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The reliable and efficient computational approach for the cable interference in gas insulated substations (GIS) is presented. The hybrid domain decomposition method-multilevel fast multi-pole algorithm (DDM-MLFMA) is presented herein. This technique determines the specifications of GIS cables for RG58 and AWG23. Self and mutual interference are identified utilizing the very fast transient overvoltage (VFTO) transient interference signal. The hybrid technique offers a numerical simulation to replicate the impact of the VFTO interference signal. Utilizing the matrix-vector multiplication product (MVX) to address compression and approximation challenges, the hybrid approach proves reliable and pragmatic. Because of its computational nature and explicit factorization reduction, this strategy reduces computation time and memory requirements. Consequently, the system's complexity follows a linear trend under this proposed approach. The computed results are juxtaposed with traditional methodologies to validate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

Saline soils pose significant challenges to global agricultural productivity, hindering crop growth and efficiency. Despite various mitigation strategies, the issue persists, underscoring the need for innovative and sustainable solutions. One promising approach involves leveraging microorganisms and their plant interactions to reclaim saline soils and bolster crop yields. This review highlights pioneering and recent advancements in utilizing multi-traits Trichoderma and Bacillus species as potent promoters of plant growth and health. It examines the multifaceted impacts of saline stress on plants and microbes, elucidating their physiological and molecular responses. Additionally, it delves into the role of ACC deaminase in mitigating plant ethylene levels by Trichoderma and Bacillus species. Although there are several studies on Trichoderma-Bacillus, much remains to be understood about their synergistic relationships and their potential as auxiliaries in the phytoremediation of saline soils, which is why this work addresses these challenges.

Electrospinning provides a simple and versatile method for generating ultrafine fibers from a rich variety of materials that include polymers, composites, and ceramics. Find applications in various fields, including tissue engineering, filter media, reinforcement in nanocomposites, and micro/nano-electro-mechanical systems. In this study the polystyrene fibers in 10%, 20% and 30% (w/v) in THF: DMF solvents were characterized by ATR-FTIR, AFM and SEM. The obtained fibers exhibited a smooth surface with fine structures, emphasizing a ribbon-like morphology with bead-like features within the range of 3 µm to 5 µm in diameter. The aim of this study was to extract the parabens at optimized conditions such as pH, adsorbent dose, contact time and the elution of solvent. To examine the mechanism of adsorption kinetics, the two most commonly used kinetics models (pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order) were employed to test experimental data along with the Morris-Weber diffusion model. The obtained data showed that the maximum sorption efficiency obtained at pH 3.0, adsorbent dose optimized as 10 mg of fiber with time of 24 hours, the methanol was sufficient to elute paraben from fibers met. The experimental data of the adsorption followed by first-order reaction with a mass transfer-controlled diffusion mechanism

Abstract Phyllosphere endophytes play a critical role in a myriad of biological functions, such as maintaining plant health and overall fitness. They play a determinative role in crop yield and quality by regulating vital processes, such as leaf functionality and longevity, seed mass, apical growth, flowering, and fruit development. This study conducted a comprehensive bibliometric analysis aiming to review the prevailing research trajectories in phyllosphere endophytes and harness both primary areas of interest and emerging challenges. A total of 156 research articles on phyllosphere endophytes, published between 2002 and 2022, were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). A systematic analysis was conducted using CiteSpace to visualize the evolution of publication frequency, the collaboration network, the co-citation network, and keywords co-occurrence. The findings indicated that initially, there were few publications on the topic of phyllosphere endophytes. However, from 2011 onwards, there was a notable increase in the number of publications on phyllosphere endophytes, gaining worldwide attention. Among authors, Arnold, A Elizabeth is widely recognized as a leading author in this research area. In terms of countries, the USA and China hold the highest rankings. As for institutional ranking, the University of Arizona is the most prevalent and leading institute in this particular subject. Collaborative efforts among the authors and institutions tend to be confined to small groups, and a large-scale collaborative network needs to be established. This study identified the influential journals, literature, and hot research topics. These findings also highlight the interconnected nature of key themes, e.g., phyllosphere endophyte research revolves around the four pillars: diversity, fungal endophytes, growth, and endophytic fungi. This study provides an in-depth perspective on phyllosphere endophytes studies, revealing the identification of biodiversity and microbial interaction of phyllosphere endophytes as the principal research frontiers. These analytical findings not only elucidate the recent trajectory of phyllosphere endophyte research but also provide invaluable insights for similar studies and their potential applications on a global scale.

Background/Objectives: Full immunization coverage in Pakistan remains suboptimal at 66%. An in-depth assessment is needed to understand the long-term trends in immunization and identify the extent of defaulters and associated risk factors of them being left uncovered by the immunization system. Methods: We conducted a 5-year analysis using the Government’s Provincial Electronic Immunization Registry data for the 2018–2023 birth cohorts in Sindh province. We analyzed 8,792,392 child-level immunization records from 1 January 2018 to 31 May 2024 to examine trends in immunization coverage, timeliness, defaulter rates, and associated risk factors; Results: Our findings indicate gradual improvements in immunization coverage, with full immunization rates increasing by 23.2% (from 47.5% to 70.7%) from 2018 to 2022. While timeliness declined from 2018 to 2021, it recovered in 2022 and 2023. Over the 5-year study period, >90% of children defaulted on vaccinations, with 34.8% fully covered and 9.1% uncovered. Children from urban areas (OR = 1.54; 95% CI = 1.52, 1.56; p-value < 0.001) and those enrolled through fixed immunization sites (OR = 2.11; 95% CI = 2.08, 2.15; p-value < 0.001) and mobile immunization vans (OR = 1.13; 95% CI = 1.13, 1.77; p-value = 0.003) were at higher risk of being uncovered defaulters. Conclusions: This study demonstrates improvements in immunization coverage in Sindh while highlighting the challenge of low timeliness and high default rates. Our findings provide insights to strengthen immunization access and timeliness, particularly in high-default areas, and can guide policies in similar low-income settings for more equitable and comprehensive immunization coverage.

Objective: To evaluate the factors associated with delay in arterio-venous fistula formation among the patients with chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis. Study Design: Comparative cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital, Lahore Pakistan, from Jan to Dec 2020. Methodology: All patients above 18 years of age with chronic kidney disease on maintenance hemodialysis (end stage renal disease) were inducted in the study. Patients requiring hemodialysis for acute kidney injury were excluded from the study. Patients were interviewed face-to-face about their socio-demographic variables, cause of delay and mean delay time from diagnosis to Arterio-venous fistula formation. Results: Out of 292 patients, 228 patients (76%) had a delay in arterio-venous fistula and first dialysis through double lumen catheter. The mean age of these patients was 59.05 years with 78.1% males. The mean delay of these patients was 60.63+26.832 days. Patient unwillingness and lack of awareness of deteriorating renal disease were the commonest factors (35%) in patient related factors and delayed surgical appointment being commonest (49.1%) in health care associated factors. The longest delay time was 69.04±25.759 months which was associated with delayed surgical appointment (p

Abstract Background Given the worldwide reach of COVID-19, media coverage has amplified the psychological and social effects of this pandemic causing a widespread fear. Despite substantial research on the short-term psychological impact of COVID-19, its long-term consequences on mental health remain relatively unexplored. This research aims to develop and validate a Post-Pandemic Fear of Viral Disease (PPFVD) scale and to see its relationship with general anxiety disorder among the Pakistani population. Methods A cross-sectional online-based survey was conducted with 457 respondents in August and September 2022. We adopted the modified fear of coronavirus scale (FCV-19 S) consisting of seven items and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) questionnaire to measure anxiety disorder. Confirmatory factor analysis was applied using the maximum likelihood estimation method. Scale dimensions and item reliability were tested for their validity and goodness of fit. SPSS and AMOS were used for data management and analyses. Results All inter-item correlations were found to be significant and ranged between 0.30 and 0.70. The value of Cronbach’s alpha was 0.887, indicating good reliability. Corrected item-total correlations ranged between 0.632 and 0.754. Factor loadings ranged from 0.664 to 0.810, indicating a good internal consistency. Overall, these results clearly demonstrate that the one-factor solution model for PPFVD presents a good fit to the data. The composite reliability (CR = 0.747) was also good. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected the mental health of people globally. This measurement scale can be trusted and used to test the PPFVD in the post-pandemic situation. Prospective research might validate this instrument in newly emerging scenarios and test it with diverse ethnic groups.

Maintaining soil fertility to obtain higher crop production is essential for food security and sustainability. Soil amendments not only improve soil fertility but also enhance plant growth. Azospirillum brasilense is an important plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria participating in the progression of wheat (Triticum aestivum) yield; however, how it works in bentonite soil for enhancing wheat production is not clear yet. To investigate the combined applications of Azospirillum brasilense and bentonite, a planned experiment was performed in the wirehouse. Through studying various agronomic, physiological, and soil-related parameters, it was found that the sole application of Azospirillum brasilense is more beneficial as compared to the sole application of ben-tonite. Bentonite application at 10 g kg−1 of soil is more beneficial for the wheat crop growth and soil fertility status as compared to the bentonite application at 5 g kg−1 of soil. Co-application of Azospirillum brasilense and bentonite at 10 g kg−1 of soil increases the grain yield by 42 %, LAI by 20.2 %, and Stomatal conductance by up to 13.88 %. The resulting increase was due to an increase in the soil organic matter contents, microbial activities, growth hormones production, and more availability of soil water for plant growth.

Protein has been used as the carrier for protecting and targeting polyphenols and increasing their shelf-life. Interactions of a protein molecule with polyphenols are important, which change functions and physiochemical properties of the complex and provide protection to polyphenols. Interactions between proteins and polyphenols are largely non-covalent. Factors that affect such interactions include pH, temperature, and the structure of both proteins and polyphenols. Moreover, excellent stability of polyphenols can be achieved by using nanoencapsulation techniques such as emulsion, nanohydrogel, and nanocomplex formation. The use of protein combined with other compounds such as lipids and carbohydrates was found to be the most suitable carrier for polyphenols encapsulation. This review aims to describe the interaction between proteins and polyphenols, focusing on applying nanoencapsulation for increasing stability and targeted delivery of phenolic compounds.

Abstract The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of silicon (Si) on the cultivation and quality of raspberries (Rubus idaeus). The experiment consisted of seven treatments and four blocks located in a subtropical region. Each plot consisted of three pots with one seedling of 'Batum' raspberry. In each pot, the treatment consisted of Si doses at 0, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, or 1600 mg dm-3, which were applied to the soil 15 days after the transplanting of the seedlings. Field analyses were performed by measuring chlorophyll a and b, water potential, and production. Fruit were analyzed for color, firmness, respiratory rate, soluble solids, and pH. Fertilization with Si stimulates the increase of fruit number and of the raspberry production per plant. The Si application increases the fruit production and fruit firmness; however, it reduces the water potential and respiration rate.

Herein, we report efficient visible light-induced photoredox reactions of C–H/N–H and C–X Bonds. These methods have provided access to varied portfolio of synthetically important γ-ketoesters, azaspirocyclic cyclohexadienones spirocyclohexadienones, multisubstituted benzimidazole derivatives, substituted N,2-diarylacetamide, 2-arylpyridines and 2-arylquinolines in good yields and under mild conditions. Moreover, we have successfully discussed the construction through visible light-induction by an intermolecular radical addition, dearomative cyclization, aryl migration and desulfonylation. Similarly, we also spotlight the visible light-catalyzed aerobic C–N bond activation from well-known building blocks through cyclization, elimination and aromatization. The potential use of a wide portfolio of simple ketones and available primary amines has made this transformation very attractive.

Abstract Background Boron (B) deficiency is an important factor for poor seed cotton yield and fiber quality. However, it is often missing in the plant nutrition program, particularly in developing countries. The current study investigated B's effect on growth, yield, and fiber quality of Bt (CIM-663) and non-Bt (Cyto-124) cotton cultivars. The experimental plan consisted of twelve treatments: Control (CK); B at 1 mg·kg−1 soil application (SB1); 2 mg·kg−1 B (SB2); 3 mg·kg−1 B (SB3); 0.2% B foliar spray (FB1); 0.4% B foliar spray (FB2); 1 mg·kg−1 B + 0.2% B foliar spray (SB1 + FB1); 1 mg·kg−1 B + 0.4% B foliar spray (SB1 + FB2); 2 mg·kg−1 B + 0.2% B foliar spray (SB2 + FB1); 2 mg·kg−1 B + 0.4% B foliar spray (SB2 + FB2); 3 mg·kg−1 B + 0.2% B foliar spray (SB3 + FB1); 3 mg·kg−1 B + 0.4% B foliar spray (SB3 + FB2). Each treatment has three replications, one pot having two plants per replication. Results B nutrition at all levels and methods of application significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected the growth, physiological, yield, and fiber quality characteristics of both cotton cultivars. However, SB2 either alone or in combination with foliar spray showed superiority over others, particularly in the non-Bt cultivar which responded better to B nutrition. Maximum improvement in monopodial branches (345%), sympodial branches (143%), chlorophyll-a (177%), chlorophyll-b (194%), photosynthesis (169%), and ginning out turn (579%) in the non-Bt cultivar was found with SB2 compared with CK. In Bt cultivar, although no consistent trend was found but integrated use of SB3 with foliar spray performed relatively better for improving cotton growth compared with other treatments. Fiber quality characteristics in both cultivars were improved markedly but variably with different B treatments. Conclusion B nutrition with SB2 either alone or in combination with foliar spray was found optimum for improving cotton's growth and yield characteristics.

Abstract This research characterizes key metabolites in the leaf from Citronella gongonha Martius (Mart.) Howard (Cardiopteridaceae). All metabolites were assessed in intact leaf tissue by proton (1H) high-resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy integrated with the principal component analysis (PCA) to depict molecular association with the seasonal change. The major ‘known unknown’ metabolites detected in 1H HR-MAS NMR were derivatives of flavonoid, polyphenolic and monoterpenoid compounds such as kaempferol-3-O-dihexoside, caffeoyl glucoside (2), 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid (3), 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (4), kingiside (5), 8-epi-kingisidic acid (6), (7α)-7-O-methylmorroniside (7), (7β)-7-O-methylmorroniside (8) and alpigenoside (9) together with the universally occurring sucrose (10), α-glucoses (11, 12), alanine (13), and fatty (linolenic) acid (14). Several of the major metabolites (1, 2–9) were additionally confirmed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). In regard with the PCA results, metabolites 1, 2–9 and 14 were influenced by seasonal variation and/or from further (a) biotic environmental conditions. The findings in this work indicate that C. gongonha Mart. is an effective medicinal plant by preserving particularly compounds 2, 3–9 in abundant amounts. Because of close susceptibility with seasonal shift and ecological trends, further longitudinal studies are needed to realize the physiology and mechanism involved in the production of these and new metabolites in this plant under controlled conditions. Also, future studies are recommended to classify different epimers, especially of the phenolics and monoterpenoids in the given plant.

Objective: To assess the reasons for compliance with face mask usage amongst Pakistani youth. Study Design: Internet-based cross-sectional survey. Place and Duration of Study: Different cities of Pakistan, in April 2021. Methodology: Persons currently residing in Pakistan aged 18-29 were included in the study. The questionnaire included questions to identify self-perceptions of vulnerability to COVID-19, followed by questions about social situations where respondents wore facemasks. Results: A large number of (1,034,90%) respondents reported compliance with facemasks. Specifically, 1048(92%), 962(85%), and 850(75%) of respondents wore facemasks in healthcare facilities, marketplaces, or at work or school respectively. Nevertheless, when self-regulating, such as with family or around friends, compliance fell to 200(18%). Compliance turns to complacency when people are expected to self-regulate face mask usage. Females were more compliant than males (p

This paper reports the fabrication of (0 wt. %, 0.5 wt. %, 1 wt. %, 1.5 wt. %, and 2 wt. %) cadmium-doped tin sulphide (Cd-SnS) thin films using sol-gel technique via green synthesis route. Aloe vera gel is used as a green extract to fast fabricate Cd-SnS films. X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Vis spectrophotometer, four-point probe method, and J-V measurements are used to determine the crystallographic structure, optical, electrical, and photovoltaic properties, respectively. Here, the detailed structure properties like crystallite size, dislocation line density, d-spacing, and lattice constants of pure and Cd-SnS films are calculated. XRD confirmed the Cd doping in SnS with an orthorhombic structure. The film of 1.5% Cd-SnS showed good structural properties like large crystallite size (29 nm), small d-spacing (2.82 Å), small dislocation line density (1.18 × 1015 m−2), and lattice constants (a = 11.86 Å, b = 3.92 Å, c = 4.33 Å). Optical parameters like bandgap energy (Eg), extinction coefficient (k), refractive index (n), and dielectric constants (n) are calculated by using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Cd doped decreased the Eg of SnS. The low value of Eg (1.40 eV) is observed by 1.5% of Cd doping in SnS. A four-point probe approach is used to evaluate the sheet resistivity of Cd-SnS thin films at ambient temperature. The reduced value of sheet resistivity (1.3 × 104 Ω-cm) is achieved at 1.5% Cd doping. Solar cells of these films are fabricated. The geometry of the Cd-SnS solar cell is glass/FTO/TiO2/SnS/P3HT/Au. The open-circuit voltage (Voc), fill factor (FF), efficiency (η), and short circuit current density (Jsc) of solar cells are determined using a J-V curve. For pure SnS based solar cells, Voc is 0.702 V, Jsc is 2.04 mA cm−2, FF is 0.578, and η is 0.82%. All the factors except Voc are increased by Cd doping. The highest efficiency (1.34%) is obtained using a 1.5% Cd-doped SnS film-based solar cell. This efficiency is 61% higher than pure SnS based solar cells. These cells have a low-cost and long life time because there is no chemical corrosion like dye-sensitized solar cells.

In this review, the intricate issue about the occurrence levels of mycotoxins in foods is discussed aiming to underline the main knowledge gaps on the persistence of these toxicants in the food production system. Mycotoxins have been a key challenge to the food industry, economic growth, and consumers’ health. Despite a breadth of studies over the past decades, the persistence of mycotoxins in foods remain an overlooked concern that urges exploration. Therefore, we aimed to concisely underline the matter and provide possible biochemical and metabolic details that can be relevant to the food sector and overall public health. We also stress the application of computational modeling, high-throughput omics, and high-resolution imaging approaches, which can provide insights into the structural and physicochemical characteristics and the metabolic activities which occur in a stored cereal grain’s embryo and endosperm and their relationship with storage fungi and mycotoxins on a cellular level. In addition, there is a need for extensive collaborative network and funding, which will play a key role in finding effective solutions against the persistence of mycotoxins at the genetic and molecular to metabolic levels in the food system.

Objective: To find the association of Child-Pugh’s Class with oesophagal varices and portal hypertensive gastropathy in cirrhotic patients at CMH Lahore. Study Design: Cross sectional study Place and Duration of Study: Department of Gastroenterology and Department of Pathology, Combined Military Hospital Lahore Pakistan, from Feb to May 2021. Methodology: All patients with cirrhosis of the liver, irrespective of aetiology, who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, were included in the study. Lab data was retrieved from the Pathology Department to calculate Child Pugh’s score. Endoscopic findings of oesophagal varices and portal gastropathy were recorded and their correlation/association with Child-Pugh’s Class was calculated separately by using Pearson’s coefficient. Results: A total of 148 patients were included in the study. Male patients were 90(60.8%) and female were 58(39.2%). The age range was 27-85 years, with the mean of patients being 55.93±13.19 years. Association of Child Pugh’s Class with oesophagal varices and portal hypertensive gastropathy revealed that higher grades of oesophagal varices (Grade-lll) and severe portal hypertensive gastropathy were found in Child Pugh’s Class-B (13.51%, 14.18%) and C (15.54%, 16.2%) as compared to Class- A (4.72 %, 1.35%). Child-Pugh’s Class positively correlates with both oesophagal varices and portal hypertensive gastropathy by Pearson’s coefficient r=0.594 and 0.035, respectively; both have significant p values (p

Objective: To evaluate the frequency of dental anxiety and its relationship with age, gender, marital status, education,occupational status, place of residence and previous dental injury experience in patients belonging to Gilgit-Baltistan. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Psychiatry Department, Combined Military Hospital, Gilgit and 99 Military Dental Center, Gilgit Pakistan, from Jul to Dec 2017. Methodology: A total of 270 patients aged 18 to 65 years were selected for the study. The proforma was used to determine basic patient information, including past dental experience. Coral's Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) was used to measure the level of dental anxiety. Results: The mean anxiety score was 8.95±2.53. Dental anxiety was common in 33.1% of the study population. Correlational analyses showed a significant positive relationship between younger age, female gender, single marital status, rural residence and negative past dental experience with dental anxiety. Conclusion: Within the Gilgit-Baltistan population, it was seen that younger patients, single females, people from rural areas and patients with a past negative dental experience had more Dental anxiety.

This study is aimed at investigating the motivational needs of Pakistani Facebook users and intended to develop a scale to measure motivation to use Facebook among Pakistani users. Opting uses and gratifications theory and reviewing the relevant literature, the researchers developed a scale comprised of six motivations. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with the university students, and 1245 university students participated in this study. The results of first- and second-order confirmatory analyses indicate that the scale was reliable and had construct validity as well. This scale confirmed six motivations as motivational needs of Pakistani Facebook users. This scale covers both social and personal needs. The findings of this study confirm that Facebook users utilize Facebook for various purposes.

BackgroundIntensive care unit (ICU) prolonged immobilization may lead to lower-extremity muscle deconditioning among critically ill patients, particularly more accentuated in those with 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection. Electrical stimulation (E-Stim) is known to improve musculoskeletal outcomes. This phase I double-blinded randomized controlled trial examined the safety and efficacy of lower-extremity E-Stim to prevent muscle deconditioning.MethodsCritically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU were randomly assigned to control (CG) or intervention (IG) groups. Both groups received daily E-Stim (1 h) for up to 14 days on both gastrocnemius muscles (GNMs). The device was functional in the IG and non-functional in the CG. Primary outcomes included ankle strength (Ankles) measured by an ankle-dynamometer, and GNM endurance (GNMe) in response to E-Stim assessed with surface electromyography (sEMG). Outcomes were measured at baseline, 3 and 9 days.ResultsThirty-two (IG = 16, CG = 16) lower extremities in 16 patients were independently assessed. The mean time between ICU admission and E-Stim therapy delivery was 1.8 ± 1.9 days (p = 0.29). At 3 days, the IG showed an improvement compared to the CG with medium effect sizes for Ankles (p = 0.06, Cohen’s d = 0.77) and GNMe (p = 0.06, d = 0.69). At 9 days, the IG GNMe was significantly higher than the CG (p = 0.04, d = 0.97) with a 6.3% improvement from baseline (p = 0.029). E-Stim did not alter vital signs (i.e., heart/respiratory rate, blood saturation of oxygen), showed no adverse events (i.e., pain, skin damage, discomfort), nor interfere with ICU standard of care procedures (i.e., mechanical ventilation, prone rotation).ConclusionThis study supports the safety and efficacy of early E-Stim therapy to potentially prevent deterioration of lower-extremity muscle conditions in critically ill COVID-19 patients recently admitted to the ICU. If confirmed in a larger sample, E-Stim may be used as a practical adjunctive therapy.Clinical trial registration[https://clinicaltrials.gov/], identifier [NCT04685213].

Plant microbiome (or phytomicrobiome) engineering (PME) is an anticipated untapped alternative strategy that could be exploited for plant growth, health and productivity under different environmental conditions. It has been proven that the phytomicrobiome has crucial contributions to plant health, pathogen control and tolerance under drastic environmental (a)biotic constraints. Consistent with plant health and safety, in this article we address the fundamental role of plant microbiome and its insights in plant health and productivity. We also explore the potential of plant microbiome under environmental restrictions and the proposition of improving microbial functions that can be supportive for better plant growth and production. Understanding the crucial role of plant associated microbial communities, we propose how the associated microbial actions could be enhanced to improve plant growth-promoting mechanisms, with a particular emphasis on plant beneficial fungi. Additionally, we suggest the possible plant strategies to adapt to a harsh environment by manipulating plant microbiomes. However, our current understanding of the microbiome is still in its infancy, and the major perturbations, such as anthropocentric actions, are not fully understood. Therefore, this work highlights the importance of manipulating the beneficial plant microbiome to create more sustainable agriculture, particularly under different environmental stressors.

The precise prediction of power estimates of wind–solar renewable energy sources becomes challenging due to their intermittent nature and difference in intensity between day and night. Machine-learning algorithms are non-linear mapping functions to approximate any given function from known input–output pairs and can be used for this purpose. This paper presents an artificial neural network (ANN)-based method to predict hybrid wind–solar resources and estimate power generation by correlating wind speed and solar radiation for real-time data. The proposed ANN allows optimization of the hybrid system’s operation by efficient wind and solar energy production estimation for a given set of weather conditions. The proposed model uses temperature, humidity, air pressure, solar radiation, optimum angle, and target values of known wind speeds, solar radiation, and optimum angle. A normalization function to narrow the error distribution and an iterative method with the Levenberg–Marquardt training function is used to reduce error. The experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed approach against the existing wind, solar, or wind–solar estimation methods. It is envisaged that such an intelligent yet simplified method for predicting wind speed, solar radiation, and optimum angle, and designing wind–solar hybrid systems can improve the accuracy and efficiency of renewable energy generation.

Thorium compounds have attracted immense scientific and technological attention with regard to both fundamental and practical implications, owing to unique chemical and physical properties like high melting point, high density and thermal conductivity. Hereby, we investigate the mechanical and thermodynamic stability and report on the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of new silicon-doped cubic ternary thorium phosphides ThSixP1-x (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1). The first-principles density functional theory procedure was adopted within full–potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method. The exchange and correlation potential terms were treated within Generalized-Gradient-Approximation functional modified by Perdew-Burke-Ernzerrhof parameterizations. The proposed compounds showed mechanical and thermodynamic stable structure and hence can be synthesized experimentally. The calculated lattice parameters, bulk modulus, total energy, density of states, electronic band structure and spin magnetic moments of the compounds revealed considerable correlation to the Si substitution for P and the relative Si/P doping concentration. The electronic and magnetic properties of the doped compounds rendered them non-magnetic but metallic in nature. The main orbital contribution to the Fermi level arises from the hybridization of Th(6d+5f) and (Si+P)3p states. Reported results may have potential implications with regard to both fundamental point of view and technological prospects such as fuel materials for clean nuclear energy.

Objective: To determine the efficacy and safety of sofosbuvir-velpatasvir combination therapy in treatment of chronic hepatitis C genotype 3. Study Design: Prospective cohort study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Medicine, Combined Military Hospital Lahore, from Mar 2018 to Oct 2019. Methodology: Eighty eight consecutive patients, who were ≥18 years of age with chronic hepatitis C as confirmed by polymerase chain reaction were included in the study. Primary end point was sustained virological response at 12 week post-treatment. Patients with any of the following criteria at presentation were excluded from study: aspartate/alanine aminotransferase >10 times the upper limit of normal, total bilirubin twice the upper limit of normal, haemoglobin

Soil salinity is the major abiotic stress that disrupts nutrient uptake, hinders plant growth, and threatens agricultural production. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are the most promising eco-friendly beneficial microorganisms that can be used to improve plant responses against biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, a previously identified B. thuringiensis PM25 showed tolerance to salinity stress up to 3 M NaCl. The Halo-tolerant Bacillus thuringiensis PM25 demonstrated distinct salinity tolerance and enhance plant growth-promoting activities under salinity stress. Antibiotic-resistant Iturin C (ItuC) and bio-surfactant-producing (sfp and srfAA) genes that confer biotic and abiotic stresses were also amplified in B. thuringiensis PM25. Under salinity stress, the physiological and molecular processes were followed by the over-expression of stress-related genes (APX and SOD) in B. thuringiensis PM25. The results detected that B. thuringiensis PM25 inoculation substantially improved phenotypic traits, chlorophyll content, radical scavenging capability, and relative water content under salinity stress. Under salinity stress, the inoculation of B. thuringiensis PM25 significantly increased antioxidant enzyme levels in inoculated maize as compared to uninoculated plants. In addition, B. thuringiensis PM25-inoculation dramatically increased soluble sugars, proteins, total phenols, and flavonoids in maize as compared to uninoculated plants. The inoculation of B. thuringiensis PM25 significantly reduced oxidative burst in inoculated maize under salinity stress, compared to uninoculated plants. Furthermore, B. thuringiensis PM25-inoculated plants had higher levels of compatible solutes than uninoculated controls. The current results demonstrated that B. thuringiensis PM25 plays an important role in reducing salinity stress by influencing antioxidant defense systems and abiotic stress-related genes. These findings also suggest that multi-stress tolerant B. thuringiensis PM25 could enhance plant growth by mitigating salt stress, which might be used as an innovative tool for enhancing plant yield and productivity.

Alkenyl boron-esters and acrylonitrile groups are key structural functional groups found in dyes, pesticides, fluorescent compounds, functional materials, and biologically active drugs. Considerable efforts have been devoted for the introduction of boron-esters and acrylonitrile groups by using alkenes and alkynes conversion routes for boronation, hydroboronation, dehydrogenative boronation, cyanation, hydrocyanation, alkylcyanation, cyanomethylation. These reported methodologies are very valuable for the industrial production of acrylonitriles and alkenyl boron esters.

Objectives To estimate the prevalence of zero dose children (who have not received any dose of pentavalent (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type B and hepatitis B) vaccine by their first birthday) among those who interacted with the immunisation system in Sindh, Pakistan along with their sociodemographic characteristics and risk factors.Design and participants We conducted a descriptive analysis of child-level longitudinal immunisation records of 1 467 975 0–23 months children from the Sindh’s Zindagi Mehfooz (Safe Life) Electronic Immunisation Registry (ZM-EIR), for the birth cohorts of 2017 and 2018.Setting Sindh province, Pakistan which has a population of 47.9 million people and an annual birth cohort of 1.7 million.Primary and secondary outcome measures The primary outcome measure was zero dose status among enrolled children. Logistic regression was performed to identify the risk factors associated with the zero dose status.Results Out of 1 467 975 children enrolled in the ZM-EIR in Sindh, 10.6% (154 881/1 467 975) were zero dose. There were sharp inequities across the 27 districts. Zero dose children had a lower proportion of hospital births (28.5% vs 34.0%; difference 5.5 percentage points (pp) (95% CI 5.26 to 5.74); p

Dynamic instability of decentralized wind energy farms is a major issue to deliver continuous green energy to electricity consumers. This instability is caused by variations of voltage and frequency parameters due to intermittencies in wind power. Previously, droop control and inverter-based schemes have been proposed to regulate the voltage by balancing reactive power, while inertial control, digital mapping technique of proportional-integral-differential (PID) controller and efficiency control strategy have been developed to regulate the frequency. In this paper, voltage stability is improved by a new joint strategy of distribution static compensator (DSTATCOM) six-pulse controller based reactive power management among decentralized wind turbines and controlled charging of capacitor bank. The frequency stability is ensured by a joint coordinated utilization of capacitor bank and distributed wind power turbines dispatching through a new DSTATCOM six-pulse controller scheme. In both strategies, power grid is contributed as a backup source with less priority. These new joint strategies for voltage and frequency stabilities will enhance the stable active power delivery to end users. A system test case is developed to verify the proposed joint strategies. The test results of the proposed new schemes are proved to be effective in terms of stability improvement of voltage, frequency and active power generation.

A novel technique for conversion of DC power to AC power is introduced using solar powered sine wave generation system is presented. DC power extracted from solar system is made utilitarian for driving the BLDC (brushless DC) motor with constant speed constraints. The back EMF signals of each phase of the BLDC motor facilitated the development of technique for the sine wave generation from solar system without battery backup. This motor is coupled with AC generator, which yields the AC power on demand. The constant speed constraint indispensable for fixed electrical frequency at the output of generator. A new control technique is rendered for reference tracking speed control of BLDC motor using Lyapunov theory by changing switching frequency, and also maintaining the voltage level at the output of converter driving BLDC by regulating the switching frequency of the zeta converter. The proposed methodology for generation of AC power from solar power system is also tested on prototype. The comparison of conventional technique for generation of sine wave power and proposed scheme is mentioned at later section of this paper for describing the efficacy of newly presented scheme.

Objective: To determine the efficacy of dual (sofosbuvir and ribavirin) and triple therapy (sofosbuvir ribavirinpegylated interferon) for treatment of hepatitis C. Study Design: Comparative cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Medicine, Combined Military Hospital, Lahore, from Nov 2014 to Mar 2017. Methodology: A total of 182 consecutive patients with age ≥18 years and positive HCV RNA by polymerase chain reaction were included, while patients with haemoglobin of

Objective: To evaluate the effect of a single dose of Ketamine in treatment of severe Major Depressive Disorder MDD in Pakistani patients. Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at Combined Military Hospital, Gilgit, from Apr 2017 to Mar 2018. Methodology: Twenty nine subjects for this study had a primary diagnosis of severe Major Depressive disorder with a score of more than 19 on the HAM-D (Hamilton rating scale for depression) scale. These patients were divided into two groups. Group A received injection ketamine IV whereas group B received placebo 0.9% normal saline. Both were reassessed after 24 hours and there HAM-D scores were measured again. Results: Out of the total 29 patients, response was present in 14 (48.2%) and 15 (51.8%) did not respond to the treatment. Out of 19 patients that were treated with ketamine, 12 (63.1%) showed response to treatment while 7 (36.9%) did not respond. Out of 10 patients that were treated with placebo, 2 (20%) showed response to treatment while 8 (80%) did not respond. The p-value with a confidence interval of 95% was 0.033 showing that the difference in the two treatments was statistically significant. Conclusion: Ketamine demonstrated rapid antidepressant effects in this study, further supporting N-methyl-Daspartate (NMDA) receptor modulation as a novel mechanism for accelerated improvement in severe forms of depression. However further trials are needed to establish long term effects of the drug.

Microgrid (MG) offers an elaborate list of solutions to solve the common problems associated with local distribution systems. These problems are mainly reliability issues. Researchers are trying to develop improvements in its properties and features to overcome these problems as well as the ones regarding power quality (PQ). The standard microgrid structure does not support power quality compensation strategies, which is why there are distribution system issues related to it. Implementations of the DVR have been proposed at both a low voltage (LV) level, as well as a medium voltage (MV) level; and give an opportunity to protect high power sensitive loads from voltage sags, because it is a very efficient. We have proposed in this paper about the Upgraded Dynamic Voltage Restorer (UDVR) and mentioned that it I will provide a convenient solution to the voltage sag and swell in grid-connected microgrid problems. A microgrid structure provides a reliable distribution system for local loads on the other side, UDVR allows a sag/swell free power supply for loads. This control via UDVR comes from a fuzzy technique system and an Upgraded Synchronous Reference Frame (USRF) concept. The dynamic compensation characteristics of UDVR are applied to voltage transient disturbance analysis under various run conditions. The proposed control system's stability is also analyzed. The entire system is manufactured by utilizing the MATLAB/Simulink environment. The results of the simulation confirmed the performance of UDVR under the proposed control approach. Simulation results prove that the proposed method is correct and has better real-time and compensation flexibility.

With increasing trend and interest in renewable and sustainable forms of energy, the energy generation from renewable sources is increasing rapidly. There are many ways of getting energy from renewable sources. Power generation through solar is one of the emerging techniques. One of the major advantages of the solar power station is to production of electricity from free and unlimited reservoir of heat resources. This research deals with the implementation of the solar system at the roofs of hospitals to generates its own free and clean energy. By utilization of this idea, we can generate extra power from solar radiations to meet energy demand and able to mitigate energy crises. This research also deals with the production of energy with the help of biomedical wastes in major hospitals of Multan. By using medical wastes through the Rankine cycle, we can meet our energy demand.

A novel (N+1)-level multilevel inverter (MLI) using a modified solar panel (MSP) and newly proposed commutator coupled with slip rings, is presented in this paper. This multilevel inverter has only one H-bridge (HB) unit. The number of voltage levels of MLI depends on the number of the output terminal of MSP. The sinewave output is made possible by two-dimensional controls. The staircase sine wave has been converted into pure sinewave by using the filter capacitor at H-bridge. It is transformed to high voltage sinewave by using a step-up transformer. This proposed technique is verified by simulation and prototype.

Energy generation using renewable energy resources is increasing with the passage of the time due to the fear of depleting energy resources and global warming. In Pakistan, the whole consumption of electricity in residential and business areas is nearly equal to 40%. More than 5% of energy needs are fulfilled by liquid natural fuel and town gasoline consumption within the residential and industrial sectors. Integration of the renewable resources may cause tripping issues and control of this tripping with the help of conventional controlling methods is time-consuming and wastage of energy. In this research paper, SEC based ANFIS controller for control strategy has been implemented. For this purpose, we used DVR for finding the fault and compensate the voltage drop to the maximum value to avoid tripping. Dynamic programming is used to design a controller which compares the voltage of both renewable resources with the nominal voltage and the triggers the control switches of Bridge through PWM according to the nominal voltage. The model shows that the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed solution are much better than the conventional controller.

The goals of the present study were to use silver nitrate (AgNO3 ) solution to synthesize plant-mediated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Boerhavia procumbens extract, to evaluate the antimicrobial potential of crude B. procumbens extracts as well as the antimicrobial potential of synthesized AgNPs. The antimicrobial activity was tested against ten pathogenic bacterial strains including Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Citrobacter braakii, Providentia spp., Salmonella typhi, Salmonella para typhi, Vibrio cholera, and Proteus vulgaris and seven fungal species; Rhizopus stolonifer, Candida albican, Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, Verticillium chlamydosporium, Penicillium chrysogenum, and Aspergillus oryzae. The methanol extract was fractionated using several solvents and subjected to phytochemical analysis along with FTIR. Phytochemical analyses revealed flavonoids, tannins, saponins, steroids, quinones, and phenols in the crude plant extract. AgNPs were synthesized using B. percumbens extract and characterized by UV-Vis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Synthesized AgNPs were spherical, with 20-80 nm diameter. The absorption peak of synthesized AgNPs was observed at 392 nm. AgNPs have significant antimicrobial potential against selected pathogenic bacterial and fungal species as compared to different fractions of crude B. procumbens extract. The current study suggests that green synthesis is a useful technique and can be used as an alternative to antimicrobial agents against pathogenic organisms.

The soil underneath any type of structure e.g. Building, road, highways etc. should be able to resist loadings, if not so it is subjected to failure. Usually the soil at the site is not ideal from viewpoint of engineering. An approach to this problem, is to improve the soils or to adopt soil stabilization. Various methods of soil stabilization have been developed and in practice across the world. In this research an attempt was made to use the agricultural waste to improve the soil stability, as in Punjab agricultural waste is available in excess. In Punjab, major crops are wheat and rice. So wheat straw is available in excess in Punjab. In Punjab, mostly we have clayey soil. We select the representative samples from different areas of Punjab namely Kasur, Lahore and Sheikhupura and performed certain tests on these samples. The wheat straw totally failed in enhancing compaction, but compressive stress increased up to some extent. So it can be utilized in slopes of embankments of highways, railways etc. but can’t be used in construction of structures. So it is recommended that the future students should very fine wheat straw to make the project better and having a more in depth analysis.

Gender-based inequities in immunization impede the universal coverage of childhood vaccines. Leveraging data from the Government of Sindh’s Electronic Immunization Registry (SEIR), we estimated inequalities in immunization for males and females from the 2019–2022 birth cohorts in Pakistan. We computed male-to-female (M:F) and gender inequality ratios (GIR) Tfor enrollment, vaccine coverage, and timeliness. We also explored the inequities by maternal literacy, geographic location, mode of vaccination delivery, and gender of vaccinators. Between 1 January 2019, and 31 December 2022, 6,235,305 children were enrolled in the SEIR, 52.2% males and 47.8% females. We observed a median M:F ratio of 1.03 at enrollment and at Penta-1, Penta-3, and Measles-1 vaccinations, indicating more males were enrolled in the immunization system than females. Once enrolled, a median GIR of 1.00 indicated similar coverage for females and males over time; however, females experienced a delay in their vaccination timeliness. Low maternal education; residing in remote-rural, rural, and slum regions; and receiving vaccines at fixed sites, as compared to outreach, were associated with fewer females being vaccinated, as compared to males. Our findings suggeste the need to tailor and implement gender-sensitive policies and strategies for improving equity in immunization, especially in vulnerable geographies with persistently high inequalities.

Rhizosphere microbiome is a dynamic and complex zone of microbial communities. This complex plant-associated microbial community, usually regarded as the plant’s second genome, plays a crucial role in plant health. It is unquestioned that plant microbiome collectively contributes to plant growth and fitness. It also provides a safeguard from plant pathogens, and induces tolerance in the host against abiotic stressors. The revolution in omics, gene-editing and sequencing tools have somehow led to unravel the compositions and latent interactions between plants and microbes. Similarly, besides standard practices, many biotechnological, (bio)chemical and ecological methods have also been proposed. Such platforms have been solely dedicated to engineer the complex microbiome by untangling the potential barriers, and to achieve better agriculture output. Yet, several limitations, for example, the biological obstacles, abiotic constraints and molecular tools that capably impact plant microbiome engineering and functionality, remained unaddressed problems. In this review, we provide a holistic overview of plant microbiome composition, complexities, and major challenges in plant microbiome engineering. Then, we unearthed all inevitable abiotic factors that serve as bottlenecks by discouraging plant microbiome engineering and functionality. Lastly, by exploring the inherent role of micro/macrofauna, we propose economic and eco-friendly strategies that could be harnessed sustainably and biotechnologically for resilient plant microbiome engineering.

This paper presents the design, development, and testing of an IoT-enabled smart stick for visually impaired people to navigate the outside environment with the ability to detect and warn about obstacles. The proposed design employs ultrasonic sensors for obstacle detection, a water sensor for sensing the puddles and wet surfaces in the user’s path, and a high-definition video camera integrated with object recognition. Furthermore, the user is signaled about various hindrances and objects using voice feedback through earphones after accurately detecting and identifying objects. The proposed smart stick has two modes; one uses ultrasonic sensors for detection and feedback through vibration motors to inform about the direction of the obstacle, and the second mode is the detection and recognition of obstacles and providing voice feedback. The proposed system allows for switching between the two modes depending on the environment and personal preference. Moreover, the latitude/longitude values of the user are captured and uploaded to the IoT platform for effective tracking via global positioning system (GPS)/global system for mobile communication (GSM) modules, which enable the live location of the user/stick to be monitored on the IoT dashboard. A panic button is also provided for emergency assistance by generating a request signal in the form of an SMS containing a Google maps link generated with latitude and longitude coordinates and sent through an IoT-enabled environment. The smart stick has been designed to be lightweight, waterproof, size adjustable, and has long battery life. The overall design ensures energy efficiency, portability, stability, ease of access, and robust features.

This paper presents the comparative analysis of the three types of inverters which are Current-Fed Switched Inverter (CFSI), Trans-Current-Fed Switched Inverter (Trans-CFSI), and improved Switched Inductor-Quasi Switched Boosted Inverter (SL-QSBI). Also, a simple boost Pulse-Width-Modulation (PWM) Scheme is applied to CFSI, Trans-CFSI, and improved SL-QSBI. Each inverter category is analyzed separately for evaluating the effect of variation in duty ratio on the modulation index and boost factor. The comparisons of these inverters are rendered to quantify the voltage boost ability, voltage stress on the switching device and the voltage gain ability. Moreover, a simple boost control scheme is also modified to attain high modulation index. The efficacy of the proposed results is verified using the Saber software simulations.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the factors in influencing for tetanus toxoid vaccination among married women of reproductive age group (18-49) of Ghotki Sindh. METHODOLOGY: Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in UC Kamu-Shaheed, district Ghotki from May 2017 to October 2017. Total sample of reproductive age group women 18-49 years were 323 which was taken though systematic random sampling with confidence interval 0.5%. Results were taken by computing frequencies and association were analyzed through chi-squire. RESULTS: Two hundred and one (62.2%) women and seventy one (22%) men (husbands of women) were illiterate. Seventy one (22%) respondents had no knowledge about Tetanus Toxoid vaccine, 292 (90.4%) respondents have received one or more doses of Tetanus toxoid vaccine. 293 (90.7%) respondents expressed that they had LHWs in their areas and 30 (9.3%) denied. 190 (58.8%) respondents expressed fear from injections. 43(13%) women were completely immunized (received all five doses of Tetanus toxoid), 31 (9.6%) women did not receive any Tetanus toxoid vaccination (zero dose). Variables like distance from home to health facility, education of women, fear of injection, and awareness regarding vaccine were significantly influencing Tetanus toxoid vaccination. Absence of vaccinator, absence of LHWs in the area and absence of female staff at the health facility were among top three influencing factors which scoring of 55%, 43.3%, and 39.3% respectively. CONCLUSION: Lack of education, transport, access to health care facility, availability of practitioners, knowledge of tetanus and vaccination schedule, availability of vaccines are the factors affecting the introduction of tetanus toxoid in the body of pregnant women.

Besides promising implications as fertile nuclear materials, thorium carbonitrides are of great interest owing to their peculiar physical and chemical properties, such as high density, high melting point, good thermal conductivity. This paper reports first-principles simulation results on the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of cubic thorium carbonitrides ThCxN(1-x) (X = 0.03125, 0.0625, 0.09375, 0.125, 0.15625) employing formalism of density-functional-theory. For the simulation of physical properties, we incorporated full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave (FPLAPW) method while the exchange-correlation potential terms in Kohn-Sham Equation (KSE) are treated within Generalized-Gradient-Approximation (GGA) in conjunction with Perdew-Bruke-Ernzerhof (PBE) correction. The structural parameters were calculated by fitting total energy into the Murnaghan's equation of state. The lattice constants, bulk moduli, total energy, electronic band structure and spin magnetic moments of the compounds show dependence on the C/N concentration ratio. The electronic and magnetic properties have revealed non-magnetic but metallic character of the compounds. The main contribution to density of states at the Fermi level stems from the comparable spectral intensity of Th (6d+5f) and (C+N) 2p states. In comparison with spin magnetic moments of ThSb and ThBi calculated earlier with LDA+U approach, we observed an enhancement in the spin magnetic moments after carbon-doping into ThN monopnictide. Keywords: Thorium carbonitrides, Spin magnetic moment, Actinide carbonitrides, Density-functional theory

Objective: To compare the efficacy of noradrenaline and terlipressin in hepatorenal syndrome. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital Lahore, from May 2018 to Jan 2019. Material and Methods: A randomized controlled trial was carried out at CMH Lahore. Patients admitted in hospital with diagnosis of hepatorenal syndrome were included in the study by non-probability convenient sampling. Detailed history and examination was carried out. PT/INR, Serum bilirubin, albumin, creatinine, sodium and urine output (ml/24 hour), were measured in all patients. Patient were screened by applying inclusion and exclusion criteria and randomized into terlipressin group and noradrenaline group and treated for one week as per study protocol. Serum creatinine level

Introduction: Thoracolumbar fractures account for approximately 20% of fractures of the spinal column, the majority of which are unstable. In terms of management the aims proposed are to prevent further neurological injury, decompress the spinal canal in the presence of canal stenosis, and stabilize the spine. Materials and methods: We performed a prospective cohort study of 32-patients who presented to the Department of Orthopaedics, Lahore General Hospital, in Pakistan, from the 01 April 2018–31 March 2019, with unstable thoracolumbar fractures that were operatively stabilized. Sixteen subjects underwent a mini-open muscle splitting Wiltse approach (Cohort A), and 16-subjects underwent a traditional open midline approach (Cohort B). The data captured and analysed in this study included subject age; gender; type of surgical approach performed; length of operative procedure; volume of intra-operative blood loss; and amount of post-operative thoracolumbar pain assessed by the Visual Analogue Pain Scale Score. Results: The mean age of subjects in Cohort A was 36 ± 9.7 years, and the mean age of subjects in Cohort B was 36 ± 8.0 years. The male to female ratio was 1.7:1 in Cohort A, and 2.2:1 in Cohort B. Considering duration of surgery, a significant difference was demonstrated between Cohort A and Cohort B, favouring a shorter duration of surgery in Cohort A (p

A grid connected inverter must provide a sinusoidal AC waveform which remains stable and also matches voltage and grid frequency according to defined standards. A non-synchronized or poorly synchronized inverter can lead to imbalances in load, can cause damage to equipment, grid instability, and even power outages in the grid itself. The problem become more significant if inverters of renewable resources are of distributed nature and connected to grid to fulfill the energy demand. These distributed inverters will have the phase difference among their output voltages. This difference of voltage will affect the power quality of the net output voltage. In this case voltage source inverters (VSI) of all the grid connected resources need to be synchronized so that they may be connected to grid without causing any fault in the system. In this research a solution is presented to synchronize all DC/AC converters from different resources. Solution is supported by MATLAB simulations.

A novel technique for conversion of DC power to AC power is introduced using solar powered sine wave generation system is presented. DC power extracted from solar system is made utilitarian for driving the BLDC (brushless DC) motor with constant speed constraints. The back EMF signals of each phase of the BLDC motor facilitated the development of technique for the sine wave generation from solar system without battery backup. This motor is coupled with AC generator, which yields the AC power on demand. The constant speed constraint indispensable for fixed electrical frequency at the output of generator. A new control technique is rendered for reference tracking speed control of BLDC motor using Lyapunov theory by changing switching frequency, and also maintaining the voltage level at the output of converter driving BLDC by regulating the switching frequency of the zeta converter. The proposed methodology for generation of AC power from solar power system is also tested on prototype. The comparison of conventional technique for generation of sine wave power and proposed scheme is mentioned at later section of this paper for describing the efficacy of newly presented scheme.

The purpose of this research is to study the synchronization of two integrated nonlinear systems with time delay and disturbances. A nonlinear system is a system in which the difference in output is not relative to the difference in input. A new control methodology for synchronization of the two chaotic systems master and slave is recognized by means of the unique integrated chaotic synchronous observer and the integrated chaotic adaptive synchronous observer. The instantaneous approximation states of the master and slave systems are accomplished by means of methods for suggesting observers for every one of the master and slave systems and by the production of error signals between these approximated states. This approximated synchronization error signal and state approximation errors meet at the origin by means of methods involving a particular observer-based feedback control signal to ensure synchronization and state approximation. Using Lyapunov stability theory, adaptive and nonadaptive laws for control systems, and nonlinear properties, the intermingling conditions for state approximation errors and approximated synchronization errors are established as nonlinear matrix inequalities. A solution to the resulting inequality constraints using a two-step linear matrix inequality (LMI)-based approach is introduced, giving essential and adequate conditions to extract values from the controller gain and observer gain matrices. Simulation of the suggested synchronization procedure for FitzHugh–Nagumo neuronal systems is demonstrated to expand the viability of the suggested observer-based control techniques.

Integration of distributed generation (DG) with a distribution network is essential for the best utilization of renewable resources in better economics and clean environmental aspect. Micro-grid (MG) is an aggregation of electrical loads and DGs. Intermittencies of load variation has adverse effect on the voltage at the point of a common couple (PCC). It also prevents the restoring of MG power back to a stable state. In this article, the placement of static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) Assisted with Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at PCC scheme is developed. STATCOM assisted with battery energy storage system (BESS) provides instant power support for coupled MG with the power grid to ensure voltage stability margin at PCC and it is effective in restoring power stability. Proposed scheme is implemented on a test system that is simulated in MATLAB-SIMULINK. The obtained results verify the effectiveness of placing STATCOM assisted with BESS at PCC.