Search Results (14)

Curcumin’s applications in the treatment of conditions including osteoarthritis, dementia, malignancies of the pancreas, and malignancies of the intestines have drawn increasing attention. It has several wonderful qualities, including being an anti-inflammatory agent, an anti-mutagenic agent, and an antioxidant, and has substantially reduced inherent cytotoxicity outcomes. Although curcumin possesses multiple known curative properties, due to its limited bioavailability, it is necessary to develop efficient strategies to overcome these hurdles. To establish an effective administration method, various niosomal formulations were optimized using the Box–Behnken design and assessed in the current investigation. To examine the curcumin niosomes, zeta sizer, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, SEM, antioxidant potential, cytotoxicity, and release studies were performed. The optimized curcumin niosomes exhibited an average particle size of 169.4 nm, a low PDI of 0.189, and high entrapment efficiency of 85.4%. The release profile showed 79.39% curcumin after 24 h and had significantly higher antioxidant potential as compared with that of free curcumin. The cytotoxicity results of curcumin niosomes presented increased mortality in human ovarian cancer A2780. Full article

Hypotrichosis is an uncommon type of alopecia (hair loss) characterized by coarse scalp hair caused by the reduced or fully terminated activity of the Lipase-H (LIPH) enzyme. LIPH gene mutations contribute to the development of irregular or non-functional proteins. Because several cellular processes, including cell maturation and proliferation, are inhibited when this enzyme is inactive, the hair follicles become structurally unreliable, undeveloped, and immature. This results in brittle hair, as well as altered hair shaft development and structure. Because of these nsSNPs, the protein’s structure and/or function may be altered. Given the difficulty in discovering functional SNPs in genes associated with disease, it is possible to assess potential functional SNPs before conducting broader population investigations. As a result, in our in silico analysis, we separated potentially hazardous nsSNPs of the LIPH gene from benign representatives using a variety of sequencing and architecture-based bioinformatics approaches. Using seven prediction algorithms, 9 out of a total of 215 nsSNPs were shown to be the most likely to cause harm. In order to distinguish between potentially harmful and benign nsSNPs of the LIPH gene, in our in silico investigation, we employed a range of sequence- and architecture-based bioinformatics techniques. Three nsSNPs (W108R, C246S, and H248N) were chosen as potentially harmful. The present findings will likely be helpful in future large population-based studies, as well as in drug discovery, particularly in the creation of personalized medicine, since this study provides an initial thorough investigation of the functional nsSNPs of LIPH. Full article

This study investigates the impact of an organization’s response to poaching on employee productivity while considering the mediating role of organizational agility, contributing to the sustainability literature. The study aimed to explore the impact of three responses toward poaching, including the constructive response (CR), defensive response (DR), and retaliatory response (RR), on employee productivity. The survey-based approach collected data from companies in the Pakistani service sector, an essential step toward understanding sustainable human resource practices in developing countries. Regression analysis was used to analyze the collected data, revealing significant relationships between predictor variables and employee productivity. Specifically, Model 1 found a significant negative relationship between CR and productivity, whereas DR showed a positive and significant association with productivity. The study also considered the unique characteristics of the Pakistani service sector to explain the observed negative and positive relationships between CR and DR, respectively, and employee productivity. Model 2 improved the model fit by introducing organizational agility as a predictor variable, demonstrating a positive and significant relationship between productivity and all four predictor variables. The study suggests that the positive relationship between organizational agility and productivity could be due to agile organizations being more adept at responding to changing market conditions and demands, resulting in improved overall performance. This study provides valuable insights into the impact of an organization’s response to poaching on employee productivity while considering the mediating role of organizational agility. It contributes to the sustainability literature. Full article

Cystic echinococcosis (CE), or hydatid cyst disease (HCD), is a zoonosis of significant importance caused by the cestode of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s. l.) that affects mainly nomadic populations and has substantial economic consequences. Due to the 76% rural and nomadic population, Baluchistan is a highly endemic region in Pakistan for CE; however, it has not yet been investigated for CE. For this purpose, this study was carried out to investigate the molecular epidemiology of CE in this region. In total, 23 human hydatid cyst samples were collected from tertiary health care units in Baluchistan and processed for DNA extraction, which was then followed by sequencing of the cox1 mitochondrial gene of all 23 collected samples, genotyping, and phylogenetic and haplotype analysis. Most subjects were livestock owners (39.13%) in rural settings (73.91%). Most patients (73.19%) were pet owners (dogs) and used water from open sources for drinking. The liver was the most affected organ (52.17%), followed by the lungs (17.39%). Sequence analysis based on the cox1 gene revealed that EG genotype 1 (G1) was the most prevalent (56.52%), followed by G3 (34.78%), while some samples (8.7%) were identified as the Echinococcus canadensis (G6/7) genotype. A total of five haplotypes were detected with high haplotype diversity (0.80) and low nucleotide diversity (0.033). Phylogenetic analysis revealed two diverse sub-clades, each of G1 and G3 isolates from Baluchistan, that were evolutionarily related to previously reported G1 and G3 isolates from Pakistan and China. On the other hand, the G6/7 isolates of this study were evolutionarily identical to the already reported G6/7 isolates from Pakistan, Turkey, and Kazakhstan. This study concludes that diverse G1 and G3 EG isolates are present in this part of Pakistan, while the G6/G7 genotype was reported for the first time from Baluchistan. Full article

Gap acceptance analysis is crucial for determining capacity and delay at uncontrolled intersections. The probability of a driver accepting an adequate gap changes over time, and in different intersection types and traffic circumstances. The majority of previous studies in this regard have assumed homogeneous traffic conditions, and applying them directly to heterogeneous traffic conditions may produce biased results. Moreover, driver behavior concerning critical gap acceptance or rejection in traffic also varies from one location to another. The current research focused on the estimation of critical gaps considering different vehicle types (cars, and two- and three-wheelers) under heterogenous traffic conditions at uncontrolled crossings in the city of Peshawar, Pakistan. A four-legged uncontrolled intersection in the study area was used to investigate drivers’ gap acceptance behavior. The gaps were investigated for various vehicle types: two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and cars. For data collection, a video recording method was used, and Avidemux video editing software was used for data investigation. The study investigated the applicability of the maximum likelihood (MLM) method to analyzing a vehicle’s critical gap. MLM estimation results indicate that the essential critical gap values for car drivers are in the range from 7.45 to 4.6 s; for two-wheelers, the critical gap was in the range from 6.78 to 4.7 s; and for three-wheelers, the values were in the range from 6.3 to 4.9 s. At an uncontrolled intersection, the proposed method’s results can assist in distinguishing between different road user groups. This study’s findings are intended to be useful to both researchers and practitioners, particularly in developing countries with similar traffic patterns and vehicle adherence patterns at unsignalized intersections. Full article

In recent years, the synthesis of ammonia (NH₃) has been developed by electrocatalytic technology that is a potential way to effectively replace the Haber–Bosch process, which is an industrial synthesis of NH₃. Industrial ammonia has caused a series of problems for the population and environment. In the face of sustainable green synthesis methods, the advantages of electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction for synthesis of NH₃ in aqueous media have attracted a great amount of attention from researchers. This review summarizes the recent progress on the highly efficient electrocatalysts based on 2D non-metallic nanomaterial and provides a brief overview of the synthesis principle of electrocatalysis and the performance measurement indicators of electrocatalysts. Moreover, the current development of N₂ reduction reaction (NRR) electrocatalyst is discussed and prospected. Full article

The existence of Vibrio cholera (V. cholera) is a major health problem in many parts of the world; therefore, the treatments of V. cholera have always remained necessary for public safety, health, and environmental protection. In the last few decades, plasma discharges have proven to be a novel technique of sterilization against infectious bacteria such as V. cholera. In this research, a low-pressure plasma (LPP) technique has been introduced for the degradation of multidrug resistant V. cholera. The V. cholera strains with 10⁷ CFUs (colony-forming units) were treated by low-pressure plasma, with and without ${\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_2$ injection into the sterilization chamber, to investigate and report the adverse effects of plasma on V. cholera. The results demonstrated that plasma treatment has significant effects on the degradation of V. cholera in the presence of ${\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_2$ vapors inside the plasma sterilization chamber. The time-course study of the bactericidal effects revealed that there is no regeneration or increase in the number of V. cholera colonies after plasma treatment. Full article

Vachellia nilotica (L.) P.J.H. Hurther & Mabb. and Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. are two of the most important multipurpose agroforestry tree species of the Indian sub-continent, but their growth in saline soils is greatly reduced. Recently, organic amendments have showed the potential to increase plant growth in salt-affected soils; however, the influence of using these amendments for growing the above-mentioned tree species under saline conditions is not yet quantified. Therefore, an experiment was devised to analyze the interactive effects of organic amendments in saline soils on the growth of V. nilotica and D. sissoo. Under controlled conditions, a pot experiment was conducted in sandy loam saline soils (EC = 20.5 dSm⁻¹). Organic amendments from four diverse sources: farmyard manure (FYM), poultry manure (PM), slurry (SL), and farmyard manure biochar (FYMB) were employed in this study. At the harvesting time, data regarding morphological, physiological, ionic, and biochemical parameters were obtained. The current study results indicated that both tree species reacted differently, but positively, to diverse applied amendments. The maximum increment in total above-ground biomass, total below-ground biomass, and shoot length for V. nilotica (163.8%, 116.3%, and 68.2%, respectively) was observed in FYM amended soils, while the maximum increment for D. sissoo (128%, 86%, and 107%, respectively) was observed in FYMB amended soils, as compared to control. Minimum plant growth of both species was observed in untreated soils (saline soils). Likewise, the maximum potassium ion and minimum sodium ion concentrations were present in the root and shoots of plants (both species) treated with FYMB. The use of organic amendments resulted in decreased concentrations of malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide, and increased concentrations of antioxidant enzymes such as SOD, POD, and CAT. Moreover, higher photosynthetic rates and stomatal conductance were observed in the plants grown in amended soils. The findings of this study can be used to include the above-mentioned high-value tree species for future afforestation programs under saline conditions. Full article

Nitrogen and sulpher oxides (NO_x, SO_x) have become a global issue in recent years due to the fastest industrialization and urbanization. Numerous techniques are used to treat the harmful exhaust emissions, including dry, traditional wet and hybrid wet-scrubbing techniques. However, several difficulties, including high-energy requirement, limited scrubbing-liquid regeneration, formation of secondary pollutants and low efficiency, limit their industrial utilization. Regardless, the hybrid wet-scrubbing technology is gaining popularity due to low-costs, less-energy consumption and high-efficiency removal of air pollutants. The removal/reduction of NO_x and SO_x from the atmosphere has been the subject of several reviews in recent years. The goal of this review article is to help scientists grasp the fundamental ideas and requirements before using it commercially. This review paper emphasizes the use of green and electron-rich donors, new breakthroughs, reducing GHG emissions, and improved NO_x and SO_x removal catalytic systems, including selective/non-catalytic reduction (SCR/SNCR) and other techniques (functionalization by magnetic nanoparticles; NP, etc.,). It also explains that various wet-scrubbing techniques, synthesis of solid iron-oxide such as magnetic (Fe₃O₄) NP are receiving more interest from researchers due to the wide range of its application in numerous fields. In addition, EDTA coating on Fe₃O₄ NP is widely used due to its high stability over a wide pH range and solid catalytic systems. As a result, the Fe₃O₄@EDTA-Fe catalyst is projected to be an optimal catalyst in terms of stability, synergistic efficiency, and reusability. Finally, this review paper discusses the current of a heterogeneous catalytic system for environmental remedies and sustainable approaches. Full article

Nanotechnology emerged as a scientific innovation in the 21st century. Metallic nanoparticles (metal or metal oxide nanoparticles) have attained remarkable popularity due to their interesting biological, physical, chemical, magnetic, and optical properties. Metal-based nanoparticles can be prepared by utilizing different biological, physical, and chemical methods. The biological method is preferred as it provides a green, simple, facile, ecofriendly, rapid, and cost-effective route for the green synthesis of nanoparticles. Plants have complex phytochemical constituents such as carbohydrates, amino acids, phenolics, flavonoids, terpenoids, and proteins, which can behave as reducing and stabilizing agents. However, the mechanism of green synthesis by using plants is still highly debatable. In this report, we summarized basic principles or mechanisms of green synthesis especially for metal or metal oxide (i.e., ZnO, Au, Ag, and TiO₂, Fe, Fe₂O₃, Cu, CuO, Co) nanoparticles. Finally, we explored the medical applications of plant-based nanoparticles in terms of antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer activity. Full article

Plants host diverse but taxonomically structured communities of microorganisms, called microbiome, which colonize various parts of host plants. Plant-associated microbial communities have been shown to confer multiple beneficial advantages to their host plants, such as nutrient acquisition, growth promotion, pathogen resistance, and environmental stress tolerance. Systematic studies have provided new insights into the economically and ecologically important microbial communities as hubs of core microbiota and revealed their beneficial impacts on the host plants. Microbiome engineering, which can improve the functional capabilities of native microbial species under challenging agricultural ambiance, is an emerging biotechnological strategy to improve crop yield and resilience against variety of environmental constraints of both biotic and abiotic nature. This review highlights the importance of indigenous microbial communities in improving plant health under pathogen-induced stress. Moreover, the potential solutions leading towards commercialization of proficient bioformulations for sustainable and improved crop production are also described. Full article

The green peach aphid, Myzus persicae Sulzer (Hemiptera: Aphididae), a polyphagous insect pest is a major threat to a wide range of crops worldwide. Aiming to evaluate the life history traits of M. persicae, feeding on different host plants, we used five vegetables: cabbage, Brassica oleracea (Brassicaceae); chinese cabbage, B. rapa (Brassicaceae); chili pepper, Capsicum annum (Solanaceae); crown daisy, Chrysanthemum coronarium (Asteraceae); and eggplant, Solanum melongena (Solanaceae). TWOSEX-MSchart software was used for the statistical analysis about the age-stage, two-sex life table theory. The highest fecundity (69.65 individuals) rate of M. persicae, intrinsic rate of increase (r = 0.425 d⁻¹), finite rate of increase (λ = 1.531 d⁻¹), net reproductive rate (R₀ = 69.65 offspring), and shortest mean generation time (T = 9.964 d) were recorded on the chili pepper plant. Whereas, lower fitness occurred on cabbage. The findings attained from population growth parameters indicate that chili pepper is the most susceptible plant, while cabbage is resistant to aphids. Population projection results also supported this statement, as the final total population size on cabbage was significantly lower than other plants. The reported information would be useful for devising integrated pest management programs, particularly those involving M. persicae. This information also suggests the adaptability of M. persicae causing economic damage to these vegetable cultivars. Full article

This work presents a double asymmetric data hiding technique. The first asymmetry is created by hiding secret data in the complex region of the cover image and keep the smooth region unaffected. Then another asymmetry is developed by hiding a different number of secret bits in the various pixels of the complex region. The proposed technique uses the ant colony optimization (ACO) based technique for the classification of complex and smooth region pixels. Then, the variable least significant bits (VLSB) data hiding framework is used to hide secret bits in the complex region of the cover image. A distance-based substitution technique, namely increasing distance increasing bits substitution algorithm, is used to ensure the asymmetry in the number of hidden bits. The double asymmetric framework enhances the security of the hidden secret data and makes the retrieval of hidden information difficult for unauthorized users. The algorithm results in high-quality stego images, and the hidden information does not attract the human visual system (HVS). Full article

The rapid growth of GPS-enabled mobile devices has popularized many location-based applications. Spatial keyword search which finds objects of interest by considering both spatial locations and textual descriptions has become very useful in these applications. The recent integration of social data with spatial keyword search opens a new service horizon for users. Few previous studies have proposed methods to combine spatial keyword queries with social data in Euclidean space. However, most real-world applications constrain the distance between query location and data objects by a road network, where distance between two points is defined by the shortest connecting path. This paper proposes geo-social top-k keyword queries and geo-social skyline keyword queries on road networks. Both queries enrich traditional spatial keyword query semantics by incorporating social relevance component. We formalize the proposed query types and appropriate indexing frameworks and algorithms to efficiently process them. The effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed approaches are evaluated using real datasets. Full article