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Environmental pollution and climatic change impel economies to discover new methods for sustainable economic development. Green growth is considered an effective way of environmental sustainability. From this perspective, this study evaluates the impact of fiscal policy shocks, financial institutions, and markets development on the green growth of high-polluting economies. The study employed a CS-NARDL approach for investigating the short-run and long-run estimates. The results show that positive shocks in government spending tend to significantly increase green growth in the long-run. In contrast, the negative shock is government spending does not report any significant influence on green growth in the long-run. Financial institution's and financial market's efficiency have a positive impact on green growth in the long-run. Thus, the findings of the study suggest that government spending should be increased with a particular focus on financial markets efficiency and financial institution's efficiency to enhance green growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural convection is a complex environmental phenomenon that typically occurs in engineering settings in porous structures. Shear thinning or shear thickening fluids are characteristics of power-law fluids, which are non-Newtonian in nature and find wide-ranging uses in various industrial processes. Non-Newtonian fluid flow in porous media is a difficult problem with important consequences for energy systems and heat transfer. In this paper, convective heat transmission in permeable enclosures will be thoroughly examined. The main goal is to comprehend the intricate interaction between the buoyancy-induced convection intensity, the porosity of the casing, and the fluid's power-law rheology as indicated by the Rayleigh number. The objective is to comprehend the underlying mechanisms and identify the ideal conditions for improving heat transfer processes.The problem's governing equations for a scientific investigation are predicated on the concepts of heat transport and fluid dynamics. The fluid flow and thermal behavior are represented using the energy equation, the Boussinesq approximation, and the Navier–Stokes equations. The continuity equation in a porous media represents the conservation of mass. Finite Element Analysis is the numerical method that is suggested for this challenging topic since it enables a comprehensive examination of the situation. The results of the investigation support several important conclusions. The power-law index directly impacts heat transmission patterns. A higher Rayleigh number indicates increased buoyancy-induced convection, which increases the heat transfer rates inside the shell. The porosity of the medium significantly affects temperature gradients and flow distribution, and it is most noticeable when permeability is present. The findings show how, in the context of porous media, these parameters have complicated relationships with one another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid expansion of urbanization and construction activities has led to a significant increase in cement production worldwide, resulting in a surge in cement waste generation. This study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the repercussions of cement waste on soil fertility and crop productivity, emphasizing its critical implications for global food security. Through a multidisciplinary approach, encompassing field surveys, laboratory experiments, and statistical modeling, we assess the physicochemical alterations induced by cement waste in agricultural soils. Our findings reveal substantial declines in crucial soil parameters, including pH levels, organic matter content, and nutrient availability, which directly translate into diminished crop yields. Furthermore, the study identifies key mechanisms underlying these detrimental effects, including altered microbial communities and disrupted nutrient cycling processes. In addition, the findings underscore the severity of the issue, revealing substantial declines in soil fertility and crop yields in areas affected by cement waste contamination. Additionally, we discuss potential mitigation strategies and policy interventions aimed at mitigating the adverse effects of cement waste on agricultural systems. By quantifying the extent of soil degradation and crop yield reduction attributed to cement waste, this research underscores the urgency for sustainable waste management practices and highlights the need for policy interventions to safeguard agricultural productivity and ensure global food security in the face of escalating urbanization and construction activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on the wheat response under late sowing (LS) and salinity stress (SS) are available, however, in rice-wheat and cotton-wheat cropping systems, wheat planting is often delayed resulting in co-occurrence of LS and SS in salt affected soils. This two-year field study was conducted to evaluate the influence of foliar application of plant growth regulators (PGRs) [thiourea (TU), salicylic acid (SA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2); water and no application were taken as control] on the productivity, grain quality and economic returns of timely-sown (TS) and LS wheat under normal (NC) and natural saline conditions (SS; EC 11.27 dS m− 1). Delay in sowing and planting in naturally saline soils caused a significant decrease in plant growth, grain yield, grain quality and net economic returns during both years of study. Late planting and SS caused a significant reduction in grain yield reduction by 40.58% and 34.72% (LS) and 40.66% and 42.89% (SS) compared with respective controls during 2021 and 2022, respectively. However, the influence of co-occurrence of LS and SS was more devastating than the individual stress causing 62.17% and 60.18% reduction in grain yield than the respective control during 2021 and 2022, respectively. However, the application of all PGRs improved the grain yield, grain quality and economic turnover under SS and LS stress. The order of improvement in grain yield by the application of PGRs treatments was TU > SA > H2O2. In conclusion, the application of different plant growth regulators improved economic returns, grain yield and quality attributes of late-sown wheat under saline conditions. In this regard, TU application was the most effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Woven EndoBridge (WEB) device has been widely used to treat intracranial wide neck bifurcation aneurysms. Initial studies have demonstrated that approximately 90% of patients have same or improved long-term aneurysm occlusion after the initial 6-month follow up. The aim of this study is to assess the long-term follow-up in aneurysms that have achieved complete occlusion at 6 months. We also compared the predictive value of different imaging modalities used. This is an analysis of a prospectively maintained database across 13 academic institutions. We included patients with previously untreated cerebral aneurysms embolized using the WEB device who achieved complete occlusion at first follow-up and had available long-term follow-up. A total of 95 patients with a mean age of 61.6 ± 11.9 years were studied. The mean neck diameter and height were 3.9 ± 1.3 mm and 6.0 ± 1.8 mm, respectively. The mean time to first and last follow-up was 5.4 ± 1.8 and 14.1 ± 12.9 months, respectively. Out of all the aneurysms that were completely occluded at 6 months, 84 (90.3%) showed complete occlusion at the final follow-up, and 11(11.5%) patients did not achieve complete occlusion. The positive predictive value (PPV) of complete occlusion at first follow was 88.4%. Importantly, this did not differ between digital subtraction angiography (DSA), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), or computed tomography angiography (CTA). This study underlines the importance of repeat imaging in patients treated with the WEB device even if complete occlusion is achieved short term. Follow-up can be performed using DSA, MRA or CTA with no difference in positive predictive value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental stress has become one of the major reasons for the failure of students or their poor performance in the traditional limited-duration examination system. In this study, we aim to find the relationship between the student's level of stress and the deterioration of their subsequent examination results. Furthermore, we want to explore if different EEG frequency bands can be used as biomarkers of stress levels. We collected EEG data from the students while they performed the Montreal Imaging Stress Task-based Mental Arithmetic Tasks (MAT). They performed tests of the same level of difficulty twice; once without any limitation of time (and/or feedback) and next under limited time followed by feedback to induce more stress. We observed that the average score of 95% in the untimed test was dropped to 78% in the case of a timed test and a substantial difference in spectral powers of beta, alpha, and theta frequency bands of EEG. We took this limitation of time as a stressor and comprised three classes based on three stress levels (relaxed during rest, low during an untimed test, and high during a timed test). We used two different deep learning frameworks to classify this data and an accuracy of 70.67% was achieved using Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and 90.46% with convolutional neural networks (CNN). We found that time limitation increases the stress level of students and impairs performance, while EEG frequency bands converted to brainwave images, serve as potential biomarkers for stress detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbonate rocks are the most impressive petroleum reservoirs in the world, constrained by depositional and diagenetic processes. With Paleocene Lockhart Limestone (PLL) strata, the Hazara Basin in northwest Pakistan is a growing petroleum basin. It is crucial to evaluate how PLL depositional and diagenetic processes affect reservoir potential. A combination of field observations, petrographic analysis, and Xрray fluorescence is applied to achieve the desired goals. PLL consists mainly of densely fossiliferous nodular limestone that exhibits three main facie associations: low-energy lagoon facies represented by abundant green algae and micritic matrix, foraminifera-rich inner ramp with low-energy conditions, and shallow marine middle ramp with restricted water circulation and abundant non-skeletal allochems. PLL is interpreted to be formed in middle-inner ramp to lagoon depositional setting representing type 3 transgressive-regressive systems tract. The geochemical results show that CaCO3 range (82.20–94.86 wt %) is dominant than other element oxides indicating that calcareous influx is more, which inhibits the clastic rocks influence in the deposition and the influence of magnesium enrichment process is minimal, which ultimately supports the formation of ramp setting. The diagenetic features include compaction, micritization, stylolites, dissolution, cementation, dolomitization, fractures, and recrystallization representing marine, marine-meteoric mixing, and burial diagenetic environments. Dissolution and fracturing can improve the net porosity of the formation, making it a better reservoir for petroleum exploration. PLL is correlated with stratigraphic equivalents involving the Jahrum Formation (Iran) and Zongpu Formation (China) for better understanding the reservoir properties of other carbonate petroleum fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity is one of the main abiotic stresses, which adversely affects the growth, and development and ultimately yield of crop plants. In recent years, phytohormones have been involved in reducing the adverse effects of salt stress. For instance, phytohormone auxin is important for stabilizing the cellular pH environment and activating Na+/H+ antiporters under salt stress. The application of gibberellins helps increase the seedlings' water status and maintain RNA and protein levels to maintain growth under salinity stress. Some other types of phytohormones and osmolytes such as abscisic acid, salicylic acid, and ethylene have also been reported to reduce the Na+/K+ ratio and Na+ and Cl− content, improve the antioxidant enzymes activities and regulate the expression of various genes, including NTHK1, AtMEKK1, AtRSH3, Cat1, thereby enhancing the plant resistance to salt stress. The individual effects of phytohormones have been discussed in various studies, but comprehensive studies on the application of various phytohormones under salinity stress are lacking. Hence the emphasis of this review is on current and former studies that identify the molecular mechanisms by which phytohormones/osmolytes regulate plant tolerance to salinity stress in promoting growth and development. In this review, we summarized the role of various phytohormones, i.e., cytokinin, abscisic acid, gibberellins, jasmonic acid, auxins, brassinosteroids, and ethylene which directly or indirectly play a vital role in modulating the response of the crop to salinity stress. Furthermore, the role of various osmolytes, i.e., proline and glycine betaine, to enhance salinity tolerance was also highlighted. In addition, the interaction and crosstalk between phytohormones and osmolytes under salinity stress in the plant was adequately elaborated. In the end, future research needs about the application of phytohormones and osmolytes have also been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental policy stringency (EPS) is widely adopted as the most practical option to tackle the menace of environmental degradation. Therefore, this study investigates the dynamic linkage between EPS and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the most polluted countries of the Asia Pacific Region for the period 1991–2021. For empirical analysis, we have relied on nonlinear panel ARDL methods. In the NARDL analysis, a positive shock in EPS has a significant negative effect on CO2, while a negative shock in EPS has a significant positive impact on CO2 in both the short and long run. Moreover, the growth of human capital and the rise in renewable energy consumption are crucial in improving environmental quality; however, the rise in the region's economic prosperity makes the region more polluted in the long run. In light of these findings, our study emphasizes the critical role of policymakers in the Asia Pacific region in implementing and maintaining strict environmental policies to effectively control carbon emissions. These policies can complement other mitigation strategies, such as raising environmental awareness and promoting renewable energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, we explored the asymmetric impact of structural changes and tourism activities on economic performance and carbon emissions in selected economies of the Asian region from 1995 to 2020. Our findings say that the long-run estimates of positive shock in tourism are positively significant in China and India. Conversely, the estimated coefficient of negative shock in tourism is positive and significant in India only. These results confer that a rise in tourism activities causes economic growth to rise in China and India, whereas a fall in tourism activities causes economic activities to fall in India only. Similarly, a long-run positive structural change improves the economic growth in Thailand, Malaysia, and India. However, surprisingly, a long-run negative structural change also enhances the economic development of Thailand and Japan. On the other side, a positive shock in the tourism industry causes CO2 emissions to fall in China, Japan, and Malaysia and rise in India. Likewise, a negative shock in tourist activities reduces in Japan and increases carbon emissions in Malaysia. Moreover, a positive structural change reduces CO2 emissions in China, Thailand, and Japan, while a negative structural change reduces CO2 emissions in China and India only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is generally believed that fiscal decentralization is an essential way to increase the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the government through the transfer of financial autonomy to the local governments. On the same lines, this study attempts to confabulate the influence of two important economic indicators, (i) fiscal decentralization and (ii) natural resource rent in validation of the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis. Our current analysis is grounded upon a developing economy — China — and will serve as a stepping stone for the similar economies. The time period for the empirical estimation is from 1990 to 2020. The study applied an advanced econometrics approach, called the quantile autoregressive distributed lag (QARDL), which has many advantages as compared to any conventional approach. The empirical outcomes, after estimations, illustrate that in the long run, FDE is having an unfavorable connotation with CO2 emissions. NRR is another essential factor influencing the CO2 emissions in the long run in the selected economy. The estimated outcomes are revealing the presence of the EKC. Furthermore, the present research elucidates the existence of the bi-directional causality between selected economic indicators, FDE and CO2 emissions, and GDP square and CO2 emissions. But there is a unidirectional causality between GDP and CO2 emissions. Thus, policymakers should encourage the transfer of powers to the lower tiers of government to ameliorate environmental quality in the Chinese economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Spectral Finite Element Technique (SFEM) has Several Applications in the Sciences, Engineering, and Mathematics, which will be Covered in this Review Article. The Spectral Finite Element Method (SFEM) is a Variant of the Traditional Finite Element Method FEM that Makes use of Higher Order Basis Functions (FEM). One of the most Fundamental Numerical Techniques Employed in the Numerical Simulation is the SFEM, which Outperforms Other Techniques in Terms of Faster Convergence, Reduced Diffusion and Dispersion Errors, Simplicity of the Application as well as Shorter time of Computation. The Spectral Finite Element Technique Combines the Characteristics of Approximating Polynomials of Spectral Methods. The Approach to Discretizing the Examined Region Unique to the FEM is a mix of both Approaches. Combining These Techniques Enables Quicker (Spectral) Convergence of Solutions, Higher Approximation Polynomial Order, the Removal of Geometric Constraints on the Examined Areas, and much Lower Discretization Density Requirements. Spectral Element Methods used in Different Applications are Presented Along with a Statistical Overview of Studies During 2010–2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eco-innovations are widely considered the best possible solution to fight the menace of environmental degradation. Therefore, in this analysis, we try to examine the impact of eco-innovations and environmental entrepreneurship on SME performance in China from 1998 to 2020. In order to get the short- and long-run estimates, we have employed the QARDL model that can estimate across various quantiles. The findings of the QARDL model confirm the positive impact of eco-innovations in increasing the number of SMEs in the long run, as the estimates attached to eco-innovations are positive and significant across most quantiles. Similarly, the estimates attached to financial development and institutional quality are positively significant across most quantiles. However, in the short run, the results are inconclusive for almost all variables. As far as the asymmetric impact of eco-innovations on SMEs is concerned, it is confirmed both in the short and long run. However, the asymmetric impacts of financial development and institutional quality on SMEs are only confirmed in the long run. Based on the results, important policy suggestions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Logistics is a crucial part of every business. The logistics sector not only contributes significantly to Asian economies but also has far-reaching effects on ecological and social concerns. Therefore, it is important to examine the factors that can affect the logistics performance of the country. Hence, the primary objective of the study is to estimate the impact of CO2 emissions, ICT, and human capital on the logistics performance of the 20 Asian economies. In order to investigate the relationship between the variables, we have employed the OLS, 2SLS, GMM, and panel quantile regression. The estimates of CO2 emissions and GHG emissions are significantly negative in 2SLS and GMM methods, implying that environmental pollution hurt logistic performance. The estimates of ICT and education are positively significant, suggesting that increased use of internet and higher education rate are crucial in improving logistics performance. In the panel quantile regression model, the estimates of CO2, internet, and education are insignificant at most quantiles except at a few higher quantiles. Thus, governments should invest in the development of efficient logistics infrastructure to achieve sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green growth is an extension of traditional economic growth. Financial fragility and ICT penetration are important pillars of green growth sustainability. However, very limited studies have explored this association and provided conflicting results. Thus, our study intends to fill this vacuum by exploring the impact of financial fragility and ICT penetration on renewable energy consumption and green growth for the top five polluting economies over the period 1996–2020. In this study, financial fragility is measured by bank costs and bank non-performing loans. Panel ARDL technique is used to find out long-run and short-run results estimates. Financial fragility reduces renewable energy consumption and green growth in the long run. However, internet penetration enhances renewable energy consumption and green growth in the long run. Our findings suggest imperative policy implications for the green economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transportation sector is a crucial driver of energy intensity and environmental degradation. Therefore, we aim to explore the nexus of transportation taxes, energy intensity, and CO2 emissions for the BICS economies. The econometric approaches, CS-ARDL and PMG-ARDL, have been employed to compute the estimates. The long-run estimates of the green transportation tax variable are negatively significant in both energy intensity and CO2 emissions models irrespective of the estimation technique. These findings imply that green transportation taxes help reduce energy intensity and CO2 emissions in BICS economies. Conversely, in the short-run, the effects of transportation taxes on energy intensity and CO2 emissions are mixed and inconclusive. Hence, transportation taxes are necessary to keep the polluters under control not only from the transport sector but also serve as a deterrent for other sectors as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presented work analyzes the energy prices, climate shock, and health deprivation nexus in the BRICS economies for the period 1995–2020. Panel ARDL-PMG technique is used to reveal the underexplored linkages. The long-run estimates of energy prices are observed to be negatively significant to the health expenditure and life expectancy model, whereas, positively significant to the climate change model. These findings suggest that energy prices significantly reduce health expenditures and life expectancy and, thus, increase the death rate in the BRICS economies. The long-run country-wise estimate of energy prices is found negatively significant in case of Brazil, India, China, and South Africa. Alongside, the group-wise significance of CO2 emissions is discovered to be negatively, positively, and insignificant in the cases of life expectancy, death rate, and health expenditure models, respectively. Besides, country-wise long-run estimate of CO2 emissions witnesses negative significance for Russia, India, China, and South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BRICS economies are facing severe environmental issues that exert a detrimental impact on human health. The analysis intends to examine the impact of CO2 emissions, environmental policy stringency, and environmental innovations on health outcomes for the BRICS economies. The long-run results of the ARDL-PMG infer that CO2 has a significant negative in the life expectancy model while it has a significant positive in the death rate model. These findings imply that the rise in CO2 emissions reduces life expectancy and increases the death rate in BRICS economies. On the other side, the estimates of environmental innovation and environmental policy stringency are positively significant in the life expectancy model; however, in the death rate model, the estimate of environmental innovation is insignificant, and environmental policy stringency is negatively significant in the death rate model. In a nutshell, the findings imply that CO2 emissions exacerbate health problems, environmental innovations, and environmental policy stringency, improving the health status of the people. Our findings suggest that the BRICS economies should revisit their environmental policies for the betterment of human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient financial system is crucial for the attainment of green growth and superior environmental quality. Therefore, our focus in this analysis is to estimate the effect of financial institutions and markets on green growth and environmental quality in highly polluted economies from 1991 to 2019. Estimates of the variables are collected with the help of the ARDL bounds testing approach. Findings of the ARDL model imply that a financial institution's efficiency helps improve green growth in the USA, China, and Japan in the long-run. However, the efficiency of the financial markets causes the green economy to grow in the long run in China and Russia only. On the other side, in the CO2 model, the long-run estimated coefficients of a financial institution's efficiency are negatively significant in Japan and China only, implying that a financial institution's efficiency significantly reduces CO2 emissions. Similarly, the long-run estimates of financial markets are significantly negative in the context of China and Japan only in CO2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pursuing green growth is imperative to cope with the climate change battle. Green growth in top-polluting economies is being encouraged. The underlying work is aiming to investigate the impact of environmental technology and banking sector on green growth. More precisely, the study employs CS-ARDL and PMG-ARDL methods for empirical assessment. The FMOLS and DOLS techniques have been used to perform the sensitivity analysis for CS-ARDL and PMG-ARDL results. Empirical evidence of both the CS-ARDL and PMG-ARDL models reveals that banking sector development and environmental technology promote green growth. In detail, the insights reveal the significant and positive effect of environmental innovations and technology on green growth in both long-run as well as in short-run. Moreover, the findings of the study also disclose the significant and positive effect of banking sector and stock market developments on green growth in both long-run and short-run. Sensitivity analysis confirmed and improved our findings. Based on these effects, the study delivers policy implications for the promotion of environmental-based technological innovations and financial sector development to enhance green growth in top-polluted economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the asymmetric impact of financial institutions and information and communication technologies (ICT) trade on renewable energy demand in BRICS economies by using the cross-sectionally augmented nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag model. The asymmetric estimates of the financial institutions index confirm that a positive shock increases renewable energy consumption, and a negative shock reduces renewable energy consumption in BRICS economies. Similarly, the long-run asymmetric estimates attached to ICT trade are positively significant, confirming that a positive shock increases renewable energy consumption and a negative shock hurts renewable energy consumption. As far as country-wise estimates are concerned, the long-run asymmetric estimates of financial institutions are significant in Brazil, Russia, China, and South Africa. Similarly, the asymmetric estimates attached to ICT trade are significant in Russia, China, India, and South Africa. The results are asymmetric in nature, implying that negative and positive shocks have different effects on renewable energy consumption. Therefore, policymakers should consider both negative and positive shocks in financial institutions and ICT trade while devising policies regarding environmental sustainability and renewable energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn (Asteraceae) is a well-known medicinal plant enriched with antioxidative properties beneficial for liver-related diseases. The experiment was conducted to explore the effect of different PGPs as soil-supplied mode to modulate the growth-related attributes, gas exchange parameters, and antioxidative efficiency of different milk thistle ecotypes such as Faisalabad (FSD), Gujranwala (GUJ), Quetta (QTA), and Kallar Kahar (KK) under saline stresses conditions (NaCl 120 mM/irrigation water). After salinity development, ascorbic acid (AsA), thiourea (TU), and moringa leaf extract (MLE) were soil supplied with 500 µM, 250 µM, and 3% concentrations, respectively. Data conferring the growth parameters elucidate significant reduction in all growth parameters and pigment contents under salinity stress. The effect of PGPs effectively upregulates the activity of these enzymatic antioxidants and improved salt tolerance to saline field conditions with numerous additional stresses, and the order of improvement was AsA, followed by MLE and TU. The percent increase with AsA treatment was noted as GR (34.78), DHAR (1.73), MDHAR (11.83), soluble sugar (8.78), amino acid (7.47), and free proline 15.75, while percent decrease in H2O2 content was 20.56 as compared to control plants. QTA and FSD ecotypes were observed as salt-tolerant ecotypes compared to GUJ and KK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, a vertical, 3D-heated plate is used to replicate the generation of heat energy and concentration into Prandtl liquid. We discuss how Dufour and Soret theories relate to the equations for concentration and energy. In order to see how effectively particles, interact with heat and a solvent, hybrid nanoparticles are used. It does away with the phenomena of viscous dissipation and changing magnetic fields. The motivation behind the developed study is to optimize solvent and heat storage uses in the biological and industrial domains. This article's major goal is to explore the aspects of thermal energy and mass transfer that influence how nanoparticles, hybrid nanoparticles, and 3D melting surface sheets behave. Variable thermal efficiency and variable mass transfer are combined. The system of generated PDEs (difference equations) includes the concentration, velocity, and heat energy equations. The numerical calculations are done for Silver (Ag), Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2) nanoparticles with Ethylene glycol (C2H6O2) as the base fluid using a boundary layer approach to the mathematical formulation. The system of ODEs is formulated through transformations in order to find a solution. A Galerkin finite element algorithm (G-FEA) is adopted to analyze various aspects versus different parameters. It has been found that motion into hybrid nanoparticles is reduced by motion into nanoparticles. Additionally, differences in heat energy and solvent particle sizes are associated with modifications in magnetic, Dufour, Eckert, and Soret numbers. In contrast to hybrid nanostructures, the output of thermal energy is usually observed to be substantially higher. The magnetic field parameter decreases the particle velocity. In contradiction to the Eckert number, bouncy parameter, and magnetic parameter set values, the maximum quantity of heat energy is obtained. variable thermal conductivity's function. The 3D heated vertical surface convective heat transfer of nanofluids and hybrid nanofluids under the impact of a heat source, thermal radiation, and viscous dissipation has not yet been studied, as far as the authors are aware. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental pollution has intensified significantly in the last few decades. Policymakers have considered this issue due to its direct influence on human lives throughout the globe. This study explores the asymmetric determinants of consumption-based and production-based CO2 emissions for China, for time horizon 1990–2019. ARDL and NARDL regression approaches have been adopted for empirical investigation. The ARDL regression method reveals that GDP does not produce any impact on production-based and consumption-based CO2 emissions, while energy use contributes as an increasing determinant of consumption-based and production-based CO2 emissions in the long-run. The NARDL regression method reveals that a positive shock in GDP is beneficial for a decline of consumption-based CO2 emissions, while it does not reduce production-based CO2 emissions in the long-run. However, negative shock in GDP contributes as an increasing determinant of consumption-based CO2 emissions. Results also report that positive shock in energy use behaves as an increasing agent of consumption-based and production-based CO2 emissions in the long-run, while negative shock in energy use produces a decline in production-based CO2 emissions in the long-run. Thus, policymakers should adopt such demand and supply sides' management policies that contribute to controlling CO2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many species of devastating insect pests have acquired a high degree of resistance to insecticides in the field during the last few decades. Spodoptera exigua, for example, is the most damaging pests of economic crops with a worldwide spread. In a present study, the comparative growth, reproduction, and detoxification enzyme activity were evaluated along with exposure to three insecticides at low lethal doses of lufenuron, indoxacarb, and spinosad as compared to the control. Results indicate that the larval developmental time was significantly extended on lufenuron (21.5 ± 29 days) followed by indoxacarb (20.28 ± 0.24 days) and spinosad (19.74 ± 0.23 days) as compared to that on the control (18.13 ± 0.13 days). Similarly, the lowest number of eggs of S. exigua females were recorded on lufenuron (328.75 ± 50.81 eggs) followed by spinosad (367 ± 36.4 eggs) and indoxacarb (411.58 ± 42.38 eggs) as compared to that on the control (560.2 ± 13.47). Interestingly, the lowest intrinsic rate of increase (r) (0.121 ± 0.009) and highest mean generation time (T) (36.2 ± 0.35 days) were observed when larvae were treated to a low lethal concentration (LC20) of lufenuron as compared to that of indoxacarb, spinosad, and control. In addition, considerably lower activity of all detoxification enzymes in larvae was recorded on lufenuron after control as compared to that on indoxacarb and spinosad. Our study serves as a reference and basis for the toxicity and low lethal evaluation of lufenuron, indoxacarb, and spinosad on life table parameters and enzymatic properties in S. exigua, which may contribute to identifying targets for effective control of S. exigua. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we want to test the impact of financial inclusion on the economic growth and the environmental quality of OBOR economies. We have selected four different proxies of financial inclusion, two from the perspective of the supply side and two from the perspective of the demand side. For empirical analysis, we have applied 2SLS and GMM methods. In the economic growth model, among the variables of financial inclusion, only the variable of ATMS is positively significant in the 2SLS approach; however, when we apply the GMM approach, two variables, i.e., ATMS and branches, are positively significant implying that supply-side financial inclusion is vital for economic growth in OBOR countries. On the other side, the variables of financial inclusion, whether supply side or demand side, exerted a positive impact on the CO2 emissions irrespective of the estimation techniques, i.e., 2SLS and GMM. These findings imply that financial inclusion, in general, causes CO2 emissions to rise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delay sowing of wheat is a common problem in Punjab that exacerbates serious yield loss. To reduce yield loss and improve yield, different combinations of foliar-applied bioregulator and micronutrients, control (CK), zinc (Zn), boron (B), thiourea (TU), Zn + B (ZnB), Zn + TU (ZnTU), B + TU (BTU), Zn + B + TU (ZnBTU) were applied at booting and grain filling stages in delayed sown wheat in 2017–18 and 2018–19. The results showed that ZnBTU treatment significantly increased leaf area index by 25.06% and 23.21%, spike length by 15.11% and 19.65% in 2017 and 2018, respectively, compared to CK. The ZnBTU treatment also increased 1000-grain weight by 21.96% and 22.01% in 2017 and 2018, respectively, compared to CK. Similarly, higher Zn, B and N contents in straw and grain were recoded for ZnBTU treatment which was statistically similar to ZnB and ZnTU treatments. Overall, ZnBTU treatment also increased the photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance by 46.67%, 26.03%, 76.25% and decreased internal CO2 by 28.18%, compared to CK, respectively. Moreover, ZnBTU also recorded the highest grain yield in 2017–18 (25.05%) and 2018–19 (28.49%) than CK. In conclusion, foliar application of ZnBTU at the booting and grain filling stages of delayed sown wheat could be a promising strategy to increase grain yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluid–structure interaction (FSI) gained a huge attention of scientists and researchers due to its applications in biomedical and mechanical engineering. One of the most important applications of FSI is to study the elastic wall behavior of stenotic arteries. Blood is the suspension of various cells characterized by shear thinning, yield stress, and viscoelastic qualities that can be assessed by using non-Newtonian models. In this study we explored non-Newtonian, incompressible Casson fluid flow in a bifurcated artery with a stenosis. The two-dimensional Casson model is used to study the hemodynamics of the flow. The walls of the artery are supposed to be elastic and the stenosis region is constructed in both walls. Suitable scales are used to transform the nonlinear differential equations into a dimensionless form. The problem is formulated and discretized using Arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) approach. The finite element method (FEM) technique is used to solve the system of equations, together with appropriate boundary conditions. The analysis is carried out for the Bingham number, Hartmann number, and Reynolds number. The graphical results of pressure field, velocity profile, and load on the walls are assessed and used to study the influence of hemodynamic effects on stenotic arteries, bifurcation region, and elastic walls. This study shows that there is an increase in wall shear stresses (WSS) with increasing values of Bingham number and Hartmann number. Also, for different values of the Bingham number, the load on the upper wall is computed against the Hartmann number. The result indicate that load at the walls increases as the values of Bingham number and Hartmann number increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study probed the creation of heat energy and concentrating into Newtonian liquids across vertical 3D-heated plates. The role of the Soret and Dufour theories in concentrating and energy formulas is discussed. The role of hybrid nanoparticles is introduced to illustrate particle efficiency in terms of solute and thermal energy. It is removed a viscous dissipation process and a changing magnetic field. The proposed approach is motivated by the need to maximize solute and thermal energy uses in biological and industrial domains. The constructed system of (partial differential equations) PDEs includes concentration, momentum, and thermal energy equations within various thermal characteristics. Transformations are used to formulate the system of (ordinary differential equations) ODEs for solution. To assess various features vs various variables, a Galerkin finite element approach is used. Motion into nanoscale components is shown to be smaller than motion into hybrid nanoparticles. Furthermore, fluctuations in heat energy and solute particle counts are seen in relation to changes in Soret, Eckert, magnetic, and Dufour numbers. The basic finding is that the generation of thermal energy for hybridized nanomaterials is much higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture and forestry are two primary determinants of the environment, and strong institutions are crucial to moderate the outcomes of these sectors toward a sustainable environment. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the impact of agriculture and forestry on carbon emissions in light of institutional quality. Data at global and five regional levels from 1996 to 2015 were assessed using econometrics tools, namely cross-sectional tests, panel unit root tests, cointegration tests, Driscoll & Kraay, and fully modified ordinary least square regressions and causality analyses. The analysis indicates that agricultural production has a positive effect on CO2 emissions, whereas forestry has a negative impact. The direct and moderating effects of institutional quality on the CO2 emissions are positive. These results emphasize the importance of institutional excellence in the reduction in agricultural and forestry emissions. The study reveals that renewable energy consumption is crucial in improving environmental quality, whereas non-renewable energy consumption is not. Causality analysis reveals bidirectional causality between CO2 emissions and agriculture, forestry, and renewable energy. The study implies that countries should encourage renewable energy and the adoption of environment-friendly practices in agriculture. An increase in forest areas is also important for a clean environment. Nevertheless, the role of institutions for a sustainable environment cannot be underestimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the role of financial inclusion on the environment-economic performance in the top five Asian emerging economies. The data used for empirical investigation covers the time period from 1995 to 2019. Financial inclusion is measured through bank branches, bank credit, and insurance premiums. To check long-run associations, the panel ARDL approach has been employed for empirical analysis. The empirical evidence confirms the significant associations between financial inclusion-GDP nexus and financial inclusion-CO2 nexus. The findings show that bank branches and bank credit have a significantly positive impact on economic growth and CO2 emissions in the long run. However, insurance premium has no impact on economic growth but it exerts a significant negative impact on carbon emissions in the long run. Furthermore, energy consumption is highly sensitive to economic growth and carbon emissions. The study delivers imperative points for pollution eradication and attaining sustained economic growth. There is a need for government-level efforts to align the targets of financial inclusion with economic growth and environmental policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Efficient energy is crucial in reducing CO2 emissions. The researchers are digging for a new efficient source of energy in the modern era. Therefore, this study explores the dynamic impacts of energy efficiency and renewable energy consumption on CO2 emissions from 1991 to 2019 for China. By using the non-linear ARDL approach, we found that a negative shock in energy efficiency has a positive impact on CO2 emissions in long run. Furthermore, renewable energy consumption with positive shock has a negative significant impact on CO2 emissions, but negative shock in renewable energy consumption leads to increase pollution emissions in long run. Besides, positive shocks to energy efficiency and renewable energy consumption have also a favorable negative effect on CO2 emissions in the short run. While a negative shock in energy efficiency has only unobservable negative impacts on CO2 emissions in the short run. Based on findings, some policy measures are suggested to attain environmental sustainability in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of information and communication technology (ICT) is imperative in the transformation of the world. ICT is directly affecting all the sectors of the whole economy. Thus, the present study is determined to investigate the effect of ICT on energy efficiency and environmental sustainability in emerging Asian economies from 1990 to 2019. The panel augmented autoregressive distributed lag-pooled mean group approach has been used for empirical investigation. Two separate models have been designed to attain the empirical consensus. ICT is measured through two proxies namely broadband subscriptions (internet) and mobile cellular subscriptions (mobile). Results show that internet and mobile upsurge the energy efficiency in the long run. However, internet and mobile have a reducing impact on carbon emissions in the long run. While FDI enhances energy efficiency and reduces carbon emissions inferring that environmental efficiency improves in the long run. The study suggests that policymakers must be aware of the impact of ICT on energy efficiency and environmental quality and regulate their manufacturers to enable the amalgamation of ICT into users' routines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Last few decades, several economic uncertainty challenges have emerged in the energy market. This study newly contributes to existing research by inspecting the asymmetric effect of economic policy uncertainty and financial development on renewable energy consumption in China. We employ a nonlinear ARDL approach by using a time-series dataset spanning from 1990 to 2019. Our symmetric model shows that economic policy uncertainty matters in the short run, as it increases renewable energy consumption while exhibiting a negative impact on renewable energy in long run in China. Our asymmetric results in the short and long run have deviated from the symmetric results. Our asymmetric results of the short and long run are similar in direction but different in magnitude. The results show that positive change in economic policy uncertainty has increased 3.216% and negative change in economic policy uncertainty has decreased 1.461% in renewable energy consumption in long run in China. Financial development does not matter in renewable energy consumption in China. Based on these outcomes, we can draw some robust economic policies in China as well as for other pollutant economies. Policymakers should be made economic policies more predictable in the modern era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The beet army worm, Spodoptera exigua, is a widely distributed polyphagous pest of economically important crops worldwide. The management of this pest insect continues to face many challenges. Despite synthetic chemicals posing a serious threat to the environment, these remain the conventional approach for controlling S. exigua in the field. An over-reliance on chemical control has not only led to selection for resistance to insecticides and to a reduction of natural enemies, but has also polluted various components of ecosystem. Given these increasing pressures on the ecosystem, there is a need to implement integrated pest management (IPM) approaches exploiting a wider range of tools (biotechnological approaches, microbial control, biological control, cultural control, and use of host plant resistance) for an alternative to chemical control. The IPM approach can not only reduce the hazard of chemical residues in the environment and associated health problems, but may also provide best strategies to control insect pests. This review synthesizes published information on insecticide resistance of S. exigua and explores alternative IPM approaches to control S. exigua. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluid structure interaction (FSI) gained attention of researchers and scientist due to its applications in science fields like biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering etc. One of the major application in FSI is to study elastic wall behavior of stenotic arteries. In this paper we discussed an incompressible Non-Newtonian blood flow analysis in an elastic bifurcated artery. A magnetic field is applied along x direction. For coupling of the problem an Arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian formulation is used by two-way fluid structure interaction. To discretize the problem, we employed P 2 P 1 finite element technique to approximate the velocity, displacement and pressure and then linearized system of equations is solved using Newton iteration method. Analysis is carried out for power law index, Reynolds number and Hartmann number. Hemodynamic effects on elastic walls, stenotic artery and bifurcated region are evaluated by using velocity profile, pressure and loads on the walls. Study shows there is significant increase in wall shear stresses with an increase in Power law index and Hartmann number. While as expected increase in Reynolds number decreases the wall shear stresses. Also load on the upper wall is calculated against Hartmann number for different values of power law index. Results show load increases as the Hartmann number and power law index increases. From hemodynamic point of view, the load on the walls is minimum for shear thinning case but when power law index increased i.e. for shear thickening case load on the walls increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The citrus red mite (Panonychus citri) is a challenge to manage in citrus orchards due to resistance against several pesticides. There is a necessity therefore to find new pesticides for effective control of P. citri. This study was designed to evaluate the lethal and sublethal effects of emamectin benzoate against P. citri. The results showed that the LC50 of emamectin benzoate to adults of P. citri was 0.35 (0.26–0.43) mg a.i. L−1 and the LC90 was 1.44 (1.16–1.96) mg a.i. L−1. The sublethal concentration exposures (LC10 and LC30) had a significant negative impact on the larval, protonymph, and deutonymph developmental periods. Male longevity was much lower in LC30 treatments than in the controls. Although female longevity was unaffected, the fecundity (eggs per female) was decreased in the sublethal concentration treatments. Results revealed that the adult pre-oviposition period (APOP) and total pre-oviposition period (TPOP) were increased. Other growth parameters r, λ, and R0 decreased, whereas mean generation time (T) increased due to pesticide exposure. The survival rate (Sxj), age-specific fecundity and net maternity, life expectancy (Exj), and reproduction (Vxj) was reduced by LC10 and LC30 exposure. An increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) contents with increasing emamectin benzoate concentration demonstrates that emamectin benzoate induces oxidative stress in P. citri. The activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, SOD and catalase, CAT) was decreased due to LC30 and LC10 treatments compared to the control. Detoxification enzyme activity (cytochrome P450, glutathione-S-transferases, GST and acetylcholinesterase, AChE) was increased in treated mites compared to the control. This study demonstrates that emamectin benzoate has both a lethal effect on citrus red mite and sublethal effects on its biology and physiology. It is, therefore, potentially an effective pesticide for management of P. citri. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn (Astraceae) is a well-reputed medicinal plant mostly utilized for silymarin (Sily) content and oil production, however, the information about Sily contents in achene part is still fragmented under different climatic conditions. In this study four milk thistle ecotypes from Faisalabad (FSD), Gujranwala (GUJ), Quetta (QTA), and Kallar kahar (KK) having an altered achene color were analyzed under salt stress. Application of plant growth promoters (PGPs) is one of the solution for ameliorating the effect of salinity and increasing the quantity and quality traits of milk thistle, so ascorbic acid (AsA), thiourea (TU), and moringa leaf extract (MLE) were soil supplied after developing salinity stress (120 mM with irrigation) at germination stage. Predetermined levels were selected for PGPs such as AsA (500 µM), MLE (3%), and TU (250 µM). Results revealed that all yield related attributes were significantly decreased, while secondary metabolites, pericarp epidermis, pericarp parenchyma, and pericarp seed integument increased under salinity stress. Data suggested that PGPs treatment was helpful to alleviate the deleterious effects of salinity stress and enhance the milk thistle quality and quantity parameters. The ecotypic variations with altered achene color patterns represent an advantage for QTA ecotypes for higher Sily extraction under salt stressed conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biotic invasions can predominantly alter the dynamics, composition, functions, and structure of natural ecosystems. Social insects, particularly ants, are among the most damaging invasive alien species. Invasive ant species are among the supreme threats to ecosystems. There are about 23 species of invasive ants recorded worldwide, according to the ant invasive databases. The ecological impacts of invasive ants comprise predation, hybridization, and competition with native species that changes the ecosystem processes with the biodiversity loss and upsurge of pests. The effects of invasion on native fauna in the same habitats might be catastrophic for the native community through various ecological mechanisms, e.g., habitat disturbance, resource competition, limiting the foraging activity of native species, and various other indirect mechanisms of invasive species. Invasive species may have harmful impacts on habitats and devastating effects on natural flora and fauna, and stopping these new species from being introduced is the most effective way to deter future invasions and maintain biodiversity. This paper reviews the literature to evaluate the effects of invasive ant species on the native species, including vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants sharing the same habitats as the non-native species under global environmental changes. We also highlighted the various management strategies that could be adopted in minimizing the adverse effects of these invasive ant species on the natural ecosystem. To this end, strategies that could regulate the mode and rate of invasion by these alien ant species are the most effective ways to deter future invasions and maintain biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gossypium arboreum is considered a rich source of stress-responsive genes and the EST database revealed that most of its genes are uncharacterized. The full-length Gossypium universal stress protein-2 (GUSP-2) gene (510 bp) was cloned in E. coli and Gossypium hirsutum, characterized and point mutated at three positions, 352–354, Lysine to proline (M1-usp-2) & 214–216, aspartic acid to serine (M2-usp-2) & 145–147, Lysine to Threonine (M3-usp-2) to study its role in abiotic stress tolerance. It was found that heterologous expression of one mutant (M1-usp-2) provided enhanced tolerance against salt and osmotic stresses, recombinant cells have higher growth up to 10-5dilution in spot assay as compared to cells expressing W-usp-2 (wild type GUSP-2), M2-usp-2 and M3-usp-2 genes. M1-usp-2 gene transcript profiling exhibited significant expression (8.7 fold) in CIM-496-Gossypium hirsutum transgenic plants and enhance drought tolerance. However, little tolerance against heat and cold stresses in bacterial cells was observed. The results from our study concluded that the activity of GUSP-2 was enhanced in M1-usp-2 but wipe out in M2-usp-2 and M3-usp-2 response remained almost parallel to W-usp-2. Further, it was predicted through in silico analysis that M1-usp-2, W-usp-2 and M3-usp-2 may be directly involved in stress tolerance or function as a signaling molecule to activate the stress adaptive mechanism. However, further investigation will be required to ascertain its role in the adaptive mechanism of stress tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With rapid economic growth, BRICS is facing enormous burdens of carbon emission and severe issues of income inequality. However, behind this economic success, the BRICS economies also face few thoughtful challenges to improve environmental quality by catching up the sustainable development goals. Consequently, the existing empirical research is concerned with the dynamic links between income inequality and CO2 emissions by using the novel nonlinear ARDL approach, but small attention has been paid to the BRICS in literature. Therefore, we observed that a negative and positive change in income inequality has positive effect on CO2 emissions in Russia and South Africa in the long run, although a positive change in income inequality has positive effects on CO2 emissions in Brazil, Russia, and China, while a negative change in income inequality has negative effect on CO2 emissions in India, Brazil, and Russia in the short run. Hence, the findings value specific attention from policymakers in BRICS economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study was planned to synthesize copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) using aqueous Fumaria indica (F. indica) plant extract and was calcined at 100, 300, 600 and 900 °C using Muffle furnace. The X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that crystallinity and crystallite size increase (from 14.9 to 79.29 nm) with increasing calcination temperature. The microstructure was analyzed through scanning electron microscopy, while the constituent elements were identified through energy-dispersive X-ray. The diffuse reflectance spectroscopy analysis was carried out and the optical band gap was determined through Tauc plot, which was found to decrease (from 1.82 to 1.46 eV) with increasing calcination temperature. The surface functional moieties were identified by performing Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Agar well diffusion process was followed to screen CuO NPs against Gram-positive bacteria and Gram-negative bacteria, where higher activity was found against Gram-negative bacteria. The antioxidant activity of CuO NPs was evaluated during the neutralization ABTs free radical, thus it can be used to reduce the damaging effects of antioxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bradysia odoriphaga is a major insect pest that infests Chinese chive in northern China. Clothianidin is a second-generation neonicotinoid insecticide that is commonly used against B. odoriphaga. In this study, the effect of sublethal clothianidin concentrations (LC5 and LC10) on key biological characteristics of B. odoriphaga was investigated using an age-stage, two-sex life table method. Bioassays results showed that clothianidin exhibited high toxicity against B. odoriphaga with LC50 of 1.898 mg L−1 following 24 h exposure. The developmental duration of larvae was significantly increased when exposed to the LC5 (0.209 mg L−1) and LC10 (0.340 mg L−1) of clothianidin. No significant effects were observed on the pupal stage, adult pre-oviposition period (APOP), total pre-oviposition period (TPOP), and mean longevities of male and female. The oviposition period and fecundity of B. odoriphaga were reduced in clothianidin-treated groups. Moreover, key demographic parameters, including the intrinsic rate of increase (r), finite rate of increase (λ), and net reproductive rate (R0), were significantly decreased by the LC5 and LC10 of clothianidin, while no effects were noted on mean generation time (T). Overall, this study showed that sublethal concentrations of clothianidin have a detrimental effect on B. odoriphaga developmental period, fecundity, and life table parameters. Therefore, clothianidin has the potential to suppress the population of B. odoriphaga even at sublethal concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the detoxification enzyme activity and the transcriptional profile changes in the second instar through RNA-sequencing technology due to emamectin benzoate (EB) were assessed. The cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450) enzyme activity was not altered by EB due to the change in concentration and exposure time in all treatments. The glutathione S-transferase (GST) enzyme was not considerably varying in all treatments, while exposure time significantly changed the enzyme activity. Results showed that the esterase (Ests) activity was elevated with the increasing concentrations and exposure time. Two libraries were generated, containing 107,767,542 and 108,142,289 clean reads for the samples treated with LC30 of EB and control. These reads were grouped into 218,070 transcripts and 38,097 unigenes. A total of 2257 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from these unigenes, of which 599 up-regulated and 1658 were down-regulated. The majority of these DEGs related to pesticides resistance were identified in numerous Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, e.g., steroid hormone biosynthesis, glutathione metabolism, drug metabolism-other enzymes, chemical carcinogenesis, pathways of cancer, metabolism of xenobiotics by cytochrome P450, drug metabolism of cytochrome P450, linoleic acid metabolism, retinol metabolism, and insect hormone biosynthesis. These pathways also shared the same genes as cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s), glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), Esterase (Ests), UDP-glucosyltransferases (UGTs), and ATP-binding cassettes (ABCs). A heatmap analysis also showed that regulation of genes in a pathway causes a series of gene expression regulation in subsequent pathways. Our quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) results were consistent with the DEG's data of transcriptome analysis. The comprehensive transcriptome sequence resource attained through this study evidence that the EB induces significant modification in enzyme activity and transcriptome profile of Paederus fuscipes, which may enable more significant molecular underpinnings behind the insecticide-resistance mechanism for further investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development is significantly contributing the environmental degradation due to improvements in financial sector in One Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) region. Thus, the present research work constructs the sustainable development index for BRI. Afterwards, it unfolds the nexus of sustainable development-environmental degradation and also evaluates the role of financial development indicators in BRI economies. By utilizing the robust mean group, the present study quantifies the long-run marginal impacts of sustainable development, financial development indicators, energy consumption, and urban sprawl on environmental degradation, respectively. The marginal impacts infer an inverted U-shaped sustainable development environmental Kuznets curve in BRI region. The sustainable development, energy consumption, and urban sprawl are enriching the environmental degradation, whereas the financial development indicators have an adverse impact on environmental degradation by induction of interaction of sustainable development-financial development. Therefore, the improvements in financial development indicators will help to achieve the sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]