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We have reported the production of K ∗ (892) 0 and ϕ (1020) 0 mesons as a function of p T in the range of 0 < p T < 14 GeV/c and 0 < p T < 20 GeV/c for p - P b collisions in the rapidity region of - 0.5 < y < 0 at s NN = 5.02 and 8.16 GeV, respectively. The p T spectra for K ∗ (892) 0 and ϕ (1020) 0 mesons are generated by using PYTHIA8 tuned to parton showers (time-like, space-like, VINCIA and DIRE showers). The p T spectra for K ∗ (892) 0 and ϕ (1020) 0 mesons cannot be produced by time-like showers but give good agreement for remaining showers. Additionally, we also investigated the thermodynamic properties of K ∗ (892) 0 and ϕ (1020) 0 mesons in p - P b collisions extracted through the fitting of the Tsallis distribution function over the ALICE data. A comparison of the p T spectra produced by PYTHIA8 with ALICE data shows some deviations. Also, the ALICE data is used for fitting with the non extensive Tsallis distribution function to extract the effective temperature, T eff , chemical potential, μ and value of non extensive parameter, q. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In engineering and mathematical physics, nonlinear evolutionary equations play an important role. The Kawahara equation is one of the famous nonlinear evolution equations that appeared in the theories of shallow water waves possessing surface tension, capillary-gravity waves and also magnetoacoustic waves in a plasma. Another interesting aspect which has been observed in laboratory experiments when nonlinear evolutionary PDEs are forced periodically from one end of undisturbed stretch of the medium of propagation, the signal eventually becomes temporally periodic at each spatial point. This observation has been confirmed mathematically in the context of Kortewg-de-Vries (KdV) and Benjamin-Bona-Mahony (BBM) equations. In this paper we intend to show the same results hold for the generalized fifth-order Kawahara equation on bounded domain in combination with periodic boundary conditions numerically utilizing meshfree technique known as radial basis function pseudo spectral (RBF-PS) approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Partial differential equations (PDEs) describe simulation of physical phenomena occurring in different fields of science and engineering. The analysis of solutions of nonlinear wave equations have been gaining a lot of popularity in the last two decades. Such wave equations have many applications in applied mathematics and theoretical physics. The importance of PDEs that explain nonlinear waves defined by Sine-Gordon (SG) equation are crucial. The SG equation is a particular instance of the Klein-Gordon (KG) equation, which is crucial in a number of scientific fields, such as solid state physics, nonlinear optics, and quantum field theory. This equation is also a description of a soliton wave that exists in many physical situations. Different analytical as well as numerical techniques were used to develop the exact and approximate solution of SG equation. In this article, we explore the numerical solution of the one-dimensional nonlinear SG problem using RBF-FD approach. The scheme is a combination of radial basis functions (RBFs) with finite differences (FD) for constructing local spatial approximations to SG equation. For execution of time variable in the given model equation, Runge-Kutta (RK) time steeping approach is utilized. To verify the validity of our method, solutions to some test problems are examined. Accuracy of the proposed scheme is verified through L1, L2, "RMS" and "MAE" error norms. The solutions acquired by suggested RBF-FD approach are also compared to earlier work and the obtained results are batter and in good agreement with the exact solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogenation of sugars to sugars alcohols is of prime interest for food applications for instance. Xylose obtained from the hemicellulose fraction of lignocellulosic biomass can be hydrogenated to xylitol. Herein, we conducted catalytic hydrogenation reactions in a non-conventional media approach by using choline chloride, a non-toxic naturally occurring organic compound that can form a deep eutectic solvent with xylose. Acknowledging the benefits of cost-effective transition metal-based alloys, Ni3Fe1 bimetallic nanoparticles were utilized as a hetero-catalyst. Under optimized reaction conditions (110 °C, 3 h and 30 bar H2), a highly concentrated feed of xylose (76 wt.%) was converted to 80% of xylitol, showing the benefit of using choline chloride. Overall, the catalytic conversion activity and the product selectivity in the substrate-assisted DES media are relatively high but, the recyclability of the catalyst should be improved in the presence of such media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploration of versatile nanoplatforms within one single nanostructure for multidisciplinary treatment modalities, especially achieving a synergistic therapeutic efficacy of combinational gene/photothermal cancer therapy is still a great challenge in biomedicine and nanotechnology. In this study, a unique photothermal nanocarrier has successfully been designed and developed for a combination of gene therapy (GT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) of cancer cells. Surface-engineered iron oxides (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles (NPs) with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) polymer coatings are synthesized using a one-pot in situ oxidative polymerization method. The results show that the as-prepared α-Fe2O3@PEDOT core–shell NPs with a uniform particle size exhibit positively charged surfaces, facilitating efficient siRNA Bcl-2 (B-cell lymphoma-2) uptake for delivery to breast cancer cells. More importantly, α-Fe2O3@PEDOT core–shell NPs not only display good biocompatibility and water dispersibility but also strong optical absorption enhancement in the Vis-NIR region as compared to α-Fe2O3 NPs. The obtained α-Fe2O3@PEDOT core–shell NPs show an efficient photothermal conversion efficacy (η = 54.3%) and photostability under NIR laser irradiation. As a result, both in vitro and in vivo biological studies on two types of breast cancer cells/tumors treated with α-Fe2O3@PEDOT-siRNA nanocomplexes demonstrate high cancer cell apoptosis and tumor inhibition induced by synergistic GT/PTT therapy under mild conditions compared to an individual GT or PTT alone. Taken together, this is the first example of the use of an α-Fe2O3@PEDOT core–shell nanoagent as a siRNA delivery nanocarrier for highly effective gene/photothermal combination anticancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study tries to align various model of mediation through leadership styles (Transformational, Transactional), organization culture types (innovative, supportive and bureaucratic) with employees commitment thorough job satisfaction among the employees of government libraries from Khyber pakhtoonKhwa Pakistan. The data was collected through adopted construct from finite sample and it was analyzed through (Barron and Kenny) meditational procedure. Findings depict that employees commitment with job depend upon the leadership styles and it is positively mediated by their satisfaction from job. In contrast from three different cultural set up only bureaucratic cultural attribute shows significant relationship with employee's commitment through meditational role of employee's job satisfaction. Interestingly both supportive and innovative culture did not indicate the direct relationship with employee's commitment, nor does it support the meditational role of employee's job satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loquat [Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl.] is an important fruit crop in Pakistan; however, a constant decline in its production is noted due biotic and abiotic stresses, particularly disease infestation. Fungal pathogens are the major disease-causing agents; therefore, their identification is necessary for devising management options. This study explored Taxila, Wah-Cantt, Tret, Chatar, Murree, Kalar-Kahar, Choa-Saidan-Shah and Khan-Pur districts in the Punjab and Khyber Paktoon Khawa (KPK) provinces of Pakistan to explore the diversity of fungal pathogens associated with loquat. The samples were collected from these districts and their microscopic characterizations were accomplished for reliable identification. Alternaria alternata, Curvularia lunata, Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Aspergilus flavis, Botrytis cinerea, Chaetomium globosum, Pestalotiopsis mangiferae and Phomopsis sp. were the fungal pathogens infesting loquat in the study area. The isolates of A. alternata and C. lunata were isolated from leaf spots and fruit rot, while the isolates of L. theobromae were associated with twig dieback. The remaining pathogens were allied with fruit rot. The nucleotide evidence of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions (ITS1, 5.8S, and ITS2) were computed from all the pathogens and submitted in the database of National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). For multigene analysis, beta-tubulin (BT) gene and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) regions were explored for A. alternata and C. lunata isolates, respectively. The virulence scales of leaf spots, fruit rot, and twig dieback diseases of loquat were developed for the first time through this study. It is the first comprehensive study with morpho-molecular identification, and newly developed virulence scales of the fungal pathogens associated with loquat, which improves the understanding of these destructive diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature is an important and commonly used parameter among others to study properties of matter created during high energy collisions of nuclei. Experimental data from JINR and UrQMD (version 3.3p2) model simulations have been used to estimate temperature and other properties of positive pions in collisions of deuteron with carbon nuclei at incident momentum of 4.2 GeV/ c in this paper. Transverse mass and transverse momentum spectra have been used to get inverse slope parameter/temperature of said particles, with the help of some fitting equations. These equations are referred as Hagedorn Thermodynamic and Boltzmann Distribution functions. Such functions or equations are used to describe particles spectra. Temperature of positive pions has been found to be equal to 1 0 4 ± 2 and 1 1 2 ± 2 MeV in experimental and model, respectively, using Hagedorn function. Results from both experimental and model calculations have also been compared with each other and thus most reliable fitting function has been suggested. It is found that Hagedorn Thermodynamic function is the most reliable function to get pions' temperature in said collision system at given momentum. Similarly, results obtained in this paper have been compared with results from other experiments in the world and worthy conclusions have been reached and reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of near infrared (NIR) light-responsive nanomaterials for high performance multimodal phototherapy within a single nanoplatform is still challenging in technology and biomedicine. Herein, a new phototherapeutic nanoagent based on FDA-approved Prussian blue (PB) functionalized oxygen-deficient molybdenum oxide nanoparticles (MoO3−x NPs) is strategically designed and synthesized by a facile one-pot size/morphology-controlled process. The as-prepared PB-MoO3−x nanocomposites (NCs) with a uniform particle size of ∼90 nm and high water dispersibility exhibited strong optical absorption in the first biological window, which is induced by plasmon resonance in an oxygen-deficient MoO3−x semiconductor. More importantly, PB-MoO3−x NCs not only exhibited a high photothermal conversion efficiency of ∼63.7% and photostability but also offered a further approach for the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon singular NIR light irradiation which significantly improved the therapeutic efficiency of the PB agent. Furthermore, PB-MoO3−x NCs showed a negligible cytotoxic effect in the dark, but an excellent therapeutic effect toward two triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines at a low concentration (20 μg mL−1) of NCs and a moderate NIR laser power density. Additionally, efficient tumor ablation and metastasis inhibition in a 4T1 TNBC mouse tumor model can also be realized by synergistic photothermal/photodynamic therapy (PTT/PDT) under a single continuous NIR wave laser. Taken together, this study paved the way for the use of a single nanosystem for multifunctional therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]