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Hybrid flow shop scheduling (HFS) has been thoroughly studied due to its significant impact on productivity. Besides the impact on productivity, the abovementioned problem has attracted researchers from different background because of its difficulty in obtaining the most optimum solution. HFS complexity provides good opportunity for researcher to propose an efficient optimization method for the said problem. Recently, research in HFS has moved towards sustainability by considering energy utilization in the study. Consequently, the problem becomes more difficult to be solved via existing approach. This paper modeled and optimized HFS with energy consumption using Tiki-Taka Algorithm (TTA). TTA is a novel algorithm inspired by football playing style that focuses on short passing and player positioning. In different with existing metaheuristics, the TTA collected information from nearby solution and utilized multiple leaders’ concept in the algorithm. The research began with problem modeling, followed by TTA algorithm formulation. A computational experiment is then conducted using benchmark problems. Then, a case study problem is presented to assess the applicability of model and algorithm in real-life problems. The results indicated that the TTA consistently was in the first and second ranks in all benchmark problems. In addition, the case study results confirmed that TTA is able to search the best fitness solution by compromising the makespan and total energy utilization in the production schedule. In future, the potential of TTA will be further investigated for flexible hybrid flow shop scheduling problems.

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) is a non-destructive and rapid meat analytical technique. Since meat has high proton content, the quality of fresh meat can be assessed by exciting proton spin using NMR laboratory apparatus. NMR allows the assessment of intrinsic properties including animal development stages and muscle type, as well as extrinsic factors including processing and storage conditions that affect the technological traits of meat. It can be used to determine the water-holding capacity of meat, water distribution in muscles, meat authentication, fat content, post mortem aging, rigor mortis, and changes in metabolomes, among others. Changes in NMR relaxation times are associated with the changes in muscle components and their distribution as affected by various processing conditions. Since, industrial assessment is now demanding rapidity and real-time assessment, it is therefore essential to evaluate the potential of NMR in contrast to other techniques. Therefore, this review article presents the principle of working of NMR, various methods available, quality traits of meat that can be evaluated using this technique, and a brief history. This review article will help the industry to adopt novel NMR-based meat quality assessment tools for rapid quality determinations.

Abstract Background Mucormycosis is a serious fungal infection associated with uncontrolled diabetes and immunocompromised patients. This angioinvasive infection emerged as a post‐covid complication worldwide especially in developing countries. Due to the common socio‐demographic status of South Asian countries, we expected a surge in mucormycosis cases in Pakistan. This study aims to observe the frequency and survival of Covid associated mucormycosis patients at tertiary care hospitals in Pakistan during the third wave of Covid‐19 in 2021. Materials and Methods In this retrospective study, we collected the data of clinically and histopathologically confirmed cases of rhino‐occipito‐cerebral mucormycosis from three tertiary care hospitals of Lahore. These cases were analysed for history of Covid‐19 and other associated comorbidities using SPSS28. History of steroid medication was also taken. Data were retrieved from May to July 2021 after the approval from the ethical review board. Results Out of the total 43 reported patients of mucormycosis in the set time frame only 22 cases had a history of Covid‐19. The mean age was 50 ± 13.27 years with slight male predilection (60%). Diabetes mellitus was the most common comorbidity (88.4%) and all the patients with covid associated mucormycosis (CAM) had taken corticosteroid regimen for covid management (p

Urban development including water and sanitation infrastructure is critical for mental health. Lack of access to water supply and sanitation can provoke unrest and conflict among the households. However, extant literature has not paid much attention to such association. This study uncovers the impact of improved access to safe drinking water and sanitation on the subjective wellbeing of men and women of the same households in the most populous province, Punjab, of Pakistan. The study extracted data from the latest multiple indicator cluster survey of Punjab and employed a two-level mixed effects logistic regression method due to data hierarchy. The results revealed a positive relationship between piped and bottled water access with the subjective wellbeing of adult men (OR=1.113 and OR=1.274, respectively) and women (OR=1.092 and OR=1.416, respectively). However, improved sanitation was found to have a positive association with the subjective wellbeing of just women (OR=1.169), implying that poor sanitation infrastructure is a particular source of mental stress for women. Improved sanitation was associated with higher self-reported life satisfaction among both men and women (OR=1.194 and OR=1.156 respectively). Our findings provide avenues for policymakers to intervene to improve household water and sanitation infrastructure, which has far-reaching impacts on the life satisfaction.

In general, instructional materials can motivate students to learn more effectively. With that in mind, the goal of this project is to improve the current learning about office furniture and equipment. With only 4 hours to cover the syllabus, lecturers frequently struggle to cover it. The use of PowerPoint slides is regarded as time-consuming. Students' understanding of this subject is also hampered by the fact that they cannot actually observe office furniture and equipment in class. As a result, iMoFE@tree is recommended to help lecturers and students master the topic. The idea of putting all educational content (infographics, case studies, augmented reality, and data studio) on one page not only demonstrates the project's uniqueness, but it also supports lecturers' engagement and improves students' experience. iMoFE@tree can also help office staff and executives in both public and private organizations who are in charge of managing their office furniture and equipment.

Small N-heterocyclic molecules are important scaffolds in the pharmaceutical industry and most FDA-approved drugs are nitrogen-containing heterocycles. Chemists try to employ iron-based catalysts for organic transformations due to their abundance, economic, easily accessible and environment-friendly behaviour. N-heterocycles are synthesized by the cyclization reactions. This review covered the synthesis of N-heterocycles by employing iron-based catalysts via intermolecular or intramolecular cyclizations.

COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected Pakistan with 1,557,134 cases as of August 4, 2022. However, the data regarding breakthrough infections in Pakistan is scant. Hence, the objective was to analyze SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections with respect to vaccines and variants during the fifth wave in Pakistan. Therefore, the Department of Virology (NIH, Pakistan) genotyped 2,467 randomly selected individuals between November 2021 and February 2022 using the SNPsig® SARS-CoV-2 (EscapePLEX) kit (PrimerDesign, UK). P681R and K417N mutations were used to distinguish delta and omicron. Data on the patient's age, gender, date of collection, variant, and vaccination status were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Among 2,467 genotyped samples, Omicron was detected in 58.6% (n = 1445), Delta in 40.4% (n = 998) and undetermined/wildtype variant in 24 samples. The vaccination status of omicron-positive patients showed (49.7%; n = 718/1445) and Delta-positive patients (39.67%; n = 396/998) to be fully vaccinated. Of note, a high percentage 85% of breakthrough cases (n = 947) were identified among fully vaccinated individuals (n = 1114). Among them, 85.9% (n = 617/718) belonged to omicron and 83.3% (n = 330/396) to delta. Moreover, 76.7% (n = 855) of vaccinated individuals (n = 1114) received Sinopharm (n = 432) and Sinovac (n = 423) vaccines. The majority of breakthrough subjects who contracted Omicron were vaccinated with Sinopharm (93.0%, n = 256) and delta with Cansino (100%, n = 44). Individuals vaccinated with Sinovac showed the most frequent breakthrough cases for both Omicron and Delta variant between the 4th and 6th months (n = 278) after primary vaccination as compared to the 7th to 9th months (n = 24) category. While in case of Sinopharm, maximum breakthrough cases occurred between 7th to 9th months (n = 234) as compared to the 4th to 6th months (n = 120) after primary vaccination. Omicron and Delta breakthrough cases in men (n = 364 and 193) are more frequently seen than women (n = 253 and 138) respectively and breakthrough majority cases (n = 392) occurred in individuals aged 18–33 years. Breakthrough cases limiting monitoring in Pakistan impose a substantial constraint on policymakers' ability to take timely effective decisions. Since the current study consists of only a 2,467-genotyped sample, comprehensive data should be analyzed.

Plant microbiome (or phytomicrobiome) engineering (PME) is an anticipated untapped alternative strategy that could be exploited for plant growth, health and productivity under different environmental conditions. It has been proven that the phytomicrobiome has crucial contributions to plant health, pathogen control and tolerance under drastic environmental (a)biotic constraints. Consistent with plant health and safety, in this article we address the fundamental role of plant microbiome and its insights in plant health and productivity. We also explore the potential of plant microbiome under environmental restrictions and the proposition of improving microbial functions that can be supportive for better plant growth and production. Understanding the crucial role of plant associated microbial communities, we propose how the associated microbial actions could be enhanced to improve plant growth-promoting mechanisms, with a particular emphasis on plant beneficial fungi. Additionally, we suggest the possible plant strategies to adapt to a harsh environment by manipulating plant microbiomes. However, our current understanding of the microbiome is still in its infancy, and the major perturbations, such as anthropocentric actions, are not fully understood. Therefore, this work highlights the importance of manipulating the beneficial plant microbiome to create more sustainable agriculture, particularly under different environmental stressors.

Abstract Embedding piezoelectric nanowires within a soft elastomer material should provide a superior pressure sensing transducer, exploiting the piezoelectric properties of the nanowire material while maintaining flexibility. Here, a flexible sensor has been fabricated on a Kapton substrate and has incorporated a layer of polydimethylsiloxane with embedded zinc oxide nanowires as the pressure sensing mechanism. In response to applied compressive pressure up to 127 kPa, the device has generated a voltage, between electrodes on either side of the nanowire/polydimethylsiloxane layer, with a sensitivity of 23.6 mV/kPa, which is 100 times greater than previously reported zinc oxide nanostructure‐based flexible sensors.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder affecting millions of people worldwide and causes serious complications such as diabetic nephropathy. Curcumin, a natural polyphenol derived from turmeric, has demonstrated antidiabetic, anti‐inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying curcumin's anti‐diabetic effects remain incompletely understood. This study employed network pharmacology, molecular docking, and simulation techniques to explore the potential targets, and key pathways of curcumin in the treatment of diabetes. Using SwissTarget prediction and Superpred databases, we predicted the molecular targets for curcumin, while diabetes‐associated genes were obtained from DisGeNet. We identified 60 common targets for curcumin in diabetes. Protein‐protein interaction (PPI) analysis revealed three sub‐networks and ten hub genes with AKT1, TNF‐α, EGFR, and STAT3 identified as key hub genes that could serve as potential biomarkers. Gene enrichment analysis indicated that these genes primarily regulate insulin resistance and other metabolic pathways. Quantum‐polarized ligand docking (QPLD) showed that curcumin establishes multiple hydrogen and hydrophobic interactions with the essential amino acids of these hub targets. Molecular simulation results demonstrated stable dynamic behavior, a compact structure, and variations in residue flexibility. Binding free energy calculations using MM/GBSA and MM/PBSA methods validate curcumin's strong binding to the potential targets. Total binding free energy using MM/GBSA ranged from −21.35 to −30.94 kcal/mol while MM/PBSA calculations showed total binding free energy values between −19.80 and −26.66 kcal/mol. Altogether, this study provides valuable insights into the molecular targets of curcumin in diabetes and lays the foundation for future advancements in diabetes treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanotechnology has a wide range of applications. Nanotechnology refers to the particle in nanoscale used to improve agricultural productivity and to encounter the unsolved problems conventionally. Nanostructured formulation through mechanisms, such as targeted delivery or slow/controlled release mechanisms as well as conditional release, could release their active ingredients in response to the environmental conditions and biological demands more precisely. Nanotechnology has a great potential for achieving sustainable agriculture, especially in developing countries. Salinity is among the major abiotic stresses which limits the yield and quality of global crops. Zinc (Zn) is a vital micronutrient that is mandatory for the ideal growth of plants and has proved to reduce the hazardous effects of salt stress. To counter the salinity problem, a pot experiment was conducted at wire house of the Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences (ISES), University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan, to observe the effects of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) on wheat variety “Gemmieza” imported from Egypt under salt stress. Notably, 10 dS m–1 salinity was developed artificially, and different doses of Zn conventional fertilizer and ZnO NPs were applied to potted wheat. ZnO NPs (0.12 g pot–1) significantly increased the physical parameters of wheat compared to control under salt stress. Application of ZnO NPs (0.12 g pot–1) significantly increased chlorophyll A and B contents by 24.6 and 10%, plant height at vegetative and maturity stages by 34.6 and 37.4%, shoot and spike lengths by 30.7 and 27.6%, root fresh and dry weights by 74.5 and 63.1%, and wheat grain yield by 42.2%, respectively. ZnO NPs performed better compared to Zn conventional fertilizer under salt stress and could be used in place of Zn conventional fertilizer in salt-affected soils for attaining better crop production.

Soil salinity is the major abiotic stress that disrupts nutrient uptake, hinders plant growth, and threatens agricultural production. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are the most promising eco-friendly beneficial microorganisms that can be used to improve plant responses against biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, a previously identified B. thuringiensis PM25 showed tolerance to salinity stress up to 3 M NaCl. The Halo-tolerant Bacillus thuringiensis PM25 demonstrated distinct salinity tolerance and enhance plant growth-promoting activities under salinity stress. Antibiotic-resistant Iturin C (ItuC) and bio-surfactant-producing (sfp and srfAA) genes that confer biotic and abiotic stresses were also amplified in B. thuringiensis PM25. Under salinity stress, the physiological and molecular processes were followed by the over-expression of stress-related genes (APX and SOD) in B. thuringiensis PM25. The results detected that B. thuringiensis PM25 inoculation substantially improved phenotypic traits, chlorophyll content, radical scavenging capability, and relative water content under salinity stress. Under salinity stress, the inoculation of B. thuringiensis PM25 significantly increased antioxidant enzyme levels in inoculated maize as compared to uninoculated plants. In addition, B. thuringiensis PM25-inoculation dramatically increased soluble sugars, proteins, total phenols, and flavonoids in maize as compared to uninoculated plants. The inoculation of B. thuringiensis PM25 significantly reduced oxidative burst in inoculated maize under salinity stress, compared to uninoculated plants. Furthermore, B. thuringiensis PM25-inoculated plants had higher levels of compatible solutes than uninoculated controls. The current results demonstrated that B. thuringiensis PM25 plays an important role in reducing salinity stress by influencing antioxidant defense systems and abiotic stress-related genes. These findings also suggest that multi-stress tolerant B. thuringiensis PM25 could enhance plant growth by mitigating salt stress, which might be used as an innovative tool for enhancing plant yield and productivity.

Introduction Male circumcision is one of the most common surgical procedures performed, with an estimated 38.7% of males circumcised worldwide. (1) Given an annual global birth rate of 70 million [...], Objective To retrospectively review outcomes of a health provider-led infant circumcision programme in Pakistan. Methods Based on World Health Organization guidelines, we trained surgical technicians and midwives to perform circumcisions using the Plastibell device at two Indus Health Network facilities. Programme tools include a training manual for health providers, information brochures for families, an enrolment form and standardized forms for documenting details of the procedure and outcomes. Infants aged 1-92 days were eligible for the study. Health workers contacted families on days 1 and 7 after the procedure to record any adverse events. We compared the characteristics of infants experiencing adverse events with infants facing no complications using multivariate logistic regression. Findings Between August 2016 and August 2018, 2822 circumcised male infants with mean age 22.8 days were eligible for the study. Of these, 2617 infants (92.7%) were followed up by telephone interviews of caretakers. Older infants were more likely to experience adverse events than infants circumcised between 1-30 days of age: 31-60 days: adjusted odds ratio, aOR: 2.03; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.31-3.15; 61-92 days: aOR: 2.14; 95% CI: 1.13-4.05. Minor adverse events (100 infants; 3.8%) included failure of the bell to shed (90 infants) and minimal bleeding (10 infants). Major adverse events (eight infants; 0.3%) included bleeding that required intervention (four infants), infection (three infants) and skin tear (one infant). Conclusion Standardized training protocols and close monitoring enabled nonphysician health providers to perform safe circumcisions on infants aged three months or younger. Objectif Proceder a un examen retrospectif des resultats d'un programme de circoncision des nourrissons mene par des professionnels de sante au Pakistan. Methodes En nous fondant sur les directives de l'OMS, nous avons forme des techniciens en chirurgie et des sages-femmes afin qu'ils puissent operer des circoncisions a l'aide du dispositif Plastibell dans deux etablissements Indus Health Network. Les outils du programme comprennent un manuel de formation destine aux professionnels de sante, des brochures d'information pour les familles, un formulaire d'inscription ainsi que des formulaires standardises pour documenter les details et resultats de la procedure. Seuls les nourrissons ages de 1 a 92 jours ont ete pris en compte dans cette etude. Les professionnels de sante ont contacte les familles le 1er et le 7e jour suivant la procedure afin de noter tout effet indesirable. Nous avons employe la regression logistique multivariee pour comparer les caracteristiques des nourrissons presentant des effets indesirables avec celles des nourrissons n'ayant subi aucune complication. Resultats Entre aout 2016 et aout 2018, 2822 nourrissons circoncis ages en moyenne de 22,8 jours repondaient aux conditions de participation a l'etude. Parmi eux, 2617 nourrissons (92,7%) ont fait l'objet d'un suivi par le biais d'entretiens telephoniques de la part des soignants. Les nourrissons plus ages etaient davantage susceptibles d'eprouver des effets indesirables que ceux circoncis entre 1 et 30 jours: 31-60 jours: odds ratio ajuste, ORA: 2,03; intervalle de confiance de 95%, IC: 1,31-3,15; 61-92 jours: ORA: 2,14; IC de 95%: 1,13-4,05. Les effets indesirables mineurs (100 nourrissons; 3,8%) incluaient l'echec de la separation du gland (90 nourrissons) et des saignements limites (10 nourrissons). Les effets indesirables majeurs (huit nourrissons; 0,3%) incluaient des saignements necessitant une intervention (quatre nourrissons), une infection (trois nourrissons) et une dechirure cutanee (un nourrisson). Conclusion Des protocoles de formation standardises ainsi qu'une surveillance etroite ont permis aux professionnels de sante autres que des medecins d'effectuer en toute securite des circoncisions sur des nourrissons ages de maximum trois mois. Objetivo Revisar retrospectivamente los resultados de un programa de circuncision infantil temprana dirigido por proveedores sanitarios en Pakistan. Metodos Segun las directrices de la OMS, hemos formado a tecnicos quirurgicos y matronas para que realizaran circuncisiones con el dispositivo Plastibell en dos centros de la Red de Salud Indus. Las herramientas del programa incluyen un manual de formacion para los proveedores sanitarios, folletos informativos para las familias, un formulario de inscripcion y formularios estandarizados para documentar los detalles del procedimiento y los resultados. Los lactantes de 1 a 92 dias de edad eran elegibles para el estudio. Los trabajadores sanitarios se pusieron en contacto con las familias los dias 1 y 7 despues del procedimiento para registrar cualquier acontecimiento adverso. Se compararon las caracteristicas de los lactantes que experimentaron acontecimientos adversos con las de los lactantes que no sufrieron complicaciones mediante una regresion logistica multivariante. Resultados Entre agosto de 2016 y agosto de 2018, 2.822 bebes circuncidados con una media de edad de 22,8 dias cumplieron los requisitos para participar en el estudio. De ellos, 2617 lactantes (92,7%) fueron objeto de seguimiento mediante entrevistas telefonicas por parte de los cuidadores. Los lactantes de mas edad tuvieron mas probabilidades de sufrir acontecimientos adversos que los circuncidados entre 1 y 30 dias: 31-60 dias: odds ratio ajustada, ORA: 2,03; intervalo de confianza del 95%, IC: 1,31-3,15; 61-92 dias: ORA: 2,14; IC del 95%: 1,13-4,05. Los acontecimientos adversos menores (100 lactantes; 3,8%) incluyeron fallos en la separacion del glande (90 lactantes) y hemorragias limitadas (10 lactantes). Los acontecimientos adversos importantes (ocho lactantes; 0,3%) incluyeron hemorragias que requirieron intervencion (cuatro lactantes), infeccion (tres lactantes) y desgarro de la piel (un lactante). Conclusion Los protocolos de formacion estandarizados y la estrecha vigilancia han permitido a los profesionales sanitarios distintos de los medicos realizar con seguridad circuncisiones en bebes de hasta los tres meses de edad.