical image is still a complicated task due to the restricted ability of the human visual system. The limitations of the human visual system might lead to medical treatment impairment. This issue, however, may be handled by searching for similar cases in the preceding medical database using an effective content-based medical image retrieval (CBMIR) method. The CBMIR's main problem is efficient classification but also required retrieval from multi-modal medical imagery information. Most prior attempts at medical image retrieving and classification employ handmade features, that perform poorly across a large collection across multimodal datasets. Even though there has been a few earlier research on using deep characteristics for classification, the total count is quite modest. To address this issue, we offer an upgraded Inceptionv3 network, which is a genetic algorithm-based optimum retrieval system incorporating multimodal medical images from multiple forms of imaging systems. The experimental findings from 5 classes are showing accuracy and optimization with F1. score using our technique is 97.22%, and 89.56% with 98.53%, respectively, each of which is higher than either the accuracy but also F1. score from the prior solution of CBMIR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil contamination with chromium (Cr) is posing a severe threat to global food security and safety. Conventional strategies being used to combat Cr toxicity are costly, destructive and environmentally problematic. The present study aimed to evaluate silicon (Si) nutrition for ameliorating Cr toxicity in maize (Zea mays L). Experimental plan comprised of four Cr levels, i.e. control (Cr0), 5 mg kg−1 (Cr5), 10 mg kg−1 (Cr10) and 25 mg kg−1 (Cr25), and three Si levels including control (Si0), 15 mg kg−1 (Si15) and 30 mg kg−1 (Si30) with three replications. Maize cultivar Hycorn-339 was used. Each pot was filled with 25 kg soil. Harvesting was done 30, 60 and 120 days after sowing. Cr contamination significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased Cr concentration in plant tissues with a decrease in plant growth, yield and physiological characteristics, highest reduction with Cr25. The said treatment decreased photosynthetic rate (Pn) by 42%, transpiration rate (Tr) 35%, stomatal conductance (Gs) 31%, relative water content (RWC) 32% and membrane stability index (MSI) 30% compared with Cr0. Si nutrition alleviated the deleterious effects of Cr on maize growth and yield by decreasing its absorption while increasing retention in roots and subsequently restricting its translocation from roots to aerial plant parts. Si30 improved Pn by 16%, Tr 19%, Gs 14%, RWC 12%, MSI 15% and grain yield 19% at Cr25 compared to Cr25 without Si. It was concluded that Si could ameliorate Cr toxicity in maize by restricting its absorption and translocation from roots to aerial plant tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of the statistical classifiers being employed determines how precisely an electronic prosthesis moves its target. The performance of the classifier is correlated with the quality of the acquired data, and it degrades in the presence of incomplete data. Missing data must therefore be recovered in order to enhance classifier performance and subsequently regulate prosthesis performance. However, recovering lost data can be difficult. For the purpose of recovering missing data in electroencephalography (EEG) signals, a fast and accurate Xavier-initialized weighted canonical polyadic (X-WCP) based approach has been described in this study. In comparison to cutting-edge techniques, the Xavier-initialized weights converge quickly since they are close to the optimal solution. This research also shows the effectiveness of the proposed approach for enhancing classifier performance. For the method to be validated, three models are proposed. Classifiers are employed to complete EEG data in the first model, and the results are used as a benchmark. In the second and third models, classifiers are employed on partial and recovered signals. The results demonstrate that when recovered data is provided to classifiers instead of partially complete EEG data, where classification accuracy was 55%, classification accuracy is greatly enhanced (up to 70%). Classification accuracy at the benchmark level was 71%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aimed at employing systematic analysis and bibliometric information to probe the emergence of the Future Time Perspective (FTP) study paradigm over the last fifty-five years. The scope and trajectory of the FTP field, common themes and future research lines across various clusters were mapped out to identify possible future research pathways that might significantly augment already knowledge and understanding established thus far. Authors have accomplished this by integrating bibliometric analysis with an extensive qualitative review of 648 articles published between 1956 and 2022. The content analysis and bibliometric analysis, aided by co-citation analysis, bibliographic coupling, and thematic and conceptual mapping, were taken to identify recent developments, potential prospects, impactful authors and prominent nations and organizations. While bibliometric analysis allowed us to map the evolving structure of the FTP literature, it also aided the content analysis of emerged clusters, enabling us to visualize literature changes over time, link knowledge to practice, and present future research prospects across the clusters. The five research clusters and future research viewpoints concerning each cluster emerged and was unearthed that, despite the multiplicity of studies, the FTP literature has evolved around some distinct themes with a fundamental set of authors hailing from the USA, Germany, Netherlands, China and Canada. The evidence indicates that FTP is a multifaceted construct emerging as a distinct and independent research discipline with many fruitful areas for further academic, social, industrial/organizational psychological, and behavioral inquiry. The authors are mindful that the current study demonstrates the overall progression and prominence of FTP literature by employing bibliometric and content analysis techniques. The outcomes of this study might be helpful for research scholars in persuading their research endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present study sought to comprehend the impact of human capital on radical and incremental innovation, with a focus on examining the mediating effects of entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial alertness. Design/methodology/approach: The study employed a purposive sampling technique for collecting data from entrepreneurs in from different sectors of Pakistan. A sample of 382 entrepreneurs completed the survey. Data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS. Reliability, discriminant, and convergent validity tests were conducted, and structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses. Findings: It was revealed that human capital has a significant impact on radical and incremental innovation. Furthermore, entrepreneurial passion and alertness significantly mediates the relationship between human capital and innovation. Originality/value: The study contributes to the emerging research on innovation in entrepreneurship. There is limited research on types of innovation and entrepreneurial alertness in Pakistan; therefore, the study adds value to the scarce empirical research on innovation and entrepreneurial alertness and passion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is vital, following the Kyoto Protocol, to find environmentally benign and energy-efficient refrigerants, consequently boosting the coefficient of performance (COP). Refrigeration systems are used extensively in the industrial, home, and commercial sectors for cooling, heating, food preservation, and cryogenic purposes. Researchers have successfully employed the application of nanoparticles in cooling systems to achieve improved enhancement, reliability, and efficiency of refrigeration systems because of their higher heat transfer and thermophysical capabilities. The function of numerous variables, however, makes the experimental technique appear to be costly and time-consuming to carry out. This study was, therefore, designed to numerically simulate the performance assessment of a nanoparticle-enhanced Cascaded Vapor Compression Refrigeration Cycle (CVCRC). The focus of this paper is on four distinct SiO2 nanoparticle nanorefrigerants and their pure fluids: two HFCs as well as two fourth-generation refrigerants (HFOs), namely; R12, R134a, R1234yf, and R-1234ze (E). The results show that adding nanoparticles to the pure refrigerant improves COP, and the highest values were achieved with the R1234ze(E)/SiO2 mixture. Increasing the mass concentration of the nanoparticles leads to an increase in the refrigeration effect, an increase in COP, and a reduction in compressor work. Although R125 had the lowest compressor work of 47.12 kW when SiO2 nanoparticles are introduced, however, is not suitable for refrigeration because of its high GWP values. R1234ze has the second-lowest compressor work of 59.58 kW with the addition of SiO2, it is consequently more energy efficient and can be used in its place as it has a GWP of 6, among other benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We apply the Lagrangian-based moisture back trajectory method to two reanalysis datasets to determine the moisture sources for wet season precipitation over the Arabian Peninsula, defined as land on the Asian continent to the south of the Turkish border and west of Iran. To accomplish this, we make use of the evaporative source region between 65°W–120°E and 30°S–60°N, which is divided into twelve sub-regions. Our comparison of reanalyses and multiple observations allows us to validate datasets and highlight broad-scale similarities in characteristics, notwithstanding some inconsistencies in the southwest AP. The results indicate north-to-south spatiotemporal heterogeneity in the characteristics of dominant moisture sources. In the north, moisture for precipitation is mainly sourced from midlatitude land and water bodies, such as the Mediterranean and Caspian Seas. Areas further south are dependent on moisture transport from the Western Indian Ocean and parts of the African continent. The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) exhibits an overall positive but sub-seasonally varying influence on the precipitation variability over the region, with noticeable moisture anomalies from all major source regions. A significant drying trend exists over parts of the Peninsula, which both reanalyses partially attribute to anomalies in the moisture advection from the Congo Basin and South Atlantic Ocean. However, considerable uncertainty in evaporation trends over the terrestrial evaporative sources in observations warrants additional modeling studies to further our understanding of key processes contributing to the negative trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Central South University is the property of Springer Nature 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.)

Over the satellite era, Antarctic sea ice exhibited an overall long-term increasing trend, contrary to the Arctic reduction under global warming. However, the drastic decline of Antarctic sea ice in 2014–2018 raises questions about its interannual and decadal-scale variabilities, which are poorly understood and predicted. Here, we identify an Antarctic sea ice decadal oscillation, exhibiting a quasi-period of 8–16 years, that is anticorrelated with the Pacific Quasi-Decadal Oscillation (r = −0.90). By combining observations, Coupled Model Intercomparison Project historical simulations, and pacemaker climate model experiments, we find evidence that the synchrony between the sea ice decadal oscillation and Pacific Quasi-Decadal Oscillation is linked to atmospheric poleward-propagating Rossby wave trains excited by heating in the central tropical Pacific. These waves weaken the Amundsen Sea Low, melting sea ice due to enhanced shortwave radiation and warm advection. A Pacific Quasi-Decadal Oscillation-based regression model shows that this tropical-polar teleconnection carries multi-year predictability.A decadal-scale oscillatory pattern is identified that is a dominant mode of Antarctic sea ice variability. This mode is primarily driven by tropical-polar connections, offering insights into the multi-year predictability of Antarctic sea ice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The monsoons in Pakistan have been exceptionally harsh in recent decades, resulting in extraordinary drought conditions and record flooding events. The changing characteristics of extreme events are widely attributed to climate change. However, given this region's long history of floods and droughts, the role of natural climate variability cannot be rejected without a careful diagnosis. Here, we examine how oceanic and atmospheric variability has contributed to unusual precipitation distributions in West South Asia. Variations in sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific and northern Arabian Sea, and internal atmospheric variability related to the circumglobal teleconnection pattern and the subtropical westerly jet stream, explain more than 70% of monthly summer precipitation variability in the 21st century. Several of these forcings have co-occurred with record strength during episodes of extreme monsoons, which have exacerbated the overall effect. Climate change may have contributed to increased variability and the in-phase co-occurrences of the identified mechanisms, but further research is required to confirm any such connection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, the N,N′,N″-(1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triyl)tris(1-phenylmethanimine) (MBSB) condensation product of melamine (triazine) and benzaldehyde was investigated as a mild steel corrosion inhibitor in a 0.5 M HCl. The ability of the synthesized tris-Schiff base to suppress corrosion was evaluated utilizing weight loss measurements and electrochemical techniques. The maximum inhibition efficiency of 94.78%, 93.99% and 93.80% was achieved using 100 ppm of MBSB in weight loss measurements, polarization, and EIS tests, respectively. It was observed that increasing inhibitor concentration enhanced inhibition performance, whereas increasing temperature lowered inhibition performance. The analyses demonstrated that the synthesized tris-Schiff base inhibitor followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm, and the inhibitor was an effective mixed-type inhibitor having a low cathodic predominance. According to the electrochemical impedance measurements, the Rct values increased with the increase of inhibitor concentration. In addition, theoretical calculations using density functional theory (DFT) were performed to reveal the anticorrosion mechanism. The weight loss and electrochemical assessments were also supported by surface characterization analysis and show a substantial smoothness in the surface morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main conclusion: DcMYB11, an R2R3 MYB gene associated with petiole anthocyanin pigmentation in carrot, was functionally characterized. A putative enhancer sequence is able to increase DcMYB11 activity. The accumulation of anthocyanin pigments can exhibit different patterns across plant tissues and crop varieties. This variability allowed the investigation of the molecular mechanisms behind the biosynthesis of these pigments in several plant species. Among crops, carrots have a well-defined anthocyanin pigmentation pattern depending on the genic background. In this work, we report on the discovery of DNA structural differences affecting the activity of an R2R3 MYB (encoded by DcMYB11) involved in anthocyanin regulation in carrot petiole. To this end, we first verified the function of DcMYB11 using heterologous systems and identified three different alleles which may explain differences in petiole pigmentation. Characterization of the DcMYB11 alleles at the 5' upstream sequence unveiled a sequence that functions as a putative enhancer. In conclusion, this study provides novel insight into the molecular mechanisms controlling anthocyanin accumulation in carrot. By these outcomes, we expanded our knowledge on the cis-regulatory sequences in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a hybrid fault type identification technique based on continuous wavelet transform (CWT) and fast fourier transform (FFT) algorithm for an adaptive single-phase auto-reclosing scheme. Fast fault type identification i.e., identification between temporary and permanent fault is essential in protection algorithms. Integration of HVDC transmission links have made the protection system more complex. The HVDC converters cannot withstand high fault current for long time and disconnect for self-protection; consequently, the entire HVDC grid/link can be lost resulting a large blackout. Therefore, false detection of fault type on the AC side may challenge the reliability of the entire AC/DC power system. Hence, an adaptive auto-reclosing scheme based on CWT with the FFT algorithm (CWTFT) is presented in this paper. The proposed algorithm recognizes the fault type and arc extermination moment in least dead time. The temporary and permanent faults are identified based on the energies of CWTFT coefficients; the energies higher than the threshold level indicate that the fault is temporary. Subsequently, in case of a temporary fault, the arc extermination instant is estimated by the total harmonic distortion values; the values lower than the threshold level indicate that the arc is completely exterminated and it's safe to initiate reclosing. The performance of the algorithm is verified on Cassie and Kizilcay arc models with both transmission line types i.e., (compensated and uncompensated) under a diversity of fault conditions. The proposed technique is tested on a model developed in MATLAB using practical parameters. The results indorse the effectiveness of the proposed scheme in single-phase auto-reclosing applications by achieving minimum dead time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Due to its high prevalence, we aimed to create postmenopausal osteoporosis clinical practice guideline via GRADE-ADOLOPMENT for Pakistan. We recommend a higher dose (2000–4000 IU) of vitamin D for osteoporotic patients who are old, have malabsorption, or are obese. The guideline will help standardize care provision and improve health care outcomes for osteoporosis. Purpose: Postmenopausal osteoporosis affects one in every five postmenopausal women in Pakistan. An evidence-based clinical practice guideline (CPG) is needed to standardize care provision to optimize health outcomes. Hence, we aimed to develop CPG for the management of postmenopausal osteoporosis in Pakistan. Methods: The GRADE-ADOLOPMENT process was used to adopt (as is or with minor changes), exclude (omit), or adapt (modify based on local context) recommendations to the source guideline (SG)—clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis—2020 update from American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE). Results: The SG was "adoloped" to cater to the local context. The SG consisted of 51 recommendations. Forty-five recommendations were adopted as is. Due to unavailability of drugs, 4 recommendations were adopted with minor changes, and one was excluded, while one recommendation was adopted with the inclusion of use of a surrogate FRAX tool specific for Pakistan. One recommendation regarding vitamin D dosage was adapted to recommend a dose of 2000–4000 IU of vitamin D in patients with obesity, malabsorption, and old age. Conclusion: The developed Pakistani postmenopausal osteoporosis guideline consists of 50 recommendations. The guideline created recommends a higher dose (2000–4000 IU) of vitamin D for patients who are old, have malabsorption, or are obese, which is an adaptation from the SG by the AACE. This higher dose is justified as lower doses prove to be suboptimal in these groups and should be complemented with baseline vitamin D and calcium levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, sulphur doped copper ferrites (S-CuFe2O4) photocatalysts were successfully synthesized for the first time using the facile hydrothermal method. The as-synthesized photocatalysts were characterized through XRD, Raman, TGA, FT-IR, UV–Vis-DRS, SEM, EDX and PL techniques. The results revealed that doping with sulphur has been found to be a suitable alternative that causes strain in the lattices as anions replace the oxygen from the CuFe2O4 nanostructures. Due to sulphur dopants, photocatalysts are able to efficiently trap and transfer the photoinduced charges, which readily suppress charge recombination. A UV–Vis spectrophotometer was used to monitor the degradation of selective toxic organic dyes (RhB, CR, MO, and CV) in aqueous media. The dye degradation results provide evidence for the surprisingly superior performance of S-CuFe2O4 over pristine CuFe2O4. On the basis of its efficiencies, this work can be assigned as an excellent candidate for photocatalysis science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describes a framework that allows children and domestic users to create architectural structures like mazes, houses etc., and navigate them in virtual reality (VR). The user can draw a 2D map of a maze etc. using a simple paper, pen and ruler. The application works by taking as input such a hand drawn image via gallery or camera, and then building a 3D model in VR using Unity3D. The 3D model completely follows the design of the floor plan including the placement of doors and windows. Detecting and then constructing walls, doors and windows on the fly in VR is a challenge. The user can also customize walls, windows, doors and floors. This is done by looking at the object and using the VR controller to select various options. The purpose of the framework is purely entertainment and is specifically designed for children and domestic users. From hand-drawn images on a paper to ready-to-navigate 3-D model in VR in just one click is the novelty of our work. User is completely isolated from the complexities and intricacies of programming and usage of different tools and platforms. We also extend our work from hand drawn designs to professional home blueprints and floor plans. We used fully convolutional network to extract walls from the professional floor plans with mean pixel accuracy of 97.3%. For hand-drawn designs, we were able to detect doors and windows with MAE of 0. Our wall segmentation method reported an MAE of only 1.2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tropical Western-Central Indian Ocean (WCIO) precipitation anomalies play an important role in modulating the anomalous climate conditions in the North Atlantic and European (NAE) region during the early boreal winter (November–December; ND) season. In this study, we analyzed the forcing mechanism and predictability for the early winter tropical WCIO precipitation anomalies and its teleconnections to the North Atlantic region. The two main forcing mechanisms emerging are the autumn Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and a direct atmospheric teleconnection from El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Since the autumn IOD is partially forced by ENSO, their independent contributions are also investigated. We found the IOD dominates over the ENSO contribution. The ECMWF-SEAS5 seasonal re-forecast reproduces these forcing mechanisms well and shows a substantial prediction skill for early winter WCIO precipitation. Moreover, the North Atlantic response to the positive WCIO phase projects spatially onto the positive North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) phase through atmospheric teleconnections and leads to warming in central and western Europe. This teleconnection is reproduced by ECMWF-SEAS5, but with weaker amplitude. Moreover, a significant prediction skill for the NAO as well as for the central and western European temperature anomalies is noted, which is mostly induced by the Indian Ocean precipitation anomalies during early winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affine-transform of tomographic images maps pixels from image to world coordinates. However, affine transform application on each pixel consumes much time. Extraction of the point cloud of interest from the background is another challenge. The benchmark algorithms use approximations, therefore, compromising accuracy. Because of this fact, there arises a need for affine registration for 3D reconstruction. In this work, we present a computationally efficient affine registration of Digital Imaging and COmmunications in Medicine (DICOM) images. We introduce a novel GPU accelerated hierarchical clustering algorithm using Gaussian thresholding of inter-coordinate distances followed by maximal mutual information score merging for clutter removal. We also show that the reconstructed 3d models using our methodology have a best-case minimum error of 0.18 cm against physical measurements and have higher structural strength. This algorithm should apply to reconstruction, 3D printing, virtual reality, and 3D visualization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Pakistan, due to the asymmetries in farmers' information access, many ICT-based initiatives have been taken as an alternative to conventional agricultural extension approaches. Recently telecommunication sector of Pakistan has launched farm advisory services for reaching farmers' information needs. This paper analyzed the telecom sector's mobile-based farm advisory services (mFAS) by exploring, provided content, farmers' use, experiences, and its associated factors using the Likert scale and bivariate Probit regression. The study employed a multistage random sampling technique to collect data from the smallholders of Muzaffargarh district of Pakistan. Findings revealed that 70% of the respondents were subscribed to mFAS. Results further indicated a vast gap between the farmers' access and practical use of provided information in which weather forecast reported the most, while market updates reported the least utilization gap. Similarly, reduced transportation cost was ranked the most, while avoiding potential crop damages was ranked as the least perceived indicators of effectiveness. The study further reported one-way communication mode and farmers' limited skills of mobile phone use as the major constraint in the use of the services. The results of the Probit model found a significant positive relation of farmers' education, credit utilization, and educated family members, while a significant negative relation of farmers' age with the use of mFAS. Based on findings, this study highlights the need for an interactive communication mode, context-specific advisory services, and farmers' training and education for the successful utilization of these services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Efficient utilization of wastewater in agriculture might be a promising option not only for economic activities but also for conserving the environment. Present study aimed to investigate the integrated use of silicon (Si), farmyard manure (FYM) and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) to mitigate the deleterious effects of municipal wastewater (MWW) on ionic homeostasis, growth and physiological characteristics of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Methods: Experimental treatments comprised of MWW (control), MWW + 120 mg Si kg−1 soil, MWW + 10 g FYM kg−1 soil, MWW + PGPR (inoculation with bacterial strain Serratia marcescens—SF3), MWW + 120 mg Si kg−1 + 10 g FYM kg−1, MWW + 120 mg Si kg−1 + PGPR, MWW + 10 g FYM kg−1 + PGPR, MWW + 120 mg Si kg−1 + 10 g FYM kg−1 + PGPR, with five replications. Results: Si, FYM and PGPR could efficiently mitigate the deleterious effects of MWW on ionic homeostasis, growth, physiological and yield characteristics of tomato. Integrated use of Si, FYM and PGPR showed highest efficiency, and improved fruit nitrogen (N) by 56.87%, phosphorus (P) 79.01%, potassium (K) 55.50%, net photosynthetic rate 46.83% and fruit yield 159.5%. It declined the concentration of cadmium (Cd) by 73.25%, nickel (Ni) 62.92%, lead (Pb) 65.11% and copper (Cu) 66.55% in tomato fruits compared to control. This set of treatments also caused an increase of 54.34% in total N, 66.23% Olsen P and 29.47% extractable K, while decreased the availability of Cu (61.19%), Pb (57.53%), Ni (60.52%), Cd (67.42%), chromium (61.73%) and arsenic (47.17%) in soil compared to control. Conclusion: Integrated use of Si, FYM and PGPR could provide an efficient approach for raising tomato using MWW. Research findings need to extend to other vegetables, and verify under field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advancement in technology made a significant mark with time, which affects every field of life like medicine, music, office, traveling, and communication. Telephone lines are used as a communication medium in ancient times. Currently, wireless technology overrides telephone wire technology with much broader features. The advertisement agencies and spammers mostly use SMS as a medium of communication to convey their business brochures to the typical person. Due to this reason, more than 60% of spam SMS are received daily. These spam messages cause users' anger and sometimes scam with innocent users, but it creates large profits for the spammer and advertisement companies. This study proposed an approach for the classification of spam and ham SMS using supervised machine learning techniques. The feature extracting techniques such as Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF) and bag-of-words are used to extract features from data. The SMS dataset used was imbalanced, and to solve this problem, we used over-sampling and under-sampling techniques. The support vector classifier, gradient boosting machine, random forest, Gaussian Naive Bayes, and logistics regression are applied on the spam and ham SMS dataset to evaluate the performance using accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. The experiment result shows that the random forest classifies spam ham SMS more accurately with 99% accuracy. The proposed model is trained well to identify the SMS category in terms of Ham or Spam with TF-IDF features and oversampling technique. The performance of the proposed approach was also evaluated on the spam email dataset with significant 99% accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Communication with clinicians is an important component of a hospitalized patient's experience. Objective: To test the impact of standardized hospitalist information cards on the patient experience. Design: Quasi-experimental study in a U.S. tertiary-care center. Participants: All-comer medicine inpatients. Interventions: Standardized hospitalist information cards containing name and information on a hospitalist's role and availability vs. usual care. Main Measures: Patients' rating of the overall communication as excellent ("top-box" score); qualitative feedback summarized via inductive coding. Key Results: Five hundred sixty-six surveys from 418 patients were collected for analysis. In a multivariate regression model, standardized hospitalist information cards significantly improved the odds of a "top-box" score on overall communication (odds ratio: 2.32; 95% confidence intervals: 1.07–5.06). Other statistically significant covariates were patient age (0.98, 0.97–0.99), hospitalist role (physician vs. advanced practice provider, 0.56; 0.38–0.81), and hospitalist-patient gender combination (female-female vs. male-male, 2.14; 1.35–3.40). Eighty-seven percent of patients found the standardized hospitalist information cards useful, the perceived most useful information being how to contact the hospitalist and knowing their schedule. Conclusions: Hospitalized patients' experience of their communication with hospitalists may be improved by using standardized hospitalist information cards. Younger patients cared for by a team with an advanced practice provider, as well as female patients paired with female providers, were more likely to be satisfied with the overall communication. Assessing the impact of information cards should be studied in other settings to confirm generalizability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variability of the Surface Air Temperature (SAT) over the Western South Asia (WSA) region leads to frequent heatwaves during the early summer (May-June) season. The present study uses the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast’s fifth-generation seasonal prediction system, SEAS5, from 1981 to 2022 based on April initial conditions (1-month lead) to assess the SAT predictability during early summer season. The goal is to evaluate the SEAS5’s ability to predict the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) related interannual variability and predictability of the SAT over WSA, which is mediated through upper-level (200-hPa) geopotential height anomalies. This teleconnection leads to anomalously warm surface conditions over the region during the negative ENSO phase, as observed in the reanalysis and SEAS5. We evaluate SEAS5 prediction skill against two observations and three reanalyses datasets. The SEAS5 SAT prediction skill is higher with high spatial resolution observations and reanalysis datasets compared to the ones with low-resolution. Overall, SEAS5 shows reasonable skill in predicting SAT and its variability over the WSA region. Moreover, the predictability of SAT during La Niña is comparable to El Niño years over the WSA region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) printing is an additive manufacturing technique that allows ultra-high-resolution printing. It is a non-vacuum, direct-writing, non-contact, and mask-less process. EHD printing Reduces the number of fabrication steps, making it more cost-effective and material efficient. EHD printing technology is used to fabricate micro and nanoelectronic devices. EHD printing can be operated in two different printing styles; drop-on-demands (DOD) and continuous jet. DOD utilizes the microdripping and dripping jet characteristic, while continuous jet utilizes cone-jet for patterning and deposition of materials. This technology performs various coating and printing of a wide range of printable materials and substrates. Past results showed that the EHD printing technique has advantages in aspect ratio, performance improvement, and ink materials flexibility compared to other manufacturing techniques. However, researchers have identified production outputs and limited working space as limitations of this printing technology. This paper presents a comprehensive literature review on the EHD research activities related to the EHD system research and developments, studies utilizing EHD fabrication for modern electronic devices and potential future works related to EHD printing technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A robust understanding of the sub-seasonal cold season (November–March) precipitation variability over the High Mountains of Asia (HMA) is lacking. Here, we identify dynamic and thermodynamic pathways through which natural modes of climate variability establish their teleconnections over the HMA. First, we identify evaporative sources that contribute to the cold season precipitation over the HMA and surrounding areas. The predominant moisture contribution comes from the mid-latitude regions, including the Mediterranean/Caspian Seas and Mediterranean land. Second, we establish that several tropical and extratropical forcings display a sub-seasonally fluctuating influence on precipitation distribution over the region during the cold season. Many of them varyingly interact, so their impacts cannot be explained independently or at seasonal timescales. Lastly, a single set of evaporative sources is not identifiable as the key determinant in propagating a remote teleconnection because the sources of moisture anomalies depend on the pattern of sub-seasonally varying dynamical forcing in the atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wireless communication network is the backbone of each and every organization of today modern globe. The rapid emergence of smart devices, smart homes, internet of things and clean energy become key sources in today society. In result the data traffic, emerging of new service and application are increased every year. Hence, there is a growing demand for 5G technology in all above mentioned fields. Therefore, better waveform types for 5G technology is needed, which has ability of high spectral efficiency, lower latency and less complexity. It is predicted that the data traffic will arise 1000 × in near future. In this work filtered orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (F-OFDM) and universal filtered orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (UF-OFDM) techniques are discussed to degrade key issues such as computational complexity, peak average power ratio (PAPR), lower spectral efficiency, and higher latency. The suggested work decreases the drawbacks faced by previous work like limited capacity and complexity. We also analyze algorithms and simplification for F-OFDM and UF-OFDM waveforms from an implementation perspective towards low complexity and efficient transceiver design. Moreover, F-OFDM and UF-OFDM are studied based on multicarrier modulation and enabled to reduce to out-of-band power leakage (OOBPL) of OFDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Water deficit is an important factor to challenge food security, particularly in arid and semi-arid climates. In present experiment, silicon (Si) and chitosan were evaluated to affect the growth, yield and physiological behavior of maize (Zea mays L.) under water deficit. Methods: A pot experiment was conducted in wire house using two soil moisture regimes i.e. 100% field capacity (FC, control) and 50% FC (water deficit), 2 mM Si, 1.0 g chitosan kg−1 soil and 2 mM Si + 1.0 g chitosan kg−1 soil, and replicated thrice. Results: Water deficit increased malondialdehyde (MDA) while decreased membrane stability index (MSI), nutrients accumulation, chlorophyll synthesis and photosynthesis, leading to a decline in grain yield of 41.17% compared to control. Silicon or/and chitosan improved the growth, yield and physiological characteristics of maize, with highest improvement by the combined use of Si and chitosan. Integrated use of Si and chitosan improved soluble proteins by 35.84%, photosynthesis 56.57%, MSI 51.38%, relative water content 58.57%, and grain yield 44.31% compared to water deficit without Si and chitosan. Silicon or/and chitosan stimulated antioxidant enzymes activities, maximum increase of 81.47% in SOD, 55.37% POD, and 134.44% CAT, while decrease in MDA 64.31% with Si + chitosan compared to water deficit without Si and chitosan. Conclusions: For the set of treatments under investigation, integrated use of Si and chitosan could be an important strategy to improve the growth, yield and physiological characteristics of maize under water deficit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of unit cell configuration and relative density on compression behavior, deformation mechanism and energy absorption capacity of body centered cubic (BCC) flexible polymeric lattice structures was experimentally investigated in this work. Three different types of BCC cell configurations i.e. uniform cell (UBCC), uniform with z-axis reinforced cell (UBCCz) and graded cell (GBCC) were additively manufactured through digital light processing 3D printing process. Quasi static compressive testing was carried out to determine the mechanical response of lattice structures and significant effect of cell architecture and relative density on compression and strength properties were observed. The experimental results show that irrespective of lattice type the elastic modulus and collapse strength of each lattice increases with increasing relative density. However, the modulus and strength for UBCCz is higher than other two configurations due to additional vertical strut which add extra stiffening in loading direction. UBCCz lattice also showed high energy absorption capacity followed by UBCC and GBCC lattice. It was also determined that for any fixed relative density, different lattice configurations show different stress-strain behavior and deformation modes due to unique unit cell construction. The non-graded lattice shows a uniform overall deformation while gradient lattice shows layer by layer collapse. The work proposed that lattice relative density and cell configuration can be steered to improve the overall stiffness and strength of flexible lattice structures in energy absorption applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been observed in real networks that the fraction of nodes P(k) with degree k satisfies the power-law P(k) ∝ k−γ for k > kmin > 0. However, the degree distribution of nodes in these networks before kmin varies slowly to the extent of being uniform as compared to the degree distribution after kmin. Most of the previous studies focus on the degree distribution after kmin and ignore the initial flatness in the distribution of degrees. In this paper, we propose a model that describes the degree distribution for the whole range of k > 0, i.e., before and after kmin. The network evolution is made up of two steps. In the first step, a new node is connected to the network through a preferential attachment method. In the second step, a certain number of edges between the existing nodes are added such that the end nodes of an edge are selected either uniformly or preferentially. The model has a parameter to control the uniform or preferential selection of nodes for creating edges in the network. We perform a comprehensive mathematical analysis of our proposed model in the discrete domain and prove that the model exhibits an asymptotically power-law degree distribution after kmin and a flat-ish distribution before kmin. We also develop an algorithm that guides us in determining the model parameters in order to fit the model output to the node degree distribution of a given real network. Our simulation results show that the degree distributions of the graphs generated by this model match well with those of the real-world graphs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applications of polyphosphazenes are gaining attention in biomedical industry due to their unique characteristics of being easily degradable. This has been achieved by the replacement of chloro groups with appropriate nucleophiles. In our present study, we have synthesized a degradable polyphosphazene by the replacement of chloro groups with 2-(2-methoxyethoxy) ethanol having controlled molecular weight. Synthesis of poly[bis((methoxyethoxy)ethoxy)phosphazene] (MEEP) is carried out in two steps. First step involves the synthesis of polydichlorophosphazenes (PDCP) from hexachlorocyclo triphosphazene using AlCl3 as catalyst by ring opening polymerization. In the second step, PDCP chlorines are substituted by 2(2-methoxyethoxyethoxy) moiety. The structure of synthesized MEEP is confirmed by phosphorous-31 nuclear magnetic resonance (31P NMR) and hydrogen-1 nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). Molecular weight, molar mass distribution and polydispersity index are determined by Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC). In vitro, hydrolytic degradation of the MEEP is carried at 37 °C in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) with neutral, basic and acidic media. Moreover, the experimental data are demonstrated by statistical and graphical methods. The values of the coefficient of determination (R2) were found to be 0.9987, 0.9856 and 0.9359, respectively. The values of the coefficient indicate that the workability of the theoretically fitted models is good. Antibacterial activity of the synthesized polyphosphazene is evaluated against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The potential applications of present study are applicable for biomedical applications such as drug delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal diffusivity of gas-saturated glass sieves (frits) of porosities between 20 % and 48 % is presented as measured at room temperature and ambient pressure. The saturants cover a range in thermal diffusivity from 20.63 × 10–6 m2⋅s−1 to 172 × 10–6 m2⋅s−1. The experiments were carried out using a transient hot-bridge instrument of an expanded uncertainty of 5 % to 10 %. It turned out that all measured thermal diffusivities of the gas-saturated frits (1) are smaller than that of the borosilicate glass the frits are made from and (2) are completely different from the thermal diffusivities of the liquid-saturated frits. Both these discrepancies can be attributed to characteristic properties of the matrix and not directly to the saturants. The first divergence results from thermal tortuosity that lengthens the pathway of heat through the matrix, whereas the second arises from dissolved He that enhances the transport of heat through the matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Working with pristine polystyrene is a great challenge due to its poor mechanical properties and is a massive task to utilize for packaging and structural applications. This study includes the analysis and optimization of tensile properties of graphene-polystyrene nanocomposites membrane to determine the reinforcing effect of nanofiller on tensile properties. The two-dimensional (2D) graphene sheets and samples of graphene-polystyrene nanocomposites were fabricated by liquid exfoliation and solution casting technique, respectively. Nanocomposites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to evaluate their morphology, crystallographic phases, topography and thermal stability, respectively. Effect of filler concentration (0.06—0.74 wt. %), sonication time after mixing (3.18 – 36.82 min) and sonication temperature (16.48 – 58.52 ˚C) on ultimate tensile strength (UTS), percentage elongation and elastic modulus (E) were investigated and their responsive behavior was monitored respectively. In our experiment, it is shown that the concentration of graphene is a highly significant parameter. The optimized variables were found to be 0.60 wt. % of Graphene at 10 min of sonication time after mixing and 25 °C of sonication temperature. The obtained results demonstrate that the incorporation of graphene in the polystyrene matrix increases the mechanical properties of polystyrene. When compared with pristine polystyrene, the maximum increase witnessed in UTS, elongation and E was 97.36%, 82.70% and 174.08%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal diffusivity of evacuated and liquid-saturated borosilicate glass sieves (frits) of porosities between 20 % and 48 % is presented as measured at room temperature. The saturants cover a range in thermal diffusivity from 0.091 mm2·s−1 to 0.143 mm2·s−1. The runs were carried out using a transient hot bridge (THB) measuring instrument of an expanded uncertainty of 5 % to 10 %. The experimental results are successfully fitted to a novel transient parallel-serial (TPSC) conduction model for the time-dependent composite heat transfer in porous media. The TPSC-model is an extension of the steady-state parallel-serial conduction (PSC) model to predict the thermal conductivity. The TPSC model confirms the so-called thermal porosity of the frits under test, a term that has been introduced in a former report on the thermal conductivity of the matrices (Hammerschmidt and Abid, Int J Thermophys 42:40, 2021). The experimental findings on the conductive transport of heat by glass sieves and their accurate mathematical description in the framework of the PSC and TPSC models might effectively support improving the thermal management of electronic devices and lithium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal conductivity of liquid and gas-saturated glass sieves (frits) of porosities between 20 and 48 % is presented as measured at room temperature and ambient pressure. The saturating fluids cover a range in thermal conductivity from 0.018 W⋅m−1⋅K−1 to 0.598 W⋅m−1⋅K−1. The experimental results are fitted to a simple two-dimensional composite model for the heat transfer in porous media. The runs were carried out using a transient hot-bridge (THB) measuring instrument of an expanded uncertainty 3 % to 5 %. It turned out that (1) in order to correctly describe the experimental findings, a so-called thermal porosity has to be introduced that differs from the stated porosity of the frits. (2) There is not only a smaller-than-predicted thermal conductivity of gas-saturated frits as is known since a couple of decades but also a larger-than-predicted conductivity and, of course, a continuous transition between both effects. The whole latter effect can be attributed to the impact of dissolved He on the thermal conductivity of the matrix and be mathematically described in terms of the thermal porosity in the framework of the above-mentioned composite model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statistical process control provides package of statistical tools applied for improving quality of manufacturing, production and services processes. Cumulative sum, exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) and progressive mean charts belong to family of memory-type charts which effectively spot small and persistent shifts in the process parameter(s). EWMA chart requires normality and a proper choice of smoothing parameter to perform efficiently. Any deviation from these conditions affects its performance in terms of efficacy and robustness. For the said concerns, progressive exponentially weighted moving average (PEWMA) chart is developed to monitor the shifts in the process location. The performance of the proposed PEWMA chart is evaluated in terms of average run length and some other metrics of run length distribution. The assessment of the proposed chart has been made under standard normal, Student's t, gamma, Laplace, logistic, exponential, contaminated normal and lognormal distributions. The performance of the proposed PEWMA chart is also compared with some existing competitors including the classical EWMA, classical CUSUM, HWMA, MEC, MCE and DEWMA charts. The analysis reveals that the proposal offers a design structure which has high sensitivity to small and persistent drifts in the process mean and has advantage of robustness under non-normal scenarios. An application from substrates manufacturing process (in which flow width of the resist is the key quality characteristic) is also provided for practical implementations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinity is the main constraint for crop productivity in many parts of the world. Application of silicon (Si) and chitosan (Chi) can improve crop growth under saline soil conditions. The current study was aimed to examine the effects of Si and Chi on mitigation of salinity, morphological and physiological attributes as well as the antioxidant system of maize (Zea mays L.) under saline soil conditions. A field experiment was conducted that comprised of nine treatments as follows: (i) Control (no amendment), (ii) Silicon 40 kg ha−1 (Si1), (iii) Chitosan 15 kg ha−1 (Chi1), (iv) Si1 + Chi1, (v) Silicon 80 kg ha−1 (Si2), (vi) Chitosan 30 kg ha−1 (Chi2), (vii) Si2 + Chi2, (viii) Si1 + Chi2 and (ix) Si2 + Chi1. Application of Si and Chi substantially improved the morphological and physiological attributes as well as antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) of maize plants, and combined application of Si and Chi was more effective when compared with Si and Chi treatments separately. Membrane stability index was improved by 25%, relative water content by 26%, chlorophyll a by 69% and b by 56% with combined application of Si and chitosan (Si2 + Chi2) compared with control. The SOD, POD and CAT increased by 36%, 38% and 65% with Si2 + Chi2 compared with control. The results suggest that Si and Chi application is the possible option for alleviating salinity stress in maize plant. Further research is suggested to examine Si and Chi effects on various crop's growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In developing countries like Pakistan, agriculture constitutes the primary source of support for the majority of rural and the adjacent urban population. Despite the large part it plays in the economy, it faces significant challenges caused by climate change, such as rising temperatures, floods, droughts, and yield losses. In Pakistan, rice, which is the second most essential food crop and livelihood source for the millions of farm households, is facing significant yield reduction due to climate change. It is pertinent to consider the vulnerabilities of farm households and related factors to create a climatic-resilient farming system. The current study is aimed at mapping the vulnerability of rice-growing communities of Punjab province while considering climatic challenges beyond temperatures and rainfall changes. The Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) was calculated for four rice-growing districts of Punjab province using the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's three-indicator approach (sensitivity, exposition, and adaptive capacity). According to the results, farmers in the study area are highly vulnerable to climate change (CCVI 0.81). Specifically, the indices of vulnerability components showed that farmers have a high level of exposure (EVI 0.72) and susceptibility (SVI 0.59) to the climatic uncertainties with the least adaptive capacity (AVI 0.50). Further, the vulnerability analysis across different rice-growing regions showed that farmers, particularly in the low-yield region, are more vulnerable (EVI 0.73, SVI 0.61, AVI 0.49, CCVI 0.85) than the farmers in the high-yield region (EVI 0.71, SVI 0.58, AVI 0.51, CCVI 0.78). These findings imply that regional priority must be given despite the difference in farm performance to reduce production losses. Besides, climate-smart adaptation initiatives should be facilitated at the farm and regional levels through the implementation of appropriate policies and investment plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumption of heavy metals, especially lead (Pb) contaminated food is a serious threat to human health. Higher Pb uptake by the plant affects the quality, growth and yield of crops. However, inoculation of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) along with a mixture of organic amendments and biochar could be an effective way to overcome the problem of Pb toxicity. That's why current pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of compost mixed biochar (CB) and ACC deaminase producing PGPR on growth and yield of spinach plants under artificially induced Pb toxicity. Six different treatments i.e., control, Alcaligenes faecalis (PGPR1), Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (PGPR2), compost + biochar (CB), PGPR1 + CB and PGPR2 + CB were applied under 250 mg Pb kg-1 soil. Results showed that inoculation of PGPRs (Alcaligenes faecalis and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens) alone and along with CB significantly enhanced root fresh (47%) and dry weight (31%), potassium concentration (11%) in the spinach plant. Whereas, CB + Bacillus amyloliquefaciens significantly decreased (43%) the concentration of Pb in the spinach root over control. In conclusion, CB + Bacillus amyloliquefaciens has the potential to mitigate the Pb induced toxicity in the spinach. The obtained result can be further used in the planning and execution of rhizobacteria and compost mixed biochar-based soil amendment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Pakistan, rice is considered as the second staple food and provides livelihoods to the millions of the farm households. During recent years, rice production in Pakistan significantly decreased reportedly due to changes in climate and its induced risks. This study analyzed the incidence and severity of climate change and its induced risks in the rice-growing region of Pakistan and assessed farmers' perception and attitude by employing risk matrix and Equally Likely Certainty Equivalent model. According to the findings, the majority of the farmers were found risk-averse in behavior, while perceptions varied among different kinds of risks. Among the five kinds of risks, biological and financial risks were conceived as high risk, followed by the climate, biophysical, and social risk. Moreover, probit regression indicated farmers' age, education, landholding, off-farm income, advisory access, and credit utilization among the significant determinants of farmers' risk perceptions and attitudes. These findings suggest adopting a comprehensive approach with extended institutional and adaptation support to deal with various kinds of risks being faced by rice farmers in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents design, fabrication, and investigation of carbon nanotube (CNT), orange dye (OD), and graphene powder based multifunctional sensors. The output of the multifunctional sensors is observed as change in resistance and impedance values for an input change in temperature, pressure, and compressive displacement between the sensors electrodes. Using these sensors, temperature variation ranging from 30 to 65 ∘ C , pressure 0 to 0.1 kgf cm - 2 and longitudinal compressive displacements of 0 to 110 μ m are measured as change in resistance and impedance at two fixed frequencies, i.e., 100 Hz and 100 KHz. An increase in both resistance and impedance of the sensors is observed with increase in temperature. The temperature coefficients of the sensors having resistances ∼ 470 Ω and ∼ 890 Ω were 1.0 % ∘ C - 1 and 1.9 % ∘ C - 1 , respectively, when evaluated for temperatures ranging from 30 to 65 ∘ C . For applied pressure 0 kgf cm - 2 to 0.1 kgf cm - 2 and displacement 0 to 110 μ m the resistance of the multifunctional sensor decreases 1.3 to + 12.7 times (from 6730 Ω to 5210 Ω and 3410 Ω to 269 Ω ) and 3.18 to 7.53 times (2235 Ω to 702 Ω and 6787 Ω to 901 Ω ), respectively. With increased thickness of OD layer from 300 μ m to 570 μ m , the output resistance and impedance of the sensors as a function of temperature also increased, exhibiting the improved sensitivity, however, at the expense of decreased pressure and displacement response of the sensors. Therefore, the thickness of OD film can be used as a design parameter for a desired sensitivity value to cater a particular application. The proposed multifunctional sensor can be a good candidate to measure temperature, pressure, and displacement of an industrial unit, such as flex bonding head because it offers light weight, simpler design, low maintenance, and eventually low cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The successful production of unconventional resources such as shale gas is highly dependent on its two reservoir properties, organic matter and rock brittleness. High resolution spatially characterization of these two unconventional reservoir properties needs surface reflection seismic data. However, to delineate these two parameters on seismic scale is a challenging task because poor correlation is observed between these parameters and elastic properties of the rock. To encounter this adversity in current study we proposed effective attributes method in which organic shale reservoir properties are divided into their hard and soft elastic response. From the analysis of worldwide laboratory dataset, we find that hard and soft components have shown us much better linear correlation with P- and S- wave impedance. The proposed effective attributes, helped us to reduce the gap between unconventional reservoir properties and seismic characteristics. These attributes are the main controlling factor for rock elastic properties and exhibit information about hydrocarbon generation capacity and rock brittleness. A well data example from Sembar shale has also shown successful results for proposed effective attributes methodology. These attributes application on inverted P-wave impedance seismic data of employed organic shale reservoir have shown productive results to quantify its unconventional prospect on seismic scale. The approach used in this study can be confidently employed to assess unconventional reservoir potential in other parts of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic activities are a major source for contaminating the agricultural soil with heavy metals, which can affect physiological and metabolic processes in plants. Among the heavy metals, chromium (Cr) is the most toxic pollutant that negatively affects plants' metabolic activities, growth, and yield. Chromium reduces the plant growth and development by influencing the photosynthetic performance and antioxidant enzyme activities. This study was designed to examine the promotive role of exogenously applied glycinebetaine (GB) on plant morphophysiological and biochemical attributes in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea botrytis L.) under Cr toxicity. Four levels (0, 10, 100, and 200 μM) of Cr were tested under the application of GB (1 mM). The results delineated that Cr stress caused a considerable reduction in plant growth, photosynthetic pigment, gas exchange parameters, and biomass production. At high concentration (200 μM), chromium stress decreased the plant height (57%), root length (32%), number of leaves (45%), and leaf area (29%) as compared with controls. Due to Cr stress, the electrolyte leakage and accumulation of malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide increased both in the roots and leaves of cauliflower, whereas antioxidative enzyme activities (SOD, CAT, and POD) decreased both in the roots and leaves of cauliflower due to Cr stress. At 200 μM of chromium treatment, root dry weight, stem dry weight, leaf dry weight, and flower dry weight declined up to 43%, 40%, 53%, and 72%, respectively. With the application of GB, dry biomass of plant increased significantly as compared with no GB treatment under chromium stress. As Cr level increased in growth media, its concentration also increased in all plant parts including roots, stem, leaves, and flowers. However, GB application efficiently alleviated the Cr toxic effects on cauliflower and maintained higher plant growth, biomass production, photosynthetic attributes, and gas exchange traits as compared with their respective controls. Exogenously applied GB decreased oxidative stress and improved antioxidative enzyme activities as compared with treatments without GB application. Furthermore, Cr concentrations taken by plants were decreased due to GB application. These findings suggest that GB can play a positive role to maintain plant morphology and photosynthetic attributes under Cr toxic conditions in cauliflower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]