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Plants respond to external stimuli by altering metabolic pathways, resulting in a cascade of different interrelated changes in physiological and biochemical processes. The incidence of powdery mildew in pea induces change in reducing sugars; non-reducing sugars, total sugars, electrolyte leakage and plant dry weight. Powdery mildew resistant and susceptible pea genotypes respond differentially to these traits. Powdery mildew resistant genotypes had comparatively less electrolyte leakage and less concentration of reducing, non-reducing and total sugars before and after infection. A significant increase in electrolyte leakage, non-reducing and total sugars was induced in susceptible genotypes after powdery mildew infection. The reduction in plant dry weight and reducing sugars after infection was more pronounced in powdery mildew susceptible and resistant genotypes respectively. All the traits being significantly correlated with disease severity can be an important component of an effective powdery mildew screening procedure in pea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) proteins are key signalling molecules in metazoans, implicated in various cellular processes. Increased research in the field has resulted in the accumulation of STAT sequence and structure data, which are scattered across various public databases, missing extensive functional annotations, and prone to effort redundancy because of the dearth of community sharing. Therefore, there is a need to integrate the existing sequence, structure and functional data into a central repository, one that is enriched with annotations and provides a platform for community contributions. Herein, we present STATdb (publicly available at http://statdb.bic.nus.edu.sg/), the first integrated resource for STAT sequences comprising 1540 records representing the known STATome, enriched with existing structural and functional information from various databases and literature and including manual annotations. STATdb provides advanced features for data visualization, analysis and prediction, and community contributions. A key feature is a meta-predictor to characterise STAT sequences based on a novel classification that integrates STAT domain architecture, lineage and function. A curation policy workflow has been devised for regulated and structured community contributions, with an update policy for the seamless integration of new data and annotations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the effects of strain relaxation on the dielectric properties of epitaxial 40 nm Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)TiO3 (PZT) films. A significant increase in the defect and dislocation density due to strain relaxation is observed in PZT films with tetragonality c/a<1.07 grown on SrTiO3 (001) substrates, which results in significant frequency dispersion of the dielectric constant and strong Rayleigh type behavior in those samples. This combined structural-electrical study provides a framework for investigating strain relaxation in thin films and can provide useful insights into the mechanisms of fatigue in ferroelectric materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hip fractures remain one of the commonest injuries treated by orthopaedic surgeons. Despite recent initiatives, the fracture engenders a very high mortality. The UK National Hip Fracture Database reports a 30-day mortality of 8%. The pathophysiology that results in such high mortality remains imperfectly understood. The significance of thermal dysregulation in polytrauma is becoming increasingly recognised. Hypothermia is a common feature of polytrauma and is associated with adverse outcomes. No previous studies have explored the prevalence and outcomes of hip fracture patients with hypothermia and/or low body temperature. We sought to evaluate this. We prospectively collected the demographic details and admission tympanic temperature of all patients presenting to our institution with hip fracture. Patient mortality was also recorded. Seven hundred and eighty-one patients were included. The mean age was 80 years. 38% (300) had a temperature below 36.5°C. 4% (30) presented with a tympanic temperature greater than 37.5°C. The 30-day mortality for patients with a normal admission temperature (between 36.5° and 37.5°C) was 5.1%. This value was 15.3% for those whose admission temperature was less than 36.5°C (p<0.0001). Correcting for potential confounders of age and gender, those with an admission temperature of less than 36.5°C had a 2.8 fold increase in the odds of mortality at 30-days compared with those with an admission temperature of between 36.5° and 37.5°C (p<0.0005). Low body temperature is strongly linked to 30-day mortality in hip fracture patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DEAD-box RNA helicases are involved in many aspects of RNA metabolism and in diverse biological processes in plants. Arabidopsis thaliana mutants of two DEAD-box RNA helicases, STRESS RESPONSE SUPPRESSOR1 ( STRS1) and STRS2 were previously shown to exhibit tolerance to abiotic stresses and up-regulated stress-responsive gene expression. Here, we show that Arabidopsis STRS-overexpressing lines displayed a less tolerant phenotype and reduced expression of stress-induced genes confirming the STRSs as attenuators of Arabidopsis stress responses. GFP- STRS fusion proteins exhibited localization to the nucleolus, nucleoplasm and chromocenters and exhibited relocalization in response to abscisic acid ( ABA) treatment and various stresses. This relocalization was reversed when stress treatments were removed. The STRS proteins displayed mis-localization in specific gene-silencing mutants and exhibited RNA-dependent ATPase and RNA-unwinding activities. In particular, STRS2 showed mis-localization in three out of four mutants of the RNA-directed DNA methylation ( Rd DM) pathway while STRS1 was mis-localized in the hd2c mutant that is defective in histone deacetylase activity. Furthermore, heterochromatic Rd DM target loci displayed reduced DNA methylation and increased expression in the strs mutants. Taken together, our findings suggest that the STRS proteins are involved in epigenetic silencing of gene expression to bring about suppression of the Arabidopsis stress response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Plasmodium vivax is one of the widespread human malarial parasites accounting for 75% of malaria epidemics. However, there is no baseline information about the status and nature of genetic variation of Plasmodium species circulating in various parts of Pakistan. The present study was aimed at observing the molecular epidemiology and genetic variation of Plasmodium vivax by analysing its merozoite surface protein-3α (msp-3α) and merozoite surface protein-3β (msp-3β) genes, by using suballele, species-specific, combined nested PCR/RFLP detection techniques. Methods: A total of 230 blood samples from suspected subjects tested slide positive for vivax malaria were collected from Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan during the period May 2012 to December 2013. Combined nested PCR/RFLP technique was conducted using Pvmsp-3α and Pvmsp-3β genetic markers to detect extent of genetic variation in clinical isolates of P. vivax in the studied areas of Pakistan. Results: By PCR, P. vivax, 202/230 (87.82%), was found to be widely distributed in the studied areas. PCR/RFLP analysis showed a high range of allelic variations for both msp-3α and msp-3β genetic markers of P. vivax, i.e., 21 alleles for msp-3α and 19 for msp-3β. Statistically a significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) was observed in the genetic diversity of the suballelic variants of msp-3α and msp-3β genes of P. vivax. Conclusion: It is concluded that P. vivax populations are highly polymorphic and diverse allelic variants of Pvmsp-3α and Pvmsp-3β are present in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A spintronic device, called the "strain assisted spin transfer torque (STT) random access memory (RAM)," is proposed by combining the magnetostriction effect and the spin transfer torque effect which can result in a dramatic improvement in the energy dissipation relative to a conventional STT-RAM. Magnetization switching in the device which is a piezoelectric-ferromagnetic heterostructure via the combined magnetostriction and STT effect is simulated by solving the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation incorporating the influence of thermal noise. The simulations show that, in such a device, each of these two mechanisms (magnetostriction and spin transfer torque) provides in a 90± rotation of the magnetization leading a deterministic 180± switching with a critical current significantly smaller than that required for spin torque alone. Such a scheme is an attractive option for writing magnetic RAM cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fodder production and livestock farming are major farming activities in peri-urban areas of Faisalabad. A baseline survey was conducted to study socio-economic aspects and farming practices of the fodder growing areas in 2010-11. A total of 109 households, selected by snowball method, were interviewed based on a structured questionnaire. Results revealed that all households were headed by male and most of them (53%) had only completed primary education or even less. Agriculture was the predominant occupation as 89% of the households rely on it for income. Average income per household was US$ 550 per month with great variability. Berseem, maize and sorghum were identified as major commercial crops of the area grown by around 90% of the respondents. Most of the farmers (86%) rely on integrated fertilizer use (combination of mineral fertilizer and farm yard manure). Alternate canal and tube well watering was common as reported by 80% of the respondents. Major problems reported were the scarcity of irrigation water (97%), poor access to fertilizer (55%) and marketing of the farm products (45%). It is concluded that high illiteracy rate, shortage of irrigation water and an imbalanced use of fertilizers are the major reasons for low productivity. Introducing water and nutrient efficient crops and extension services for improved technology could provide good perspectives for a sustained fodder production in these peri-urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Summer river flows in central Karakoram conspicuously exhibit rising trends. [•] Rate of loss of glacial storage is approximately 0.04–0.05mm/day/year. [•] Increasing summer precipitation is responsible for nonnegative glacial mass balance. [•] Rising river flows accompany nonnegative glacial mass balance in central Karakoram. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Kinetics studies envisage the mechanism of ion exchange on the surface of nanocomposite PANI-ZTP. [•] Exchange process governed by particle controlled diffusion phenomenon which is faster than the film diffusion. [•] Self-diffusion co-efficient of Ba2+ is highest because of greater ionic size. [•] Activation energy is calculated by using verified and validated Arrhenius equation. [•] Negative values of ΔS° indicate the presence of more active exchangeable sites in the proposed nanocomposite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Two cropping systems (common and drought adopted) were compared for fertilizer and irrigation effects on forage quality. [•] Irrigation water use efficiencies for crude protein (CP) and metabolizeable energy (ME) were also studied. [•] Fertilizer and irrigation did not affect the quality parameters significantly. [•] Drought adopted system proved more water efficient for CP and ME production. [•] Nutritional quality of both systems was in acceptable range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Polyacrylonitrile–Aluminium hydroxide [PAN–Al(OH)3] composite anion-exchanger was prepared by solid–gel method. The physicochemical properties of the anion exchanger was determined using Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and elemental analysis (CHNS/O) studies. The analytical applications of the anion exchanger have been explored by making selective membrane electrode. Among different composition of membrane the composition of 5:1 (PAN:Al(OH)3) showed best results for water content, porosity, thickness and swelling. These studies showed that the ion selective membrane electrode was selective for having detection limit (1×10−7–1×10−1 M), response time (40s) and working pH range (5.0–9.0). The selectivity coefficients values for interfering ions indicate good selectivity for over interfering anions. The results were also compared by PCA-Arsenomat (Arsenic analyzer). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Auto pit-filling applied to DEMs can result in significant errors in catchment areas. [•] Past estimates of the Upper Indus Basin area are ranging between 160,000 and 266,000km2. [•] The best estimate of the Upper Indus Basin (UIB) area is 164,867km2, using SRTM DEM. [•] The Pangong Tso catchment is not part of the UIB, for at least past thousand years. [•] Past studies based on the over-estimated watershed areas of the UIB need revision. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Glacio-hydrometeorological conditions with four flow regimes in Upper Indus Basin. [•] Highest flow regime from July to September carry 53–62% annual flow volumes (m3). [•] Three most glaciated watersheds contribute 48–54% flow to the highest flow regime. [•] Melt water from altitude >3500m constitutes 41–54% of annual flow volumes. [•] Near the outlet, glacial and snow melt components respectively constitute 21% and 49% of annual flows. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Application of PAZMP membrane to fabricate Ni(II) ion selective electrode. [•] Preparation and characterization have also been done of ion exchange membrane. [•] Determination of liner potential response with concentration range of 1×10−7 M–1×10−1 M. [•] Chronopotentiometric studies of membrane were evaluated by Nernst-Planck equation. [•] Some physical parameters such as D 0, E a and ΔS° were calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] PU–Si gel is new anion exchanger material synthesized and characterized. [•] This material used as anion exchange membrane is applied for electroanalytical studies. [•] The method for detection and determination of AsO4 3− in traces amounts discussed. [•] The results are also verified from arsenic analyzer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Electrically conductive poly(3-methythiophene) cerium(IV)phosphate cation exchange nanocomposites have been synthesized for the first time by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization of 3-methythiophene in the presence of cerium(IV)phosphate. FTIR, SEM, TEM and XRD analysis were used to characterize P3MTh cerium(IV)phosphate cation exchange nanocomposites. The characterization results confirmed that there is a strong interaction between poly(3-methythiophene) and cerium(IV)phosphate particles. The thermal behavior of poly(3-methythiophene), cerium(IV)phosphate and poly(3-methythiophene) cerium(IV)phosphate nanocomposite were also investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and differential thermal gravimetry (DTG) at heating rate 10°Cmin−1 under nitrogen atmosphere and the P3MTh cerium(IV)phosphate nanocomposite was found thermally more stable than pure P3MTh. Isothermal stability of P3MTh and P3MTh cerium(IV)phosphate nanocomposite in terms of direct-current electrical conductivity retention was also studied in ambient air. The P3MTh cerium(IV)phosphate nanocomposite showed better ion-exchange capacity, electrical conductivity and isothermal stability in terms of direct-current electrical conductivity retention under ambient condition than pure poly(3-methythiophene). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The knowledge about the nature and number of gene(s) controlling resistance is the pre-requisite for the success of powdery mildew resistance breeding program in pea. Seven biparental cross combinations involving three highly resistant (It-96, No. 267 and JI 2302) and two highly susceptible (Climax and PF-400) pea genotypes were evaluated for their response to powdery mildew disease. The quantitative microscopic scale of disease assessment coupled with detached leaf assay was employed for the evaluation of disease response of the crosses and their generations (F1, F2, BCs, and BCr) against two highly virulent conidial isolates of Erysiphe pisi. The disease response of 677 F2 plants has revealed a typical monohybrid Mendelian 3 (susceptible): 1 (resistant) segregation, moreover, the evaluation of 254 BCr plants gave a perfect 1 (susceptible): 1(resistant) segregation. No complementation was observed among all the F1 plants of three complementation crosses, suggesting that the same allele (er-1) conditions complete and broad-spectrum resistance in all the powdery mildew resistant pea genotypes in homozygous recessive form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirty nine okra genotypes were assessed for genetic variability using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. Twenty polymorphic RAPD primers amplified 111 DNA fragments, with an average of 5.5 fragments per primer. Among 39 okra genotypes, 107 fragments (96%) were found to be polymorphic. The UPGMA cluster analysis placed okra genotypes into seven main clusters. 'Sabzpari 2001' and 'Acc.No.019221' had shown maximum similarity (83%) while the minimum similarity (44.14%) was observed between the genotypes 'Punjab Selection' and 'Acc.No.019217'. Thus, by using RAPD primers a considerable polymorphism appeared to exist, which showed genetic variability in the okra genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic resistance in high yielding pea cultivars against powdery mildew provides a cost effective and reliable strategy to reduce the yield losses and save quality of the harvest. The dependable selection of powdery mildew resistant source(s) is the most crucial step in breeding for disease resistance. The efficiency of a simple, reliable and reproducible screening method on detached leaves of pea under controlled environmental condition was evaluated in comparison with field screening under natural conditions. The detached leaf assay coupled with microscopic quantification of susceptibility percentage (%S) appeared ten times more precise and reproducible than field screening based on visual observation of percentage of leaf area affected with disease. A new 0-5 microscopic disease scale proposed here is more robust and stringent for making selections for powdery mildew resistant parents and effectively challenging the segregating populations against different isolates of Erysiphe pisi simultaneously. The disease scale is based on susceptibility percentage (%S) as a function of percentage of germinated conidia with mycelial growth. For making more precise calculations non germinated conidia without germ tube were not taken in to account. The use of detached leaf assay and microscopic quantification of conidia has provided a simple and reliable screening method to clearly distinguish between escape and resistance mechanisms and the results are not prone to fluctuations in environmental conditions. The assay results were highly correlated (0.993) with the disease severity of whole plants under field conditions; moreover, dCAPS markers have also validated the assay results. Two pea genotypes (It-96 and No. 267) have been selected as highly resistant to powdery mildew, which could be used as a source for breeding disease resistant pea cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Neisseria gonorrhoea, the agent of sexually transmitted infections, remains a major public health concern. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) of the agent can provide insights on antimicrobial resistance, pathogenicity, and epidemiology of the bacteria, among others. The aim of this study is to sequence and characterize the whole genome of nine Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains and to understand their epidemiological origins, and the resistance determinant genes. Method: N. gonorrhoeae strains were obtained from different clinical microbiology laboratories. The isolates were cultured on Thayer-Martin medium and antimicrobial susceptibility test was done using disk diffusion method. DNA was extracted from bacterial suspensions using the DNA Kit and WGS sequencing was done. Genes involved in antimicrobial resistance were detected using various bioinformatics tools. Phylogenetic analysis based on 50S ribosomal protein L6 was carried out to determine the evolutionary origin of the isolates. Basic Local Alignment Search Tool search with the protein identified close homologs, which were aligned for maximum likelihood tree generation (bootstrap of 100). Results: Six of the N. gonorrhoeae isolates were susceptible to ceftriaxone and three of them were resistant or intermediate to penicillin. All N. gonorrhoeae isolates possessed norm, mtrC, mtrR, mtrF, mtrA, farB, DfrA42, macA, and macB genes as genetic resistance determinants. Only one isolate contained tetM gene, a tetracyclineresistant determinant. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that our strains formed a statistically significant clade with isolates from Korea, Canada, USA and Russia. Conclusion: The nine N. gonorrhoeae strains circulating in Turkey do not appear to pose a significant threat to public health since they do not have any novel antimicrobial resistance features. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that our clinical strains share common origin with isolates from diverse regions of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simulation model can provide insight into the characteristic behaviors of different health states of an actual system; however, such a simulation cannot account for all complexities in the system. This work proposes a transfer learning strategy that employs simple computer simulations for fault diagnosis in an actual system. A simple shaft-disk system was used to generate a substantial set of source data for three health states of a rotor system, and that data was used to train, validate, and test a customized deep neural network. The deep learning model, pretrained on simulation data, was used as a domain and class invariant generalized feature extractor, and the extracted features were processed with traditional machine learning algorithms. The experimental data sets of an RK4 rotor kit and a machinery fault simulator (MFS) were employed to assess the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The proposed method was also validated by comparing its performance with the pre-existing deep learning models of GoogleNet, VGG16, ResNet18, AlexNet, and SqueezeNet in terms of feature extraction, generalizability, computational cost, and size and parameters of the networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is the top death causing disease in the world, due to its occurrence through various mechanism and form. Medicinal plants have been extensively used for the purifications and isolations of phytochemicals for the treatment and prevention of cancer. Consequently, this research was designed to document the traditional practices of anti-cancer plants and its phytochemical essay across the districts of KP, Pakistan. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in 24 districts from the informants mostly the traditional herbalists (key informants). The information were compared with the publish data using various authentic search engines including, google, researchgate, google scholar and NCBI. One hundred and fifty-four (154) anti-cancer plants were recognized belonging to 69 families among all, Lamiaceae (13 sp.), Asteraceae (12 sp.) and Solanaceae (9 sp.) were the preferred families. The local inhabitants in the area typically prepare ethnomedicinal recipes from leaves (33.70%) and whole plants (23.37%) in the form of decoction and powder (24.67%), respectively. Herbs stayed the most preferred life form (61.68%) followed by shrub (21.4%). Similarly, breast (29.22%) and lung cancer (14.83%) was the common disease type. Literature study also authorize that, the medicinal plants of the research area were rich in phytochemical like quercetin, coumarine, kaempferol, apigenin, colchicine, alliin, rutin, lupeol, allicin, berbarine, lutolin, vanilic acid, urocilic acid and solamargine have revealed significant activates concerning the cancer diseases, that replicating the efficacy of these plants as medicines. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is rural area and the local inhabitants have very strong traditional knowledge about the medicinal plants for different diseases like cancer. The medicinal plants for significant ranked disorder might be pharmacologically and phtyochemicaly explored to demonstrate their efficacy. Moreover, the local flora especially medicinal plants facing overgrazing, overexploitation and inappropriate way of collection, however, proper management strategies like reforestation, controlled grazing, proper permission from concerned department and rangeland strategies among others may be assumed to enhance the proper usage of medicinal plants. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymethylmethacrylate–silica gel (PMMA–silica gel) organic–inorganic anion-exchange composite fibers were prepared by simple stirring with magnetic bar in different stoichiometric ratios of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and silica gel. The structure and morphology of the prepared composite fibers were ascertained by Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and elemental analysis (CHN/O). The material was found to be highly desirable for electroanalytical application as ionic sensor, its membrane electrode has been developed for the detection of As(V) in solutions. The membrane electrode shows the best result with linear potential response in the concentration range of 1×10−1 molL−1 to 1×10−8 molL−1 of As(V) ion with a slope of 30.78mV/decade. The useful pH of the electrode is 5.5–10.0. The selectivity coefficient values for interfering ions indicate good selectivity for As(V) over interfering anions. The accuracy of the procedure has been tested on arsenic-free drinking water samples spiked with known amount of arsenate and results were comparable to those generated by Portable Coulometric Analyzer (PCA-Arsenomat). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Organic-inorganic nanocomposites poly- o-anisidine and poly- o-toluidine Sn(IV) tungstate were chemically synthesized by mixing organic polymers that is, o-anisidine and o-toluidine with inorganic gels of Sn(IV) tungstate in different mixing ratios. Ion-exchange kinetics for few divalent metal ions was evaluated by particle diffusion-controlled ion-exchange phenomenon at four different temperatures. The particle diffusion mechanism was confirmed by linear τ (dimensionless time parameter) versus t (time) plots. The exchange processes were controlled by the diffusion of ions within the exchanger particle for the systems under studies. Some physical parameters such as self-diffusion coefficient ( [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper we construct some positive linear operators by means of q-Lagrange polynomials and prove some approximation results via A-statistical convergence. We also define and study the rate of A-statistical approximation of these operators by using the notion of modulus of continuity and Lipschitz class. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A novel organic–inorganic nano composite cation exchanger poly-o-toluidine Sn(IV) tungstate has been synthesized by incorporation of a polymer material into inorganic precipitate. The material is a class of hybrid ion-exchanger with good ion-exchange properties, reproducibility, stability and good selectivity for heavy metals. The physico-chemical properties of this nano composite material were characterized by using XRD, TGA, FTIR, SEM and TEM. The ion-exchange capacity, pH titrations, elution behavior and chemical stability were also carried out to study ion-exchange properties of the material. Distribution studies for various metal ions revealed that the nano composite is highly selective for Cd(II). An ion-selective membrane electrode was fabricated using this material for the determination of Cd(II) ions in solutions. The analytical utility of this electrode was established by employing it as an indicator electrode in electrometric titrations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Electrically conductive poly(3-methythiophene)-titanium(IV)molybdophosphate (P3MTh–TMP) cation exchange nanocomposites have been synthesized for the first time by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization of 3-methythiophene (3MTh) in the presence of titanium(IV)molybdophosphate (TMP). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and elemental analysis were used to characterize P3MTh–TMP cation exchange nanocomposites. The characterization results confirmed that there is a strong interaction between P3MTh and TMP particles and the nanocomposites showed higher thermal stability than pure P3MTh. The composite showed good ion-exchange capacity, electrical conductivity and isothermal stability in terms of DC electrical conductivity retention under ambient condition below 100°C. A cation exchange nanocomposite based sensor was fabricated for the detection of aqueous ammonia, it was found that the resistivity of the nanocomposites increases on exposure to ammonia at room temperature (25°C) and there showed a linear relationship between the responses and the concentration of ammonia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Mutagenesis has been used to a good extent to induce genetic variability in plant species to achieve the desired genetic variability. To attain maximum useful mutation density per unit genome and comparative effectiveness of γ-rays and Ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), optimal dose for treatment is the key to success. This study focuses on the development of kill curve in three cotton species (Gossypium arboreum, G. barbadense and G. hirsutum). Four genotypes from each of these Gossypium species were treated with eight varying levels of EMS (0.1 to 0.8%) and two doses of γ-rays (100 to 800 Gy) for kill curve analysis. The data collected on germination percentage, plant height, number of bolls/plant, boll weight, lint yield and its percentage were analyzed and significant interaction among species, genotypes, mutagens and levels of mutagens was observed for all traits under study. Morphologically unusual mutants (rudimentary sparse leaves pattern and broad leaf shape) were also identified from M1 generations of cotton genotypes. Optimal mutagenic doses were calculated based on survival rate and seed viability, which were considered useful in developing cotton mutagenized populations for forward and reverse genetic studies. EMS observed to be more effective than γ-rays as it generated overall more number of mutants, while later caused higher physical injury in all cotton species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The separation of Hg(II) from aqueous solutions was studied using Poly-o-anisidine Sn(IV) tungstate nano-composite cation exchanger. This nano-composite material was synthesized via sol–gel mixing of Poly-o-anisidine with the inorganic precipitate of Sn(IV) tungstate, providing a new class of organic–inorganic nano-composite cation exchanger with good ion-exchange capacity, better chemical and thermal stability than most of the Poly-o-anisidine based exchanger reported so far. The ion-exchange capacity and ion-exchange behaviors of the nano-composite were also carried out to understand the ion-exchange capabilities. Its selectivity was examined by achieving some important binary and tertiary separations of metal cations on its column indicating its utility in environmental pollution control. This new exchanger was successfully applied for quantitative determination and separation of Hg(II) from a synthetic mixture of metal ions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Electrically conductive Poly-o-toluidine–titanium(IV)phosphate (POT–TiP) cation exchange nanocomposite was synthesized by sol–gel mixing of organic polymer (Poly-o-toluidine) into inorganic precipitate of titanium(IV)phosphate (TiP). The material was characterized by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The humidity sensing response of the nanocomposite was examined. It was found that the conductivity varied according to low humidity to high humidity. The composite showed good humidity response, ion-exchange capacity and electrical conductivity. Poly-o-toludine–TiP nanocomposite was also used to study electrical conductivity under isothermal conditions in the temperature range 50–130°C. The composite was found stable under ambient conditions below 90°C in terms of DC electrical conductivity retention. These studies suggest that the cation exchange nanocomposite could be a good sensing material for humidity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We study statistical approximation properties of q-Bernstein-Shurer operators and establish some direct theorems. Furthermore, we compute error estimation and show graphically the convergence for a function f by operators and give its algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Newly developed organic–inorganic cation-exchange materials poly-o-anisidine and poly-o-toluidine Sn(IV) tungstate composites were synthesized by a modified sol–gel technique by incorporating Sn(IV) tungstate precipitate with the matrix of electrical conducting poly-o-anisidine and poly-o-toluidine. The materials showed good ion-exchange behavior and were used successfully in the separation of metal ions. The conductivity of the composites was measured by 4-in-line-probe DC electrical conductivity measuring device and was found within the range of 10−4–10−2 S/cm. The DC electrical conductivity of both composite materials was found stable up to 140°C under ambient conditions. The conductivity was at the border of metallic and semiconductor region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An organic–inorganic nano-composite poly-o-anisidine Sn(IV) tungstate was chemically synthesized by sol–gel mixing of the incorporation of organic polymer o-anisidine into the matrices of inorganic ppt of Sn(IV) tungstate in different mixing volume ratios. This composite material has been characterized using various analytical techniques like XRD (X-ray diffraction), FTIR (Fourier transform infrared), SEM (Scanning electron microscopy), TEM (Transmission electron microscopy) and simultaneous TGA (Thermogravimetric analysis) studies. On the basis of distribution studies, the material was found to be highly selective for Hg(II). Using this nano-composite cation exchanger as electro-active material, a new heterogeneous precipitate based on ion-sensitive membrane electrode was developed for the determination of Hg(II) ions in solutions. The membrane electrode was mechanically stable, with a quick response time, and can be operated within a wide pH range. The electrode was also found to be satisfactory in electrometric titrations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are transmembrane proteins, which transduce signals from extracellular ligands to intracellular G protein. Automatic classification of GPCRs can provide important information for the development of novel drugs in pharmaceutical industry. In this paper, we propose an evolutionary approach, GPCR-MPredictor, which combines individual classifiers for predicting GPCRs. GPCR-MPredictor is a web predictor that can efficiently predict GPCRs at five levels. The first level determines whether a protein sequence is a GPCR or a non-GPCR. If the predicted sequence is a GPCR, then it is further classified into family, subfamily, sub-subfamily, and subtype levels. In this work, our aim is to analyze the discriminative power of different feature extraction and classification strategies in case of GPCRs prediction and then to use an evolutionary ensemble approach for enhanced prediction performance. Features are extracted using amino acid composition, pseudo amino acid composition, and dipeptide composition of protein sequences. Different classification approaches, such as k-nearest neighbor (KNN), support vector machine (SVM), probabilistic neural networks (PNN), J48, Adaboost, and Naives Bayes, have been used to classify GPCRs. The proposed hierarchical GA-based ensemble classifier exploits the prediction results of SVM, KNN, PNN, and J48 at each level. The GA-based ensemble yields an accuracy of 99.75, 92.45, 87.80, 83.57, and 96.17% at the five levels, on the first dataset. We further perform predictions on a dataset consisting of 8,000 GPCRs at the family, subfamily, and sub-subfamily level, and on two other datasets of 365 and 167 GPCRs at the second and fourth levels, respectively. In comparison with the existing methods, the results demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed GPCR-MPredictor in classifying GPCRs families. It is accessible at . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An advanced cation-exchange nano-composite poly- o-toluidine Ce(IV) phosphate was synthesized by sol-gel technique by incorporating Ce(IV) phosphate precipitate with the matrix of poly- o-toluidine. The material showed good ion-exchange behavior and used successfully in separation of metal ions. The conductivity of the composite was found within the range of 10 to 10S/cm; measured by four-in-line probe DC electrical conductivity measuring technique. The conductivity is at the border of metallic and semiconductor region. Ion-exchange kinetics for few divalent metal ions was evaluated by particle diffusion-controlled ion-exchange phenomenon at four different temperatures. The particle diffusion mechanism is confirmed by the linear τ (dimensionless time parameter) versus t (time) plots. The exchange processes thus controlled by the diffusion within the exchanger particle for the systems studies herein. Some physical parameters like self-diffusion coefficient ( D), energy of activation ( E), and entropy of activation (∆ S°) have been evaluated under conditions favoring a particle diffusion-controlled mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sliding hip screws (SHS) are commonly used for fixation of extra-capsular hip fractures, and there is increasing use of minimally invasive methods of insertion of such devices. We describe a case series of 579 consecutive patients operated on by the senior author using such a technique. Data were collected prospectively and analysed retrospectively. The technique involves a 5cm incision, retraction of vastus lateralis superiorly by a chain retractor, and use of a SHS clamp to stabilise the plate on the femur. The patients had a mean age of 81 years, surgery time of 43 minutes and hospital stay of 17 days. 77% were female and 35% required a blood transfusion post-operatively. Everyone was mobilised fully weight-bearing post-operatively. Follow-up was at six weeks for radiographic review and then subsequently at one year. The commonest complications were superficial wound infection (1.7%), detachment of the plate (0.9%) and cut-out of the lag screw (0.5%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study investigated the instructional management of a private and a government secondary school principal in the Gigit-Baltistan region of Northern Pakistan. The study used the following lenses to examine the instructional behavior of the two principals: supervisory techniques, professional development activities, curriculum enrichment, and the availability of instructional resources. A comparison between the levels of engagement of the private and public school principals for the promotion of instructional matter suggests that the private school principal spent more time than the government principal on the development of instructional practices in his school. The study maintains that variables, such as structural processes, personal disposition of principals, and staff characteristics, led the two subjects to deal with their instructional responsibility differently. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We report on the survival of 145 patients presenting to a single centre with a pathological metastatic fracture of the proximal femur. The single surviving patient had a follow-up of 17.7 years. Mean survival for the 144 patients who died was 332 days (range 2 to 3053 days), being longest for those with myeloma (662 days), lymphoma (> 633 days) and breast tumours (477 days) and lowest for lung tumours (110 days). The most common sites for the primary tumour were breast (36%), prostate (23%) and lung (17%). 47% of fractures were intracapsular, 28% trochanteric and 25% subtrochanteric. 99% of the fractures were treated surgically with a mean hospital stay of 19 days. The commonest fracture healingcomplication was further fracture of the femur around or immediately below the implant which occurredafter 9/144 (6.2%) of operations. The difference in survival of patients related to the primary tumour site is of relevance in planning surgical treatment and discussing prognosis with patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the survival of 145 patients presenting to a single centre with a pathological metastatic fracture of the proximal femur. The single surviving patient had a follow-up of 17.7 years. Mean survival for the 144 patients who died was 332 days (range 2 to 3053 days), being longest for those with myeloma (662 days), lymphoma (> 633 days) and breast tumours (477 days) and lowest for lung tumours (110 days). The most common sites for the primary tumour were breast (36%), prostate (23%) and lung (17%). 47% of fractures were intracapsular, 28% trochanteric and 25% subtrochanteric. 99% of the fractures were treated surgically with a mean hospital stay of 19 days. The commonest fracture healingcomplication was further fracture of the femur around or immediately below the implant which occurredafter 9/144 (6.2%) of operations. The difference in survival of patients related to the primary tumour site is of relevance in planning surgical treatment and discussing prognosis with patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Neurodegenerative Parkinson’s disease (PD) is associated with aggregation of protein alpha synuclein and selective death of dopaminergic neurons, thereby leading to cognitive and motor impairment in patients. The disease has no complete cure yet; the current therapeutic strategies involve prescription of dopamine agonist drugs which turn ineffective after prolonged use. The present study utilized the powerful genetics of model system Caenorhabditis elegans towards exploring the anti-Parkinsonian effects of a neuro-protective botanical Bacopa monnieri. Two different strains of C. elegans; a transgenic model expressing “human” alpha synuclein [NL5901 (Punc-54::alphasynuclein::YFP+unc-119)], and a pharmacological model expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) specifically in the dopaminergic neurons [BZ555 (P dat-1 ::GFP)] treated with selective catecholaminergic neurotoxin 6-hydroxy dopamine (6-OHDA), were employed for the study. B. monnieri was chosen for its known neuroprotective and cognition enhancing effects. The study examined the effect of the botanical, on aggregation of alpha synuclein, degeneration of dopaminergic neurons, content of lipids and longevity of the nematodes. Our studies show that B. monnieri reduces alpha synuclein aggregation, prevents dopaminergic neurodegeneration and restores the lipid content in nematodes, thereby proving its potential as a possible anti-Parkinsonian agent. These findings encourage further investigations on the botanical, and its active constituent compounds, as possible therapeutic intervention against Parkinson’s disease. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: 2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4,5-T) is used in forestry and in agriculture as a systemic herbicide (for eradication of undergrowth, etc). Adsorption behaviour of 2,4,5-T on the surface of poly-o-toluidine Zr(IV)phosphate was studied and some thermodynamic parameters such as Freundlich constants and Langmuir constants were determined on the surface of cation-exchanger. In this work, the adsorption of 2,4,5-T on cation-exchanger from aqueous medium was studied with respect to pH and initial 2,4,5-T concentration. The experimental data were analyzed by the Freundlich isotherm, and the Langmuir isotherm. The results indicated that the cation-exchanger is very effective for the adsorption of 2,4,5-T from aqueous solutions. Pesticide sensitive membrane electrode was fabricated by using an electro-active composite material poly-o-toluidine Zr(IV) phosphate. The sensitivity towards the 2,4,5-T was monitored. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The objective of the present research was to synthesize, characterize and to investigate the efficiency of an advanced class of hybrid nano-composite cation exchanger for the detection of mercury(II) ion in aqueous solution. In the present study the cation exchanger ployaniline–zirconium titanium phosphate (PANI–ZTP) nanocomposite, was synthesized via sol–gel mixing of organic polymer polyaniline (PANI) into the matrices of the inorganic precipitate of zirconium titanium phosphate (ZTP), having extraordinary ion exchange capacity, thus used as electroactive component for the construction of an ion-selective membrane electrode. The proposed electrode shows fairly good discrimination of mercury ion over several other inorganic ions. The membrane electrode was mechanically stable, having wide dynamic range of 10−10 mol/m3 to 10−1 mol/m3 of Hg2+ ions, with quick response time and could be operated for at least 4months without any considerable divergence in the potential response characteristics. The electrode was successfully applied for direct determination of mercury ions in some real sample with satisfactory results and acts as indicator electrode in complexation titrations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Composites are 21st century material used to meet the demand of improved materials and possess a combination of several desirable properties. Present study focussed on the conducting behavior of ‘polymeric–inorganic’ nanocomposite of conducting polymer polyaniline and polypyrrole. ‘Polymeric–inorganic’ nanocomposite cation-exchangers, i.e., polyaniline zirconium titanium phosphate (PANI-ZTP) and polypyrrole zirconium titanium phosphate (PPy-ZTP), were synthesized via sol–gel mixing of electrical conducting polymers into the matrices of inorganic precipitate of zirconium titanium phosphate (ZTP) having excellent ion exchange properties. The proposed nanocomposite possessed DC electrical conductivity in the semi-conducting range, i.e., 10−5–10−3 Scm−1. The stability in terms of DC electrical conductivity retention was also studied in an oxidative environment by two slightly different techniques viz. isothermal and cyclic techniques. The DC electrical conductivity of composite material was found stable upto 110°C under ambient conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An organic-inorganic composite, poly-o-toluidine Ce(IV) phosphate was chemically synthesized by mixing ortho-toluidine into the gel of Ce(IV) phosphate in different mixing volume ratios. Effect of eluant concentration, elution behavior and pH-titration studies were carried out to understand the ion-exchange capabilities. The physico-chemical properties of the material were determined using AAS, CHN elemental analysis, UV–VIS spectrophotometry, FTIR, SEM/EDX, TGA–DTA, TEM (Transmission electron microscopy), XRD and SEM studies. The distribution studies revealed that the cation-exchange material is highly selective for Cd(II). Due to selective nature of the cation-exchanger, ion selective membrane electrode was fabricated for the determination of Cd(ІІ) ions in solutions. The analytical utility of this electrode was established by employing it as an indicator electrode in electrometric titrations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this study, the electrically conducting polyaniline–titanium(IV)phosphate (PANI–TiP) cation exchange nanocomposite was synthesized by sol–gel method. The cation exchange nanocomposite based sensor for detection of ammonia vapors was developed at room temperature. It was revealed that the sensor showed good reversible response towards ammonia vapors ranging from 3 to 6%. It was found that the sensor with p-toluene sulphonic acid (p-TSA) doped exhibited higher sensing response than hydrochloric acid doped. This sensor has detection limit ≤1% ammonia. The response of resistivity changes of the cation exchange nanocomposite on exposure to different concentrations of ammonia vapors shows its utility as a sensing material. These studies suggest that the cation exchange nanocomposite could be a good material for ammonia sensor at room temperature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A ‘polymeric-inorganic’ advanced nano-composite cation-exchanger has been synthesized via sol–gel technique by incorporating polyaniline into inorganic ion-exchanger, zirconium titanium phosphate, a class of mixed material of tetravalent bimetallic acid salts (TMA). The composite shows extraordinary high ion-exchange capacity of 4.52meqg−1 as well as good chemical and thermal stability than other polyaniline composites prepared so far. The physico-chemical property of the composite, polyaniline zirconium titanium phosphate (PAZTP) was determined using AAS, TEM, SEM, FTIR and TGA-DTA studies. Ion-exchange behavior was also observed to characterize the material. On the basis of distribution studies, the material was found to be highly selective for toxic heavy metal ions Hg(II) and Pb(II). The analytical applications of the material have been explored by achieving some binary as well as ternary separations of heavy metal ions. A comparative study of the ion-exchange properties of PAZTP with other polyaniline composites has been done. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Perfusion-computed tomography (CTP) is a relatively new technique that allows rapid semiquantitative noninvasive evaluation of cerebral perfusion aiding in the diagnosis of cerebral ischemia and infarction. There is a paucity of data on its application within the posterior circulation, especially, the brainstem. We describe a case of basilar artery thrombosis with cerebellar and brainstem CTP mismatch and discuss possible future applications of CTP for acute posterior fossa circulation and infarction. Methods: Case report. Results: Successful use of CTP to aid in decision to proceed with neurointervention in acute basilar artery occlusion and confirm its resolution after mechanical clot retrieval. Conclusion: Perfusion-computed tomography can successfully be used to define cerebral ischemia and infarction within the posterior fossa and aid in decisions to proceed with neurointervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Electrically conductive composite of polyaniline–titanium(IV)phosphate (PANI–TiP) was synthesized by sol–gel method. The obtained composite was characterized by using Fourier transform infra red spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The composite showed good ion-exchange capacity and isothermal stability in terms of DC electrical conductivity retention at an ambient conditions below 100°C. The composite material was investigated as alcohol vapors sensor and compared with blank polyaniline. The results showed that the composite was more selective and sensitive towards methanol vapors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]