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Abstract Background This ethnobotanical study in Dunyapur, District Lodhran, Pakistan, focuses on traditional medicinal knowledge, exploring 41 plants across 28 families. The research involves 496 informants from diverse backgrounds, including farmers, herbalists, housewives, teachers, and shopkeepers. The prevalence of herbs (68%) aligns with their accessibility and rapid regrowth, shaping the local medicinal landscape. The study investigates socio-demographic features, emphasizing the importance of considering the community's diverse perspectives. Methods The research employs quantitative ethnobotanical data analysis, introducing various indices like PPV, FUV, FIV, RFC, UV, and RI. The analysis of plant growth habits underscores the dominance of herbs, and the method of preparation evaluation identifies decoction as the most common (23%). Leaves (27%) are the most utilized plant part, and Resedaceae stands out with the highest FUV (0.38). FIV highlights the ecological and cultural significance of Poaceae, Boraginaceae, Fabaceae, and Solanaceae. Results The RFC values range from 0.016 to 0.032, with Cucumis melo having the highest value (0.032), indicating its frequent citation and cultural significance. The study reveals specific plants like Melia azedarach, Peganum harmala and Salvadora oleoides with high PR values for skin issues, reflecting their widespread acceptance and effectiveness. Oligomeris linifolia emerges with the highest UV (0.38), emphasizing its greater significance in local traditional practices. Leptadenia pyrotechnica records the highest RI (9.85), underlining its exceptional importance in the community's traditional pharmacopeia. Conclusion The findings offer a holistic understanding of ethnobotanical knowledge in Dunyapur, emphasizing the role of local contexts and ecological factors in shaping traditional plant uses. The study contributes valuable insights into the diverse practices within the community, laying the foundation for sustainable integration of traditional knowledge into broader healthcare frameworks.

Soil salinity is a major abiotic stress that severely affects crop production in different regions of the globe. Barley is an essential cereal crop and there is a significant genetic variation among barley varieties for tolerance towards salt stress. Understanding of salinity tolerance mechanisms assists in developing salt tolerant barley varieties in a hydroponics experiment. There were twelve barley varieties and two NaCl stress levels (Control, 100 and 200 mM) in this study. The nursery of barley was seeded in sand and at two-leaf stage; plants were transplanted into hydroponic tubs. The plants were grown under salt stress for 65 days and data regarding several morpho-physiological parameters were collected. The statistical analysis of the collected data was implemented by using completely randomized design (CRD) with factorial arrangement. Exposure to NaCl stress significantly reduced shoot and root growth and relative leaf water contents (RLWC), while increasing Na+ concentration, with B-9006 showing the highest root dry weight (0.39 g) and YSM1 recorded the lowest root dry weight (0.10 g) under 100 mM NaCl. The maximum (232 ppm) Na+ concentration in leaf sap was observed in variety B-15011 (70 % from control) and minimum was observed in B-15018. Maximum K+ mM concentration in leaf sap was found as 72 % in Aia-03 and minimum was observed as 50 % in B-15035. At stress level of 200 mM, highest shoot dry weight (2.52 g) was observed in ZP2 (73 % decreased from control) while minimum shoot dry weight (0.19 g) (96 % decrease from control) was recorded in Franklin genotype. Maximum root dry weight (0.24 g) was observed in B-9006 genotype while minimum root dry weight (0.04 g) was recorded in Gairdner. Maximum K+/Na+ ratio (1.20) was recorded in B-15018 and minimum (0.14) was seen in B-15035. Therefore, based on our results, barley genotypes can be classified into salt-tolerant (B-9006, B-15018, Yerong, Aia-03), salt-sensitive (Gairdner, Franklin, B-15035, B-05011), and moderately tolerant groups at both 100 and 200 mM NaCl levels.

BACKGROUND The Upper Extremity Functional Index (UEFI) is frequently used to evaluate patients with upper limb disorders, yet it has not been translated and validated into Urdu. This study aimed to translate and cross-culturally adapt UEFI into Urdu language (UEFI-U) and examine its psychometric measurements. METHODOLOGY Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of original version of the UEFI was carried out using predefined international guidelines. UEFI-U, 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), Visual analogue scale for pain (VASpain) and Visual analogue scale for disability (VASdisability) were administered to all participants at baseline and re-administered to patient’s group 3 weeks after receiving the intervention, the Global rate of change scale (GROC) was also administered at this time. The UEFI-U was evaluated for factor analysis, reliability, construct validity (discriminative and convergent validity) and responsiveness. RESULTS The UEFI-U was found internally consistent with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.93. The excellent test-retest reliability of the total FRI-U was demonstrated by its ICC2,1 = 0.91. The UEFI-U has a unidimensional structure, constituting 75.18% of total variance. No floor or ceiling effect was observed for total score of UEFI-U. Pearson’s correlation coefficient showed a moderate correlation with SF36 physical function (r=0.68), SF36 role physical (r=0.60), VAS pain (r=-0.54) and VAS disability (r=-0.57) but fair correlation with SF36 bodily pain (r=0.42). A significant difference (p

Purpose: Previous studies indicate that knowledge hiding has adverse impact on subordinate performance. The current study investigates how SKH (supervisor knowledge hiding) effects on SJP (supervisee job performance) in manufacturing industry. Furthermore, how alleviate this adverse impact on supervisee job performance. By integrating conservation of resource (COR) theory, we hypothesize that SKH adverse impact on SJP can impede through SJBPO (supervisee job-based PO) and this adverse influence being contingent on SCSE (supervisee core self-evaluation). Design/Methodology/Approach: A questionnaire was administered to gather the responses. The study utilized the convenience sampling technique to select 287 supervisees from the manufacturing industry in Southern Punjab, Pakistan. The study utilized Smart-PLS and SPSS as its method of analysis. Findings: Current study results offer contributions towards existing literature on SKH and SJP and as well providing practical and theoretical implications. Implications/Originality/Value: Therefore, the study suggests that in order to improve the performance of their subordinates, the manufacturing industry should implement the study's conclusions.

Soil pollution due to heavy metal (HM) contamination has emerged as a global issue worldwide owing to their adverse impacts on plant growth. Bioremediation approaches employing living organisms for HM alleviation have gained considerable attention among scientific community. Biological agents such as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) offer a sustainable way to restore soil health, and their combination with different organic amendments such as press mud (PM) can serve as potential approach for immobilizing HMs in soil. We performed a pot experiment to evaluate the role of individual and combined application of press mud and PGPR strain ‘FQ6’ (identified as Pseudomonas fluorescens) in the phytoremediation of different HMs (Pb, Ni and Cd) and growth promotion of aloe vera. Combined application of FQ6 strain and PM yielded more significant outcomes in terms of all the growth and yield attributes such as leaf length (123 %), plant height (57 %), number of leaves (115 %), fresh and dry weights of gel (246 and 280 %), gel contents (96 %), root length (164 %), root diameter (220 %), no. of root tips (138 %) and root area (315 %), as compared to control. Combined application of FQ6 and PM also led to a significant improvement in different antioxidant activities i.e., CAT (129 %), SOD (48 %), APX (17 %) and POD (83 %) as compared to control. Contrastingly, mobility of these HMs was reduced under combined application of Pseudomonas strain ‘FQ6’ and PM, as there existed a considerable difference between HMs concentrations in soil and plant body. We concluded that joint application of HM-tolerant Pseudomonas FQ6 strain and PM could be an ideal option to alleviate the HM induced adverse impacts on aloe vera by immobilizing them in soil, and subsequently, improving plant growth.

Global climate change affects weather patterns, affecting soil salinity and drought tolerance. Crop resilience and agriculture sustainability can be enhanced by exploring soil salinity, plant drought tolerance, microbial diversity, and remediation techniques. This review examines the morpho-physiological, molecular, and genetic mechanisms underlying plant adaptation to soil salinity and drought stress. It highlights their impact on plant growth, productivity, and microbial diversity. Diverse methods are investigated to tackle soil salinity and drought stress, encompassing chemical, physical, and biological approaches. Additionally, water-efficient agricultural practices and drought-resistant crop varieties are presented as ways to increase plant tolerance to these stresses. These implications for sustainable agriculture emphasize the potential of these findings to optimize resource utilization, increase crop yield, and promote environmental sustainability. These implications for sustainable agriculture emphasize the potential of these findings to optimize resource utilization, increase crop yield, and promote environmental sustainability. The review concludes by discussing future research directions, particularly the need for more study into the molecular basis of plant-microbe interactions and stress tolerance mechanisms. By advancing our knowledge in this field, we can develop innovative solutions to mitigate soil salinity and drought stress, ensuring food security and sustainable agriculture in changing climates.

The emergence of 2D materials has significantly expanded the wide range of nanomaterials with diverse applications. Notably, their high conductivity, catalytic efficiency, and hydrophobicity have fueled heightened research interests for water treatment applications. This research aimed to investigate the synthesis and characterization of MXene and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposites with silver nanoparticles (Ag) for enhanced catalytic activity in the decomposition of Direct Blue-24 dye. In this study, we employed well-established methods, previously documented in the literature, to prepare two distinct nanocomposites. Novel nanocomposites, namely reduced graphene oxide–silver nanoparticles (rGO–Ag) and MXene–silver nanoparticles (MXene–Ag), were synthesized using the hydrothermal and direct reduction method with an ammoniacal solution (aqueous solution). Comprehensive characterization using advanced tools revealed that the introduced Ag particles integrated seamlessly onto the parent nanofilms of the Carbon derivatives, forming a secondary phase with enhanced catalytic functionality. These nanocomposites demonstrated significant improvements in the catalytic decomposition reactions in simulated wastewater. Verification involved the reduction reaction of Direct Blue-24 dye at known nanocomposite concentrations. The results indicated that MXene–Ag exhibited a superior catalytic activity of 98% in 10 min compared to the rGO–Ag nanocomposite films, which achieved 96% in 35 min. The results indicated that MXene–Ag nanocomposites exhibited a 20–25% increase in catalytic efficiency compared to the rGO–Ag nanocomposites. The outcomes of this research hold promise for practical applications in textile wastewater management and various industrial sectors dealing with mutagenic and carcinogenic chemicals containing azo and/or phthalocyanine products.

Abstract Background Despite its widespread use for assessing pain and disability in patients suffering from neck pain, the Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ) has yet to be translated and validated in Urdu. The purpose of the present study was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the NPQ into Urdu language (NPQ-U), and to investigate the NPQ-U’s psychometric properties in patients with non-specific neck pain (NSNP). Methods The NPQ was translated and cross-culturally adapted into Urdu in accordance with the previously described guidelines. The study included 150 NSNP patients and 50 healthy participants. The NPQ-U, Urdu version of neck disability index (NDI-U), neck pain and disability scale (NPDS), and numerical pain rating scale (NPRS) were completed by all participants on first visit. After three weeks of physical therapy, the patients completed all of the questionnaires listed above, along with the global rating of change scale. Test-retest reliability was determined on 46 randomly selected patients who completed the NPQ-U again two days after the first response. The NPQ-U was evaluated for internal consistency, content validity, construct (convergent and discriminative) validity, factor analysis, and responsiveness. Results The NPQ-U demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient = 0.96) and high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.89). There were no floor or ceiling effects for the NPQ-U total score, indicating good content validity. A single factor was extracted, which explained 54.56% of the total variance. For convergent validity, the NPQ-U showed a strong correlation with NDI-U (r = 0.89, P

Synergistic integration based on some transition-metal (TM) derived compounds is a unique and appealing technique, especially toward oxygen evolution reaction (OER) under alkaline circumstances. Herein, we present a cobalt-selenide (CoSe2) and cobalt-oxide (Co3O4) based composite (CSCO-2) material through a wet chemical method. As-prepared catalyst has been analyzed for various physicochemical characterizations. CSCO-2 offers efficient OER performance in 1.0 M KOH with an overpotential of 252 mV at current density of 20 mA/cm2, with a low Tafel slope value of 69 mV/dec. Importantly, as-prepared catalyst shows stability of 48 h for longer electrochemical performance as a potential candidate for OER.

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to examine the relationship between goal attainment, employee hope, employee perception of organizational performance and their impact on Organization citizenship behavior Design/Methodology/Approach: The research employs a quantitative causal research design, aiming to establish causal relationships between employee hope and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). It utilizes survey methodology to collect data from employees across various professional streams within an organization. The approach is rooted in the Affect Theory of Fredrickson's broaden-and-build theory and Social Exchange, which serve as theoretical frameworks for understanding the relationship between employee hope and OCB. Findings: The findings reveal significant positive relationships between both employee goal attainment and employee perception of organizational performance and employee hope. Additionally, employee perception of organizational performance and employee goal attainment are positively associated with organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Implications/Originality/Value: The research findings have theoretical and practical implications. Theoretically, the study contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms underlying OCB by highlighting the role of employee hope and its relationship with other factors such as goal attainment and perception of organizational performance.

Chromium (Cr) is classified as an ecological toxin, and irrigation of soil with raw industrial effluents causes its concentration in soil and plants to reach fatal levels. Due to reduced metal mobility caused by organic amendment and availability of food for microbial activity, use of Cr-tolerant rhizobacteria in conjunction with compost has proven to be useful in supporting growth and survival of plants. We checked the simultaneous effects of rhizobacteria and compost on spinach (Spinacia oleracea) growth, physiology, biochemistry as well as uptake of Cr. Plants were treated with compost (1 % w/w) and subsequently inoculated with two different PGPR strains under Cr contamination. Among tested inoculants , inoculation of 'JS2′ strain along with compost significantly ameliorated the adverse effects of Cr on spinach, and improved root and shoot lengths (84 and 197 %), as well as their dry (104 and 89 %) and fresh (89 and 167 %) weights , along with chlorophyll content (84 %) as compared to relative control. In addition, combined application led to a significant increase in antioxidant activities, such as SOD (128 %), CAT (40 %), POD (73 %) and APX (57 %) concomitant with decreased MDA contents (68 %). Data regarding Cr movement from soil to roots and aboveground plant parts, as well as the results of translocation and bioconcentration factors, revealed that combined application of PGPR and compost reduced Cr entry to aboveground plant parts and led to its phytostabilization. Hence, compost and Cr-tolerant PGPR can efficiently immobilize Cr in soil, and reduce its harmful effects on spinach growth, physiology and other important attributes.

Globally, drought has emerged as one of the most serious threats to oil seed crops including Camelina production, which necessitates screening of drought resistant cultivars that are more responsive to mitigation treatments. Effect of microbes and Selenium (Se) is associated with the upregulation of available nutrients. Therefore, present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of Se interactions with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi Rhizophagus intraradices at four different treatments (T1: CK), T2: inoculation of R. intraradices), T3: Se-priming (2 mM), T4: inoculation of R. intraradices+ Se-priming (2 mM) on two Camelina genotypes (Australian and Canadian) under varied water levels (100%, 75%, 50%, and 25% field capacity, FC). Se with Seed priming and microbes were applied through inoculation of Camelina seed. The experiment was conducted in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications at MNS- University of Agriculture Multan, Pakistan. The results exhibited that inoculation of R. intraradices + Se-priming (2 mM) application significantly improved the physiological and growth parameters of Camelina under water stress. The application of inoculation of R. intraradices + Se-priming (2 mM) increased crop growth, physiology, and antioxidants as compared to other treatments (T1: (Control), T2: Microbes (R. intraradices), T3: Se-priming (2 mM). The application of Microbes + Se-priming (2 mM) increased the total soluble sugars by 69.6%, 23.4%, and 10.8% as compared to other treatments (T1: (Control), T2: inoculation of R. intraradices), T3: Se-priming (2 mM)., respectively, irrespective of field capacity levels. Among varied water levels, 100% FC showed unmatched results regarding crop growth traits, physiological aspects, and antioxidants activities as compared to water stressed levels of 75%, 50%, and 25% FCs. Proline contents were also increased by 93.9%, 52.5%, and 10.2% at 100% FC as compared to 25%, 50%, and 75% FCs. The response of Canadian Camelina was found better than Australian Camelina in most of the growth, physiological, and antioxidant parameters. Canadian Camelina also showed a 2.14% increase in superoxide dismutase activity as compared to Australian Camelina. The combination of Canadian Camelina inoculation of R. intraradices + Se-priming (2 mM) is recommended to achieve higher productivity under water-stressed conditions. However, long-term studies must be conducted to screen out drought resistant and inoculation of R. intraradices + Se-priming responsive genotypes for increasing Camelina yield in low input farming systems. Further, Se-mediated physiological and biochemical associated with drought tolerance in Camelina plants and future research prospects have been elucidated.

Electrocatalytically active nanocomposites play a vital role in energy generation, conversion, and storage technologies. Transition metal-based catalysts such as nickel and iron and their pnictide (phosphide), and chalcogenide (selenide) compounds exhibit good activity for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in the alkaline environment. In this study, transition metals-based catalysts (Ni-P-Se, Fe-P-Se, and Ni-Fe-P-Se) solutions were prepared using a simple one-pot method. Prepared solutions were deposited on Ni foam, and different characterization techniques were used to determine the composition, structure, and morphology of as-prepared catalysts. Furthermore, it was found that Ni-Fe-P-Se as a cathode material showed better HER performance compared to other investigated materials with the overpotential value of 316 mV at 10 mA cm-2 current density and 89 mV dec-1 Tafel slope value. The stability tests of the as-prepared catalyst confirmed that the synergistic effect between various elements enhances the electrocatalytic performance for up to 24 hours, providing a fair, stable nature of Ni-Fe-P-Se based sample.

Physical quantities such as skin friction coefficient, local Nusselt number, and local Sherwood number for Casson fluid flow in an irregular channel are determined in this article. Casson fluid properties are primarily enhanced in this flow due to the effects of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD), porous medium, thermal radiation, viscous dissipation, and chemical reaction. Because of the pressure gradient, oscillatory waves formed at the ends of the walls, which are also kept at constant temperatures and concentrations. The Lie group method is used to convert partial differential equations (PDEs) to ordinary differential equations (ODEs). Analytical solutions are provided for the momentum, energy, and concentration equations with benchmark solutions. Dimensionless numbers are computed to interpret physical quantities for this type of flow via graphs and tables. According to the variations of the emerging parameters, physical quantities exhibited reverse behaviour between the upper and lower walls. The velocity profile has an increasing attitude toward the Casson fluid parameter, the Darcy parameter, the wavelength, and the Reynolds number, but a decreasing attitude toward the Hartmann number. The concentration profile is decreasing due to the oscillation effect, but the Schmidt number has a growing influence.

Introduction: Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs) refer to a wide variety of conditions affecting various tissues of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) complex which can produce orofacial pain and functional disturbances. A variety of treatment choices are available for the management of TMJ problems. However, little is known in Pakistani dental consultants and therefore, this study was design to determine awareness among dental consultants of Pakistan about the role of physiotherapy management in patients with TMDs disorders. Material & Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was carried out on dental consultants between May 2019 and February 2020. One hundred and seventy-six practicing oral and maxillofacial surgeons, orthodontists and prosthodontists were recruited in the study through convenience sampling from all over Pakistan. A self-structured questionnaire, after conducting a pilot study and incorporating the recommended changes, was distributed to dental consultants by hand, through e-mails and social media. Results: One hundred and twenty-one dental consultants (68.75%) were found aware about PT management of patients with TMDs. The referral of TMDs patients to PT was reported by only 18.75% of the participants. Maximum referral to PT was done by oral and maxillofacial surgeons (10.23%), followed by prosthodontists (6.25%) and orthodontists (2.27%). After participating in this survey, 72.16% of the dental consultants were found interested to refer their TMDs patients to PT and 91.48% showed their interest to learn more about their collaboration with physiotherapists. Conclusion: Dental consultants of Pakistan were found aware about the treatment of patients with TMDs by a physiotherapist. However, most of them were not referring their TMDs patients to PT. This study increased the level of awareness among dental consultants about the role of PT in the management of patients with TMDs.

Drought is one of the most emerging threat that causes a severe reduction in cotton plant growth and development. Being cotton is a major cash crop has great threat to prevailing drought events in Pakistan. A field experiment was conducted in Kharif season 2018 at Research Area of MNS-University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan to assess the role of foliar applied kaolin and jasmonic acid on vegetative growth, gas exchange and reproductive traits of cotton under normal irrigated and artificial water deficit conditions. The experiment was laid -out in a factorial randomized complete block design with split – split plot arrangement. Main plots were allocated for irrigation levels, sub-plots for two -cotton genotypes viz. NIAB − 878 and SLH − 19 while sub – sub plots for treatments of kaolin and Jasmonic acid. Water deficit stress was created by skipping irrigation at flowering for 21 days. Foliar sprays of Kaolin (5%, w/v) and Jasmonic acid (100 μM) were applied alone or in combination at 60 days after planntinon both to normal irrigated and water-stresse skip irrigation while irrigation water alone was sprayed in control plots. Both cotton genotypes responded variably to normal irrigated and skip conditions. Skipping irrigation for up to 21 days at flowering caused a significant decrease in leaf relative water content, SPAD values, net photosynthetic rate and seed cotton yield in both the genotypes. Seed cotton yield showed an overall decline of 24.7% in skip over Normal irrigated crop. The genotype NIAB − 878 produced maximum seed cotton yield of 3.304 Mg ha−1 in normal that dropped to 2.579 Mg ha−1 in skip, thus showing an average decline of 21.9 %. Similarly, SLH − 19 produced 2.537 Mg ha−1 seed cotton under normal that dropped to 1.822 Mg ha−1 in skip, showing an average decline of 28.2%. The Application of Kaolin and JA Jasmonic acid, either applied individually or in combination, improved vegetative and reproductive development of both cotton varieties in normal and skip regimes. However, combined kaolin and Jasmonic Acid application proved to be more beneficial in terms of seed cotton production and other parameters studied.

Absract: Extraperitoneal bladder ruptures account for 70–90% of all bladder injuries. Management of uncomplicated extraperitoneal bladder ruptures may be treated conservatively with catheter drainage via foley or suprapubic tube. The extend of contrast extravasation at the time of cystogram does not typically affect therapy.We presented a case of a 59 -year-old- male who sustained a traumatic extraperitoneal bladder rupture after falling off a horse. The patient had severe contrast extravasation into the extraperitoneal space. Conservative management was the treatment of choice.The patient's bladder injury successfully healed after prolonged management with foley catheter decompression.

Mentha arvensis or mint is a renowned medicinal and aromatic plant. It is annual plant and cultivated in the tropical and sub-tropical regions under irrigation. Its cultivation has significant importance, such as for food flavoring, medicinal applications, essential oil applications, and also using in traditional purposes. Its essential oil contains many components phenolic, aldehydes, ketones, and carbohydrates. Menthol is a fundamental component of Mentha arvensis essential oil. Menthol has also several industrial applications, especially in food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and by-products. There are many types or variations of menthol found in Mentha arvensis depending on the species or cultivars as well as cultivation conditions, such as weather, irrigation, soil type, pruning, and other agronomical practices. It has interesting and valuable botany, morphology, and ecology. Its growth rate is strongly affected by the change of variables, such as pH, temperature, and nutritional values of soil. The extraction of essential oil and the post-harvest analysis are done by using traditional methods for Mentha arvensis oil production in developing countries. Research on oil extraction methods, maximizing yield per hectare, and optimum preservation are needed for the further, especially in post-harvest of mint leaves and roots.

Recently, the discharge of effluent containing dyes and other chemicals into river, lakes, and land has become a serious problem which increases the pollution level drastically. The dyes in the effluent are very difficult to be removed by conventional water treatment methods. Thus, there is a great need for more advanced methods that are cost-effective and more efficient. In this study, silver nano particles (AgNps) were synthesized by green method using extracts of onion (O), tomato (T), acacia catechu (C) alone, and mixed COT extracts. The reduction and formation of AgNps and its ions have been characterized by using several techniques, Ultra visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM)-energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX), Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). These techniques revealed that the particle sizes of synthesized AgNps in all the extracts were ranged in between 5 and 100 nm with a crystalline nature. The synthesized AgNps were used as catalysts for the degradation of three different types of dyes, methyl orange (MO), methyl red (MR), and congo red (CR) in the liquid state. The excellent catalytic application of all the synthesized AgNps on the degradation of the studied dyes was confirmed via UV–visible results by studying the reduction in the absorbance maxima value within a very short interval of time. COT synthesized products were found to achieve the best performance for all dyes degradation among all products.

This work includes green synthesis of magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO NPs) by using Alstoniascholaris, which is indigenous to many countries such as China, Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and India. Its pharmacological activities include antidiabetic, antioxidant, anticancer, analgesic, antitussive, and anti-diarrheal activities. In this study, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of bio-inspired magnesium oxide nanoparticles, MgO NPs, were investigated. MgO NPs were prepared by using the leaf extract of Alstonia scholaris, followed by characterization using EDX, XRD, and SEM techniques. The crystallite size of magnesium oxide nanoparticles was 19.57 nm. XRD analysis confirmed the crystallinity and the purity of MgO NPs. Anti-inflammatory activity was carried out to observe inhibition of protein denaturation. Since the IC50 of MgO nanoparticles was lower than the standard, it was found to be more effective. IC50 values were compared, and results reveal that bioinspired MgO NPs undergo more scavenging of free radicals than standard (ascorbic acid) MgO NPs. These MgO nanoparticles are useful in cosmetics such as scrubs, moisturizers, and an active ingredient in microdermabrasion and in formulating effective drugs for maintaining the protein structure of the body, which will reduce inflammation.

In this study, a green synthesis strategy was used to construct CuO-GO-Ag nanocomposites (NCs) by using biological components of Fagonia arabica. Copper Oxide (CuO) nanoparticles and silver (Ag) nanoparticles were fabricated by using a plant extract of Fagonia arabica. Graphene oxide was synthesized by hummer’s method and hydrothermal approach. The characterization techniques used in this work were Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and ultra-violet visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis). As an innovative approach graphene oxide (GO) was firstly assorted with green synthesized CuO NPs and then Ag nanoparticles were incorporated to form amalgamated CuO-GO-Ag nanocomposite (NCs). The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity of nanocomposite were examined. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant ability of the nanocomposite were evaluated by UV-Visible spectroscopy. Results reveal that biologically synthesized CuO-GO-Ag NCs have high scavenging and inflammation reduction potential as compared to standards (ascorbic acid, diclofenac sodium). CuO-GO-Ag showed that scavenging efficiency for 0.3 mg/ml is 57.40% and for 0.5 mg/ml is 74.24% while scavenging efficiency for standard (ascorbic acid) is 44.22% for 0.3 mg/ml and 58.42% for 0.5 mg/ml. Likewise, CuO-GO-Ag nanocomposite showed a % inhibition value of 46.59 and 87.80 at 0.1 mg/ml and 0.5 mg/ml while diclofenac sodium showed a % inhibition value of 10.98 and 35.37 a similar concentration. Fagonia arabica seems to be a good source for acclimating the potential of NCs and nanoparticles toward different increased biological activities, according to the findings.

This research aims to identify, rank, and create an interplay among the psychological barriers to adopting Industry 4.0 technologies in the manufacturing sector. A comprehensive literature review tracked by a discussion with industry and academic experts recognized 20 barriers. Based on three widely acclaimed statistical techniques, hybrid AHP-TOPSIS (Analytical Hierarchy Process-Technique for Order Performance by Similarity to Ideal Solution) and ISM (Interpretative Structural Modeling), critical psychological barriers have been investigated. A group of 8 experts from industry and academia with at least 10 years of experience was consulted for AHP and ISM techniques. Whereas TOPSIS was conducted by 443 operational-level users, including managers and supervisors of different functional areas of the manufacturing industry located in Pakistan. The findings reveal that ‘Fear of job losses’, ‘Fear of data loss/Risk of security breaches, ‘Lack of advanced & continued education of employees’ and ‘Lack of standards and reference architecture’, with highest importance weights, emerged as the most prominent psychological barriers in developing economies. Then the interrelations among these barriers resulted in a four-layered structural model. The driver barriers identified in the final model advocate that development in ‘advanced & continued education of employees’, ‘standards & reference architecture’ and ‘minimization of fear of job & data loss’ can expedite the adoption of industry 4.0 (i4.0) technologies. The study uniquely develops hierarchical relationships among the psychological barriers for adopting i4.0 in the manufacturing context using AHP-TOPSIS and ISM techniques. The study would be valuable for practitioners, decision-makers and companies that wish to focus their efforts and resources on removing the most critical barriers and challenges for the seamless implementation of Industry 4.0.

Sustainable production is becoming an important slant through which business enterprises prepare for achieving sustainable development goals. The concept of sustainable manufacturing deals with the development of various items that may utilize minimum resources and are safer for the society at a reasonable price. The present research problem explores and evaluates the production indicators pertaining to the achievement of sustainability in a textile supply chain. In this research, five main indicators and twenty five sub-indicators were determined through extensive review of literature and experts confirmation. This study proposes a novel TESCO-based fuzzy AHP approach for the evaluation of sustainability dimensions of textile sector under uncertain environment. This paper investigates the key sustainable dimensions based on technical (T), ecological (E), socio-economic (S), core competencies (C) and operational (O) considerations to prioritize the sustainable production indicators (SPIs). The fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) approach has been applied to compute the weight vectors of dimension impacting the (SPIs). The findings depict that technical indicators have significant impact whereas operational indicators have the least impact in the decision-making process of a textile sector. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis is applied to check the robustness among the criterion ranking and suggest possible measures to improve operational business excellence. Finally, the paper brings out a more systematic decision support toolkit and implications for the concerned stakeholders to formulate the policies regarding physical production and distribution of products.

Mesoporous TiO2 nanoparticles were successfully synthesized via solvothermal. The morphology and crystal structure was characterized by UV–vis spectrum (UV-Vis), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). All the observations confirmed that the as-fabricated mesoporous TiO2 nanoparticles were successfully synthesized with surface Plasmon resonance peak between a range of 250-350 nm, and its pattern meets with the JCPDS Standard (card No. 21-1272). TEM confirmed the mesoporous structure morphology and shows the incredible gas sensing performance due to their large accessible surface area. Furthermore, the as-prepared TiO2 nanoparticles exhibited more rapid response/recovery and higher sensitivity towards ethanol at 180°C, distinguished with isopropyl alcohol and methanol. Besides, it can be affirmed that the synthesized mesoporous TiO2 nanoparticles are a promising applicant for fabricating high-performance ethanol gas sensor in real-time monitoring.

All pre-stressed structures called as tensegrity structures have been introducing into robotics, modern architectural designs, and medical necessities called as bio-tensegrity, space structure alternates, and many other emerging technologies because of its numerous useful properties. Six bar tensegrity ball robot structure has essential importance in the field of robotics due to its deployable, movable, deformable, and easily controllable capabilities. This structure has 6 rigid bars (in compression) and 24 flexible strings (in tension) that are connected in such a 12 nodes arrangement that provides the highest spatial symmetrical shape to this structure among most of the tensegrity structure. In this paper, the internal forces of bars and strings on each node have been studied, and the force equation on every node has been developed. The position of each node has been validated. Furthermore, the balance of all bars and strings forces on the whole structure has been analytically verified to assure the structure remains statically pre-stressed under the zero net effect of all internal forces applied by bars and strings.

Biological fouling has caused a lot of concern owing to their concerns in marine industries. The attachment of microorganisms including bacteria, algae and diatoms on a marine surface to create a biofilm causes negative impacts on the marine industry such as an increase in weights of hulls, low speed, and high fuel consumption. In the recent past, nanoparticles have attracted a lot of attention in the fields of material science, chemistry and biology owing to their rare biological properties. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been long known for its strong toxicity against a wide range of microorganisms. Herein, we synthesized the AgNPs via green synthesis approach known for its benefits such as one-pot, inexpensive and eco-friendly; by using Illicium verum (IV) extract as demoting and sustaining agent. Further, characterization tests of obtained AgNPs-IV were investigated including by UV-Vis, FTIR, XRD, SEM, TEM, AFM, and particle size distribution. The Uv-Vis result confirmed the AgNPs-IV formation with its surface Plasmon resonance peak. FTIR was tested to investigate the bio-functional groups liable for the AgNPs-IV synthesis. XRD peaks also meet with the standard of AgNPs (JCPDS: 41-1402). SEM, TEM and AFM analysis of AgNPs-IV showed the hexagonal structure with 14.56 nm mean size. The green synthesized AgNPs-IV showed excellent antidiatom activity against Paeodactylum Tricornutum marine diatom.

Background. Transient transaminitis is an expected outcome from liver retraction after foregut surgeries. However, severe thrombocytopenia is usually not a sequela of that. We present a case in which sevoflurane is suspected of inducing thrombocytopenia as it was the only newly introduced medication to the patient during the hospital course. Thrombocytopenia may present in a variety of settings in hospitalized patients. However, managing this occurrence requires deep exploration of pathophysiology that can cause decreased platelets, which may be a challenging task in certain circumstances. The liver plays an important role in thrombopoiesis by releasing megakaryocyte growth factors. Therefore, liver dysfunction can present as thrombocytopenia or other platelet dysfunctions. Objective. To describe a presentation of thrombocytopenia possibly associated with anesthesia-induced transaminitis after a robotic paraesophageal hernia repair with mesh and fundoplasty with intraoperative esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Methods. A 55-year-old presented to the ED with abdominal pain and was found to have a large type IV paraesophageal hernia that was surgically treated with a robotic paraesophageal hernia repair with mesh. However, on the first postoperative day (POD) (#1), the patient developed new onset thrombocytopenia with transaminitis. Workup for thrombocytopenia failed to determine an etiology. With platelet transfusion, platelet count showed an upward trend. The patient was then evaluated and cleared for discharge by POD#5. Results. The patient’s POD#1 daily labs showed elevated values for liver function tests and a low platelet count of 10,000 platelets per microliter with an international normalized value (INR) of 1.3. She had received two doses of intravenous acetaminophen just prior to surgery. Her platelet count responded to two units of platelets but decreased again immediately after. She continued to have transaminitis with down-trending liver enzymes. Peripheral smear on review showed no evidence of schistocytes. A heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) screening was negative. The patient was regularly evaluated, and the platelets stabilized and slowly started to trend up. The patient recovered by the morning of her POD#5 and was cleared for discharge. Conclusion. We are reporting on a case of acute postoperative thrombocytopenia that was associated with transaminitis and elevated liver enzymes. We are linking the role of the liver dysfunction in noncirrhotic patients with surgical abdominal procedures. Although liver retraction transaminitis possibly played a role in the laboratory findings in the patient, the acute drop in her platelet count could be closely related to the use of sevoflurane anesthetic considering its potential hepatotoxic side effects. We also cannot rule out the sevoflurane directly affecting the platelet count.

Introduction. Gallbladder agenesis (GA) is a rare congenital malformation, and majority are asymptomatic; however, symptomatic patients present with a clinical picture similar to biliary colic. Work up usually shows contracted gallbladder (GB) on ultrasound (US), and HIDA scan shows nonvisualization. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) can be helpful in the diagnosis; however, the diagnosis without the latter can only be established intraoperatively. Management should be conservative treatment with antispasmodic drugs. Case Report. A 35-year-old female presented to the emergency department with nausea, vomiting, and worsening right upper quadrant (RUQ) abdominal pain. Vitals and laboratory values were unremarkable except for mild leukocytosis, and RUQ US reported “contracted GB, cholelithiasis, 4.2 mm wall thickness, and no ductal dilation.” Surgical consultation was prompted by the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis. The patient was transferred to the operating room for laparoscopic cholecystectomy; however, no GB was found, which was confirmed by intraoperative indocyanine green cholangiography. The procedure was aborted. Postoperatively, CT scan showed absent GB. A HIDA scan showed nonvisualization of the GB after 4 hours. Gastroenterology consultation was suggested to assess for peptic ulcer disease, stricture, or other etiology for her presenting symptoms, and the upper endoscopy showed gastritis. Upper GI with small bowel follow-through study showed mild delayed gastric emptying and contrast in the colon in 45 minutes. Conclusion. When US imaging findings are equivocal for nonvisualization of GB in a patient with no known history of prior cholecystectomy, additional imaging is required considering the diagnosis of gallbladder agenesis. MRCP is the test of choice. Management is usually conservative with smooth muscle relaxants without the need for surgical operation.

Sustainable supply chain initiatives (SSCI) increasingly attract the interest of industrialists, policy makers and academia in achieving business excellence. There is a tremendous pressure from stakeholders to adopt sustainable supply chain practices in manufacturing of hygienic products. Agro-based industries in emerging economies like Pakistan are at initial stage in tackling with many barriers to implement (SSCI). The purpose of this study is to categorise the barriers and formulate a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework based on fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) which effectively handles the subjectivity and complexity of experts’ inputs. The top seven barriers regarding the implementation of (SSCI) in this study were identified namely: (1) lack of sustainable outsourcing, (2) lack of sustainable production and distribution, (3) fear and resistance towards sustainable competitiveness and innovation, (4) trust deficit on sustainable buyer–supplier relationship, (5) lack of sustainable marketing and organizational culture, (6) difficulty in sustainable knowledge sharing (7) complexity in adopting sustainable technology practices. The key findings highlight that lack of sustainable outsourcing factor is key barrier for adopting (SSCI). Finally, the sensitivity analysis is applied to confirm the suitability among the ranked barriers. The outcome of this research would be supportive measures for the stakeholders by providing insights on barriers to implement (SSCI) concept for achieving sustainable development goals in line towards business excellence.

Abstract Background Despite the wide use of the neck disability index (NDI) for assessing disability in patients with neck pain, the NDI has not yet been translated and validated in Urdu. The first purpose of the present study was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the NDI into the Urdu language (NDI-U). The second purpose was to investigate the reliability, validity and responsiveness of the NDI-U in Urdu-speaking patients experiencing chronic mechanical neck pain (CMNP). Methods Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the original version of the NDI were carried out using previously described procedures. Seventy-six patients with CMNP and thirty healthy participants were recruited for the study. NDI-U and visual analogue scales for pain intensity (VASpain) and disability (VASdisability) were administered to all the participants at baseline and to the patients 3 weeks after receiving physiotherapy intervention. The global rating of change scale (GROC) was also administered at this time. Test-retest reliability and internal consistency were carried out on forty-six randomly selected patients two days after they completed the NDI-U. The NDI-U was evaluated for factor analysis, content validity, construct validity (discriminative and convergent validity) and responsiveness. Results An intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC2,1) revealed excellent test-retest reliability for all items (ICC2,1 = 0.86–0.98) and total scores (ICC2,1 = 0.99) of the NDI-U. The NDI-U was found internally consistent with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.90 and a fair to good correlation between single items and the NDI-U total scores (r = 0.34 to 0.89). Factor analysis of the NDI-U produced two factors explaining 66.71% of the variance. Content validity was good, as no floor or ceiling effects were detected for the NDI-U total score. To determine discriminative validity, an independent t-test revealed a significant difference in the NDI-U total scores between the patients and healthy controls (P

Background. Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a worrisome, yet potentially preventable threat in critically ill patients. Evidence-based clinical practices targeting the prevention of VAP have proven effective, but the most optimal methods to ensure consistent implementation and compliance remain unknown. Methods. A retrospective study of the trend in VAP rates in a community-hospital’s open medical intensive care unit (MICU) after the enactment of a nurse-led VAP prevention team. The period of the study was between April 1, 2009, and September 30, 2012. The team rounded on mechanically ventilated patients every Tuesday and Thursday. They ensured adherence to the evidence-based VAP prevention. A separate and independent infection control team monitored VAP rates. Results. Across the study period, mean VAP rate was 3.20/1000 ventilator days ±5.71 SD. Throughout the study time frame, there was an average monthly reduction in VAP rate of 0.27/1000 ventilator days, P