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PurposeThis study examines the influence of contextual factors (e.g. age and ownership type) on HRM formality (including the underlying functions of recruitment, selection, training and development, performance appraisal and compensation) in SMEs.Design/methodology/approachData were collected through a quantitative survey of 300 owners/managers of services, manufacturing and trade SMEs in Pakistan.FindingsFirm age, association with a larger parent entity, existence of a strategic business plan and the presence of a human resource information system (HRIS) are positively related with higher HRM formality. Firm size, family ownership and exporting characteristics had no association with formality.Practical implicationsThis study suggests a highly influential role for contextual factors in shaping HRM practices in Pakistani SMEs. Since the lack of a strategic approach towards human resource development is directly linked to the inferior performance of SMEs in Pakistan, this study provides an understanding of the contextual institutional setting that shapes the nature of HRM practices. The findings inform both SME owners/managers and policy makers.Originality/valueInstitutional influences on HRM systems have attracted attention but organisational factors are less often studied. Studies mostly relate to Western contexts and lack perspectives from SMEs. The findings of this empirical investigation highlight the importance of context specific research given the different nature of institutional settings.

Mukhtiar Ahmad,1,* Mehran Khan,2,* Rizwan Asif,3,* Nuzhat Sial,4,* Usman Abid,5,* Tahira Shamim,6 Zahid Hameed,7 Muhammad Junaid Iqbal,8,* Uroosa Sarfraz,8 Hina Saeed,1,* Zara Asghar,2 Madeeha Akram,2 Qamar Ullah,9 Qurat ul Ain Younas,10 Laraib Rauf,11 Alishba Hadi,1 Sajida Maryam,12 Yasir Hameed,1 Muhammad Rashid Khan,13,* Eman Tariq,14 Saba Saeed15,* 1Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan; 2Department of Pharmacy, Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan; 3Department of Microbiology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan; 4Department of Zoology, Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan; 5Department of Pharmaceutics, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan; 6University College of Conventional Medicine, Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan; 7Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan; 8Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan; 9Department of Livestock and Dairy Development, Peshawar, Pakistan; 10Department of Zoology, Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bahawalpur, Pakistan; 11Department of Healthcare Management, Riphah International University, Islamabad, Pakistan; 12Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan; 13University College of Eastern Medicine, Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan; 14Department of Chemistry, University of Swabi, Swabi, Pakistan; 15Department of Zoology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yasir Hameed, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan, Email Yasirhameed2011@gmail.comIntroduction: In light of the increased demand for reliable cancer-associated biomarkers and ANLN oncogenic potential, the present study aimed to investigate ANLN’s role in 24 human cancers.Methods: The UALCAN, Kaplan–Meier (KM) plotter, TNM Plot, GENT2, GEPIA, HPA, cBioPortal, STRING, Enrichr, TIMER, Cytoscape, DAVID, MuTarget, and CTD online databases and bioinformatic tools were used in this study.Results: In three of the cancers analyzed, ANLN expression was downregulated in tumor tissue, while it was overexpressed in the 21 other types of tumor tissue relative to controls. In CESC, ESCA, HNSC, and KIRC patients, ANLN overexpression was correlated with shorter overall survival, relapse-free survival, and metastasis. This suggests that ANLN is significantly involved in the development and progression of these four cancers. Further expression analysis revealed upregulation of ANLN in CESC, ESCA, HNSC, and KIRC patients with different clinical characteristics, regardless of the heterogeneity barrier. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis revealed that ANLN-associated genes were coexpressed with ANLN and were included in diverse BP, MF, and KEGG terms. Moreover, some interesting correlations were also documented between ANLN expression and its promoter-methylation level, genetic alterations, other mutant genes, and CD8+ T- and CD4+ T-cell infiltration. Moreover, we also identified ANLN-associated transcription factors, miRNAs, and chemotherapeutic drugs.Conclusion: This pan-cancer study revealed the novel diagnostic and prognostic role of ANLN across four cancers, regardless of heterogeneity.Keywords: cancer, ANLN, diagnostic, prognostic, biomarker

PurposeThis study aims to examine the relationship between green human resource management (GHRM) practices and green transformational leadership toward inducing employees' green creativity. Specifically, drawing upon the ability, motivation and opportunity theory, the authors tested how green perceived organizational support (green POS) mediates the link between GHRM practices and employees' green creativity. Furthermore, based on the firm's resource-based view, the authors examine the moderating role of green transformational leadership on the relationship between GHRM practice and green POS.Design/methodology/approachUsing a survey questionnaire, this research was conducted with a multi-source sample of 201 supervisors and their 428 subordinates from organizations working in grocery, food and personal care products in Pakistan.FindingsThe findings of structural equation modeling revealed that green POS plays a mediating role between GHRM and employees' green creativity. The study findings also highlighted that green transformational leadership moderates the positive relationship between GHRM practices and green POS.Practical implicationsOrganizations need to implement GHRM practices to achieve environmental performance. Individuals are likely to recognize themselves with organizations that are engaged in green practices, and therefore, organizations can get benefits from implementing GHRM practices.Originality/valueThis research explores green POS and green transformational leadership as novel mechanisms through which GHRM practices influence employees' green creativity in organizations. In addition, the authors empirically examined our theorized relationships in the South Asian context.

This research explores the association of ethical leadership with employee service innovation behavior through a moderated mediation model. Theorizing on uncertainty reduction theory, we explore psychological ownership and creative self-efficacy as the underlying psychological mechanisms in the association between ethical leadership and employee service innovation behavior while considering the moderating role of sleep quality. We tested our theoretical model in two studies involving hospitality sector employees in the United States. Study 1 employed a three-wave (two-week period) time-lagged design (N = 237), and Study 2 used a two-wave (four-week period) survey design (N = 313). The findings suggest that workers’ psychological ownership and creative self-efficacy mediate the association between ethical leadership and employee service innovation behavior. In addition, sleep quality functions as an important boundary condition of the association between creative self-efficacy and service innovation behavior. Our research has important implications for understanding the impact of ethical leadership on important employee outcomes while considering the boundary condition role of employee sleep quality. The limitations of the study and future research directions are discussed.

A nearly complete genome sequence of cherry virus A (CVA), isolated from the Prunus armeniaca plant, is presented in this publication. The genome is 7,380 bases in length and is divided into two open reading frames, with a 54-nucleotide (nt) 5′ noncoding region (NCR) and a 297-nt 3′ NCR.

The present study evaluates the hazardous effects of water pollutants present in the River Yamuna, the lifeline of Delhi. This was done by collecting water samples from seven sites on the River Yamuna, and studying their water quality parameters (WQP). In all cases, tap water was taken as the control, and WQP like pH, salinity, electrical conductivity (EC), etc. were measured. At site 1, water was slightly alkaline, whereas maximum salinity was found at site 4. The TDS, EC, and turbidity at site 5 were found to be the highest among the studied sites. Further, water samples were used to examine the cytotoxic and genotoxic effect of pollutants in the root tip cells of Allium cepa after three and seven day's growth. There was a sharp decline in root length and root number down stream. Moreover, the squash preparations showed significant abnormalities; at the cellular level, cell shape and sizes show undesirable changes. At nuclear level binucleate cells, lobulated nuclei, micronuclei at site 3, 4, and 7 were recorded. The chromosomal abnormalities included chromosomal bridges, chromosomal loss, and abnormal orientation at different sites. This report is a cause for significant concern as the River Yamuna is Delhi's primary source of water supply for domestic, agricultural, industrial, energy, and many other purposes.

PurposeGuided by institutional theory, this empirical paper examines variations in the adoption of HRM practices among SMEs in three different business sectors (services, manufacturing and trade).Design/methodology/approachData from 300 owners/managers representing three business sectors were collected through a survey method.FindingsThe results suggest that service SMEs use more formal HRM practices than manufacturing and trade SMEs. Manufacturing SMEs are more formal than trade firms. Results are not affected by firm age.Research limitations/implicationsSocial desirability bias may have influenced respondents into portraying a positive image of the organization by inflating HRM sophistication. A further limitation is that the performance of the firms was not measured. As such, it is not possible to judge whether greater HRM formality correlated with improved organizational performance.Practical implicationsThis study shows how the business sector shapes HRM practices in Pakistani SMEs. Findings help to inform Pakistan's Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (SMEDA) in dealings with manufacturing and trade firms in terms of improving HRM practices.Originality/valueGiven the important role of SMEs in economic development, comparative research on HRM in SME contexts is scarce. Since SMEs are vital for Pakistan's economy, an improved understanding of the sector's approach to human resource development is important. The findings extend the boundaries of prior comparative HRM literature in SMEs by addressing sector influences while controlling for contextual factors.

PurposeIn this study, the authors aim to explain the mechanism between transformational leadership and job crafting. They predict that job-based psychological ownership (job-based PO) mediates the relationship between transformational leadership and job crafting. Furthermore, job-based PO is more effective when employees have a high level of affective organizational commitment.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collected time-lagged data through a paper–pencil survey from the sales department of large pharmaceutical companies in Pakistan.FindingsThe findings of this study suggest that job-based PO mediates the positive relationship between transformational leadership and job crafting. Moreover, the relationship of job-based PO with job crafting is moderated by affective organizational commitment such that the relationship was stronger at the high levels of affective organizational commitment than that of the low levels of affective organizational commitment.Practical implicationsOn practical grounds, job crafting can be useful for individuals and organizations. On individuals’ side, it helps them to balance their job demands and resource; on organizations’ side, it provides a solution to the ongoing problem of disengaged employees and suggests managers identify new ways to support employees with their job redesign.Originality/valueThis study suggests that job-based PO and affective organizational commitment are important factors that influence the relationship between transformational leadership and job crafting.

PurposeRecent research has demonstrated an increasing awareness among business communities about the importance of environmental concerns. Green human resource management (GHRM) has become a crucial business strategy for organizations because the human resource department can play a key role in going “green.” This study tests an integrative model incorporating the indirect effects of GHRM practices on employee organizational citizenship behavior toward environment (OCBE), through green employee empowerment. Moreover, this study investigates the moderating effect of individual green values on OCBE.Design/methodology/approachUsing a paper–pencil survey, we collected multisource data from 365 employees and their immediate supervisors from Pakistan.FindingsThe results of structural regression revealed that GHRM has a significant indirect effect on OCBE through green employee empowerment. The results also indicated that individual green values moderated the positive relationship between green employee empowerment and OCBE.Practical implicationsOrganizations should appropriately appraise workers’ green behavior and align their behavior to pay and promotion. Organizations should also encourage and motivate employees to be engaged in green activities and contribute to environmental management.Originality/valueThis study suggests that green employee empowerment and individual green values are important factors that influence the relationship between GHRM and employees' OCBE, and it empirically analyzes these proposed relationships in a developing country context.

Whether TERT promoter mutation is related to more aggressive clinicopathologic features and worse outcomes in papillary thyroid carcinoma patients (PTCs) is still variable and controversial. Our intention was to investigate the risk or prognostic factors that may additionally predict the TERT promoter mutation doable of these lesions and new prevention techniques in PTCs. A total of 2,539 PTC patients with 11.50% TERT mutation have been analyzed using Revman 5.3 software in this study. The PubMed and Embase databases were systematically searched for works published until November 9, 2021. The following variables had been associated with an extended chance of TERT promoter mutation in PTC patients: age < 45 years ( MD = 10.93 , 95 % CI = 7.25 – 14.61 ); gender = male ( pooled OR = 1.63 , 95 % CI = 1.17 – 2.28 ); tumor size > 1 cm ( MD = 0.56 , 95 % CI = 0.34 – 0.77 ); lymph node metastasis ( pooled OR = 1.29 , 95 % CI = 0.93 – 1.79 ); vascular invasion ( pooled OR = 1.78 , 95 % CI = 0.83 – 3.84 ); extrathyroidal extension ( pooled OR = 2.00 , 95 % CI = 1.32 – 3.02 ); distant metastasis ( pooled OR = 1.46 , 95 % CI = 1.04 – 2.04 ); advanced TNM stage ( pooled OR = 3.19 , 95 % CI = 2.28 – 4.45 ). In addition, multifocality ( pooled OR = 0.67 , 95 % CI = 0.14 – 3.24 ) had no affiliation with TERT promoter mutation in PTC patients. Our finding showed that age < 45 years, male, tumor size > 1 cm , lymph node metastasis, vascular invasion, and superior/advanced TNM stage were dangerous elements for TERT promoter mutation of worse effect in PTCs while that multifocality was once negatively correlated. TERT promoter mutation is drastically associated with recurrence and PTC-related mortality.

Purpose Drawing upon affective events theory, the authors propose that the subordinates’ negative gossip acts as a targeting affective event which leads to supervisor negative emotions. In turn, such negative emotions provoke supervisors to exhibit abusive behavior toward their subordinates. Additionally, the authors propose that an affective dispositional factor, namely, supervisor emotional regulation, moderates the hypothesized relationships. Using multisource data and a moderated-mediation model, the authors find that the supervisor’s perception of the subordinates’ negative workplace gossip is associated with abusive supervision through the supervisor’s negative emotions. Moreover, the supervisor’s emotional regulation mitigates the relationship between such negative gossip and the supervisor’s negative emotions. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from employees (e.g. subordinates) and their immediate supervisors in organizations representing a variety of industries (e.g. finance, health care, information technology, public safety and human services) located in three cities in China. Respondents were recruited from different professional online forums with the offer of free movie tickets in return for participation. Findings Using multisource data and a moderated-mediation model, the authors find that the supervisor’s perception of the subordinates’ negative workplace gossip is associated with abusive supervision through the supervisor’s negative emotions. Moreover, the supervisor’s emotional regulation mitigates the relationship between such negative gossip and the supervisor’s negative emotions, but not the relationship between the supervisor’s negative emotions and abusive supervision. Research limitations/implications Like all studies, the current one is not without limitations. First, the data were collected using a cross-sectional research design, which limits the interference of causality among the hypothesized relationships in the model. Future research work should apply alternative research designs such as a daily diary or longitudinal data collection (Shadish et al., 2002), in order to support the validity of the study. Practical implications In practical terms, abusive supervision is recognized as a destructive workplace behavior that is costly to organizations (Mackey et al., 2017; Martinko et al., 2013). Thus, it is important for organizational management and practitioners to understand the reasons why supervisors exhibit abusive behavior toward subordinates. Social implications Through this study, higher management must understand harmful effects of subordinates’ workplace negative gossip, it must be recognized as other types of workplace mistreatment (rudeness and incivility), establishment and enforcement of the code of conduct can prevent negative workplace gossip prevalence in the workplace. Originality/value This study has contributed to the organizational behavior literature in several aspects. First, most studies have examined the consequences of abusive supervisor through subordinates victimization, current study contributes in the ongoing stream of research by examining antecedents of abusive supervision through subordinates’ social victimization (e.g. negative workplace gossip) of supervisors.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to apply conservation of resource (COR) theory and the buffering hypothesis of social support to explore occupational stress and its negative outcomes such as job engagement and turnover intentions for front-line hospitality industry employees in the People’s Republic of China. Design/methodology/approach Primary data were collected in two waves from 318 front-line employees in a chain of restaurants located in the eastern region of the People’s Republic of China. Findings Integrating COR theory and the buffering hypothesis of social support, job satisfaction is found to be a mediating mechanism in the relationships between occupational stress and job engagement and occupational stress and employee turnover intentions for front-line hospitality industry workers. Moreover, the authors found the boundary condition role of work-social support. The relationships between stress and its negative outcomes are weak for the employees receiving high social support at work. Originality/value This study calls for researchers’ attention towards the issues of occupational stress focussing on the implications of work-social support for front-line hospitality industry employees.

The fast-growing phenomenon of electronic banking (e-banking) has taken the world by surprise, and despite its proliferation across the globe, its acceptance has not been too encouraging, especially in the rural areas of the developing countries. This study revolves around this very key issue of e-banking acceptance in the rural areas of Pakistan by employing a comprehensive framework of Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), called a unified model by Venkatesh, Morris, Davis, and Davis (2003). This paper extends the unified model through personality openness and investigates the moderation of trust between behavioral intentions and usage behavior. Using a survey-based questionnaire, data were collected from the customers of rural areas of Pakistan. The authors obtained 434 valid responses from universities’ students having a rural background and resultantly analyzed through structural equation modeling with Smart-PLS. Our results reveal that performance expectancy, social influence, and effort expectancy have significant and positive impact on behavioral intentions of rural customers in Pakistan. Moreover, we find that personality openness significantly shapes behavioral intentions and trust on the internet moderates between customers’ intentions and their usage of e-banking. The study broadens the understanding of e-banking in rural areas which might help future researchers and regulators to know and enhance their policy formulation.

PurposeKnowledge sharing (KS) has been consistently acknowledged as a critical factor in the organizational development and the betterment of employees. The purpose of this paper is to extend previous empirical research on KS by testing psychological ownership as an underlying mechanism between the relationship of organizational justice (OJ) and KS behavior in developing country context. The authors also examine the moderating role of perceived organizational support (POS) between psychological ownership and KS behavior.Design/methodology/approachUsing a survey questionnaire, data from 348 employees of multinational corporations in Pakistan were used to test the research hypotheses.FindingsThe results of this research reveal that dimensions of OJ (procedural, distributive and interactional justice) positively influence psychological ownership. In addition, psychological ownership is found as an underlying psychological mechanism between the relationship of OJ and KS behavior. The results also indicate that a higher level of POS strengthens the relationship between psychological ownership and KS behavior.Practical implicationsOrganizations can enhance employees’ sense of psychological ownership by providing them fairness in procedures and resources. Moreover, management can create a perception of equality among the employees which subsequently helps employees engage in sharing their valuable knowledge with their team members and other workers in the organization.Originality/valueThis research suggests that psychological ownership and POS are important factors which influence the relationship between OJ and KS behavior and it empirically tests this model in a developing country context.

Biodiversity refers to all the type of species in one geographical region or ecosystem. It consists of plants, animals, bacteria, and other life forms. As an estimate, around 1.7 million species are on record globally and approximately 15,000–18,000 new species are added each year. Global climate change is accelerating species extinction due to habitat destruction. Further, various abiotic and biotic environmental factors are limiting the pattern of biodiversity in a geographical region. A change in species category from endangered to extinction occurs due to their physiological, morphological, and life history pattern, which limits them to a specific niche. Biodiversity is very important for energy production and flow, bioremediation, and biogeochemical cycling of nutrients in terrestrial to aquatic ecosystems and vice versa. It is further required for human existence in the form of food, fibers, medicines, and biological control. Therefore, consistent monitoring, assessment, and conservation of ecological habitats and diversity of flora and fauna of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems is the need of the hour. In this article, we are presenting an assessment based upon the literature survey on the biodiversity of Tabuk region of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A comprehensive study on the biodiversity of plants, animals and microorganisms of the Tabuk region (Tabuk city, Tayma, Haql, Sharma, Duba, Al Wajh and Umluj, Al Zetah, Al Beda’a, etc.) are included in this review. This study will be a landmark as it is conducted at the inception of NEOM project in Tabuk region. It will help the authorities to enhance the native green cover, decrease desertification, regenerate biodiversity in natural environments, and advance the quality of life, to achieve the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative and VISION 2030. However, studies and investigations on Tabuk biodiversity are still limited and need further exploration. Recently, a joint work between King Salman Royal Natural Reserve (KSRNR) and Department of Biology of University of Tabuk is underway to monitor the baseline data of flora and fauna of this region.

Ascertaining the impact of research is significant for the research community and academia of all disciplines. The only prevalent measure associated with the quantification of research quality is the citation-count. Although a number of citations play a significant role in academic research, sometimes citations can be biased or made to discuss only the weaknesses and shortcomings of the research. By considering the sentiment of citations and recognizing patterns in text can aid in understanding the opinion of the peer research community and will also help in quantifying the quality of research articles. Efficient feature representation combined with machine learning classifiers has yielded significant improvement in text classification. However, the effectiveness of such combinations has not been analyzed for citation sentiment analysis. This study aims to investigate pattern recognition using machine learning models in combination with frequency-based and prediction-based feature representation techniques with and without using Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE) on publicly available citation sentiment dataset. Sentiment of citation instances are classified into positive, negative or neutral. Results indicate that the Extra tree classifier in combination with Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency achieved 98.26% accuracy on the SMOTE-balanced dataset.

This article describes how physicians in developing countries spend much time and effort in handling manual prescriptions, which can be easily reduced with the help of online technology. Although different theoretical models for technology acceptance have been thoroughly explored, there is as yet sparse literature regarding its use in the context of healthcare in developing countries, especially with innovative models. To this end, this article uses an integrative model of Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) extended by perceived credibility to better understand the acceptance of e-prescribing among physicians in a developing Asian country. In addition, the article uses perceived organizational support as a moderator between behavioral intentions and usage of technology. Using a survey method, the article collects data from 295 physicians in the capital city of Pakistan and analyzes the data through structural equation modeling (SEM) to evaluate relationships among the identified constructs. The authors' results supply empirical evidence that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, facilitating conditions, social influence, and perceived credibility all have a positive and significant impact on physicians' behavioral intentions to adopt e-prescribing. The article also concludes that the higher the perceived organizational support, the higher the use of e-prescribing. The study enriches theory and practice by giving implications for both academicians and practitioners.

Online stock trading (OST) is a growing phenomenon across countries, yet there is a sparse literature focusing on the negative utilities (risks) that causing the low adoption. Drawing from perceived risk theory, this article attempts to fill the gap by identifying the influential risk factors that impede the acceptance of OST in a developing country, Pakistan. The study also applies the Hofstede cultural theory to ascertain the effects of cultural moderators on investors' usage behavior (UB). Based on structured questionnaire, 443 valid responses were received from current and potential investors. The model was tested using structural equation modeling through Smart-PLS. The results validate a negative and significant relationship between risk dimensions and investors' behavioral intentions (BI) to use OST. Especially time, financial, performance, privacy and opportunity cost risks are found having a negative impact on investors' BI. Moreover, the study finds that cultural dimensions, collectivism, and uncertainty avoidance, moderate the relationship between BI and UB.

The massive growth in digital devices and communication has spotlighted the wisdom of doing financial transactions through online banking. In developing Asian economies, online banking technology can strengthen financial systems by developing a solid connection between financial institutions and the local populace. Technology acceptance studies are under-researched in this region, especially with innovative models. Filling the gap, this paper uses a comprehensive model of extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2), moderated by cultural variables. This will provide new insights into the determinants of technology acceptance by considering cultural effects on individual customers. The authors analyzed the model through structural equation modeling. The results validated performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, habit, perceived security, and price value as important antecedents of behavioral intentions. The cultural dimensions, collectivism, and uncertainty avoidance were found to be significant moderators in explaining behavioral intention and usage behavior for online banking.

Noni (Morindacitrifolia L.), a tropical, medicinal plant of the family Rubiaceae utilized since 2000 y ago by the Polynesians, is currently facing a major challenge in production vis-a-vis climate ...

Nano-titanium dioxide (nTiO2) has been reported to improve tolerance of plants against different environmental stresses by modulating various physiological and biochemical processes. Nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to act as an important stress signaling molecule during plant responses to abiotic stresses. The present work was planned to investigate the involvement of endogenous NO in nTiO2-induced activation of defense system of fava bean (Vicia faba L.) plants under water-deficit stress (WDS) conditions. Water-suffered plants showed increased concentration of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide (O2 −) content coupled with increased electrolyte leakage and lipid peroxidation which adversely affected nitrate reductase (NR) activity, chlorophyll content and growth of the plants. However, application of 15 mg L−1 nTiO2 to stressed plants significantly induced NR activity and synthesis of NO which elevated enzymatic and non-enzymatic defense system of the stressed plants and suppressed the generation of H2O2 and O2 − content, leakage of electrolytes, and lipid peroxidation. Application of nTiO2, in association with NO, also enhanced the accumulation of osmolytes (proline and glycine betaine) that assisted the stressed plants in osmotic adjustment as witnessed by improved hydration level of the plants. Involvement of NO in nTiO2-induced activation of defense system was confirmed with NO scavenger cPTIO [2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide] which caused recurrence of WDS.

Somatic embryogenesis (SEG) is one of the best techniques for mass production of economically important plants. It is also used for the study of morphology, anatomy, physiology, genetics and molecular mechanism of embryo development. Somatic Embryos (SE) are bipolar structures that develop from a cell other than a gamete or zygote. SEG reflects the unique developmental potential of plant somatic cells, resulting in the transition of the differentiated somatic cells to embryogenic cells to follow the zygotic embryo stages. There are several biochemical and physiological processes that transformed a single somatic cell to a whole plant. SE studies provide insight into cell mechanisms governing the totipotency process in plants. Previously, in vitro studies have suggested the role of various regulatory genes in embryogenic transition that are triggered by plant hormones in response to stress. The omic studies identify the specific genes, transcripts, and proteins required for somatic embryogenesis development. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, 19-24 nucleotides (nt), non-coding small RNA regulatory molecules controlling a large number of biological processes. In addition to their role in SEG, miRNAs play vital role in plant development, secondary metabolite synthesis and metabolism of macromolecules, hormone signal transduction, and tolerance of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses. During last decade several types of miRNAs involved in SEG have been reported. Among these miRNAs, miR156, miR162, miR166a, miR167, miR168, miR171a/b, miR171c, miR393, miR397 and miR398 played very active role during various stages of SEG. In this review, we highlighted the role of these as well as other miRNAs in some economically important plants.

Climate-warming brown carbon aerosols lose warming capacity during atmospheric transport., Light-absorbing organic aerosols, known as brown carbon (BrC), counteract the overall cooling effect of aerosols on Earth’s climate. The spatial and temporal dynamics of their light-absorbing properties are poorly constrained and unaccounted for in climate models, because of limited ambient observations. We combine carbon isotope forensics (δ13C) with measurements of light absorption in a conceptual aging model to constrain the loss of light absorptivity (i.e., bleaching) of water-soluble BrC (WS-BrC) aerosols in one of the world’s largest BrC emission regions—South Asia. On this regional scale, we find that atmospheric photochemical oxidation reduces the light absorption of WS-BrC by ~84% during transport over 6000 km in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, with an ambient first-order bleaching rate of 0.20 ± 0.05 day−1 during over-ocean transit across Bay of Bengal to an Indian Ocean receptor site. This study facilitates dynamic parameterization of WS-BrC absorption properties, thereby constraining BrC climate impact over South Asia.