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The current study worked on heavy metals concentrations in sediments of the alpine lakes in Gilgit-Baltistan, Northern Pakistan. Sediments samples (n = 41) from alpine lakes: Sadpara Lake, Rama Lake, Upper Kachura Lake, and Shausar Lake were collected. Sediments samples were digested according to standard protocol and analysed by atomic absorption spectrometry. Among heavy metals, Mn exhibited the highest mean concentration (333 mg/kg) in the sediments of alpine lakes, while Cd showed the lowest (1.48 mg/kg). The Ni, Cu, Cr, Mn, and Zn showed the highest mean concentrations in Sadpara Lake compared to other lakes. Sediments heavy metals concentrations were used for the calculation of pollution factors of alpine lakes, such as contamination factor (CF), pollution loads index (PLI), and ecological risk assessment (ERA). Among alpine lakes, the Sadpara Lake showed the highest PLI and CF values for most of the heavy metals. However, the highest mean (74.2 and 104) values of ERA and risk index (RI) were noted in the Rama Lake and exhibited a low-level risk to the alpine lake's system. Statistical analyses showed that weathering of bedrock and rich mineralised zone in the vicinity were dominating contributors of heavy metals contaminations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights Highly efficient gas sensors fabrication having low detection limits have been one of key research area due to the industrial, environmental and other technological applications. In this study, polyaniline/bismuth doped zinc oxide (PANI/Bi‐ZnO) was prepared via inverse emulsion polymerization and it was coated over a substrate with staggered electrodes to create a highly efficient ammonia (NH3) sensor. The UV/Vis investigation, fourier transformed infrared (FTIR), raman spectral analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to describe the structure and morphology of prepared samples. At room temperature, the PANI/Bi‐ZnO sensor's sensitivity to various NH3 gas concentrations ranging from 20 to 100 ppm was examined. According to the experimental findings, the PANI/Bi‐ZnO film exhibits outstanding performance of response and selectivity. The response at 20 ppm NH3 was as high as ⁓100%. The response and recovery time was also calculated at 20 ppm and was 11/15 s. The contact between p‐n heterojunctions in the composite is responsible for the exceptional sensitivity of PANI/Bi‐ZnO towards NH3 sensing. Synthesis of Bi doped ZnO composites with PANI at room temperature Fabrication of highly sensitive and efficient resistive type ammonia sensor Selective and robust detection of ammonia by the fabricated sensor High sensitivity with low limit of detection offered by the sensor Response of the fabricated sensor at 20 ppm NH3 was as high as ⁓100% [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Football (soccer) stands as the world's most popular sport, enthralling millions of fans globally. Within the dynamic sphere of modern football, gaining comprehensive insights into the nuanced technical and physical demands placed on players is pivotal for performance optimization. This paper introduces an innovative deep learning-powered image classification algorithm for recognizing football player activities directly from videos and images. Our pioneering approach harnesses the synergistic capabilities of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and graph convolutional networks (GCNs) to decipher intricate spatial–temporal patterns in player poses and motions. The methodology employs a hybrid CNN and GCN architecture. The CNN leverages consecutive convolutional and pooling layers to automatically extract discriminative visual features from input frames capturing player poses. The GCN models' skeletal joints as graph nodes with bones as edges, performing graph convolutions to aggregate spatial and temporal information from neighboring body parts. This enables capturing localized pose dynamics. The complementary CNN and GCN outputs are fused through fully connected layers to classify player activities based on both visual appearances and pose configurations. The model is trained end to end on richly annotated football video data using a multi-class cross-entropy loss. Data augmentation and regularization techniques enhance robustness. Extensive experiments validate the proposed architecture's effectiveness, achieving 97.4% accuracy, 96% precision, 95.5% recall, 95.4% F1-score, 0.90 Matthews correlation, and 93% specificity in classifying 17 complex football activities significantly higher than previous benchmarks. Detailed ablation studies confirm the contributions of the CNN, GCN, and fused model components. The work represents a major advance in leveraging deep neural networks for accurate and granular analysis of sports performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study scrutinises the influence of the internal resources/capabilities; financial capabilities, Information Technology (IT) capabilities and entrepreneurial orientation on new venture performance with Business Model Innovation (BMI) as a mediator. We tested the hypotheses on the basis of a data set of 308 new ventures of Pakistan. The results indicate that all three resources/capabilities have a significant influence on new venture performance as well as on BMI. Moreover, BMI fully mediates the relationship between IT capabilities and new venture performance while it plays a partial mediating role between financial capabilities and new venture performance as well as between entrepreneurial orientation and new venture performance. Our study recommends new enterprises emphasise their internal resources/capabilities to innovate their business model in a way to survive in the long run in the competitive market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speech emotion recognition (SER) is a challenging task in human–computer interaction (HCI) systems. One of the key challenges in speech emotion recognition is to extract the emotional features effectively from a speech utterance. Despite the promising results of recent studies, they generally do not leverage advanced fusion algorithms for the generation of effective representations of emotional features in speech utterances. To address this problem, we describe the fusion of spatial and temporal feature representations of speech emotion by parallelizing convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and a Transformer encoder for SER. We stack two parallel CNNs for spatial feature representation in parallel to a Transformer encoder for temporal feature representation, thereby simultaneously expanding the filter depth and reducing the feature map with an expressive hierarchical feature representation at a lower computational cost. We use the RAVDESS dataset to recognize eight different speech emotions. We augment and intensify the variations in the dataset to minimize model overfitting. Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN) is used to augment the RAVDESS dataset. With the spatial and sequential feature representations of CNNs and the Transformer, the SER model achieves 82.31% accuracy for eight emotions on a hold-out dataset. In addition, the SER system is evaluated with the IEMOCAP dataset and achieves 79.42% recognition accuracy for five emotions. Experimental results on the RAVDESS and IEMOCAP datasets show the success of the presented SER system and demonstrate an absolute performance improvement over the state-of-the-art (SOTA) models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we produced POT polymer-based tungsten (IV) oxide, (WO2), cerium (IV) oxide, (CeO2) and iron (III) oxide (Fe2O3) novel composite materials by emulsion polymerization and one pot blending techniques. UV–Vis analysis confirmed various electronic transitions in π–π* and n–π* levels. FT-IR spectra showed the integration of reinforcement particles within the polymer matrix by the engagement of free functionalities of the polymer by the metal oxide moieties. SEM analysis described the diverse morphology (spherical, pellets, porous and rod-shaped) of the synthesized materials while the complete dispersion of reinforcement particles in the polymer matrix. Extensive cyclic voltammetry studies were done and the materials were found to be used as electroactive agents as they deliver reversible anodic and cathode peaks. The materials are less resistive toward the mobility of ions thus offering good electrical and storage properties. The prepared are proposed to be efficient in electrode and capacitors production technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A finite element–based thermomechanical modeling approach is developed in this study to provide a prediction of the mesoscale melt pool behavior and part-scale properties for AlSi10Mg alloy. On the mesoscale, the widely adopted Goldak heat source model is used to predict melt pool formed by laser during powder bed fusion process. This requires the determination of certain parameters as they control temperature distribution and, hence, melt pool boundaries. A systematic parametric approach is proposed to determine parameters, i.e., absorption coefficient and transient temperature evolution. The simulation results are compared in terms of morphology of melt pool with the literature results. Considering the part-scale domain, there is increasing demand for predicting geometric distortions and analyzing underlying residual stresses, which are highly influenced by the mesh size and initial temperature setup. This study aims to propose a strategy for evaluating the correlation between the mesh size and the initial temperature to provide correct residual stresses when increasing the scale of the model for efficiency. The outcomes revealed that the predicted melt pool error produced by optimal Goldak function parameters is between 5 and 12%. On the part-scale, the finite element model is less sensitive to mesh size for distortion prediction, and layer-lumping can be used to increase the speed of simulation. The effect of large time increments and layer lumping can be compensated by appropriate initial temperature value for AlSi10Mg. The study aids practitioners and researchers to establish and validate design for additive manufacturing within the scope of desired part quality metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of their simple design structure, end-to-end deep learning (E2E-DL) models have gained a lot of attention for speech enhancement. A number of DL models have achieved excellent results in eliminating the background noise and enhancing the quality as well as the intelligibility of noisy speech. Designing resource-efficient and compact models during real-time processing is still a key challenge. In order to enhance the accomplishment of E2E models, the sequential and local characteristics of speech signal should be efficiently taken into consideration while modeling. In this paper, we present resource-efficient and compact neural models for end-to-end noise-robust waveform-based speech enhancement. Combining the Convolutional Encode-Decoder (CED) and Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) in the Convolutional Recurrent Network (CRN) framework, we have aimed at different speech enhancement systems. Different noise types and speakers are used to train and test the proposed models. With LibriSpeech and the DEMAND dataset, the experiments show that the proposed models lead to improved quality and intelligibility with fewer trainable parameters, notably reduced model complexity, and inference time than existing recurrent and convolutional models. The quality and intelligibility are improved by 31.61% and 17.18% over the noisy speech. We further performed cross corpus analysis to demonstrate the generalization of the proposed E2E SE models across different speech datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Proposed a cutting-edge technique for cardiopulmonary sound separation. • This paper investigates cardiorespiratory auscultation using uniquely integrated MCRA-OMLSA and NMF-HMM techniques. • Unsupervised learning method to enhance signal accuracy without reliance on external data. Increasing the accuracy and efficiency of cardiopulmonary disease screening is crucial, as cardiovascular illnesses pose a serious threat to human health and result in numerous fatalities annually around the globe. For doctors to assess the illness, auscultation is a non-invasive technique. An electronic stethoscope records heart sounds (HS) and lung sounds (LS), which are useful acoustic data for diagnosing pulmonary diseases. Nevertheless, interference between LS and HS that is visible in the frequency and temporal domains hinders the effectiveness of the diagnostic process. Moreover, conducting any prior training is not always feasible in many real-world situations. It is very challenging to prepare pure lung and heart sounds. This paper proposes an integrated approach using a minima-controlled recursive algorithm (MCRA) equipped with optimally modified-log spectral amplitude (OMLSA), a trainable time wrapping technique (TTW), and a non-negative matrix factorization-hidden Markov model (NMF-HMM) to effectively separate lung and heart sounds, knowing nothing about the heart or lung sounds beforehand. A detailed investigation in terms of unsupervised framework is provided in this paper. This study is the first to apply the integrated OMLSA-TTW-NMF-HMM approach to cardiopulmonary sounds separation and presents the HLS classification method. This research proposes a framework with improved robustness and separation quality compared to existing state-of-the-art techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CoPc/Bi 2 WO 6 heterojunction with Co2+ centres have been effectively fabricated. • The built-in electric field and covalent bonding cause effective Z-scheme system. • The Co2+ centres could capture photoelectrons and encourage the CO 2 activation. • Optimized CoPc/Bi 2 WO 6 heterojunction shows superior photocatalytic activities for CO 2 reduction. The Z-scheme heterojunction offers hope for CO 2 reduction due to its unique charge migration, superior separation, and high redox capacity. Yet, regulating charge transfer in nanoscale heterostructure interfaces remains a significant challenge. Herein, we systematically engineered interfacial dual tungsten (W) bonds and built-in electric field (BIEF) modulated Z-scheme heterostructure composed by CoPc and Bi 2 WO 6 (BWO), stimulate a Z-scheme charge shuttle cascade, channelling electrons from BWO to CoPc, thereby optimizing charge separation and upholding a high redox potential. The optimized photocatalyst exhibits high CH 4 /CO 2 rate of ∼2.5 compared to pure BWO under vis-light for efficient CO 2 reduction. The improved photoactivity is confirmed through theoretical/experimental evidence, highlighting the significance of newly formed W-O-C and W-Co bonds and BIEF. These components function as atomic-level interfacial channels, efficiently accelerating Z-scheme interfacial electron shuttle and shortening the electron-shuttle distance. Furthermore, the extended visible-light range, enabled by the molecular dispersion of CoPc, and the favourable catalytic function of its central metal cation (Co2+) for CO 2 activation, significantly contribute to the overall enhancement. This work offers a new platform to design emerging modulated CO 2 photoreduction systems based on Z-scheme charge shuttle by regulating atomic-level interface and BIEF to remarkably encourage photocatalytic CO 2 photo-reduction performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humidity sensors have gained tremendous attention due to their practical applications in the pharmaceutical industry, food processing, biomedical applications, microelectronics, and meteorology. Herein, a polymer-based multifunctional humidity sensor (PANI-Bi-ZnO) has been fabricated. This study describes a polymer-based capacitive-type humidity sensor that has excellent repeatability, negligible hysteresis (0.5% RH at 60% RH), quick response (8 s) and relaxation times (20 s), high stability (30 days), high sensitivity, and good linearity in a wide humidity detection range of 10–90% RH and has become increasingly significant for applications involving industrial control and environmental monitoring. Moreover, the fabricated sensor possesses a highly reliable/stable output performance that remains constant after multiple test cycles. The current work also provides a cost-effective method to fabricate high-performance humidity sensors. The designed humidity sensor would be an excellent choice for measuring a variety of applications in the field of humidity.Graphical abstract: Humidity sensors have gained tremendous attention due to their practical applications in the pharmaceutical industry, food processing, biomedical applications, microelectronics, and meteorology. Herein, a polymer-based multifunctional humidity sensor (PANI-Bi-ZnO) has been fabricated. This study describes a polymer-based capacitive-type humidity sensor that has excellent repeatability, negligible hysteresis (0.5% RH at 60% RH), quick response (8 s) and relaxation times (20 s), high stability (30 days), high sensitivity, and good linearity in a wide humidity detection range of 10–90% RH and has become increasingly significant for applications involving industrial control and environmental monitoring. Moreover, the fabricated sensor possesses a highly reliable/stable output performance that remains constant after multiple test cycles. The current work also provides a cost-effective method to fabricate high-performance humidity sensors. The designed humidity sensor would be an excellent choice for measuring a variety of applications in the field of humidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many genes, including KCNH2 , contain "hotspot" domains associated with a high density of variants associated with disease. This has led to the suggestion that variant location can be used as evidence supporting classification of clinical variants. However, it is not known what proportion of all potential variants in hotspot domains cause loss of function. Here, we have used a massively parallel trafficking assay to characterize all single-nucleotide variants in exon 2 of KCNH2 , a known hotspot for variants that cause long QT syndrome type 2 and an increased risk of sudden cardiac death. Forty-two percent of KCNH2 exon 2 variants caused at least 50% reduction in protein trafficking, and 65% of these trafficking-defective variants exerted a dominant-negative effect when co-expressed with a WT KCNH2 allele as assessed using a calibrated patch-clamp electrophysiology assay. The massively parallel trafficking assay was more accurate (AUC of 0.94) than bioinformatic prediction tools (REVEL and CardioBoost, AUC of 0.81) in discriminating between functionally normal and abnormal variants. Interestingly, over half of variants in exon 2 were found to be functionally normal, suggesting a nuanced interpretation of variants in this "hotspot" domain is necessary. Our massively parallel trafficking assay can provide this information prospectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examines how top managers/owners of new ventures utilize the political connection to boost their performance and survival in the competitive market. We conceptualized the model having access to finance and technology as mediators between political connection and small and medium enterprises' (SMEs) success. We conducted a survey and gathered empirical evidence from 242 Pakistani SMEs which have started their operation for the last 10 years. The results of the structural equation modeling indicate that political connection significantly contributes to the success of SMEs. The political connection has a significant influence on access to finance while an insignificant influence on access to technology. Access to finance has a significant influence while access to technology has an insignificant influence on the success of SMEs. Moreover, access to finance partially mediates while access to technology does not play the mediating role between the political tie and SMEs' success. Our research recommends top managers/owners of new enterprises to build an auspicious tie with the government and public officials to access valuable resources that are necessary for growth and survival. The government and policymakers need to interact with entrepreneurs and provide necessary resources to ensure their success, growth and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the role of Islamic practices: Islamic work ethics, Islamic social finance, and religiosity in financial and environmental performances with corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a mediator. We collected data from 241 Pakistani enterprises through survey and applied structural equation modeling in AMOS. The results showed that Islamic work ethics and Islamic social finance have insignificant effects on financial performance but a significant influence on environmental performance. Religiosity has a significant effect on financial but an insignificant influence on environmental performance. Islamic practices significantly improve CSR activities in the SMEs, resulting in financial and environmental performances. Our research further showed that CSR partially mediates the effects of Islamic practices on financial and environmental performances. Top management of the SMEs is suggested to follow Islamic practices in order to configure their performance (financial and environmental). This research suggests policy implications for the policy makers to encourage Islamic practices in business dealing and trading in order to configure CSR and environmental practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Damage caused by corrosion triggered metallic constructs to be malfunction and collapse, which resulted in financial loss. For this reason corrosion preventing coatings is applied to preserve the worth of industrial assets. Polyaniline (PANI) is one of the members of conducting polymers to use as protective coatings. However, certain co -additives like natural compounds have significantly uplifts the effectiveness of polyaniline (PANI). Herein, the incredible properties of gum rosin (GR) that boost the inhibitory performance of PANI are presented. The PANI patched with GR was synthesized by inverse emulsion polymerization. The UV–Visible and FTIR analysis confirms the synthesis of PANI-gum rosin (PANI-GR) composite, whereas, the thermogram of synthesized composite shows outstanding thermal stability to 533 ° C. SEM analysis reveals a bi-layered morphology with porous PANI layer which is superimposed by fibrous layer of gum rosin. PANI-GR was soluble in numerous common organic solvents, including chloroform, methanol, n-heptane, toluene, DMSO, NMP, and acetone the maximum solubility potential was observed to be 7.8 % (w / v). The corrosion preventing ability of the PANI-GR composite was evaluated through OCP, EIS and Tafel analysis. A significant uplift was found in the OCP potential (E OCP) to −0.38 V which might be due to the existence of a PANI-GR layer with prominent anticorrosive properties. The synthesized PANI-GR composite layer reveals a significant reduction in the corrosion of mild steel surfaces with corrosion efficacy up to 92 % in a diprotic acidic medium. In a nut shell, the potential of PANI-GR composite is demonstrated here in order to resolve problems of PANI, leading to significantly save the country assets. • Ecologically friendly and Novel PANI-GR composite • Superior solubility in common organic solvents • Significant uplift in the OCP potential (E OCP) • Extraordinary corrosion prevention ability up to 92 % [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speech enhancement (SE) by transient noise suppression refers to the process of estimating the desired signal from a transient noise (TN)-corrupted speech signal. It has important applications in speaker verification and identification, voice-based biometric systems, hearing aids, video conferences, and many others. Enhancement of TN-corrupted signals is both important and challenging due to their high randomness, high short-time energy, and wide frequency domain distribution. This paper presents a novel approach to SE that leverages the power of sequential sparse nonnegative matrix factorization (SNMF), enhanced dictionary learning (DL), and Gini index (GI)-based fusion. We use a multi-step approach to enhance noisy speech. Our approach uses semi-supervised learning since the TN used for dictionary training is derived from the noisy signal using optimally-modified log-spectral amplitude (OMLSA) and is then purified. We involve both the dictionaries of the noisy signal and external clean speech in the DL process to merge the strengths of both dictionaries. Firstly, the dictionary of the noisy signal is obtained through SNMF and is then decomposed into speech-dominant and noise-dominant submatrices using semi-supervised learning. Then this speech-dominant submatrix is combined with the clean speech dictionary to construct an improved speech dictionary. This enhanced dictionary and the external clean speech dictionary are then used for the SE in the testing phase, resulting in two different initial estimated signals. To improve the accuracy of the initial estimates, we apply the GI to obtain the final estimate. Furthermore, the noisy signal's phase is also enhanced. A significant increase is observed in the results through different evaluation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a 9-elements hybrid MIMO (multiple input multiple output) antennas system is developed for 5G Smartphone communication.The designed MIMO system is composed of two different antenna parts i.e. the multi-band antenna element, and the eight-elements single-band antenna array. The multi-band antenna element encompasses the GSM 0.9/1.8/1.9 GHz (2G bands), UMTS 2.1 GHz (3G bands), LTE 2.3/2.5 GHz (4G bands), GPS, and WLAN 2.4/5 GHz, while the single-band antenna array covers the C-band (3400–3600 MHz) allocated for 5G cellular communcation. The model of the designed system has been manufactured and the simulation results are validated by conducting experiments with the fabricated prototype. High isolation levels have been observed between the elements. The designed antenna systems showed consistent radiation characteristics with a peak gain value of 5.5 dBi, and efficiency of as high as 90%. Furthermore, good MIMO performance parameters, such as the envelop correlation coefficient (ECC) less than 0.13, and 40 bps/Hz channel capacity have been observed over the desired bandwidth. Owing to the salient performance characteristics, the proposed antenna system could be used in modern mobile communications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we investigate a new way of dealing with fault detection and isolation (FDI) for a class of delayed non‐linear systems with an event‐triggered mechanism (ETM). This article is based on 1) To estimate the dynamics of the nonlinear plant, Sliding Mode Observers (SMO's) is manipulated with Luenberger. 2) Under the ETM, sampled data is released only when the plant's measurement (sampled) violate the specific threshold of the event condition. 3) First, transform into two subsystems. In subsystem‐A contains uncertainties without sensor fault and vice‐versa in subsystem‐B. To handle the uncertainties that appeared in subsystem‐A, a new SMO's implemented while traditional Luenberger is employed to detect the sensor fault. Then, by using a new Lyapunov‐Krasovskii function approach performance index is proposed. Based on stability criteria, sufficient conditions are provided in the account of Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs). The simulation example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of our design method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Improving ligand-to-active metal charge transfer (LAMCT) by finely tuning the organic ligand is a decisive strategy to enhance charge transfer in metal organic frameworks (MOFs)-based catalysts. However, in most MOFs loaded with active metal catalysts, electron transmission encounters massive obstacle at the interface between the two constituents owing to poor LAMCT. Herein, amines (–NH 2) functionalized MOFs (NH 2 -MIL-101(Cr)) encapsulated active metal Pt nanoclusters (NCs) catalysts are synthesized by the polyol reduction method and utilized for the photoreduction of CO 2. Surprisingly, the introduction of –NH 2 (electron donating) groups within the matrix of MIL-101(Cr) improved the electron migration through the LAMCT process, fostering a synergistic interaction with Pt. The combined experimental analysis exposed the high number of metallic Pt (Pt0) in Pt@NH 2 -MIL-101(Cr) catalyst through seamless electron shuttling from N of –NH 2 group to excited Pt generating versatile hybrid Pt-N catalytic centres. Consequently, these versatile hybrid catalytic centres act as electro-nucleophilic centres, which enable the efficient and selective conversion of C O bond in CO 2 to harvest CH 4 (131.0 µmol.g−1) and maintain excellent stability and selectivity for consecutive five rounds, superior to Pt@MIL-101(Cr) and most reported catalysts. Our study verified that the precise tuning of organic ligands in MOFs immensely improves the surface-active centres, electron migration, and catalytic selectivity of the excited Pt NCs catalysts encaged inside MOFs through an improved LAMCT pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the frequency of incidental carcinoma of prostate in patients with clinically benign prostatic hyprplasia. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 241 patients in the department of urology, Institute of Kidney Diseases, Peshawar, from January 2018 to December 2019. All patients above 50 years of age who presented with clinically enlarged prostate and prostate specific antigen level of less than 10 ng/ml were included in the study. Patients with a history of surgical intervention, or prostate specific antigen more than 10 ng/ml and with nodule or hardness of prostate on digital rectal examination were excluded from the study. Transurethral Resection of Prostate (TURP) was performed by consultant urologist and specimens were sent for histopathology. Results: The mean age of patients was 61.03 ± 6.63 years with a range of 53 - 75 years. The pre-operative mean prostate specific antigen was 5.96 ± 1.86. On histopathology report, incidental prostatic carcinoma was recorded in 10% of patients. Conclusion: Incidental carcinoma prostate is fairly common in our population who have benign prostatc hyperplasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Implementing additive manufacturing in an industry, particularly for critical applications of lightweight aluminum (AlSi10Mg), requires part properties that are both accurate and precise to conform to the intent of a robust design. In this experimental study, the objective was to evaluate anisotropy in part properties (i.e., flatness, surface roughness, surface porosity, surface hardness, pre-hole shrinkage, drilling thrust force, and thread-stripping force) when the part orientation (i.e., print inclination and recoater angle) was independently changed. This study developed and investigated an innovative procedure for determining anisotropy in part properties. The part properties were evaluated by designing specific features on a tailor-made flat plate. The replicas of the aluminum plate were additively manufactured at varying orientations using two commercial EOS parameter sets for the laser-based powder bed fusion technique. Conventional measurement equipment was used to analyze all the part properties, except the thread-stripping force, which was measured using a custom-made setup. All the part properties indicated a considerable degree of anisotropy, excluding the drilling thrust force. The printing parameters dictate the significance of the anisotropy. The anisotropy in flatness and pre-hole shrinkage decreases with an increased substrate temperature and a decrease in energy input and thermal gradient. The presence of surface overlapping contours in the scan strategy and an increased energy input can reduce anisotropy in surface roughness and hardness. No significant anisotropy was detected when the recoater angle was changed. This study helps designers establish and substantiate design for additive manufacturing that is within the limits of appropriate anisotropy for a robust design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gravitational water vortex turbine (GWVT) is an ultra-low head turbine that extracts energy from an artificially induced gravitational water vortex in the basin of cylindrical or conical configuration. The latter type of basin helps in the re-construction of vortex once it is distorted after passing through a runner and thus, provide an additional potential for power extraction at different heights along the basin. In the absence of a detailed experimental study on multi-staging of GWVT in a conical basin, a preliminary investigation has been carried out using runners of Savonius type blades and producing power independently because of telescopic shafts arrangement. The effects of crucial design parameters such as rotor diameter to basin diameter ratio (RB), vortex-blade interaction, the position of the various stages and the offset distance between the neighboring stages, on the performance of GWVT are reported. In addition, the performance parameters which include rotational speed, torque and power are investigated under various rotor submergence conditions; thus, revealing maximum performance for a brimming vortex-blade interaction. One of the key findings of the study is the complex transfer of energy between the two neighboring stages through the vortex flow without the physical contact of rotors. Moreover, multi-staging provides more power than single-stage GWVT by strengthening the vortex in the vicinity of each other through rigid body rotation of the neighboring runners. The outcomes of the present study make it a potential benchmark for the future generations of GWVT technology. • Energy transfer between the neighboring stages is improved through the water vortex. • Performance of multi-stage GWVT depends on rotor diameter to basin diameter ratio. • A brimming vortex-blade interaction compels the rotors to improve their performance. • Addition of rigid body rotation to the vortex improves power of neighboring stages. • With more energy in the surface cortex, top stage performs better than bottom stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The citation count is one of the indications of a manuscript's impact. The objective of the current study was to identify and analyze the top cited articles published on fluoride in the context of oral health. The articles published from January 1997 to December 2017 on fluoride in the context of oral health were identified using the Scopus database. The 100 top cited articles were ranked based on the number of citations received. The manuscripts were also analyzed for the type of study, the name of the journal, the impact factor, the publication year, the author names, the institutional affiliation and the country of origin. The data analysis was performed using SPSS (version 20) statistical software (IBM, NY, USA). Among the top 100 most cited articles, the citation count ranged from 419 to 63. The two most prominent journals were Caries research (n=22) and Journal of Dental Research (n=16). The four year period with the greatest number of manuscripts published was 2001--2004 (n=37) and most of the papers originated from USA (n=25). The most frequent institutions were the University of Oslo, the University of California, San Francisco, the Justus Liebig University, and the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (n=5 for each institution). The most frequent first author was Ganss C (n=7), and the most frequent coauthor was Klimek J (n=8). The majority of the studies were in vitro studies (n=40) and narrative reviews (n=23). This article reveals the progress of research on fluoride in oral health by identifying the topics, the institutions, and the authors contributing to fluoride research. There was a predominance of in vitro studies and narrative reviews among the highly cited manuscripts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In order to ensure global food security a rationale approach is required to control all those factors which directly or indirectly affect the food productivity. The neglected helminthic diseases alone are responsible for huge economic losses to the agrarian stakeholders. The problem is further compounded by the emerging drug resistance in flukes against the commonly used anthelmintics like triclabendazole. Therefore, the search for alternatives including the nano-based approaches has become a necessity to develop future control strategies. In the present study the effect of biologically synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was investigated on an economically important amphistome parasite, Gigantocotyle explanatum, obtained from the infected liver of the Indian water buffaloes, Bubalus bubalis. In vitro treatment of the adult worms with different doses of AgNPs severely affected the worm motility and caused ROS mediated damages in the treated flukes. The antioxidant system and the detoxification ability of the worms appeared to be disrupted along with pronounced DNA damage in the treated worms as compared to the controls. Following the treatment of worms with different concentrations of AgNPs there was a significant (p < 0.05) increase in lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation levels which are the key oxidative stress markers. The tegumental surface which is metabolically active, was severely damaged as evident from the loss of papillae, severe blebbing, shearing and erosion of the surface structures. Such topographical disruptions would facilitate the penetration of the nanoparticles deep within the tissues that might greatly reduce the invasive potential of the flukes as evident from the decreased motility. Taken together our findings suggest that the AgNPs posses great anthelmintic potential and could be further exploited for the development of anthelmintic formulations which may be tested in vivo. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Anthelmintic effect of biologically synthesized AgNPs was studied on G. explanatum. • The AgNPs caused ROS mediated biochemical changes in treated worms. • The nanoparticles resulted in DNA damage and alteration in the polypeptide profile. • AgNPs also severely disrupted the tegument thus showing strong anthelmintic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addition of inorganic particles and insulating polymeric materials to conducting polymers allows the alteration and modification of physical properties of the conducting polymer. An inverse emulsion polymerization technique was employed for the synthesis of polyaniline (PANI), composites of PANI with copper (PANI‐Cu), polyvinyl alcohol (PANI‐PVA), as well as composites of PANI with Cu and PVA (PANI‐Cu‐PVA) under comparable experimental conditions. The FTIR and UV/Vis, spectra were employed to determine the chemical structure. The morphology of the synthesized composites was studied by SEM technique. The XRD pattern illustrates good crystallinity of the composites with improved conductivity at room temperature. The TGA results show an increase in the thermal stability of the composites. The results show that co‐addition of PVA and Cu into PANI greatly affects the properties of PANI as well as the solubility as the composites were soluble in a number of commonly used organic solvents such as DMSO, NMP, chloroform, 2:1 mixture of chloroform and 2‐propanol, and 2:1 mixture of toluene and 2‐propanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emerging resistance against commonly used antiparasitic drugs has driven investigators to explore alternative approaches using plant-derived active ingredients. These compounds have been tested for antiviral, antibacterial, and anthelmintic properties, particularly against adult worms. However, their effects on larval forms have been neglected. Curcumin is a polyphenol that is a significant constituent of the rhizome of Curcuma longa and possesses various biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-infectious, and anti-carcinogenic. In the present study, the anthelmintic potential of curcumin was tested in vitro for its efficacy against the zoonotically important larval form, the progenetic metacercariae of Clinostomum complanatum , which were procured from the forage fish, Trichogaster fasciatus. Curcumin produced time and concentration-dependent inhibition in the motility of treated metacercarial worms, with the maximum inhibition of motility reported at 60 μM along with a significant increase of (36–92%) in ROS and (57–112%) in GSH levels at the end of a period of 6 h. In contrast, curcumin at the highest concentration significantly inhibited the activities of the antioxidant and detoxification enzymes SOD (36%) and GST (16%), respectively, in addition to altering the polypeptide profile and inhibiting cysteine proteases. The tegumental surface appeared to be highly disrupted in curcumin-treated worms, exhibiting severe blebbing, shearing of the tegument, and spine erosion. Such changes would affect the tegumental functions and survival of worms in the hostile microenvironment. This would render worms more susceptible to host-mediated rejection responses. Based on the results of the present study, it is inferred that C. complanatum could serve as an excellent model for screening novel anthelmintic drugs against larval trematodes of great economic significance. Furthermore, we conclude that curcumin could be exploited as an excellent phytotherapeutic agent against the virulent larval form under investigation. [Display omitted] • The anthelmintic effects of curcumin is demonstrated on the infective progenetic metacercarial stage of C. complanatum. • Curcumin induces alterations in the levels of (ROS) and SOD activity, while increasing levels of GSH and (GST). • Curcumin causes changes in the polypeptide profile of the worm and inhibits its cysteine protease activity. • Curcumin severely disrupts the tegumental surface of the worm, contributing to its anthelmintic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine frequency of new onset atrial fibrillation among patients presenting with anterior wall myocardial infarction. Methodology: This cross sectional study was conducted at Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar from October 2016 to March 2017.Both male and female patients aged between 35 and 70 years admitted to CCU with anterior wall myocardial infarction were included in the study. Patients with severe co morbid conditions, preexisting left ventricular dysfunction, preexisting atrial fibrillation and stroke history were excluded. ECGs of these patients were analyzed for presence or absence of atrial fibrillation at admission and during hospital stay. Non-probability consecutive sampling technique was used for sample collection. Results: Our study included 278 patients. Mean age was 57 ± 7.70 years. Of 278 patients, 180(64.74%) patients were males while 98 (35.25%) patients were females. STEMI patients were 174 (62.58%), whereas 104 (37.41%) patients presented with NSTEMI. Out of 278 patients, atrial fibrillation was recorded in 20 (7.19%) patients. Atrial fibrillation was stratified according to age, gender, type of myocardial infarction, smoking status, obesity, hypertension and diabetes. Conclusion: Our study concluded that atrial fibrillation complicates acute myocardial infarction which is common in our population, Identification of Atrial Fibrillation, Acute Myocardial Infarction, Stroke. atrial fibrillation complicating AMI is important not only during hospitalization but also during the follow up period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The helminth parasites possess great capabilities to adapt themselves within their hosts and also develop strategies to render the commonly used anthelmintics ineffective leading to the development of resistance against these drugs. Besides using anthelmintics the natural products have also been tested for their anti-parasitic effects. Therapeutic efficacy of honey bee venom (HBV) has been tested in various ailments including some protozoal infections but very little is known about its anthelmintic properties. To investigate the anthelmintic effect of HBV the excysted progenetic metacercariae of Clinostomum complanatum , a heamophagic, digenetic trematode with zoonotic potential, infecting a wide variety of hosts, were obtained from Trichogaster fasciatus, a forage fish, which serves as the intermediate host. The metacercarial worms were in vitro incubated in RPMI-1640 medium containing HBV along with the controls which were devoid of HBV for the analysis of worm motility, enzyme activity, polypeptide profile and surface topographical changes. The motility of the worms was significantly reduced in a time dependent manner with an increase in the concentration of HBV. Following incubation of worms the release of cysteine proteases was inhibited in the presence of HBV as revealed by gelatine substrate gel zymography. As well as the polypeptide profile was also significantly influenced, particularly intensity/expression of M r 19.4 kDa, 24 kDa and 34 kDa was significantly reduced upon HBV treatment. The HBV treatment also inhibited antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) significantly (p < 0.05) in the worms. The scanning electron microscopy of the HBV treated worms revealed tegumental disruptions and erosion of papillae as well as spines showing vacuolation in the tegument. The HBV treated worms also showed a marked decline in the transformation rate when introduced into an experimental host which further reflect the anthelmintic potential of HBV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digenetic trematode Fasciola gigantica is a parasite of great agricultural and economic importance. Along with Fasciola hepatica, F. gigantica incurs huge economic losses to the agricultural sector. Because of unavailability of an effective and commercial vaccine, the earliest diagnosis of the disease is the only way to control the disease. The conventional coprological techniques are able to detect the disease only after the parasites get matured and starts releasing their eggs with the faeces of host, therefore prepatent infection remain undiagnosed. The alternative method is by serological tests that uses circulatory antigens. Despite high sensitivity, their reliability is quite low because of the common antigens shared between different helminth parasites. To overcome this, investigation was shifted to identify the copro-antigens which could be more sensitive and reliable. In the present study, we tried to identify some of the immunodominant proteins from the Excretory Secretory (ES) product of F. gigantica which can be further characterized and used for early detection of infection and also as drug and vaccine candidates. The ES products of F. gigantica were collected and used for raising the polyclonal antibody in rabbit. The polypeptide profile was generated as well as immunogenic polypeptides were identified. The Source of ES antigen was immunolocalized using confocal microscopy and dot blot assay was performed to diagnose field infection. The polypeptide profile of ES products revealed a total of 24 polypeptides out of which 12 immunogenic polypeptides were identified by western blotting. Confocal micrographs showed the immunolocalization of antigens in the intestinal caecae, vitalline glands, gonads as well as in the tegument of the worm. The dot blot assay confirmed the utility of ES products for the detection of field infection. Subsequently, cross reactivity was found negative with Gigantocotyle explanatum; an amphitome parasite of same habitat. However, the cross reactivity with other helminths needs to be worked out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The beneficial effects of fluoride on human oral health are well studied. There are numerous studies demonstrating that a small amount of fluoride delivered to the oral cavity decreases the prevalence of dental decay and results in stronger teeth and bones. However, ingestion of fluoride more than the recommended limit leads to toxicity and adverse effects. In order to update our understanding of fluoride and its potential toxicity, we have described the mechanisms of fluoride metabolism, toxic effects, and management of fluoride toxicity. The main aim of this review is to highlight the potential adverse effects of fluoride overdose and poorly understood toxicity. In addition, the related clinical significance of fluoride overdose and toxicity has been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fasciolosis an economically important global disease of ruminants in the temperate and tropical regions, caused by Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica, respectively, also poses a potential zoonotic threat. In India alone it causes huge losses to stakeholders. Anthelmintics including triclabendazole have been used to control this menace but the emerging resistance against the available compounds necessitates identification of novel and alternative therapeutic measures involving plant derived natural compounds for their anthelmintic potential. Thymoquinone (T) and curcumin (C), the active ingredients of Nigella sativa and Curcuma longa respectively have been used as antiparasitic agents but the information on their flukicidal effect is very limited. Adult flukes of F. gigantica were in vitro exposed to different concentrations of thymoquinone and curcumin separately for 3h at 37 1°C. A significant (p<0.05) reduction in the worm motility at 60 μM concentration of both T and C was observed though all the worms remained alive after 3h exposure, whereas the effect on egg shedding was statistically insignificant. Pronounced tegumental disruptions and erosion of spines in the posterior region and around the acetabulum was evident. A significant (p<0.05) decrease in glutathione-S-transferase and superoxide dismutase activity and reduced glutathione (GSH) level was observed, while protein carbonylation increased differentially. A significant inhibition of CathepsinL (CatL) gene expression in thymoquinone treated worms was also evident. Further, in silico molecular docking of T and C with CatL revealed a stronger interaction of curcumin with the involvement of higher number of amino acids as compared to thymoquinone that could be more effective in inhibiting the antioxidant enzymes of F. gigantica. It is concluded that both the compounds understudy will decrease the detoxification ability of F. gigantica, while inhibition of CatL will significantly affect their virulence potential. Thus, both thymoquinone and curcumin appeared to be promising anthelmintic compounds for further investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oligomeric synthesis of phenyl-end-capped oligoaniline (4PANI LB) has been carried out through a weak oxidizing agent, CuCl 2 , using chemical oxidative polymerization protocol. The sample was characterized by mass spectrometry, UV–vis, IR, and CHN elemental analysis. The experimental results are counterchecked with the aid of Quantum mechanical calculations such as density functional theory (DFT). DFT at B3LYP/6–31 G (d) level of theory was used for the geometric and electronic properties simulations which also confirm the existence of 4PANI LB. Excellent correlation is observed between the experiment and theory, particularly in the UV–vis spectra which conclude the formation of tetramer (fully reduced form) 4PANI LB (C 24 H 20.06 N 4.07 ). Electronic properties such as Ionization Potential (I.P), Electron Affinities (E.A), the coefficient of highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO), the coefficient of lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of 4PANI LB were evaluated at the above-mentioned level of theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The properties of conducting polymers (CPs) such as polyaniline (PANI) and its derivatives can be modified, improved and even enhanced by making composites with materials which can change the extent and level of doping in the CPs. This paper reports on the synthesis of PANI in the presence of various concentration of polyvinyl alcohol by inverse emulsion polymerization. The as synthesized PANI and PANI/PVA were characterized with UV/VIS, FTIR, XRD, TGA, SEM, conductivity and electrochemical measurements. The results demonstrated the formation of polyaniline doped with polyvinyl alcohol showing high thermal stability and improved room temperature conductivity. The synthesized composites were found to be soluble in common organic solvents such as N-methylpyrolidinone (NMP), Chloroform, 2:1 mixture of toluene and 2-proanol, 1:1 mixture of chloroform and toluene and 2:1 mixture of toluene and methanol. Cyclic voltammetric studies showed good redox properties of synthesized PANI and PANI/PVA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fluoride ion (F) is the ionic form of the element fluorine, one of the halogen group of elements, and one of the most abundant elements found in nature. F is unique in the halogen group in terms of its affinity towards mineralized tissues and is known as a seeker of mineralized tissues. A beneficial role for topical F in the treatment of dental caries is widely accepted by many dental professionals and researchers. Initially, it was thought that F was beneficial when given systemically during tooth development but later research has shown that the topical effects are more important. Various topical delivery methods for F have been developed and this review discusses the various intraoral delivery methods, the mechanisms of action, toxicity, and the limitations of this treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reaction of aniline with copper(II) chloride in the presence of p -toluene sulfonic acid was investigated. The reactions were carried out in aqueous media for 24 h under a nitrogen atmosphere. The products obtained were characterized by FT-IR, UV–Vis XPS, SEM, N K-edge NEXAFS and CP MAS 13 C NMR. Elemental analysis was also carried out to determine the elemental composition of the product. The results showed the presence of partially oxidized, partially protonated polyaniline with [CuCl 3 ] − as the dopant counter ion. A decrease in the final pH and increase in the reaction yield was observed with an increase in the oxidant to monomer ratio. The increase in the yield is due to an increase in the oxidation potential of CuCl 2 with an increase in its molar concentration. The low product yields achieved are attributed to the co-formation of a copper(II) chloride aniline coordination complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyaniline and its composites with Cu II chloride were synthesized by inverse emulsion polymerization. The synthesized composites were characterized with UV/vis, FT-IR, XRD and SEM. The results show the presence of polyaniline in the emeraldine base form doped with copper II chloride. The thermal properties of the composites were studied by carrying out TGA. The electrical transport properties were calculated from the conductivity measurement. The composites were found to be soluble in common organic solvents such as chloroform, NMP, DMSO, 1:2 mixture of 2-propanol and toluene and 1:2 mixture of 2-propanol and chloroform. Cyclic voltammetry was carried out to find out the redox properties of synthesized composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• DEAD/H-box RNA helicases play a conspicuous role in various RNA related events. • DEAD/H-box RNA can act as sensors or cosensors to regulate innate immune response. • Many helicases function as downstream adaptor molecules of innate immune pathways. • DEAD/H-box helicases regulate viral replication with double-edged processes. DEAD/H-box RNA helicases make the prominent family of helicases super family-2 which take part in almost all RNA-related processes, from initiation of transcription to RNA decay pathways. In addition to these RNA-related activities, in recent years a certain number of these helicases are reported to play important roles in anti-viral immunity through various ways. Along with RLHs, endosomal TLRs, and cytosolic DNA receptors, many RNA helicases including DDX3, DHX9, DDX6, DDX41, DHX33, DDX60, DHX36 and DDX1-DDX21-DHX36 complex act as viral nucleic acid sensors or co-sensors. These helicases mostly follow RLHs-MAVS and STING mediated signaling cascades to trigger induction of type-I interferons and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Many of them also function as downstream adaptor molecules (DDX3), segments of stress and processing bodies (DDX3 and DDX6) or negative regulators (DDX19, DDX24, DDX25, DDX39A and DDX46). On the contrary, many studies indicated that several DEAD/H-box helicases such as DDX1, DDX3, DDX6, DDX24, and DHX9 could be exploited by viruses to evade innate immune responses, suggesting that these helicases seem to have a dual function as anti-viral innate immune mediators and viral replication cofactors. In this review, we summarized the current knowledge on several representative DEAD/H-box helicases, with an emphasis on their functions in innate immunity responses, involved in their anti-viral and pro-viral roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyaniline was synthesized by using weak oxidizing agent CuCl2 and characterized with FTIR, UV-vis, and XPS spectroscopic techniques. The composition of products was calculated from elemental analysis. The results show the presence of polyaniline in the emeraldine base (EB) form doped with [CuCl4]−. An increase in the yield and decrease in the final pH was observed when the oxidant to monomer ratio was increased. The increase in the yield was attributed to increase in the oxidation potential of oxidant with increase in its molar concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current research focused on the super capacitive behavior of organic conducting polymer, i.e., polypyrrole (PPy) and its composites with gum arabic (GA) prepared via inverse emulsion polymerization. The synthesized composites material was analyzed by different analytical techniques, such as UV-visible, FTIR, TGA, XRD, and SEM. The UV-Vis and FTIR spectroscopy clearly show the successful insertion of GA into PPy matrix. The TGA analysis shows high thermal stability for composites than pure PPy. The XRD and SEM analysis show the crystalline and amorphous structures and overall morphology of the composites is more compact and mesoporous as compared to the pure PPy. The electrochemical properties of modified solid state supercapacitors established on pure polypyrrole (PPy), polypyrrole/gum arabic (PPy/GA) based composites were investigated through cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD). The specific capacitance of the PPy modified gold electrode is impressive (~168 F/g). The specific capacitance of PPy/GA 1 electrode has been increased to 368 F/g with a high energy density and power density (~73 Wh/kg), and (~599 W/kg) respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An in-situ chemical oxidative method was used to effectively synthesize a promising supercapacitor material based on PPy/ZrO2 composites. The synthesized materials were characterized by different analytical techniques, such as UV/visible (UV/Vis) spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The inclusion of ZrO2 into the PPy matrix was verified by vibrational spectra and structural analyses. The (TGA) results showed that incorporating ZrO2 into the polymeric matrix improved its thermal stability. In addition, the electrochemical properties of the synthesizedmaterials were investigated byusing cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD). The PPy/ZrO2 composite demonstrated excellent super capacitive performance, and high specific capacity of 337.83 F/g, with an exceedingly high energy density of 187.68 Wh/kg at a power density of 1000 W/kg. The composite materials maintain good stability after 1000 charge and discharge cycles, with 85% capacitance retention. The PPy/ZrO2 possesses a high capacitance, an attractive micro-morphology, and a simple synthesis method. The findings indicate that the PPy/ZrO2 composite could be a promising electrode material for high-performance supercapacitor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eco-friendly and cost-efficient synthesis of polyaniline (PANI) is one of the perplexing tasks in the research horizons of conducting polymers while keeping the desired properties unaffected. The present work reports an eco-friendly and comparably cost-efficient pathway for the synthesis of corrosion-resistant, thermally stable, and highly soluble PANI salt using coconut oil as a novel dispersion medium. The PANI salt was optimized by varying the reaction parameters, such as concentration of monomer, oxidant, surfactant, and solvent. The UV/Visible spectra indicated absorption peaks in the range of 344–353, 424–433, and 740–779 nm. The FTIR analysis of PANI salt reveals the stretching of the benzenoid and quinoid rings at 1460 and 1559 nm respectively. X-ray diffraction shows peaks on 2Ө at 19° and 25° which are the characteristic peaks of PANI. PANI salt was found to be soluble in several organic solvents such as 2-propanol, n-Methylpyrolidinone (NMP), and highly soluble in chloroform and Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) up to 7.6 and 6.9% respectively. SEM images and TGA analysis of PANI confirmed the porous morphology like cauliflower and quite thermally stable up to 538 °C respectively. The layer of synthesized PANI shows remarkable corrosion inhibiting behavior on the surface of mild steel which reduces the rate of corrosion up to 82%. Hence, boost up the global economy. [Display omitted] • Eco-Friendly and Comparably Cost efficient coconut oil as novel dispersion medium. • High solubility of the synthesized PANI in chloroform up to 7.6%. • The synthesized PANI salts possess highest thermal stability than the reported literature. • The synthesized PANI salts are excellent anticorrosion material for mild steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents an approach for space launch vehicle conceptual design and evaluation using multi-attributes decision making analysis. The approach is comprised of morphological matrix method to improve the brain storming process by efficiently identifying potential space launch vehicle design concepts. The potential concepts are screened for compatibility and are then sized for desired mission using Tsiolkovsky ideal velocity rocket equation. The Tsiolkovsky ideal velocity rocket equation supported by mass and propulsion modeling is found to be fast and efficient and is applied for sizing and performance modeling of space launch vehicle at the conceptual design phase. Based on the performance parameters, program related issues and cost attributes, the candidate design concepts are subjected to multi-attribute decision making analysis. This is to rank the alternative design concepts and identify the most promising ones for further considerations. The successful application of the proposed approach in conceptual design and evaluation of space launch vehicle has demonstrated its utility in the early phase of the aerospace system design and decision making. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of this paper is to admit and stabilize T–S descriptive with time delays. We present some general conditions for the uniqueness and existence in terms of the impulse-free solution for delayed T–S fuzzy systems. Thus, we establish and obtain in terms of strict linear matrix inequalities new sufficient conditions for the stability of T–S fuzzy systems and delayed T–S fuzzy systems by constructing the Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional and applying the generalized Itô formula. Furthermore, a novel algorithm for real-time adjustment of controller membership functions is designed based on a gradient descent strategy to obtain superior H ∞ performance. By using non-PDC fuzzy control mechanism instead of conventional non-PDC control scheme, the performance of interference reduction can be effectively improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-altitude lakes (HAL) play a key role in several ecological services of the environment by managing the water supply and flood control. The slow rate of inflowing contaminant circulation results in a buildup of higher levels of contamination level and makes these lakes more vulnerable. The present study focused on determining HAL's water quality parameters (WQP) in the Swat District, northern Pakistan. Water samples (n = 32) were collected and analyzed for basic parameters, anions, and potentially harmful elements (PHE). Results of examined parameters were noted under WHO threshold values, except for a few samples of iron (Fe) and arsenic (As). The concentrations of WQP in HAL were used to calculate drinking and irrigation water quality indices (WQI). Results revealed that the water of HAL was excellent and suitable for drinking and irrigation purposes. Gibbs plot and Piper model were used to identify water as a mixed type and source characterization of rock dominance. Water quality data were used for average daily dose (ADD) and hazard quotient (HQ) to find HAL water's potential health risks. The highest ADD value of 188 μg/kg-day was observed for nitrate (NO 3), and the lowest of 0.31 μg/kg-day was noted for arsenic (As). However, maximum HQ values of 0.18 were reported for As and were observed to be less than the threshold of 1. Therefore, based on water quality, the HAL was recommended for use in drinking, domestic, and irrigation purposes. • Water contamination was noted under World Health Organization (WHO) threshold values. • Water contaminants like iron and arsenic surpassed the WHO threshold valuess • The highest average daily dose value was observed for nitrate intake of water. • Arsenic showed higher hazard quotient values and was observed less than 1. • Drinking and irrigation quality indices were categorized as excellent and good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A S-scheme heterojunction of CuPc/DR-MoS 2 with abundant sulfur vacancies is proposed, enabling extended visible-light absorption, enhanced charge carrier separation/transfer, and improved efficiency of semiconductors. Additionally, sulfur vacancies play a significant role in enhancing CO 2 adsorption/activation on the photocatalyst surface during photocatalysis. [Display omitted] Constructing a heterojunction by combining two semiconductors with similar band structures is a successful approach to obtaining photocatalysts with high efficiency. Herein, a CuPc/DR-MoS 2 heterojunction involving copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) and molybdenum disulfide with S-rich vacancies (13.66%) is successfully prepared by the facile hydrothermal method. Experimental results and theoretical calculations firmly demonstrated that photoelectrons exhibit an S-scheme charge transfer mechanism in the CuPc/DR-MoS 2 heterojunction. The S-scheme heterojunction system has proven significant advantages in promoting the charge separation and transfer of photogenerated carriers, enhancing visible-light responsiveness, and achieving robust photoredox capability. As a result, the optimized 3CuPc/DR-MoS 2 S-scheme heterojunction exhibits photocatalytic yields of CO and CH 4 at 200 and 111.6 μmol g-1h−1, respectively. These values are four times and 4.5 times greater than the photocatalytic yields of pure DR-MoS 2. This study offers novel perspectives on the advancement of innovative and highly effective heterojunction photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles and their thin film were synthesized using co-precipitation and spin coating techniques, respectively. Spherical nanoparticles measuring 10–120 nm and thin film having particle with a diameter of 10–100 nm were synthesized. The electrical properties of the synthesized nanoparticles were evaluated using the KEITHLEY semiconductor characterization system. The structure, phase identification, and morphology of the nanoparticles investigated by X-ray diffraction, Raman, and scanning electron microscope techniques were employed. The results confirmed that the ZnO nanoparticles had a hexagonal wurtzite structure. Additionally, gas sensing measurements were conducted using a locally made sensing chamber. The response of nanoparticles and their thin film were observed at varying concentrations of methane gas in the chamber. Response of the thin film as sensor is greater, fast and consistent as compared to nanoparticles sensor. Our study reveals best sensor having response (Ra/Rg) of 1.37 for 100 ppm of CH4 at 140 °C as compared to previous reported studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Van der Waals (vdW) heterojunctions enhance photocatalyst efficiency but face electron transfer challenges at component interfaces due to large spacing and potential barriers. We introduce a novel wet chemistry approach to enhance the efficiency of photocatalysts by creating a functionalized graphene-modulated Z-scheme vdW heterojunction (xZnPc/yG-WO 3) to eliminate interfacial potential differences, enabling better electron transfer for improved photocatalytic reactions and molecular dispersion. [Display omitted] The construction of van der Waals (vdW) heterojunctions is a key approach for efficient and stable photocatalysts, attracting marvellous attention due to their capacity to enhance interfacial charge separation/transfer and offer reactive sites. However, when a vdW heterojunction is made through an ex-situ assembly, electron transmission faces notable obstacles at the components interface due to the substantial spacing and potential barrier. Herein, we present a novel strategy to address this challenge via wet chemistry by synthesizing a functionalized graphene-modulated Z-scheme vdW heterojunction of zinc phthalocyanine/tungsten trioxide (xZnPc/yG-WO 3). The functionalized G-modulation forms an electron "bridge" across the ZnPc/WO 3 interface to improve electron transfer, get rid of barriers, and ultimately facilitating the optimal transfer of excited photoelectrons from WO 3 to ZnPc. The Zn2+ in ZnPc picks up these excited photoelectrons, turning CO 2 into CO/CH 4 (42/22 μmol.g−1.h−1) to deliver 17-times better efficiency than pure WO 3. Therefore, the introduction of a molecular "bridge" as a means to establish an electron transfer conduit represents an innovative approach to fabricate efficient photocatalysts designed for the conversion of CO 2 into valued yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • 2D/2D Van der Waals (VDW) heterojunction between BCN/CuPc. • Phosphate group insertion between copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) and B-doped and N -deficient g-C 3 N 4 (BDCNN) to design and construct a Van der Waals heterojunction. • Phosphate group as a charge modulator and an efficient conduit for charge transfer. • Interfacial interaction charge transfer mechanism. The realization of 2D/2D Van der Waals (VDW) heterojunctions represents an advanced approach to achieving superior photocatalytic efficiency. However, electron transfer through Van der Waals heterojunctions formed via ex-situ assembly encounters significant challenges at the interface due to contrasting morphologies and potential barriers among the nanocomposite substituents. Herein, a novel approach is presented, involving the insertion of a phosphate group between copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) and B-doped and N -deficient g-C 3 N 4 (BDCNN), to design and construct a Van der Waals heterojunction labeled as xCu[acs]/yP-BDCNN. The introduction of phosphate as a charge modulator and efficient conduit for charge transfer within the heterojunction resulted in the elimination of spatial barriers and induced electron movement from BDCNN to CuPc in the excited states. Consequently, the catalytic central Cu2+ in CuPc captured the photoelectrons, leading to the conversion of CO 2 to C 2 H 4 , CO and CH 4. Remarkably, this approach resulted in a 78-fold enhancement in photocatalytic efficiency compared to pure BDCNN. Moreover the findings confirm that the 2D-2D 4Cu[acs]/9P-BDCNN sheet-like heterojunction effectively boosts photocatalytic activity for persistent pollutants such as methyl orange (MO), methylene blue (MB), rhodamine B (RhB), and tetracycline antibiotics (TCs). The introduction of "interfacial interacting" substances to establish an electron transfer pathway presents a novel and effective strategy for designing photocatalysts capable of efficiently reducing CO 2 into valuable products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current research work demonstrates a simple, fast, and sensitive colorimetric approach for visual and spectroscopic detection of mercury (Hg (II)) ions using silver nanoparticles. The compound, N-(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2-(4-chlorophenyl) hydrazine carbothioamide (ThAm), is synthesized, characterized and reacted with AgNO3 in the presence of sodium borohydride (NaBH4) used as reducing agent to produce AgNPs having mean particle size of approximately 11 nm. The stability of nanoparticles (NPs) is studied at different conditions such temperature, time, pH and salt concentration. The NPs are characterized by commonly available techniques including UV–Visible spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric/differential analyzer (TG/DTA). The AgNPs are selective to detect Hg (II) among the sixteen metal ions considered in this study. The yellow color of AgNPs solution disappears quickly by addition of Hg (II), along with a substantial variation in surface plasmon resonance band (SPRB). The limit of detection (LOD) is 2.2 µM and that of quantification (LOQ) 7.5 µM. The sensor also responded to the trace amount of Hg (II) ions in spiked water samples and in human blood plasma. Recoveries study of spiked real water samples was in range of 95–98%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transient interferences such as keystrokes, mouse clicks and hammering pose a significant challenge in the single channel speech enhancement due to their abrupt and non-continuous nature. Traditional noise suppression algorithms and even many non-stationary noise reduction algorithms do not adequately suppress transient interference. Therefore, in this work, we propose a semi-supervised single channel transient noise suppression method to effectively suppress the transient interference without significant audible distortion. The proposed algorithm consists of training and testing stages. In the training stage, the proposed technique first uses the optimally modified-log spectral amplitude (OMLSA) estimator to estimate the transient noise from the noisy speech signal. After that, we eliminate the residual speech components from the estimated noise obtained from OMLSA based on the correlation coefficient, by taking correlation between the estimated noise with the available clean speech data from the dataset passed through the voice activity detector for silence zones removal. Afterwards, we use this noise for training the noise dictionary in sparse non-negative matrix factorization. Clean speech data is used for speech dictionary training. In the enhancement stage, the dictionaries are fixed and concatenated, to obtain the corresponding activation matrices. The clean speech dictionary and the corresponding weight matrix are used to reconstruct the estimated speech. The experimental results reveal that the proposed algorithm provided better performance compared to other existing algorithms in the speech quality evaluation metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]