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The advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and the ubiquity of social media have become transformative agents in contemporary educational ecosystems. The spotlight of this inquiry focuses on the nexus between AI and social media usage in relation to academic performance and mental well-being, and the role of smart learning in facilitating these relationships. Using partial least squares–structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) on a sample of 401 Chinese university students. The study results reveal that both AI and social media have a positive impact on academic performance and mental well-being among university students. Furthermore, smart learning serves as a positive mediating variable, amplifying the beneficial effects of AI and social media on both academic performance and mental well-being. These revelations contribute to the discourse on technology-enhanced education, showing that embracing AI and social media can have a positive impact on student performance and well-being.

Abstract Background Plant aquaporins are critical genetic players performing multiple biological functions, especially climate resilience and water-use efficiency. Their genomic diversity across genus Oryza is yet to be explored. Results This study identified 369 aquaporin-encoding genes from 11 cultivated and wild rice species and further categorized these into four major subfamilies, among which small basic intrinsic proteins are speculated to be ancestral to all land plant aquaporins. Evolutionarily conserved motifs in peptides of aquaporins participate in transmembrane transport of materials and their relatively complex gene structures provide an evolutionary playground for regulation of genome structure and transcription. Duplication and evolution analyses revealed higher genetic conservation among Oryza aquaporins and strong purifying selections are assisting in conserving the climate resilience associated functions. Promoter analysis highlighted enrichment of gene upstream regions with cis-acting regulatory elements involved in diverse biological processes, whereas miRNA target site prediction analysis unveiled substantial involvement of osa-miR2102-3p, osa-miR2927 and osa-miR5075 in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression patterns. Moreover, expression patterns of japonica aquaporins were significantly perturbed in response to different treatment levels of six phytohormones and four abiotic stresses, suggesting their multifarious roles in plants survival under stressed environments. Furthermore, superior haplotypes of seven conserved orthologous aquaporins for higher thousand-grain weight are reported from a gold mine of 3,010 sequenced rice pangenomes. Conclusions This study unveils the complete genomic atlas of aquaporins across genus Oryza and provides a comprehensive genetic resource for genomics-assisted development of climate-resilient rice cultivars.

Abstract Very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) possess more than twenty carbon atoms and are the major components of seed storage oil, wax, and lipids. FAE (Fatty Acid Elongation) like genes take part in the biosynthesis of VLCFAs, growth regulation, and stress responses, and are further comprised of KCS (Ketoacyl-CoA synthase) and ELO (Elongation Defective Elongase) sub-gene families. The comparative genome-wide analysis and mode of evolution of KCS and ELO gene families have not been investigated in tetraploid Brassica carinata and its diploid progenitors. In this study, 53 KCS genes were identified in B. carinata compared to 32 and 33 KCS genes in B. nigra and B. oleracea respectively, which suggests that polyploidization might has impacted the fatty acid elongation process during Brassica evolution. Polyploidization has also increased the number of ELO genes in B. carinata (17) over its progenitors B. nigra (7) and B. oleracea (6). Based on comparative phylogenetics, KCS, and ELO proteins can be classified into eight and four major groups, respectively. The approximate date of divergence for duplicated KCS and ELO genes varied from 0.03 to 3.20 million years ago (MYA). Gene structure analysis indicated that the maximum number of genes were intron-less and remained conserved during evolution. The neutral type of selection seemed to be predominant in both KCS and ELO genes evolution. String-based protein-protein interaction analysis suggested that bZIP53, a transcription factor might be involved in the activation of transcription of ELO/KCS genes. The presence of biotic and abiotic stress-related cis-regulatory elements in the promoter region suggests that both KCS and ELO genes might also play their role in stress tolerance. The expression analysis of both gene family members reflect their preferential seed-specific expression, especially during the mature embryo development stage. Furthermore, some KCS and ELO genes were found to be specifically expressed under heat stress, phosphorus starvation, and Xanthomonas campestris infection. The current study provides a basis to understand the evolution of both KCS and ELO genes in fatty acid elongation and their role in stress tolerance.

Objective: Fluconazole is a triazole antifungal agent, and is used to treat fungal infections but because of frequent dosing and undesirable side effects it affects patient compliance. There came the need for a delivery system that can skip first pass metabolism and adhere long enough to treat the infection effectively, that was the aim for this study. Mucoadhesive drug delivery system adheres to mucous membrane and provide prolonged and sustained drug release. Method: Five formulations were formed by granulation method. The granules were then compressed and tablets were formed each of 250mg. Different evaluation parameters were determined like hardness, friability, weight variation, content uniformity, mucoadhesive strength, swelling index, dissolution and compatibility analysis. Results: The hardness (7.2-8.9kg), friability (0.02-0.05%), weight variation (0.1-0.4%), content uniformity (96.9-103%), were all in the pharmacopeial range. Dissolution was determined using rotating paddle apparatus with a phosphate buffer of 6.8 pH. Release kinetics showed that F1, F2, F3 showed Fickian release while F4 showed both Fickian and non Fickian release and F5 showed non Fickian release. Mucoadhesive strength was found to be the highest (46g) in formulation F5. The highest swelling index (70.34%) was shown by formulation F3 at 12h. Differential scanning calorimeter and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that there is no interaction between excipients. Conclusion: Hence, results showed that fluconazole vaginal tablets can be formed by using these ingredients and formulation F5 was the most optimum formulation.

DNA-binding with one finger (Dof) transcription factors have been demonstrated to regulate various stresses and developmental processes in plants. Their identification and comparative evolutionary analyses in cultivated and wild species of genus oryza were yet to be explored. In this context, we report a comprehensive genomics atlas of DNA-binding with one finger (Dof) family genes in 13 diverse rice genomes (five cultivated and eight rice wild-relatives) through a genome-wide scanning approach. A galore of 238 Dof genes, identified across the genus Oryza, are categorized into seven distinct subgroups by comparative phylogenetic analysis with the model plant Arabidopsis. Conserved motifs and gene structure analyses unveiled the prevalence of species- and subgroups-specific structural and functional diversity that is expediating with the evolutionary period. Our results indicate that Dof genes might have undergone strong purifying selections and segmental duplications to expand their gene family members in corresponding Oryza genomes. We speculate that miR2927 potentially targets the Dof domain to regulate gene expression under different climatic conditions, which are supported by in-silico and wet-lab experiments-based expression profiles. In a nutshell, we report several superior haplotypes significantly associated with early flowering in a treasure trove of 3,010 sequenced rice accessions and have validated these haplotypes with two years of field evaluation-based flowering data of a representative subpanel. Finally, we have provided some insights on the resolution of Oryza species phylogeny discordance and divergence highlighting the mosaic evolutionary history of the genus Oryza. Overall, this study reports a complete genomic landscape of the Dof family in cultivated and wild Oryza species that could greatly facilitate in fast-track development of early maturing and climate-resilient rice cultivars through modern haplotype-led breeding.

A series of Sr1-xZnxFe1-yNiyO19 with composition of x = 0.0, 0.15, 0.30, 0.45, 0.60 and y = 0.0, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5 were prepared using micro-emulsion approach and characteristics were studied by XRD, FTIR and UV–vis techniques. The effect of doping was investigated based on the optical, dielectric, structural and photocatalytic properties of Sr1-xZnxFe1-yNiyO19. XRD analyses confirmed the hexagonal crystal structure of pure and doped SrFe12O19 NPs. The lattice parameters, X-ray density, porosity, bulk density and crystallite size of Sr1-xZnxFe1-yNiyO19 and SrFe12O19 were compared. The FTIR analysis confirmed that there was shifting of peaks from region of lower to higher frequency in Sr1-xZnxFe1-yNiyO19, due to the reduction of the size of grains after doping. The current–voltage I-V data shows that there is gradual increase in the conductivity of as prepared doped-material, but the reverse was the case for resistivity, which exhibit good conducting behavior of the fabricated material. Evaluation of the dielectric properties of the samples shows that the AC conductivity and dielectric constant enhanced, while tangent, dielectric loss and resistivity decreased with concentration of the dopants (Zn and Ni). These excellent properties of doped material can be used for the fabrication of various electronic, electrical, microwave and high frequency devices applications. The photocatalytic activity of Sr1-xZnxFe1-yNiyO19 and SrFe12O19 was tested against methyl green (MG) dye. Results revealed that Sr1-xZnxFe1-yNiyO19 degraded 72.23 % of MG dye in 60 min under the exposure of solar light. The recyclability and usability tests revealed that there was a minute loss after successive four runs. Sr1-xZnxFe1-yNiyO19 might have potential applications as a photo-catalyst under solar light irradiation.

Climate change, energy security, and volatile energy prices have been emerging as eminent threats worldwide. To overcome these concerns, energy efficiency could play a positive role. Hence, this study probes whether energy efficiency curbs CO2 emissions in the US, while controlling for trade, economic growth, and population. We use the Fourier-ADF and Fourier-LM tests to discern the unit-roots. Moreover, to render reliable findings, we rely on the novel Fourier ARDL model. The study divulges that energy efficiency plunges emissions in the long- and short-run. In particular, a 1% upsurge in energy efficiency impedes emissions by about 0.37% and 1.07% during the long- and short-term, respectively. Moreover, population and economic growth escalate emissions whether it is long- or short-run. Next, we document that trade upsurges emissions in the long-run. Also, we perform two types of sensitivity analysis to test whether our key results remain the same across different models/methods. Finally, we suggest escalating energy efficiency through investment and technological advancement. Moreover, import tariffs on renewables should be plunged while there should be relatively high tariffs on non-renewables.

Carbon emissions from the transport sector (COE) has witnessed unprecedented growth, which calls for special measures to control these emissions to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. One of the measures taken to limit these emissions is climate change mitigation technology related to the transport sector (CCMT). However, there exists relatively scant literature that explores the CCMT-COE nexus. Hence, the present study explores whether CCMT curbs COE in the top transport sector carbon-emitting countries. For this purpose, we employ a panel quantile regression (PQR) approach, which probes the impact of CCMT on COE in low-, middle, and high-emission countries. The result shows that CCMT does not affect COE at the lowest quantile (i.e., 10th quantile) while CCMT plunges the emissions at all other quantiles. In particular, a 1% increase in CCMT curbs COE by 0.13% at the 25th, 50th, and 75th quantile, while a 1% upsurge in CCMT impedes COE by 0.22% at the 90th quantile. In the light of these findings, the carbon policy in the transport sector should invest in climate change mitigating technology in the transport sector and scale it up and out.

Objective: To determine the effect of subcutaneous recombinant human erythropoietin on blood pressure in pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Study Design: Case-series descriptive study. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital Peshawar, from Mar 2016 to Sep 2016. Methodology: A total of 100 cases were enrolled. Inclusion criteria was patients of 18 to 60 years of both gender & estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) below 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 having Hb

Objective: To evaluate the mean serum ferritin in type-2 diabetic patients. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Medicine, Combined Military Hospital, Peshawar, from Sep 2014 to Feb 2015. Methodology: A total of one hundred patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus fulfilling inclusion criteria were selected. Blood sample was collected from all patients by the clean-catch technique after they received standardized verbal instructions. Blood samples were seen by classified pathologist in the laboratory. Results: Mean age of patients was 55.51 ± 5.40 years with 60% male gender predominating the overall sample of diabetics. Mean serum ferritin was 219 ± 70.67 ng/ml and mean HbA1c was 7.24 ± 0.61%. Stratification with regard to age and gender was also carried out. Conclusion: Serum ferritin levels were observed raised in type-2 diabetics, suggestive of possible role in the pathogenesis of type-2 diabetes mellitus. We recommend further research work over its pathogenesis so that the guidelines for its control may be formulated.

Objective: To determine the frequency of hyponatremia in acute cerebrovascular accidents and explore the relationship of hyponatremia with age, gender, type, and duration of cerebrovascular accidents. Study Design: Cross-sectional analytical study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Internal Medicine, Combined Military Hospital Peshawar, from Dec 2016 to Jun 2017. Methodology: In this study, a total of 127 patients with acute cerebrovascular accidents i.e. within 12 hours of onset were enrolled. Serum sodium levels were evaluated at the initial presentation of the patient at the emergency department after confirmation of cerebrovascular accidents following clinical evaluation and computed tomography scan of brain without contrast. Results: In this study, the mean age was 46 ± 8.7 years. Seventy-four (58%) patients were males while 53 (42%) patients were females. Eighty-six (68%) patients had ischemic cerebrovascular accidents while 41 (32%) patients had hemorrhagic cerebrovascular accidents. Thirty-eight (30%) patients had hyponatremia. Stratification of hyponatremia with age, gender, duration of cerebrovascular accidents, and the type of cerebrovascular accidents showed statistically insignificant correlation with p-value >0.05. Conclusion: The frequency of hyponatremia in our cohort of acute cerebrovascular accidents patients was 30%. There was no association between hyponatremia and age, gender, type, or duration of cerebrovascular accidents. Monitoring of serum sodium levels must be done in all patients who are admitted with a cerebrovascular accidents.

MADS-box gene family members play multifarious roles in regulating the growth and development of crop plants and hold enormous promise for bolstering grain yield potential under changing global environments. Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a key stable food crop around the globe. Until now, the available information concerning MADS-box genes in the wheat genome has been insufficient. Here, a comprehensive genome-wide analysis identified 300 high confidence MADS-box genes from the publicly available reference genome of wheat. Comparative phylogenetic analyses with Arabidopsis and rice MADS-box genes classified the wheat genes into 16 distinct subfamilies. Gene duplications were mainly identified in subfamilies containing unbalanced homeologs, pointing towards a potential mechanism for gene family expansion. Moreover, a more rapid evolution was inferred for M-type genes, as compared with MIKC-type genes, indicating their significance in understanding the evolutionary history of the wheat genome. We speculate that subfamily-specific distal telomeric duplications in unbalanced homeologs facilitate the rapid adaptation of wheat to changing environments. Furthermore, our in-silico expression data strongly proposed MADS-box genes as active guardians of plants against pathogen insurgency and harsh environmental conditions. In conclusion, we provide an entire complement of MADS-box genes identified in the wheat genome that could accelerate functional genomics efforts and possibly facilitate bridging gaps between genotype-to-phenotype relationships through fine-tuning of agronomically important traits.

Rice is critical for sustainable food and nutritional security; however, nominal micronutrient quantities in grains aggravate malnutrition in rice-eating poor populations. In this study, we evaluated genetic diversity in grain iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) contents using trait-linked simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers in the representative subset of a large collection of local and exotic rice germplasm. Results demonstrated that aromatic fine grain accessions contained relatively higher Fe and Zn contents in brown rice (BR) than coarse grain accessions and a strong positive correlation between both mineral elements. Genotyping with 24 trait-linked SSR markers identified 21 polymorphic markers, among which 17 demonstrated higher gene diversity and polymorphism information content (PIC) values, strongly indicating that markers used in current research were moderate to highly informative for evaluating the genetic diversity. Population structure, principal coordinate and phylogenetic analyses classified studied rice accessions into two fine grain specific and one fine and coarse grain admixture subpopulations. Single marker analysis recognized four ZnBR and single FeBR significant marker-trait associations (MTAs) contributing 15.41-39.72% in total observed phenotypic variance. Furthermore, high grain Fe and Zn contents linked marker alleles from significant MTAs were also identified. Collectively, these results indicate a wide genetic diversity exist in grain Fe and Zn contents of studied rice accessions and reveal perspective for marker-assisted biofortification breeding.

Plant WRKY transcription factors (TFs) are active guardians against pathogens’ insurgency, key components in developmental processes, contributors in signal transduction pathways, and regulators of diverse biotic and abiotic stress responses. In this research, we isolated, cloned, and functionally characterized a new WRKY TF GmWRKY49 from soybean. GmWRKY49 is a nuclear protein which contains two highly conserved WRKY domains and a C2H2-type zinc-finger structure. The normalized expression (log2 ratio) of GmWRKY49 was 2.75- and 1.90-fold in salt-tolerant and salt-susceptible soybean genotypes, respectively. The transcripts of GmWRKY49 could be detected in roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and almost no expression in pod tissues. The salinity-tolerance response of this gene was studied through overexpression in soybean composite seedlings and transgenic Arabidopsis. The effect of GmWRKY49 overexpression on root length of transgenic Arabidopsis was also investigated. Under salt stress, several parameters including germination rate, survival rate, root length, rosette diameter, relative electrolyte leakage, and proline content were significantly higher in composite seedlings and transgenic Arabidopsis than those in wild-type. Moreover, GmWRKY49 enhanced salinity tolerance in soybean mosaic seedlings and transgenic Arabidopsis. These results suggest that GmWRKY49 is a positive regulator of salinity tolerance in soybean and has high potential utilization for crop improvement.

Grasses represent a major family of monocots comprising mostly cereals. When compared to their eudicot counterparts, cereals show a remarkable morphological diversity. Understanding the molecular basis of floral organ identity and inflorescence development is crucial to gain insight into the grain development for yield improvement purposes in cereals, however, the exact genetic mechanism of floral organogenesis remains elusive due to their complex inflorescence architecture. Extensive molecular analyses of Arabidopsis and other plant genera and species have established the ABCDE floral organ identity model. According to this model, hierarchical combinatorial activities of A, B, C, D, and E classes of homeotic genes regulate the identity of different floral organs with partial conservation and partial diversification between eudicots and cereals. Here, we review the developmental role of A, B, C, D, and E gene classes and explore the recent advances in understanding the floral development and subsequent organ specification in major cereals with reference to model plants. Furthermore, we discuss the evolutionary relationships among known floral organ identity genes. This comparative overview of floral developmental genes and associated regulatory factors, within and between species, will provide a thorough understanding of underlying complex genetic and molecular control of flower development and floral organ identity, which can be helpful to devise innovative strategies for grain yield improvement in cereals.

This empirical analysis aims to probe the impact of geopolitical risk (GPR) and economic policy uncertainty (EPU) on green growth (GG) in China. In order to achieve this, we make use of time series data from 1990 to 2020. We adopt the novel wavelet quantile correlation (WQC) approach to report time‐varying results across quantiles. The key findings from the novel WQC approach delineate that EPU and GPR impede GG in the short‐ and long‐run, whereas, EPU and GPR promote GG in the medium‐run. Regarding the policy recommendations, we suggest to impede both EPU and GPR to upsurge long‐run GG in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]