Influence of edaphic factors on distribution and condition of Himalayan silver birch(Betula utilis D.Don)communities in the northwestern Indian Himalayas

The basic concept of phytosociology is crucial for the assessment of species composition and dynamic ecological succession of forests supporting ecological services,functions,disturbance,and resilience that lead to the development of integrated areas such as ecological niche modeling and contribute to identifying the valuable bio-indicators which can be used in framing conservation and management planning.B.utilis is one of the most dominant tree species of treeline ecotone in the Himalayan Region.The species is also considered as indicator species for monitoring the past and recent climate change impact.The current study was carried out in the natural populations of B.utilis from the sub-alpine zone of North-western Indian Himalaya.The birch dominated forest harbors a total of 305 plant species comprising Angiosperms(51 families,160 genera and 277 species),Gymnosperms(03 families,05 genera and 07 species)and Pteridophytes(07 families,11 genera and 21 species)with Asteraceae,Ranunculaceae and Rosaceae as dominant family.Birch forests are found dominant in shady moist habitat and North West aspect.Geographical characteristics,anthropogenic and developmental activities affect the population structure of B.utilis and associated species.However,the species has fair regeneration status in the study area.The acidic nature of soil pH and spatial variation in edaphic characteristics may be due to geographical differences,rooting patterns and litter accumulation of below and above-ground vegetation.Biomass estimation of a representative population of B.utilis from each site showed that TAGBD,TCD and TBD were found maximum in ST3(Hamta Pass II site).The CCA analysis determined that environmental variables such as altitude,organic matter,available phosphorous,organic carbon,available nitrogen,and electrical conductivity played a significant role in determining tree species composition and distribution in B.utilis dominated forests.

Recent updates on nano-phyto-formulations based therapeutic intervention for cancer treatment

Cancer is a leading cause of death globally,with limited treatment options and several limitations.Chemotherapeutic agents often result in toxicity which long-term conventional treatment.Phytochemicals are natural constituents that are more effective in treating various diseases with less toxicity than the chemotherapeutic agents providing alternative therapeutic approaches to minimize the resistance.These phytoconstituents act in several ways and deliver optimum effectiveness against cancer.Nevertheless,the effectiveness of phyto-formulations in the management of cancers may be constrained due to challenges related to inadequate solubility,bioavailability,and stability.Nanotechnology presents a promising avenue for transforming current cancer treatment methods through the incorporation of phytochemicals into nanosystems,which possess a range of advantageous characteristics such as biocompatibility,targeted and sustained release capabilities,and enhanced protective effects.This holds significant potential for future advancements in cancer management.Herein,this review aims to provide intensive literature on diverse nanocarriers,highlighting their applications as cargos for phytocompounds in cancer.Moreover,it offers an overview of the current advancements in the respective field,emphasizing the characteristics that contribute to favourable outcomes in both in vitro and in vivo settings.Lastly,clinical development and regulatory concerns are also discussed to check on the transformation of the concept as a promising strategy for combination therapy of phytochemicals and chemotherapeutics that could lead to cancer management in the future.

Comprehensive studies on dielectric properties of p-methoxy benzylidene p-decyl aniline with function of temperature and frequency in planar geometry: A potential nematic liquid crystal for display devices

The dielectric properties of the nematic mesophase, p-methoxy benzylidene p-decyl aniline(MBDA), measured in planar geometry with a function of frequency and temperature are investigated in detail. The complex dielectric permittivity(ε' and ε'') is also studied at a bias voltage of 10 V for planar aligned sample cell of nematic mesophase. The dielectric permittivity with bias voltage attains a higher(> 2 times) value than that without bias voltage at a temperature of 56℃,which is due to the fact that the linking group of nematic molecules is internally interacted with an applied bias voltage.This is supported by observing an enhanced dielectric permittivity of nematic liquid crystal(LC) in the presence of bias voltage, which can be fully explained as the increasing of the corresponding dipole moment. The dielectric relaxation behaviors of nematic LC are also demonstrated for planar aligned sample cell. The remarkable results are observed that the relaxation frequency shifts into low frequency region with the increase of the bias voltage applied to the planar aligned sample cells. The dielectric relaxation spectra are fitted by Cole–Cole nonlinear curve fitting for nematic mesophase in order to determine the dielectric strength.

三元混合纳米流体(TiO_(2)-SiO_(2)-MoS_(2)/煤油)流过旋转圆盘时的二次热辐射和Cattaneo-Christov模型

本文研究了Cattaneo-Christov模型(C-C模型)和对流边界条件下的二次热辐射对三元混合纳米流体(TiO_(2)-SiO_(2)-MoS_(2)/煤油)流过旋转圆盘过程的影响,并研究了Darcy-Forchheimer多孔介质和吸入/注射的影响。比较分析了三元混合纳米流体(TiO_(2)-SiO_(2)-MoS_(2)/煤油)与混合纳米流体(TiO2-SiO2/煤油)。通过von Karman转换将偏微分方程集合转变为常微分方程,并通过MATLAB中的bvp4c函数对其求解。图表结果反映了径向、切向速度和传热速度的变化。讨论了各种参数的影响,包括磁场、Forchheimer数、孔隙率参数、滑移参数、辐射参数、热弛豫、混合对流、吸入/注射、Biot数、发热/热吸收、体积分数。发现较高的辐射值和热弛豫参数可以提高传热速率。本研究将对使用纳米流体的学科领域具有一定的参考价值,如运输过程、旋转的机械系统、协同旋转的涡轮系统、增强型油回收系统、医疗等。

An efficient algorithm to clip a 2D-polygon against a rectangular clip window

Polygon clipping is of great importance in computer graphics.One of the popular algorithms to clip a polygon is Cohan–Sutherland Hodgeman algorithm which is based on line clipping.Cohan–Sutherland Hodgeman algorithm clips the polygon against the given rectangular clip window with the help of line clipping method.Cohan–Sutherland algorithm requires traversing the polygon in anti clockwise direction(positive orientation).In this work we propose an efficient polygon clipping algorithm against a rectangular clip window.Proposed algorithm uses parametric representation of polygon edges.Using the concept of point clipping,we can find required intersection points of edges of polygon with clip window boundaries.Well suited numerical illustrations are used to explain the proposed polygon clipping method.The proposed algorithm is computationally less expensive and comprehensive.

Si–Ge based vertical tunnel field-effect transistor of junction-less structure with improved sensitivity using dielectric modulation for biosensing applications

A dielectric modulation strategy for gate oxide material that enhances the sensing performance of biosensors in junction-less vertical tunnel field effect transistors(TFETs)is reported.The junction-less technique,in which metals with specific work functions are deposited on the source region to modulate the channel conductivity,is used to provide the necessary doping for the proper functioning of the device.TCAD simulation studies of the proposed structure and junction structure have been compared,and showed an enhanced rectification of 10^(4) times.The proposed structure is designed to have a nanocavity of length 10 nm on the left-and right-hand sides of the fixed gate dielectric,which improves the biosensor capture area,and hence the sensitivity.By considering neutral and charged biomolecules with different dielectric constants,TCAD simulation studies were compared for their sensitivities.The off-state current IOFFcan be used as a suitable sensing parameter because it has been observed that the proposed sensor exhibits a significant variation in drain current.Additionally,it has been investigated how positively and negatively charged biomolecules affect the drain current and threshold voltage.To explore the device performance when the nanogaps are fully filled,half filled and unevenly filled,extensive TCAD simulations have been run.The proposed TFET structure is further benchmarked to other structures to show its better sensing capabilities.

Harnessing Blockchain to Address Plasma Donation Network Challenges

Plasma therapy is an extensively used treatment for critically unwell patients.For this procedure,a legitimate plasma donor who can continue to supply plasma after healing is needed.However,significant dangers are associated with supply management,such as the ambiguous provenance of plasma and the spread of infected or subpar blood into medicinal fabrication.Also,from an ideological standpoint,less powerful people may be exploited throughout the contribution process.Moreover,there is a danger to the logistics system because there are now just some plasma shippers.This research intends to investigate the blockchain-based solution for blood plasma to facilitate authentic plasma transfer.Blockchain parameters,including electronic identification,chain code,and certified ledgers,have the potential to exert a substantial,profound influence on the distribution and implementation process of blood banks.To understand the practical ramifications of blockchain,the current study provides a proof of concept approach that aims to simulate the procedural code of modern plasma distribution ecosystems using a blockchain-based architecture.The agent-based modeling used in the testing and evaluation mimics the supply chain to assess the blockchain’s feasibility,advantages,and constraints for the plasma.

Optimizing Storage for Energy Conservation in Tracking Wireless Sensor Network Objects

The amount of needed control messages in wireless sensor networks(WSN)is affected by the storage strategy of detected events.Because broadcasting superfluous control messages consumes excess energy,the network lifespan can be extended if the quantity of control messages is decreased.In this study,an optimized storage technique having low control overhead for tracking the objects in WSN is introduced.The basic concept is to retain observed events in internal memory and preserve the relationship between sensed information and sensor nodes using a novel inexpensive data structure entitled Ordered Binary Linked List(OBLL).Whenever an object passes over the sensor area,the recognizing sensor can immediately produce an OBLL along the object’s route.To retrieve the entire information,the OBLL can be traversed with logarithmic complexity which is much less than the traversing complexity of existing linked list structures.Performance evaluation and simulations were carried out to ensure that the suggested technique minimizes the number of messages and thus saving energy and extending the network life.

Spectrum of COVID-19 induced liver injury:A review report

The coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic has caused changes in the global health system,causing significant setbacks in healthcare systems worldwide.This pandemic has also shown resilience,flexibility,and creativity in reacting to the tragedy.The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)infection targets most of the respiratory tract,resulting in a severe sickness called acute respiratory distress syndrome that may be fatal in some individuals.Although the lung is the primary organ targeted by COVID-19 viruses,the clinical aspect of the disease is varied and ranges from asymptomatic to respiratory failure.However,due to an unorganized immune response and several affected mechanisms,the liver may also experience liver cell injury,ischemic liver dysfunction,and drug-induced liver injury,which can result in respiratory failure because of the immune system’s disordered response and other compromised processes that can end in multisystem organ failure.Patients with liver cirrhosis or those who have impaired immune systems may be more likely than other groups to experience worse results from the SARS-CoV-2 infection.We thus intend to examine the pathogenesis,current therapy,and consequences of liver damage concerning COVID-19.

Intelligent Computational Model for Energy Efficiency and AI Automation of Network Devices in 5G Communication Environment

Currently, the 4G network service has caused massive digital growth in high use. Video calling has become the go-to Internet application for many people, downloading even huge files in minutes. Everyone is looking for and buying only 4G Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)-capable mobiles. In this case, the expectation of 5G has increased in line with 2G, 3G, and 4G, where the G stands for generation, and it does not indicate Internet or Internet speed. 5G includes next-generation features that are more advanced than those available in 4G network services. The main objective of 5G is uninterrupted telecommunication service in hybrid energy storage system. This paper proposes an intelligent networking model to obtain the maximum energy efficiency and Artificial Intelligence (AI) automation of 5G networks. There is currently an issue where the signal cuts out when crossing an area with one tower and traveling to an area with another tower. The problem of “call drop”, where the call is disconnected while talking, is not present in 5G. The proposed Intelligent Computational Model (ICM) model obtained 96.31% network speed management, 90.63% battery capacity management, 92.27% network device management, 93.57% energy efficiency, and 88.41% AI automation.

Actinobacteria-enhanced plant growth, nutrient acquisition, and crop protection:Advances in soil, plant, and microbial multifactorial interactions

Agricultural areas of land are deteriorating every day owing to population increase, rapid urbanization, and industrialization. To feed today’s huge populations, increased crop production is required from smaller areas, which warrants the continuous application of high doses of inorganic fertilizers to agricultural land. These cause damage to soil health and, therefore, nutrient imbalance conditions in arable soils. Under these conditions, the benefits of microbial inoculants (such as Actinobacteria) as replacements for harmful chemicals and promoting ecofriendly sustainable farming practices have been made clear through recent technological advances. There are multifunctional traits involved in the production of different types of bioactive compounds responsible for plant growth promotion, and the biocontrol of phytopathogens has reduced the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. There are some well-known groups of nitrogen-fixing Actinobacteria, such as Frankia, which undergo mutualism with plants and offer enhanced symbiotic trade-offs.In addition to nitrogen fixation, increasing availability of major plant nutrients in soil due to the solubilization of immobilized forms of phosphorus and potassium compounds, production of phytohormones, such as indole-3-acetic acid, indole-3-pyruvic acid, gibberellins, and cytokinins, improving organic matter decomposition by releasing cellulases, xylanase, glucanases, lipases, and proteases, and suppression of soil-borne pathogens by the production of siderophores, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, and chitinase are important features of Actinobacteria useful for combating biotic and abiotic stresses in plants.The positive influence of Actinobacteria on soil fertility and plant health has motivated us to compile this review of important findings associated with sustaining plant productivity in the long run.

Design and investigation of doping-less gate-all-around TFET with Mg_(2)Si source material for low power and enhanced performance applications

Metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor(MOSFET)faces the major problem of being unable to achieve a subthreshold swing(SS)below 60 mV/dec.As device dimensions continue to reduce and the demand for high switching ratios for low power consumption increases,the tunnel field-effect transistor(TFET)appears to be a viable device,displaying promising characteristic as an answer to the shortcomings of the traditional MOSFET.So far,TFET designing has been a task of sacrificing higher ON state current for low subthreshold swing(and vice versa),and a device that displays both while maintaining structural integrity and operational stability lies in the nascent stages of popular research.This work presents a comprehensive analysis of a heterojunction plasma doped gate-all-around TFET(HPD-GAA-TFET)by making a comparison between Mg_(2)Si and Si which serve as source materials.Charge plasma technique is employed to implement doping in an intrinsic silicon wafer with the help of suitable electrodes.A low-energy bandgap material,i.e.magnesium silicide is incorporated as source material to form a heterojunction between source and silicon-based channel.A rigorous comparison of performance between Si-based GAA-TFET and HPD-GAA-TFET is conducted in terms of electrical,radio frequency(RF),linearity,and distortion parameters.It is observable that HPD-GAA-TFET outperforms conventional Si-based GAA-TFET with an ON-state current(I_(ON)),subthreshold swing(SS),threshold voltage(V_(th)),and current switching ratio being 0.377 mA,12.660 mV/dec,0.214 V,and 2.985×10^(12),respectively.Moreover,HPD-GAA-TFET holds faster switching and is more reliable than Si-based device.Therefore,HPD-GAA-TFET is suitable for low-power applications.

An Enhanced Equilibrium Optimizer for Solving Optimization Tasks

The equilibrium optimizer(EO)represents a new,physics-inspired metaheuristic optimization approach that draws inspiration from the principles governing the control of volume-based mixing to achieve dynamic mass equilibrium.Despite its innovative foundation,the EO exhibits certain limitations,including imbalances between exploration and exploitation,the tendency to local optima,and the susceptibility to loss of population diversity.To alleviate these drawbacks,this paper introduces an improved EO that adopts three strategies:adaptive inertia weight,Cauchy mutation,and adaptive sine cosine mechanism,called SCEO.Firstly,a new update formula is conceived by incorporating an adaptive inertia weight to reach an appropriate balance between exploration and exploitation.Next,an adaptive sine cosine mechanism is embedded to boost the global exploratory capacity.Finally,the Cauchy mutation is utilized to prevent the loss of population diversity during searching.To validate the efficacy of the proposed SCEO,a comprehensive evaluation is conducted on 15 classical benchmark functions and the CEC2017 test suite.The outcomes are subsequently benchmarked against both the conventional EO,its variants,and other cutting-edge metaheuristic techniques.The comparisons reveal that the SCEO method provides significantly superior results against the standard EO and other competitors.In addition,the developed SCEO is implemented to deal with a mobile robot path planning(MRPP)task,and compared to some classical metaheuristic approaches.The analysis results demonstrate that the SCEO approach provides the best performance and is a prospective tool for MRPP.

A safe haven of SARS-CoV-2 in the environment:Prevalence and potential transmission risks in the effluent,sludge,and biosolids

The novel coronavirus,SARS-CoV-2,which has caused millions of death globally is recognized to be unstable and recalcitrant in the environment,especially in the way it has been evolving to form new and highly transmissible variants.Of particular concerns are human-environment interactions and the handling and reusing the environmental materials,such as effluents,sludge,or biosolids laden with the SARS-CoV-2 without adequate treatments,thereby suggesting potential transmission and health risks.This study assesses the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in effluents,sludge,and biosolids.Further,we evaluate the environmental,ecological,and health risks of reusing these environmental materials by wastewater/sludge workers and farmers.A systematic review of literature from the Scopus database resulted in a total of 21 articles(11 for effluents,8 for sludge,and 2 for biosolids)that met the criteria for meta-analysis,which are then subdivided into 30 meta-analyzed studies.The prevalence of SAR-CoV-2 RNA in effluent and sludge based on random-effect models are 27.51 and 1012.25,respectively,with a 95%CI between 6.14 and 48.89 for the effluent,and 104.78 and 1019.71 for the sludge.However,the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the biosolids based on the fixed-effect model is 30.59,with a 95%CI between 10.10 and 51.08.The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in environmental materials indicates the inefficiency in some of the treatment systems currently deployed to inactivate and remove the novel virus,which could be a potential health risk concern to vulnerable wastewater workers in particular,and the environmental and ecological issues for the population at large.This timely review portends the associated risks in handling and reusing environmental materials without proper and adequate treatments.

Frequency regularization of a linked wind- diesel system using dual structure fuzzy with ultra-capacitor

Microgrids(μ-grids)are gaining increased interest around the world for supplying cheap and clean energy.In this paper,aμ-grid comprising a wind turbine generator(WTG)and diesel generator(DG)is considered.It is one of most practical and demanding systems suitable for the present energy crisis in isolated or rural areas.However,wind energy is intermittent in nature while load demand changes frequently.Therefore,aμ-grid can experience large frequency and power fluctuations.The speed governor of the DG tries to minimize the frequency and power deviations inμ-grid though its operation is slow and cannot adequately minimize system deviations.The paper proposes a novel arrangement based on a dual structured fuzzy(DSF)whose structure changes according to the switching limit with a reduced rule base.It has the capability to switch between proportional and integral actions and hence improves the frequency regularization of theμ-grid.The proposed strategy is tested in aμ-grid and the results considering step load alteration,load alteration at different instants of time,nonstop changing load request are compared with some of the well published methods to validate the effectiveness and simplicity of the present design.In addition,it shows that ultra-capacitor establishment in aμ-grid has a positive impact in minimizing system deviations with DSF for the studied cases.

Market Drivers in India’s Smart Grid:Responsibilities and Roles of Stakeholders

The emergence of smart grids in India is propelled by an intricate interaction of market dynamics,regulatory structures,and stakeholder obligations.This study analyzes the primary factors that are driving the widespread use of smart grid technologies and outlines the specific roles and obligations of different stakeholders,such as government entities,utility companies,technology suppliers,and consumers.Government activities and regulations are crucial in facilitating the implementation of smart grid technology by offering financial incentives,regulatory assistance,and strategic guidance.Utility firms have the responsibility of implementing and integrating smart grid infrastructure,with an emphasis on improving the dependability of the grid,minimizing losses in transmission and distribution,and integrating renewable energy sources.Technology companies offer the essential hardware and software solutions,which stimulate creativity and enhance efficiency.Consumers actively engage in the energy ecosystem by participating in demand response,implementing energy saving measures,and adopting distributed energy resources like solar panels and electric vehicles.This study examines the difficulties and possibilities in India’s smart grid industry,highlighting the importance of cooperation among stakeholders to build a strong,effective,and environmentally friendly energy future.

Enhanced visible green and 1.5μm radiative emission of Er^(3+)ions in Li_(2)O-PbO-Al_(2)O_(3)-B_(2)O_(3) glasses for photonic applications

A series of Er^(3+)ions doped lithium lead alumino borate(LiPbAlB)glasses were synthesized via melt quench method and their structural,physical and optical properties were studied.Judd-Ofelt theory in correlation with the emission and absorption profiles was performed for the measurement of various radiative parameters for different transitions of Er^(3+)doped glasses.The as-prepared glasses show deep green(550 nm)as well as NIR(1532 nm)emission at 380 and 980 nm excitation wavelengths,respectively.The intensity of emission spectra increases with Er^(3+)ions concentration up to 1.5 mol%and beyond quenching is observed.The Dexter theory applied to the emission profiles reveals the interaction between Er^(3+)ions as dipole-dipole in nature.CIE color coordinates are found to fall in the green region of the visible spectrum.It is observed that 1.5 mol%of Er^(3+)ions concentration is optimum to exhibit the maximum quantum efficiency,branching ratios,gain bandwidth,emission cross-section,gain crosssection and aptly suitable for visible and NIR photonic applications.