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The thermal management of electric vehicle (EV) batteries continues to be a pressing challenge preventing wider EV adoption due to performance and safety concerns. Liquid battery thermal management systems (BTMSs) are the most commercially viable thermal management option due to their high heat transfer efficiency and compact design, despite these promising features, the current liquid BTMS designs suffer from high energy consumption and temperature gradients which severely affect the BTMS performance. To address these issues, this study numerically investigated the influence of various liquid BTMS design parameters for a 12 cylindrical lithium-ion battery module. The study evaluated 21 different BTMS configurations based on the maximum battery temperature, temperature difference, pressure drop, and energy consumption. Based on the selected evaluation criteria, The optimized liquid BTMS design (one cooling block, bidirectional flow, 0.0015 kg/s mass flow rate, 4 mm cell spacing, continuous operation strategy with hybrid CuO-MgO-TiO2 water 0.5 % concentration nanofluid) maintained the maximum temperature and temperature difference at 31.34 and 5.3 °C respectively, a 4.3 % and 21.1 % improvement compared to the base design, with a total pressure drop of 12.84 Pa when operated under 35 °C ambient temperature and 3C discharge rate. Proving the effectiveness of the proposed liquid BTMS design.

Electric vehicles have recently experienced rapid growth in battery heat generation rates due to increasing commercial demands for faster vehicle speeds and higher charging rates. This growth intensified the importance of innovative thermal management strategies to ensure safe and efficient vehicle operation. This paper aims to comprehensively review and discuss recent research investigating nanofluid battery thermal management systems (BTMS). Nanofluids are proposed as promising coolants as they possess enhanced thermal performance owing to their higher thermal conductivity compared to conventional fluids. Studies investigating nanofluid BTMSs can be divided into experimental and numerical studies investigating the effects of varying base fluid, nanoparticle type and concentration on thermal performance and pumping power. The overall trend of the reviewed studies displays an improvement in thermal performance with the increase of nanoparticles concentration, coupled with higher pumping power due to the higher viscosity values resulting in higher friction, with reviewed studies demonstrating nanofluids BTMS thermal improvements in the range of 2.9 – 30.5 % with pressure drop increase in the range of 14 – 70 % compared to the base fluid. The most commonly investigated types of nanoparticles are aluminium oxide (Al2O3), copper oxide (CuO), and silver oxide (AgO), with concentrations in the range of 0.1 – 5 %. The review highlighted the lack of long-term stability investigation and hybrid nanofluid BTMS studies in addition to studies evaluating the economic and environmental effects of utilising nanofluids in liquid BTMSs.

Electromagnetic pollution, or electromagnetic interference (EMI), is a phenomenon that has arisen due to the fast spread of electronic gadgets. To overcome EMI problem, polymer-based composites have sparked considerable attention among researchers owing to their superior qualities. Hence, this work utilizes magnetite-modified graphene (MMG) filler with polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) polymer to form polymer composites in various proportions ranging from 2 to 10 wt% to study the EM properties in the X-band. It was observed that the sample composite having a MMG filler content of 10 wt% possesses a relatively higher electrical conductivity of 0.65 S/cm as compared to the other prepared composites in this research work. The same sample composite also attained a total shielding efficacy of 53.04 dB at a thickness of 3 mm. Moreover, it was observed that the filler has improved the material's thermal stability and microwave absorption capacity, making it a high-efficiency EMI shielding material appropriate for usage in the electronic and aviation industries.

Objectives: Computer-aided detection (CAD) software packages quantify tuberculosis (TB)-compatible chest X-ray (CXR) abnormality as continuous scores. In practice, a threshold value is selected for binary CXR classification. We assessed the diagnostic accuracy of an alternative approach to applying CAD for TB triage: incorporating CAD scores in multivariable modeling. Methods: We pooled individual patient data from four studies. Separately, for two commercial CAD, we used logistic regression to model microbiologically confirmed TB. Models included CAD score, study site, age, sex, human immunodeficiency virus status, and prior TB. We compared specificity at target sensitivities ≥90% between the multivariable model and the current threshold-based approach for CAD use. Results: We included 4,733/5,640 (84%) participants with complete covariate data (median age 36 years; 45% female; 22% with prior TB; 22% people living with human immunodeficiency virus). A total of 805 (17%) had TB. Multivariable models demonstrated excellent performance (areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve [95% confidence interval]: software A, 0.91 [0.90-0.93]; software B, 0.92 [0.91-0.93]). Compared with threshold scores, multivariable models increased specificity (e.g., at 90% sensitivity, threshold vs model specificity [95% confidence interval]: software A, 71% [68-74%] vs 75% [74-77%]; software B, 69% [63-75%] vs 75% [74-77%]). Conclusion: Using CAD scores in multivariable models outperformed the current practice of CAD-threshold-based CXR classification for TB diagnosis.

The 3D printing process of Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) can be used for fabricating metal parts without the need of mold. Metal Material Extrusion uses metal-polymer composite filament in the 3D printer to extrude the green part, then a de-binding process for removing the polymer binder, and eventually, the sintering process under high temperatures for making a metallic part. A comprehensive research is conducted in which sintering parameters including heating rate, dwell time, and sintering atmospheres are varied for metal parts mechanical characteristics including tensile strength, ductility, and density. Moreover, sintering atmospheres including vacuum and argon are taken into consideration in this research study. The metal part is known as silver part which has exhibited a high mechanical strength of 540 MPa, a considerable density of 7.57 g/cm3, and a high hardness of 220 HV under a vacuum sintering atmosphere. Whereas the metal parts produced under argon atmosphere have shown comparatively low mechanical strength 424 MPa, density 7.1 g/cm3 and 177 HV. The results are compared with an industrial benchmark process where catalytic de-binding and sintering are used to achieve 500 MPa tensile strength, density 7.83 g/cm3, and 175 HV. Scanning Electron Microscopy reveals that grains are coarsened in a vacuum, and grains appear peeled off along with small pores in the boundaries. The industrial benchmark part has uniform and finer grains.

Computer-aided detection algorithms based on artificial intelligence are increasingly being tested and used as a means for detecting tuberculosis in countries where the epidemic is still present. Computer-aided detection tools are often presented as a global solution that can be deployed in all the geographical areas concerned by tuberculosis, but at the same time, they need to be adjusted and calibrated according to local populations’ characteristics. The aim of this article is to analyze the tensions between the standardization of computer-aided detection algorithms and their local adaptation and the political issues associated with these tensions. We undertook a qualitative analysis of practices associated with tuberculosis detection algorithms in different contexts, contrasting the perspectives of various stakeholders. Algorithms embed the promise of standardization through automation and the bypassing of variable human expertise such as that of radiologists, they are nonetheless objects of local practices that we have characterized as “tweaking.” This work of tweaking reveals how the technology is situated but also the many concerns of the users and workers (insertion in care, control over infrastructure, and political ownership). This should be better considered to truly make computer-aided detection innovative tools for tuberculosis management in global health.

A 316L stainless steel (SS) alloy was developed with 1, 3, and 5 vol% titanium (Ti) reinforcement using the powder injection molding route, representing a low-cost option for biomedical implants. The investigation encompassed 1300 °C, 1350 °C, and 1380 °C sintering temperatures to ascertain the optimal physical and mechanical properties. Both sintering temperature and Ti influenced sintered density, and Ti mitigated the deleterious effects of residual carbon. At higher sintering temperatures, carbon and silicon tended to migrate and accumulate at the brink of Ti, leading to the formation of intermetallic compounds and increased brittleness. Dispersed Ti particles within the 316L matrix acted as nucleation sites and enhanced solid solubility with improved density. An astounding 96.11 % sintered density was achieved at 3 vol% Ti sample sintered at 1380 °C. During the tensile test, 5 vol% Ti at 1380 °C exhibited a low modulus of 58.9 GPa, which is highly desirable for orthopedic implant application. The XRD, SEM, tensile test, and nano-indentation results collectively provide evidence of beta-titanium formation during the sintering process. Conversely, the sample incorporating 3 vol% titanium, sintered at 1380 °C, demonstrated a balanced performance, showcasing 432.94 ± 12.8 MPa ultimate tensile strength, 3.06 ± 0.17 % elongation, 74.2 GPa modulus, and 322 MPa and 423 MPa 0.2 % offset flexural and compressive yield strengths, respectively. Notably, an improvised wear resistance test underscored its aptitude for sliding wear resistance, solidifying its potential as a promising candidate for biomedical implants.

Benefits achieved by the biodegradable magnesium (Mg) and zinc (Zn) implants could be suppressed due to the invasion of infectious microbial, common bacteria, and fungi. Postoperative medications and the antibacterial properties of pure Mg and Zn are insufficient against biofilm and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, bringing osteomyelitis, necrosis, and even death. This study evaluates the antibacterial performance of biodegradable Mg and Zn alloys of different reinforcements, including silver (Ag), copper (Cu), lithium (Li), and gallium (Ga). Copper ions (Cu2+) can eradicate biofilms and antibiotic-resistant bacteria by extracting electrons from the cellular structure. Silver ion (Ag+) kills bacteria by creating bonds with the thiol group. Gallium ion (Ga3+) inhibits ferric ion (Fe3+) absorption, leading to nutrient deficiency and bacterial death. Nanoparticles and reactive oxygen species (ROS) can penetrate bacteria cell walls directly, develop bonds with receptors, and damage nucleotides. Antibacterial action depends on the alkali nature of metal ions and their degradation rate, which often causes cytotoxicity in living cells. Therefore, this review emphasizes the insight into degradation rate, antibacterial mechanism, and their consequent cytotoxicity and observes the correlation between antibacterial performance and oxidation number of metal ions.

Kota medan merupakan daerah dengan jumlah penduduk terbesar di Sumatera Utara. Pada tahun 2021-2022, Konsumsi buah pisang perkapita di kota medan diketahui bahwa jenis pisang kepok, pisang ambon dan pisang raja merupakan jenis pisang yang paling banyak di konsumsi. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui karakteristik konsumen buah pisang kepok dan menganalisis preferensi konsumen terhadap buah pisang kepok di Kota Medan. Penelitian menggunakan metode survei dengan jumlah sampel ditentukan secara quota sebanyak 42 responden konsumen pisang kepok di Kota Medan yang dipilih menggunakan metode pengambilan sampel purposive sampling. Analisis data yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini yakni analisis deskriptif dan Conjoint. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa karakteristik responden pisang kepok yakni Jenis kelamin Perempuan (83%), usia 41-50 (45%), Pendapatan Rp.2.500.000-Rp.5.000.000 (62%), tingkat Pendidikan S1 (48%), jumlah anggota keluarga 1-4 orang ( 81 %) dan pekerjaan ibu rumah tangga (48%). Selanjutnya hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa preferensi konsumen terhadap buah pisang kepok adalah buah pisang kepok dengan harga Rp10.000, memiliki warna kulit kuning dengan bercak hitam, rasa yang manis, tidak berbiji dan memiliki jumlah buah tiap sisir sebanyak (18 buah).

The purpose of this study was to analyze the general description of the corn supply chain as a raw material for animal feed in the research area using the Food Supply Chain Networks (FSCN) model, to analyze the performance of the supply chain for corn as a raw material for animal feed in the study area using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. The samples in the research were farmers (raw material suppliers), animal feed entrepreneurs, animal feed traders and breeders consisting of 7 farmers (raw material suppliers), 5 animal feed entrepreneurs, 10 animal feed traders and 8 breeders with the research location is in the Simalungun Regency. Based on the results of the study it can be concluded that in general, the supply chain for corn as a raw material for animal feed in this study area is farmers (raw material suppliers) - animal feed entrepreneurs - animal feed traders - breeders (consumers). From a business point of view, the supply chain for corn as a raw material for animal feed has carried out two business processes, namely procurement and customer orders. Supply chain performance in the study area is quite consistent with a consistency ratio value of 0.015. The value points that there is good cooperation from partnerships such as raw material suppliers who are currently still able to meet demands from entrepreneurs, then the consistency obtained from this method is also related to a workforce that is skilled enough to help develop businesses and can support the development of product marketing.

In Malaysia, rice mutant varieties that are genetically altered to confer resistance against blast disease have been substantially developed through mutational breeding program. However, due to the limited accessible information on the mutant lines, mutant gene variants corresponding to the disease resistance and other useful agronomic traits are yet to be exploited. Here, we conducted whole genome re-sequencing of blast resistance with kernel elongation traits in mutant line, Mahsuri Mutant (87,639,446 bp raw reads), and its parental line, Mahsuri (85,156,783 bp raw reads) using Illumina Novaseq 6000 sequencing platform with 30x sequencing coverage. The generated genome sequences are aimed to facilitate the discovery of causal mutation and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) related to the intended traits. The identified SNPs can be further employed to develop allele-specific SNP molecular markers to locate the mutant gene regions. The NGS data obtained (FASTQ format) of the parental and mutant lines have been deposited in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database under sequence read archive (SRA) xwith accession numbers SRR24388814 (Mahsuri) and SRR22952097 (Mahsuri Mutant) respectively.

COVID-19 self-testing strategy (COVIDST) can rapidly identify symptomatic and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals and their contacts, potentially reducing transmission. In this living systematic review, we evaluated the evidence for real-world COVIDST performance. Two independent reviewers searched six databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, World Health Organization database, Cochrane COVID-19 registry, Europe PMC) for the period April 1st, 2020, to January 18th, 2023. Data on studies evaluating COVIDST against laboratory-based conventional testing and reported on diagnostic accuracy, feasibility, acceptability, impact, and qualitative outcomes were abstracted. Bivariate random effects meta-analyses of COVIDST accuracy were performed (n = 14). Subgroup analyses (by sampling site, symptomatic/asymptomatic infection, supervised/unsupervised strategy, with/without digital supports) were conducted. Data from 70 included studies, conducted across 25 countries with a median sample size of 817 (range: 28-784,707) were pooled. Specificity and DOR was high overall, irrespective of subgroups (98.37-99.71%). Highest sensitivities were reported for: a) symptomatic individuals (73.91%, 95%CI: 68.41-78.75%; n = 9), b) mid-turbinate nasal samples (77.79%, 95%CI: 56.03-90.59%; n = 14), c) supervised strategy (86.67%, 95%CI: 59.64-96.62%; n = 13), and d) use of digital interventions (70.15%, 95%CI: 50.18-84.63%; n = 14). Lower sensitivity was attributed to absence of symptoms, errors in test conduct and absence of supervision or a digital support. We found no difference in COVIDST sensitivity between delta and omicron pre-dominant period. Digital supports increased confidence in COVIDST reporting and interpretation (n = 16). Overall acceptability was 91.0-98.7% (n = 2) with lower acceptability reported for daily self-testing (39.5-51.1%). Overall feasibility was 69.0-100.0% (n = 5) with lower feasibility (35.9-64.6%) for serial self-testing. COVIDST decreased closures in school, workplace, and social events (n = 4). COVIDST is an effective rapid screening strategy for home-, workplace- or school-based screening, for symptomatic persons, and for preventing transmission during outbreaks. These data will guide COVIDST policy. Our review demonstrates that COVIDST has paved the way for self-testing in pandemics worldwide.

Abstract Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers with a high mortality rate, underscoring the need to identify new therapeutic targets. Here we report that non-POU domain-containing octamer-binding (NONO) protein is overexpressed in breast cancer and validated the interaction of the WW domain of PIN1 with c-terminal threonine-proline (thr-pro) motifs of NONO. The interaction of NONO with PIN1 increases the stability of NONO by inhibiting its proteasomal degradation, and this identifies PIN1 as a positive regulator of NONO in promoting breast tumor development. Functionally, silencing of NONO inhibits the growth, survival, migration, invasion, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), and stemness of breast cancer cells in vitro. A human metastatic breast cancer cell xenograft was established in transparent zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos to study the metastatic inability of NONO-silenced breast cancer cells in vivo. Mechanistically, NONO depletion promotes the expression of the PDL1 cell-surface protein in breast cancer cells. The identification of novel interactions of NONO with c-Jun and β-catenin proteins and activation of the Akt/MAPK/β-catenin signaling suggests that NONO is a novel regulator of Akt/MAPK/β-catenin signaling pathways. Taken together, our results indicated an essential role of NONO in the tumorigenicity of breast cancer and could be a potential target for anti-cancerous drugs. Video Abstract

Kenaf mat/epoxy composite possesses low mechanical properties. The investigation examined the hybridization impact on the mechanical performance of kenaf mat/carbon/epoxy and kenaf mat/glass/epoxy hybrid composites. Pure and hybrid composites were fabricated using the vacuum-assisted resin infusion method. Density, tensile, flexural, interlaminar shear, and fracture toughness (Mode II) properties were tested according to the ASTM standards. The results showed that density increased around 10% for kenaf mat/carbon/epoxy hybrid and 29% for kenaf mat/glass/epoxy hybrid compared to pure kenaf mat/epoxy composites. Kenaf mat/carbon/epoxy hybrid composites displayed approximately 529%, 497%, 512%, 1055%, 272%, and 443% improvement in the tensile strength, tensile modulus, flexural strength, flexural modulus, interlaminar shear strength (ILSS), and fracture toughness, respectively, compared to the pure kenaf mat/epoxy composite. Kenaf mat/glass/epoxy hybrid composites displayed approximately 467%, 275%, 405%, 413%, 232%, and 366% improvement in the tensile strength, tensile modulus, flexural strength, flexural modulus, ILSS, and fracture toughness, respectively, compared to the pure kenaf mat/epoxy composite. Although the carbon fiber volume fraction was the lowest (17.23%) in hybrid kenaf mat/carbon/epoxy composites compared to glass fiber (24.83%) in hybrid kenaf mat/glass/epoxy composites, the tensile, flexural, and interlaminar shear performance was higher in hybrid kenaf mat/carbon/epoxy composites than hybrid kenaf mat/glass/epoxy composites.

The drilling of natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites (NFRCs) and their hybrid composites is a critical machining operation, which becomes vital to facilitate parts assembly. The quality of the drill hole is crucial for advanced applications due to strict dimension tolerance. The NFRCs have been studied rapidly for recent years because of their comparable specific properties, secure and safe handling, eco-friendly, and accessibility compared to synthetic fiber-based composites. This paper presents a review of past and present research studies of the drilling behavior of NFRCs and their hybrid. Firstly, it investigates various drilling techniques used for NFRCs. Then, an overview of the various drilling parameters and keys aspects of drilling performance parameters are presented to provide the space to narrate the development of ideas and our current understanding of this research field. After that, a study on drill bit geometry and materials, and residual strength is analyzed. Consequently, the method of improving the drilling properties for natural fiber-reinforced polymer composite and their hybrid, the challenges, and recommendations for researchers are highlighted. Results showed that the drilling performance could be enhanced by chemical treatment of natural fiber and using the special drill bit besides determining the optimized drilling performance parameters.

Wetlands deliver many ecosystem services but are under continuous threat due to various anthropogenic activities. The present study has been carried out to examine the suitability of Kusheshwar-Asthan wetland's water for agriculture. A total of 57 water samples were analyzed for various water quality parameters like electrical conductivity, pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), major cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+), and major anions (PO43–, SO42−, N-NO3−, Cl−, HCO3−). Overall, the water of the wetland was found to be alkaline. The pre-monsoon samples had a relatively higher concentration in most of analyzed parameters except for pH, DO, NO3−, PO43− and Cl−. The concentration of cations follows the order of Na+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+ > K+ in both seasons and for anions it is HCO3− > SO42− > Cl− > NO3− > PO43− for pre-monsoon and HCO3− > Cl− > SO42− > NO3− > PO43− for post-monsoon. According to Piper diagram and Durov plot, Na-K-HCO3 was the major hydro chemical facies of the surface water. The various irrigation quality parameters showed that wetland water can be categorized as good to excellent quality. As a result, this finding can aid in the long-term sustainable use of the wetland water with regulated anthropogenic interventions. The study will be beneficial in designing long-term extensive management plans for the conservation of the wetland. HIGHLIGHTS Major cation was Na+ and major anion was HCO3− in Kusheshwar Asthan Wetland water.; The surface water was alkaline in nature.; Hydrochemistry of water is influenced by silicate weathering.; Salinity hazard, SAR, RSC, Mg/Ca and chloride hazard indicates the agriculture suitability of the water.; Novel work for wetlands protection and conservation.;

Flax is the strongest natural fiber used as reinforcement for polymer-based composites due to its ecological properties, low specific gravity, renewability, biodegradability, recyclability besides its high mechanical properties. However, thermal properties of flax fibers depend on its chemical composition and structure, so it should be carefully controlled during the production process of composites, which affect the final product performance. A review of flax fiber-reinforced thermoset composites (FRTCs) and their hybrids is presented in the article, mainly focus on thermal performance, water absorption, and durability of the composites. The effects of filler materials hybridization and fiber’s chemical modification on the properties and performance of the FRTCs are also covered. Finally, key industrial applications and future possible research work based on the current understanding of FRTCs, and their hybrids also are addressed.

Flax is a natural fiber that possesses excellent specific properties, low density, safe to handle, eco-friendly, and easily available. These make it exceedingly popular and a potential candidate to replace synthetic reinforcements in polymer composite applications. The thermoset polymer is used for structural application due to its excellent mechanical and interface bonding properties compared to the thermoplastic polymer. Flax-based thermoset polymer composites are becoming popular among researchers for advanced industrial applications. This article is intended to offer a review of the main results presented in the literature on flax fiber-based polymer composites, focusing the attention on the fiber structure, chemical arrangement, physical and mechanical properties. Then, the mechanical performance of pure and hybrid flax fiber reinforced epoxy or polyester composites is comprehensively analyzed.

Feeding trial was conducted for 7 weeks using 5-6 months old chokla lambs reared in helminth free conditions. The source of condensed tannin was dried leaves of khejri (Prosopis cineraria). The animals were randomly allocated to six treatment groups: (1) Low protein (LP, 10.0% CP) throughout the trial, (2) high protein (HP, 18.4% CP) throughout the trial, (3) LP (for initial 3 weeks of the experiment) and then combination of LP and Khejri (K), (4) combination of LP and K throughout the trial, (5) HP (for initial 3 weeks of the experiment) and then combination of HP and K, and (6) combination of HP and K throughout the trial. At day 0, all groups were trickle infected with infective H. contortus larvae and subsequently with 400-500 larvae/animal three times per week for 6 weeks. There was no improvement in resilience as well as resistance of lambs fed with combination of LP concentrate and khejri leaves. Lambs (4-5) were given salvage treatment in each group. Bottle jaw condition was seen in two lambs in each group. There was similar reduction in both PCV and Hb parameters in all the three groups fed with LP concentrate without any influence of inclusion of khejri leaves in the diet. Similarly CT inclusion did not influence the faecal egg count (FEC). On the other hand, improvement in both resistance and resilience was observed in lambs fed with combination of HP concentrate and khejri leaves. Inclusion of khejri leaves in HP concentrate fed lambs significantly affected both PCV and Hb. Faecal egg count was also significantly affected. There was significant effect on average daily gains (ADG). Voluntary feed intake was obtained in collective pens. Although there was reduction in feed intake in all the groups during week 2 to 3, it was more evident in lambs kept on LP concentrate. Therefore, it was suggested that when tannin was included with HP concentrate, an additive effect was seen which resulted in increase in protein availability to the lambs.

Abstract High temperature at reproductive stage causes a decrease in seed set that ultimately results in yield loss in important crops. Limited research is available regarding the effect of high temperature on viability attributes of pollen grain in sunflower. This study was planned to reveal the effects of high temperature stress on pollen grains in sunflower. An experiment was laid out in a triplicated Completely Randomized Design with split-split plot arrangements at the Oilseeds Research Institute, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute Faisalabad during spring 2021. Two temperature treatments T1 = 45° C for 10, 20 and 30 minutes, and T2 = 50° C for 3, 5 and 10 minutes were used on 10 sunflower inbred lines. Normal (untreated) pollen grains were used as control (T0). Data were collected on pollen viability, pollen germination, and pollen tube length. Recorded data were subjected to analysis of variance, Tukey’s HSD mean comparison test, and correlation. According to the results, ORI-1 showed the highest mean for pollen viability, whereas, RL-86 had highest mean for pollen germination and pollen tube length under normal conditions. RL-86 and ORI-73 revealed their ability to withstand both heat stresses as all pollen traits were least affected under high temperature stresses. It is advised to incorporate these inbred lines in future breeding programs aimed at the development of heat tolerant sunflower hybrids. Moreover, correlation studies displayed a positive, strong and highly significant relation of pollen germination with pollen tube length under normal and heat stress conditions revealing their importance in pollen study and reproduction.

Graphene has emerged as an exceptional material for industrial usage and has widely been implemented. In this regard, the current study examines the enhanced characteristics of graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) by depositing the magnetite iron oxide (Fe3O4) on its surface. Ethylene glycol solvent was taken in Fe3O4 and GNP samples formation which were synthesized by the time parameter at various intervals. The Physicochemical characterizations were carried out by FTIR, XPS, XRD, and FESEM. It was observed that the successful grafting of iron particles on the GNP surface was achieved at a high time interval, and the results were more significant. FESEM images reveal a spherical structure on the surface of the graphene nanoplatelets in the GG 1, GG 2, and GG 4 sample. Fe3O4 has an irregular morphology with pores observed on the surface of GNP. However, the surface morphology of the graphene changes to a crinkled and rough surface.

In Part I, we optoelectronically optimized a thin-film solar cell with a graded-bandgap CZTSSe photon-absorbing layer and a periodically corrugated backreflector, using the hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin (HDG) scheme to solve the drift-diffusion equations. The efficiency increase due to periodic corrugation was minimal, but significant improvement was achieved with a nonlinearly graded bandgap. Due to occasional failures of the HDG scheme from negative carrier densities, we developed a new computational scheme using the finite-difference method, which also reduced the overall computational cost of optimization. Later, a normalization error was discovered in the electrical submodel in Part I, but it did not alter the overall conclusions. We have now re-optimized the solar cells with (i) a homogeneous bandgap, (ii) a linearly graded bandgap, or (iii) a nonlinearly graded bandgap, and (iv) a piecewise-homogeneous bandgap which is easier to implement than a continuously graded bandgap. An efficiency of 13.53% is predicted with a three-layered piecewise-homogeneous CZTSSe layer. Furthermore, concentrating sunlight by a factor of one hundred can boost the efficiency to 16.70% with the piecewise-homogeneous bandgap.

The building sector accounts for 36% of energy consumption and 39% of energy-related greenhouse-gas emissions. Integrating bifacial photovoltaic solar cells in buildings could significantly reduce energy consumption and related greenhouse gas emissions. Bifacial solar cells should be flexible, bifacially balanced for electricity production, and perform reasonably well under weak-light conditions. Using rigorous optoelectronic simulation software and the differential evolution algorithm, we optimized symmetric/asymmetric bifacial CIGS solar cells with either (i) homogeneous or (ii) graded-bandgap photon-absorbing layers and a flexible central contact layer of aluminum-doped zinc oxide to harvest light outdoors as well as indoors. Indoor light was modeled as a fraction of the standard sunlight. Also, we computed the weak-light responses of the CIGS solar cells using LED illumination of different light intensities. The optimal bifacial CIGS solar cell with graded-bandgap photon-absorbing layers is predicted to perform with 18%–29% efficiency under 0.01–1.0-Sun illumination; furthermore, efficiencies of 26.08% and 28.30% under weak LED light illumination of 0.0964 mW cm ^−2 and 0.22 mW cm ^−2 intensities, respectively, are predicted.

ABSTRACT: Background: Few evaluations of computer-aided detection (CAD) software for analyzing chest radiographs for tuberculosis have used mycobacterial culture as the reference standard. Methods: Using data from a prospective study of symptomatic adults and household contacts of persons with tuberculosis who were seeking care in Karachi, we evaluated the accuracy of LUNIT INSIGHT version 3.1.0.0 (LUNIT, South Korea) for detecting pulmonary tuberculosis in the triage use case. The reference standard was liquid culture. We estimated the diagnostic accuracy using three developer-recommended threshold scores for tuberculosis: 15, 30, and 45. Results: A total 269 of 2190 (12%) participants had culture-confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis. LUNIT-reported abnormalities of nodule, consolidation, fibrosis, and pleural effusion were more common with culture-confirmed tuberculosis. At the tuberculosis threshold score of 30, sensitivity and specificity were, respectively, 87.7% [95% CI: 83.2-91.4%] and 64.3% [62.1-66.4%]. Sensitivity was similar at scores of 15, 88.1% [95% CI: 83.6-91.7%] and 45, 86.6% [82.0 - 90.5%]; and specificity was 57.9% [55.7-60.2%] and 69.9% [67.8-71.9%], respectively. Sensitivity was lower for smear-negative disease, and specificity was lower with increasing age, previous tuberculosis, and decreasing body mass index. Diabetes and tobacco smoking did not modify accuracy. Conclusion: In a population where most tuberculosis was smear-positive, LUNIT-reported radiographic abnormalities were associated with culture-confirmed disease. Manufacturer-recommended threshold scores had limited sensitivity.

Objectives: We applied computer-aided detection (CAD) software for chest X-ray (CXR) analysis to determine if diabetes affects the radiographic presentation of tuberculosis. Methods: From March 2017-July 2018, we consecutively enrolled adults being evaluated for pulmonary tuberculosis in Karachi, Pakistan. Participants had same-day CXR, two sputum mycobacterial cultures, and random blood glucose measurement. We identified diabetes through self-report or glucose >11.1mMol/L. We included participants with culture-confirmed tuberculosis for this analysis. We used linear regression to estimate associations between CAD-reported tuberculosis abnormality score (range 0.00 to 1.00) and diabetes, adjusting for age, body mass index, sputum smear-status, and prior tuberculosis. We also compared radiographic abnormalities between participants with and without diabetes. Results: 63/272 (23%) of included participants had diabetes. After adjustment, diabetes was associated with higher CAD tuberculosis abnormality scores (p

Zirconium phosphate (ZrP) recently introduced in intumescent fire protective coating has shown improvement in developing ceramic layer. The tubular halloysite clay (THC) due to its unique molecular structure can be combined with ZrP to enhance fire resistance by developing a strong silica network on the char surface. This study is aimed to investigate the synergistic effects of tubular halloysite clay and zirconium phosphate fillers to improve the thermal performance of the intumescent coating. The control coating formulation and a range of coating formulations using a combination of weight percentage of THC and ZrP were developed to study the influences of fillers on fire performance. The char expansion and fire resistance tests of the coatings were conducted using furnace fire test and Lab scale fire jet. Thermal stability of the coating was determined by TGA and char was characterized by FESEM, XRD, FTIR and XPS. Water-resistance test of the coating was performed according to ASTM D-870. Results showed that the reinforcement of THC-ZrP showed promising improvement on the performance of IFC and substrate temperature was far below the critical temperature, 550 °C. Sample HZ 5 showed the least backside steel substrate temperature of 219 °C. Expansion rate of char was found reduced with the addition of THC but improved the char compactness. The addition of THC and ZrP in IFC improved 18% fire resistance performance and 5% residual wt. Of char. Char morphology showed silica network, XRD and FTIR confirmed the presence of silicon. Water absorption test showed 95% less water absorption (HZ-5) compared to control coating. Post water immersion, fire test showed 7% increase in substrate temperature which is 18% less than control coating after water immersion fire test.

The genomics and genetic information of Malaysian rice (Oryza sativa L.) and their mutant lines are very limited. Therefore, the genome resequencing of two drought and submergence tolerant mutant rice lines, NMR152 and NMR151 and their parental line, MR219 was performed using Illumina Hi Seq 4000 platform with 20x sequencing coverage to facilitate the identification of causal mutations and the discovery of candidate variants of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from their genome. The identification of SNPs would be useful in developing functional SNP markers related to drought and submergences resistance traits. Genome sequence data (FASTQ format) of the mutants and their parental line have been deposited into the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database under sequence read archive (SRA) data with accessions SRR20824202 (NMR152), SRR20995190 (NMR151) and SRR21043964 (MR219), respectively.

Drilling in synthetic fiber-reinforced polymer composites is facing challenges due to their anisotropic, inhomogeneity, and abrasive machining behavior. The joining of composite parts using fasteners is commonly done by the drilling, and the generated heat is one of the main causes to damage the drilled hole in the composite. Moreover, the quality of drilled hole is crucial for joining parts effectively. The paper presents the design, fabrication, and drilling of a hybrid fiber-reinforced polymer (HFRP) based on insulative coating. These composites were fabricated using vacuum infusion molding (VIM) and coated with different thicknesses to investigate the influence of drilling parameters and associated damages. Cutting speed, feed rate, and coating thicknesses were varied, and a full factorial design of the experiment was formulated. High-speed steel (HSS) twist drill bit was used to drill the coated composite and test samples, and delamination factor and surface roughness were measured. ANOVA and full factorial response optimizer were used to evaluate the influence and optimum drilling parameters. The delamination factor (DF) at the entry and surface roughness were found to decrease with the increasing cutting speed. However, the DF at the exit showed the opposite. Coating thickness influenced the delamination at the entry whereas delamination at the exit has been found insignificant. For drilling HFRP composite with 1 mm coating thickness, 3000 RPM spindle speed and 0.08 mm/rev feed rate were found optimum parameters in minimizing surface roughness and delamination damage. However, 6000 RPM and 0.02 mm/rev were found optimum parameters for drilling HFRP composite with 1.5 mm coating thickness.

In this era, parts complexity, dimensional accuracy, and cost-effectiveness are one of the basic requirements of the modern industry. Most of the conventional manufacturing techniques have failed to fulfill the industry’s needs. Powder injection molding (PIM) started in the early 70s, which is a combination of powder metallurgy and plastic injection molding that fulfills the gaps in conventional manufacturing techniques. In Malaysia, PIM was introduced by SIRIM Sdn Bhd Malaysia in late 2000. The latter few universities started working on PIM. Among all universities, the Advanced Functional Materials Research (AFM) group at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) started to work in 2008 under the direction of Prof. F. Ahmad and was decided to target various industries and their latest requirements. The work completed during the past 11 years has been published in various high-quality international journals, secure intellectual property (IP), i.e., trademarks, patents, a pre-commercialization grant from the government, one commercialization agreement, and signed a technology licensing agreement. They also worked on carbon Nanotube reinforced copper nanocomposite for thermal management and secured two patents. This project was commercialized for heat sink materials for LED Lights. The group is also working on controlling the orientation of fibers in the metal matrix to enhance thermal conductivity. Moreover, grafting graphene on metal oxide for its potential use as a radiation shielding material is one of the noble works. Currently, the group is working on the fabrication of soft magnetic material with enhanced permeability for potential use in hearing Aids, electric motors, and several other applications. Besides, bio-medical parts like a dental screw, biomedical material of 316L SS reinforced by nano Titanium and additive manufacturing by using ultra-fused BASF 316L SS parts made through FDM represent the scope of works in PIM.

A tobacco chloroplast hypothetical open reading frame 4 (YCF4) has been reported as a non-essential assembly factor for photosynthesis based on an incomplete knockout of YCF4, just 93 of 184 amino acids from the N-terminus were knocked out. On the other hand, we removed the complete sequence of YCF4 from tobacco chloroplasts and observed that ΔYCF4 plants were unable to survive photoautotrophically as their growth was hampered in the absence of an external carbon supply, clearly showing that the YCF4 is essential for photosynthesis. Initially, the aadA gene was introduced into the tobacco plastome replacing the complete YCF4 gene through homologous recombination events. The replacement of YCF4 with aadA was confirmed by PCR and Southern blot analysis in ΔYCF4 plants. Homoplasmic ΔYCF4 plants had a light green phenotype, and the leaves became pale yellow as the plants grew older. The structure of chloroplasts of ΔYCF4 mutants of light green phenotype was studied using a transmission electron microscope (TEM), and the micrographs demonstrated structural anomalies in the chloroplasts; including shape, size, and grana stacking compared to the wild-type plants. Further, transcriptome analysis revealed that the expression of PSI, PSII, and ribosomal genes remained unchanged in ∆YCF4 plants. On the other hand, transcriptome levels of rbcL (Ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit), LHC (Light-Harvesting Complex), and ATP Synthase (atpB and atpL) decreased, indicating that the YCF4 has the function(s) in addition to assembling the photosynthetic complex. This was confirmed by in-silico protein-protein interactions of full-length YCF4 as well as 93 and 91 of 184 amino acids from N- and C-termini of the full-length protein, which revealed that the C-terminus (91 aa) of YCF4 is important in interacting with other chloroplast proteins. These findings provide genetic support for the plastid YCF4 gene’s critical role in regulating the plastid gene expression and assembling the photosynthetic complex.

Valorization of bauxite residue (BR) enhances the dynamics of its application in intumescent coating for fire retarding systems. This BR, an alumina production waste could contain up to 45% ferrous oxide along with residual aluminous minerals. In an attempt to optimize the fire retardant properties of these minerals in intumescent systems, BR was treated in oxalic acid, varying the heating temperature between 50 °C and 100 °C at a constant pH of 2.65. X-ray florescence spectrometry revealed up to 80% reduction in iron content and total dissolution of desilication products (DSPs). The process temperature was found to affect the efficiency with which iron oxide was removed and with which the dissolved DSPs were precipitated as aluminum hydrates. X-ray diffraction revealed increased crystallinity and a gibbsite-dominated compound. Incorporation of the modified bauxite residues into a control intumescing formulation resulted in improved endothermic cooling, increased char expansion and char reinforcement. An inverse relationship appeared to exist between aluminum hydrates and iron as removal of iron led to enhanced intumescence and increased char expansion while higher iron content led to a compact, less expanded char. A balance of the fire retarding minerals occurred at a leaching temperature of 75 °C in oxalic acid. Best heat shielding performance thus occurred at XBR75-IC5 as char expansion increased by 12% and the substrate temperature reduced by 31% over the control IC system. Thus, BR may act as alternative fire retardant filler for intumescing systems.

Granulometric analysis is an imperative tool used to reveal the hydrodynamic conditions, mode of transportation and deposition of siliciclastic sediments. Forty-two samples of Fort Member Sandstone of the Jaisalmer Formation, Western Rajasthan were selected and studied with the help of detailed granulometric analysis which include both graphical as well as mathematical moment methods. Micro textures were recognized as chatter marks, curved and straight steps, grooves, upturned plates in association with V impact pits and triangular solution pits suggesting the predominance of mechanical activities over the chemical dissolution. The analysis shows the sandstone is coarse-grained, very well sorted, very fine to fine skewed and very platykurtic to platykurtic in nature. The dominance coarse grains give an indication of high energy level and almost stable as there is not much variation in the grain-size. Bivariate plots show that the sediments were deposited in beach sub-environment which was also confirmed by the linear and multigroup discriminant analysis. C-M plot shows that the sediments were transported by rolling and log-log plot also confirms the transportation by the traction processes. These features describe the sediments deposited by the fluvial process dominated by tractive current pattern in a shallow marine depositional environments.

Ni-Cr based composites with and without the addition of solid lubricants (MoS2, Ag and CaF2) were prepared by powder metallurgy method. The samples were sintered at different temperatures (1000oC, 1100oC and 1200oC) under controlled atmosphere and various holding times. The physical properties such as sintered density, relative density and porosity were studied. The microstructures and phase studies of the Ni-Cr based composites were conducted using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and X-Ray Diffraction Analysis (XRD) while the hardness of the composites was measured by the Vickers Micro Hardness Tester. The results revealed that as the sintering temperature was increased, the sintered density, relative density and hardness also increased while the porosity was reduced. At the sintering temperature of 1200oC, the relative density reached its maximum value. SEM and XRD analysis confirmed the existence of MoS2 and Ag in sintered samples. MoS2 and Ag were not mainly dissolved and/or decomposed even after sintering at 1200oC

The poultry industry, especially broilers is the basis of the people's economy which has high potential in increasing inclusive economic growth. In addition, it can also be studied from the product distribution side, from the point of producer to the end consumer. One of the companies engaged in the production of broiler broilers is PT SUJ. The purpose of this study is to analyze the performance of farmer and company supply chains using the Supply Chain Operational Reference (SCOR) model approach with regard to internal and external attributes. The results showed that PT SUJ has four institutions involved in marketing broiler chickens, namely breeder partners, companies, brokers / agents and consumers. For measuring supply chain performance, the results of measuring the performance of broiler broiler supply chains at the level of partner farmers on the attributes of responsiveness and flexibility have achieved the best performance position (superior). However, for the attributes of reliability and assets are still at the level of advantage. Meanwhile, the value of chicken supply chain performance for the broiler company level on the attributes of reliability, responsiveness and flexibilty has achieved the best performance (superior). However, for attributes the company's assets only achieve a good position (advantage). Generally, the performance of broiler chicken supply chains is good at the farmer and company level.

Thermal spray is an effective process for the fabrication of a metal matrix composite (MMC), where a zirconium diboride reinforcement is embedded in a molybdenum matrix to enable the combining of favorable properties in a new composite. The combination of two leading materials in the category of ultra-high-temperature ceramics (UHTCs) is due to a very high melting point (Mo: 2623 °C and ZrB2: 3245 °C), high thermal conductivity (Mo: 139 W/m°C and ZrB2: 24 W/m°C), good thermal shock resistance, low coefficient of thermal expansion (Mo: 5.35 µm/m°C and ZrB2: 5.9 × 10−6 K−1), retention of strength at elevated temperatures and stability in extreme environments. Thermal spraying of the Mo/ZrB2 composite possesses a non-linear behavior that is influenced by many coating variables. This characteristic makes finding the optimal factor combination difficult. Therefore, an effective and strategic statistical approach incorporating systematic experimental data is needed to optimize the process. In this study, the L9 orthogonal array in the Taguchi approach was utilized to optimize the spraying distance (SD), number of passes (NP), pressure (P) and coat-face temperature (TCF) using a dummy fiberglass substrate. The performance was evaluated based on the coating density (Cd) of the surfaces. Based on confirmation tests, our Taguchi analysis determined the ideal process parameters, which considerably enhanced the coating process. From the output response of the ANOVA, the most influential parameters for achieving a high coating density (Cd) were determined to be SD = 20 cm, NP = 24, P = 4 bar and TCF = 330 °C ((SD.)1-(NP.)3-P2-(S.T.)3). These observations show that the coating density (Cd) was significantly influenced by the coat-face temperature, followed by the number of passes, spraying distance and pressure with the following contributions 6.29, 17.89, 17.42 and 3.35%, respectively.

Introduction: Traumatic intracranial hemorrhages (TIH) have traditionally been managed in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting with neurosurgery consultation and repeat head CT (HCT) for each patient. Recent publications indicate patients with small TIH and normal neurological examinations who are not on anticoagulation do not require ICU-level care, repeat HCT, or neurosurgical consultation. It has been suggested that these patients can be safely discharged home after a short period of observation in emergency department observation units (EDOU) provided their symptoms do not progress. Methods: This study is a retrospective cross-sectional evaluation of an EDOU protocol for minor traumatic brain injury (mTBI). It was conducted at a Level I trauma center. The protocol was developed by emergency medicine, neurosurgery and trauma surgery and modeled after the Brain Injury Guidelines (BIG). All patients were managed by attendings in the ED with discretionary neurosurgery and trauma surgery consultations. Patients were eligible for the mTBI protocol if they met BIG 1 or BIG 2 criteria (no intoxication, no anticoagulation, normal neurological examination, no or non-displaced skull fracture, subdural or intraparenchymal hematoma up to 7 millimeters, trace to localized subarachnoid hemorrhage), and had no other injuries or medical co-morbidities requiring admission. Protocol in the EDOU included routine neurological checks, symptom management, and repeat HCT for progression of symptoms. The EDOU group was compared with historical controls admitted with primary diagnosis of TIH over the 12 months prior to the initiation of the mTBI protocols. Primary outcome was reduction in EDOU length of stay (LOS) as compared to inpatient LOS. Secondary outcomes included rates of neurosurgical consultation, repeat HCT, conversion to inpatient admission, and need for emergent neurosurgical intervention. Results: There were 169 patients placed on the mTBI protocol between September 1, 2016 and August 31, 2019. The control group consisted of 53 inpatients. Median LOS (interquartile range [IQR]) for EDOU patients was 24.8 (IQR: 18.8 – 29.9) hours compared with a median LOS for the comparison group of 60.2 (IQR: 45.1 – 85.0) hours (P < .001). In the EDOU group 47 (27.8%) patients got a repeat HCT compared with 40 (75.5%) inpatients, and 106 (62.7%) had a neurosurgical consultation compared with 53 (100%) inpatients. Subdural hematoma was the most common type of hemorrhage. It was found in 60 (35.5%) patients, and subarachnoid hemorrhage was found in 56 cases (33.1%). Eleven patients had multicompartment hemorrhage of various classifications. Twelve (7.1%) patients required hospital admission from the EDOU. None of the EDOU patients required emergent neurosurgical intervention. Conclusion: Patients with minor TIH can be managed in an EDOU using an mTBI protocol and discretionary neurosurgical consults and repeat HCT. This is associated with a significant reduction in length of stay.

Summary: Background: Reaching the UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Tuberculosis target of providing tuberculosis preventive treatment to at least 30 million people by 2022, including 4 million children under the age of 5 years and 20 million other household contacts, will require major efforts to strengthen health systems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a health systems intervention to strengthen management for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in household contacts of confirmed tuberculosis cases. Methods: ACT4 was a cluster-randomised, open-label trial involving 24 health facilities in Benin, Canada, Ghana, Indonesia, and Vietnam randomly assigned to either a three-phase intervention (LTBI programme evaluation, local decision making, and strengthening activities) or control (standard LTBI care). Tuberculin and isoniazid were provided to control and intervention sites if not routinely available. Randomisation was stratified by country and restricted to ensure balance of index patients with tuberculosis by arm and country. The primary outcome was the number of household contacts who initiated tuberculosis preventive treatment at each health facility within 4 months of the diagnosis of the index case, recorded in the first or last 6 months of our 20-month study. To ease interpretation, this number was standardised per 100 newly diagnosed index patients with tuberculosis. Analysis was by intention to treat. Masking of staff at the coordinating centre and sites was not possible; however, those analysing data were masked to assignment of intervention or control. An economic analysis of the intervention was done in parallel with the trial. ACT4 is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02810678. Findings: The study was done between Aug 1, 2016, and March 31, 2019. During the first 6 months of the study the crude overall proportion of household contacts initiating tuberculosis preventive treatment out of those eligible at intervention sites was 0·21. After the implementation of programme strengthening activities, the proportion initiating tuberculosis preventive treatment increased to 0·35. Overall, the number of household contacts initiating tuberculosis preventive treatment per 100 index patients with tuberculosis increased between study phases in intervention sites (adjusted rate difference 60, 95% CI 4 to 116), while control sites showed no statistically significant change (−12, −33 to 10). There was a difference in rate differences of 72 (95% CI 10 to 134) contacts per 100 index patients with tuberculosis initiating preventive treatment associated with the intervention. The total cost for the intervention, plus LTBI clinical care per additional contact initiating treatment was estimated to be CA$1348 (range 724 to 9708). Interpretation: A strategy of standardised evaluation, local decision making, and implementation of health systems strengthening activities can provide a mechanism for scale-up of tuberculosis prevention, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries. Funding: Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Background Chamomile is an important herb being used widely for medicinal purposes. Its multitherapeutic, cosmetic, and nutritional values have been established through years of traditional and scientific use and research. Increased use of medicinal plants necessitates rational use as well as sustainable production of such genetic resources. Plant in vitro micro-propagation poses unique opportunities for sustainable production of medicinal herbs, their regrowth and conservation. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of different explants, plant growth regulators (PGRs) combinations and media type on callogenesis, in vitro regeneration and cell suspension of six chamomile genotypes to enhance its sustainable production. Methods The shoot, lateral sprout, and leaf derived explants of six chamomile genotypes including Isfahan, Shiraz, Kazeron, Goral, Sharokashari and Presso were used for direct and indirect regeneration. For indirect regeneration various doses of NAA and kinetin were used to induce calli which were cultured on MS media containing PGRs for direct and indirect regeneration. Later, cell suspension was established and morphological characterization of CrO3 stained cells was carried out using microscopy. Results and Discussion Our findings revealed that the highest callus percentage and callus volume were observed from lateral sprouts and shoots of genotype Isfahan on MS medium containing 1 mg/L NAA and 1 mg/L kinetin. The in vitro regeneration was found to be genotype dependent while 77% and 77.5% was the highest percentage for indirect and direct regeneration, respectively. Additionally, the maximum shoot number (two shoots/explant) and shoot length (2.22 cm) were also observed in Isfahan genotype. Cell suspension culture showed the highest fresh weight (18.59 g) and dry weight (1.707 g) with 0.75 g inoculum of the callus derived from lateral sprouts cultured on MS medium. Microscopy of CrO3 stained cells was carried on each 3rd day for 27 days that revealed larger and spongier cells in the early days as compared to final days when the cell number was greater but cell size was smaller. Conclusion The callogenesis, organogenesis, and cell suspension culture of chamomile may be genotype dependent. Hence, optimization of media ingredients and culture conditions is of utmost importance for devising tissue culture based conservation strategy of any chamomile genotype and secondary metabolite production.

Erosion caused by the repeated impact of particles on the surface of a substance is a common wear method resulting in the gradual and continual loss of affected objects. It is a crucial problem in several modern industries because the surfaces of various products and materials are frequently subjected to destructively erosive situations. Polymers and their hybrid materials are suitable, in powdered form, for use as coatings in several different applications. This review paper aims to provide extensive information on the erosion behaviors of thermoset and thermoplastic neat resin and their hybrid material composites. Specific attention is paid to the influence of the properties of selected materials and to impingement parameters such as the incident angle of the erodent, the impact velocity of the erodent, the nature of the erodent, and the erosion mechanism. The review further extends the information available about the erosion techniques and numerical simulation methods used for wear studies of surfaces. An investigation was carried out to allow researchers to explore the available selection of materials and methods in terms of the conditions and parameters necessary to meet current and future needs and challenges, in technologically advanced industries, relating to the protection of surfaces. During the review, which was conducted on the findings in the literature of the past fifty years, it was noted that the thermoplastic nature of composites is a key component in determining their anti-wear properties; moreover, composites with lower glass transition, higher ductility, and greater crystallinity provide better protection against erosion in advanced surface applications.

Synergistic effect composed of graphene oxide (GO) and halloysite (HNT) to serve as a promising anticorrosion performance and to enhance flame retardant (FR) properties of epoxy nanocomposite coating (NC) is studied. Using an epoxy as the matrix, GO/epoxy, HNT/epoxy, and hybrid GO/HNT/epoxy samples are prepared and the performance is characterized. The hybridization of GO and HNT leads to improve the barrier properties with EGO0.6H0.3 hybrid sample endows optimum synergistic effect. This is due to the improved state of nanofiller dispersion as well as better interfacial adhesion between the nanofillers and matrix which was confirmed by Transmission Electron microscopy (TEM) images. The Salt Spray test (SST) results corresponding to these effects reaffirmed that the corrosion resistance of the hybrid coatings improved with increasing the inorganic phase content. The thermal stability and flammability properties were investigated using Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI). The results of the LOI test showed that the addition of nanofillers marginally increases the LOI value of the epoxy NC. These results manifestly demonstrated that the formation of an efficient hybrid network slightly enhanced the coating performance through the synergy effect of hybrid nanofillers.

Background: Suicide by poisoning is the second most common cause of death by suicide (27.9%) as per The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) India in 2015. Aluminum phosphide (ALP) is the leading agricultural poison used to commit suicide as where its availability is not properly regulated. ALP is a highly toxic solid fumigant pesticide, rodenticide and insecticide. Case presentation: A 40-year-old woman was brought by the police to the emergency section. Her extremities were cold and hypotonic, and her skin was pale. Patient’s vitals were unstable with pulse rate 112/minute irregularities, blood pressure 68/54 mm of Hg, respiratory rate 22/minute shallow and body temperature 30.1 ºC and characteristicly strong garlicky odor on her breath. During the suction of gastric contents, spontaneous ignition of gas with flames and white fumes with sound like a blast was observed by resident doctors and para-clinical staff. Gastric aspirate along with Ryle’s tube were immediately sent to the forensic department where the Silver Nitrate test was performed and it was found strongly positive for phosphine gas. Discussion: Aluminum phosphide readily reacts with water and hydrochloric acid in the stomach to produce phosphine (hydrogen phosphide, PH3) and a small amount of diphosphine. Conclusion: The present case report stresses on the need that the emergency physicians need to be highly alert and adequately prepared while handling such patients. Spontaneous ignition with the release of phosphine from ALP poisoned patients can not only affect the patient, but also pose a health hazard to emergency physicians and medical staff.

Advancement of novel electromagnetic inference (EMI) materials is essential in various industries. The purpose of this study is to present a state-of-the-art review on the methods used in the formation of graphene-, metal- and polymer-based composite EMI materials. The study indicates that in graphene- and metal-based composites, the utilization of alternating deposition method provides the highest shielding effectiveness. However, in polymer-based composite, the utilization of chemical vapor deposition method showed the highest shielding effectiveness. Furthermore, this review reveals that there is a gap in the literature in terms of the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning methods. The results further reveal that within the past half-decade machine learning methods, including artificial neural networks, have brought significant improvement for modelling EMI materials. We identified a research trend in the direction of using advanced forms of machine learning for comparative analysis, research and development employing hybrid and ensemble machine learning methods to deliver higher performance.

Abstract Streptokinase (SK) is an enzyme that is used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The current study focused on the enhanced production of SK by inducing mutation in Streptococcus agalactiae EBL-20 and optimization of medium components and culture conditions for the maximum growth of mutant derived strain. S. agalactiae EBL-32 was selected as a potent mutant after exposure of S. agalactiae EBL-20 to EMS for 180 minutes. SK activity obtained from mutant derived strain was found to be 1.6 fold higher as compared to the activity achieved by wild strain. Nutritional requirements of the mutated strain were optimized by single factor analysis method suggesting glucose as the optimum carbon source; yeast extract and peptone as a suitable nitrogen sources and corn steep liquor (CSL) as an appropriate substrate for the maximum SK production. The culture conditions determined by response surface methodology (RSM) suggested that a temperature value of 37.5⁰C and pH 7 of the fermentation medium with 2.50 mL inoculum size for 36 hours of incubation was optimum for maximum yield of SK. Hence the optimization studies resulted into 1.92 fold increase in the yield of SK suggesting the new isolate suitable for commercial scale production of SK.

Development of coating durability and sustainability for industry to facilitate the corrosion potential minimization attract much attention in recent year. The selection of appropriate coating material is necessities to improve corrosion protection of metal. Epoxy nanocomposite coatings filled with different amount of graphene nanoplateles (GNP) and montmorillonite (MMT) was prepared via mechanical agitation process to enhance the flame retardancy and anticorrosion performance of mild steel substrates. Salt fog test, limiting oxygen index (LOI) and water absorption result reveal that embedding a small amount of filler remarkably improved anticorrosion performance and flame retardancy of epoxy nanocomposite coatings. Present study suggests a development of nanocomposite coating with superior mechanical properties which was evaluated by adhesion tape test.

BackgroundEarlier, we have identified PTOV1 as a novel interactome of PIN1 in PC-3 cells. This study aims to explore the functional similarity and the common role of both genes in breast cancer cell proliferation.MethodsCTG, crystal violet assay, clonogenic assay, wound healing assay, cell cycle analysis, Hoechst staining and ROS measurement were performed to assess cell viability, colony forming potential, cell cycle arrest, nuclear condensation and ROS production after knocking down of PTOV1 and PIN1 by siRNAs in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells. CO-IP, qPCR and western blot were performedto study interaction, transcriptional and translational regulation of both genes.ResultsKnockdown of PTOV1 and PIN1 inhibited the cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, cell cycle, and induced nuclear condensation as well as ROS production. Interaction of PTOV1 and PIN1 was validated by Co-IP in MDA-MB-231 cells. Genes involved in cell proliferation, migration, cell cycle, and apoptosis were regulated by PIN1 and PTOV1. PTOV1 knockdown inhibited Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and inducedBAX, LC3 and Beclin-1expression. Overexpression of PIN1 increased the expression of PTOV1. Knockdown of both genes inhibited the expression of cyclin D1, c-Myc, and β-catenin.ConclusionsPTOV1 and PIN1 interact and exert oncogenic role in MDA-MB-231 cells by sharing the similar expression profile at transcriptional and translational level which can be a promising hub for therapeutic target.

We undertook a systematic review of the diagnostic accuracy of artificial intelligence-based software for identification of radiologic abnormalities (computer-aided detection, or CAD) compatible with pulmonary tuberculosis on chest x-rays (CXRs). We searched four databases for articles published between January 2005-February 2019. We summarized data on CAD type, study design, and diagnostic accuracy. We assessed risk of bias with QUADAS-2. We included 53 of the 4712 articles reviewed: 40 focused on CAD design methods ("Development" studies) and 13 focused on evaluation of CAD ("Clinical" studies). Meta-analyses were not performed due to methodological differences. Development studies were more likely to use CXR databases with greater potential for bias as compared to Clinical studies. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (median AUC [IQR]) were significantly higher: in Development studies AUC: 0.88 [0.82-0.90]) versus Clinical studies (0.75 [0.66-0.87]; p-value 0.004); and with deep-learning (0.91 [0.88-0.99]) versus machine-learning (0.82 [0.75-0.89]; p = 0.001). We conclude that CAD programs are promising, but the majority of work thus far has been on development rather than clinical evaluation. We provide concrete suggestions on what study design elements should be improved.