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Phytohormones are essential regulators that control both plant growth and defense mechanisms, with cytokinins (CKs) playing a crucial role in regulating antioxidants. However, conflicting research results regarding their effect on antioxidants require further investigation. This study addresses the effects of cis-zeatin (cZ), a type of CK, and its inhibitor lovastatin (LT) on the antioxidant system of 29-day-old Zea mays plants. Seedlings were treated by aerial spraying with 5 M cZ, LT, or their combination (cZ-LT) five days after planting. The results showed that cZ significantly increased growth performance, antioxidant activity and photosynthesis efficiency. cZ treatment increased the accumulation of osmolytes (including total phenolics, total flavonoids, proline, and total soluble proteins), resulting in larger leaves, longer shoots, and increased biomass while reducing root length and biomass, respectively. In contrast, LT treatments resulted in reductions in leaf size, shoot length, and biomass, as well as impairment in photosynthesis rates. LT-treated seedlings showed reduced osmolyte accumulation but increased antioxidant enzymatic activity, which contributed to an increase in electrolyte leakage. Examination of phytohormonal crosstalk showed that cZ treatment increased endogenous GA4 and cZ levels while decreasing IAA levels, while LT had opposite effects. These results provide insights into the complex interplay of phytohormones in modulating both plant growth and antioxidant defense mechanisms.

Abstract Enhanced phytoremediation offers a rapid and eco-friendly approach for cleaning agricultural soil contaminated with copper and cadmium which pose a direct threat to food scarcity and security. The current study aimed to compare the effectiveness of the two commonly used additives, IAA and EDTA, for the remediation of copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) contaminated soils using sunflower and maize. The plants were cultivated in pots under controlled conditions with four sets of treatments: control (0), Cu50/Cd50, Cu50/Cd50 + EDTA, and Cu50/Cd50 + IAA. The results showed that Cu50/Cd50 mg/kg drastically compromised the phytoremediation potential of both plants, as evident by reduced shoot and root length, and lower biomass. However, the augmentation of Cu50/Cd50 with EDTA or IAA improved the tested parameters. In sunflower, EDTA enhanced the accumulation of Cu and Cd by 58% and 21%, respectively, and improved plant biomass by 41%, compared to control treatment. However, IAA exhibited higher accumulation of Cu and Cd by 64% and 25%, respectively, and enhanced plant biomass by 43%. In case of maize, IAA was superior to EDTA which enhanced the accumulation of Cu and Cd by 87% and 32% respectively, and increased the plant biomass by 57%, compared to control treatment. Our findings demonstrate that foliar IAA is more effective than EDTA in enhancing the phytoremediation potential of sunflower and maize for Cu and Cd.

Abstract Among the several threats to humanity by anthropogenic activities, contamination of the environment by heavy metals is of great concern. Upon entry into the food chain, these metals cause serious hazards to plants and other organisms including humans. Use of microbes for bioremediation of the soil and stress mitigation in plants are among the preferred strategies to provide an efficient, cost-effective, eco-friendly solution of the problem. The current investigation is an attempt in this direction where fungal strain PH1 was isolated from the rhizosphere of Parthenium hysterophorus which was identified as Aspergillus niger by sequence homology of the ITS 1 and ITS 4 regions of the rRNA. The strain was tested for its effect on growth and biochemical parameters as reflection of its potential to mitigate Pb stress in Zea mays exposed to 100, 200 and 500 µg of Pb/g of soil. In the initial screening, it was revealed that the strain has the ability to tolerate lead stress, solubilize insoluble phosphate and produce plant growth promoting hormones (IAA and SA) and other metabolites like phenolics, flavonoids, sugar, protein and lipids. Under 500 µg of Pb/g of soil, Z. mays exhibited significant growth retardation with a reduction of 31% in root length, 30.5% in shoot length, 57.5% in fresh weight and 45.2% in dry weight as compared to control plants. Inoculation of A. niger to Pb treated plants not only restored root and shoot length, rather promoted it to a level significantly higher than the control plants. Association of the strain modulated the physio-hormonal attributes of maize plants that resulted in their better growth which indicated a state of low stress. Additionally, the strain boosted the antioxidant defence system of the maize there by causing a significant reduction in the ascorbic acid peroxidase (1.5%), catalase (19%) and 1,1-diphenyl-2 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (33.3%), indicating a lower stress condition as compared to their non-inoculated stressed plants. Based on current evidence, this strain can potentially be used as a biofertilizer for Pb-contaminated sites where it will improve overall plant health with the hope of achieving better biological and agricultural yields.

Introduction: The 1st 2000 days of a child’s life from conception to five years of age are the most crucial days for early childhood development. The Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) is an ongoing screening screening program aims to screen the children not only in these crucial years but until they are 18 years of age and routinely refers them to higher centers for further management. Our study aimed to determine the 4 Ds – defects, deficiency, disease, and disability for children under five years of age, screened under RBSK. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in one rural and two urban Primary Health Centers (PHCs) under the field practice area of government medical college in Bengaluru, South India. All the children registered under the anganawadi centers of the selected PHCs were included. Anthropometric measurements including weight, height, and mid upper-arm circumference were collected. Data was also collected from RBSK reports. Results: Among the 760 children screened, 41.6% deficiencies, 2.6% childhood diseases, and 0.3% disabilities and zero (0) defects were detected. Conclusion: The reporting of deficiencies was substantial (41.6%) under the RBSK program. But, the reporting of developmental delay and defects was not regular and was very low. To enhance its effectiveness, strategies include improving infrastructure and resources, strengthening screening and early detection through trained health-care workers, and standardized tools. Capacity building and training for health-care professionals are essential, as is community engagement through awareness campaigns and collaboration with local organizations.

Parthenium hysterophorus is an invasive weed posing significant environmental challenges. This study explores the synergistic effects of the fungal strain Aspergillus allahabadii (P-Ph-13) and its interaction with the beetle Zygogramma bicolorata in controlling the weed. The combined action of A. allahabadii (P-Ph-13) and Z. bicolorata significantly suppressed the weed's germination and growth. Interaction with Z. bicolorata further boosted its effectiveness, decreasing seedling vigor by 78 % and increasing mortality by up to 42 % compared to the control group. Additionally, the interactive treatment severely disrupted the weed's physiological processes, causing extensive damage and ultimately leading to seedling death. These findings indicate that the synergistic effect of A. allahabadii and Z. bicolorata presents a promising strategy for managing Parthenium.

Inflammation coupled with oxidative stress contribute to the pathogenicity of various clinical disorders. Oxidative stress arises from an imbalance between production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant defense system, leading to cellular damages. The study investigated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of polysaccharides isolated from Lepidium sativum seed-coat mucilage. The water-soluble polysaccharides were extracted from mucilage and fractionated using gel permeation chromatography. The radical scavenging potential of various fractions was determined using DPPH, H2O2, and lipid peroxidation assays. The most effective EC50 was recorded for F53 (57.41 ± 1.34 μg/mL), followed by F20 (69.19 ± 0.61 μg/mL) and F52 (75.06 ± 0.45 μg/mL). In vitro anti-inflammatory effect was determined through human membrane stabilization assay while the in vivo effect was evaluated using a carrageenan-induced paw edema in mouse model where F53 demonstrated significant (P = 0.05) anti-inflammatory potential (92.60 % compared to diclofenac sodium 91.46 %). GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of galacturonic acid and glucuronic acid as main acidic monosaccharides along with varying quantities of rhamnose, arabinose, and maltose as prominent neutral monosaccharides. The study concludes that cress seed mucilage contains potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory polysaccharides. Further studies on the mode of action of these polysaccharides could provide deeper insights into their potential use as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents.

The pervasive issue of heavy metal contamination in agricultural lands poses significant concerns and has wide-ranging implications for ecosystems. However, an encouraging solution lies in exploiting the potential of fungal endophytes to alleviate these detrimental effects. This study emphasized on improving the growth-promoting and chromium-alleviating capabilities of fungal endophytes, particularly Aspergillus sojae strain SH20, through ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Following UV treatment, SH20 exhibited significantly enhanced growth-promoting and chromium-alleviating capabilities in comparison to its non-irradiated counterpart. Distinctly, the UV-treated SH20 strain demonstrated an improved ability to accumulate and reduce toxic chromate in the soil, effectively addressing the growth constraints imposed by elevated chromium levels in Brassica napus L. The UV-irradiated SH20 variant boosted shoot length up to 3 times that of the control. Similarly, this fungal strain displayed a remarkable increase in the total fresh weight of the seedlings, recording nearly 17 times greater than the control. The isolate treated with UV light reduced the absorption of chromium by about 3 times in the roots, helping the young plants to grow well even when exposed to chromate stress. A drop in root colonization by the UV-treated strain further resulted in reduced chromate absorption by the roots. Also, the strain showed great skill in boosting the host's antioxidant defenses by reducing the buildup of harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS), increasing the removal of ROS, and improving the plant's antioxidant levels, including phenols and flavonoids. When the host plants were exposed to 25 ppm of Cr stress, the UV-irradiated variant SH 20 stimulated the production of flavonoids (246 μg/ml) and phenols (952 μg/ml) in comparison to the control (with 220 μg/ml of flavonoids and 919 μg/ml of phenols). In conclusion, this report highlights how exposing the A. sojae strain SH20 to UV light has the potential to enhance its abilities to promote growth and bioremediate. This suggests a promising solution for addressing heavy metal contamination in agricultural lands.

IntroductionArsenate, a metalloid, acting as an analog to phosphate, has a tendency to accumulate more readily in plant species, leading to adverse effects.MethodsIn the current study, sunflower seedlings were exposed to 25, 50 and 100 ppm of the arsenic.ResultsLikewise, a notable reduction (p

The issue of arsenic (As) contamination in the environment has become a critical concern, impacting both human health and ecological equilibrium. Addressing this challenge requires a comprehensive strategy encompassing water treatment technologies, regulatory measures for industrial effluents, and the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices. In this study, diverse strategies were explored to enhance As accumulation in the presence of Acinetobacter bouvetii while safeguarding the host from the toxic effects of arsenate exposure. The sunflower seedlings associated with A. bouvetii demonstrated a favorable relative growth rate (RGR) and net assimilation rate (NAR) even less than 100 ppm of As stress. Remarkably, the NAR and RGR of A. bouvetii-associated seedlings outperformed those of control seedlings cultivated without A. bouvetii in As-free conditions. Additionally, a markedly greater buildup of bio-transformed As was observed in A. bouvetii-associated seedlings (P = 0.05). An intriguing observation was the normal levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in A. bouvetii-associated seedlings, along with elevated activities of key enzymatic antioxidants like catalases (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidases (POD), along with non-enzymatic antioxidants (phenols and flavonoids). This coordinated antioxidant defense system likely contributed to the improved survival and growth of the host plant species amidst As stress. A. bouvetii not only augmented the growth of the host plants but also facilitated the uptake of bio-transformed As in the contaminated medium. The rhizobacterium's modulation of various biochemical and physiological parameters indicates its role in ensuring the better survival and progression of the host plants under As stress.

Industrial waste and sewage deposit heavy metals into the soil, where they can remain for long periods. Although there are several methods to manage heavy metals in agricultural soil, microorganisms present a promising and effective solution for their detoxification. We isolated a rhizofungus, Aspergillus terreus (GenBank Acc. No. KT310979.1), from Parthenium hysterophorus L., and investigated its growth-promoting and metal detoxification capabilities. The isolated fungus was evaluated for its ability to mitigate lead (25 and 75 ppm) and copper (100 and 200 ppm) toxicity in Triticum aestivum L. seedlings. The experiment utilized a completely randomized design with three replicates for each treatment. A. terreus successfully colonized the roots of wheat seedlings, even in the presence of heavy metals, and significantly enhanced plant growth. The isolate effectively alleviates lead and copper stress in wheat seedlings, as evidenced by increases in shoot length (142%), root length (98%), fresh weight (24%), dry weight (73%), protein content (31%), and sugar content (40%). It was observed that wheat seedlings possess a basic defense system against stress, but it was insufficient to support normal growth. Fungal inoculation strengthened the host’s defense system and reduced its exposure to toxic heavy metals. In treated seedlings, exposure to heavy metals significantly upregulated MT1 gene expression, which aided in metal detoxification, enhanced antioxidant defenses, and maintained metal homeostasis. A reduction in metal exposure was observed in several areas, including normalizing the activities of antioxidant enzymes that had been elevated by up to 67% following exposure to Pb (75 mg/kg) and Cu (200 mg/kg). Heavy metal exposure elevated antioxidant levels but also increased ROS levels by 86%. However, with Aspergillus terreus colonization, ROS levels stayed within normal ranges. This decrease in ROS was associated with reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, enhanced membrane stability, and restored root architecture. In conclusion, rhizofungal colonization improved metal tolerance in seedlings by decreasing metal uptake and increasing the levels of metal-binding metallothionein proteins.

This study aims to develop an integrated agricultural drought index (IADI) that incorporates multiple remote sensing-based agricultural drought indices, considering variations in climate and land use at a local scale in ten different agro-ecological zones (AEZs) of Pakistan from 2000 to 2020. The IADI focuses on soil moisture stress to vegetation, utilizing the soil moisture condition index (SMCI) derived from various soil moisture datasets. The correlation between SMCI and the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) is assessed at different time scales (1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month) using Pearson correlation coefficient (r). Results indicate that SMCIERA5-Land is superior to others and is selected to develop the IADI. To account for local variations in climate and land use, agricultural drought indices (ADIs) are calculated on a 0.25°×0.25° grids. These ADIs are then averaged over a 3×3 window and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to understand the causal relationship between SMCIERA5-Land and ADIs. Temperature condition index (TCI) and vegetation health index (VHI) demonstrate a significant causal relationship with SMCIERA5-Land in most AEZs, while the relationship between temperature-vegetation dryness index (TVDI) and vegetation condition index (VCI) with SMCIERA5-Land is insignificant across the AEZs except in northern Pakistan. The dominance of land surface temperature (LST)-derived indices in most AEZs highlights the role of temperature in drought onset and propagation. To develop the IADI, Bayesian principal component analysis (BPCA) is employed to calculate dynamic weights between the selected ADIs and SMCIERA5-Land. The distribution of BPCA weights exhibits extreme variability across different AEZs, with some windows being sensitive to LST-derived ADIs and others to NDVI-derived ADIs. The average BPCA weights for VCI, TCI, VHI, and TVDI range from 9.42%–23.05%, 23.20–49.83%, 13.00–31.08%, and 16.38–25.50%, respectively. The IADI demonstrates the best fit with TCI and VHI, while showing good agreement with SPEI, VCI, and TVDI. The correlation between IADI and TCI/VHI ranges from 0.62/0.72–0.94/0.97. Furthermore, ordinary least square regression (OLSR) is used to assess the accuracy of IADI, ADIs, and SPEI in analyzing the impact of drought on wheat/maize yield at the district level in Punjab province, Pakistan. OLSR analysis reveals the dominance of IADI, followed by VHI, in analyzing the role of drought on crop yield. For example, in Rajanpur district, one unit increase in drought severity results in an 11.94 t/ha decrease in maize yield, with IADI explaining 59% of the variations in maize yield. Similarly, one unit increase in drought severity leads to a 7.22 t/ha decrease in wheat yield, with IADI explaining 49% of the variations in wheat yield. Overall, results indicate that the developed IADI effectively captures agricultural drought with high spatial and temporal resolutions across different agro-ecological zones, providing valuable insights for monitoring agricultural drought in data-scarce regions.

In the context of anthropogenic evolution, various sectors have been exploited to satisfy human needs and demands, often pushing them to the brink of deterioration and destruction. One such sector is agrochemicals, which have been increasingly employed to achieve higher yields and bridge the gap between food supply and demand. However, extensive and prolonged use of chemical fertilizers most often degrades soil structure over time, resulting in reduced yields and consequently further exacerbating the disparity between supply and demand. To address these challenges and ensure sustainable agricultural production, utilization of microorganisms offers promising solutions. Hence, microorganisms, particularly effective microorganisms (EMs) and plant growth-promoting microbes (PGPMs), are pivotal in agricultural biomes. They enhance crop yields through active contribution to crucial biological processes like nitrogen fixation and phytohormone synthesis, making vital nutrients soluble and acting as natural enemies against pests and pathogens. Microbes directly enhance soil vigor and stimulate plant growth via the exudation of bioactive compounds. The utilization of EMs and PGPMs reduces the need for chemical inputs, leading to lower costs and reduced environmental pollutants. Furthermore, beneficial soil microflora produces growth-related metabolites and phytohormones that augment plant growth and support stress resilience. Microbes also help plants tolerate various abiotic stresses, including metal stress, salt stress, and drought stress, through various mechanisms. Understanding the interactions and activities of microorganisms provides valuable insights into their potential use to manage stress in plants. Thus, by leveraging the full potential of microorganisms, we can develop healthier agroecosystems that contribute sustainably to meet the growing global food demands.

This study mainly focuses on spatiotemporal and inter-seasonal meteorological drought characteristics. Random Effect Logistic Regression Model (RELRM) and Conditional Fixed Effect Logistic Regression Model (CFELRM) are used to identify the spatiotemporal and inter-seasonal characteristics of meteorological drought in selected stations. The log-likelihood Ratio Chi-Square (LRCST) and Wald chi-square tests (WCTs) are used to assess the significance of RELRM and CFELRM. The Hausman test (HT) is applied to select the appropriate model between RELRM and CFELRM. For instance, HT suggests the CFELRM as an appropriate model in spring-to-summer spatiotemporal drought modelling. The significant coefficient from CFELRM indicates that an increment in moisture conditions of the spring season will decrease the probability of drought in the summer. The odds ratio of 0.1942 means that 19.42% chance of being in a higher category. Similarly, in summer-to-autumn using RELRM the computed odds ratio of 0.0673 shows that 6.73% chance of being in a higher category.

A rapidly developing method to address global pollution issues is bioremediation. We designed a microbial biosensor based on Pseudomonas aeruginosa for the bioremediation approach for the removal of phenol from an aqueous solution. This bacterium was highly effective in using phenol as a carbon source and maximum degradation of phenol (750 ppm) was achieved using 10% (v/v) of 18 h old inoculum at pH 7 and 35°C in 135 h.

The aim of this work is to relate the Soret and Dufour parameters of peristaltic flow in magneto Oldroyd 4-constant nanofluids in non-uniform channel. The discussion explores the numerical modelling of Oldroyd 4-constant nanofluids with convective double diffusion under induced magnetic flux. The use of a low finite Reynolds number and a long wavelength simplify non-linear partial differential equations. Numerical method is applied to solve reduced differential equation. Furthermore, the exact solutions of nanoparticle, temperature and concentration are computed. The graphical and numerical presentation show the significance of different physical parameters. The results reveal the fact that the greater value of Soret number and Brownian motion parameter decreases the concentration nanosolid particle. In addition, molecular kinetic energy transforms into thermal energy by random collision in the process of micro-mixing of nanoliquid resultantly raise the temperature of the liquid. Moreover, the magnetic force function increases due to enhancing electric field and magnetic Reynolds number.

Gibberellins are considered to play an important role in modulating plant–pathogen interactions. In order to find this, we studied the effect of GA4 on the interactions of Bipolaris sorokiniana (Scc.) (BIPOL) with Triticum aestivum. After inoculating the roots of hydroponically grown T. avestivum with BIPOL, the GA4 level shot up by 26%. The increased level of GA4 elicited a hypersensitive response (HR) in the T. aestivum seedlings. The elicitation in HR was confirmed through measurement of HR-inducing signaling compounds (i.e. c-di-GMP, cAMP, phosphatidic acid, pure and esterified oxo-phytodeinoic acid, and jasmonic acid). The concentration of HR-inducing signaling compounds in the treated T. aestivum seedlings was 31% higher compared to the control seedlings. Moreover, the induced HR response lowered the indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) level by 15% and the transzeatin (TZn) level by 22%. However, the application of 10 mM uniconazole through aerial spray inhibited GA4 biosynthesis in T. aestivum seedlings. Also, BIPOL colonized the roots of T. aestivum seedlings after uniconazole treatment and promoted seedling growth through increased relative growth rate (14%) and net assimilation rate (27%).

Diabetes mellitus is a heterogeneous metabolic disorder that poses significant health and economic challenges across the globe. Polysaccharides, found abundantly in edible plants, hold promise for managing diabetes by reducing blood glucose levels (BGL) and insulin resistance. However, most of these polysaccharides cannot be digested or absorbed directly by the human body. Here we report the production of antidiabetic oligosaccharides from cress seed mucilage polysaccharides using yeast fermentation. The water-soluble polysaccharides extracted from cress seed mucilage were precipitated using 75% ethanol and fermented with Pichia pastoris for different time intervals. The digested saccharides were fractionated through gel permeation chromatography using a Bio Gel P-10 column. Structural analysis of the oligosaccharide fractions revealed the presence of galacturonic acid, rhamnose, glucuronic acid, glucose and arabinose. Oligosaccharide fractions exhibited the potential to inhibit α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes in a dose-dependent manner in vitro. The fraction DF73 exhibited strong inhibitory activity against α-amylase with IC50 values of 38.2 ± 1.12 µg/mL, compared to the positive control, acarbose, having an IC50 value of 29.18 ± 1.76 µg/mL. Similarly, DF72 and DF73 showed the highest inhibition of α-glucosidase, with IC50 values of 9.26 ± 2.68 and 50.47 ± 5.18 µg/mL, respectively. In in vivo assays in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice, these oligosaccharides significantly reduced BGL and improved lipid profiles compared to the reference drug metformin. Histopathological observations of mouse livers indicated the cytoprotective effects of these sugars. Taken together, our results suggest that oligosaccharides produced through microbial digestion of polysaccharides extracted from cress seed mucilage have the potential to reduce blood glucose levels, possibly through inhibition of carbohydrate-digesting enzymes and regulation of the various signaling pathways.

Numerical simulations are undertaken to investigate the flow of fluids and heat transfer through a nanofluid inside a hexagonal enclosure fitted with a square cavity and characterized by buoyancy-driven fluid motion. A periodic hot temperature Th and cold temperature Tc respectively, with Th > Tc is maintained on the parallel walls of the cavity on a regular basis. The Galerkin finite element method discretizes the equations in two dimensions. Stabilized solutions are obtained by using an upwind scheme. Based on the developed code, a parametric study of fluid flow and heat transfer inside the cavity is conducted to study the effects of the Rayleigh number. As the Rayleigh number and nanoparticle volume fraction increase from 101to106, the Nusselt number increases as well. Additionally, the bottom-middle and middle locations of the thermally active parts have the highest average Nusselt numbers for the high and low Rayleigh numbers. The novelty and originality of the proposed work lie in the exploration of a unique hexagonal cavity geometry, the parametric study involving varying Rayleigh numbers and nanoparticle volume fractions, and the utilization of numerical simulations with advanced computational techniques. These contributions enhance the understanding of nanofluid behavior and provide valuable insights for optimizing heat transfer systems in various applications.

In order to investigate the "Effect of Establishment method and Planting date on phenology, yield, and agrometeorological indices for sweet corn," a field experiment was carried out at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir Wadura, Sopore experimental farm of the Division of Agronomy, over the course of two sessions in Kharif 2020 and 2021. The experiment had two components: a distinct sowing date with a 20-day interval and two establishment methods (direct seeding and transplanting). The initial planting day was (25th of April, 2nd was 15th of May and third was 5th of June during both the years) Three replications in RCBD were confirmed. Following transplanting with the first date of sowing, direct seeding required the most days to attain different phenological stages and accumulate the most heat units. Transplanting with the initial date of sowing resulted in noticeably greater HUE, HTUE, PTUE, and HyTUE, resulting in the largest green cob and biological yield as compared to other dates of sowing and direct seeding. As a result, given the weather in Kashmir It was discovered that planting on the first day of sowing increased sweet corn yields economically.

Although bisphosphonates (BPs) are mainly used for the treatment of osteoporosis and are generally safe, long-term use and more dosage as utilised in malignant conditions may be associated with the rare adverse event of an atypical femoral fracture (AFF). Occasionally, the risk of developing an AFF persists long after BPs are withdrawn. A 39-year-old woman who underwent chemotherapy and an autologous stem cell transplantation for multiple myeloma presented to us with history of pain in the left thigh. She had received multiple doses of oral and parenteral BPs for about 10 years in view of the underlying myeloma with osteoporosis. Her investigations showed a suppressed CTX of 192 pg/mL, and radiograph of pelvis displayed thickened cortices with beaking of the left femoral shaft, which was suggestive of an AFF. Following discontinuation of BPs, she underwent prophylactic intra-medullary nailing with which her symptoms improved. Five years later, she presented with similar complaints on the right side. Investigations showed that her bone turnover continued to be suppressed with Cross linked C- Telopeptide of type 1 collagen (CTX) of 165 pg/mL and an X-ray done showed AFF on the right side despite being off BPs. A second intra-medullary nailing was done and on follow-up, she has been symptom-free and independent in her daily activities. Discontinuation of BPs may not prevent the incident second AFF and, therefore, thus warranting long-term follow-up.

Dried dairy products viz. churpe-balls and churpe-strips were developed with the incorporation of apricot powder into cottage cheese at different levels (05, 10, 15 and 20%) and spinach powder at levels 03, 06, 09 and 12 percent, respectively. The sensory attributes of the products were studied during the investigation. The appearance of balls first decreased, then increased and again decreased and that of strips first increased and then decreased. The supplementation resulted in significant (P < 0.05) decline in texture of both products. Flavor increased in balls and decreased in strips with the addition of supplements. Overall acceptability first got increased and then decreased with the increase in the level of supplementation of the products. The titratable acidity increased whereas pH decreased in both products upon the incorporation of additives. Storage studies done for 360 days reveal that except texture and titratable acidity, there were losses in all the parameters in both products with the advancement of storage. Except flavor in case of balls and overall acceptability and pH in case of strips, all the interaction effects of supplementation and storage were found to be statistically significant.

This study examines whether systematic (macroeconomic) and unsystematic (bank specific) factors determine liquidity risk in Islamic banks. The study employs a sample of Islamic banks from Pakistan, Qatar, Malaysia, UAE, Bangladesh, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia over the period 2008 – 2019. Using Least Square estimation methods to estimate the model separately for each country, we find the results to be mixed and different across countries. The results also show that non-performing loans, bank size, leverage ratio and return on assets are key unsystematic drivers in determining the liquidity risk of Islamic banks. This study points out the fragility of Islamic banks in relation to managing liquidity risk.

We synthesized the luminescent ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes of type [Ru(bpy)2(L1)][ClO4]2 (1) (where L1 = 4,4-dicarboxy-2,2-bipyridine); [Ru(bpy)2(L2)][ClO4]2 (2); and [Ru(L2)3][ClO4]2 (3) (where L2 = 4,4-dimethanol-2,2-bipyridine). Photo-physical and electrochemical properties of the Ru(II) complexes were investigated along with the emission vs. pH. This reveals that the carboxylic acids in the 2,2-bipyridine ligand had a more important influence on the photophysical and electrochemical properties of the Ru(II) complexes than alcohol. The crystal structure of the Ru(II) complexes 1–3 is also discussed in this paper. The cyclic voltammetry of 1–3 yields a reversible RuIII/II wave that shifts 1.4–1.2 V. UV/Visible absorbance spectroscopy reveals that Metal-to-Ligand Charge Transfer (MLCT) transitions shift to lower energy upon deprotonation of the complex.

Chronic consumption of a large quantity of alcohol often results in the disruption of the communication between the nervous, endocrine and immune systems leading to profound and serious consequences at the physiological and behavioral levels. The overall impact of excessive alcohol consumption on bone health, metabolic profile and body composition, especially at moderate levels, is not well understood. Chronic excessive alcohol consumption adversely affects bone health through multiple mechanisms leading to low bone mass. It may also be significantly associated with various components on the metabolic syndrome. This review summarizes the findings from published studies that provide consistent evidence on the various effects of alcohol abuse on the bone health and metabolism.

Purpose – Quality in the construction industry is an important issue yet ignored during the initial stages of the life cycle of a project, that is, the design and construction stage. The contribution of stakeholders, especially the architects is generally suspended though it has huge significance in terms of cost and time related to quality. This research endeavors to examine the issues related to the design and construction stages of the project from architects' purview, to understand the relative importance of these issues in the Indian construction industry. Design/methodology/approach – The study of qualitative data conducted formed a basis for online quantitative data collection that was further analyzed with the help of cross-tabulation and multiple correspondence analysis methods. Findings – The study concludes that the budget of a project is a corresponding factor related to quality concern for architects. The study also established that the quality issues corresponding to high budgets are closely related to the construction stage and are identified as preparation of checklist, and bidding process of hiring the contractor on the lowest bid. Research limitations/implications – The study is limited to analyzing the perspective of architects; however, other stakeholders of the construction industry may represent a different opinion. Practical implications – This research emphasizes the importance of the client's role, and need for integration and coordination among stakeholders in the construction industry for effective quality control and management. Originality/value – The research presents an exhaustive literature review on quality issues and its importance with respect to cost implications, standard practices, sustainability and the life cycle of the project.

Context: The selection and use of appropriate multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) methods for solving complex problems is one of the challenging issues faced by decision makers in the search for appropriate decisions. To address these challenges, MCDM methods have effectively been used in the areas of ICT, farming, business, and trade, for example. This study explores the integration of machine learning and MCDM methods, which has been used effectively in diverse application areas. Objective: The objective of the research is to critically analyze state-of-the-art research methods used in intelligent decision support systems and to further identify their application areas, the significance of decision support systems, and the methods, approaches, frameworks, or algorithms exploited to solve complex problems. The study provides insights for early-stage researchers to design more intelligent and cost-effective solutions for solving problems in various application domains. Method: To achieve the objective, literature from the years 2015 to early 2020 was searched and considered in the study based on quality assessment criteria. The selected relevant literature was studied to respond to the research questions proposed in this study. To find answers to the research questions, pertinent literature was analyzed to identify the application domains where decision support systems are exploited, the impact and significance of the contributions, and the algorithms, methods, and techniques which are exploited in various domains to solve decision-making problems. Results: Results of the study show that decision support systems are widely used as useful decision-making tools in various application domains. The research has collectively studied machine learning, artificial intelligence, and multi-criteria decision-making models used to provide efficient solutions to complex decision-making problems. In addition, the study delivers detailed insights into the use of AI, ML and MCDM methods to the early-stage researchers to start their research in the right direction and provide them with a clear roadmap of research. Hence, the development of Intelligent Decision Support Systems (IDSS) using machine learning (ML) and multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) can assist researchers to design and develop better decision support systems. These findings can help researchers in designing more robust, efficient, and effective multicriteria-based decision models, frameworks, techniques, and integrated solutions.

Rapid industrialization and global warming have threatened the plants with multiple abiotic stresses, such as heavy metals and drought stress. For crop cultivation, the conventional approach of cleaning the soils by excavation is very costly and not feasible for large scale. Establishing toxin-free and drought-resistant crops is a major challenge in the environment under natural and anthropogenic pressure. In the past decades, copper contamination of agricultural land has become an emerging concern. For dry land reclamation, several new strategies, including bioremediation (phytoremediation and microbial remediation), have been used. Owing to the potential of Cu hyperaccumulators, the current project aims to enhance the drought tolerance and the phytoremediation potential of Solanum lycopersicum L. with the inoculation of copper and 12% polyethylene glycol (PEG)–induced drought stress–tolerant endophytic fungus Porostereum spadiceum AGH786 under the combined stress of copper heavy metal and PEG-induced drought stress. When S. lycopersicum L. was watered with individual stress of copper (Cu) concentration (400 ppm) in the form of copper sulfate (CuSO4.5H2O), 12% PEG–induced drought stress and the combined stress of both negatively affected the growth attributes, hormonal, metabolic, and antioxidant potential, compared with control. However, the multistress-resistant AGH786 endophytic fungus ameliorated the multistress tolerance response in S. lycopersicum L. by positively affecting the growth attributes, hormonal, metabolic, and antioxidant potential, and by restricting the root-to-shoot translocation of Cu and inducing its sequestration in the root tissues of affected plants. AGH786-associated plants exhibited a reduction in the severity of copper (Cu) and drought stress, with higher levels of SlCOPT (Cu transporters) and SlMT (metallothionine) gene expressions in root and shoot tissues, indicating that AGH786 contributed to resistance to copper metal toxicity and drought stress in the host S. lycopersicum L.

Ecologists around the world are giving great attention to the metal pollution of agronomic soil. Recently, several techniques have been employed to remediate heavy metals, but the use of microorganisms is cheap, less time-consuming, and easily available. In the current study, the endophytic strains, Cp1 and Cp2 were isolated from sterilized 1–5 cm long root and leaf segments of Chlorophytum comosum using Hagem media. To get pure colonies, the strains were repeatedly cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA) media. The strains Cp1 and CP2 were identified as Stemphylium lycopersici and Stemphylium solani based on ITS sequencing and neighbor joining (NJ) method. Both strains showed a growth-promoting potential in soybean seedlings exposed to chromate (Cr) stress. Moreover, S. lycopersici and S. solani improved the Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), flavonoids, phenolics, protein, and proline contents, whereas, lowered Salicylic acid (SA) production in the seedlings. The selected endophytic fungal strains also promoted the antioxidant system of soybean seedlings through enhanced production of ascorbic acid oxidase (AAO), catalases (CAT), peroxidase, and free radical scavenging enzymes. Both strains bio-transformed the toxic Cr-VI to less toxic Cr-III in the cultural filtrate as well as host plants. In fact, efficient uptake of Cr and its conversion by the isolated endophytic fungal strains could be used as a viable tool to remediate Cr contamination in agricultural soils.

This study investigates the relationship between economic growth, oil price, and circular economy through biomass energy consumption in South Asian countries, examining the possibility of biomass consumption by enhancing economic growth and decreasing oil price. Energy is the backbone of economic growth, while biomass energy resources being the best renewable energy resource alternative considering the production cost. There are no studies in the literature with regard to the influence of biomass consumption on economic growth and oil price; our study has been designed to fill this gap. For this, we used data for the period 2010–2020 and ARDL and Granger causality. The findings show that all elasticities are statistically significant in the short term for Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. In the long term, coefficients of oil price for Pakistan and Sri Lanka are positively associated with significant elasticities, whereas biomass energy consumption is negatively associated with oil price in India and Bangladesh. Biomass energy consumption significantly impacts the economic growth of Pakistan and Bangladesh in the long term, whereas in the case of India and Bangladesh, an association between biomass energy consumption and GDP is shown. As a policy implication, governments can create and adjust policies in order to reduce costs in the energy system and protect the environment from pollution with the adoption of a biomass energy system because fossil oil and coal energy systems are unfavorable to economic growth, especially across South Asian countries.

The analytical lower bound of Spectral Efficiency (SE) of downlink transmission of the Massive Multiple Input Multiple Output (Ma-MIMO) system is analyzed. In this paper, we derive some novel and approximate mathematical expressions for the lower bound of the SE of a Ma-MIMO with linear precoding schemes, i.e., Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE) and Zero-Forcing (ZF). For simulation analysis of the SE, we consider three joint users and antenna scheduling algorithms, namely, the semi-orthogonal, random, and distance-based user scheduling algorithms, whereas the antennas are selected based on Maximum Signal to Noise Ratio (MSNR) with scheduled users. The channel between the user and the transmitter is assumed to have characteristics of Small Scale Fading (SSF) and Large Scale Fading (LSF) with the Rayleigh fading model. We investigate the effect of the variation of transmitting SNR, the number of base station antennas (M), and the radius (R) of the cell area on the SE. We simulate the downlink transmission of Ma-MIMO and compare the simulation and analytical results. It is observed that the trends of variation of both results are similar to the variation of identical factors, and the difference between the simulated and analytical lower bounds of the SE is approximately 1–1.5 bits. The analytical lower bound is smaller than the simulation result.

The Stokes' second problem for a Burgers' fluid over a plane wall is considered in this paper. The motion of the fluid is induced by the oscillation of the plane wall between two side walls perpendicular to the plane wall. The exact analytical solutions for the velocity field and the adequate shear stress are established in simple forms by means of integral transforms. The solutions that have been obtained, presented as a sum of the steady and the transient solutions, satisfy all imposed initial and boundary conditions. In the absence of the side walls they reduce to the similar solutions over an infinite plate. Finally, the results for the velocity, as well as a comparison between models, are displayed graphically for pertinent parameters to show interesting aspects of the solutions. It is observed that the velocity and the boundary layer thickness were observed to be decreased in the presence of the side walls. Moreover, the Maxwell fluid was observed to be the speediest and the Newtonian was the slowest.

The upcoming generation of communications can provide richer mobility, high data rate, reliable security, better quality of services, and supporting mobility requirements in the Internet of Things (IoT) environment. Integrating modern communication with IoT demands more secure, scalable, and resource-efficient mobility solutions for better business opportunities. In a massive 6G-enabled IoT environment, modern mobility solutions such as proxy mobile IPv6 (PMIPv6) have the potential to provide enhanced mobility and resource efficiency. For supporting richer mobility, a cost-effective and resource-efficient mobility solution is required in a massive 6G-enabled IoT environment. The main objective of the presented study is to provide a resource-friendly mobility solution for supporting the effective integration of future communication in the massive IoT domain. In that context, a location-based, resource-efficient PMIPv6 extension protocol is proposed to provide resource efficiency in terms of required signaling, packet loss, and handover latency. To compare and analyze the proposed model’s effectiveness, mathematical equations are derived for the existing as well as for the proposed solution, and such equations are implemented. Based on the comparison among existing and proposed solutions, the results show that the proposed location-based service-oriented proxy mobile IPv6 extension is resource efficient for supporting mobility in 6G-enabled IoT.