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Realizing improved strength–ductility synergy in eutectic alloys acting as in situ composite materials remains a challenge in conventional eutectic systems, which is why eutectic high-entropy alloys (EHEAs), a newly-emerging multi-principal-element eutectic category, may offer wider in situ composite possibilities. Here, we use an AlCoCrFeNi 2.1 EHEA to engineer an ultrafine-grained duplex microstructure that deliberately inherits its composite lamellar nature by tailored thermo-mechanical processing to achieve property combinations which are not accessible to previously-reported reinforcement methodologies. The as-prepared samples exhibit hierarchically-structural heterogeneity due to phase decomposition, and the improved mechanical response during deformation is attributed to both a two-hierarchical constraint effect and a self-generated microcrack-arresting mechanism. This work provides a pathway for strengthening eutectic alloys and widens the design toolbox for high-performance materials based upon EHEAs. Producing in situ composite materials with superior strength and ductility has long been a challenge. Here, the authors use lamellar microstructure inherited from casting, rolling, and annealing to produce an ultrafine duplex eutectic high entropy alloy with outstanding properties.

In the wake of recent climate changes, extension services have become crucial drivers in disseminating information about the latest agriculture technologies and facilitating sustainable agricultural productivity. Pakistan’s traditional extension cannot yield the expected outcomes which corroborate the introduction of a participatory approach, mainly in farmers’ field schools. Using farm-level data from Punjab province, the current study examined the impact of farmers’ field schools (FFS) on adopting sustainable agriculture practices (SAPs) and citrus yield. The study employed recursive bivariate probit and propensity score matching to explore the objectives. The findings revealed that FFS participants had a higher SAPs adoption than non-participants, demonstrating the positive impact of FFS on the uptake of SAPs. Moreover, the treatment effect showed that FFS participants had a higher yield than the non-participants. The results suggest strengthening and enhancing FFS reach among citrus growers.

Amid recent climate difficulties, integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) strategies are vital in restoring soil fertility, enhancing yield, and achieving the farmer community’s well-being. This study examines ISFM’s adoption and impact on wheat yields in Punjab, Pakistan, by employing an endogenous switching regression model (ESRM). The selection equation highlights the multiple factors such as age, gender, education, extension access, credit access, and social influence as essential predictors of ISFM adoption. Treatment effects showed that the average wheat yield is higher for adopters. The findings suggest refining the current institutional system will enhance adoption and food security by improving agricultural production.

In the wake of mounting environmental pressures and growing demands for food security, agricultural subsidy programs have emerged as critical policy tools in developing countries. In Pakistan, the Kissan Card Subsidy Program (KCSP) represents a key government effort to modernize agriculture and improve farmer welfare. Against this context, the current study investigates the determinants and impacts of farmers' participation in the Kissan Card program in Punjab, with a particular focus on its influence on the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs). Employing a two‐stage recursive bivariate probit (RBP) approach, the analysis first identifies key drivers of subsidy participation, highlighting the pivotal role of access to digital tools and targeted support services. Farmers equipped with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) resources and guided assistance are significantly more likely to engage in the program, whereas off‐farm participants and tenant farmers remain less likely to benefit due to time, financial, and tenure constraints. In the second stage, the study uncovers a nuanced pattern: participation in the subsidy program substantially increases adoption of improved stress‐tolerant high‐yield crop varieties (STV) but reduces uptake of integrated pest management (IPM) and organic manuring (OM). This dual effect indicates that while the program alleviates liquidity constraints and facilitates modern input adoption, it may inadvertently promote input‐intensive practices at the expense of long‐term ecological sustainability. The findings underscore the need for more inclusive and sustainability‐oriented subsidy frameworks, including expanded digital infrastructure and targeted financial and technical support for ecological practices. Although limited by the cross‐sectional design, the study provides important insights into the behavioral and systemic impacts of agricultural subsidies, highlighting the challenge of aligning short‐term productivity gains with long‐term environmental stewardship.

Farmer‐based organizations (FBOs) play a crucial role in knowledge exchange, capacity building, resource access, and advocacy, thereby contributing to the well‐being of smallholder farmers. Existing evidence on the welfare outcomes of FBO participation has largely focused on conventional measures such as income, crop yield, and resource management. However, farmer well‐being is multidimensional, encompassing not only economic outcomes but also resilience and social inclusion. This study addresses this gap by incorporating broader welfare indicators—food security, credit access, and livelihood diversification—to capture the full benefits of FBO participation. The study is based on primary survey data collected from 500 smallholder farming households in Punjab, Pakistan, collected via systematic random sampling to test the posited aims. The research employs propensity score matching (PSM) and inverse probability weighted regression adjustment (IPWRA) to estimate the welfare effects of FBO participation. Logit estimates from the PSM model highlight the importance of extension access, peer influence, and tenure security in shaping farmers' decisions to join FBOs. Results from both PSM and IPWRA models consistently show that FBO membership yields significant welfare gains. Specifically, participation improves the Food Consumption Score, promotes livelihood diversification, and enhances access to credit. The findings demonstrate the potential of structured collective action to foster multidimensional rural development. Strengthening and supporting FBOs should therefore be a priority for governments and development agencies as a means to enhance food security, improve financial inclusion, and diversify rural livelihoods, ultimately building resilience and reducing vulnerability among farming households.

Sustainable intensification practices (SIPs) involve a process to produce high yields for existing land without affecting the environment. The significance and relevance of SIPs in a Pakistani context demands an investigation. Hence, this study takes the initiative to investigate the determinants regarding the adoption of these practices. Based on the evidence, we selected five SIPs, namely, improved seeds, organic manure, crop rotation, intercropping, and low tillage. Furthermore, this study analyzes the adoption of SIPs with randomly collected data from 612 farmers through multistage sampling. A multivariate probit model (MVP) is employed to analyze the mutually dependent adoption decisions and identify the factors associated with them. The results revealed that education, the area under cultivation, access to information, extension access, social participation, rainfall variability, and temperature increase significantly predict the adoption of SIPs. The adoption of organic manure and crop rotation was highest between all the ecological zones, whereas low tillage was the least adopted practice. Adoption intensity in mixed cropping zones was slightly higher than the other ecological zones. Moreover, the findings also reveal the important synergies amid natural resource management and input-based SIPs. Hence, the study highlights the perseverance and importance of social groups and recommends the government to formulate comprehensive policies to facilitate institutional access and elevate the adoption level amongst the farming community.

A new single crystal high entropy alloy is developed and produced using Bridgman directional-solidification and seed-crystal method. The microstructure exhibits the directional dendrite morphology and is mainly composed of the FCC matrix and the L12 ordered precipitates. Its high-temperature yield strengths are far higher than those of the first-generation single crystal superalloys, and close to those of the second- generation ones. The solid-solution strengthening effect from the high content of W and Mo, as well as the precipitation strengthening effect from the combined addition of Al, Ti, Ta, and Nb, should be responsible for the excellent high-temperature strength of the investigated alloy.

In the wake of environmental challenges, the adoption of risk management strategies is imperative to achieve sustainable agricultural production and food security among the Pakistani farmers of Punjab. For a deeper insight into farmers’ adaptive behavior towards climate change, this study explored the role of land tenancy in the adoption of risk management instruments, such as off-farm diversification, improved varieties, and crop insurance. Off-farm diversification was found to be a preferred instrument among landless tenants. The study also employed a multivariate probit model that further signified the role of land tenure in risk-related decisions. Apart from land tenancy, the results identified the prominence of risk perception, information access, and extension access in adoption decisions. This study also investigated the association between risk management approaches and food security indicators (household hunger scale, food consumption score). Analysis revealed a significant association between risk management tools and food security indicators.

Stainless steel welds with a ferritic phase are extensively utilized in nuclear power plants. Spinodal decomposition stands as the primary factor contributing to the degradation of their service performance. Ion irradiation has been widely employed to investigate the damage behavior of materials. However, varying irradiation parameters, such as dose rate and implanted ions, are believed to result in significant differences in the extent of spinodal decomposition. In this paper, proton irradiation experiments were conducted at different dose rates on thermally aged EQ308L stainless steel welds. Spinodal decomposition within the ferrite at various radiation depths was compared and analyzed by using atom probe tomography to unveil the effects of dose rate and implanted hydrogen ions. The results reveal that, under conditions of high dose rate irradiation, spinodal decomposition can be partially alleviated when compared to the initial thermally aged state. Conversely, under low dose rate irradiation conditions, spinodal decomposition exhibits an enhancement trend. This difference may be attributed to the interplay between irradiation-enhanced diffusion and atomic mixing. Therefore, the dose rate significantly influences the progression of spinodal decomposition. Furthermore, implanted hydrogen ions may also inhibit spinodal decomposition within the ferrite, potentially by promoting the recombination of irradiation defects.

Ebola virus （EBOV） causes a highly lethal hemorrhagic fever syndrome in humans and has been associated with mortality rates of up to 91% in Zaire, the most lethal strain. Though the viral envelope glycoprotein （GP） mediates widespread inflammation and cellular damage, these changes have mainly focused on alterations at the protein level, the role of microRNAs （miRNAs） in the molecular pathogenesis underlying this lethal disease is not fully understood. Here, we report that the miRNAs hsa-miR-1246, hsa-miR-320a and hsa-miR-196b-5p were induced in human umbilical vein endothelial cells （HUVECs） following expression of EBOV GP. Among the proteins encoded by predicted targets of these miRNAs, the adhesion-related molecules tissue factor pathway inhibitor （TFPI）, dystroglycan! （DAG1） and the caspase 8 and FADD-like apoptosis regulator （CFLAR） were significantly downregulated in EBOV GP-expressing HUVECs. Moreover, inhibition of hsa-miR-1246, hsa-miR-320a and hsa-miR-196b-5p, or overexpression of TFPI, DAG1 and CFLAR rescued the cell viability that was induced by EBOV GP. Our results provide a novel molecular basis for EBOV pathogenesis and may contribute to the development of strategies to protect against future EBOV pandemics.