Effect of botanicals and biofungicide on controlling tikka disease (Cercospora sp.) of groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.)

The leaf spot or Tikka disease (Cercospora arachidicola and Cercosporidiumpersonatum) of groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.) is a predominant, devastating and economically important foliar fungal disease and a major yield reducing factor of groundnut, not only in Bangladesh, but also all over the world. The yield loss was calculated in the groundnut variety Dhaka-1 due to early and late leaf spot (Tikka) by over 30–48% in Bangladesh. The efficacy of NLEFS (Azadirachta indica), DebLEFS (Polyalthia longifolia), DLEFS (Datura metel), Trichoderma based biofungicides (BBST, BBFS and BBSFS) along with a check (Bavistin) and control were evaluated in the pot and field research. Among the treatments, BBSFS, NLEFS, DLEFS and DebLEFS showed better performance in controlling leaf spot and increasing pod yield by 53.61, 51.91, 40.85 and 38.72%, respectively as compared to control in the field. In case of seedling germination, BBSFS gave 97.77% germination followed by NLEFS (88.14%), DLEFS (93.33%) and DebLEFS (95.55%). BBSFS produced higher length and weight of shoot and root and vigour index as compared to control. Maximum vigour index was observed under BBFS (1583.88). BBSFS gave higher plant height, number of leaves and minimum number of infected leaves in the pots and field as compared to control. Minimum leaf area diseased was obtained with BBSFS followed by Bavistin in the field. Biofungicide (BBST, BBFS and BBSFS), NLEFS, DLEFS and DebLEFS showed promising performance in number and weight of pods and pod yield in the pots and field. Maximum weight of pods/plant and weight of mature pods/plant was achieved with BBSFS (20.05 g and 18.55 g) followed by NLEFS (19.83 g and 18.22 g). The highest net profit was recorded with the use of BBSFS by Tk. 176768.00/ha followed by NLEFS Tk. 172275.00/ha, BBFS Tk. 168818.00/ha, while the lowest Tk. 96443.00/ha in untreated control. Maximum Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) 1: 2.77 was found in BBSFS followed by BBST (1: 2.65), BBFS (1: 2.64) and NLEFS (1: 2.62)

Traditional herbal interventions for premenstrual syndrome management: a comprehensive literature review

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) causes severe physical and emotional health problems in many women. Due to concerns regarding the potentially harmful effects of conventional treatments, there has been an increased interest in exploring alternative medicines, mainly traditional herbal remedies. This comprehensive literature review employed a rigorous methodology involving extensive data collection from databases such as Scopus®, Web of Science®, and PubMed®, as well as respected publishers like Oxford University Press, Elsevier, Springer Nature, and others. The study examines the properties and potential benefits of Cyperus rotundus, Curcuma longa (turmeric), Aloe vera, Angelica sinensis (Dong Quai), Zingiber officinale (ginger), Crocus sativus (saffron), and Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) in the context of PMS management. It is important to note that these traditional herbs offer diverse therapeutic properties, which can effectively address both the physical and emotional symptoms of PMS. These herbal interventions have notable analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as mood-enhancing and adaptogenic qualities. As promising and versatile alternatives to conventional medications, it is essential to conduct further research to prove their efficacy, safety, and ideal use fully. This calls for extensive clinical trials, mechanistic analyses to reveal their mechanisms of action, the creation of standardized formulations, and the adoption of a patient-centered strategy that considers unique preferences and needs. It is possible to significantly improve the holistic approach to PMS management by realizing the full potential of these conventional herbal treatments. This study highlights the vital importance of these herbal interventions in PMS management, ultimately providing women with safer options for PMS relief and an enhanced quality of life

Recent Advances on Properties and Utility of Nanomaterials Generated from Industrial and Biological Activities

Today is the era of nanoscience and nanotechnology, which find applications in the field of medicine, electronics, and environmental remediation. Even though nanotechnology is in its emerging phase, it continues to provide solutions to numerous challenges. Nanotechnology and nanoparticles are found to be very effective because of their unique chemical and physical properties and high surface area, but their high cost is one of the major hurdles to its wider application. So, the synthesis of nanomaterials, especially 2D nanomaterials from industrial, agricultural, and other biological activities, could provide a cost-effective technique. The nanomaterials synthesized from such waste not only minimize pollution, but also provide an eco-friendly approach towards the utilization of the waste. In the present review work, emphasis has been given to the types of nanomaterials, different methods for the synthesis of 2D nanomaterials from the waste generated from industries, agriculture, and their application in electronics, medicine, and catalysis

A study of factors affecting the flexural tensile strength of concrete

The deflection and cracking behavior of concrete structure depend on the flexural tensile strength of concrete. Many factors have been shown to influence the flexural tensile strength of concrete, particularly the level of stress, size, age and confinement to concrete flexure member, etc. The concrete members, in general, are of large continuous size and have at least minimum reinforcement introducing a confining effect to the concrete. The confining reinforcement increases ductility and large deflections in structures provide a good warning of failure prior to complete failure of the flexure member and also for efficient use of constructional material, it is desirable to take full advantage of long-term strength gain. Therefore, the effect of the factors like level of stress, age and confinement of concrete member should be given prime importance while studying the flexure tensile strength of concrete. This paper presents an experimental study done to predict the flexural tensile strength considering the confinement conditions and age of concrete for a wide range of concrete strengths (from 30 to 85 MPa). It is concluded that the factors like confinement conditions and age of concrete should be given due consideration in deriving the flexural tensile strength and compressive strength proportionality equations

Decision Support Model for Design of High-Performance Concrete Mixtures Using Two-Phase AHP-TOPSIS Approach

Concrete mix design is the science to obtain concrete proportions of cement, water, and aggregate, based on the particular concrete design method and their mix design parameters. However, the suitability of concrete proportion for high-performance concrete depends on resulting mix factors, namely, water, cement, fine aggregate, and coarse aggregate ratios. This paper implements the multicriteria decision-making techniques (MCDM) for ranking concrete mix factors and representative mix design methods. The study presents a framework to identify critical mix factors found from the concrete mix design methods for high-performance concrete using the two-phase AHP and TOPSIS approach. Three methods of concrete mix design, namely, American Concrete Institute (ACI) mix design method, Department of Energy (DOE) method, and Fineness Modulus (FM) method, are considered for ranking mix design methods and the resulting mix factors. Three hierarchy levels, having three criteria and seven subcriteria, and three alternatives are considered. The present research is attempted to provide MCDM framework to rank the concrete mix guidelines for any given environment such as concrete under sulphate and chloride attack and for evolving the performance-based concrete mix design techniques. Sensitivity and validation analysis is also provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach

الشاعر الفلسطيني محمود درويش ومفهومه في أدب المقاومة (Al-Sha'ir al-Filastini Mahmoud Darwish wa Mafhumuhu fi Adab al-Muqawamah - Palestinian Poet Mahmoud Darwish and His Concept in Resistance Literature)

ملخص البحث وقد كان محمود درويش أحد أهم الشعراء الذين ارتبطت أسماؤهم بشعر الثورة والوطن. ولعل أدب المقاومة يأتي في المقام الأول بالنسبة له من حيث تعبيره عن روحه وثقافته واتجاهه الفكري. وقد امتزجت في نفسه مرارة التجربة، وقسوة الضغط والإرهاب، وعمق الإحساس بظلم العدو، وهذا كله ساعده في تكوين نفسية خاصة بالشاعر العربي الجديد في الأرض المحتلة، والذي نسميه بشاعر المقاومة. يهدف هذا البحث إلى إلقاء نظرة على حياة شاعر محمود درويش الفلسطيني وأعماله الأدبية كما أنه يلقي الضوء على مفهوم أدب المقاومة عنده. يسير هذا البحث على المنهجين: الوصف والتحليل، إذ يقوم الباحثون بعرض نبذة عن حياة الشاعر في بداية الدراسة قبل القيام بتحليل مفهومه في أدب المقاومة للوصول إلى النتائج المرجوة. وقد توصل البحث إلى نتائج منها أن محمود درويش ترعرع على مأساة وطنه وعانى كثيرا من الظلم والقهر وأحس بالاغتراب الشديد في وطنه، فكل تلك الظروف أسهمت إسهاما فعالا في تشكيل شخصيته ومسيرته الشعرية. ويجد الباحثون أيضا أن أدب المقاومة عند محمود هو الأدب الذي يعبر عن حقيقة مشاعر شعب الأرض المحتلة ومطالبهم، والتعبير عن رفض الأمر الواقع، معبأ بإحساس ووعي عميقين بلا معقولية استمرار هذا الواقع، وبضرورة تغييره، والإيمان بإمكانية التغيير. وفي أغلب الأحوال، يبدأ الشاعر شعره بالتعبير عن الألم والظلم، ثم الاحتجاج والغضب والرفض. Abstract Mahmoud Darwish was one of the most important poets whose names are associated with the poetry of the revolution and the homeland. Resistance literature is his main priority that comes first for him in terms of expressing his spirit, culture, and intellectual direction. He mixed within himself the bitterness of the experience, the harshness of pressure and terror, and the depth of the injustice feeling towards the enemy; hence this helped him in forming a special psyche for a new Arab poet in the occupied land, which we call as the resistance poet. This research aims to look at Mahmoud Darwish’s life and poetic experience and the concept of resistance literature. The methodology employed in this research are mainly description and analysis, as they present an overview of the poet's life at the beginning of the study. Then, his concept was analysed in the literature of the resistance in order to reach the desired results. The result of this research illustrated that Mahmoud Darwish grew up on the tragedy of his homeland and suffered a lot from injustice and oppression. As a result, it is noticeable that Mahmoud’s resistance literature expresses the reality of feelings and demands of the occupied land people, and bears humane and emotional character, with the sincerity of experience and originality in depicting the human struggle. This poetry may often begin with an expression of pain, injustice, protest, anger and rejection

Long-Short Term Memory Technique for Monthly Rainfall Prediction in Thale Sap Songkhla River Basin, Thailand

Rainfall is a primary factor for agricultural production, especially in a rainfed agricultural region. Its accurate prediction is therefore vital for planning and managing farmers’ plantations. Rainfall plays an important role in the symmetry of the water cycle, and many hydrological models use rainfall as one of their components. This paper aimed to investigate the applicability of six machine learning (ML) techniques (i.e., M5 model tree: (M5), random forest: (RF), support vector regression with polynomial (SVR-poly) and RBF kernels (SVR- RBF), multilayer perceptron (MLP), and long-short-term memory (LSTM) in predicting for multiple-month ahead of monthly rainfall. The experiment was set up for two weather gauged stations located in the Thale Sap Songkhla basin. The model development was carried out by (1) selecting input variables, (2) tuning hyperparameters, (3) investigating the influence of climate variables on monthly rainfall prediction, and (4) predicting monthly rainfall with multi-step-ahead prediction. Four statistical indicators including correlation coefficient (r), mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE), and overall index (OI) were used to assess the model’s effectiveness. The results revealed that large-scale climate variables, particularly sea surface temperature, were significant influence variables for rainfall prediction in the tropical climate region. For projections of the Thale Sap Songkhla basin as a whole, the LSTM model provided the highest performance for both gauged stations. The developed predictive rainfall model for two rain gauged stations provided an acceptable performance: r (0.74), MAE (86.31 mm), RMSE (129.11 mm), and OI (0.70) for 1 month ahead, r (0.72), MAE (91.39 mm), RMSE (133.66 mm), and OI (0.68) for 2 months ahead, and r (0.70), MAE (94.17 mm), RMSE (137.22 mm), and OI (0.66) for 3 months ahead

Comparative Overview of the Performance of Cementitious and Non-Cementitious Nanomaterials in Mortar at Normal and Elevated Temperatures

Nanotechnology has emerged as a field with promising applications in building materials. Nanotechnology-based mortars are examples of such building materials that have widespread applications in the construction industry. The main nanomaterials used in mortars include nano-silica, nano-magnesium oxide, nano-alumina, nano-titanium oxide, nano-zinc oxide, nano-clay, and nano-carbon. This review paper presents a summary of the properties and effects of these nanomaterials on cement mortar in terms of its fresh-state and hard-state properties. The fresh-state properties include the setting time, consistency, and workability, while the hard-state properties include mechanical properties such as compressive, flexural, tensile strengths, as well as the elasticity modulus, in addition to durability properties such as water absorption, shrinkage strain, strength loss due to freeze–thaw cycles, and chloride penetration, among others. Different nanomaterials cause different physical and chemical alterations within the microstructures of cement mortar. Therefore, the microstructural characterization and densification of mortar are discussed in detail at varying temperatures. In general, the involvement of nanomaterials in cement mortar influences the fresh-state properties, enhances the mechanical properties, and impacts the durability properties, while reducing the porosity present in the mortar matrix. Cementitious nanomaterials can create a pathway for the easy injection of binding materials into the internal microstructures of a hydration gel to impact the hydration process at different rates, whereas their non-cementitious counterparts can act as fillers. Furthermore, the research gaps and future outlook regarding the application of nanomaterials in mortar are discussed

Influence of MHD mixed convection flow for maxwell nanofluid through a vertical cone with porous material in the existence of variable heat conductivity and diffusion

The primary objective of this paper is to investigate the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) mixed convection flow for Maxwell nanofluid, which is debated in the context of a vertical cone containing porous material. In addition, variable thermal conductivity and Dufour's effects are considered. Utilizing similarly transformable variables allows the modeled equations to be converted into a set of non-linear ODEs. After that, these equations are solved numerically by employing the shooting method, followed by the fourth-order Runge–Kutta integration process. The effects of certain prominent physical factors, such as the diffusion coefficient, the Prandtl number, the thermophoresis parameter, and the magnetic parameter, are explored numerically on the velocity, temperature, and concentration profiles. The most important takeaways from this work are that an increase in Maxwell parameters and magnetic parameters leads to a reduction in velocity. The temperature rises as the parameters for radiation and thermophoresis increase, but the values for the Prandtl number and the Brownian motion parameters fall as the values increase. The following table shows the importance of the skin-friction coefficient, the Nusselt number coefficient, and the Sherwood number coefficient. A comparison is made with the data that was reported in the past, and it is found that there is a remarkable degree of agreement