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Zinc (Zn) deficiency in humans is the most common, and zinc requirement is catered mainly by cereal food grains which have lower zinc content. Finger millet is one of the staple food crops in Africa and India and has only 25 to 30 µg Zn g−1 of grain. Breeding efforts have improved the grain-Zn content to nearly 40 µg g−1 of grain, which is far below the recommended dietary allowance of 15 mg day−1 adult−1, and such varieties are not suited to all the finger millet cultivation regions. Therefore, the objective of the present studies is to enhance the grain-Zn content of locally adapted varieties through agronomic biofortification, which can be adapted for any variety and region. The easy, promising, and cost-effective approach is the soil or foliar application of zinc to increase the grain-Zn content. Present studies over four years revealed that the foliar application of 0.5% ZnSO4·7H2O solution at flowering and 20 days after flowering (DAF) is apt to increase the grain-Zn significantly to 40 µg g−1 of grain. Whereas the soil application of ZnSO4·7H2O at 12.5 kg ha−1 is appropriate to increase the grain yield to 504 g m−2 from 444 g m−2 in the control. The partitioning of zinc and calcium was higher toward the leaf sheath, leaf lamina, and husk than the other plant parts, whereas iron was toward the root. Therefore, the translocation of zinc from leaves to grain needs to be improved for further increase in grain-zinc of finger millet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Gathering requirements for developing virtual reality (VR) software products is a labor-intensive process. It requires detailed elicitation of scene flow, articles in the scene, action responses, custom behaviors, and timeline of events. The slightest change in requirements will escalate the design and development costs. While most VR practitioners depend on conventional software engineering (SE) requirement-gathering techniques, there is a need for novel methods to streamline VR software development. With severe software platform fragmentation and hardware volatility, VR practitioners need assistance specifying non-volatile requirements for a minimum viable VR software product. Methods: To address this gap, we present virtual reality requirement specification tool (VReqST), a model-based requirement specification tool for developing virtual reality software products. Results: Using VReqST, requirement analysts can specify the requirements for both simple and complex multi-scene VR software products and virtual environments (VEs). Discussion: VReqST is customizable and competent in illustrating custom requirements for new locomotion, colocation, teleportation algorithms, etc. We worked with the VR community from the industry for adoption and feedback. We revised and included the desired features based on inputs from the VR community and gathered their observations on the overall impact of VReqST in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demand for electricity and cooling is increasing due to population growth, which in turn increases pollution. Renewable energy sources are gaining popularity due to their lower levels of pollution. Resource utilisation efficiency is an important factor in maximising the efficiency of low-temperature heat sources. In this study, a vapour absorption cooling cycle and a Kalina power cycle were merged. At the economiser, heat is recovered from the heat exchanger and divided into two basic solution streams. The high-pressure flow passes through the boiler evaporator to produce wet steam, while another stream is throttled to an intermediate pressure. The thermal efficiency of the cycle improves with increasing separator temperature, separator pressure, concentration, and heat recovery temperature, but there is an optimal separator temperature for resource utilisation capacity. Increasing separator pressure and heat recovery temperatures improves resource utilisation efficiency. The proposed cycle has a better temperature match in the heating process. The resource utilisation efficiency of the present cycle is 31.13%, which is 90.63% higher than the reference study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transvaginal ultrasound-guided ovum pick-up (OPU) and in vitro embryo production (IVEP) techniques are widely used for enhancing reproductive efficiency. The number and quality of embryos have been reported to be influenced by various factors like source of hormones, season, lactation in cattle. Methods: Twenty-one multiparous, normal cyclic Sahiwal cows (aged: 6-8 years; lactating: n-11 and non-lactating: n-10) were selected randomly and the experiment was conducted during hot (April to September) and cold (October to March) seasons. All the donor cows were administered 10 µg GnRH at random stage of oestrous cycle followed by FSH (Folltropin-V™ or Stimufol) at the rate of 100, 60 and 40 mg after 48, 60 and 72 h of GnRH administration. After 24 hours of coasting period, follicular aspiration was performed by stabilizing the targeted follicles with the help of ultrasonography. The procedures of COCs grading, in vitro maturation, fertilization, followed by culture were performed as per the standard protocols. Results: The hormonal treatment was effective in improving the oocytes' developmental competency and in vitro embryo production; with no statistical differences between the two sources. The follicle size distribution revealed a lower (P<0.05) medium-sized and small-sized follicular proportion during the hot season with a higher average count of dominant (large-sized) follicles. While, good quality (A+B+C) oocytes, matured and fertilized oocytes were significantly higher (P<0.05) in non-lactating donors, especially among cool-season collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study meticulously explores the intricate hepatotoxic effects stemming from acute exposure to gaseous sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and their amalgamation on sea bass (Centropristis striata). Employing a comprehensive approach involving hematological, cytotoxic, and histochemical analyses, the research provides crucial insights into the potential adverse impacts of these pollutants on fish health. The examination specifically focuses on the effects of SO2+NO2 on hematological, histochemical, and serum biochemical parameters in Centropristis striata. Treatment groups, subjected to LC30, LC50, and LC90 acute exposure of gaseous SO2, NO2, and SO2+NO2, alongside a control group, underwent evaluation of parameters such as red and white blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, total protein, albumin, serum creatinine, and blood urea. At the 96th hour, RBC values decreased, and WBC values increased in all experimental conditions compared to the control group (p>0.05). MCV and MCH increased with the concentration of gaseous pollutants and exposure time (p>0.05). Hematological parameter variations underscore disruptions in blood composition and immune responses. Simultaneously, alterations in serum biochemical parameters suggest potential impairments in liver and kidney functions, along with disturbances in lipid metabolism. Significant declines in albumin levels, indicating potential liver dysfunction or inflammation due to SO2 and NO2 exposures, were observed at all experimental conditions, while decreased globulin levels suggest immunosuppressive effects from combined pollutants. A substantial increase in the albumin/globulin ratio further signals an imbalance indicative of potential liver dysfunction or inflammation. Varied responses in liver enzyme levels (SGPT/ALT, SGOT/AST, ALP) underscore potential liver damage or injury (p< 0.05). These findings deepen our understanding of environmental impacts on aquatic ecosystems, emphasizing the need for ongoing efforts to ensure the health and sustainability of fish populations in polluted environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]