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Abstract In the twenty-first century, global warming has become one of the severe challenges. Around one-fourth of the total carbon footprint is contributed by transport vehicles. It is crucial to provide alternative solutions to unsustainable transportation systems. This study compares the present travel modes of students of the Capital University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, with the proposed sustainable travel mode. A campus survey (N = 565) was conducted to understand travel choices, travel times, origin and destinations, and student preferences, considering university buses and private vehicles. A comparison was made between the travel time analysis of university bus users and non-bus users. A sustainability analysis has been conducted to evaluate the effects of the present travel modes on students and the proposed university bus transport system. Five main factors were compared: fuel consumption and associated fuel costs, carbon and vehicular emissions, traffic noise pollution, traffic congestion, and accident ratio. The results show that 38% of students commute by private cars and 18% by motorbikes. Around 25% of the students avoid university buses due to long travel times, and 30% prefer because their parents ask them. On average, university buses take 56.8 min, and non-bus transports take 38.8 min for one-way travel. If all students travel by university busses, they could be 86% more sustainable in fuel costs and carbon emissions than non-bus travel modes. These results give useful policy implications for providing sustainable travel alternatives to educational institutions.

The present study aims to investigate the steady state mixed convection flow for a viscous incompressible fluid along a cantilever shape. The study has analyzed the impact of mixed convection boundary layer flow behavior and heat transfer characteristic of the cantilever shape. The leading equations for the said problem are the Navier-Stokes and energy equations. These leading equations are converted into ordinary differential equations using the stream function formulation, and the numerical solution is obtained using the shooting technique with BVP4C and built in MATLAB program. The impact of dimensionless parameters such as n, Pr, and λ on the velocity and temperature profile within the boundary layer of the cantilever cylinder is presented graphically. The results for velocity slope and temperature gradient under the effects of various emerging parameters are presented in tables. The study has concluded that mixed convection parameter has a significant impact on the velocity and temperature distribution, as well as on the velocity slope and temperature gradient rates along a cantilever shape geometry. The outcomes of the current study can be utilized for the design and optimization of various engineering devices involving cantilever shapes. Further, research regarding the impact of other parameters on the cantilever shape including heat transfer characteristics can be conducted using the approach presented in this study. The novelty of the current work can be claimed by saying that for reduced gravity, other forces involved in the flow model induced the fluid motion and temperature gradient.

Purpose – This study integrates the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and value-belief-norm (VBN) theory to investigate tourists' intention and behaviour to visit green hotels in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 160 valid questionnaire responses were collected via an online survey. The partial least square–structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique was utilised to assess the study framework and the hypothesised relationship. Findings – The study's results confirmed that tourists' intention to stay at a green hotel is directly influenced by their subjective norms and perceived behavioural control. Besides, the study confirms the insignificant relationship between green trust, personal norms and tourists' stay intention. On the other hand, perceived morals, responsibility, willingness to pay more and perceived consumer effectiveness were significant in explaining the customer's subjective norms, personal norms and perceived behaviour control. Research limitations/implications – The hotel industry may benefit from this empirical outcome to devise effective marketing strategies for retaining their customers, particularly in rejuvenating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the industry. Practical implications – This study provides valuable practical implications for green hotel operators to develop effective strategies to attract tourists to green hotel visits. Originality/value – This study is the first to integrate the extended TPB and VBN theory to understand tourist intention to visit a green hotel. Notably, the extended TPB and VBN theory was practical and helpful in predicting tourist intention to visit a green hotel.

Background and Objective Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a significant cause of cancer-related mortality, with limited curative options and high rates of cachexia, a debilitating syndrome associated with poor prognosis. While previous research has linked sarcopenia to poor outcomes in PC, the correlation between cachexia and treatment outcomes remains underexplored. This meta-analysis aims to investigate the association between cachexia and overall survival and time to treatment failure in advanced PC patients undergoing first-line chemotherapy. Method A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Eligible studies compared cachexic and non-cachexic PC patients, reporting outcomes of observed survival or time to treatment failure. Data extraction and analysis were performed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Version 3.3, employing random-effects models and sensitivity analyses to assess heterogeneity and bias. Results Seven observational studies involving 2834 PC patients were included. The incidence of cachexia was 45% (95% CI: 0.27-0.65), with a higher prevalence in East Asian populations. Cachexic patients experienced significantly earlier treatment failure (SDM: −2.22, 95% CI: −2.6 to −1.7, P = 0.0001) and higher mortality risk (HR: 2.02, 95% CI: 1.17-3.48, P = 0.011) compared to non-cachexic patients. Overall survival was lower in cachexic patients (SDM: −2.34, 95% CI: −3.7 to −0.90, P = 0.001), with considerable heterogeneity across studies. Meta-regression analysis revealed significant differences between countries but insignificant correlations with age. Conclusion Cachexia is associated with reduced overall survival, early chemotherapy failure, and elevated mortality in advanced PC patients undergoing first-line chemotherapy. Recognition and management of cachexia are crucial for optimizing treatment outcomes and improving patient survival. Future research should focus on prospective studies to better understand the impact of cachexia on treatment response and develop tailored interventions to mitigate its adverse effects.

The current research examines the combined effects of solar energy and thermal buoyancy around a laminar jet placed in a porous medium. The governing boundary layer equations are dimensionalized by using appropriate dimensionless variables. The numerical solution of the dimensionless boundary layer equations is obtained using the finite difference method. The impact of physical parameters, which are Darcy number, dimensionless porous medium inertia coefficient, Prandtl number, radiation parameter, and dimensionless fluid's absorption parameter, on velocity and temperature profile, is shown graphically, while the influence of the above parameters on the heat transfer rate is presented in tabular form. It is keenly observed that for Darcy number velocity profile decreases while reverse behavior is noted for temperature distribution. For the dimensionless radiation parameter, both the velocity and temperature profile decrease. The main novelty of the current work is to improve the thermal performance of natural convection heat transfer system in the presence of thermal radiation placed in porous medium.

In our continuous efforts to find out leads against the enzyme 15-lipoxygenase (15-LOX), the current study deals with the synthesis of a series of new N-alkyl/aralkyl/aryl derivatives of 2-(4-ethyl-5-(1-phenylcarbamoyl)piperidine-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-ylthio)methylacetamide (7a-n) with anti-LOX activities. The synthesis was started by reacting phenylisocyanate with isonipecotate that sequentially converted into N-substituted ester (1), hydrazide (2), semicarbazide (3) and N-ethylated 5-(1-phenylcarbamoyl)piperidine-1,2,4-triazole (4). The final compounds, 7a-n, were obtained by reacting 4 with various N-alkyl/aralkyl/aryl electrophiles. Both the intermediates and target compounds were characterized by FTIR, 1H, 13C NMR spectroscopy, EI-MS and HR-EI-MS spectrometry and screened against soybean 15-LOX by chemiluminescence method. The eight compounds 7e, 7j, 7h, 7a, 7g, 7b, 7n, 7c showed potent inhibitory activities against 15-LOX with values ranging from IC50 0.36 ± 0.15 μM (7e) to IC50 6.75 ± 0.17 μM (7c) compared with the reference quercetin (IC50 4.86 ± 0.14 μM) and baicalein (IC50 2.24 ± 0.13 μM). Two analogues (7l, 7f) had significantly outstanding inhibitory potential with IC50 values 12.15 ± 0.23 μM and 15.54 ± 0.26 μM, whereas, the derivatives 7i, and 7d displayed IC50 values of 21.56 ± 0.27 μM, 23.59 ± 0.24 μM and the compounds 7k, 7m were found inactive. All analogues exhibited blood mononuclear cells (MNCs) viability >75 % at 0.25 mM concentration as determined by MTT method. Calculated pharmacokinetic properties projected good lipophilicity, bioavailability and drug-likeness properties and did not violate Lipinski's/Veber rule. Molecular docking studies revealed lower binding free energies of all the derivatives than the reference compounds. The binding free energies were −9.8 kcal/mol, −9.70 k/mol and −9.20 kcal/mol for 7j, 7h and 7e, respectively, compared with the standard quercetin (−8.47 kcal/mol) and baicalein (−8.98 kcal/mol). The docked ligands formed hydrogen bonds with the amino acid residues Gln598 (7e), Arg260, Val 126 (7h), Gln762, Gln574, Thr443, Arg580 (7j) while other hydrophobic interactions observed therein further stabilized the complexes. The results of density functional theory (DFT) revealed that analogues with more stabilized lower unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) had significant enzyme inhibitory activity. The data collectively supports these molecules as leads against 15-LOX and demand further investigations as anti-inflammatory agents.

Introduction: Surgical management of endometrial cancer is a total hysterectomy, bilateral salphingo-oophorectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection (THBSO-PLND), which is a challenging surgery in the morbidly obese. Data on morbidly obese women undergoing robotic surgery is limited in Asia. We share our experience in Singapore and aim to demonstrate that robotic surgery is safe and effective in morbidly obese women with endometrial cancer. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with BMI > 40 kg/m2, who underwent robotic surgery from January 2016 to September 2023 at the Singapore General Hospital. We recruited a total of 33 patients who underwent robotic surgery for endometrial malignancy and analysed surgical outcomes, operative complications, and survival rates. Results: The average age of patients was 53 years and mean BMI 45.7. The average operative time was 232 min and average blood loss 184 ml. 3 patients had THBSO while 27 underwent THBSO-PLND. None required conversion to laparotomy. 4 patients required a mini-laparotomy for the retrieval of bulky uterus. 12 required adhesiolysis. 6 patients had additional omentectomy done. The average inpatient stay was 4.8 days. The 1-year mortality rate is 0. However, 1 patient passed away 13 months after surgery due to complications from bowel obstruction and another passed away 39 months later due to disease recurrence. 1 patient readmitted on POD6 due to post-op ileus and another for port-site hematoma. Both were managed conservatively. Conclusion: Robotic surgery is a safe and effective alternative surgical tool for women who are morbidly obese with endometrial cancer.

The prominent novelty of current review is to exhibit the fluctuating and oscillatory convective heat transfer properties along various geometries with magnetic force, variable density, Prandtl number, buoyancy force and magnetic Prandtl number effects. The significance of present work is to illustrate a comprehensive review on transient convective heat transfer. Transient convective heat transfer plays an essential role in various technological and environmental applications, including climate control, structure safety, engines, thermal control, computer heating and cooling, and energy safety. The literature primarily focuses on steady temperature and velocity domains, with few studies exploring time-varying fluid flow in forced, natural, or mixed convective mechanisms with different methods. In current review, justification of results was performed by using oscillating stokes conditions directly in partial differential models. The similarity variables and stream functions are used in literature but in current review, the primitive variable transformation is used with implicit form of finite difference method and Gaussian elimination technique through FORTRAN and Tecplot-360 programming tools. The governing model is reduced into steady, real and imaginary form to explore steady and oscillating convective heat transmission. Transient flows have gained significance due to their ability to achieve large oscillating convective heat transfer rates. Compared with steady movement, oscillating flows exhibit higher velocity variations along the heated surface. Periodic flow produces an improved transient surface heat transmission rate than steady flow. Predicting and controlling transients in thermal exchangers requires a concept of transient forced convection heat transport. Transient convective thermal transmission solutions are important for ensuring the effectiveness and reliability of electrical components, nuclear and thermal power stations, heat-generating engines, steam turbines, condensation systems, catalytic converters, heat shielding for spacecraft, electrical devices, internal combustion engines, air conditioning and refrigerator components, cooling networks for batteries, generators, and transformers. It is found that the frequency of convective heat transport enhances through periodic and oscillating stokes variables. It was depicted that the higher amplitude in convective heat transfer was displayed for each choice of magnetic force parameter around two angles π/4 and π of circular magnetized surface. It was depicted that the maximum transient convective heat transmission was reported along vertical angle π/2 with buoyancy force, Prandtl and magnetic Prandtl values.

The aim of the current research is to highlight the time-dependent properties of laminar convective thermal transmission inside a semi-infinite pipe, with an emphasis on flow frequencies that impact inter-fluid momentum and energy. The implicit finite difference approach is used to solve two-dimensional mathematical model composed of nonlinear partial differential equations. The research includes forecasting thermal performance of time-dependent flow in a pipe over several parameter ranges relevant to the flow model. The obtained forecasts were emphasized graphically. The numerical solutions were separated into steady and unsteady components, with the steady component yielding findings that were then used to determine the time dependent surface shearness and energy shearness in the time dependent phase. The stable component of the investigation revealed that raising the buoyancy force parameter and the impact of viscous dissipation significantly improved the flow velocity pattern and heat distributions throughout the flow domain. While the amplitude of time dependent surface shearness varied somewhat across various buoyancy force parameter values, the amplitude of time dependent heat transmission rates varied significantly. This study sheds light on the interaction of several characteristics, such as buoyancy force effects and internal energy loss, on time-dependent thermal energy flow inside a semi-infinite pipe subjected to laminar convective flow. It is worth noting that the amplitude of the time dependent rate of heat transmission shows more noticeable variations with different values of the buoyancy force parameter, in contrast to the minute change in the amplitude of the time dependent surface sheerness.

The public transport system in Faisalabad is underdeveloped and inefficient to meet the travel demands of the people. It mainly consists of a multitude of Para-transit modes such as auto-rickshaws, Qingqi (motorcycle rickshaws), and wagons, etc. These modes do not meet the mobility needs of the low-income group or captive riders. This research tends to assess customers' satisfaction with the current public transport system and their preferences towards the introduction of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Faisalabad. A questionnaire was designed in this study to gather travelers' perceptions about public transport in Faisalabad. The questionnaire consisted of personal and travel information of the travelers, satisfaction with service quality attributes, important attributes in traveling, and behavioral intentions with the BRT service. This survey was conducted physically and a total of 225 samples were collected. Results showed that the customers' satisfaction level with existing public transport modes is quite low. Most of the respondents showed positive intent to use the BRT service as they perceived it as a safe, comfortable, convenient, and economical mode of transport. Results revealed that most travelers want to shift to an improved transportation system. Results of factor analysis and structural equation modeling revealed that low satisfaction with transit modes has a negative impact on customers' behavioral intentions. Most of the respondents said that cost, travel time, air conditioning, travel time reliability, comfort, and ability to make stops on the way are very important attributes of the BRT service. Most of the users believed that it will reduce air pollution, provide better accessibility, and would be safe for female travelers. Also, customers' perceived level of importance significantly and positively influences their intentions towards BRT service. This study recommends the provision of a BRT-like bus transport service in Faisalabad to meet the mobility needs of the masses.

Objective We investigated the correlation of lung function parameters with increased body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) and determined the impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analytical study at a teaching hospital among 173 individuals. We assessed anthropometric measurements, dynamic lung function, clinical history, and HRQoL using the Airway Questionnaire. Correlations of dynamic lung function parameters with BMI and WC were analyzed. Results In total, 51% were men (mean patient age 47.8 ± 10.5 years, median 48 years). The average BMI was 30.3 ± 8 kg/m 2 . Among 173 participants, 49% were smokers, with 16 ± 9 pack-years smoked; 80% of participants had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We observed compromised mid-expiratory flow (MEF), especially in young and overweight smokers. A moderately strong positive relationship was observed between WC and HRQoL scores, indicating a decline in HRQoL with increased WC. Conclusion In our study, HRQoL declined with increasing WC. We found a decrease in MEF among young and overweight smokers who were otherwise healthy and whose other lung function parameters were normal; this finding can be regarded as a pre-COPD marker. These individuals should be reassessed for the development of COPD. Further prospective studies are needed to verify our findings.

The goal of the work under consideration is to inspect the steady buoyancy driven flow for a viscous and density independent fluid along a cantilever shape, by considering the optically dense gray fluid. This study examines the characteristics of buoyancy driven convective heat and fluid flow adjacent to the cantilever shape. The governing equations constituting the aforementioned problem are converted into ordinary differential equations by utilizing the stream function formulation. The shooting technique BVP4C along with the MATLAB program is then used to obtain the numerical solutions. The impact of dimensionless cantilever shape parameter n, Prandtl number Pr, Richardson parameter λ, and thermal radiation parameter F on the velocity and temperature profile of the cantilever shape is demonstrated graphically. The tables provide the results for the skin friction and rate of heat transfer coefficient due to the impact of a number of evolving parameters.

Background Understanding human stem cell differentiation into osteoblasts and osteoclasts is crucial for bone regeneration and disease modeling. Numerous morphological techniques have been employed to assess this differentiation, but a comprehensive review of their application and effectiveness is lacking. Methods Guided by the PRISMA framework, we conducted a rigorous search through the PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus databases, analyzing 254 articles. Each article was scrutinized against pre-defined inclusion criteria, yielding a refined selection of 14 studies worthy of in-depth analysis. Results The trends in using morphological approaches were identified for analyzing osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation. The three most used techniques for osteoblasts were Alizarin Red S (mineralization; six articles), von Kossa (mineralization; three articles) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP; two articles) followed by one article on Giemsa staining (cell morphology) and finally immunochemistry (three articles involved Vinculin, F-actin and Col1 biomarkers). For osteoclasts, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP staining) has the highest number of articles (six articles), followed by two articles on DAPI staining (cell morphology), and immunochemistry (two articles with VNR, Cathepsin K and TROP2. The study involved four stem cell types: peripheral blood monocyte, mesenchymal, dental pulp, and periodontal ligament. Conclusion This review offers a valuable resource for researchers, with Alizarin Red S and TRAP staining being the most utilized morphological procedures for osteoblasts and osteoclasts, respectively. This understanding provides a foundation for future research in this rapidly changing field.

The exponential growth of communication technologies and the ubiquitous use of electronic devices raise concerns about unintended electromagnetic interference (EMI). Existing research exploring mortars incorporated with carbon fibers for EMI shielding primarily relies on empirical experiments investigating the interplay between shielding effectiveness (SE) and mixed design parameters. This research aims to establish predictive models for SE, focusing on the frequency of radiation and mortar constituents (water-to-cement ratio (W/C), fiber content, sand-to-cement ratio (S/C), and fiber aspect ratio). Employing a diverse array of machine learning algorithms, including stochastic gradient descent (SGD), gradient boosting, random forest, gene expression programming (GEP), AdaBoost, decision tree, K-nearest neighbors, and stepwise linear regression, this study aims to forecast the shielding efficacy of the mortar. Results demonstrate robust model performance, with R2 values and correlation coefficients surpassing 0.85 and 0.95, respectively, across training, testing, and validation datasets. Modeling errors, such as MSE, RMSE, MAE, and MAPE, remain within acceptable bounds for all models. The accuracy of predictions is evidenced by experimental-to-predicted SE ratios falling within the 0.5–1.5 range. Based on available data, parametric investigations conducted using the GEP-derived equation reveal a positive correlation between SE and S/C ratio, aspect ratio, fiber content, and radiation frequency, while indicating an inverse relationship with the W/C ratio. Moreover, employing Shapley additive explanation (SHAP)—a technique grounded in cooperative game theory—enhances the interpretability of SE. In summary, this study provides valuable insights into SE prediction for carbon fiber reinforced cement mortar, underscoring the efficacy of machine learning models in enhancing SE.

To overcome the negative effects of drought stress by exogenous application of natural [lemon juice (LJ) and orange juice (OJ)] and synthetic ascorbic acid (AsA) as sources of potential antioxidants was assessed in okra (A. esculentus) under field conditions. The experiment comprised of two cultivars (Sabz Pari and Bhindi Sanwali) those were subjected to different irrigation regimes including control (12 irrigations) as well as water deficit regimes such as D1 (eight irrigations) and D2 (six irrigations). The plants were sprayed with synthetic AsA (150 mg L-1), 50 % LJ and 50 % OJ to both control and water stressed plants after 30 days of seed germination. Foliar applied AsA obtained from varied sources significantly increased the plant biomass, yield characteristics and leaf photosynthetic pigments, total soluble proteins, proline, AsA, total amino acids, total phenolics, total soluble sugars, and activities of POD, CAT and SOD enzymes in okra plants under varying irrigations. Although, in contrast different AsA sources minimized the accumulation of H2O2 and MDA contents in okra plants. In conclusions, LJ and OJ (both 50 %) proved to be more effective than the synthetic AsA (150 mg L-1) in enhancing yield production, plant biomass and different physio-biochemical traits of okra plants subjected to varying water stress levels. Thus, a better organic source of AsA both LJ and OJ may be suggested to overcome the negative influence of water deficiency in plants.

The decline in soil productivity due to intensive cultivation, unbalanced fertilization and climate change are key challenges to future food security. There is no significant research conducted on the effect of organic amendments on soil properties and active carbon fractions in organic-matter deficient soils under changing climate. Biochar (BC) is a stabilized organic amendment produced from organic materials and is increasingly recognized as being able to improve soil health and crop productivity. The present study was conducted to determine the efficacy of compost (CM) (0.5%, 1%) (w/w) and animal manure (AM) (0.5%, 1%) (w/w) alone and combined with 3% (w/w) biochar, on soil carbon fractions, soil properties, and crop growth in a low-fertile soil. The results revealed significant increased 46% plant height, 106% and 114% fresh and dry shoot weight respectively, and 1,000-grain weight increased up to 40% when 3% BC with 1% CM was applied, compared to a control. Similarly, substantial increases in 69% soil organic matter, and 70% carbon pool index were observed at 3% BC, and under 3% BC with 1% CM increased 11% microbial biomass carbon compared to the control. Overall, the results suggest that 3% BC addition along with 1% CM and AM (1%) had greater potential to improve the soil carbon pool, microbial biomass, and soil health, all of which will ultimately enhance maize yield when grown in low-fertility soil. The application of BC, CM, and AM are a viable green approach, that not only boosts crop yields and improves soil properties and but also contributes to a circular economy.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Increasing misuse and irrational prescribing of antibiotics by physicians has led to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) posing a major global threat. Furthermore, only a few studies have been conducted to evaluate this domain in Pakistan. The objective of this study is to assess the general public’s knowledge, attitude, and perception towards antibiotic use and its resistance, and to determine positive associations between the various socio-demographic variables. METHODOLOGY: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2022 to March 2023. A convenient sampling technique was employed, selecting participants ≥ 18 years of age (n= 339). Structured questionnaires were distributed on different study sites and random participants were asked to respond immediately. RESULTS: Results showed that assessing antibiotics use among these 342 participants in the last year, it was determined that the majority of them had only used antibiotics once 108(31.6%). A closer number of individuals had used antibiotics more than thrice 101(29.5%) shows no significant association between rural and urban with a p-value=0.941>0.05. The majority were also aware of fatal allergic reactions produced by some antibiotics and agreed to stop antibiotic use if any adverse reaction were to occur 277(81.0%)p-value=0.674>0.05. No significance was observed, although some near-significant values of importance were noted and discussed. CONCLUSION: Antibiotic usage is commonly observed among all individuals; however, views contain many deviations. Constraints, including sample bias, Lahore’s urban dominance, and the omission of doctor-prescribing evaluations, highlight the study's limitations and have further skewed our results.

Nanotechnology has emerged as a prominent field in recent times. The fabrication of biocompatible materials has taken on highlighted significance owing to their requisite application in diverse sectors including medicine, water treatment and purification, health, and other related fields. There has been a lot of research done recently on the green synthesis of various nanoparticles (NPs). Copper a high-performance metal used in agriculture to combat pathogenic attacks, has received less attention. The current work demonstrates the successful preparation of green synthesized copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO.NPs) from Mangifera indica (M. indica) leaf extract. The spectral and morphological characterization biosynthesized were observed using, FTIR, XRD, and TEM analysis. The FTIR analysis revealed the functional groups present in plant extracts. XRD was carried out to demonstrate the crystalline nature and size of nanoparticles using the Scherrer formula. UV was performed to observe the optical properties of NPs. Further, Transmission electron spectroscopy (TEM) was carried out to confirm the physical shape of CuO.NPs with 50 nm. The M. indica mediated NPs were evaluated against gram-negative and positive bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) at different concentrations. The in vivo fungicidal activity was performed against Rhizophus oryzae (R. oryzae) on Diospyros kaki (persimmon fruit). The detach fruit method was applied to evaluate the potential of NPs. Higher exposure of 100 µg·mL−1 CuO.NPs showed mycelia inhibition followed by 30, 60, and control treatments. Furthermore, Green CuO.NPs showed prominent antioxidant activities as compared to plant sources. The findings obtained suggest that the green-formulated CuO.NPs could be further investigated for the treatment of many phytopathogenic diseases.

Cybersecurity challenges pose a significant threat to Healthcare Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) because they heavily rely on wireless communication. Particularly, jamming attacks can severely disrupt the integrity of these CPS networks. This research introduces a decentralized system to address this issue. Therefore, this paper suggested a system that leverages trust and blockchain technology to detect jamming attacks in healthcare CPS effectively. It proposes a layered model to improve CPS networks’ lifetime and performance. In smart healthcare environments, it ensures secure and reliable communication between sensor nodes, wearable sensors, medical devices, and monitoring systems. Results show that the suggested approach outperforms the baseline model in identifying and minimizing jamming assaults, with an average percentage difference of 15.71% more detection rate, 20.21% less packet loss rates, 16.65% less node-level energy consumption, reduced network latency of 8.29%, and 9.63% more network throughput.

The present paper is devoted to the topical problem of interaction between various discourses within the framework of the media discourse. The authors investigate the process of discourse interaction through signs and symbols. The purpose of the study is to analyze the linguistic signs used in a media text, which belong to different discourses and represent certain situations, which turn out to be juxtaposed. The authors also analyze the dominant components of the represented situations, which are also underlined due to interaction between the signs of different discourses. During the study, such methods as the method of discourse analysis and the method of semiotic analysis were used. The authors come to the conclusion that the interweaving of several situations (gastronomic, television, existential and ethnographic), their inclusion into a mass media communicative situation results in poly-discursiveness – the presence of fragments of several discourses, represented by symbols. As a result of combining signs from other discourses in media discourse, a new reality is constructed – a new media situation, simultaneously consisting of several situations existing in different discourses.

Abstract Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) is the most consumed vegetable worldwide with the potential for diverse ecological adaptation. However, increasing salinization and changing climatic conditions are posing serious threats to the growth, yield, and quality of okra. Therefore, to mitigate increasing soil salinization and ensure sustainable okra production under rapidly changing climatic conditions, evaluation of new okra germplasm to develop salt tolerant cultivars is direly needed. The present study was designed to evaluate the genetic resources of okra genotypes for salt tolerance at growth and reproductive phases. Based on mophological and physio-biochemical responses of plants under stress condition, genotypes were divided into salt tolerant and succeptible groups. The experiment was comprised of 100 okra genotypes and each genotype was grown under control conditions and 6.5 dS m−1 NaCl concentration in a pot having 10 kg capacity. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design and each treatment was replicated three times. The results showed vast genetic variability among the evaluated okra germplasm traits like days to emergence, pod length, pod diameter, plant height, stem girth, and other yield-related parameters. Correlation analysis showed a highly significant positive association among the number of leaves at first flower and plant height at first flower.Likewise, pod weight also revealed a highly significant positive relationship for pod weight plant-1, pod length, and K+: Na+. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed that out of 16 principal components (PCs), five components showed more than one eigenvalue and the first six PCs contributed 67.2% of the variation. Bi-plot analysis illustrated that genotypes 95, 111, 133, 99, and 128, under salt stress conditions, exhibited both high yield per plant and salt-tolerant behavior in other yield-related traits. On the basis of all studied traits, a salt susceptible group and a salt-tolerant group were formed. The salt tolerant group comprised of 97, 68, 95, 114, 64, 99, 111, 133, 128, and 109 genotypes, whereas, the salt susceptible group contained 137, 139, 130, 94, and 125 genotypes. Salt-tolerant okra genotypes were suggested to be used in further breeding programs aimed to develop salt tolerance in okra. These insights will empower precision breeding, underscore the importance of genetic diversity, and bear the potential to address the challenges of salt-affected soils while promoting broader agricultural resilience, economic prosperity, and food security.

The field of wireless communication has undergone revolutionary changes driven by technological advancements in recent years. Central to this evolution is wireless ad hoc networks, which are characterized by their decentralized nature and have introduced numerous possibilities and challenges for researchers. Moreover, most of the existing Internet of Things (IoT) networks are based on ad hoc networks. This study focuses on the exploration of interference management and Medium Access Control (MAC) schemes. Through statistical derivations and systematic simulations, we evaluate the efficacy of guard zone-based MAC protocols under Rayleigh fading channel conditions. By establishing a link between network parameters, interference patterns, and MAC effectiveness, this work contributes to optimizing network performance. A key aspect of this study is the investigation of optimal guard zone parameters, which are crucial for interference mitigation. The adaptive guard zone scheme demonstrates superior performance compared to the widely recognized Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA) and the system-wide fixed guard zone protocol under fading channel conditions that mimic real-world scenarios. Additionally, simulations reveal the interactions between network variables such as node density, path loss exponent, outage probability, and spreading gain, providing insights into their impact on aggregated interference and guard zone effectiveness.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a significant technological advancement that allows for seamless device integration and data flow. The development of the IoT has led to the emergence of several solutions in various sectors. However, rapid popularization also has its challenges, and one of the most serious challenges is the security of the IoT. Security is a major concern, particularly routing attacks in the core network, which may cause severe damage due to information loss. Routing Protocol for Low-Power and Lossy Networks (RPL), a routing protocol used for IoT devices, is faced with selective forwarding attacks. In this paper, we present a federated learning-based detection technique for detecting selective forwarding attacks, termed FL-DSFA. A lightweight model involving the IoT Routing Attack Dataset (IRAD), which comprises Hello Flood (HF), Decreased Rank (DR), and Version Number (VN), is used in this technique to increase the detection efficiency. The attacks on IoT threaten the security of the IoT system since they mainly focus on essential elements of RPL. The components include control messages, routing topologies, repair procedures, and resources within sensor networks. Binary classification approaches have been used to assess the training efficiency of the proposed model. The training step includes the implementation of machine learning algorithms, including logistic regression (LR), K-nearest neighbors (KNN), support vector machine (SVM), and naive Bayes (NB). The comparative analysis illustrates that this study, with SVM and KNN classifiers, exhibits the highest accuracy during training and achieves the most efficient runtime performance. The proposed system demonstrates exceptional performance, achieving a prediction precision of 97.50%, an accuracy of 95%, a recall rate of 98.33%, and an F1 score of 97.01%. It outperforms the current leading research in this field, with its classification results, scalability, and enhanced privacy.

Background: COVID-19 is primarily known as a respiratory illness; however, many patients present to hospital without respiratory symptoms. The association between non-respiratory presentations of COVID-19 and outcomes remains unclear. We investigated risk factors and clinical outcomes in patients with no respiratory symptoms (NRS) and respiratory symptoms (RS) at hospital admission. Methods: This study describes clinical features, physiological parameters, and outcomes of hospitalised COVID-19 patients, stratified by the presence or absence of respiratory symptoms at hospital admission. RS patients had one or more of: cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose or wheezing; while NRS patients did not. Results: Of 178,640 patients in the study, 86.4 % presented with RS, while 13.6 % had NRS. NRS patients were older (median age: NRS: 74 vs RS: 65) and less likely to be admitted to the ICU (NRS: 36.7 % vs RS: 37.5 %). NRS patients had a higher crude in-hospital case-fatality ratio (NRS 41.1 % vs. RS 32.0 %), but a lower risk of death after adjusting for confounders (HR 0.88 [0.83–0.93]). Conclusion: Approximately one in seven COVID-19 patients presented at hospital admission without respiratory symptoms. These patients were older, had lower ICU admission rates, and had a lower risk of in-hospital mortality after adjusting for confounders.

The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most unparalleled disasters the world has ever seen. Previously, the global community has faced the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), and Severe Acute Respiratory (SARS). However, the tremendous rate of infection created by the global COVID-19 pandemic is unmatchable with its rapid spread all over the world. Therefore, it is considered as a Black Swan event as created previously by the 2008 financial crisis, SARS, and 9/11 terrorist attack. All these events have triggered panic selling that affected the confidence of investors and businesses. Subsequently, stock market performance has affected the choice of investment decisions that translated into stock return. Therefore, this paper was undertaken to investigate the co-integration and causality relationship among global COVID-19 daily infected cases, COVID-19 recoveries rate, COVID-19 death rate, investor sentiment, government policy, foreign exchange rate, Malaysia gold price, and crude oil price towards the KLCI stock market return. This study employed an exploratory sequential mixed methods approach along with Johansen and Julius Co-Integration and Granger Causality in explaining the Malaysia stock market return. The empirical analysis concluded that COVID-19 daily cases, COVID-19 recoveries rate, government policy and foreign exchange have had a long-term effect in explaining the Malaysia stock return. On the other hand, all the study variables, except for government policy indicated a short-term effect on the Malaysia stock return. This study will contribute significantly to the body of finance literature on the impact of a disease outbreak, with highlights on the considerations of investors on the global COVID-19 pandemic in illuminating the variation of Malaysia stock market returns.

IntroductionThis study conducts a bibliometric analysis on neurofeedback research to assess its current state and potential future developments.MethodsIt examined 3,626 journal articles from the Web of Science (WoS) using co-citation and co-word methods.ResultsThe co-citation analysis identified three major clusters: “Real-Time fMRI Neurofeedback and Self-Regulation of Brain Activity,” “EEG Neurofeedback and Cognitive Performance Enhancement,” and “Treatment of ADHD Using Neurofeedback.” The co-word analysis highlighted four key clusters: “Neurofeedback in Mental Health Research,” “Brain-Computer Interfaces for Stroke Rehabilitation,” “Neurofeedback for ADHD in Youth,” and “Neural Mechanisms of Emotion and Self-Regulation with Advanced Neuroimaging.DiscussionThis in-depth bibliometric study significantly enhances our understanding of the dynamic field of neurofeedback, indicating its potential in treating ADHD and improving performance. It offers non-invasive, ethical alternatives to conventional psychopharmacology and aligns with the trend toward personalized medicine, suggesting specialized solutions for mental health and rehabilitation as a growing focus in medical practice.

Plastic fragments are widely found in the soil profile of terrestrial ecosystems, forming plastic footprint and posing increasing threat to soil functionality and carbon (C) footprint. It is unclear how plastic footprint affects C cycling, and in particularly permanent C sequestration. Integrated field observations (including 13C labelling) were made using polyethylene and polylactic acid plastic fragments (low-, medium- and high-concentrations as intensifying footprint) landfilling in soil, to track C flow along soil–plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC). The result indicated that increased plastic fragments substantially reduced photosynthetic C assimilation (p 0.05). Particularly, soil aggregate stability was significantly lowered as affected by plastic fragments, which accelerated the decomposition rate of newly sequestered C (p

A computational analysis due to the thermal performance of combined effects of solar radiation and variable density around a laminar vertical jet is carried out. For this purpose, a mathematical model in terms of nonlinear coupled partial differential equations, keeping in view the coordinate system of the proposed problem, is established. Further, to get insight to the physical significance of the proposed problem, numerical data is obtained. For this purpose, the finite difference method is used to integrate the primitive form of the partial differential equations. The coefficient matrices of the unknown variables involved in the model are solved by using the Gaussian elimination technique with the help of Fortran-Laher 90. The obtained numerical results for different parameters involved in the flow model, that is density parameter m, Prandtl number Pr, radiation parameter Rd, and fluid's absorption parameter D, are highlighted graphically by using Techplot-360. The primary findings show that enhancing values of the density variation parameter m leads to an increase in the velocity profile and a decrease in the thermal profile. On the other hand, for increasing values of Rd, the boundary layer profiles decline. Also, the heat transfer rate prominently declines with the rise in numeric value of m, Rd, and D. The main novelty of the current work is to improve the thermal performance of natural convection heat transfer with the inclusion of solar energy and variable density.

In this article, a central-upwind scheme (CUP) is extended to solve two-phase shallow granular flow (TPSF) model. The flow in this case is considered as incompressible and it is regarded to be a shallow layer of granular and liquid material. The model consists of continuity and momentum equations for both solid and liquid phases. Our main intrigue is the numerical approximation of the above-mentioned solid-liquid model, the complexity of which raises numerical challenges. The proposed method is non-oscillating upwind biased that does not require a Riemann solver at each step. A few test problems are approximated numerically to check the performance of suggested scheme. For validation the outcomes are compared with the conservation element solution element (CE/SE) and kinetic flux vector splitting (KFVS) schemes.

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to critically review the knowledge structure of dark tourism. It is an emerging tourism attraction, but one that has received less attention in the literature. The fundamental difference between dark tourism and other forms of tourism is the deeply rooted association with death and mortality, which is considered a distinctive element of the tourist attraction. Despite the role that gloom tourism plays in the economic development of tourism, its function as an economic resource for the local community needs to be further explored and evaluated. With this in mind, this study conducts a science mapping based on a bibliometric analysis to uncover the knowledge structure of the phenomenon based on recognized publications in the field. Methodology/Design/Approach – Drawing from the opportunity of dark tourism, this paper analyzes the knowledge structure based on two bibliometric analyses to uncover the past, present and future trends in dark tourism. 592 journal publications were extracted and analyzed from the Web of Science (WoS) core collection database. Findings – The results indicate that the clusters that emerged from the analyzes focus on the foundations of dark tourism, motivations for visiting dark sites, and specific interest in war/ battlefield tourism. This research shows that dark tourism benefits each segment of society in different ways by making it possible to experience the pain and suffering of the dead, the dark and agonizing events of past generations. Implications for theory and practice are discussed to further develop the field into a sustainable tourism segment. Originality of the research – This study provides the state-of-the-art knowledge structure analysis of the dark tourism phenomenon.

This study investigated the effects of herbal extracts on growth performance, organ development, immunity parameters and intestinal microbial population of broilers. A total of 840 (one day old, initial weight 45±2 g) broiler chicks were divided into 5 groups with 6 replicates having 28 chicks in each. The control group (G1) fed with basal diet, and the antibiotic group (G2) was added with 15 mg/kg virginiamycin, while herbal extracts were given coneflower 20 mL/L (G3), neem 20 mL/L (G4), and thyme 20 mL/L (G5), respectively, in drinking water. The results showed that G3 presented significant results (P

Objective Present study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of Acacia nilotica bark extract as an alternative to antibiotic growth promoters in broilers. Methods Six hundred, day-old broiler chicks were randomly divided into six groups (NC, without any supplementation; AB, NC+Zinc Bacitracin; PB, NC+Safmannan; ANBE1, NC+A. nilotica bark extract 0.1%; ANBE3, NC+A. nilotica bark extract 0.3%; ANBE5, NC+A. nilotica bark extract 0.5%), with ten replicates per group (10 chicks/replicate) and feeding trial was lasted for 35 days. Results Results showed that weight gain (1,296.63 g) and feed conversion ratio (FCR, 1.59) of AB was better than NC, during the finisher phase. Overall FCR of AB (1.53), PB (1.54), and ANBE5 (1.54) was significantly (p

This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the literature on psychological capital (PsyCap) within higher education institutions (HEIs). Its main objective is to offer an encompassing perspective on this field's current state and potential developments. To achieve this, the study examines present research trends and predicts future directions using a bibliometric approach. A total of 412 journal articles were gathered from the Web of Science database. The analysis identifies influential publications, outlines the knowledge structure, and forecasts future trends through bibliographic coupling and co-word analyses. The bibliographic coupling revealed five distinct clusters, while the co-word analysis identified four clusters. Despite the growing significance of PsyCap research in HEIs, there remains a need for greater academic efforts to comprehend the research landscape fully. This paper provides valuable insights into the expanding area of PsyCap research within HEIs. In conclusion, the study sheds light on the extensive research conducted on PsyCap in the context of HEIs and offers insights into its potential for further growth.

This study provides a bibliometric analysis of smart hotel research, drawing from 613 publications in the Web of Science (WoS) database to examine scholarly trends and developments in this dynamic field. Smart hotels, characterized by integrating advanced technologies such as AI, IoT, cloud computing, and big data, aim to redefine customer experiences and operational efficiency. Utilizing co-citation and co-word analysis techniques, the research delves into the depth of literature from past to future trends. In co-citation analysis, clusters including ''Sustainable Hotel and Green Hotel'', ''Theories Integration in Smart Hotel Research'', and ''Consumers' Decisions about Green Hotels'' underscore the pivotal areas of past and current research. Co-word analysis further reveals emergent trend clusters: ''The New Era of Sustainable Tourism'', ''Elevating Standards and Guest Loyalty'', and ''Hotels' New Sustainable Blueprint in Modern Travel''. These clusters reflect the industry's evolving focus on sustainability and technology-enhanced guest experiences. Theoretically, this research bridges gaps in smart hotel literature, proposing new frameworks for understanding customer decisions amid technological advancements and environmental responsibilities. Practically, it offers valuable insights for hotel managers, guiding technology integration strategies for enhanced efficiency and customer loyalty while underscoring the critical role of green strategies and sustainability.

This study utilizes bibliometric analysis to examine historical and present research patterns in the area of energy transition and green finance and to forecast potential future domains. Using the bibliometric method, 328 scholarly articles from the Web of Science database were evaluated. This paper identifies influential publications, maps the research landscape, and forecasts emerging tendencies through co-citation and co-word analyses. Co-citation analysis found three main clusters, while co-word analysis revealed four main clusters. Despite the growing significance of research on energy transition and green finance research, further in-depth investigation is necessary to offer a thorough depiction of the research domain. This research represents a pioneering endeavour in the utilization of bibliometric analysis to investigate the interrelationship between two items. It offers valuable insights into the rapidly expanding field of energy transition and green finance, effectively highlighting its contours and indicating potential future developments.

This comprehensive bibliometric study analyzes 1820 journal articles from the Web of Science database to explore Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) leadership in higher education institutions (HEIs). Utilizing co-citation and co-word analysis, the study identifies distinct thematic clusters. The co-citation analysis reveals five key themes: Race, Diversity, and Inclusion (RDI), Diversity, Leadership, and Self-Efficacy (DLSE), Gender Dynamics and Leadership Challenges, Women's Representation in Academic Medicine Leadership, and Transformational Leadership in HEIs. Meanwhile, the co-word analysis highlights three critical areas: Transformative Collaborative Resilience in HEIs, Advancing Gender Equality in Academic Medicine and STEM, and Inclusive Educational Leadership in HEIs. These themes collectively provide a deep understanding of the EDI leadership field's intellectual structure, suggesting significant areas for future research and practical application. The study emphasizes the necessity for HEIs to engage comprehensively in EDI leadership research, shedding light on the importance of transformative collaborative resilience, gender equality in STEM, and inclusive leadership. This research offers valuable insights for developing effective EDI leadership policies and practices, highlighting the interconnectedness of these themes in fostering a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive environment in higher education and beyond.

Concrete structures are susceptible to cracking, which can compromise their integrity and durability. Repairing them with ordinary Portland cement (OPC) paste causes shrinkage cracks to appear in the repaired surface. Alkali-activated binders offer a promising solution for repairing such cracks. This study aims to develop an alkali-activated paste (AAP) and investigate its effectiveness in repairing concrete cracks. AAPs, featuring varying percentages (0.5%, 0.75%, 1%, 1.25%, 1.5%, and 1.75%) of polyethylene (PE) fibers, are found to exhibit characteristics such as strain hardening, multiple plane cracking in tension and flexure tests, and stress-strain softening in compression tests. AAP without PE fibers experienced catastrophic failure in tension and flexure, preventing the determination of its stress-strain relationship. Notably, AAPs with 1.25% PE fibers demonstrated the highest tensile and flexural strength, exceeding that of 0.5% PE fiber reinforced AAP by 100% in tension and 70% in flexure. While 1% PE fibers resulted in the highest compressive strength, surpassing AAP without fibers by 17%. To evaluate the repair performance of AAP, OPC cubes were cast with pre-formed cracks. These cracks were induced by placing steel plates during casting and were designed to be full and half-length with widths of 1.5 mm and 3 mm. AAP both with and without PE fibers led to a substantial improvement in compressive strength, reducing the initial strength loss of 30%-50% before repair to a diminished range of 2%-20% post-repair. The impact of PE fiber content on the compressive strength of repaired OPC cube is marginal, providing more flexibility in using AAP with any fiber percentage while still achieving effective concrete crack repair. Considering economic and environmental factors, along with observed mechanical enhancements, AAPs show promising potential for widespread use in concrete repair and related applications, contributing valuable insights to the field of sustainable construction materials.

The present examination of mass and heat communication looks at the impact of induced magnetic field, variable thermal conductivity, and activation energy on the flow of second-order liquid across a stretched surface. The mass-heat transfer is also treated using the Model for generalized Fourier and Fick's Laws. The model equations are transformed as needed to produce a system of nonlinear ODEs, which are then numerically solved with the help of BVP4C integrated MATLAB approach. The heat-mass flow parameters are analyzed by the table and graphs. An increment in the estimations of 2nd grade fluid parameter (β) with magnetic field parameter (M) increase the speed sketch. For the stronger estimations of Schmidt number (Sc), parameter of magnetic field (M) and Eckert number (Ec) have the growing behavior on the temperature profile.

The purpose of this study is to conduct a bibliometric analysis of Service Quality (SERVQUAL) research in private higher education institutions (HEIs). This analysis aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of SERVQUAL's current state and future potential in private HEIs. This study collected 205 journal articles from the Web of Science database using a bibliometric approach. Then, co-citation and co-word analyses were conducted to determine the most influential publications, analyze the knowledge structure, and forecast future trends. This review offers valuable insight into the expanding field of SERVQUAL research, despite its limitations, as the analysis revealed five clusters in co-citation and co-word analysis, respectively. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by offering a comprehensive understanding of SERVQUAL in the context of private HEIs. Additionally, it provides insight into potential future developments in this field.

Montelukast, an approved leukotriene receptor 1 (Cys-LT 1) antagonist with anti-inflammatory properties is used for the treatment of asthma and allergic rhinitis. In the present studies, montelukast was subjected to in vitro inhibitory assays followed by kinetic and in silico investigations. Montelukast demonstrated inhibitory activity against yeast α-glucosidase (IC50 44.31 ± 1.21 μM), jack bean urease (JB urease, IC50 8.72 ± 0.23 μM), human placental alkaline phosphatase (hPAP, IC50 17.53 ± 0.19 μM), bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase (bIAP, IC50 15.18 ± 0.23 μM) and soybean 15-lipoxygenase (15-LOX, IC50 2.41 ± 0.13 μM). Kinetic studies against α-glucosidase and urease enzymes revealed its competitive mode of inhibition. Molecular expression analysis of montelukast in breast cancer cell line MCF-7 down-regulated AP by a factor of 0.27 (5 μM) compared with the 0.26 value for standard inhibitor levamisole (10 μM). Molecular docking estimated a binding affinity ranging −8.82 to −15.65 kcal/mol for the enzymes. Docking against the DNA dodecamer (ID: 1BNA) observed −9.13 kcal/mol via minor groove binding. MD simulations suggested stable binding between montelukast and the target proteins predicting strong inhibitory potential of the ligand. Montelukast features a chloroquinoline, phenyl ring, a cyclopropane group, a carboxylic group and a sulfur atom all of which collectively enhance its inhibitory potential against the said enzymes. These in vitro and computational investigations demonstrate that it is possible and suggested that the interactions of montelukast with more than one targets presented herein may be linked with the side effects presented by this drug and necessitate additional work. The results altogether suggest montelukast as an important structural scaffold possessing multitargeted features and warrant further investigations in repurposing beyond its traditional pharmacological use.

To assess the potential of exogenously-applied vitamin E commonly known as alpha-tocopherol (α-TOC) in drought stress tolerance, an experiment was performed on cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis) plants. Two cultivars (TCF-605 and White Figer) of cauliflower were subjected to control and drought stress conditions. After thirty days of drought stress treatment, cauliflower plants were treated with α-TOC (150 and 300 mg/L) as a foliage spray. Drought stress markedly inhibited the plant biomass, leaf characteristics such as relative water contents (RWC), chlorophyll pigments (a and b), proline, ascorbic acid (AsA), GB, however it elevated RMP, total phenolics, activities of antioxidant enzymes e.g., CAT, SOD and POD. Drought stress also adversely affected curd characteristics including its fresh weight, GB, proline, total phenolics and enzymes activities (SOD and CAT). Exogenously applied α-TOC considerably suppressed RMP, while it improved plant growth, yield, RWC, total phenolics, ascorbic acid and POD, SOD, and CAT enzyme activities in the leaves of the cauliflower. Exogenous application of α-TOC also raised curd total phenolics, AsA and the activities of all observed enzymes under water deficiency. The cv. TCF-605 was better in shoot weight, shoot length, RWC, proline as well as GB contents, while cv. White Figer was higher in leaf RMP, proline and AsA levels under drought stress conditions. Overall, the results exhibited that cauliflower cv. TCF-605 was relatively tolerant to water stress in relation to growth and yield outcomes, which was interlinked with α-TOC-induced improved leaf and curd osmoprotection and antioxidative defense system. So, exogenous application of α-TOC can be suggested for improving growth and yield potential of crops subjected to drought stress.

Digital tourism has witnessed substantial evolution, shaping the trajectory of tourism research. Employing bibliometric analysis on 1,079 articles from the Web of Science database, this study identifies predominant themes and research trends in digital tourism. Key findings revealed three main co-citation clusters: ‘Smart tourism destinations and smart tourists', ‘Evolution and impact of E-tourism on travel behavior’, and ‘Personalized smart tourism experience’. Additionally, co-word analysis showcased prominent themes such as ‘AR-Integrated E-Tourism’, ‘Co-creation of smart tourism destinations in China post-COVID-19′, and ‘AI-driven personalized destination recommender systems in tourism’. The study highlights gaps in digital tourism research, advocating for socio-cultural preservation alongside tech advancements. Co-citation analysis suggests new travel theory directions, while AR's role in sustainable tourism is spotlighted. Practically, AI and Big Data emerge as pivotal in personalized experiences, with co-word analysis aiding industry foresight and emphasizing AI-driven, sustainable strategies. Limitations include reliance on a single database, suggesting future studies to integrate multiple sources and qualitative insights. The study's findings offer a roadmap for academics and practitioners, emphasizing potential avenues in digital tourism, especially in the context of sustainable and responsible practices.

The scientific community recognizes that the depletion of natural resources and solid waste management pose inherent challenges in building material production and disposal, particularly in concrete manufacture and deconstruction. Recycling and reusing construction waste is proposed as a solution to these issues in the literature. Repurposing waste materials as additives in concrete represents an alternative approach. For instance, ceramic tile waste (CTW) may replace a portion of the aggregate and cement used in concrete. This study extensively examines the literature on cement-based composites that utilize CTW in lieu of cement and aggregate. A thorough evaluation of mechanical, durability, and fresh properties is conducted. The physical and chemical attributes of CTW are based on extensive scientific research. Prior studies suggest that the use of ceramic tile aggregate (CTA) to concrete in the appropriate proportions could enhance its durability and strength. Finely ground ceramic tile powder (CTP) with high silica content can potentially enhance the strength and durability of concrete, according to prior research studies. The impact of CTP on the chemical resistance, drying shrinkage and fire resistance abilities of concrete are subsequently evaluated. Employing waste materials as a concrete component in a circular economy to promote environmental protection and the development of sustainable cities and communities has received broad support from the academic community.

Secure data transmission is critical in public video surveillance applications such as tracking missing persons in large crowd gatherings. It may help the security personnel to monitor & record the live feeds from multiple cameras. However, this live streaming could be falsified. Various cryptographic techniques have been proposed to ensure the integrity of transmitted images, but continuous attacks still pose serious challenges to ensuring the integrity and authenticity of transmitted images. This work proposes a new chaotic-based watermarking technique to ensure the integrity of the transmitted video frames, and since the frames come from multiple cameras, the scheme should be as simple as possible and as fast as possible, the simplicity manifests in designing a fragile watermarking scheme therefore, the watermark is to be embedded in the spatial domain by direct manipulation of the values of the cover’s pixels. To ensure the security of the proposed scheme, chaotic maps have been deployed to reach an acceptable level of security with minimum computational overhead. The proposed scheme is novel in design in terms of the chaotic maps used and it is tested in challenging large gathering scenario. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method successfully locates any falsification in the transmitted images, and the performance of the scheme evaluates different types of attacks. Our testing results in good rate tamper of detection with TPR=99.2005, TNR=99.0777 and with a good quality of imperceptibility for the watermarked image with PSNR=43.82dB, SSIM=00.9955.

This study used three artificial intelligence-based algorithms – adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), artificial neural networks (ANNs), and gene expression programming (GEP) – to develop empirical models for predicting the compressive strength (CS) and slump values of fly ash-based geopolymer concrete. A database of 245 CS and 108 slump values were established from the published literature, where 17 significant parameters were chosen as input variables for the development of models. The algorithms were trained and tested using statistical measures including Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency, root-squared error, root-mean-square error, relative-root-mean-square error, mean absolute error, correlation coefficient, and regression coefficient. The comparison results showed that the GEP model was superior to the ANFIS and ANN models in terms of R-value, R2, and RMSE for both CS and slump prediction. The R-value for the CS models was 0.94 (GEP), 0.92 (ANFIS), and 0.91 (ANN), while for the slump it was 0.96 (GEP), 0.91 (ANFIS), and 0.90 (ANN). Moreover, the performance index factor values for slump and CS were found 0.03 and 0.029 for GEP-models and 0.036, 0.030 for ANFIS-models and 0.035 and 0.034 for ANN-models respectively. The sensitivity and parametric analysis were also performed for GEP-developed model. Results demonstrate that the GEP model generates more accurate prediction for the slump and CS of fly ash-based geopolymer after being rigorously trained and its hyperparameters optimized.

In the last few decades, studies of graph theory based on algebraic structures have been pursued. Many studies have inspected graphs via groups, rings, near-rings, and seminear-rings, and vice versa. In our study, first we introduce different type of υ-primary ideals (υ = 0, 1, 2, 3, c), which generalize υ-prime ideals (υ = 0, 1, 2, 3, c) in near-rings. Then, we provide some important characterizations of these newly initiated ideals. In addition, we explore some relationships among these ideals. Throughout, we furnish our results with appropriate examples. Finally, as an application, we provide characterizations of different graphs associated with these υ-primary ideals (υ = 0, 1, 2, 3, c) in near-rings.