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High oil prices and concern about limited oil reserves lead to increase interest in enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Selecting the most efficient development plan is of high interest to optimize economic cost. Hence, the main objective of this study is to construct a novel deep-learning classifier to select the best EOR method based on the reservoir’s rock and fluid properties (depth, porosity, permeability, gravity, viscosity), and temperature. Our deep learning-based classifier consists of a one-dimensional (1D) convolutional neural network, long short-term memory (LSTM), and densely connected neural network layers. The genetic algorithm has been applied to tune the hyperparameters of this hybrid classifier. The proposed classifier is developed and tested using 735 EOR projects on sandstone, unconsolidated sandstone, carbonate, and conglomerate reservoirs in more than 17 countries. Both the numerical and graphical investigations approve that the structure-tuned deep learning classifier is a reliable tool to screen the EOR scenarios and select the best one. The designed model correctly classifies training, validation, and testing examples with an accuracy of 96.82%, 84.31%, and 82.61%, respectively. It means that only 30 out of 735 available EOR projects are incorrectly identified by the proposed deep learning classifier. The model also demonstrates a small categorical cross-entropy of 0.1548 for the classification of the involved enhanced oil recovery techniques. Such a powerful classifier is required to select the most suitable EOR candidate for a given oil reservoir with limited field information.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the impacts of board gender composition, board independence and the existence of a board sustainability committee on the corporate social and environmental performance of Australian firms. Design/methodology/approach The dataset comprises 2,188 Australian Securities Exchange listed firm-year observations (407 individual firms) from 2004 to 2015. The ASSET4 environmental, social and governance database is used to measure corporate social and environmental performance and their sub-dimensions. Findings Our results show that firms with higher board gender composition, greater board independence and sustainability committees tend to have better social and environmental performance. This paper also provides empirical evidence of the positive association of these variables on the sub-dimensions of social and environmental performance. The results are robust after controlling for self-selection and various forms of endogeneity. Originality/value This is the first study that examines the relationship between sustainability committees and corporate social and environmental performance in the context of Australia. This study also overcomes the relatively small sample size and shorter study period issues of similar studies in Australia that provide inconclusive evidence on the relationship between each of board gender composition, board independence and corporate social and environmental performance.

The effect of rutin, a bioflavonoid on the growth and biofilm formation of Bacillus subtilis strain CIM was investigated. In addition to swimming, swarming, and twitching potentials of B. subtilis CIM (BS), one picomolar (1 pM) of rutin was also observed to boost the biofilm forming ability of the bacterium. Bio-priming of rice seeds with BS and rutin not only augmented root and shoot lengths but also the photosynthetic pigments like chlorophyll and carotenoid. Similarly, high accumulation of phenolic and flavonoid contents was observed in the leaves. Fluorescent microscopic images revealed that BS plus rutin enhanced callose deposition in the leaves. It was also established that the least formation of reactive oxygen species in BS plus rutin treated rice plants was due to higher free radicals scavenging activity and total antioxidant potential. The results highlight chemo attractant nature of BS towards rutin, which by enhancing biofilm formation and root colonization indirectly strengthened the plants' defensive state.

Parkinsonism is an age-associated neurodegenerative disorder characterized by aggregation of α-synuclein (α-syn) protein in the substantia nigra region, degeneration of dopaminergic neurons, and deregulated lipid metabolism. Currently, only symptomatic relief has been provided by FDA-approved therapeutic approaches for Parkinson’s disease (PD). The present study aims to evaluate the potential of wedelolactone (WDL), a natural occurring coumestan found in Eclipta alba to mitigate the parkinsonism in Caenorhabditis elegans disease model. In the present studies, supplementation with 37.5 μM WDL exhibited a reduction in the level of α-syn in an age-dependent manner (22% at day 5, p  < 0.05; and 16% at day 10, p  < 0.001, n  = 30), along with improvement in neuronal health through basal movement, and elevated the dopamine levels evident through 1-nonanol repulsion results in wild-type and diseased worms. Moreover, WDL augmented the mitochondrial health in wild-type, PD-diseased, and mev-1 mutant worms that establish the inherent activity of WDL in the alleviation of oxidative stress. Furthermore, WDL supplementation significantly decreases the neutral lipid and triglyceride level and also alleviates protein carbonyl level in PD disease condition. The overall investigation will provide a pioneer to the future insights of PD research related to plant-based drugs. qPCR studies after WDL supplementation revealed alteration of genes involved in the regulation of various stress-responsive ( sod-5 , gst-4 , skn-1 ), α-syn-suppressing ( lrk-1 , ymel-1 , lagr-1 , grk-1 ), and mitochondrial ( pink-1 ) genes. All together, these findings support that the WDL is a promising candidate to combat age-related multi-factorial PD pathology associated with protein misfolding and accumulation. The results provide sufficient information in the development of therapeutic medicines from natural products for improving the health.

It is well documented that emotion regulation difficulties are linked with various forms of psychopathology including anxiety and depression but the literature is still inconclusive regarding whether emotion regulation difficulties are transdiagnostic or pathology-specific. We speculate that certain types of emotion regulation difficulties may be transdiagnostic while others may show specificity. The present study attempts to empirically validate this speculation and tries to explore the common (transdiagnostic) and unique domains of emotion regulation difficulties associated with psychometrically identified subclinical groups of anxious and anxious-depressed individuals. University and college students (N = 192) were assessed on self-report measures of emotion regulation difficulties, positive-negative affect, depression, and trait and free-floating anxiety and classified into anxious, anxious-depressed, and normal groups based on the results of cluster analysis. Both subclinical groups reported overall higher levels of emotion regulation difficulties than normals, with anxious-depressed group showing more difficulties than anxious group. While difficulty engaging in goal-directed behaviour, lack of emotional awareness and emotional clarity were common across anxious and anxious-depressed groups, the anxious-depressed group showed a unique profile of emotion regulation difficulties characterized by non-acceptance of emotional response, impulse control difficulties, and limited access to emotion regulation strategies. Findings of discriminant function analysis revealed that while anxious-depressed group was characterised by difficulties in regulating emotions, the anxious group presented difficulties in emotional insight. The findings highlight the possible role of both unique and transdiagnostic components of emotion regulation difficulties in the development/maintenance of psychopathologies and have significant implications for predicting future development and psychotherapeutic management of these disorders.

This work elucidates the fabrication and electrochemical performance of solid-state symmetric supercapacitors based on polyaniline and polypyrrole films synthesized through electrochemical deposition. The study systematically investigates the impact of electrolyte pH on the performance of these devices, comparing responses in acidic, neutral, and alkaline environments. The polyaniline-based device demonstrates a superior response in acidic electrolyte conditions, which is attributed to the protonation/deprotonation mechanisms inherent in the polymer matrix, a phenomenon that is explored and interpreted in the paper. However, the symmetric supercapacitor employing polypyrrole exhibits superior performance in both acidic and alkaline electrolytes, suggesting the pseudocapacitive nature of polypyrrole even in alkaline conditions. The redox behavior of polypyrrole in alkaline environments primarily relies on the exchange of hydroxide ions, facilitating polypyrrole’s superior retention of its redox characteristics compared to polyaniline. The findings contribute to the rational design of solid-state supercapacitors tailored for specific electrolyte conditions, with potential applications in diverse electrochemical energy storage systems.

Today’s demand has approached the sustainable agriculture with synergistic bioinoculants for improved crop production and soil rejuvenation. Furthermore, the emergence of chemical fertilizers, for intensive farming practice increasing for many decades without the knowledge of health hazards and environmental problems, can be resolved. Purposely, the present study was conducted on commercially grown medicinal plant Mentha arvensis L. to improve productivity and yield using natural bio-sources such as bioinoculant and vermicompost. The new findings illustrated that M. arvensis L. showed significantly (P < 0.05) improved plant growth, secondary metabolites, total phytoconstituents, and total antioxidant capacity in bioinoculant-treated plants as compared to the control with carrier vermicompost. Moreover, the highly effective treatment also exceeded the most prominent aroma compounds menthol, menthone, and isomenthone. Most interestingly, with high yield increment, the essential oil also showed significant antibacterial activity. The present study concluded an unambiguous fortification of bioinoculant with carrier vermicompost, showing a promising synergistic potential that validates itself as bio-stimulants in enhancing physiological and biochemical properties of M. arvensis L. resulting in high yield and improved quality.Graphic Abstract

World over, potatoes are being stored at 8–12 °C (85–90 % RH). This is the most common way of long-term (up to 6 to 9 months) storage of potatoes. The benefit of storing the potatoes within the temperature range of 8–12 °C is minimum accumulation of sugars in stored potato tubers. In sub-temperate, sub-tropical and tropical countries of the world, short-term (3 to 4 months) storage of potatoes is being done by non-refrigerated traditional/on-farm methods. These short- and long-term storage methods keep the stored potatoes suitable not only for table purpose but also for processing. However, once the natural dormancy period of potato is over, the prevailing temperatures in these storage methods favour sprouting and sprout growth. Therefore, use of some sprout suppressant to check the sprout growth becomes essential under these methods of potato storage. CIPC [Isopropyl N -(3-chlorophenyl) carbamate] is the most wide spread and commonly used sprout suppressant on potatoes. CIPC has been in use for more than 50 years and research carried out over such a long period use of CIPC has not only enhanced our understanding of its properties and chemistry but also about the production and toxicological status of its metabolites/degradation products. Today, various safety issues and concerns have surfaced primarily due to continuous and long-term use of CIPC. This review presents an appraisal on CIPC and explains the reasons for the long-time dependence on this chemical as a potato sprout suppressant. Issues like maximum residue limit and acceptable daily intake limit are being discussed for CIPC. This article brings an update on practical aspects of potato storage, residue levels of CIPC, efficacy of CIPC as sprout suppressant and health and environmental safety issues linked with CIPC and its metabolites. The aim of this article is to find possible solutions, way outs and future plans that can make the sprout suppression of potatoes safer and more risk free.

The process of fruit ripening is normally viewed distinctly in climacteric and non-climacteric fruits. But, many fruits such as guava, melon, Japanese plum, Asian pear and pepper show climacteric as well as non-climacteric behaviour depending on the cultivar or genotype. Investigations on in planta levels of CO 2 and ethylene at various stages of fruits during ripening supported the role and involvement of changes in the rate of respiration and ethylene production in non-climacteric fruits such as strawberry, grapes and citrus. Non-climacteric fruits are also reported to respond to the exogenous application of ethylene. Comparative analysis of plant-attached and plant-detached fruits did not show similarity in their ripening behaviour. This disparity is being explained in view of 1. Hypothetical ripening inhibitor, 2. Differences in the production, release and endogenous levels of ethylene, 3. Sensitivity of fruits towards ethylene and 4. Variations in the gaseous microenvironment among fruits and their varieties. Detailed studies on genetic and inheritance patterns along with the application of ‘-omics’ research indicated that ethylene-dependent and ethylene-independent pathways coexist in both climacteric and non-climacteric fruits. Auxin levels also interact with ethylene in regulating ripening. These findings therefore reveal that the classification of fruits based on climacteric rise and/or ethylene production status is not very distinct or perfect. However, presence of a characteristic rise in CO 2 levels and a burst in ethylene production in some non-climacteric fruits as well as the presence of system 2 of ethylene production point to a ubiquitous role for ethylene in fruit ripening.

Maize ( Zea mays L.) production is often limited by edaphic stresses, viz., drought, salinity and nutrient deficiencies. The root system architecture (RSA) in is essential for efficient water and nutrient acquisition and overall plant stability under adverse conditions. Thus, identifying maize genotypes with desirable root characteristics under stress is a valuable strategy for breeding maize with enhanced abiotic stress tolerance and improved resource-use efficiency. The hydroponics-based root phenotyping offers control over the root environment, reduced labour, and almost damage-free phenotyping over field-based phenotyping. Here, we have investigated the adaptive RSA plasticity of maize under drought, low nitrogen, salinity, and non-stress environments. The results revealed significant variability for all the RSA-associated and related traits. The salinity-stressed genotypes showed adaptive plasticity with enhanced average root diameter (AD), whereas the enhanced total root length (TRL) and surface area (SA) were reduced along with average root diameter under low-N stress. The RSA traits TRL (total root length), SA (surface area), RV (root volume), SFW (shoot fresh weight), SDW (shoot dry weight), RFW (root fresh weight) and RDW (root dry weight) showed positive and significant correlations across the stress conditions (0.47 to 0.99; p  < 0.001 to 0.05). Conversely, AD showed significantly negative correlations with SRL (-0.70 to -0.95; p  < 0.001) of genotypes, stress (environment) and genotypes × stress (environment) interactions suggested the possibility of developing stress-specific maize cultivars by selecting inbred lines with high adaptive plasticity to specific stress environments or broad adaptability by selecting lines with high stability across stress environments. The results suggested that the maize RSA adapts not only specific root types and traits to cope with various environmental stress conditions but also the strength and directions of trait association. Notably, inbreds SKV671 and CML597 exhibited superior performance for various RSA traits under drought and low nitrogen conditions, while PML93 and MG42 excelled in salinity stress.