Abiotic stresses are among the major limiting factors for plant growth and crop productivity.Among these,salinity is one of the major risk factors for plant growth and development in arid to semi-arid regions.Cultivat...Abiotic stresses are among the major limiting factors for plant growth and crop productivity.Among these,salinity is one of the major risk factors for plant growth and development in arid to semi-arid regions.Cultivation of salt tolerant crop genotypes is one of the imperative approaches to meet the food demand for increasing population.The current experiment was carried out to access the performance of different rice genotypes under salinity stress and Zinc(Zn)sources.Four rice genotypes were grown in a pot experiment and were exposed to salinity stress(7 dS m^(−1)),and Zn(15 mg kg^(-1)soil)was applied from two sources,ZnSO4 and Zn-EDTA.A control of both salinity and Zn was kept for comparison.Results showed that based on the biomass accumulation and K^(+)/Na^(+)ratio,KSK-133 and BAS-198 emerged as salt tolerant and salt sensitive,respectively.Similarly,based on the Zn concentration,BAS-2000 was reported as Zn-in-efficient while IR-6 was a Zn-efficient genotype.Our results also revealed that plant growth,relative water content(RWC),physiological attributes including chlorophyll contents,ionic concentrations in straw and grains of all rice genotypes were decreased under salinity stress.However,salt tolerant and Zn-in-efficient rice genotypes showed significantly higher shoot K^(+)and Zn concentrations under saline conditions.Zinc application significantly alleviates the harmful effects of salinity by improving morpho-physiological attributes and enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities,and the uptake of K and Zn.The beneficial effect of Zn was more pronounced in salt-tolerant and Zn in-efficient rice genotypes as compared with salt-sensitive and Zn-efficient genotypes.In sum,our results confirmed that Zn application increased overall plant’s performance under saline conditions,particularly in Zn in-efficient and tolerant genotypes as compared with salt-sensitive and Zn efficient rice genotypes.展开更多
In this study, CeO_2 nanostructures were synthesized by a soft chemical method. A hydrothermal treatment was observed to lead to an interesting morphological transformation of the nanoparticles into homogeneous micros...In this study, CeO_2 nanostructures were synthesized by a soft chemical method. A hydrothermal treatment was observed to lead to an interesting morphological transformation of the nanoparticles into homogeneous microspheres composed of nanosheets with an average thickness of 40 nm. Structural analysis revealed the formation of a single-phase cubic fluorite structure of CeO_2 for both samples. A Raman spectroscopic study confirmed the XRD results and furthermore indicated the presence of a large number of oxygen vacancies in the nanosheets. These oxygen vacancies led to room-temperature ferromagnetism(RTFM) of the CeO_2 nanosheets with enhanced magnetic characteristics. Amazingly, the nanosheets exhibited substantially greater antibacterial activity than the nanoparticles. This greater antibacterial activity was attributed to greater exposure of high-surface-energy polar surfaces and to the presence of oxygen vacancies.展开更多
Cancer is a frightful disease and represents one of the biggest health-care issues for the human race and demands a proactive strategy for cure. Plants are reservoirs for novel chemical entities and provide a promisin...Cancer is a frightful disease and represents one of the biggest health-care issues for the human race and demands a proactive strategy for cure. Plants are reservoirs for novel chemical entities and provide a promising line for research on cancer. Hitherto, being effective, chemotherapy is accompanied by certain unbearable side effects. Nevertheless,plants and plant derived products is a revolutionizing field as these are Simple, safer, ecofriendly, low-cost, fast, and less toxic as compared with conventional treatment methods.Phytochemicals are selective in their functions and acts specifically on tumor cells without affecting normal cells. Carcinogenesis is complex phenomena that involves many signaling cascades. Phytochemicals are considered suitable candidates for anticancer drug development due to their pleiotropic actions on target events with multiple manners. The research is in progress for developing potential candidates(those can block or slow down the growth of cancer cells without any side effects) from these phytochemicals. Many phytochemicals and their derived analogs have been identified as potential candidates for anticancer therapy. Effort has been made through this comprehensive review to highlight the recent developments and milestones achieved in cancer therapies using phytomolecules with their mechanism of action on nuclear and cellular factors. Furthermore, drugs for cancer treatment and their limitations have also been discussed.展开更多
Abnormal glacier movement is likely to result in canyon-type hazards chain,such as the barrier lake of Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon formed by glacier debris flow in October 2018 in China.Glacier hazard usually evolves ...Abnormal glacier movement is likely to result in canyon-type hazards chain,such as the barrier lake of Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon formed by glacier debris flow in October 2018 in China.Glacier hazard usually evolves from the glacier surge and may occur in a regular cycle.Understanding the characteristics and process of glacier surge is important for early hazard recognition and hazard assessment.Based on field investigations,remote sensing interpretations and SAR offset-tracking surveys,this study confirms a typical glacier surge in the northeast Pamir,and presents its characteristics and processes."Black ice"mixed moraines choking uplift and overflowing lateral marine are the most important scenic characteristics,which were formed under the conditions of stagnant glacier downstream and abundant super-glacial moraine.Glacier movement event can be divided into a five-period cycle including quiescent,inoculation,initiation,fracture and decline.This surge event lasted for about 300 days,initiated in February 2015 developed extensive fracturing zone in spring and early summer at maximum velocity of 10±0.95 m/day,declined after August 2015 and recovered to quiescent status in October 2015 for the next inoculation.The average height of glacier"receiving"area increased by 20-40 m with 2.7-3.6×10^8 m^3 ice transferred from glacier"reservoir",and this volume accumulation again require 50-100 years for glacier mass balance which gives approximately 100 years frequency of the glacier surge.Nevertheless,long-period increase of precipitation and temperature were favorable for the occurrence,hydrological instability is the direct triggering mechanism,and while the Glacier Lake Outburst Flood(GLOF)hazards are unlikely to occur with this surge.展开更多
The eastern Himalayan syntaxis is one of the most tectonically active and earthquake-prone regions on Earth where earthquake-induced geological disasters occur frequently and caused great damages. With the planning an...The eastern Himalayan syntaxis is one of the most tectonically active and earthquake-prone regions on Earth where earthquake-induced geological disasters occur frequently and caused great damages. With the planning and construction of Sichuan-Tibet highway, Sichuan-Tibet railway and hydropower development on the Yarlung Zangbo River etc. in recent years, it is very important to evaluate the seismic landslide hazard of this region. In this paper, a seismic landslide hazard map is produced based on seismic geological background analysis and field investigation using Newmark method with 10% PGA exceedance probabilities in future 50 years by considering the influence of river erosion, active faults and seismic amplification for the first time. The results show that the areas prone to seismic landslides are distributed on steep slopes along the drainages and the glacier horns as well as ridges on the mountains. The seismic landslide hazard map produced in this study not only predicts the most prone seismic landslide areas in the future 50 years but also provides a reference for mitigation strategies to reduce the exposure of the new building and planning projects to seismic landslides.展开更多
The National Cancer Institute had projected breast cancer(BC) as one of the topmost prevalent malignancies around the globe.In many cases,BC becomes resistant to chemotherapy,radiation and hormonal therapies.Tradition...The National Cancer Institute had projected breast cancer(BC) as one of the topmost prevalent malignancies around the globe.In many cases,BC becomes resistant to chemotherapy,radiation and hormonal therapies.Traditional BC therapies are associated with adverse side effects,drug resistance and recurrence.Extensive research work has shown that these dietary phytochemicals(DPs) may exert therapeutic effects by regulating the miRNA expression.A large number of DPs have been researched as miRNA regulatory agents against BC and some other DPs have not yet been tested against BC.We have discussed the effects of curcumin,diallyl disulphide,3,3′ diindolylmethane,ellagic acid,genistein,indole-3-carbinol,quercetin,resveratrol,and sulforaphane on regulation of expression of BC miRNAs in a wide range of in vitro and in vivo models.We have also shown some of the possible DPs(Oleanolic acid,capsaicin,benzyl isothiocyanate,epigallocatechin gallate,phenethyl isothiocyanate and ursolic acid) that have shown miRNA regulatory activities and have not yet been tested against BC miRNAs.Finally,current limitations,challenges,future perspectives of DPs and BC research are also critically discussed.展开更多
Landslides are prevalent,regular,and expensive hazards in the Karakoram Highway(KKH)region.The KKH connects Pakistan with China in the present China-Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC)context.This region has not only imm...Landslides are prevalent,regular,and expensive hazards in the Karakoram Highway(KKH)region.The KKH connects Pakistan with China in the present China-Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC)context.This region has not only immense economic importance but also ecological significance.The purpose of the study was to map the landslide-prone areas along KKH using two different techniquesAnalytical Hierarchy Process(AHP)and Scoops 3 D model.The causative parameters for running AHP include the lithology,presence of thrust,land use land cover,precipitation,and Digital Elevation Model(DEM)derived variables(slope,curvature,aspect,and elevation).The AHP derived final landslide susceptibility map was classified into four zones,i.e.,low,moderate,high,and extremely high.Over 80%of the study area falls under the moderate(43%)and high(40%)landslide susceptible zones.To assess the slope stability of the study area,the Scoops 3 D model was used by integrating with the earthquake loading data.The results of the limit equilibrium analysis categorized the area into four groups(low,moderate,high,and extremely high mass)of slope failure.The areas around Main Mantle Thrust(MMT)including Dubair,Jijal,and Kohistan regions,had high volumes of potential slope failures.The results from AHP and Scoops 3 D techniques were validated with the landslides inventory record of the Geological Survey of Pakistan and Google Earth.The results from both the techniques showed similar output that coincides with the known landslides areas.However,Scoops 3 D provides not only susceptible zones but also the range of volume of the potential slope failures.Further,these techniques could be used in other mountainous areas,which could help in the landslide mitigation measures.展开更多
The modification of nanostructured materials is of great interest due to controllable and unusual inherent properties in such materials. Single phase Fe doped Zn O nanostructures have been fabricated through simple, v...The modification of nanostructured materials is of great interest due to controllable and unusual inherent properties in such materials. Single phase Fe doped Zn O nanostructures have been fabricated through simple, versatile and quick low temperature solution route with reproducible results. The amount of Fe dopant is found to play a significant role for the growth of crystal dimension. The effect of changes in the morphology can be obviously observed in the structural and micro-structural investigations, which may be due to a driving force induced by dipole-dipole interaction. The band gap of Zn O nanostructures is highly shifted towards the visible range with increase of Fe contents, while ferromagnetic properties have been significantly improved.The prepared nanostructures have been found to be nontoxic to SH-SY5 Y Cells. The present study clearly indicates that the Fe doping provides an effective way of tailoring the crystal dimension, optical band-gap and ferromagnetic properties of Zn O nanostructure-materials with nontoxic nature, which make them potential for visible light activated photocatalyst to overcome environmental pollution, fabricate spintronics devices and biosafe drug delivery agent.展开更多
The present study aims at finding out the effect of the addition of a single rare earth element, that is, lanthanum on the nodularity and nodule count of ductile iron under controlled conditions. For this purpose, fou...The present study aims at finding out the effect of the addition of a single rare earth element, that is, lanthanum on the nodularity and nodule count of ductile iron under controlled conditions. For this purpose, four melts with different compositions were made, using a 28 kg inductotherm medium frequency induction furnace. The temperature was carefully maintained between 1400 and 1450 ℃ for these heats. A good quality charge consisting of Sorel metal, ferrosilicon, Swedish iron, ferrosilicon magnesium, and ferrosilicon lanthanum was used for the production of melts. A vertically parted sand mould was used for casting of 10 test bars made from local silica sand. Standard coin samples were chill-cast to conduct chemical analysis of the ductile iron. Microstructure study of the samples was conducted using a Leica optical microscope. Nodule count and nodularity of the samples were carried out using an image analyzer. The results obtained indicated that with the increased addition of lanthanum the nodule count of ductile iron increased, thus making it evident that it played a significant role in increasing the mechanical properties. The highest nodule count of 467 was obtained with the addition of 0.03% lanthanum. However, the effect of lanthanum on nodularity was negligible with nodularity ranging from 81% to 83%.展开更多
Solidification or crystallization of phase change emulsion in the form of fine emulsion drops in a direct contact coolant at temperatures below their freezing point was studied. This work is mainly focused on the size...Solidification or crystallization of phase change emulsion in the form of fine emulsion drops in a direct contact coolant at temperatures below their freezing point was studied. This work is mainly focused on the size and shape of the generated particles from phase change emulsified fats. Size of the particles is the major or key factor being considered during their formation, however, other factors that govern the particle size and shape were also observed. The operating parameters of the process were optimized in order to obtain particles of smaller size ranges in the window of current operating conditions. The crystallization of complex emulsion matrices is very difficult to control in the bulk at desired requirement. Hence, the emulsion drop to particle formation has advantage in comparison with the bulk solidification or crystallization. The main objective of this work is to achieve spherical emulsion particles in a direct contact cooling system. Parameters like: stability, characterization, viscosity, and the effect of different energy inputs were examined. Moreover, the effects of the capillary size, interfacial tension, temperature of the emulsion on the particle size were also monitored.展开更多
Environmental variables play a crucial role in shaping vegetation structure,mainly in mountainous ecosystems.Different studies have attempted to identify the environment-vegetation relationship of Conifer Dominating F...Environmental variables play a crucial role in shaping vegetation structure,mainly in mountainous ecosystems.Different studies have attempted to identify the environment-vegetation relationship of Conifer Dominating Forests(CDF)worldwide.However,due to differences in local climate and soil composition,different environmental drivers can be found.By applying multivariate analysis techniques,this study investigated the vegetation-environment relationship of CDF of Indus Kohistan in northern Pakistan.Our results showed that CDF of Indus Kohistan are distributed in five distinct ecological groups,which are dominated by different trees and understory species.A total of 7 trees and 71 understory species were recorded from the sampling sites.Cedrus deodara was the leading species among four groups,having the highest importance value(IV),density and basal area.Group I was dominated by Pinus wallichiana with the second highest importance value,density and basal area.In addition,elevation,slope,maximum water holding capacity(MWHC),soil moisture(SM),total organic matter(TOM),sodium,phosphorus and nickel showed highly significant influence on composition and distribution pattern of Indus Kohistan vegetation.Therefore,this study shows a new evidence of vegetation-environment relationship,pointing out specific drivers of vegetation structure in CDF of Indus Kohistan region in northern Pakistan.展开更多
Objective:To explore antioxidant potential,anti-cancer activity,and phytochemicals of Commelina benghalensis L.Methods:The roots of Commelina benghalensis were extracted in different solvents(methanol,ethanol,benzene,...Objective:To explore antioxidant potential,anti-cancer activity,and phytochemicals of Commelina benghalensis L.Methods:The roots of Commelina benghalensis were extracted in different solvents(methanol,ethanol,benzene,chloroform,n-hexane)with a range of polarity.Antioxidant activity was evaluated by reducing power assay,DPPH radical scavenging activity and phosphomolybdenum method,cytotoxicity by MTT assay,apoptotic and cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry,migratory and invasive potential by wound scratch assay and invasion assay,respectively,functional groups analysis by FT-IR spectroscopy and phytochemicals by aluminum chloride colorimetric and FolinCiocalteu methods.Results:The extracts showed worthy antioxidant potential.The chloroform extract demonstrated the most significant cytotoxic effect on MDA-MB-231(breast cancer)cell line,induced apoptosis and reduced migratory and invasive potential of MDA-MB-231 cells.Methanol and ethanol extracts presented good yield of total phenolic and total flavonoid contents.The FTIR spectroscopic studies revealed different characteristic peak values with various functional compounds such as alkenes,alkanes,aliphatic amines,aromatics,alkyl halides,carboxylic acid,alcohols,ester,aldehydes and ketones.Conclusions:The results demonstrate the potential use of Commelina benghalensis as a good antioxidant with significant anticancer effect.展开更多
Transthyretin (TTR), a carrier protein present in the liver and choroid plexus of the brain, has been shown to be responsible for binding thyroid hormone thyroxin (T4) and retinol in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CS...Transthyretin (TTR), a carrier protein present in the liver and choroid plexus of the brain, has been shown to be responsible for binding thyroid hormone thyroxin (T4) and retinol in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). TTR aids in sequestering of beta-amyloid peptides Aβ deposition, and protects the brain from trauma, ischemic stroke and Alzheimer disease (AD). Accordingly, hippocampal gene expression of TTR plays a significant role in learning and memory as well as in simulation of spatial memory tasks. TTR via interacting with transcription factor CREB regulates this process and decreased expression leads to memory deficits. By different signaling pathways, like MAPK, AKT, and ERK via Src, TTR provides tropical support through megalin receptor by promoting neurite outgrowth and protecting the neurons from traumatic brain injury. TTR is also responsible for the transient rise in intracellular Ca2+ via NMDA receptor, playing a dominant role under excitotoxic conditions. In this review, we tried to shed light on how TTR is involved in maintaining normal cognitive processes, its role in learning and memory, under memory deficit conditions;by which mechanisms it promotes neurite outgrowth;and how it protects the brain from Alzheimer disease (AD).展开更多
Carbon Nanotubes are one the most important materials of future. Discovered in 1991, they have reached a stage of attracting the interests of many companies world wide for their large scale production. They possess re...Carbon Nanotubes are one the most important materials of future. Discovered in 1991, they have reached a stage of attracting the interests of many companies world wide for their large scale production. They possess remarkable electrical, mechanical, optical, thermal and chemical properties, which make them a perfect “fit” for many engineering applications. In this paper various methods of production of carbon nanotubes are discussed outlining their capabilities, efficiencies and possible exploitation as economic large scale production methods. Chemical vapor disposition (CVD) is proposed as a potential method for economic large scale production of carbon nanotubes due to its relative simplicity of operation, process control, energy efficiency, raw materials used, capability to scale up as large unit operation, high yield and purity.展开更多
Breast cancer is a frightful disease and serious concern in women around the world causing significant health care burden in both developed and developing countries. Extensive research work has shown that breast cance...Breast cancer is a frightful disease and serious concern in women around the world causing significant health care burden in both developed and developing countries. Extensive research work has shown that breast cancer provides strong resistance to chemical agents, U V radiation,and hormonal treatments. It is generally accepted that cell genetics is not the only main reason for breast cancer and genetic risk factors, for example, mutations in RRCAI and BRCA2 genes constitute 5%-10% of all breast cancer rates. Other related factors include age, gender,race, ethnicity, weight, reproductive factors, exo-and endogenous hormonal exposures, oral contraceptives use, ultraviolet radiation, diet, and night work(circadian disruption). Many studies have revealed that dietary isoflavones regulate breast cancer occurrence, recurrence and prognosis. Dietary isoflavones have long been part of Asian population diet and there is a significant increase as compared to dietary isoflavones intake among other populations. Dietary isoflavones are natural phytoestrogens having both estrogenic and anti-estrogenic potentials on breast cancer cells in culture, animal models and in experimental trials. This literature survey provides a comprehensive overview on the tumor preventive and tumor promoting potentials of dietary isoflavones on breast cancer. In addition, this paper provides a literature review of dietary isoflavones and their effects on up-regulation and down-regulation of different signaling pathways, genes and proteins. Finally, future perspectives of dietary isoflavones and breast cancer researchers are also critically discussed, which will provide a deeper insight regarding the inner molecular mechanisms of action.展开更多
Electron-temperature-gradient(ETG)-driven solitons are studied in a plasma.We derive the linear dispersion relation and an admitted solitary wave solution Korteweg–de Vries-typeequation(Kd V)for the ETG mode in the n...Electron-temperature-gradient(ETG)-driven solitons are studied in a plasma.We derive the linear dispersion relation and an admitted solitary wave solution Korteweg–de Vries-typeequation(Kd V)for the ETG mode in the nonlinear regime by using the Braginskii model and a transformation.It is found that the ETG mode supports only rarefactive solitons.It is also observed that the ratio of electron-to-ion temperature t=T T,_e _ithe ratio of gradient scale lengths h=L L,_(en) _Tand the magnetic field B affect both the amplitude and width of a soliton.It is found that the soliton profile changes with variation in these parameters.We apply the homotopy perturbation method to the derived Kd V equation.It is found this method is computationally attractive and the results are very impressive.This work may be useful to study the low electrostatic modes in inhomogeneous electron–ion plasma with density and ETGgradients.For illustration,the model has been applied to tokamak plasma.展开更多
Leukemia is a most prevalent type of cancer around the globe. Due to major side effects of Chemotherapy and radiotherapy, scientists worked to explore the alternative source to treat leukemia. An alternative source fo...Leukemia is a most prevalent type of cancer around the globe. Due to major side effects of Chemotherapy and radiotherapy, scientists worked to explore the alternative source to treat leukemia. An alternative source for the treatment of leukemia existed in the form of curcumin, a natural phenolic compound extracted from curcuma longa plant. It exhibited anticancer properties reducing the tumor load via apoptosis and cell cycle arrested in various cancer cell lines and controlled tumor proliferation by blocking tumor inducing gene such as FLT3, Akt gene, ROS and NF-κB inhibition. At molecular level, curcumin plays a key therapeutic role in protection of normal cells by up regulation of NRF-2 that induces production of cellular antioxidants. It regulates various signaling pathways including NF-KB, JAK/STAT, PI3K/AKT and JNK pathways, thereby affecting cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis. This review described the potential of curcumin for treatment of leukemia;it affects different signaling cascades and their regulation. This study provides a preclinical foundation for future usage of curcumin in the treatment of cancer.展开更多
Development of fingerprints based on DNA markers is necessary for proper identification and standardization of plant species. These techniques are widely used to develop an unquestionable method of plant identificatio...Development of fingerprints based on DNA markers is necessary for proper identification and standardization of plant species. These techniques are widely used to develop an unquestionable method of plant identification to protect the patents and quality control for industry. In this study, fifteen commercially important medicinal plants of Pakistan were collected from botanical garden of Qarshi Industries (Pvt.) Ltd, Pakistan. The objective was to optimize the extraction of genomic DNA for use in a PCR-based random amplified polymorphic DNA marker approach. The initial protocol used 60 decamers to amplify scorable amplicons;only nine markers produced significant bands in genomic DNA of medicinal plants. These markers generated 51 bands ranging between 250 and 1600 bp. The most important property of genomic markers is polymorphism to enable specific identification;all the used markers showed 100% polymorphism across 15 different plants. Further, six decamers amplified specific bands to reliably identify 8 species. The amplified bands were arranged in a binary matrix and analyzed by DNAMAN version 5.2.2 statistical software. A homology tree was constructed using binary data for nine markers, and four major clusters/clades were observed. The Rose, Mentha and Stevia accessions had shown clear clustering and grouped in major clusters/clads I, II and III respectively. Sixty decamers amplified 51 polymorphic loci in the genomes of 15 commercially valuable accessions. Moreover clear phylogenetic construction was observed in the generation of homolog tree. This protocol could therefore be useful to provide a baseline to authenticate, identify and perform phylogenetic analysis of important medicinal plants used in the Pakistani herbal medicine industry.展开更多
Purpose: Both physical and virtual wedges are used in radiotherapy to get uniform and desired dose distribution in clinical setting. All linear accelerators of different venders have computer controlled dynamic wedges...Purpose: Both physical and virtual wedges are used in radiotherapy to get uniform and desired dose distribution in clinical setting. All linear accelerators of different venders have computer controlled dynamic wedges called virtual wedge filters. Penumbra is one of the important photon beam characteristics needed to be understood in radiation therapy at the time of commissioning of Treatment Planning system (TPS) as well as applying various treatment planning algorithms in clinical applications. In this study we measured the dose profiles of open field, physical wedges (PW) and virtual wedges (VW) for energies (6 MV & 15 MV), various field sizes (10 × 10, 15 × 15 & 20 × 20 cm2), depths (dmax, 10 cm, 20 cm) and wedge angles (15°, 30°, 45° and 60°). From beam profile we calculated the penumbral width for open and wedged fields. The study was carried out on Siemens ONCOR IMRT Plus linear accelerator. The obtained penumbral width of PW and VW of all wedge angles was subtracted from the penumbral width of open field. The deviations in penumbral width were compared and statistically analyzed as a function of energy, depth, field size and wedge angles. Material and Method: The penumbral width was measured using IBA CC13 ion chamber in IBA Blue phantom (a 3D water phantom). The source to surface distance (SSD) during our study was kept 100cm and measurement was taken for 10 × 10, 15 × 15, 20 × 20 cm2 field sizes and for 15°, 30°, 45°, 60° wedges. These measurements were taken for both 6 MV and 15 MV photon energies. Virtual wedge profiles were acquired using LDA-99 linear detector array (IBA, Germany). The deviations in penumbral width for both PW and VW were calculated by subtracting the penumbral width from open field penumbral width in gun direction (in-plane) and deviation in VW penumbral width, and were obtained by subtracting the open field penumbral width in left-right direction (cross-plane) direction. The measured deviations were plotted for both PW and VW. Statistics on the measured deviations was performed by using SPSS Version 15. Results & Conclusion: The results of one way ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) show that the deviations are significant with energy and the deviations are higher in lower energy than higher energy. The deviations increase as depth increases, the deviations are also significant with depth. The deviations increase with field sizes;the deviations as a function of field size are highly significant. The deviations are higher in PW than VW but the deviations with wedge type are in-significant. As wedge angle increases, deviations also increase and the effect of wedge angle is highly significant on deviations.展开更多
基金This research was funded by Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University,Researchers Supporting Project Number(PNURSP2023R188),Riyadh,Saudi Arabia.
文摘Abiotic stresses are among the major limiting factors for plant growth and crop productivity.Among these,salinity is one of the major risk factors for plant growth and development in arid to semi-arid regions.Cultivation of salt tolerant crop genotypes is one of the imperative approaches to meet the food demand for increasing population.The current experiment was carried out to access the performance of different rice genotypes under salinity stress and Zinc(Zn)sources.Four rice genotypes were grown in a pot experiment and were exposed to salinity stress(7 dS m^(−1)),and Zn(15 mg kg^(-1)soil)was applied from two sources,ZnSO4 and Zn-EDTA.A control of both salinity and Zn was kept for comparison.Results showed that based on the biomass accumulation and K^(+)/Na^(+)ratio,KSK-133 and BAS-198 emerged as salt tolerant and salt sensitive,respectively.Similarly,based on the Zn concentration,BAS-2000 was reported as Zn-in-efficient while IR-6 was a Zn-efficient genotype.Our results also revealed that plant growth,relative water content(RWC),physiological attributes including chlorophyll contents,ionic concentrations in straw and grains of all rice genotypes were decreased under salinity stress.However,salt tolerant and Zn-in-efficient rice genotypes showed significantly higher shoot K^(+)and Zn concentrations under saline conditions.Zinc application significantly alleviates the harmful effects of salinity by improving morpho-physiological attributes and enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities,and the uptake of K and Zn.The beneficial effect of Zn was more pronounced in salt-tolerant and Zn in-efficient rice genotypes as compared with salt-sensitive and Zn-efficient genotypes.In sum,our results confirmed that Zn application increased overall plant’s performance under saline conditions,particularly in Zn in-efficient and tolerant genotypes as compared with salt-sensitive and Zn efficient rice genotypes.
基金funded by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) IPFP (Grant No. PM-IPFP/HRD/ HEC/2011/3386) to Dr. Javed Iqbal Saggu and funding for HEC Ph.D. Scholar (Tariq Jan) under his supervision
文摘In this study, CeO_2 nanostructures were synthesized by a soft chemical method. A hydrothermal treatment was observed to lead to an interesting morphological transformation of the nanoparticles into homogeneous microspheres composed of nanosheets with an average thickness of 40 nm. Structural analysis revealed the formation of a single-phase cubic fluorite structure of CeO_2 for both samples. A Raman spectroscopic study confirmed the XRD results and furthermore indicated the presence of a large number of oxygen vacancies in the nanosheets. These oxygen vacancies led to room-temperature ferromagnetism(RTFM) of the CeO_2 nanosheets with enhanced magnetic characteristics. Amazingly, the nanosheets exhibited substantially greater antibacterial activity than the nanoparticles. This greater antibacterial activity was attributed to greater exposure of high-surface-energy polar surfaces and to the presence of oxygen vacancies.
文摘Cancer is a frightful disease and represents one of the biggest health-care issues for the human race and demands a proactive strategy for cure. Plants are reservoirs for novel chemical entities and provide a promising line for research on cancer. Hitherto, being effective, chemotherapy is accompanied by certain unbearable side effects. Nevertheless,plants and plant derived products is a revolutionizing field as these are Simple, safer, ecofriendly, low-cost, fast, and less toxic as compared with conventional treatment methods.Phytochemicals are selective in their functions and acts specifically on tumor cells without affecting normal cells. Carcinogenesis is complex phenomena that involves many signaling cascades. Phytochemicals are considered suitable candidates for anticancer drug development due to their pleiotropic actions on target events with multiple manners. The research is in progress for developing potential candidates(those can block or slow down the growth of cancer cells without any side effects) from these phytochemicals. Many phytochemicals and their derived analogs have been identified as potential candidates for anticancer therapy. Effort has been made through this comprehensive review to highlight the recent developments and milestones achieved in cancer therapies using phytomolecules with their mechanism of action on nuclear and cellular factors. Furthermore, drugs for cancer treatment and their limitations have also been discussed.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (2018YFC1505002)CGS Research Fund (JYYWF20181501)+1 种基金National Natural Science Foundation of China (41672359)Chinese Academy of Sciences President’s International Fellowship Initiative (grant No. 2018PC0009)
文摘Abnormal glacier movement is likely to result in canyon-type hazards chain,such as the barrier lake of Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon formed by glacier debris flow in October 2018 in China.Glacier hazard usually evolves from the glacier surge and may occur in a regular cycle.Understanding the characteristics and process of glacier surge is important for early hazard recognition and hazard assessment.Based on field investigations,remote sensing interpretations and SAR offset-tracking surveys,this study confirms a typical glacier surge in the northeast Pamir,and presents its characteristics and processes."Black ice"mixed moraines choking uplift and overflowing lateral marine are the most important scenic characteristics,which were formed under the conditions of stagnant glacier downstream and abundant super-glacial moraine.Glacier movement event can be divided into a five-period cycle including quiescent,inoculation,initiation,fracture and decline.This surge event lasted for about 300 days,initiated in February 2015 developed extensive fracturing zone in spring and early summer at maximum velocity of 10±0.95 m/day,declined after August 2015 and recovered to quiescent status in October 2015 for the next inoculation.The average height of glacier"receiving"area increased by 20-40 m with 2.7-3.6×10^8 m^3 ice transferred from glacier"reservoir",and this volume accumulation again require 50-100 years for glacier mass balance which gives approximately 100 years frequency of the glacier surge.Nevertheless,long-period increase of precipitation and temperature were favorable for the occurrence,hydrological instability is the direct triggering mechanism,and while the Glacier Lake Outburst Flood(GLOF)hazards are unlikely to occur with this surge.
基金supported by the Project of the 12th Five-year National Sci-Tech Support Plan of China(No.2011BAK12B09)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41402321,41502313)+1 种基金the Project of China Geological Survey(No.12120113038000)China Special Project of Basic Work of Science and Technology(No.2011FY110100-2)
文摘The eastern Himalayan syntaxis is one of the most tectonically active and earthquake-prone regions on Earth where earthquake-induced geological disasters occur frequently and caused great damages. With the planning and construction of Sichuan-Tibet highway, Sichuan-Tibet railway and hydropower development on the Yarlung Zangbo River etc. in recent years, it is very important to evaluate the seismic landslide hazard of this region. In this paper, a seismic landslide hazard map is produced based on seismic geological background analysis and field investigation using Newmark method with 10% PGA exceedance probabilities in future 50 years by considering the influence of river erosion, active faults and seismic amplification for the first time. The results show that the areas prone to seismic landslides are distributed on steep slopes along the drainages and the glacier horns as well as ridges on the mountains. The seismic landslide hazard map produced in this study not only predicts the most prone seismic landslide areas in the future 50 years but also provides a reference for mitigation strategies to reduce the exposure of the new building and planning projects to seismic landslides.
文摘The National Cancer Institute had projected breast cancer(BC) as one of the topmost prevalent malignancies around the globe.In many cases,BC becomes resistant to chemotherapy,radiation and hormonal therapies.Traditional BC therapies are associated with adverse side effects,drug resistance and recurrence.Extensive research work has shown that these dietary phytochemicals(DPs) may exert therapeutic effects by regulating the miRNA expression.A large number of DPs have been researched as miRNA regulatory agents against BC and some other DPs have not yet been tested against BC.We have discussed the effects of curcumin,diallyl disulphide,3,3′ diindolylmethane,ellagic acid,genistein,indole-3-carbinol,quercetin,resveratrol,and sulforaphane on regulation of expression of BC miRNAs in a wide range of in vitro and in vivo models.We have also shown some of the possible DPs(Oleanolic acid,capsaicin,benzyl isothiocyanate,epigallocatechin gallate,phenethyl isothiocyanate and ursolic acid) that have shown miRNA regulatory activities and have not yet been tested against BC miRNAs.Finally,current limitations,challenges,future perspectives of DPs and BC research are also critically discussed.
文摘Landslides are prevalent,regular,and expensive hazards in the Karakoram Highway(KKH)region.The KKH connects Pakistan with China in the present China-Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC)context.This region has not only immense economic importance but also ecological significance.The purpose of the study was to map the landslide-prone areas along KKH using two different techniquesAnalytical Hierarchy Process(AHP)and Scoops 3 D model.The causative parameters for running AHP include the lithology,presence of thrust,land use land cover,precipitation,and Digital Elevation Model(DEM)derived variables(slope,curvature,aspect,and elevation).The AHP derived final landslide susceptibility map was classified into four zones,i.e.,low,moderate,high,and extremely high.Over 80%of the study area falls under the moderate(43%)and high(40%)landslide susceptible zones.To assess the slope stability of the study area,the Scoops 3 D model was used by integrating with the earthquake loading data.The results of the limit equilibrium analysis categorized the area into four groups(low,moderate,high,and extremely high mass)of slope failure.The areas around Main Mantle Thrust(MMT)including Dubair,Jijal,and Kohistan regions,had high volumes of potential slope failures.The results from AHP and Scoops 3 D techniques were validated with the landslides inventory record of the Geological Survey of Pakistan and Google Earth.The results from both the techniques showed similar output that coincides with the known landslides areas.However,Scoops 3 D provides not only susceptible zones but also the range of volume of the potential slope failures.Further,these techniques could be used in other mountainous areas,which could help in the landslide mitigation measures.
基金supported by Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, National Basic Research Program of China (2010CB934602)National Science Foundation of China (51171007 and 51271009)
文摘The modification of nanostructured materials is of great interest due to controllable and unusual inherent properties in such materials. Single phase Fe doped Zn O nanostructures have been fabricated through simple, versatile and quick low temperature solution route with reproducible results. The amount of Fe dopant is found to play a significant role for the growth of crystal dimension. The effect of changes in the morphology can be obviously observed in the structural and micro-structural investigations, which may be due to a driving force induced by dipole-dipole interaction. The band gap of Zn O nanostructures is highly shifted towards the visible range with increase of Fe contents, while ferromagnetic properties have been significantly improved.The prepared nanostructures have been found to be nontoxic to SH-SY5 Y Cells. The present study clearly indicates that the Fe doping provides an effective way of tailoring the crystal dimension, optical band-gap and ferromagnetic properties of Zn O nanostructure-materials with nontoxic nature, which make them potential for visible light activated photocatalyst to overcome environmental pollution, fabricate spintronics devices and biosafe drug delivery agent.
文摘The present study aims at finding out the effect of the addition of a single rare earth element, that is, lanthanum on the nodularity and nodule count of ductile iron under controlled conditions. For this purpose, four melts with different compositions were made, using a 28 kg inductotherm medium frequency induction furnace. The temperature was carefully maintained between 1400 and 1450 ℃ for these heats. A good quality charge consisting of Sorel metal, ferrosilicon, Swedish iron, ferrosilicon magnesium, and ferrosilicon lanthanum was used for the production of melts. A vertically parted sand mould was used for casting of 10 test bars made from local silica sand. Standard coin samples were chill-cast to conduct chemical analysis of the ductile iron. Microstructure study of the samples was conducted using a Leica optical microscope. Nodule count and nodularity of the samples were carried out using an image analyzer. The results obtained indicated that with the increased addition of lanthanum the nodule count of ductile iron increased, thus making it evident that it played a significant role in increasing the mechanical properties. The highest nodule count of 467 was obtained with the addition of 0.03% lanthanum. However, the effect of lanthanum on nodularity was negligible with nodularity ranging from 81% to 83%.
基金the Department of Chemical Engineering,COMSATS Institute of Information Technology,Lahore,Pakistan,for relieving them from their duties,and Higher Education Commission,Pakistan(A/07/96851)for providing the financial assistance to carry out Ph D study in cooperation with the German Academic Exchange Service(DAAD)
文摘Solidification or crystallization of phase change emulsion in the form of fine emulsion drops in a direct contact coolant at temperatures below their freezing point was studied. This work is mainly focused on the size and shape of the generated particles from phase change emulsified fats. Size of the particles is the major or key factor being considered during their formation, however, other factors that govern the particle size and shape were also observed. The operating parameters of the process were optimized in order to obtain particles of smaller size ranges in the window of current operating conditions. The crystallization of complex emulsion matrices is very difficult to control in the bulk at desired requirement. Hence, the emulsion drop to particle formation has advantage in comparison with the bulk solidification or crystallization. The main objective of this work is to achieve spherical emulsion particles in a direct contact cooling system. Parameters like: stability, characterization, viscosity, and the effect of different energy inputs were examined. Moreover, the effects of the capillary size, interfacial tension, temperature of the emulsion on the particle size were also monitored.
文摘Environmental variables play a crucial role in shaping vegetation structure,mainly in mountainous ecosystems.Different studies have attempted to identify the environment-vegetation relationship of Conifer Dominating Forests(CDF)worldwide.However,due to differences in local climate and soil composition,different environmental drivers can be found.By applying multivariate analysis techniques,this study investigated the vegetation-environment relationship of CDF of Indus Kohistan in northern Pakistan.Our results showed that CDF of Indus Kohistan are distributed in five distinct ecological groups,which are dominated by different trees and understory species.A total of 7 trees and 71 understory species were recorded from the sampling sites.Cedrus deodara was the leading species among four groups,having the highest importance value(IV),density and basal area.Group I was dominated by Pinus wallichiana with the second highest importance value,density and basal area.In addition,elevation,slope,maximum water holding capacity(MWHC),soil moisture(SM),total organic matter(TOM),sodium,phosphorus and nickel showed highly significant influence on composition and distribution pattern of Indus Kohistan vegetation.Therefore,this study shows a new evidence of vegetation-environment relationship,pointing out specific drivers of vegetation structure in CDF of Indus Kohistan region in northern Pakistan.
文摘Objective:To explore antioxidant potential,anti-cancer activity,and phytochemicals of Commelina benghalensis L.Methods:The roots of Commelina benghalensis were extracted in different solvents(methanol,ethanol,benzene,chloroform,n-hexane)with a range of polarity.Antioxidant activity was evaluated by reducing power assay,DPPH radical scavenging activity and phosphomolybdenum method,cytotoxicity by MTT assay,apoptotic and cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry,migratory and invasive potential by wound scratch assay and invasion assay,respectively,functional groups analysis by FT-IR spectroscopy and phytochemicals by aluminum chloride colorimetric and FolinCiocalteu methods.Results:The extracts showed worthy antioxidant potential.The chloroform extract demonstrated the most significant cytotoxic effect on MDA-MB-231(breast cancer)cell line,induced apoptosis and reduced migratory and invasive potential of MDA-MB-231 cells.Methanol and ethanol extracts presented good yield of total phenolic and total flavonoid contents.The FTIR spectroscopic studies revealed different characteristic peak values with various functional compounds such as alkenes,alkanes,aliphatic amines,aromatics,alkyl halides,carboxylic acid,alcohols,ester,aldehydes and ketones.Conclusions:The results demonstrate the potential use of Commelina benghalensis as a good antioxidant with significant anticancer effect.
文摘Transthyretin (TTR), a carrier protein present in the liver and choroid plexus of the brain, has been shown to be responsible for binding thyroid hormone thyroxin (T4) and retinol in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). TTR aids in sequestering of beta-amyloid peptides Aβ deposition, and protects the brain from trauma, ischemic stroke and Alzheimer disease (AD). Accordingly, hippocampal gene expression of TTR plays a significant role in learning and memory as well as in simulation of spatial memory tasks. TTR via interacting with transcription factor CREB regulates this process and decreased expression leads to memory deficits. By different signaling pathways, like MAPK, AKT, and ERK via Src, TTR provides tropical support through megalin receptor by promoting neurite outgrowth and protecting the neurons from traumatic brain injury. TTR is also responsible for the transient rise in intracellular Ca2+ via NMDA receptor, playing a dominant role under excitotoxic conditions. In this review, we tried to shed light on how TTR is involved in maintaining normal cognitive processes, its role in learning and memory, under memory deficit conditions;by which mechanisms it promotes neurite outgrowth;and how it protects the brain from Alzheimer disease (AD).
文摘Carbon Nanotubes are one the most important materials of future. Discovered in 1991, they have reached a stage of attracting the interests of many companies world wide for their large scale production. They possess remarkable electrical, mechanical, optical, thermal and chemical properties, which make them a perfect “fit” for many engineering applications. In this paper various methods of production of carbon nanotubes are discussed outlining their capabilities, efficiencies and possible exploitation as economic large scale production methods. Chemical vapor disposition (CVD) is proposed as a potential method for economic large scale production of carbon nanotubes due to its relative simplicity of operation, process control, energy efficiency, raw materials used, capability to scale up as large unit operation, high yield and purity.
文摘Breast cancer is a frightful disease and serious concern in women around the world causing significant health care burden in both developed and developing countries. Extensive research work has shown that breast cancer provides strong resistance to chemical agents, U V radiation,and hormonal treatments. It is generally accepted that cell genetics is not the only main reason for breast cancer and genetic risk factors, for example, mutations in RRCAI and BRCA2 genes constitute 5%-10% of all breast cancer rates. Other related factors include age, gender,race, ethnicity, weight, reproductive factors, exo-and endogenous hormonal exposures, oral contraceptives use, ultraviolet radiation, diet, and night work(circadian disruption). Many studies have revealed that dietary isoflavones regulate breast cancer occurrence, recurrence and prognosis. Dietary isoflavones have long been part of Asian population diet and there is a significant increase as compared to dietary isoflavones intake among other populations. Dietary isoflavones are natural phytoestrogens having both estrogenic and anti-estrogenic potentials on breast cancer cells in culture, animal models and in experimental trials. This literature survey provides a comprehensive overview on the tumor preventive and tumor promoting potentials of dietary isoflavones on breast cancer. In addition, this paper provides a literature review of dietary isoflavones and their effects on up-regulation and down-regulation of different signaling pathways, genes and proteins. Finally, future perspectives of dietary isoflavones and breast cancer researchers are also critically discussed, which will provide a deeper insight regarding the inner molecular mechanisms of action.
文摘Electron-temperature-gradient(ETG)-driven solitons are studied in a plasma.We derive the linear dispersion relation and an admitted solitary wave solution Korteweg–de Vries-typeequation(Kd V)for the ETG mode in the nonlinear regime by using the Braginskii model and a transformation.It is found that the ETG mode supports only rarefactive solitons.It is also observed that the ratio of electron-to-ion temperature t=T T,_e _ithe ratio of gradient scale lengths h=L L,_(en) _Tand the magnetic field B affect both the amplitude and width of a soliton.It is found that the soliton profile changes with variation in these parameters.We apply the homotopy perturbation method to the derived Kd V equation.It is found this method is computationally attractive and the results are very impressive.This work may be useful to study the low electrostatic modes in inhomogeneous electron–ion plasma with density and ETGgradients.For illustration,the model has been applied to tokamak plasma.
文摘Leukemia is a most prevalent type of cancer around the globe. Due to major side effects of Chemotherapy and radiotherapy, scientists worked to explore the alternative source to treat leukemia. An alternative source for the treatment of leukemia existed in the form of curcumin, a natural phenolic compound extracted from curcuma longa plant. It exhibited anticancer properties reducing the tumor load via apoptosis and cell cycle arrested in various cancer cell lines and controlled tumor proliferation by blocking tumor inducing gene such as FLT3, Akt gene, ROS and NF-κB inhibition. At molecular level, curcumin plays a key therapeutic role in protection of normal cells by up regulation of NRF-2 that induces production of cellular antioxidants. It regulates various signaling pathways including NF-KB, JAK/STAT, PI3K/AKT and JNK pathways, thereby affecting cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis. This review described the potential of curcumin for treatment of leukemia;it affects different signaling cascades and their regulation. This study provides a preclinical foundation for future usage of curcumin in the treatment of cancer.
文摘Development of fingerprints based on DNA markers is necessary for proper identification and standardization of plant species. These techniques are widely used to develop an unquestionable method of plant identification to protect the patents and quality control for industry. In this study, fifteen commercially important medicinal plants of Pakistan were collected from botanical garden of Qarshi Industries (Pvt.) Ltd, Pakistan. The objective was to optimize the extraction of genomic DNA for use in a PCR-based random amplified polymorphic DNA marker approach. The initial protocol used 60 decamers to amplify scorable amplicons;only nine markers produced significant bands in genomic DNA of medicinal plants. These markers generated 51 bands ranging between 250 and 1600 bp. The most important property of genomic markers is polymorphism to enable specific identification;all the used markers showed 100% polymorphism across 15 different plants. Further, six decamers amplified specific bands to reliably identify 8 species. The amplified bands were arranged in a binary matrix and analyzed by DNAMAN version 5.2.2 statistical software. A homology tree was constructed using binary data for nine markers, and four major clusters/clades were observed. The Rose, Mentha and Stevia accessions had shown clear clustering and grouped in major clusters/clads I, II and III respectively. Sixty decamers amplified 51 polymorphic loci in the genomes of 15 commercially valuable accessions. Moreover clear phylogenetic construction was observed in the generation of homolog tree. This protocol could therefore be useful to provide a baseline to authenticate, identify and perform phylogenetic analysis of important medicinal plants used in the Pakistani herbal medicine industry.
文摘Purpose: Both physical and virtual wedges are used in radiotherapy to get uniform and desired dose distribution in clinical setting. All linear accelerators of different venders have computer controlled dynamic wedges called virtual wedge filters. Penumbra is one of the important photon beam characteristics needed to be understood in radiation therapy at the time of commissioning of Treatment Planning system (TPS) as well as applying various treatment planning algorithms in clinical applications. In this study we measured the dose profiles of open field, physical wedges (PW) and virtual wedges (VW) for energies (6 MV & 15 MV), various field sizes (10 × 10, 15 × 15 & 20 × 20 cm2), depths (dmax, 10 cm, 20 cm) and wedge angles (15°, 30°, 45° and 60°). From beam profile we calculated the penumbral width for open and wedged fields. The study was carried out on Siemens ONCOR IMRT Plus linear accelerator. The obtained penumbral width of PW and VW of all wedge angles was subtracted from the penumbral width of open field. The deviations in penumbral width were compared and statistically analyzed as a function of energy, depth, field size and wedge angles. Material and Method: The penumbral width was measured using IBA CC13 ion chamber in IBA Blue phantom (a 3D water phantom). The source to surface distance (SSD) during our study was kept 100cm and measurement was taken for 10 × 10, 15 × 15, 20 × 20 cm2 field sizes and for 15°, 30°, 45°, 60° wedges. These measurements were taken for both 6 MV and 15 MV photon energies. Virtual wedge profiles were acquired using LDA-99 linear detector array (IBA, Germany). The deviations in penumbral width for both PW and VW were calculated by subtracting the penumbral width from open field penumbral width in gun direction (in-plane) and deviation in VW penumbral width, and were obtained by subtracting the open field penumbral width in left-right direction (cross-plane) direction. The measured deviations were plotted for both PW and VW. Statistics on the measured deviations was performed by using SPSS Version 15. Results & Conclusion: The results of one way ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) show that the deviations are significant with energy and the deviations are higher in lower energy than higher energy. The deviations increase as depth increases, the deviations are also significant with depth. The deviations increase with field sizes;the deviations as a function of field size are highly significant. The deviations are higher in PW than VW but the deviations with wedge type are in-significant. As wedge angle increases, deviations also increase and the effect of wedge angle is highly significant on deviations.
