Search

Abstract In recent years, Silicene has attracted great interest in various fields but does not fit well in the field of thermoelectrics due to the absence of electronic band gap. Nevertheless, hydrogenation of silicene (SiH) delocalize the free electrons and induces gap widening (2.19 eV), but its thermoelectric performance is still limited due to the larger band gap. Thermoelectric performance can be effectively improved using strain engineering, which allows modulation of crystal as well as electronic energy levels of a material. We studied the effect of biaxial tensile strain on structure, stability and thermoelectric properties of SiH monolayer. Taking clue regarding the stability from phonon dispersion, tensile strain upto 14% is incorporated and results are discussed. The distortion of crystal structure with strain manipulates the characteristics of electronic band structure such that there is an indirect to direct band gap transition along with decrease in band gap, effective mass and relaxation time of carriers. As a result, the Seebeck coefficient falls and attains minimum value at 14% strain while electrical conductivity and electronic thermal conductivity shows increasing trend and maximize at 14% strain. Another crucial consequence of strain is that tensile strain led to a considerable decrease in lattice thermal conductivity. At a strain of 14%, the lattice thermal conductivity at 700 K (0.28) decreased by approximately 43% compared to its unstrained counterpart (0.49 K), which is highly beneficial for achieving high ZT. To assess the efficiency of thermoelectric conversion, the ZT is computed, revealing an increase from 1.66 in the unstrained state to 2.83 at a strain of 14% and a temperature of 700 K. The calculations unveil a nearly twofold increase in ZT with the implementation of strain engineering, underscoring its effectiveness in augmenting the efficiency of thermoelectric devices.

Abstract Sorption isotherms are essential for understanding the moisture sorption behavior of foods, which is critical for optimizing drying processes, predicting shelf life, and designing effective packaging. This study examined the moisture sorption characteristics of microwave pre-treated mung beans at different temperatures (25, 35, and 45 °C) and relative humidity levels (11–85%) using gravimetric static methods. The experimental data were modeled using BET, GAB, Caurie equations, and artificial neural networks (ANNs) to assess their accuracy in describing sorption behavior. The results revealed Type II isotherms, with equilibrium moisture content increasing with temperature and decreasing with water activity. ANNs demonstrated superior predictive accuracy compared to traditional semi-empirical models. Furthermore, the microwave pre-treated samples exhibited higher predicted moisture content thresholds, limiting microbial growth, suggesting that microwave treatment improves safe storage under higher moisture conditions while preserving quality. This study emphasizes the potential of combining microwave pre-treatment and ANNs to optimize the drying, packaging, and storage of mung beans, enhancing food preservation efforts.

The controlled delivery of selenium nanoparticles (Se‐NPs) is promising for bone cancer treatment due to their dual benefits in bone regeneration and tumor inhibition, yet achieving an optimal dosing regimen remains challenging. Natural mesoporous biosilica (BS) beads have shown promise for drug delivery due to their microporous structure. This study explores incorporating BS beads into collagen‐chitosan (Coll‐CS) scaffolds, known for bone repair, to control Se‐NP delivery. Two approaches are compared: loading Se‐NPs into BS beads before integrating them into Coll‐CS scaffolds versus directly loading Se‐NPs into Coll‐CS scaffolds. The scaffold properties, Se release kinetics, cytocompatibility, and effects on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and prostate cancer cells (LNCaP) are evaluated. BS bead‐loaded scaffolds provide controlled Se‐NP release and enhanced mechanical properties compared to directly loaded scaffolds. Higher Se‐NP concentrations in BS‐loaded scaffolds effectively promote MSC osteogenic differentiation and mineralisation while inhibiting LNCaP cell viability. In contrast, low Se‐NP concentrations not only induce early osteogenic differentiation but also promote cancer cell proliferation, underscoring the need for optimal Se‐NP concentration and release. These findings suggest that BS bead‐loaded Coll‐CS scaffolds are a promising strategy for controlled Se‐NP delivery, addressing the dual challenges of bone formation and cancer recurrence prevention in bone cancer treatment.

The field experiment was conducted to study the growth performance and agrometeorological indices of rice for cultivars i.e. PR 122, PR 126 and Pusa 44 grown under direct seeded rice (DSR) and puddled transplanted rice (PTR) conditions during kharif 2020 and 2021 at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. Results revealed that the accumulated growing degree days (AGDD), accumulated helio-thermal units (AHTU) and accumulated photo thermal units (APTU) were higher in PTR than DSR, while radiation use efficiency (RUE) was higher in DSR in terms of dry matter production and in terms of grain yield RUE was higher in PTR. Heat use efficiency (HUE) was also higher in DSR. AGDD, AHTU and APTU were also higher in Pusa 44, however, RUE and HUE were higher in PR 126 in terms of grain yield and dry matter. Among nitrogen levels, N3 (Leaf colour chart-based nitrogen application) gives at par yield with N1 (Recommended) and N2 (125 % of recommended). Optimum nitrogen level is helpful to get higher light interception rate and RUE while HUE was highest in N2 followed by N1 and N3.

Abstract In vitro models are necessary to study the pathophysiology of the disease and the development of effective, tailored treatment methods owing to the complexity and heterogeneity of breast cancer and the large population affected by it. The cellular connections and tumor microenvironments observed in vivo are often not recapitulated in conventional two-dimensional (2D) cell cultures. Therefore, developing 3D in vitro models that mimic the complex architecture and physiological circumstances of breast tumors is crucial for advancing our understanding of the illness. A 3D scaffold-free in vitro disease model mimics breast cancer pathophysiology by allowing cells to self-assemble/pattern into 3D structures, in contrast with other 3D models that rely on artificial scaffolds. It is possible that this model, whether applied to breast tumors using patient-derived primary cells (fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and cancer cells), can accurately replicate the observed heterogeneity. The complicated interactions between different cell types are modelled by integrating critical components of the tumor microenvironment, such as the extracellular matrix, vascular endothelial cells, and tumor growth factors. Tissue interactions, immune cell infiltration, and the effects of the milieu on drug resistance can be studied using this scaffold-free 3D model. The scaffold-free 3D in vitro disease model for mimicking tumor pathophysiology in breast cancer is a useful tool for studying the molecular basis of the disease, identifying new therapeutic targets, and evaluating treatment modalities. It provides a more physiologically appropriate high-throughput platform for screening large compound library in a 96–384 well format. We critically discussed the rapid development of personalized treatment strategies and accelerated drug screening platforms to close the gap between traditional 2D cell culture and in vivo investigations. Graphical Abstract

In the fingerprint research area, development of ‘old’ fingerprints (FPs) or FPs taken on porous, smooth surfaces, preservation of developed FPs and visualization of sweat pores are unsolved issues. In this report, we have synthesized and explored 4,5-bis(diethylene glycol) functionalized 1,8-naphthalimide (Naph-DG) dye for addressing these issues. The Naph-DG possesses high quantum yield (φ = 4.22) in solid-state suitable for the development of latent, old, stained FPs using powder dusting method on porous, non-porous and coloured surfaces up to levels 1–3. Depending upon the hydrophobicity of the surface, Naph-DG Chameleon emits blue, blue-greenish and greenish fluorescence on the ridges of the FPs. The practical applicability of Naph-DG was demonstrated using case studies. The FPs developed with Naph-DG can be lifted with scotch tape for preservation. The Naph-DG was also used (i) as a fluorescent ink for the development of anti-counterfeiting labels and (ii) for molecular recognition of Fe3+ as low as 42 nM in CH3CN.

Evapotranspiration (ET) is a critical element of the hydrological cycle, and its proper assessment is essential for irrigation scheduling, agricultural and hydro-meteorological studies, and water budget estimation. It is computed for most applications as a product of reference crop evapotranspiration (ET0) and crop coefficient, notably using the well-known two-step method. Accurate predictions of reference evapotranspiration (ET0) using limited meteorological inputs are critical in data-constrained circumstances. Due to the unavailability and heterogeneity of broad parameters of the FAO PM method, it becomes a major constraint for accurately estimating ET0. To overcome the complexity of calculation, the present study was focused on developing a Random Forest-based (RF) ET0 model to estimate the crop ET for the semi-arid region of northwest India. The RF-based model was developed by focusing on the easily available data at the farm level. For comparative study existing models like Hargreaves–Samani, Modified Penman and modified Hargreaves–Samani were used to estimate the ET0. The models' calibration and validation were done using meteorological data collected from the weather station of Punjab Agricultural University for 21 years (1990–2010) and nine years (2011–2019), respectively, and the FAO PM model was taken as a standard. The mean absolute error (MAE) and root-mean-square error (RMSE) were found to be least as 0.95 mm/d and 1.32 mm/d, respectively for the developed RF model, with an r2 value of 0.92. The seasonal ET0 estimated by modified Hargreaves–Samani (MHS) and RF were found as 498.3, 482.1 mm in rabi season and 755, 744.8 mm in kharif season respectively, whereas the annual ET0 was 1380.2 and 1355.7 mm respectively. The predicted ET0 values by RF-based model were used for irrigation scheduling of two growing seasons (2020–2021) of maize and wheat crops. The outcome of the field trial also demonstrates that there was no appreciable yield drop in the crop when compared to irrigation scheduling by the FAO PM model, demonstrating the applicability of the developed model for irrigation in the semiarid region of the Punjab in India.

Injectable hydrogels were discovered as attractive materials for bone tissue engineering applications given their outstanding biocompatibility, high water content, and versatile fabrication platforms into materials with different physiochemical properties. However, traditional hydrogels suffer from weak mechanical strength, limiting their use in heavy load-bearing areas. Thus, the fabrication of mechanically robust injectable hydrogels that are suitable for load-bearing environments is of great interest. Successful material design for bone tissue engineering requires an understanding of the composition and structure of the material chosen, as well as the appropriate selection of biomimetic natural or synthetic materials. This review focuses on recent advancements in materials–design considerations and approaches to prepare mechanically robust injectable hydrogels for bone tissue engineering applications. We outline the materials–design approaches through a selection of materials and fabrication methods. Finally, we discuss unmet needs and current challenges in the development of ideal materials for bone tissue regeneration and highlight emerging strategies in the field.

Sesame is the oldest oilseed crop in agriculture, and it produces more oil than any other crop on the planet. This research aimed to investigate the impact of different oil extraction procedures on sesame seed oil physicochemical quality and oil recovery. The oil was extracted from the clean and healthy seeds using four extraction methods: aqueous, enzyme-assisted aqueous, ultrasound-assisted aqueous and solvent extraction using the Soxhlet apparatus. It was observed that ultrasound-assisted aqueous extracted oil had maximum saponification value and minimum acid value, refractive index, and lower free fatty acid value, compared with aqueous extracted oil and enzyme-assisted aqueous extracted oil. Ultrasound-assisted aqueous extraction method also yielded maximum oil, retrieval followed by enzyme-assisted aqueous extraction and aqueous extraction.

This study aims to assess the effect of online reviews on online book sales performance in the Indian context. A sales rank was used as a proxy measure for sales. The total sample size was 2028 books from the ‘bestseller’ and ‘recent’ book categories on Amazon.in. Cross-sectional analysis and difference-in-difference analysis approaches were adopted for data analysis. The results revealed that online reviews shared by the Indian consumers impact books sales, as the consumers prefer to analyze the books on the basis of available online reviews before making their purchase decision. Overall, the results indicated that reviews had a positive impact on the sales in both book categories.

Anthocyanins are high-value compounds, and their use as functional foods and their natural colorant have potential health benefits. Anthocyanins seem to possess antioxidant properties, which help prevent neuronal diseases and thereby exhibit anti-inflammatory, chemotherapeutic, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, and neuroprotective activities. They also show different therapeutic effects against various chronic diseases. Anthocyanins are present in high concentrations in onion. In recent years, although both conventional and improved methods have been used for extraction of anthocyanins, nowadays, improved methods are of great importance because of their higher yield and stability of anthocyanins. In this review, we compile anthocyanins and their derivatives found in onion and the factors affecting their stability. We also analyze different extraction techniques of anthocyanins. From this point of view, it is very important to be precisely aware of the impact that each parameter has on the stability and subsequently potentiate its bioavailability or beneficial health effects. We present up-to-date information on bioavailability, dietary effects, and health implications of anthocyanins such as antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticancerous, antiobesity, cardioprotective, and hepatoprotective activities.

This study examined the relationship between attachment style, mother tongue (L1) and dominant language (DL) proficiency, sociocultural identification with the culture of origin, and life satisfaction amongst second-generation and third-generation South Asian immigrants in Hong Kong. Participants included 69 women and 28 men who were permanent residents of South Asian ethnicity, and who had grown up in Hong Kong. The results identified significant associations between attachment insecurity and L1 and DL proficiency, as well as commitment to the origin culture. There was a positive association between life satisfaction and commitment levels to origin culture, indicating that high commitment levels to origin culture tend to coexist with high life satisfaction. This study adds to the existing literature with a focus on language skills, attachment and acculturation in immigrant populations.

Gamma ray shielding ability of WO3 borate glasses is analyzed by using the Phy-X/PSD software. Mass attenuation coefficient of glasses gets enhanced with addition of tungsten oxide resulting in lowering of the values of MFP, HVL, TVL and EBF at 10 mol % of tungsten as compared to many commercial and radiation shielding glasses/concretes. The higher value of FNRCS (∑R) in studied glasses than concretes shows their neutron shielding ability. The sample with highest value of tungsten is most suitable for making radiation shielding materials. The OPD, OMV, n¯c, nb and dbb values indicate the rigid and stable glass structure due to the formations of stable BO4 groups. Poisson ratio confirms high cross density and stability of prepared glasses as its value decreases from 0.233 to 0.226. The increased values of elastic constants and VHN are also in the favour of higher stability and rigidity of the glasses due to addition of WO3. All of these parameters are in good relation with each other and support the shielding power of the studied glasses.

The multiferroic composite ceramics of (1-x)[K0.5Na0.5NbO3]-x[Co(Mg0.05Fe1.95)O4]; x = 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5 and 1.0 have been synthesized by solid-state route. The effect of stoichiometric proportions on their structural, morphological, ferroelectric, dielectric, magnetic and magnetodielectric properties has been explored in detail. The dual phase formation in the XRD pattern has revealed the presence of orthorhombic and spinel cubic structures of KNN and CMgFO, respectively. SEM investigations indicated the cuboidal shaped grains of KNN, while agglomeration has been observed for CMgFO. All the composites have found to exhibit ferromagnetic ordering, where Ms continuously increases with increasing CMgFO concentration (~9 to 41 emu/g for x = 0.1 to x = 0.5); however, ferroelectric nature of composites decreases with increasing CMgFO concentration. The dielectric constant decreases, while loss increases with increasing ferrite concentration, except for x = 0.5. The decrease in dielectric constant with magnetic field is an evidence of magnetodielectric (MD) effect, with MD values of −3.5%, −3.6%, −4.5%, −10.3% and −5.2% for x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5, respectively. The maximum value of MD ~ −10% for x = 0.4 composite, indicated the appreciable ME coupling effect between ferroelectric and ferromagnetic phases, in present research work.

Objective: To compare the detection rate of root canal orifices of maxillary first molar by various techniques in the Indian population. Material and Methods: A total of 50 maxillary 1st molar cases were selected and sequentially divided into four groups: Group I: Naked eye; Group II: Surgical loupe; Group III: Surgical operating microscope; and Group IV: Fluorescein sodium dye. After access opening, the number of root canal orifices was detected in all cases with these methods. Results: By naked eye and surgical loupe, a total of 171 root canal orifices were detected, by a surgical operating microscope, 176, and by fluorescein sodium dye, 177 root canal orifices were detected. The detection rate of root canal orifices is as follows: Group I (96.61%) = Group II (96.61%) < Group III (99.44%) < Group IV (100%) and detection rate of MB-2 canal orifices Group I (40%) = Group II (40%) < Group III (50%) < Group IV (52%). No significant difference in the number of canal orifices detected could be seen for any of the comparisons. No significant difference was observed between the naked eye and surgical loupe techniques. Although the surgical operating microscope detected more root canal orifices, it did not have a significantly higher detection than the other two techniques. Conclusion: No significant difference was seen among various methods. However, the use of a surgical operating microscope and fluorescein sodium dye increased the detection rate of root canal orifices.

We hereby discuss the thermoelectric properties of PdXSn(X = Zr, Hf) half Heuslers in relation to lattice thermal conductivity probed under effective mass (hole/electrons) calculations and deformation potential theory. In addition, we report the structural, electronic, mechanical, and lattice dynamics of these materials as well. Both alloys are indirect band gap semiconductors with a gap of 0.91 eV and 0.82 eV for PdZrSn and PdHfSn, respectively. Both half Heusler materials are mechanically and dynamically stable. The effective mass of electrons/holes is (0.13/1.23) for Zr-type and (0.12/1.12) for Hf-kind alloys, which is inversely proportional to the relaxation time and directly decides the electrical/thermal conductivity of these materials. At 300K, the magnitude of lattice thermal conductivity observed for PdZrSn is 15.16 W/mK and 9.53 W/mK for PdHfSn. The highest observed ZT value for PdZrSn and PdHfSn is 0.32 and 0.4, respectively.

Concrete being most extensively used construction material all over the globe has resulted in the over-exploitation of natural resources such as river-sand and gravels. Meanwhile, advancing industries and increasing population have also lead to an increased generation of waste materials. Many of these waste materials have the potential to be used in concrete. This study has investigated the effect of one such waste material referred to as Waste Foundry Sand (WFS) on the properties of concrete. Many researchers have studied the effect of WFS on the mechanical properties of concrete. However, no consensus has been reached yet and very contradictory results have been reported. Moreover, shrinkage of concrete containing WFS has not received much of the researchers’ attention and very limited literature is available related to this property. This study explores the workability, compressive strength, split tensile strength and drying shrinkage of such concretes. WFS was used as partial replacement of fine aggregate and the replacement levels were varied from 0 to 50% in equal increments of 10%. It was observed that the compressive strength and split tensile strength of concrete decreased with the addition of WFS. However, the mix WFS3 (30% WFS) showed the strength very similar to that of control concrete. A significant increase of 16.7%, 23.44%, 29.05%, 36.35% and 45.18% with respect to control concrete at the age of 28 days was observed in the magnitude of drying shrinkage when the amount of WFS in concrete was varied from 10 to 50%. Furthermore, it was seen that the available shrinkage prediction models could not be applied to the concrete containing waste foundry sand. Hence, a multivariable regression model inspired by ACI-209 model was developed for prediction of drying shrinkage in concrete. The proposed model included the parameters related to drying age and percentage of WFS in concrete and gave a high value of the coefficient of regression (R2) indicating the effectiveness of the proposed model.

This paper presents the strain effects on the structural, electronic and phonon properties of a newly proposed SrBaSn half Heusler compound. Since it is stable considering chemical thermodynamics, we tested its strength against uniform strain w.r.t phonon spectrum and it produces a direct bandgap of 0.7 eV. The direct bandgap reduces to 0.19 eV at −12% strain beyond which the structure is unstable. However, an indirect gap of 0.63 eV to 0.39 eV is observed in the range of +5% to +8% strain and afterwards the strain application destabilizes the structure. From elastic parameters, the ductile nature of this material is observed.

Lead-free multiferroic composites of 1 − x(K0.5Na0.5NbO3 − x(Co0.6Zn0.4)(Fe1.7Mn0.3)O4 (KNN-CZFMO), where x= 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5 and 1.0, have been investigated for their structural, morphological, electrical, magnetic, dielectric and magneto-dielectric properties. Presence of KNN and CZFMO crystal structure in each composite has been confirmed from X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). Cuboidal-shaped grains of KNN and spherical-shaped grains of CZFMO have been observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The room temperature ferroelectric behavior as confirmed by polarization versus electric field (P–E) hysteresis loops has been found to be decreasing with increasing CZFMO concentration. Increasing magnetic ordering with the increase in CZFMO concentration in the prepared composites has been observed by magnetization versus magnetic field (M–H) hysteresis loops. The electrical conductivity of composites has been studied using Jonscher’s universal power law. The room temperature dielectric constant (𝜀′) and dielectric loss (tan δ) have been observed to decrease with the increase in the frequency of the applied external electric field. The dielectric relaxation behavior has been observed using curve fitting analysis via the Havriliak–Negami relaxation model. Maximum value of the magnetodielectric (MD) effect ∼−11% at a frequency of 1 kHz with the applied magnetic field of 1 T has been achieved for 0.9 KNN−0.1 CZFMO (x= 0.1) composite in the present research work.

In this report, we have applied the muffin tin orbital method within full-potential linearized augmented plane wave approximation to investigate the intricate details of the electronic structure, elastic properties and magnetism of antiperovskite compounds Co3XN with X = Rh, Pd and Sn. The detailed analysis of the electronic structure calculations using various chemical bonding indicators suggest the covalent hybridization of the electronic states associated with Co (the high valency transition element) and the X atom (low valency transition element) as the significant interaction liable for the exhibition of the octahedral symmetry by these alloys. The large magnetic moments of Co3RhN, Co3PdN and Co3PtN are observed to be 6.20 μB, 5.20 μB and 6.21 μB, respectively; with a net magnetic moment of around 4.7 μB contributed by Co atoms in each compound. The direct exchange between Co and X atoms and indirect interaction between Co and Co via N atoms is responsible for its ferromagnetic character. The influence of the strain on the overall magnetism and relative atomic moments in the unit cell is also investigated. The anisotropic nature of these alloys and the mechanical properties like ductility increases from Rh > Pd > Pt. Also, the Debye temperatures of Co3RhN, Co3PdN and Co3PtN are calculated to be 702 K, 689 K and 606 K, respectively.

Introduction: Coronary venous catheterisation has been used for performing various cardiologic interventions. The procedure might become complicated due to obstruction offered by the valve of coronary sinus (Thebesian valve) the acute bend of the Great Cardiac Vein (GCV). The present study sought to expound the anatomical considerations of coronary venous catheterization and to elucidate the potential causes of obstruction and the complications of this procedure. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional observational study, coronary sinus and GCV were dissected in 40, formalin fixed, adult cadaveric human hearts. Course, length, diameter and angle of bend of GCV, length of coronary sinus and its diameter at its ostium in right atrium were recorded. Thebesian valve morphology and percentage coverage of coronary sinus ostium was recorded. Relation of the coronary sinus and GCV with their neighbouring arteries was described. Results: Coronary sinus: near its termination was directly related to the left atrium. Length: 35.35±4.43 mm (1 SD). Diameter: 11.75 ± 2.66mm. Diameter of CS ostium was more in hearts where Thebesian valve was absent. GCV travelled superficial or deep to the left diagonal artery and crossed circumflex artery superficially. Length: 96.23 ±22.52mm. Diameter: 5.99 ±1.02mm. Angle of bend: 107 ±6.74 degrees. Thebesian valve: Absent in 3 hearts. Various morphologies were observed: thin band, thin band with fenestrations, broad band with fenestrations, well developed semilunar valve (Thin/thick). In five hearts, valve covered more than 50% of coronary sinus ostium. Conclusion: Coronary sinus and GCV diameter will help cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons to choose an appropriate sized catheter and their length will decide the length of catheter advancement. Thebesian valve may cause obstruction to the catheter due to an extensive coverage of coronary sinus ostium, which is seen in 12.5% cases. The obtuse angle of GCV has to be negotiated in order to enter this vessel. Arteries lying deep to coronary sinus and GCV might be compressed leading to myocardial ischemia.

Integrability and L1-convergence of modified cosine sums introduced by Rees and Stanojević (1973) under a class of generalized semiconvex null coefficients are studied, using Cesaro means of integral order.

Background: The recovery from laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is rapid and most of the patients are discharged on the 1st post-operative day. There is an increased concentration of certain serum proteins, known as acute-phase reactive proteins (APRP) during the post-operative period depends on the degree of tissue damage and the inflammatory reaction. There is a direct positive correlation between the concentrations of APRP, especially C-reactive protein (CRP), and the severity of inflammation. This study was done to study the levels of C - reactive protein and Total Leucocyte Count in patients operated either by Open Cholecystectomy (OC) and Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (LC). Materials and Methods: This prospective study was conducted on 50 patients after approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee. Twenty five patients underwent open cholecystectomy and the other 25 had laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The pre and post operative concentrations of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and total leukocyte count (TLC) were compared in both the groups. Results: There were no differences in the preoperative serum CRP and TLC concentrations – in both the groups. Serum CRP rose significantly following OC compared to that of patients who underwent LC (10.52 ± 1.96 mg% vs. 8.88 ± 1.23 mg %). There were also significant differences in the post-operative TLC ( 9.49 ± 1.05 m/mm3 for the OC group vs. 8.57 ± 1.31 m/mm3 for the LC group), and the post-operative hospital stay (5.5 ±1.5 days vs. 1.9 ± 0.9 days). There was no correlation between serum CRP concentrations and the other post-operative parameters. Conclusion: The study provided the biochemical evidence supporting the clinical observation that LC is far less traumatic to the patient than OC.

The field experiment was conducted to study the growth performance and agrometeorological indices of rice cultivars i.e. PR 122, PR 126 and Pusa 44 grown under direct seeded rice (DSR) and puddled transplanted rice (PTR) conditions during kharif 2020 and 2021 at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. Results revealed that the accumulated growing degree days (AGDD), accumulated helio-thermal units (AHTU) and accumulated photo thermal units (APTU) were higher in PTR than DSR, while radiation use efficiency (RUE) was higher in DSR in terms of dry matter production but in terms of grain yield RUE was higher in PTR. Heat use efficiency (HUE) was also higher in DSR. AGDD, AHTU and APTU were also higher in Pusa 44, however, RUE and HUE were higher in PR 126 in terms of grain yield and dry matter. Among nitrogen levels, N3 (Leaf colour chart-based nitrogen application) gives at par yield with N1 (Recommended) and N2 (125 % of recommended). Optimum nitrogen level is helpful to get higher light interception rate and RUE while HUE was highest in N2 followed by N1 and N3 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]