Soil application of zinc improves the growth, yield and grain zinc biofortification of mungbean

The grain legumes are a vital component of the sustainable crop production systems as these are not only a good source of dietary proteins but also help to improve soil nutrients status through biological nitrogen fixation. Mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) is one of the leading grain legumes which is planted all across the globe. Zinc (Zn) is one of the most critical micronutrients required by crop plants, including mungbean, as well as for the human being. This study was carried out to optimize the Zn soil application for vigorous seedling growth, grain yield and grain biofortification of mungbean. Zinc was soil applied at 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10 mg Zn kg-1 soil. The results showed that soil application of Zn improved the seedling growth, morphological and yield parameters, grain yield and grain Zn concentration of mungbean. However, Zn soil application at 10 mg Zn kg-1 soil was significantly better for improving the seedling growth, morphological and yield parameters, grain yield and grain biofortification. It is recommended that Zn should be soil applied at 10 mg Zn kg-1 soil to harvest better grain yield and Zn-enriched grains of mungbean to overcome Zn malnutrition

Investigating the microstructural and mechanical properties of novel ternary reinforced AA7075 hybrid metal matrix composite

This study investigates the comparison of the microstructural and mechanical properties of a novel ternary reinforced AA7075 hybrid metal matrix composite. Four samples, including AA7075 (base alloy), AA7075-5wt % SiC (MMC), AA7075-5wt %SiC-3wt % RHA (s-HMMC), and AA7075-5wt % SiC-3wt % RHA-1wt % CES (n-HMMC) were developed using the stir casting liquid metallurgy route, followed by the heat treatment. The experimental densities corresponded with the theoretical values, confirming the successful fabrication of the samples. A minimum density of 2714 kg/m3 was recorded for the n-HMMC. In addition, the highest porosity of 3.11 % was found for n-HMMC. Furthermore, an increase of 24.4% in ultimate tensile strength and 32.8 % in hardness of the n-HMMC was recorded compared to the base alloy. However, its ductility and impact strength was compromised with the lower values of 5.98 % and 1.5 J, respectively. This was confirmed by microstructural analysis, which reveals that n-HMMC has mixing issues and forms agglomerates in the matrix, which served as the potential sites of stress concentration leading to low impact strength and ductility. Nevertheless, the hybrid composites showed superior mechanical properties over the MMC and its base alloy

Development and Fidelity Assessment of Potential Flow based Framework for Aerodynamic Modeling of High Lift Devices

High lift devices play a vital role in dictating the accelerated performance of an aircraft for different flight phases such as takeoff, landing, and aerobatic maneuvers. The aerodynamic design of high lift devices for any particular aircraft is an iterative process and is achieved through extensive aerodynamic Analysis of the aircraft for various flap configurations. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Wind tunnel testing are highly effective techniques for performing the required Analysis, yet they have high computational costs and time. To overcome this shortcoming, a robust framework based on potential flow solver (PFS) and geometry parameterization is required without compromising the fidelity of the Analysis. This research aims to develop a highly robust aerodynamic analysis framework based on the Vortex Lattice Method (VLM) coupled with Polhamus Suction Analogy and parametric modeling of high lift devices. The fidelity of the framework is validated through experimental testing and is quantified by developing a fidelity assessment matrix. It is established that the computational cost of CFD has been reduced three times with only a 10% to 20% loss in accuracy when the developed framework is used. The developed PFS framework gives results from 80% to 90%. The framework results for a reference aircraft are thoroughly compared with CFD analyses. The framework provides values that agree with corresponding CFD analyses in a fraction of the time

Flood Hazard Assessment for the Tori Levee Breach of the Indus River Basin, Pakistan

Levee breaches are some of the most common hazards in the world and cause the loss of lives, livelihoods, and property destruction. During the 2010 flood in Pakistan, the most devastating breach occurred at Tori Levee on the right bank of the Indus River, downstream of the Guddu Barrage, which caused residual floods in northern Sindh and the adjoining regions of the Balochistan province. In this study, 2D unsteady flow modeling performed for Tori Levee breach computed residual flood inundation by coupling a HEC-RAS (Hydrological Engineering Centre-River Analysis System) 2D hydraulic model with remote sensing and Geographic Information System techniques. The model performance was judged by comparing the observed and simulated water levels (stage) during peak flow at seven different gauging stations located within the Indus River reach and daily flood extents and multi-day composites. The quantitative values for the calibration and validation of the HEC-RAS model showed good performance with a range of difference from 0.13 to -0.54 m between the simulated and observed water levels (stage), 84% match for the maximum flood inundation area, and 73.2% for the measure of fit. The overall averages of these values for the daily flood comparison were 57.12 and 75%, respectively. Furthermore, the simulated maximum flow passed through the Tori Levee breach, which was found to be 4994.47 cumecs (about 15% of peak flow) with a head water stage of 71.56 m. By using the simulated flows through the Tori Levee breach, the flood risk maps for the 2010 flood identified hazard zones according to the flood characteristics (depth, velocity, depth times velocity, arrival time, and duration). All the flood risk maps concluded the fact that the active flood plain was uninhabitable under flood conditions

Sodium alginate-f-GO composite hydrogels for tissue regeneration and antitumor applications

Biopolymer-based composite hydrogels have attracted tremendous attention for tissue regeneration and antitumor applications. Since sodium alginate is a biopolymer, they offer excellent therapeutic options with long-term drug release and low side effects. To prepare multifunctional composite hydrogels with anticancer and tissue regeneration capabilities, sodium alginate (SA) and graphene oxide (GO) were covalently linked and crosslinked with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) by the solvothermal method. The structural and morphological results show that the hydrogels exhibit the desired functionality and porosity. The swelling of hydrogels in an aqueous and PBS medium was investigated. SGT-4 had the highest swelling in both aqueous and PBS media. Swelling and biodegradation of the hydrogel were inversely related. The drug release of SGT-4 was determined in different pH media (pH 6.4, 7.4, and 8.4) and the kinetics of drug release was determined according to the Higuchi model (R2 = 0.93587). Antibacterial activities were evaluated against severe infectious agents. Uppsala (U87) and osteoblast (MC3T3-E1) cell lines were used to determine the anticancer and biocompatibility of the composite hydrogels, respectively. These results suggest that the composite hydrogels could be used as potential biomaterials for tissue regeneration and antitumor applications

Chitosan/poly vinyl alcohol/graphene oxide based ph-responsive composite hydrogel films: drug release, anti-microbial and cell viability studies

The composite hydrogels were produced using the solution casting method due to the non-toxic and biocompatible nature of chitosan (CS)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The best composition was chosen and crosslinked with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), after which different amounts of graphene oxide (GO) were added to develop composite hydrogels. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and contact angle was used to analyze the hydrogels. The samples were also evaluated for swelling abilities in various mediums. The drug release profile was studied in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) at a pH of 7.4. To predict the mechanism of drug release, the data were fitted into kinetic models. Finally, antibacterial activity and cell viability data were obtained. FTIR studies revealed the successful synthesis of CS/PVA hydrogels and GO/CS/PVA in hydrogel composite. SEM showed no phase separation of the polymers, whereas AFM showed a decrease in surface roughness with an increase in GO content. 100 µL of crosslinker was the critical concentration at which the sample displayed excellent swelling and preserved its structure. Both the crosslinked and composite hydrogel showed good swelling. The most acceptable mechanism of drug release is diffusion-controlled, and it obeys Fick’s law of diffusion for drug released. The best fitting of the zero-order, Hixson-Crowell and Higuchi models supported our assumption. The GO/CS/PVA hydrogel composite showed better antibacterial and cell viability behaviors. They can be better biomaterials in biomedical applications

Methylation at the C-3′ in D-Ring of Strigolactone Analogs Reduces Biological Activity in Root Parasitic Plants and Rice

Strigolactones (SLs) regulate plant development and induce seed germination in obligate root parasitic weeds, e.g. Striga spp. Because organic synthesis of natural SLs is laborious, there is a large need for easy-to-synthesize and efficient analogs. Here, we investigated the effect of a structural modification of the D-ring, a conserved structural element in SLs. We synthesized and investigated the activity of two analogs, MP13 and MP26, which differ from previously published AR8 and AR36 only in the absence of methylation at C-3′. The de-methylated MP13 and MP26 were much more efficient in regulating plant development and inducing Striga seed germination, compared with AR8. Hydrolysis assays performed with purified Striga SL receptor and docking of AR8 and MP13 to the corresponding active site confirmed and explained the higher activity. Field trials performed in a naturally Striga-infested African farmer’s field unraveled MP13 as a promising candidate for combating Striga by inducing germination in host’s absence. Our findings demonstrate that methylation of the C-3′ in D-ring in SL analogs has a negative impact on their activity and identify MP13 and, particularly, MP26 as potent SL analogs with simple structures, which can be employed to control Striga, a major threat to global food security

Neonatal sepsis and mortality in low-income and middle-income countries from a facility-based birth cohort: an international multisite prospective observational study

Background Neonatal sepsis is a primary cause of neonatal mortality and is an urgent global health concern, especially within low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), where 99% of global neonatal mortality occurs. The aims of this study were to determine the incidence and associations with neonatal sepsis and all-cause mortality in facility-born neonates in LMICs. Methods The Burden of Antibiotic Resistance in Neonates from Developing Societies (BARNARDS) study recruited mothers and their neonates into a prospective observational cohort study across 12 clinical sites from Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Africa. Data for sepsis-associated factors in the four domains of health care, maternal, birth and neonatal, and living environment were collected for all mothers and neonates enrolled. Primary outcomes were clinically suspected sepsis, laboratory-confirmed sepsis, and all-cause mortality in neonates during the first 60 days of life. Incidence proportion of livebirths for clinically suspected sepsis and laboratory-confirmed sepsis and incidence rate per 1000 neonate-days for all-cause mortality were calculated. Modified Poisson regression was used to investigate factors associated with neonatal sepsis and parametric survival models for factors associated with all-cause mortality. Findings Between Nov 12, 2015 and Feb 1, 2018, 29 483 mothers and 30 557 neonates were enrolled. The incidence of clinically suspected sepsis was 166·0 (95% CI 97·69–234·24) per 1000 livebirths, laboratory-confirmed sepsis was 46·9 (19·04–74·79) per 1000 livebirths, and all-cause mortality was 0·83 (0·37–2·00) per 1000 neonate-days. Maternal hypertension, previous maternal hospitalisation within 12 months, average or higher monthly household income, ward size (>11 beds), ward type (neonatal), living in a rural environment, preterm birth, perinatal asphyxia, and multiple births were associated with an increased risk of clinically suspected sepsis, laboratory-confirmed sepsis, and all-cause mortality. The majority (881 [72·5%] of 1215) of laboratory-confirmed sepsis cases occurred within the first 3 days of life. Interpretation Findings from this study highlight the substantial proportion of neonates who develop neonatal sepsis, and the high mortality rates among neonates with sepsis in LMICs. More efficient and effective identification of neonatal sepsis is needed to target interventions to reduce its incidence and subsequent mortality in LMICs. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Effects of a high-dose 24-h infusion of tranexamic acid on death and thromboembolic events in patients with acute gastrointestinal bleeding (HALT-IT): an international randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background: Tranexamic acid reduces surgical bleeding and reduces death due to bleeding in patients with trauma. Meta-analyses of small trials show that tranexamic acid might decrease deaths from gastrointestinal bleeding. We aimed to assess the effects of tranexamic acid in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding. Methods: We did an international, multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled trial in 164 hospitals in 15 countries. Patients were enrolled if the responsible clinician was uncertain whether to use tranexamic acid, were aged above the minimum age considered an adult in their country (either aged 16 years and older or aged 18 years and older), and had significant (defined as at risk of bleeding to death) upper or lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Patients were randomly assigned by selection of a numbered treatment pack from a box containing eight packs that were identical apart from the pack number. Patients received either a loading dose of 1 g tranexamic acid, which was added to 100 mL infusion bag of 0·9% sodium chloride and infused by slow intravenous injection over 10 min, followed by a maintenance dose of 3 g tranexamic acid added to 1 L of any isotonic intravenous solution and infused at 125 mg/h for 24 h, or placebo (sodium chloride 0·9%). Patients, caregivers, and those assessing outcomes were masked to allocation. The primary outcome was death due to bleeding within 5 days of randomisation; analysis excluded patients who received neither dose of the allocated treatment and those for whom outcome data on death were unavailable. This trial was registered with Current Controlled Trials, ISRCTN11225767, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01658124. Findings: Between July 4, 2013, and June 21, 2019, we randomly allocated 12 009 patients to receive tranexamic acid (5994, 49·9%) or matching placebo (6015, 50·1%), of whom 11 952 (99·5%) received the first dose of the allocated treatment. Death due to bleeding within 5 days of randomisation occurred in 222 (4%) of 5956 patients in the tranexamic acid group and in 226 (4%) of 5981 patients in the placebo group (risk ratio [RR] 0·99, 95% CI 0·82–1·18). Arterial thromboembolic events (myocardial infarction or stroke) were similar in the tranexamic acid group and placebo group (42 [0·7%] of 5952 vs 46 [0·8%] of 5977; 0·92; 0·60 to 1·39). Venous thromboembolic events (deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism) were higher in tranexamic acid group than in the placebo group (48 [0·8%] of 5952 vs 26 [0·4%] of 5977; RR 1·85; 95% CI 1·15 to 2·98). Interpretation: We found that tranexamic acid did not reduce death from gastrointestinal bleeding. On the basis of our results, tranexamic acid should not be used for the treatment of gastrointestinal bleeding outside the context of a randomised trial