Explore the vast range of titles available.

An Introduction to Non-Ionizing Radiation provides a comprehensive understanding of non-ionizing radiation (NIR), exploring its uses and potential risks. The information is presented in a simple and concise way to facilitate easy understanding of relevant concepts and applications. Chapters provide a summary and include relevant equations that explain NIR physics. Other features of the book include colorful illustrations and detailed reference lists. With a focus on safety and protection, the book also explains how to mitigate the adverse effects of non-ionizing radiation with the help of ANSI guidelines and regulations. An Introduction to Non-Ionizing Radiation comprises twelve chapters, each explaining various aspects of non-ionizing radiation, including: Fundamental concepts of non-ionizing radiation including types and sources Interaction with matter Electromagnetic fields The electromagnetic wave spectrum (UV, visible light, IR waves, microwaves and radio waves) Lasers Acoustic waves and ultrasound Regulations for non-ionizing radiation. Risk management of non-ionizing radiation The book is intended as a primer on non-ionizing radiation for a broad range of scholars and professionals in physics, engineering and clinical medicine.

Recently, titania nanotubes (TNTs) have been extensively studied because both their functional properties and highly controllable morphology make them important building blocks for understanding nanoscale phenomena and realizing nanoscale devices. Compared with sol–gel and template-assisted methods, electrochemical anodization is a simple, cost-effective, and low-temperature technique offering additional advantages such as straightforward processing and ease of scale-up. This review focuses on the process modalities and underlying mechanism of electrochemical anodization to achieve a different set of TNTs for a variety of applications. Finally, important applications of TNTs are highlighted including biomedical devices, water purification, and solar cells.

Biomedical implants are the need of this era due to the increase in number of accidents and follow-up surgeries. Different types of bone diseases such as osteoarthritis, osteomalacia, bone cancer, etc., are increasing globally. Mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles (MBGNs) are used in biomedical devices due to their osteointegration and bioactive properties. In this study, silver (Ag)- and strontium (Sr)-doped mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles (Ag-Sr MBGNs) were prepared by a modified Stöber process. In this method, Ag+ and Sr2+ were co-substituted in pure MBGNs to harvest the antibacterial properties of Ag ions, as well as pro-osteogenic potential of Sr2 ions. The effect of the two-ion concentration on morphology, surface charge, composition, antibacterial ability, and in-vitro bioactivity was studied. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the doping of Sr and Ag in MBGNs. SEM and EDX analysis confirmed the spherical morphology and typical composition of MBGNs, respectively. The Ag-Sr MBGNs showed a strong antibacterial effect against Staphylococcus carnosus and Escherichia coli bacteria determined via turbidity and disc diffusion method. Moreover, the synthesized Ag-Sr MBGNs develop apatite-like crystals upon immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF), which suggested that the addition of Sr improved in vitro bioactivity. The Ag-Sr MBGNs synthesized in this study can be used for the preparation of scaffolds or as a filler material in the composite coatings for bone tissue engineering.

Attributed to the intense development and complexity in electronic devices, energy dissipation is becoming more essential nowadays. The carbonaceous materials particularly graphene (Gr)-based thermal interface materials (TIMs) are exceptional in heat management. However, because of the anisotropic behavior of Gr in composites, the TIMs having outstanding through-plane thermal conductivity ( ⊥ TC) are needed to fulfill the upcoming innovation in numerous devices. In order to achieve this, herein, nano-urethane linkage-based modified Gr and carbon fibers architecture termed as nanourethane linkage (NUL)-Gr/carbon fibers (CFs) is fabricated. Wherein, toluene diisocyanate is utilized to develop a novel but simple NUL to shape a new interface between graphene sheets. Interestingly, the prepared composite of NUL-Gr/CFs with polyvinylidene fluoride matrix shows outstanding performance in heat management. Owing to the unique structure of NUL-Gr/CFs, an unprecedented value of ⊥ TC (~ 7.96 W·m −1 ·K −1 ) is achieved at a low filler fraction of 13.8 wt.% which translates into an improvement of ~ 3,980% of pristine polymer. The achieved outcomes elucidate the significance of the covalent interaction between graphene sheets as well as strong bonding among graphene and matrix in the composites and manifest the potential of proposed NUL-Gr/CFs architecture for practical applications.

The global transition towards clean energy sources is becoming essential to reduce reliance on conventional fuels and mitigate carbon emissions. In the future, the clean energy storage landscape, green hydrogen, and green ammonia (powered by renewable energy sources) are emerging as key players. This study explores the prospectives and feasibility of producing and storing offshore green hydrogen and green ammonia. The potential power output of Hornsea one and Hornsea two winds farms in the United Kingdom was calculated using real wind data. The usable electricity from the Hornsea one wind farm was 5.83 TWh/year, and from the Hornsea two wind farm, it was 6.44 TWh/year, harnessed to three different scenarios for the production and storage of green ammonia and green hydrogen. Scenario 1 fulfil the requirement of green hydrogen storage for flexible ammonia production but consumes more energy for green hydrogen compression. Scenario 2 does not offer any hydrogen storage which is not favourable in terms of flexibility and market demand. Scenario 3 offers both, a direct routed supply of produced hydrogen for green ammonia synthesis and a storage facility for green hydrogen storage. Detailed mathematical calculations and sensitivity analysis was performed based on the total energy available to find out the energy storage capacity in terms of the mass of green hydrogen and green ammonia produced. Sensitivity analysis in the case of scenario 3 was conducted to determine the optimal percentage of green hydrogen going to the storage facility. Based on the cost evaluation of three different presented scenarios, the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) is between USD 5.30 and 5.97/kg, and the levelized cost of ammonia (LCOA) is between USD 984.16 and USD 1197.11/tonne. These prices are lower compared to the current UK market. The study finds scenario 3 as the most appropriate way in terms of compression energy savings, flexibility for the production and storage capacity that depends upon the supply and demand of these green fuels in the market, and a feasible amount of green hydrogen storage.

Sustainable development of women’s entrepreneurship (WE) and women empowerment (WEMP), and poverty reduction (PR), are significant challenges, particularly in developing countries like Pakistan. Hence the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between women’s entrepreneurship (WE), women empowerment (WEMP), and poverty reduction (PR) through green microfinance (MF), motivation (MOTI), and political factors (PF) in Pakistan’s Sindh Province. Based on the study nature, data were collected from women who were doing their businesses in the Sindh Province of Pakistan. There were 300 questionnaires given in total, with 225 of them returned. A total of 220 questionnaires were included and others were excluded due to incomplete questions. To test the study model and hypothesis, we analyzed data in Smart PLS-V4 with structure equation model techniques to meet the study objectives. The study’s findings reveal a beneficial association between green microfinance and poverty reduction, women’s entrepreneurship, and empowerment. A study also identified political elements that have a good impact on poverty reduction through women’s entrepreneurship and empowerment. Furthermore, when women are driven, it has beneficial impacts on women’s entrepreneurship and empowerment, which helps to decrease poverty. This study suggests that reducing poverty and strengthening women’s entrepreneurship and empowerment are linked to political considerations, motivation, and institutional finance facilities. Furthermore, women’s entrepreneurship and empowerment are key elements to decrease poverty in Pakistan. Plain Language Summary This research examined microfinance, political variables, and motivation to enhance women entrepreneurs and empowerment to alleviate poverty in Sindh Pakistan. The study’s findings supported all hypotheses. Microfinance, political issues, and motivation favorably affect women’s entrepreneurship, and empowerment and alleviate poverty. Entrepreneurial women with stronger motivation can be more successful. Motivated women’s work can be better to enhance women’s business and economic success to alleviate poverty. This shows that microfinance variables are interconnected and must be examined. Microfinance, political factors, and motivation affect women’s entrepreneurship and empowerment is rising rapidly to decrease the ratio of poverty through women’s empowerment. Women’s entrepreneurship addresses entrepreneurship and women’s status in society thus it could be fruitful to cut the poverty. This study applies entrepreneurship’s desire for accomplishment theory to microfinance, political considerations, motivation, and women’s entrepreneurship. Motivation improves microfinance’s effect on women’s entrepreneurship and empowerment, while the WE and WEMP play a beneficial role in economic growth to cut poverty. Furthermore, the study revealed family income and standard of life increased to alleviate the poverty ratio in Sindh province of Pakistan. Sindh government should support women’s entrepreneurship and empowerment to enhance economic growth to minimize the poverty ratio through microfinance, political factors, and motivation which could enhance the business system and economic growth system to cut the poverty in Sindh Pakistan.

Naive CD4⁺ T lymphocytes differentiate into different effector types, including helper and regulatory cells (Th and Treg, respectively). Heritable gene expression programs that define these effector types are established during differentiation, but little is known about the epigenetic mechanisms that install and maintain these programs. Here, we use mice defective for different components of heterochromatin-dependent gene silencing to investigate the epigenetic control of CD4⁺ T cell plasticity. We show that, upon T cell receptor (TCR) engagement, naive and regulatory T cells defective for TRIM28 (an epigenetic adaptor for histone binding modules) or for heterochromatin protein 1 β and γ isoforms (HP1β/γ, 2 histonebinding factors involved in gene silencing) fail to effectively signal through the PI3K–AKT–mTOR axis and switch to glycolysis. While differentiation of naive TRIM28−/− T cells into cytokine-producing effector T cells is impaired, resulting in reduced induction of autoimmune colitis, TRIM28−/− regulatory T cells also fail to expand in vivo and to suppress autoimmunity effectively. Using a combination of transcriptome and chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing (ChIP-seq) analyses for H3K9me3, H3K9Ac, and RNA polymerase II, we show that reduced effector differentiation correlates with impaired transcriptional silencing at distal regulatory regions of a defined set of Treg-associated genes, including, for example, NRP1 or Snai3. We conclude that TRIM28 and HP1β/γ control metabolic reprograming through epigenetic silencing of a defined set of Treg-characteristic genes, thus allowing effective T cell expansion and differentiation into helper and regulatory phenotypes.

In mammals, the carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase (Pol) II consists of 52 conserved heptapeptide repeats containing the consensus sequence Tyr1-Ser2-Pro3-Thr4-Ser5-Pro6-Ser7. Post-translational modifications of the CTD coordinate the transcription cycle and various steps of mRNA maturation. Here we describe Tyr1 phosphorylation (Tyr1P) as a hallmark of promoter (5′ associated) Pol II in mammalian cells, in contrast to what was described in yeast. Tyr1P is predominantly found in antisense orientation at promoters but is also specifically enriched at active enhancers. Mutation of Tyr1 to phenylalanine (Y1F) prevents the formation of the hyper-phosphorylated Pol IIO form, induces degradation of Pol II to the truncated Pol IIB form, and results in a lethal phenotype. Our results suggest that Tyr1P has evolved specialized and essential functions in higher eukaryotes associated with antisense promoter and enhancer transcription, and Pol II stability. When a gene is expressed, the DNA is first transcribed to produce an intermediate molecule called a messenger RNA (mRNA), which is then translated to produce a protein. RNA Polymerase II is an enzyme that makes mRNA molecules in organisms as diverse as plants, animals, and yeast. RNA Polymerase II is a complex made of a number of proteins. The largest protein in this complex includes a ‘carboxy-terminal domain’ that has multiple repeats of seven amino acids one after the other. The first amino acid in each repeat, a tyrosine, is referred to as tyrosine-1. Adding various chemical tags to the amino acids in these repeats co-ordinates the steps involved in the transcription of genes. In yeast, for example, adding a phosphate group to tyrosine-1 seems to help the polymerase to proceed to make long mRNA molecules. However, it is not known what these chemical tags do in humans or other animals. Now Descostes, Heidemann et al. (and independently Hsin et al.) have shown that the same phosphate groups on tyrosine-1 perform functions in vertebrates (animals with backbones) that are different to those performed in yeast. These functions include protecting the carboxy-terminal domain from being broken down inside cells, and transcribing the DNA that is upstream of genes. Descostes, Heidemann et al. found that in human cells, RNA Polymerase II with phosphate groups on tyrosine-1 tends to bind to the beginning of genes. However, rather than moving along each gene and transcribing it, the polymerase then moves in the opposite (or ‘antisense’) direction to transcribe the DNA that is upstream of the gene. In most cases, however, the transcription of these ‘upstream antisense RNAs’ does not make a functional RNA molecule and transcription is paused. Furthermore, Descostes, Heidemann et al. found that when RNA Polymerase II that is not tagged with these phosphate groups is degraded in human cells, these cells rapidly die. Descostes, Heidemann et al. also found that RNA Polymerase II with phosphate tags on tyrosine-1 also binds to, and transcribes, sections of DNA called ‘enhancers’, which are outside of the genes but that help to activate nearby genes. Importantly, these transcribed enhancers are those that work to define the type of cell and tissue—for example a white blood cell—that any given cell will become. Future studies should help to answer remaining questions such as: how do these chemical tags affect the transcription of genes that are specific to certain tissue types? And do these tags on RNA Polymerase II help to direct cells to become specific cell types?

Modern‐day society requires advanced technologies based on renewable and sustainable energy resources to face the challenges regarding environmental remediation. Solar‐inspired photocatalytic applications for water purification, hydrogen and oxygen evolution, carbon dioxide reduction, nitrogen fixation, and removal of bacterial species seem to be unique solutions based on green and efficient technologies. Considering the unique electronic features and larger surface area, 2D photocatalysts have been broadly explored for the above‐mentioned applications in the past few years. However, their photocatalytic potential has not been optimized yet to the adequate level of practical and commercial applications. Among many strategies available, surface and interface engineering and the hybridization of different materials have revealed pronounced potential to boost the photocatalytic potential of 2D materials. This feature review recapitulates recent advancements in engineered materials that are 2D for various photocatalysis applications for environmental remediation. Various surface and interface engineering technologies are briefly discussed, like anion–cation vacancies, pits, distortions, associated vacancies, etc., along with rules and parameters. In addition, several hybridization approaches, like 0D/2D, 1D/2D, 2D/2D, and 3D/2D hybridization, etc., are also deeply investigated. Lastly, the application of these engineered 2D materials for various photocatalytic applications, challenges, and future perspectives is extensively explored. The demand for sustainable energy and environmental cleaning needs advanced technologies and new emergent materials. Solar‐triggered 2D engineered materials have gained attention due to tuning their structural, optical, electrical, and magnetic properties for various photocatalysis applications, like environmental cleaning and sustainable energy resources. Such 2D engineered materials have resolved many unsolved issues where the classical approach fails to work efficiently.

Background Chickpea is one of the major legume crops being cultivated in the arid and semi-arid regions of Pakistan. It is mainly grown on the marginal areas where, terminal drought stress is one of the serious threats to its productivity. For defining the appropriate selection criteria for screening drought tolerant chickpea genotypes, present study was conducted. Distinct chickpea germplasm was collected from different pulses breeding institutes of Pakistan and evaluated for drought tolerance at germination and early seedling stages, furthermore, at late vegetative growth stages physiochemical traits and multi-environment yield performance were also tested. Results Chickpea genotypes under different environments, were significantly varied for different seedling traits, physio-chemical attributes and seed yield. Genotypes showing drought tolerance by performing better at an early seedling stages were not correspondingly high yielding. Screening for drought tolerance on seed yield basis is the most appropriate trait to develop the drought tolerant as well as high yielding chickpea genotypes. Results confirmed that traits of early growth stages were not reflecting the drought tolerance at terminal growth stages and also did not confer high yielding. NIAB-rain fed environment proved ideal in nature to screen the chickpea genotypes whereas, NIAB-lysimeter and Kalur Kot was least effective for selecting genotypes with high seed yield. Genotypes D0091–10, K010–10, D0085–10, K005–10, D0078–10, 08AG016, 08AG004, D0080–10, 09AG002, K002–10 and D0099–10 were high yielding and drought tolerant based on their performance across multiple hotspot environments. Conclusions The selected genotypes are intended for further evaluation for varietal approval to recommend for general cultivation on farmer fields in drought hit areas of Pakistan. Among physio-biochemical traits, higher proline, glycine betain, RWC and CMS were reflecting the higher capability to tolerate the drought stress in chickpea. Drought sensitive genotypes (K0037–10, 2204, K0052–10, 09AG015, K0042–10, CM709/06, K0068–10, K004–10, K0026–10 and K0063–10) were also identified in present study which were resourceful asset for using as contrasting parents in hybridization programs. To our knowledge, this is first report using an integrated approach involving, physio-biochemical indices, and multi-environmental yield trials, for comparison, screening and selection of chickpea genotypes for drought tolerance.