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Iron (Fe) is the fourth most abundant element on earth and represents an essential nutrient for life. As a fundamental mineral element for cell growth and development, iron is available for uptake as ferric ions, which are usually oxidized into complex oxyhydroxide polymers, insoluble under aerobic conditions. In these conditions, the bioavailability of iron is dramatically reduced. As a result, microorganisms face problems of iron acquisition, especially under low concentrations of this element. However, some microbes have evolved mechanisms for obtaining ferric irons from the extracellular medium or environment by forming small molecules often regarded as siderophores. Siderophores are high affinity iron-binding molecules produced by a repertoire of proteins found in the cytoplasm of cyanobacteria, bacteria, fungi, and plants. Common groups of siderophores include hydroxamates, catecholates, carboxylates, and hydroximates. The hydroxamate siderophores are commonly synthesized by fungi. L-ornithine is a biosynthetic precursor of siderophores, which is synthesized from multimodular large enzyme complexes through non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs), while siderophore-Fe chelators cell wall mannoproteins (FIT1, FIT2, and FIT3) help the retention of siderophores. S. cerevisiae, for example, can express these proteins in two genetically separate systems (reductive and nonreductive) in the plasma membrane. These proteins can convert Fe (III) into Fe (II) by a ferrous-specific metalloreductase enzyme complex and flavin reductases (FREs). However, regulation of the siderophore through Fur Box protein on the DNA promoter region and its activation or repression depend primarily on the Fe availability in the external medium. Siderophores are essential due to their wide range of applications in biotechnology, medicine, bioremediation of heavy metal polluted environments, biocontrol of plant pathogens, and plant growth enhancement.

Abstract Background Traditional knowledge of indigenous plants is pivotal in developing strategies to feed livestock sustainably in low input systems. Likewise, in Pakistan the indigenous people of Central Punjab have been using their regional grasses as a ruminant fodder for centuries. This study evaluated the indigenous traditional knowledge to ascertain the value of various fodder grasses to optimise their use to feed livestock in Central Punjab. Methods The snowball technique was employed to identify key informants who had relevant knowledge about different grasses in the study area. Semi-structured questionnaires, face-to-face interviews and site visits were used for describing the fodder grasses. The data were then analysed by using relative frequency citation and pairwise comparison methods to determine the order of priority among the listed fodder grasses. Furthermore, SPSS 22 software was used for descriptive statistics and interpretation of associations among studied parameters. Microsoft Excel was used to present data as % values and graphs. Results Overall, 53 grasses were described with ethnobotanical information regarding their uses for fodder, ethnoveterinary and other purposes. All these grasses belonged to the family Poaceae where the subfamily Panicoideae had the maximum number of 30 grasses. We categorized these grasses into high (A), medium (B) and low priority (C) groups where the group A grasses were reported as not only the most abundant but also the most palatable forages to all ruminants. Their higher demand was reflected by the feeding systems of both ad libitum grazing and feeding after cutting and mixing with other feeds. The study also revealed 37 previously unreported ethnoveterinary uses of these grasses. Conclusions The results have reinforced the value of conserving ethnobotanical knowledge, being poorly documented previously, in developing strategies to feed livestock. It indicated the preferred fodder grasses as well as the possible reasons of their preference. The reported data need to be validated for nutritional and health benefits. This information could help the smallholder farmers in association with regional governments to propagate suitable fodder grasses for their use in sustainable livestock feeding to produce safe and healthy food for indigenous communities.

Current study identified endophytic fungi associated to Argania spinosa (argan) roots and revealed diverse haplotype diversity by the sequencing of internal transcribed spacer (ITS). 586 operational taxonomic units were identified and these operational taxonomic units (OTUs) could be assigned to fungal functional diversity such as endophytes, ectomycorrhiza and putative pathogens. Ascomycota phylum was abundant. Beside Ascomycota phylum, Basidiomycota members were also found in argan roots. Geopora, Sebacina, Knufia, Tomentella, Penicillim had high relative abundance. Our results highlighted a non-nested assemblage of fungi. Current non-nested findings also confirm that fungi have similar pattern found in other habitats. Pairwise analysis mirrored segregation pattern between same and different functional fungal group. Fungi in semi-arid conditions are non-randomly structured. Members of Ascomycota phylum had high Z-scores. This is the first molecular study conducted in arid and semi-arid habitats of Algeria aiming to identify fungi associated with roots in argan tree. Given the fact that deserts are among harsh environments and fungi associated to desert plants may have implications for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.

The transformation of nanophotonic sensors from laboratory-based demonstrations to a portable system to ensure widespread applicability in everyday life requires their integration with detectors for direct electrical read out. As complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology has revolutionized the electronics industry, the integration of nanophotonic structures with CMOS technology will also transform the sensing market. However, nanophotonic sensors have to fulfill certain requirements for their integration with CMOS detectors, such as operation in the visible wavelength range, operation in normal incidence configuration, use of CMOS compatible materials, and capability to give large optical intensity change due to resonance wavelength shift. In this paper, we have designed and developed one-dimensional silicon nitride grating structures that satisfy all these conditions simultaneously. The gratings can achieve 1 and 6 nm linewidths for the transverse-electric (TE) and transverse-magnetic (TM) polarizations, respectively, with 90% resonance depth. The experimental linewidth is 8 nm with 55% resonance depth, which is limited by the detector resolution. The experimental sensitivity of the device is 160 nm/refractive index unit (RIU), which translates to a very high intensity sensitivity of 1700%/RIU, which would enable sensing of very small changes in refractive index when integrated with a detector.

We constitute some necessary and sufficient conditions for the system A1X1=C1, X1B1=C2, A2X2=C3, X2B2=C4, A3X1B3+A4X2B4=Cc, to have a solution over the quaternion skew field in this paper. A novel expression of general solution to this system is also established when it has a solution. The least norm of the solution to this system is also researched in this article. Some former consequences can be regarded as particular cases of this article. Finally, we give determinantal representations (analogs of Cramer’s rule) of the least norm solution to the system using row-column noncommutative determinants. An algorithm and numerical examples are given to elaborate our results.

In this study, Al-BiSn composites were synthesized by a combination of microwave sintering and hot extrusion processes. The structural, morphological, mechanical, and thermal properties were investigated to elucidate the role of Bi60Sn40 (BiSn) alloy content (5, 10, and 15 wt.%) in modifying the properties of Al-BiSn composites. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns confirmed the presence of aluminum and BiSn particles. Distribution of BiSn particles in Al-BiSn composites was confirmed by field emission scanning electron microscopy associated with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (FE-SEM-EDX). Results indicated that hot extruded Al-(15 wt.% BiSn) composite exhibits maximum hardness (78 ± 4 Hv) and tensile strength (185 ± 3 MPa), which were 117% and 58% improvements, respectively, compared to pure Al. This improvement in mechanical properties can be attributed to the strengthening effect of BiSn particles. A decline in the values of the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) with an increasing amount of BiSn particles reflects the enhanced thermal stability of developed Al-BiSn composites. The promising properties of Al-BiSn composites make them suitable for many industrial applications.

The current study explored the practices of educational managers to increase teachers’ enthusiasm for the achievement of desired results in work because educational managers and teachers are the important part of educational institutions and without their roles the academic performance cannot be achieved. The present study sought to analyse academic behaviour, personal behaviour, incentives, and contribution of educational managers for the institutional development through teachers’ enthusiasm. It was a descriptive and co-relational study and the data were analysed through descriptive statistics, t-test, Pearson correlation, and regression. A questionnaire was used as a tool of the study which was validated by sending to the panel of experts and the reliability of the instrument was tested on Cronbach’s alpha and Factor analysis. The population of the study was 279 educational managers and 3617 teachers while the sample of the study was 279 (100%) educational managers and 361 (10%) teachers. The sampling was made on census and simple random sampling. The findings of the study revealed that educational managers’ practices towards teachers had weak correlation in motivation, boosting up morale, appreciation, task equal distribution, minimising communication gap, pointing out deficiencies in isolation, respect for teachers, cooperation, realising inner feelings, good conduct of behaviour, creating tension free and relaxed environment, sharing professional knowledge, introducing latest teaching techniques, making teachers energetic and efficient, promoting collegial and cooperative culture, formulating comprehensive school policy, acknowledgement of work contribution, and intervention in the staff duties. It is recommended for the educational managers to promote teachers’ enthusiasm for the achievement of the desired result by enhancing motivation, democratic way of dealing, cooperation, and acknowledgement of their work.

The chemical composition, mineral profile and in vitro fermentation characteristics of maize (MZ), high sugar forage sorghum (HS) and forage sorghum (FS), and silages made from each forage type were measured. The MZ and MZ silage (MZS) had higher crude protein, starch and ether extract contents than both sorghum forages and sorghum silages. HS had higher ash and water-soluble carbohydrate concentrations than FS and MZ. MZ, MZS, HS and HS silage (HSS) had lower neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre and acid detergent lignin than FS and FS silage (FSS). FSS had higher dry matter (DM) and pH than MZS and HSS. HSS contained higher concentrations of P and K than FSS and MZS. MZS and HSS had higher in vitro dry matter and organic matter digestibility, CH4 production, total volatile fatty acids, acetate and propionate than FSS. pH was higher for FSS than for HSS, and ammonia was lower for HSS than for MZS and FSS. HSS had higher gas production than MZS and FSS after 2, 4, 6 and 8 h incubation. MZS had higher gas production than HSS and FSS after 26 and 28 h of incubation. The results indicate that HS may substitute for MZ to make good quality silage. However, animal studies are needed to assess the acceptability and feeding values of HSS vs. MZS for ruminant production.

Metals bioaccumulation in five organs of Cirrhinus mrigala, Labeo rohita and Catla catla captured from three industrial and sewage polluted downstream sites (Shahdera = B, Sunder = C and Balloki = D) were compared with a non-industrial upstream site (Siphon = A) during high (post monsoon) and low (winter) flow seasons of river Ravi. Mean concentrations of metals were significantly higher in low flow than the high flow season. Pattern of metal accumulation in the studied organs was: Zn > Fe > Mn > Cu > Cr > Pb > Ni > Hg > Cd. Kidneys showed mostly greater metal bioaccumulation than intestines, hearts, eyes and gills. Among fish species, the highest concentrations (µg/g dry weight) of Cr (3.77), Zn (56.22), Mn (8.95), Ni (1.70) and Hg (1.60) and lowest of Pb (2.53) were detected in C. mrigala whereas Cu (7.19), Fe (62.11) and Pb (2.64) appeared higher while Zn (52.69), Mn (7.82) and Ni (1.41) with lowest concentrations in C. catla. In contrast, lower concentrations of Cd (0.15), Cr (3.16), Cu (7.06) and Fe (54.18) were recorded in L. rohita. Accumulation of the metals was significantly different in organs among the different sampling sites. Based on metals accumulation pattern, second downstream site (Sunder) identified as the most polluted site due to untreated industrial and municipal discharges. Measured elevated levels of metals concentrations in fish organs indicated potential health risks for the fish and the food chain.

Towards realizing highly integrable low-energy optical modulators, the small device capacitance (C) as well as the low driving voltage (Vpp) is demanded for suppressing the charging energy during the dynamic operation. Although an electro-absorption modulator (EAM) has great potential in reducing them, the additional energy associated with the photocurrent flow will limit the lower-bound of the consumption energy. In this work, a broadband EAM based on an InGaAsP-embedded photonic crystal waveguide is demonstrated, revealing a high modulation bit rate of up to 56 Gbit/s. The air-bridge structure and a device length of 100 μm or less result in a small C ≤ 13 fF while operating with Vpp < 1 V. Particularly, the operation in low reverse voltage for a p-i-n junction, that is, −0.2 V as the minimum value in this study, works effective for the reduction of energy involving the photocurrent. This results in the total electrical energy consumption of

In current study polyaniline filled polypropylene (PP/PAni) conductive composites were prepared by a novel premixing technique followed by melt mixing. The PP/PAni composites were also compatibilized by addition of polypropylene grafted maleic anhydride. Polyaniline was prepared by using ammonium per sulphate and ferric chloride as single oxidants. Effects of oxidizing agents (of polyaniline) on composites were studied by morphological, electrical and mechanical properties on composites. FTIR analysis was also carried out to study the nature of interactions and possible bonding between polyaniline and polypropylene matrix. Thermal analysis was carried out to study the thermal stability of composites. Morphological analysis revealed that the proposed premixing technique was quite successful in depositing polyaniline to polypropylene matrix. This analysis was also supported by the results of electrical conductivity where formation of conductive pathways were observed by addition of polyaniline thus converting insulating nature of polypropylene to a semiconducting one.

In this article, we consider representations of the Drazin inverse of a modified matrix M = A−CDdB with the generalized Schur complement Z = D − BAdC under different conditions given in recent articles on the subject. Numerical example is given to illustrate our result.

A range of nanophotonic sensors composed of different materials and device configurations have been developed over the past two decades. These sensors have achieved high performance in terms of sensitivity and detection limit. The size of onchip nanophotonic sensors is also small and they are regarded as a strong candidate to provide the next generation sensors for a range of applications including chemical and biosensing for point-of-care diagnostics. However, the apparatus used to perform measurements of nanophotonic sensor chips is bulky, expensive and requires experts to operate them. Thus, although integrated nanophotonic sensors have shown high performance and are compact themselves their practical applications are limited by the lack of a compact readout system required for their measurements. To achieve the aim of using nanophotonic sensors in daily life it is important to develop nanophotonic sensors which are not only themselves small, but their readout system is also portable, compact and easy to operate. Recognizing the need to develop compact readout systems for onchip nanophotonic sensors, different groups around the globe have started to put efforts in this direction. This review article discusses different works carried out to develop integrated nanophotonic sensors with compact readout systems, which are divided into two categories; onchip nanophotonic sensors with monolithically integrated readout and onchip nanophotonic sensors with separate but compact readout systems.

In this article, we generalize some norms inequalities for sums, differences, and products of absolute value operators. Our results based on Minkowski type inequalities and generalized forms of the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality. Some other related inequalities are also discussed.

Depression is recognized as the most common psychiatric problem in patients with end-stage renal disease. Stress negatively affects the quality of life of not only the patients on hemodialysis but also their caregivers. The objective of this study was to measure and compare the frequency of depression in these patients and their attendants, and to assess the associated risk factors in both groups. A cross-sectional study was conducted at our hemodialysis unit from June to September 2009. A total of 180 patients and 180 caregivers were enrolled and the Beck′s Depression Inventory (BDI-II) questionnaire was administered. Of the 360 respondents, 201 (55.8%) were males and 264 (73.3) were married. According to the BDI scoring, 135 (75%) of the patients and 60 (33.4%) of the attendants were found to be moderately to severely depressed. Marriage (OR 1.817), low income status (OR 1.757) and unemployment (OR 4.176) correlated with increased depression grade, while gender and education level did not. Anemia was the only co-morbidity showing positive association with depression scores in the patients′ group (P = 0.023). We conclude that the majority of the patients undergoing dialysis were depressed and were twice more likely to be depressed than their caregivers. In both groups, marriage and unemployment were associated with increased depressive symptoms, while household income showed negative association with depression. Gender and education level were not related to the depression scores.

Forages are essential for the successful operation of animal production systems. This is more relevant to ruminants which are heavily dependant upon forages for their health and production in a cost-effective and sustainable manner. While forages are an economical source of nutrients for animal production, they also help conserve the soil integrity, water supply and air quality. Although the role of these forages for animal production could vary depending upon the regional preferences for the animal and forage species, climate and resources, their importance in the success of ruminant production is acknowledged. However with the increasing global human population and urbanisation, the sustainability of forage based animal production systems is sometimes questioned due to the interrelationship between animal production and the environment. It is therefore vital to examine the suitability of these systems for their place in the future to supply quality food which is safe for human consumption and available at a competitive price to the growing human population. Grassland and forage crops are recognised for their contribution to the environment, recreation and efficiency of meat and milk production,. To maintain sustainability, it is crucial that such farming systems remain profitable and environmentally friendly while producing nutritious foods of high economical value. Thus, it is pertinent to improve the nutritive value of grasses and other forage plants in order to enhance animal production to obtain quality food. It is also vital to develop new forages which are efficiently utilised and wasted less by involving efficient animals. A combination of forage legumes, fresh or conserved grasses, crop residues and other feeds could help develop an animal production system which is economically efficient, beneficial and viable. Also, it is crucial to use efficient animals, improved forage conservation methods, better manure handling, and minimum fertilisers to maximise animal production without damaging the environment. The sensible use of supplements and herbal additives as the desirable alternatives to the conventional growth promoters could also help optimise the ruminant production. This paper examines the opportunities and obstacles which may affect the development of more desirable and sustainable animal production systems for the future.

A three days old cross bred cow calf affected with recto-vaginal fistula along with atresia ani and fusion of vulvular lips was presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Jhang. Emergency surgery was done after the infiltration of local anesthesia at the approximated site of anus. Blind rectal pouch was incised to suture it with the skin by using black breaded silk #1. A 3 inches long incision was made at the site of vulvular fusion to restore the normal genitalia. After exposing the defective site, 4 inches long slit causing direct communication between rectum and vagina (Recto-vaginal fistula) was obliterated with chromic cat gut # 1. Having washed with normal saline, Neomycine Sulphate ointment was smeared twice a day at the newly constructed anal opening for two weeks. A course of antibiotic consisting of penicillin and streptomycin was administered intramuscularly for five days. The sutures were removed on 14th post-operative day. Animal was recovered uneventfully without recurrence of any defect up to follow up of 2 months.

The transdermal route is considered an efficacious and innovative route in drug delivery and is attaining the consideration of pharmaceutical scientists for the last two decades. For a successful transdermal drug delivery system (TDDS), a drug must infiltrate through the skin to underlying tissues and circulation without any drug accumulation in skin layers. The passage of therapeutic quantities of drug substances through skin into the general circulation for their systemic effects is facilitated by TDDS. Major problem that TDDS faces is dermal barrier. Attempts have been made to overcome this barrier to facilitate the passage of drug through skin for its therapeutic effect. This review aims to present the analysis of published research work to investigate the permeation of various drugs through skin port using different permeation enhancers.

Thin films composites of poly(ethylene oxide)-graphene oxide were fabricated with and without lithium salts by solvent cast method. The ionic conductivity of these composites was studied at various concentrations of salt polymer-GO complexes and at different temperatures. The effects of temperature and graphene oxide concentration were measured from Arrhenius conductance plots. It is shown that the addition of salts in pure PEO increases conductance many times. The graphene oxide addition has enhanced the conductance approximately 1000 times as compared to that of pure PEO. The activation energies were determined for all the systems which gave higher values for pure PEO and the value decreased with the addition of LiClO4 and LiCl salts and further decreases with the addition of graphene oxide. The composite has also lowered the activation energy values which mean that incorporation of GO in PEO has decreased crystallinity and the amorphous region has increased the local mobility of polymer chains resulting in lower activation energies. SEM analysis shows uniform distribution of GO in polymer matrix. The thermal stability studies reveal that incorporation of GO has somewhat enhanced the thermal stability of the films.

Chemerin is a novel protein linked to adipocyte differentiation and the development of metabolic imbalances. We sought to examine the relationship of chemerin with metabolic syndrome disturbances including body fat percentage, serum lipid, glucose, insulin levels and body fat percentage in lean and obese volunteers. A cross-sectional study of 90 randomly selected healthy males from Pakistan were divided into three groups as per Body Mass Index (BMI) criteria for South Asian Population. Anthropometric measurements were taken for BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference and body fat percentage, while serum analyses were performed for fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, fasting lipid profile and serum chemerin. Associations between serum chemerin levels and body fat and other metabolic syndrome parameters were performed using ANOVA and multiple regression analyses. Data was presented as Mean±SD. In all statistical analyses p-values

We give a formula of (P+Q)D under the conditions P2Q+QPQ=0, P3Q=0, and PQPQ=0. Then, we apply it to give some expressions for the Drazin inverse of block matrix M=(ABCD) (A and D are square matrices) under some conditions, generalizing some recent results in the literature. Finally, numerical examples are given to illustrate our results.

Raman scattering investigations based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to explore the vibrational modes of wurtzite structured CdS nanoparticles (NPs). The calculations were performed to obtain the Raman spectra for the CdS containing 2, 4, 8 and 12 atoms to study the size dependence. Several vibrational modes indicating stretching and bending features related to Cd and S atoms were observed. Modifications of the frequency and intensity of different Raman modes with an increase in number of atoms in NPs are discussed in detail. It is found that the frequency of the CdS symmetric stretching mode of vibration shows a consistent red shift and that of CdS anti‐symmetric stretching shows a consistent blue shift with the increase in the number of atoms. Hydrogen atoms were added in order to make the closed shell configuration and saturate the NPs as per the requisite for calculating the Raman spectra. This produced some additional modes of vibration related to hydrogen atoms. The SH stretching mode showed a consistent red shift and the CdH stretching mode showed a consistent blue shift with an increase in the number of atoms in NPs. The results generated are found to be in close agreement with the literature. The observed red shift in different modes is assigned to stimulated Raman stretching and blue shift is ascribed to the coherent anti‐stokes Raman scattering.

In this paper, the deconvolution of Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) data into the Distribution of Relaxation Times (DRTs) is employed to provide a detailed examination of degradation mechanisms in lithium-ion batteries. Using an nth RC model with Gaussian functions, this study achieves enhanced separation of overlapping electrochemical processes where Gaussian functions yield smoother transitions and clearer peak identification than conventional piecewise linear functions. The advantages of employing Tikhonov Regularization (TR) with Gaussian functions over Maximum Entropy (ME) and FFT methods are highlighted as this approach provides superior noise resilience, unbiased analysis, and enhanced resolution of critical features. This approach is applied to LIB cell data to identify characteristic peaks of the DRT plot and evaluate their correlation with battery degradation. By observing how these peaks evolve through cycles of battery aging, insights into specific aging mechanisms and performance decline are obtained. This study combines experimental measurements with DRT peak analysis to characterize the impedance distribution within LIBs which enables accelerated detection of degradation pathways and enhances the predictive accuracy for battery life and reliability. This analysis contributes to a refined understanding of LIB degradation behavior, supporting the development of advanced battery management systems designed to improve safety, optimize battery performance, and extend the operational lifespan of LIBs for various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1997, during the 41st session of the Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean, the 21 countries in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) (1) adopted a resolution to eliminate [...]