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Zinc deficiency in cereal crops is a significant issue for human health. Rice, being a staple food crop, could cause severe zinc deficiency. The use of zinc-solubilizing bacteria (ZSB) is an ecological tactic to raise bioavailable zinc in the soil that may alleviate yield loss and, subsequently, enhance the nutritional value of rice. In the presented study, treating rice plants with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria S. marcescens FA-4 along with the recommended dose of chemical Zn and half dose of chemical Zn ensued under pot and field conditions at the COMSATS University, Islamabad, Pakistan. The obtained data indicated an augmentation in rice growth, yield, and grain zinc content in response to the S. marcescens FA-4 inoculation with and without the chemical Zn application. The S. marcescens FA-4 significantly enhanced the grain zinc content (21.4-27.7 mg kg-1) under the pot and (18.7-30.1 mg kg-1) under field conditions, with 1.5 to twofold rise in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity in rice compared with the control. The rice plants treated with zinc solubilizing bacteria, followed by zinc treatments gave higher grain yields of 23.4-34.1 g pot-1 and 3.2-3.6 t ha-1 in rice cultivars, Basmati 385 and Super Basmati. The S. marcescens FA-4 with a half dose of chemical Zn also increased the zinc translocation index (1.4 to 1.7) toward grains. Consistency in the performance of zinc solubilizing bacteria occurred in the pot and field conditions. Hence, a conclusion that the use of zinc solubilizing strains is an efficient approach to enhance the zinc content of rice grains and combat the problem of zinc deficiency in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An inverse heat conduction method was used to determine the energy balance at the cutting zone in edge trimming of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites. Three-dimensional transient heat conduction problem was modeled and solved independently in Abaqus for both the workpiece and cutting tool. Temperatures at specific locations were also measured during cutting using thermocouples and infrared thermography. Minimizing the difference between measured and calculated temperatures allowed the estimation of the heat flux applied in each problem. The total electric power consumed in machining was also measured. The heat partition was determined from the measured and calculated energies to be 0.07, 0.56 and 0.37 for the workpiece, tool and chips, respectively. The temperature distribution in the workpiece indicated that heat penetration is shallow due to poor thermal conductivity. It was also found that the extent of estimated machining thermal damage in the workpiece is within 0.35 mm below the machined surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work proposed an image processing method for the measurement of damage and delamination in layered materials. Measurement of the damage and delamination area in composite materials has a significant importance as it provides an estimate of factors for implementation of fracture mechanics formulation. It is not always easy to measure delamination as it usually exists inter laminar. In this method, an image of the damaged composite material was processed by commercially available software and the delamination area was estimated within each layer. A strong back light was used for capturing images with prominent damaged areas and clear demarcation of such areas. This method proved itself simple, efficient, and cost effective. It has many advantages over simpler techniques like post experiment visual inspection. At the same time, it is cost effective for composites where standard non-destructive techniques may cost many folds more than the cost of the specimen. The results obtained for damage and delamination in cylindrical glass reinforced epoxy specimen were presented. Buckingham pi theorem was employed to develop a scale model consisting of four scales. Damage and delamination growth rate collapsed onto the same trend when scaled with the factors of n3 and n4, respectively. Accuracy and confidence in the measurement of delamination area reduced as the number of layers increased; however, overall damage area can be estimated precisely. This technique was used for in situ measurements while specimens were subjected to load, which provided damage and delamination growth rate, too. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dear Editor, Given recent advances in machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI) is likely to have an increasingly important role in dermatology, particularly for image analysis and identification. The accuracy of the dermatologist's prebiopsy clinical impression relative to the final clinicopathological diagnosis reference standard was the best, at 69.1% (95% CI 63.7-74.1%), significantly better than the AI accuracy using strict criteria (47.4%; 95% CI 42.0-52.8%) and slightly better than the AI accuracy using permissive criteria (63.3%; 95% CI 58.0-68.4%). Cases in which a biopsy was not performed ( I n i = 14) or for which the dermatologist prebiopsy impression was unclear or vague ( I n i = 22) were excluded from the determination of the accuracy of the dermatologist prebiopsy diagnosis. [Extracted from the article]

The aim of this study was to investigate the regional dependant genetic variation among different pathogenic Fusarium solani isolates and a link to persistence cause of shisham dieback in various agro ecological zones. A total of 23 pathogenic representative isolates of Fusarium solani, collected from various agro ecological zones were subjected to analysis of genetic variability in terms of DNA polymorphism using RAPD-PCR. Results were obtained with the help of 10 randomly amplified polymorphic DNA markers (OPA1-OPA10) to test genetic variability in F. solani isolates. A total of 238 amplified products generated with the primers and 23 isolates of F. solani. The pattern of genetic variability in the isolate was also supported by the analysis of the similarity indices and UPGMA dendrogram. Twenty three isolates of F. solani recovered from different areas showed a significant genetic variation durning RAPD analysis. It seems that the genetic variability among fungal isolates is regional dependent and reason of persistent cause of shisham dieback in Punjab, Pakistan. Current findings showed the variation among pathogenic isolates of F. solani and ravealed that persistent cause of shisham dieback is due to F. solani complex in different shisham growing regions in province Punjab, Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yield of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is critically limited by the red rot disease caused by Colletotrichum falcatum Went. Four native antagonistic bacteria Bacillus subtilis strains NH-100, B. subtilis NH-160, Bacillus sp. NH-217 and NH-69, that successfully suppressed the red rot disease under greenhouse conditions were evaluated to determine their efficacy as biological control agents in the field. Performance of the antagonistic strains was assessed on two different sugarcane varieties SPF-234 and Co-1148 under field conditions for three consecutive years. Two types of trials were conducted in which the red rot pathogen was inoculated by different methods to observe its direct suppression as well as the induction of systemic resistance. Three strains of the genus Bacillus reduced disease incidence by 45-49% in sugarcane plants challenged by pathogen inoculation in the stem and by 48-56% in the plants inoculated in the soil near the roots. The results of present study suggest a potential use of these strains in the development of commercial inoculants to be applied for the control of red rot disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation was designed to assess the range of growth-promoting activities of various rhizosphere bacteria on wheat and oat growing in Lanzhou, China. Detection of the N-fixing bacteria by the acetylene reduction assay-based most probable number (ARA-based MPN) method indicated the presence of significant numbers of N-fixing rhizobacteria, i.e. 5·8×106 bacteria/g dry weight of root in association with Chinese wheat variety V4. A total of 24 rhizobacteria was isolated from wheat and oat grown in Lanzhou, China. These bacterial isolates were studied for growth characteristics, nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization and indole acetic acid (IAA) production. All the isolates were motile and gram negative. Acetylene reduction activity was detected in all isolates ranging from 124·6 to 651·6 nmol C2H2 reduced/h/vial while almost all isolates produced IAA ranging from 0·2 to 5·1 μg/ml. Only two isolates, ChW1 and ChW6, formed clear zones on Pikovskaia's medium, showing the ability to solubilize phosphates. ChW1 and ChW6 were used to develop fluorescent antibodies to check the cross reactivity of the isolates. Inoculation of these bacterial isolates resulted in higher plant biomass, root area and total N content on Chinese wheat variety Ningchun 2 and Pakistani oat variety Swan under controlled conditions. Among the wheat isolates, ChW5 was the best in promoting wheat growth by increasing its root length, root area, shoot dry weight and total N content. Among oat isolates, ChO3, ChO5 and ChO6 showed significant effects on different growth parameters of their host plants. Using the 15N isotope dilution method, the highest N fixation contribution (0·73 of total plant N) was observed in the wheat plants inoculated with isolate ChW5. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis of seven selected isolates showed that the variation within the isolates from different host crops grown in the same soil was quite large and helpful not only in defining the bacterial strains associated with different host crops but also in defining the distances of isolates from standard strains of rhizobacteria used. In conclusion, the present results indicate that the selected bacterial isolates did promote the growth of wheat and oat in ways that could be harnessed to practical benefit for the farmer and consistent with sustainable agricultural practices in China. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

OBJECTIVE: To discern the effects of depression and anxiety on the migraine-obesity relationship. BACKGROUND: Migraine and obesity are highly prevalent conditions and are both independently linked to psychiatric conditions, mainly depression and anxiety. METHODS: Data are from an ongoing cross-sectional multicenter study on comorbid conditions in clinic patients seeking treatment for headache. The diagnosis of migraine was determined by the examining physician based on the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD)-II criteria. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire with information on demographics, headache features, and physician-diagnosed comorbid medical and psychiatric disorders. The questionnaire included scales for measuring current depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (BAI), and headache-related disability (HIT-6). RESULTS: A total of 721 migraineurs (88% women) from 8 different headache treatment centers were included in this study (mean age = 42 years, SD = 12). Aura was reported in 45% and chronic headache (>or=15 headache days/month) in 35% of the participants. Prevalence of obesity in our population was 30% and only 38% had normal weight. Obesity was more common in men (P= .004), African Americans (P= .026), and in lower education (P= .05) and household income (P=.05) groups. Current depression (PHQ-9 score >or=10) was noted in 42% and current anxiety (BAI score >or=8) in 70% of the obese migraineurs. In ordinal logistic regression, obesity was associated with current depression (odds ratio [OR]= 1.86, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.25 to 2.78) and anxiety (OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.12 to 2.22). A significant effect of depression on the body mass index (BMI) and headache frequency relationship was noted. Obese migraineurs with depression were more likely to have higher headache frequency (OR = 4.16, 95% CI: 1.92 to 8.99) and headache-related disability (OR = 7.10, 95% CI: 2.69 to 18.77) compared to normal weight migraineurs without depression. Similarly, obese migraineurs with anxiety were more likely to have higher headache frequency (OR = 1.96, 95% CI: 1.07 to 3.61) and headache-related disability (OR = 3.59, 95% CI: 1.64 to 7.86) compared to normal weight migraineurs without depression. Compared to migraineurs with either current depression or anxiety, those with both these conditions were more likely to have higher headache frequency (OR = 3.18, 95% CI: 1.86 to 5.43) and headache disability (OR = 6.13, 95% CI: 2.58 to 14.59). CONCLUSION: Depression and anxiety were common in obese migraineurs. The relationship of obesity with migraine frequency and migraine-related disability is modified by depression and by anxiety, with the strongest effect observed in migraineurs with both depression and anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although anterior circulation transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) tend to be more common in patients with extra- cranial carotid arterial disease than in those with intracranial carotid or middle cerebral arterial disease, the authors recently encountered 4 patients with both recurrent, stereotypical TIAs as well as isolated stenosis of their petrous internal carotid artery (ICA). While the gold standard for establishing the diagnosis of intracranial large-artery disease has always been conventional angiography, magnetic resonance angiography changes, confirmed with intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography in 2 of these patients, were quite sufficient to define the occlusive disease in each of the cases. Petrous ICA stenosis is not uncommon, but it has often been overshadowed by the search for extracranial ICA disease that might be amenable to surgical reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four commercial papaya orchards in the Sindh province of Pakistan were surveyed for the presence of Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) in February and May of 2012. Leaf samples with mottling, yellowing and dark streaking were collected from trees with fruits showing concentric C-shaped rings and tested by ELISA with virus-specific antibodies. Results showed that 70 samples tested positive to PRSV, nine of which were characterized by RT-PCR using primers designed in the sequence encoding the nuclear inclusion b (NIb) and the coat protein (CP) genes. Phylogenetic analyses of the partial coat protein sequence showed a close relationship of the isolates from Pakistan to one other and to an isolate from India (99% identity) but a relative divergence with other isolates from different geographical locations. This is the first report of PRSV on papaya in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar is widely acknowledged for its remarkable impact on soil conditioning. However, the influence of different sources of biochar, particularly anaerobic digested sludge biochar (ADBC) derived from anaerobic digested sludge and biochar derived from waste activated sludge, on alkaline soil remains largely unexplored. To address this knowledge gap, a comprehensive field experiment was conducted over a period of 180 days to investigate the effects of ADBC on slightly alkaline soil. This study evaluated various aspects, including soil properties, nutrient content, microbial composition, and soil toxicity. The results demonstrated significant improvements in the quality of alkaline soil following the application of ADBC. Notably, soil pH decreased from 8.24 to 7.5, while conductivity increased from 56.7 μs/cm to 249.0 μs/cm, total organic carbon from 13.5 g/kg to 19.9 g/kg, available nitrogen from 45.5 g/kg to 237.5 g/kg, and available phosphorus from 549.5 g/kg to 1396.7 g/kg. Moreover, ADBC substantially increased the relative abundance of functional bacteria associated with nutrient cycling, such as Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, and Bacteroidota. Conversely, the assessment of biotoxicity revealed a decrease in toxicity with increasing preparation temperature and particle size. These findings highlight the promising potential of ADBC for improving the key properties of alkaline and nutrient-poor soils crucial for overall soil productivity., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The maize crop is highly susceptible to damage caused by its primary pests, which poses considerable challenges in manually identifying and controlling them at various larval developmental stages. To mitigate this issue, we propose an automated classification system aimed at identifying the different larval developmental stages of 23 instars of 4 major lepidopteran pests: the Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée; Lepidoptera: Crambidae), the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith; Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), the oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata (Walker; Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and the tobacco cutworm, Spodoptera litura (Fabricius; Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Employing 5 distinct Convolutional Neural Network architectures-Convnext, Densenet121, Efficientnetv2, Mobilenet, and Resnet-we aimed to automate the process of identifying these larval developmental stages. Each model underwent fine-tuning using 2 different optimizers: stochastic gradient descent with momentum and adaptive moment estimation (Adam). Among the array of models tested, Densenet121, coupled with the Adam optimizer, exhibited the highest classification accuracy, achieving an impressive 96.65%. The configuration performed well in identifying the larval development stages of all 4 pests, with precision, recall, and F1 score evaluation indicators reaching 98.71%, 98.66%, and 98.66%, respectively. Notably, the model was ultimately tested in a natural field environment, demonstrating that Adam_Densenet121 model achieved an accuracy of 90% in identifying the 23 instars of the 4 pests. The application of transfer learning methodology showcased its effectiveness in automating the identification of larval developmental stages, underscoring promising implications for precision-integrated pest management strategies in agriculture., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Acrylamide-based bait has super water absorption making it highly attractive to subterranean termites that are lured by wood with high water content. This study investigated the control efficiency of these baits on subterranean termites. In particular, we evaluated the water-absorption capacity, attractiveness to subterranean termites, and control efficiency of these baits on subterranean termites through wooden blocks (Populus deltoides and three types of particleboards)., Results: The results indicated a substantial water absorption capacity of acrylamide (70.6%; control: 14.8%) and a strong attraction for feeding subterranean termites (P. deltoides: 198 highest; 81 lowest subterranean termites individuals; combination of neem leaves and walnut shells: 168 highest; 36 lowest subterranean termites individuals). When acrylamide was combined with boric acid at the highest concentration, it resulted in the lowest wood consumption rates (P. deltoides: 24.1%; control: 63.8%, combination of neem leaves and walnut shells: 32.5%; control: 62.1%)., Conclusions: In conclusion, this research supports the commercial viability of employing innovative acrylamide-based toxic baits and particleboards for subterranean termite management. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)

A 9-year-old premenarchal female presented to pediatric dermatology with a 6-month history of periodically tender, bilateral and symmetric axillary masses. Magnetic resonance imaging and subsequent surgical excision confirmed the diagnosis of bilateral accessory axillary breast tissue. Accessory axillary breast tissue is a rare condition seen most in pubertal, pregnant and breastfeeding women. However, it can arise in pre-adolescent patients and should be added to the differential diagnosis of an axillary mass., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Dengue fever is a viral disease caused by one of four dengue stereotypes (Flavivirus: Flaviviridae) that are primarily transmitted by Aedes albopictus (Skuse) and Aedes aegypti (L.). To safeguard public health, it is crucial to conduct surveys that examine the factors favouring the presence of these species. Our study surveyed 42 councils across four towns within the Bhakkar district of Punjab Province, by inspecting man-made or natural habitats containing standing water. First, door-to-door surveillance teams from the district health department were assigned to each council to surveillance Aedes species and dengue cases. Second, data collection through surveillance efforts, and validation procedures were implemented, and the verified data was uploaded onto the Dengue Tracking System by Third Party Validation teams. Third, data were analysed to identify factors influencing dengue fever cases. The findings demonstrated the following: (1) Predominantly, instances were discerned among individuals who had a documented history of having travelled beyond the confines of the province. (2) Containers associated with evaporative air coolers and tyre shops were responsible for approximately 30% of the Aedes developmental sites. (4) Variability in temperature was responsible for approximately 45% of the observed differences in the quantity of recorded Aedes mosquito developmental sites. (5) Implementation of dengue prevention initiatives precipitated a 50% reduction in Aedes -positive containers, alongside a notable 70% decline in reported cases of dengue fever during the period spanning 2019 to 2020, while the majority of reported cases were of external origin. Aedes control measures substantially curtailed mosquito populations and lowered vector-virus interactions. Notably, local dengue transmission was eliminated through advanced and effective Aedes control efforts, emphasising the need for persistent surveillance and eradication of larval habitats in affected regions.

Land use has a great impact on soil dynamics. The soils of various land use systems in Central Karakoram have been under immense pressure in the recent past due to certain anthropogenic activities such as land use practices and land use cover changes. These influences have an impact on the spatial distribution of metallic elements (MEs) in the soils of various land uses. Herein, we investigated the occurrence of the MEs, copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and nickel (Ni), in soils of various land uses such as the permafrost, pasture, forest, and agricultural lands of the Central Karakorum region. The MEs were extracted in exchangeable, adsorbed, organically bound, carbonated, precipitated, and residual forms. The concentrations of MEs showed a significant dependence on the extraction method used, and the extraction trend followed the order of EDTA > HNO 3 > KNO 3 > NaOH > H 2 O. Zn showed the highest concentration compared to Ni and Cu in all extractions, whereas the land uses' ME concentration followed the order of agricultural land > permafrost > forest > pasturelands. The highest values of total Zn, Ni, and Cu were 712 ± 01 mg/kg, 656 ± 02 mg/kg, and 163 ± 02 mg/kg, respectively, in agricultural soil. The ME concentration showed significant variations between different land uses, and the highest concentration was noted in agricultural soil. Zn was found to be a dominant ME compared to Ni and Cu. We believe this effort will provide opportunities for scholars to investigate MEs around the globe.

The mechanical properties of a defect-free laser melting (PBF-LB) deposit of an AISI 316L steel alloy were assessed by means of an instrumented indentation test (IIT), at both the macro- and nano-scales. The inherent non-equilibrium microstructure of the alloy was chemically homogenous and consisted of equiaxed grains and large-elongated grains (under the optical microscope) with irregular outlines composed of a much finer internal cell structure (under the scanning electron microscope). Berkovich and Vickers indenters were used to assess the indentation properties across individual grains (nano) and over multiple grains (macro), respectively. The nano-indentation over the X-Y plane revealed nearly constant indentation modulus across an individual grain but variable on average within different grains whose value depended on the relative orientation of the individual grain. The macro-indentation test was conducted to analyze the tensile-like properties of the polycrystalline SS 316L alloy over the X-Y and Y-Z planes. The macro-indentation test provided a reliable estimate of the ultimate tensile strength (UTS-like) of the alloy. Other indentation properties gave inconsistent results, and a post factum analysis was, therefore, conducted, by means of a new approach, to account for the presence of residual stresses. The already existing indentation data were supplemented with new repeated indentation tests to conduct a detailed analysis of the relaxation ability of compressive and tensile residual stresses. The developed methodology allows the effect of residual stresses and the reliability of measured macro-indentation properties to be examined as a function of a small group of indentation parameters.

In the context of cancer heterogeneity, the synergistic action of next-generation sequencing (NGS) and CRISPR/Cas9 plays a promising role in the personalized treatment of cancer. NGS enables high-throughput genomic profiling of tumors and pinpoints specific mutations that primarily lead to cancer. Oncologists use this information obtained from NGS in the form of DNA profiling or RNA analysis to tailor precision strategies based on an individual's unique molecular signature. Furthermore, the CRISPR technique enables precise editing of cancer-specific mutations, allowing targeted gene modifications. Harnessing the potential insights of NGS and CRISPR/Cas9 heralds a remarkable frontier in cancer therapeutics with unprecedented precision, effectiveness and minimal off-target effects.

The Asian corn borer (Ostrinia furnacalis, Lepidoptera, Crambidae) and Oriental armyworm (Mythimna separata, Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) are 2 major lepidopteran pests of the maize plant, especially the whorls and tassels. The aim of this study was to investigate competition between 2 lepidopteran pests of maize. Intraspecific and interspecific competition occurs when O. furnacalis and M. separata larvae interact with various stages of the maize plant. Therefore, determining whether this competition can decrease larval damage by causing adverse effects on larval growth is crucial. During the maize growing season of 2022, the interaction of these species was assessed in the experimental field of Jilin Agricultural University, China. Interspecific and intraspecific competition of larvae in different maize tissues and the influence of competition on larval development was determined in the fields. The results showed that first, probing behavior was significantly frequent in O. furnacalis larvae; intraspecific and interspecific attack was significant at 4th instar (with leaf, silk, and kernel). Interspecific defense behavior was significant at 3rd instar (without food). O. furnacalis larvae showed attack behavior toward M. separata larvae frequently. Second, competition increased the mortality rate of O. furnacalis larvae (intraspecific, 67%; interspecific, 33%) and decreased pupation emergence rate. Thus, intraspecific and interspecific competition might affect the competitive displacement of pest species sharing the same ecological niche, as well as the prevalence and population dynamics of pests, and help to develop integrated pest management strategies., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Cyclopropanes are of great synthetic value in heterocyclic chemistry due to their highly reactive nature. They are widely employed to synthesize various biologically active organic compounds. Generally, vinyl, carbonyl, imine, and alkylidene cyclopropanes are utilized as efficient synthetic precursors in organic synthesis. The Cloke-Wilson rearrangement of these activated cyclopropanes is carried out to achieve the synthesis of diverse heterocyclic scaffolds. Various oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur-containing heterocyclic compounds have been synthesized employing this rearrangement. With time, Cloke-Wilson rearrangement has evolved into a high yielding enantioselective and diastereoselective approach utilizing integrated novel methods. Our review focuses on the recent approaches for Cloke-Wilson rearrangement to synthesize several five-membered heterocycles and its applicability towards the natural product syntheses reported during 2000-2020., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs), a new solid-state electron transfer material was anchored to nitrogen-doped TiO 2 via sol gel method. The introduction of GQDs effectively extended light absorption of TiO 2 from UV to visible region. GQD-N-TiO 2 demonstrated lower PL intensity at excitation wavelengths of 320 to 450 nm confirming enhanced exciton lifespan. GQD-N-TiO 2 -300 revealed higher surface area (191.91m 2  g -1 ), pore diameter (1.94 nm), TEM particle size distribution (4.88 ± 1.26 nm) with lattice spacing of 0.45 nm and bandgap (2.91 eV). In addition, GQDs incorporation shifted XPS spectrum of Ti 2p to lower binding energy level (458.36 eV), while substitution of oxygen sites in TiO 2 lattice by carbon were confirmed through deconvolution of C 1 s spectrum. Photocatalytic reaction followed the pseudo first order reaction and continuous reductions in apparent rate constant (K app ) with incremental increase in RB5 concentration. Langmuir-Hinshelwood model showed surface reaction rate constants K C  = 1.95 mg L -1  min -1 and K LH  = 0.76 L mg -1 . The active species trapping, and mechanism studies indicated the photocatalytic decolorization of RB5 through GQD-N-TiO 2 was governed by type II heterojunction. Overall, the photodecolorization reactions were triggered by the formation of holes and reactive oxygen species. The presence of •OH, 1 O 2 , and O 2 • during the photocatalytic process were confirmed through EPR analysis. The excellent photocatalytic decolorization of the synthesized nanocomposite against RB5 can be ascribed to the presence of GQDs in the TiO 2 lattice that acted as excellent electron transporter and photosensitizer. This study provides a basis for using nonmetal, abundant, and benign materials like graphene quantum dots to enhance the TiO 2 photocatalytic efficiency, opening new possibilities for environmental applications., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Terrestrial ecosystems are under the enormous pressure of land use management regimes through human disturbances, resulting in the disruption of biogeochemical cycles and associated ecosystem services. Nitrogen (N) in soil ecosystems is of vital importance for primary productivity, hence estimating the extent of these human interventions on N-cycling processes becomes imperative from economic and environmental perspectives. This work investigated the impacts of variable anthropogenic activities on N cycling in three different terrestrial ecosystems (arable, grassland, and forest) in three regions of lower Himalaya, Pakistan. Potential nitrification (PNA) and denitrification (DEA) enzyme activities, relative distribution of inorganic N species (NH 4 , NO 3 ), and the role of inherent edaphic factors were assessed. Results revealed high nitrification potentials and increased nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions in the incubated soil microcosms, in the order as arable > grassland > forest ecosystems. Notably, higher rates of both studied processes (~ 30-50%) and elevated soil mineral nitrogen pool were observed in arable ecosystems. Forest soils, assumed as pristine ecosystems relying mainly on natural N fixation, produced (de)nitrification rates relatively lower than grasslands, followed by arable soils which were moderately disturbed through long-term fertilization and intensive land-use regimes. Linear regression modeling revealed that the inorganic N species (particularly NO 3 ), and inherent edaphic factors were the key determinants of high (de)nitrification rates, hence warn of accelerated N losses in these ecosystems. The study highlights that elevated PNA and DEA being proxies for the altered N cycling in the studied terrestrial ecosystems are of great ecological relevance in view of predicted N 2 O budget in the lower Himalaya., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)