bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SUBCELLULAR STRUCTURES CLASSIFICATION IN FLUORESCENCE MICROSCOPIC IMAGES
Authors: Saima Batool  , Ghazanfar Ali  , Inzamam Shahzad  , Muhammad Hanif Soomro  , Salahuddin  , Hafiz Muhammad Ijaz
Published: December 2024

Evaluation of cellular protein localization is becoming progressively important. Even after the whole human genome has been sequenced, numerous years will be required to study the structure, function, and each protein localization. Localization information is very important because it provides a context for a protein’s structural and functional information. For instance, two proteins that possess comparatively similar function and structure may in fact be found in different compartments within the cell hence, these might be included in unrelated cellular processes. Localization data for several proteins were collected using fluorescence microscopy. The resulting patterns were described using a variety of numeric features including local binary pattern (LBP), Haralick’s texture features, edge histogram descriptor (EHD), Segmentation-based Fractal Texture Analysis (SFTA) and after that these features were combined to form a single feature vector. This feature vector is then given as input to the classifier to classify the image into 10 different classes for 2D Hela dataset and into 5 classes for CHO dataset.  Support vector machine (SVM) with chi-square kernel is used to solve the classification problem. Proposed frame-work obtained 98.9% overall accuracy on Hela dataset and 99.6% on CHO dataset. The obtained accuracy is 0.9% higher on 2D Hela dataset and 0.6% higher on CHO dataset as compared to highest computed accuracy.
ASSESSING THE EFFECTS OF BIG DATA ANALYTICS AND AI ON TALENT ACQUISITION AND RETENTION
Authors: Meiraj Aslam  , Salahuddin  , Ghazanfar Ali  , Saima Batool
Published: December 2024

This has led businesses to pay more attention to the process of collecting, storing and analyzing big data, which they believe will lead to better decision-making performance for everyone in the organization. Business owners are using this big data to improve organizational performance. How is the HR sector changing to leverage technology in this era of big data? Many elements of the HR department, such as attitude, behavior, etc., are inherently difficult to assess. The purpose of this article is to relate BDA to innovation and management skills that need to be considered, such as intelligence, drive, thinking and ethics. This study uses quantitative analysis and relates it to human resources to identify the full spectrum of management skills. Self-developed survey rotation, SPSS analysis shows the impact of BDA on management skills
USE IMAGE PROCESSING MODEL TO FRUIT QUALITY DETECTION
Authors: Muhammad Hanif Soomro  , Salahuddin  , Ghulam Irtaza  , Ghazanfar Ali  , Saima Batool
Published: December 2024

In recent years, artificial intelligence and image processing plays an important role in the agriculture fields such as plant disease detection and plant health issue prediction. The detection of plant quality in the early stages is a difficult task due to the variations in the symptoms, crop species, and climate factors. Several diseases such as late blight and early blight influence the quantity and quality of fruits. Manual detection of fruit quality leaves disease is a quite complex and time-taking process. It requires an expert with high skills to diagnose the fruit quality in the early stage. Therefore, an automated and efficient method is required that can detect the fruit quality. In this research, a novel EfficientB2 convolution neural network model is proposed to extract the deep features from the dataset. The model is evaluated on the Processed Images_Fruits dataset. The result shows that the proposed model achieves efficient and improved results as compared to the previous work.
ENHANCING SOFTWARE QUALITY: A NOVEL APPROACH TO BUG LOCALIZATION USING HYBRID AI TECHNIQUES
Authors: Waqas Ali  , Aakash Ali
Published: December 2024

This research introduces a novel hybrid Artificial Intelligence (AI) model for bug localization aimed at improving software quality by accurately pinpointing defects in code. By integrating the analytical strengths of a Support Vector Machine (SVM) with the heuristic insight of a rule-based system, our approach seeks to address the intricacies and nuances inherent in software debugging. The proposed model was trained and tested on a synthesized dataset reflecting a diverse range of bug severities and software features, intending to simulate real-world scenarios. The performance was evaluated using standard metrics such as accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score, yielding moderate success with precision at 60.40%, accuracy at 54.67%, recall at 53.89%, and an F1-score of 56.96%. While promising, these results indicate potential areas for refinement in balancing precision and recall and in enhancing the model's overall predictive accuracy. The findings underscore the complexity of bug localization and the potential for hybrid AI systems to contribute significantly to this challenging domain.
ADVANCING LITHIUM-ION BATTERY MANAGEMENT: A PORTABLE ARDUINO-BASED HEALTHMONITORING SOLUTION
Authors: Ali Shujaat , Ali Syed Saad , Khan Muzammil Ahmad , Muzzammil Muhammad , Khan Muhammad Faraz , Iqbal Khurram , Iftikhar Syed Atir
Published: December 2024

Lithium-ion batteries are mostly used in portable devices. The major purpose of enhancing the battery life is to implement a health analyzer to protect the battery from overcharging and explosions. The “Arduino based portable analyzer for realtime lithium-ion battery health monitoring” prototype deliver sustainable solution to address the battery monitoring and management. This prototype determines perfect specifications for the battery to verify the printed specifications. An LCD was placed in the system to demonstrate the cell capacity, voltage, and current parameters. This system focuses on the intelligent health monitoring of batteries using an Arduino Mega microcontroller. The charging and discharging stations of the two stations are designed to charge and analyze battery health. The discharging station was used to verify the battery health, and the charging station was used to charge the lithium-ion batteries. The IRLZ44N MOSFET was integrated with an Arduino gate pin for switching purposes. The system uses Arduino IDE software for software implementation. The microcontroller controls and monitors the processing measurements, and the implementation of this intelligent system increases the life span and thermal monitoring of lithium-ion batteries. Compared with previous studies, this system is economical and has increased efficiency in lithiumion battery systems.
AN EXTENSIVE WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF POTABLE WATER COLLECTED FROM DOMESTIC AND COMMERCIAL LOCATIONS: A CASE STUDY OF LARKANA CITY, PAKISTAN
Authors: Larik Temoor Abbas , Ahmed Faheem , Kamboh Shakeel Ahmed , Rajput Saeed Ahmed , Noonari Altaf Alam
Published: December 2024

This study assessed water quality in Larkana by analyzing various parameters. Samples from domestic and commercial sites were tested for color, odor, turbidity, temperature, pH, conductivity, TDS, hardness, Dissolved Oxygen, iron, alkalinity, and salinity. Results indicated that some samples met WHO and PCRWR standards, while others exceeded safe drinking limits. Tap water in U-1, U-2, and U-3 residential zones was deemed satisfactory, but further research on other pollution sources, including chemicals and microbiological agents, is essential. The study suggests a need for extended investigations, potentially involving human bodily fluids, to comprehensively evaluate water quality in Larkana.
PREVALENCE OF KINESIO PHOBIA AMONG THE GERIATRIC POPULATION OF KARACHI
Authors: Mubarak Ali  , Maria Lucky  , Kashmala Zia  , Sana Inayat  , Komal Fayyaz  , Ajay Dherwani  , Muhammad Haris  , Anum Irshad  , Sumia  , Komal Jamil
Published: December 2024

Background
A condition in which a person feels fear regarding performing their activities or in simple words, we can say that people feel pain while they are moving. This condition is known as Kinesiophobia. A study conducted in China showed that the prevalence rate of Kinesiophobia is about 57.01 percent. In the geriatric population, the main factor of fear is falling from the movement, and through this fear, they decrease their activities and enhance the chance of impaired balance and falls.
Objective
To determine the prevalence of Kinesiophobia among the geriatric population of Karachi.
Methodology
The cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2024 to Sep 2024 in Karachi to explore the prevalence of kinesiophobia and the level of pain in the geriatric population. The sample size was 385 and the non-probablity convenient sampling technique was used. Data was evaluated by two validated tools: TSK-11, and VAS scale. The data was analyzed through SPSS version 23.0.
Result
A total number of 385 research participants were included in this study. The prevalence of kinesiophobia was found 299(77.66%) among geriatric population. The fear of exercise due to the risk of injury was found in 29 (7.53%) and 87 (22.59%). The feeling of pain in post-exercise was found in 175 (45.45%) and 107(27.79%). The participants stop doing exercise due to pain were: 128 (33.24%) and 108 (20.05%) The perception of research participants related to their fragile health status in comparison to others are: 116 (30.12%) and 171 (44.41%).
Conclusion
The Prevalence of the kinesiophobia among geriatric population was found higher in females as compared to males.
MICROORGANISMS: BENEFITS AND EFFECTS
Authors: Yusuf Yahaya Miya  , Maryam Ibrahim Musa
Published: December 2024

This paper makes a review on microorganisms benefits and Effects. Microorganisms are minute beings, very ubiquitous in our environment. They have beneficial and negative effects as well. They are responsible for maintaining the cycles of life (such as nitrogen cycle), provide us with a lot of useful things such as enzymes, drugs, etc. However, microorganisms are also harmful on the other hand, due to their role in disease transmission. This review paper discusses about, microorganisms, bacteria, viruses, fungi, benefits of microorganisms, effects of microorganisms, control of microorganisms, and relations. Proper prevention methods are diverse in order to control microorganisms and minimize impending effects.
VIRTUAL FIT EVALUATION FOR OPTIMIZATION OF GARMENT COMPONENT’S PARAMETERS
Authors: Arumbakkam Narasimhan Sai Krishnan , P Kanakaraj , Rajaopalan Ramachandran
Published: December 2024

Apparel fit is influenced by body proportion, fabric, and design parameters, but much of the fit evaluation is carried out in a static model, which leads to time consumption and higher development costs. In this work, an attempt has been made to quantify the fit objectively for a basic crewneck T-shirt for men’s wear made of cotton and cotton-lycra blended single jersey knitted fabric. A parametric avatar model was created, and virtual patterns were developed by changing the design parameters at three levels in the CAD platform. The fit is objectively quantified as strain and ease in different garment fit zones of the body. Virtual 3D fit software evaluates the fit zones of the garment by incorporating the low-stress mechanical properties of the knitted fabrics into an avatar model. There is a significant influence on pattern parameters and material compositions; cotton-lycra garments reveal lower ease at various fit zones.
Studio sul dibattito tra Tullo e Fufezio nel libro III della Storia antica di Roma di Dionigi di Alicarnasso
Authors: Macciò Denise
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACT A study on the debate between Tullus and Fufetius in book III of Dionysius of Halicarnassus’ Roman antiquities  The panorama of rhetorical studies in historical works is strongly focused on various and canonical authors (as Thucydides, Xenophon, Polybius, Herodotus), but it lacks for what concerns Dionysius of Halicarnassus and his work Roman Antiquities. The purpose of the work here presented is to offer a perspective on Dionysius himself and on how he uses λόγοι in order to help build a cohesive narration. The importance of λόγοι is proved by the analysis of the conversation occurred between Tullus, king of Romans, and Fufetius, king of Albans. Considering the war between the Romans and the Albans as the central theme of Book III, we can identify sections that serve as introductions and conclusions to the action. The group of speeches under analysis can be seen as the beginning of the ascent towards the climax of the action, which is the war.
Changes in cetacean occurrence in Faxaflói Bay, Iceland, as observed from whale watching vessels
Authors: Bellon Giulia , Middel Heleen , Chicco Carola , Rempel Jonathan Neil
Published: December 2024

The distribution of animal species is shaped by environmental conditions and their ecological niches. The understanding of these niches is essential for conservation, especially for cetaceans, as cetacean species may adjust their geographical range in response to ecological changes. Long-term data is vital to monitor these shifts and guide conservation efforts. While environmental changes are occurring globally, localised effects on specific species and habitats, particularly marine ecosystems, remain understudied.  This gap in knowledge is evident in Artic regions. As key trophic species, cetaceans can act as indicators of potential significance and contribute significantly to the economy of local communities via the practice of whale watching. Iceland, a biodiversity hotspot, has experienced significant warming as part of global climate change, possibly affecting the abundance of prey species. Cetaceans such as humpback whales, minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, and harbour porpoises inhabit these waters year-round and may be affected by such changes. This paper focuses on the bay of Faxaflói in southwest Iceland, utilising semi long-term data (2016-2023) from whale watching tours to discern potential changes in the occurrence of these four species.
Sightings Per Unit Effort (SPUE) for the four targeted species was calculated for each month and year. ANOVA test (p<.005) and Tukey HSD test were conducted for humpback whales revealing significant differences in Spue in the years 2022-2017 (p=0.006), 2023-2017 (p=0.003), 2023-2018 (p=0.04), 2022-2019 (p=0.02), and 2023-2019 (p=0.009). Seasonal analysis suggests shifts in SPUE, with increased observations during non-touristic periods after 2021. Results indicate intriguing trends in species occurrence, with a significant increase in humpback whale sightings and a steady decline in mine whale sightings since 2018. The inverse relationship between minke and humpback whales suggests possible competition or distributional shifts.
Acknowledging limitations and biases from tourism-centric data collection his study highlights the importance of whale watching records as a year-round monitoring tool. Collaborative efforts between operators and researchers are crucial to enhance data quality. Understanding and addressing the observational changes in cetaceans in Faxaflói is imperative for effective conservation measures in this ecologically significant region.
New findings of Dunyu (Eugaleaspiformes, Galeaspida) from the Xiaoxi Formation in South China and their biostratigraphic significance
Authors: Li Qiang , Shan Xianren , Gai Zhikun , Chen Yang , Peng Lijian , Zheng Jiaqi , Lin Xianghong , Zhao Wenjin , Zhu Min
Published: December 2024

New discoveries of the late Silurian fossil fish Dunyu (Eugaleaspidae, Eugaleaspiformes, Galeaspida), Dunyu tianlu sp. nov. and Dunyu sp., are described from the Xiaoxi Formation in Xiushan of Chongqing and Xiushui of Jiangxi, China respectively. D. tianlu sp. nov. can be distinguished from D. longiforus and D. xiushanensis in its nearly equal preorbital and postorbital regions of the headshield. As the currently only known genus of Eugaleaspiformes during the late Silurian, Dunyu not only displays a large morphological difference with galeaspids from both the early Silurian and Early Devonian but also occupies a phylogenetic position that is far from the root of Eugaleaspiformes, which indicates that the lineages nested between Yongdongaspidae and Eugaleaspidae should have diversified before the early Ludlow, even during the Telychian. Discovery of new specimens of Dunyu provides direct evidence on the genus level for the correlation of the late Ludlow strata between the margin and interior of the Yangtze Platform, further supporting that the central part of the Yangtze Platform suffered from widespread transgression in the late Silurian.
Prevalence of Malocclusion and Occlusal Traits in Young Eastern Indian Population: A Multicentric Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Ghosh Rupa , Chattaraj Srikrishna , Modak Sutanu , Sil Shiladitya , Roy Pinaki , Chowdury Snigdha Mondal
Published: December 2024

Introduction: Malocclusion is emerging as a common oral health problem with an increasing demand for treatment. Studying the prevalence of malocclusion will help generate public awareness of its deleterious effects while bringing attention to the benefits of orthodontic treatment. Compiling such data will provide an understanding of the national scenario of the condition.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of malocclusion and occlusal traits with gender variation among adolescents and young adults in an Eastern Indian population.

Materials and Methods: This descriptive multicentric crosssectional study was conducted in the Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Dr. R. Ahmed Dental College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India, from February to May 2024. A total of 1062 samples, comprising 453 males and 609 females in the age group of 14-22 years, reporting to the Outpatient Department (OPD) of Government Dental Colleges of West Bengal, were randomly selected. The samples were clinically examined and classified according to Angle’s classification into Class I, Class II (Div 1 and Div 2) and Class III cases. The Class I cases were further subdivided into normal occlusion, crowding, proclination, spacing, deep bite, open bite and crossbite. To obtain gender-wise distribution of malocclusion, the subjects were categorised into male and female subjects. Data were tabulated and statistically analysed using the Chi-square (χ2 ) test.

Results: The mean age of participants was 18.37±2.19 years. Normal occlusion comprised 109 (10.26%) cases, while malocclusion was found in 953 (89.74%) of the total subjects. In the malocclusion group, Class I was found in 724 (68.17%) cases, Class II Div 1 in 162 (15.25%), Class II Div 2 in 33 (3.11%) and Class III in (3.2%) of the total sample. Crowding was significantly higher at 287 (39.64%) (p<0.001) than other variants of Class I malocclusion. Gender dimorphism was evaluated using the Chi-square test. Significant gender differences were observed for Class I (p<0.001), Class II Div 1 and Div 2 (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Class I malocclusion showed the highest prevalence, with crowding being the most common variant. Females showed a higher prevalence of developing Class I malocclusion, whereas males presented with a higher prevalence of Class II Div 1 and Div 2 malocclusion.
Villonodular Synovitis of the Index Finger: A Case Report
Authors: Birajdar Anteshwar , Mohammed Talha Muneer Muneer , Chowdhary Sahil , Kamble Raj
Published: December 2024

Villonodular Synovitis (VNS) is a rare condition characterised by abnormal growth of synovial tissue and accumulation of haemosiderin within joints, tendon sheaths and bursae. While the exact aetiology remains unclear, chronic inflammation is a leading theory. Although VNS typically affects large joints, the present case report highlights the possibility of its occurrence in smaller joints like the index finger. Early diagnosis and surgical intervention are crucial for effective management of VNS. The present case report underscores the importance of considering VNS in the differential diagnosis of soft-tissue masses, even in atypical locations. The present case report describes a 24-year-old male presenting with a decade-long history of pain and swelling in his right index finger. Despite initial radiographic findings being normal, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) revealed a well-defined soft-tissue mass involving the proximal and middle phalanx, flexor tendons and annular pulley. The presence of haemosiderin deposition within the mass was evident on MRI. The patient underwent open synovectomy, during which a brownish nodular synovium was observed, further supporting the diagnosis of VNS. Histopathological Examination (HPE) of the removed synovial tissue confirmed the presence of haemosiderin granules and haemosiderin-laden macrophages, solidifying the diagnosis of VNS. Post-surgery, the patient initiated a regimen of passive flexion and extension exercises for 15 days. At the 12-month follow-up, there were no clinical or radiological signs of recurrence and the patient had regained full range of motion.
Diagnosis and Management of a Rare Case of Infective Spondylodiscitis Caused by Brucella Abortus
Authors: Sharma Pankaj , Kale Amit , Pawar Raj , Gupta Archit
Published: December 2024

Brucella fever also called as Bangs disease or Malta fever is a relatively uncommon Zoonotic illness which is on the rise in many parts of India. The disease often presents in humans with constitutional symptoms such as fever, malaise, weight loss or generalised body weakness, but is not limited to this in all cases. The present case report involves a 47-year-old female who presented to the Orthopaedic Outpatient Department of a tertiary care centre with complaints of fever and low backache and was diagnosed as a case of Brucellar Spondylodiscitis after careful history taking revealing an exposure to cattle in her household. Brucellosis should also be considered as a differential diagnosis to Tuberculosis (TB) and thoroughly investigated through a detailed medical history and radiological imaging. Effective management can be achieved with a multidisciplinary team, including orthopaedic surgeons, infection specialists, radiologists and microbiologists, as was done in the present case to ensure a favourable outcome.
Assessing the Attitude of Entrepreneurs towards Agri-Business in Tamil Nadu Using a Standardized Measurement Scale
Authors: J. Thilagam , Unnati J. , Fernandez C. Cinthia , G.A.Atheequlla  , P.P.Murugan
Published: December 2024

This study examines the attitudes of entrepreneurs towards agribusiness, focusing on how various factors influence their entrepreneurial ventures in the agricultural sector. The study employs a robust methodology, using Thurstone and Chave's scaling technique to construct and validate an attitude scale. Results indicate that the majority of entrepreneurs (51.33%) exhibit a moderately favorable attitude towards agribusiness, with a notable proportion 28.67% showing a highly favorable disposition. This favorable attitude is attributed to factors such as opportunity identification, resource pooling and resilience, despite the inherent risks and seasonal fluctuations viz., weather conditions, supply and demand etc., associated with agribusiness.
Multifaceted Responses to Heat Stress in Plants: A Review of the Morpho-physiological, Biochemical and Anatomical Changes
Authors: Sharma Parul , Janaagal Monika , Sheoran Asha Rani , Luhach Annu , Sharma Divya , Sharma Chaitanya
Published: December 2024

Heat stress, a significant abiotic factor, adversely affects plant growth and productivity by disrupting various physiological and biochemical processes. Plants, being immobile, respond to environmental changes through alterations in gene expression, metabolism, and growth dynamics. Elevated temperatures, exceeding the threshold for heat tolerance, negatively influence critical functions such as photosynthesis, respiration, water balance, and membrane stability. Root development is particularly sensitive to heat stress, resulting in reduced root mass and impaired water and nutrient uptake. Photosynthetic capacity diminishes due to decreased chlorophyll content and impaired photochemical reactions, leading to reduced biomass and yield. Heat stress impacts plant water status by disturbing hydraulic conductivity and increasing membrane permeability, leading to dehydration and a decline in water potential. This stress reduces membrane stability, resulting in electrolyte leakage and cellular damage. It also induces the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which requires the activation of antioxidant enzymes to minimize oxidative stress. Also, to maintain osmotic balance and enhance stress tolerance, plants accumulate osmolytes such as proline. Additionally, anatomical adaptations in leaves, stems, and roots, such as changes in stomatal density, xylem vessel size, and gas exchange patterns, highlight the plant's strategies to cope with heat stress. Understanding these varied responses is crucial for developing strategies to enhance crop resilience in the face of increasing global temperatures and climate change.
Unveiling the Genetic Diversity of Aerial Yam (Dioscorea bulbifera L.): Morphological Insights for Sustainable Crop Improvement
Authors: Osuagwu Aniefiok , Edem Uduak , Edu Ndem , Phillip Julius , Emeagi Lasbrey , Iheanetu Cynthia , Sunday John , Acha Agnes , Ojong Miracle
Published: December 2024

Background: Genetic diversity is a cornerstone of sustainable agriculture, enhancing the resilience and productivity of crops in changing environments. Aerial yam (Dioscorea bulbifera L.), a tuber crop primarily grown in tropical and subtropical regions, has the potential to contribute to food and nutritional security. Despite its importance, the genetic diversity of aerial yam remains largely unexplored, limiting its conservation and genetic improvement.
Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the genetic diversity of 20 D. bulbifera landraces collected from six Nigerian states (Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Abia, Benue, and Ebonyi) using morphological traits as markers.
Study Design: A randomized complete block design (RCBD) was used, with three replicates.
Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was conducted at the experimental field of University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria, from March 2023 to February 2024.
Methodology: Bulbils from 20 D. bulbifera landraces, were planted on March 19, 2023 on a single-row plot. Key morphological traits; vine length, leaf area, and bulbil production, were recorded and analyzed for ANOVA, principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis, and path coefficient analysis.
Results: Significant variations (p < 0.05) were observed for all traits, indicating genetic diversity among the landraces. PCA identified three principal components accounting for 57.25% of the total variability, with root length, leaf area, and bulbil count being the most influential traits. Cluster analysis grouped the landraces into two clusters with no strict adherence to geographic origin, suggesting possible gene flow. There is a positive relationship between vine length and leaf area (r = 0.349, p < 0.05), while leaf length had the strongest direct effect on bulbil production.
Conclusion: The findings highlight significant genetic variability within D. bulbifera, providing a basis for breeding and conservation. This study emphasizes the crop’s potential for food security and sets the stage for integrating molecular techniques alongside morphological assessments.
Proximate and Mineral Composition Profiling in Cowpea (Vigna unguiculate L Walp.)
Authors: Nimbal Anisa M , Ameen Arfa
Published: December 2024

Micronutrients are most important growth promoting elements for crops as well as for humans. As per some reports (Gosh, et al., 2019) more than two billion of the global populations are malnourished. Micronutrient malnutrition among the people of every age is very common in developing countries like India. Cowpea one of the vital grain legumes in India is the cheapest sources of proteins, vitamins and micronutrients and can be supplied to the people through daily diet. In this regard profiling of the proximate composition and mineral contents in seeds of diverse cowpea genotypes was done at Seed Unit, UAS, Dharwad. The results revealed significant differences for different of proximate and mineral contents of cowpea varieties evaluated. Highest protein content of 21.12% and fibre content of 11.30 % was observed in samples of PL -2 and PL-5 respectively. Fe content in cowpea variety PL-2 was found to be the highest (99.1ppm) than the rest of minerals viz., Zinc (56.3 ppm) and manganese content (9.8 ppm) among the genotypes indicating that cowpea is good sources for these micronutrients viz., iron, zinc and manganese. Of all the minerals evaluated, concentration of iron (Fe) was found to be the highest in all the cowpea genotypes, thus indicating that the cowpea genotypes have ability to improve the haematology indicators of cowpea consumers. Thus, these cowpea genotypes serve as source of useful genetic resources for cultivar development for grain nutrients composition.
In vitro Propagation of Banana (Musa spp.) cv. Neypoovan through Male Bud Culture
Authors: Joju Jovita , Manju P.R. , Simi S. , Sindura K.P , Priyakumari I.
Published: December 2024

Neypoovan is an important banana cultivar widely cultivated in South India. The demand for planting material of this cultivar is huge and tissue-cultured plantlets are not available owing to its inherent problems in the initial establishment of the culture and slow rate of multiplication by using shoot tips as explant. The present study investigated on direct regeneration and mass multiplication of the banana cultivar Neypoovan (AB) through In vitro male bud culture. The experiment which was conducted at the College of Agriculture, Vellayani explored both flower buds and floral hands as explants. The establishment media evaluated involved basal MS as control and 15 hormone treatments involving different levels of BA (2, 4 and 6 mgL−1), TDZ (0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 mgL−1), kinetin (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mgL−1), combination of BA (2, 4 and 6 mgL−1) with kinetin (1.0 mgL−1) and combination of BA (2, 4 and 6 mgL−1) with NAA (1.0 mgL−1). Floral hands in 4 mgL−1 BA + 1mgL−1 NAA achieved higher culture establishment percentage (100) and lesser number of days for establishment (26.78 days) when compared to whole buds. Standardization of shoot multiplication involved three levels of BA viz., 2, 4 and 6 mgL−1 in standard MS solid media. The treatment with 4 mgL−1 BA registered the least number of days to shoot initiation (96.45 days) and significantly higher number of shoots per culture (9.73). The study involved different rooting media viz., MS, MS + 250 mg charcoal, MS + 1mgL−1 NAA and MS + 0.5mgL−1 NAA. Days to root initiation was least in full MS (5.25 days) which also recorded the highest root length (10.23 cm). The present investigation highlighted the possibility of using floral hands as a promising explants type for direct regeneration of banana cv. Neypoovan.
Plant Based Remedies against the Microbial Maladies with a Focus on Bacterial Wilt Caused by Ralstonia solanacearum in Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe)
Authors: John Joseph , Kumar V. Sampath
Published: December 2024

Bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum (Smith) Yabuuchi & al. is one of the worst disease-causing pathogens to ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) that incur severe crop loss and affect the economic security of the farmers. Management of the disease involves traditional and modern scientific techniques that necessitate or demand synthetic chemicals. In this connection, a study was conducted with certain endemic plants of the Western Ghats to unravel the ability of these plants to control bacterial wilt that affect the ginger crop. The plant species selected were Hydnocarpus macrocarpus (Bedd.) Warb., Colubrina travancorica Bedd., Cynometra  beddomei Prain, Prioria pinnata (Roxb. ex DC.) Breteler and Cynometra travancorica Bedd. The plant samples were collected from different areas of Western Ghats particularly the Wayanad district of Kerala. Phytochemical investigations, both qualitative and quantitative means, revealed that all of them possess chemical compounds both potential therapeutic and antimicrobial properties. Studies to check the ability of these plants against R. solanacearum revealed that Prioria pinnata has the proper ability to inhibit bacterial growth. Further investigation showed that the alkaloid fractions of the plant extract showed the highest antimicrobial properties compared to that of phenols and terpenoid fractions. The GC-MS and FTIR studies indicate the presence of   the good amount of chemical compounds in the tree species  of Prioria pinnata, possessing antimicrobial and therapeutic potential. The study points out the conservation of plant wealth of theWestern Ghats that hides many biomolecules of clinical and industrial potential. The threat caused by climate change to plant wealth can be minimized by appropriate public and private partnership-oriented conservation programs.
Assessment of Genetic Diversity using EST Derived SSR Markers in Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Germplasms
Authors: Bhavsar Vartika N. , Zala Harshvardhan N. , Mishra Ankita , Patel Jalpesh S. , Kaswan Vineet , Soni Nishit V. , Patel Pranay C. , Prajapati Ketan N. , Solanki Satynarayan. D.
Published: December 2024

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is an economically important perennial crop, with high nutritional, medicinal and ornamental importance. Total 2417 dbEST sequences were downloaded from NCBI and after pre-processing, 1152 sequences were assembled by CAP3. On evaluating by MISA tool, 175 sequences were found to be possessing SSR motifs and further subjected to BlastX hit, 125 sequences were annotated with gene ontology numbers. The distribution of SSR motifs highlighted di-nucleotide repeats as the highest (59.8%) followed by tri-nucleotide (37.7%). Total 124 successful primer pairs were designed and on the basis of unigene function, randomly 32 primer pairs were selected for validation on 46 germplasm. Eight EST-SSR primers were found to be polymorphic which generated 433 scorable bands with average of 54 bands per primer. The PIC and heterozygosity ranged from 0.178 to 0.555 and 0.198 to 0.625 respectively. Thirteen out of 20 gSSR primers were found to be polymorphic which generated 627 scorable bands with average of 48 bands per primer. The PIC and heterozygosity ranged from 0.175 to 0.374 and 0.194 to 0.498 respectively. Clustering pattern of pooled data of EST-SSR and gSSR showed major two clusters A and B having similarity coefficient of 0.37 to 1.00. The results of cluster analysis revealed grouping patterns based on geological distributions and derivation relationships. Thus, the developed EST derived SSR markers based on functional annotation of sequences could be very useful for various research areas in pomegranate, such as identification of the economically important pomegranate cultivars, study evolutionary origin analysis, genetic linkage map construction and marker-assisted selection for breeding.
Optimizing Soilless Media for Superior Microgreen Production and Sensory Acceptance
Authors: Shetty. Sinchana, S. , M. L. Revanna, , T. S. Manjunatha Swamy, , K. G. Vijayalaxmi,
Published: December 2024

Microgreens, the young and nutrient-dense shoots of vegetables and herbs, represent a remarkable innovation in both agriculture and culinary arts. This study investigates the optimal growing media for microgreens of Red Amaranthus, Fenugreek, and Spinach by comparing cocopeat and cocopeat + vermicompost mixtures. The growth performance, including plant height and yield, was assessed at intervals of 5, 10, and 15 days. Red Amaranthus microgreens showed significantly higher growth in cocopeat-vermicompost (6.66 cm on the 15th day) compared to cocopeat alone (5.03 cm). Similar trends were observed in Fenugreek and Spinach, with the cocopeat-vermicompost mix enhancing both fresh and dried weights. For instance, Fenugreek grown in the mix had a fresh weight of 203.66 g versus 141.33 g in cocopeat. Spinach microgreens followed the same pattern, showing improved growth metrics. The study highlights the superior growth and yield of microgreens in cocopeat-vermicompost due to enhanced nutrient availability. Sensory evaluation by a panel of 99 participants revealed diverse flavor profiles, with Red Amaranthus exhibiting balanced grassy notes and Fenugreek having a strong, intense flavor. Spinach microgreens were milder, making them more palatable to a wider audience. These findings suggest that incorporating vermicompost into the growing medium significantly improves microgreen production and consumer acceptability.
New structural insights into the multifunctional influenza A matrix protein 1
Authors: Peukes Julia , Xiong Xiaoli , Briggs John A. G.
Published: September 2021

Influenza A virus matrix protein 1 (M1) is the most abundant protein within virions and functions at multiple steps of the virus life cycle, including nuclear RNA export, virus particle assembly, and virus disassembly. Two recent publications have presented the first structures of full‐length M1 and show that it assembles filaments in vitro via an interface between the N‐ and C‐terminal domains of adjacent monomers. These filaments were found to be similar to those that form the endoskeleton of assembled virions. The structures provide a molecular basis to understand the functions of M1 during the virus life cycle. Here, we compare and discuss the two structures, and explore their implications for the mechanisms by which the multifunctional M1 protein can mediate virus assembly, interact with viral ribonucleoproteins and act during infection of a new cell.
An open chat with…Stuart Ferguson
Authors: Wright Duncan , Ferguson Stuart J.
Published: September 2021

Stuart Ferguson has been on the Editorial Board of FEBS Open Bio since its inception, and his expertise, dedication, and support have been invaluable for the journal’s growth and success. Stuart Ferguson received his doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Oxford, before taking up a faculty position at the University of Birmingham and later returning to Oxford, where he is currently Emeritus Fellow at St Edmund Hall but still teaching and pursuing his research interests. Stuart is also a long‐term member of the Editorial Board of our fellow FEBS Press journal, FEBS Letters. Stuart has kindly volunteered to be the second member of our Editorial Board to be interviewed, in celebration of the journal’s upcoming 10th anniversary.
J‐Aggregation‐Driven Supramolecular Assembly of Dye‐Conjugated Block Polymers: From Morphological Tailoring to Anticancer Applications
Authors: Li Shuoxin , Yan Xiaosa , Zhang Junqing , Guo Xia , Zhang Yongkang , Su Meihui , Yang Chun , Zhang Hao , Li Changhua
Published: September 2021

Utilizing the J‐stacking of dyes to drive the assembly of amphiphilic polymers can not only construct supramolecular assemblies with novel architectures but also provide a stabilizing solution for dye J‐aggregation to promote its biomedical applications. However, tightly entangled hydrophobic segments can disrupt the orderly arrangement of dye molecules, thereby preventing dye stacking‐driven supramolecular assembly of block copolymers. Herein, a “molecular glue” strategy is reported that uses the small dye molecule as a molecular glue to restore the J‐stacking of the dye moiety immobilized on the polymer, thereby dominating the supramolecular assembly of the polymer matrix. Very interestingly, the yielded nano‐assembly exhibits a novel worm‐like structure with alternating straight and bent segments. By passing through nanopores, the bent part is disassembled to afford short nanorod NR‐J812 mainly composed of crystalline dye J‐aggregates. It shows favorable colloidal and optical stability, suitable size, and high photothermal property, and demonstrates high performance in photoacoustic imaging and photothermal treatment of tumors in vivo. This work provides important insights into not only the self‐assembly of amphiphilic polymers with novel supramolecular architectures but also the preparation of J‐aggregate materials applicable in vivo, which bring great promise to the biomedical fields.
Post‐Synthesis Functionalization Enables Fine‐Tuning the Molecular‐Sieving Properties of Zeolites for Light Olefin/Paraffin Separations
Authors: Lee Hae Sol , Kim Nam Sun , Kwon Dong‐il , Lee Su‐Kyung , Numan Muhammad , Jung Taesung , Cho Kanghee , Mazur Michal , Cho Hae Sung , Jo Changbum
Published: September 2021

Zeolite molecular sieves are widely used in gas separation and shape‐selective catalysis, but these applications often require discriminating differences as little as 0.1 Å. Molecular sieving with such size selectivity demands zeolites with highly tunable pore diameters and adsorption properties, which are technically challenging to prepare. Nevertheless, it is shown that a wide range of organic functional groups can be covalently functionalized onto the interior pore walls of the zeolites, MOR, LTL, FAU, and MFI, to systematically “tune” their effective pore diameters with respect to the size of organic groups. For organic functionalization, small and aggressive organic electrophiles are used (e.g., organo‐halide and ‐diazonium) as grafting agents, which are accessible to the intracrystalline void space, forming a C–Ozeolite bond in a reaction with a bridging oxygen as proved by multiple analysis data. It is demonstrated that the post‐functionalization can be used to tailor the molecular sieving action of a parent zeolite to give size‐selective adsorbents for light olefin/paraffin separations. 4‐Methoxybenzene‐functionalized MOR separates ethylene from ethane with an ideal‐adsorbed‐solution‐theory selectivity of ≈5873, whereas toluene‐grafted MOR completely separates propylene/propane mixtures. Therefore, tailoring the molecular‐sieving properties of zeolites by organic functionalization broadens their applications to challenging separations.
Late‐season N fertilization effects on soybean seed protein and biological N2 fixation
Authors: Bosaz Lina B. , Borrás Lucas , Gerde José A. , Santachiara Gabriel , Rotundo José L.
Published: September 2021

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] seed protein concentration has been declining over the past decades with protein values falling below the ∼40% (dry weight base) required for optimal industrial processing. Further refinement of management practices is needed to help maintain concentrations above market standards. The objective of this work was to evaluate the impact of N fertilization during late reproductive stage on soybean seed protein on two cultivars differing in seed protein concentration in order to untangle the role of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) to mediate seed protein responses. In experiments at two planting dates, late N fertilization was applied as either a foliar or soil‐applied fertilizer and consisted of applying 80 kg ha–1 of N from R3 to R6 with four 20 kg ha–1 N applications. Both cultivar and planting date affected seed yield and protein concentration, ranging from 3,242 to 3,949 kg ha–1 and 34.8 to 38.4 g 100 g–1, respectively. Soil and foliar N fertilizations had no effect on yield or N uptake but had positive effects on seed protein concentration (+2 g 100 g–1) only in the late‐planted experiments. Applying N in the soil inhibited BNF. The amount of N2 fixed during the seed‐filling period, expressed per unit seed, is a relatively good predictor of the response of seed protein to N fertilization suggesting a critical role of BNF during this stage for securing a high concentration of seed protein.
Identifying Pitfalls in Lithium Metal Battery Characterization
Authors: Winter Eric , Schmidt Thomas J. , Trabesinger Sigita
Published: September 2021

Over the past decade, there has been a revival of research activity on lithium metal batteries (LMBs) as these could be a solution for key challenges of electromobility and the energy revolution. While there is growing consensus in the scientific community that common reporting standards and testing conditions for LMBs have to be established, a vast majority of research activities on lithium metal use lab‐dependant testing protocols. For that reason, this publication aims to shed light on various, potentially neglected aspects in battery assembly and testing. Firstly, the long‐term cycling, regarding a range of experimental parameters, such as current density, capacity, electrolyte type and its quantity, as well as contribution of the electrode edges, is shown in both symmetric (Li||Li) and asymmetric (Cu||Li) configurations. The second part focuses on the reversibility of lithium thickness during cycling with and without protected electrode edges, investigated by operando dilatometry. By bringing the insights from this parameter study together, we aim to contribute to better experiment design for future LMB studies, as well as a better understanding for the failure mechanism of Li metal anodes.
Know how to handle unexpected FERPA questions
Authors: Rainsberger Richard
Published: September 2021

Current and new employees need Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act training. Staff at your institution have likely spent a lot of time developing an online training program or have gone with the personal/classroom approach… or both. They've worked hard on the program and have tried to anticipate everything that needs to be covered.
Does timing matter in radiotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma? An experimental study in mice
Authors: Hassan Soha A. , Ali Amira A. H. , Sohn Dennis , Flögel Ulrich , Jänicke Reiner U. , Korf Horst‐Werner , von Gall Charlotte
Published: September 2021

This study investigates whether a chronotherapeutic treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may improve treatment efficacy and mitigate side effects on non‐tumoral liver (NTL). HCC was induced in Per2::luc mice which were irradiated at four time points of the day. Proliferation and DNA‐double strand breaks were analyzed in irradiated and nonirradiated animals by detection of Ki67 and γ‐H2AX. Prior to whole animal experiments, organotypic slice cultures were investigated to determine the dosage to be used in whole animal experiments. Irradiation was most effective at the proliferation peaks in HCC at ZT02 (early inactivity phase) and ZT20 (late activity phase). Irradiation effects on NTL were minimal at ZT20. As compared with NTL, nonirradiated HCC revealed disruption in daily variation and downregulation of all investigated clock genes except Per1. Irradiation affected rhythmic clock gene expression in NTL and HCC at all ZTs except at ZT20 (late activity phase). Irradiation at ZT20 had no effect on total leukocyte numbers. Our results indicate ZT20 as the optimal time point for irradiation of HCC in mice at which the ratio between efficacy of tumor treatment and toxic side effects was maximal. Translational studies are now needed to evaluate whether the late activity phase is the optimal time point for irradiation of HCC in man.