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Present paper offers considerable information on traditional uses of medicinal plants by the inhabitants of Hafizabad district, Punjab-Pakistan. This is the first quantitative ethnobotanical study from the area comprising popularity level of medicinal plant species intendedby using relative popularity level (RPL) and rank order priority (ROP) indices.Ethnobotanical data were collected by interviewing 166 local informants and 35 traditional health practioners (THPs) from different localities of Hafizabad district. Demographic features of informants; life form, part used, methods of preparation, modes of application and ethnomedicinal uses were documented. Ethnobotanical data were analyzed using quantitative tools, i.e. Relative frequency citation (RFC), use value (UV), informant consensus factor (ICF) fidelity level (FL), RPL and ROP indices. A total of 85 species belonging to 71 genera and 34 families were documented along with ethnomedicinal uses. Solanum surattense, Withania somnifera, Cyperus rotundus, Solanum nigrum and Melia azedarach were the most utilized medicinal plant species with highest used value. The reported ailments were classified into 11 disease categories based on ICF values and highest number of plant species was reported to treat dermatological and gastrointestinal disorders. Withania somnifera and Ranunculus sceleratus with maximum FL (100%), were used against gastrointestinal and urinary disorders, respectively. The RPL and ROP values were calculated to recognize the folk medicinal plant wealth; six out of 32 plant species (19%) were found popular, based on citation by more than half of the maximum number of informant viz. 26. Consequently, the ROP value for these species was more than 75. The comparative assessment with reported literature revealed 15% resemblance and 6% variation to previous data;however79% uses of the reported species were recorded for the first time. The diversity of medicinal plant species and associated traditional knowledge is significant in primary health care system. Medicinal plant species with high RPL values should be screened for comprehensive phytochemical and pharmacological studies. This could be useful in novel drug discovery and to validate the ethomendicinal knowledge.

COVID-19 has disrupted normal life and has enforced a substantial change in the policies, priorities and activities of individuals, organisations and governments. These changes are proving to be a catalyst for technology and innovation. In this paper, we discuss the pandemic’s potential impact on the adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) in various broad sectors, namely healthcare, smart homes, smart buildings, smart cities, transportation and industrial IoT. Our perspective and forecast of this impact on IoT adoption is based on a thorough research literature review, a careful examination of reports from leading consulting firms and interactions with several industry experts. For each of these sectors, we also provide the details of notable IoT initiatives taken in the wake of COVID-19. We also highlight the challenges that need to be addressed and important research directions that will facilitate accelerated IoT adoption.

Climate change has become a global issue that requires collective efforts, and green finance policies are an important way to address this problem and promote enterprise development. This paper uses listed company data and city panel data to investigate the utility and mechanisms of the influence of the development of green finance in different cities on the Green Total Factor Productivity (GTFP) of enterprises. The conclusion was that green finance can improve enterprise GTFP, which remained significant after conducting a series of robustness tests. The mechanism analysis showed that green finance can improve enterprise GTFP by promoting energy conservation and emission reduction. The heterogeneity analysis indicated that green finance has a better effect on non-state-owned enterprises, large-scale enterprises, and enterprises with weak financing constraints. This paper enriches the literature that addresses the impact of green finance and the influential factors among GTFP.

Drought stress affects plant growth and development by altering physiological and biochemical processes resulting in reduced crop productivity. Zinc (Zn) is an essential micronutrient that plays fundamental roles in crop resistance against the drought stress by regulating various physiological and molecular mechanisms. Under drought stress, Zn application improves seed germination, plant water relations, cell membrane stability, osmolyte accumulation, stomatal regulation, water use efficiency and photosynthesis, thus resulting in significantly better plant performance. Moreover, Zn interacts with plant hormones, increases the expression of stress proteins and stimulates the antioxidant enzymes for counteracting drought effects. To better appraise the potential benefits arising from optimum Zn nutrition, in the present review we discuss the role of Zn in plants under drought stress. Our aim is to provide a complete, updated picture in order to orientate future research directions on this topic.

A marked decrease in human cancers, including breast cancer, bone cancer, and cervical cancer, has been linked to the consumption of vegetable and fruit, and the corresponding chemoprotective effect has been associated with the presence of several active molecules, such as kaempferol. Kaempferol is a major flavonoid aglycone found in many natural products, such as beans, bee pollen, broccoli, cabbage, capers, cauliflower, chia seeds, chives, cumin, moringa leaves, endive, fennel, and garlic. Kaempferol displays several pharmacological properties, among them antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, and antidiabetic activities, and is being applied in cancer chemotherapy. Specifically, kaempferol-rich food has been linked to a decrease in the risk of developing some types of cancers, including skin, liver, and colon. The mechanisms of action include apoptosis, cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase, downregulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related markers, and phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B signaling pathways. In this sense, this article reviews data from experimental studies that investigated the links between kaempferol and kaempferol-rich food intake and cancer prevention. Even though growing evidence supports the use of kaempferol for cancer prevention, further preclinical and clinical investigations using kaempferol or kaempferol-rich foods are of pivotal importance before any public health recommendation or formulation using kaempferol.

ObjectivesBronchiolitis is a part of spectrum of lower respiratory tract diseases and is reported as a major cause of illness and hospitalization in infants and children younger than two years.1 Respiratory syncytial virus accounts for 60–80% of bronchiolitis presentations.2 The present trial was designed to evaluate the effects of nebulized epinephrine in 3% hypertonic saline in our population.The aim of our study was to compare mean length of hospital stay in children with moderate bronchiolitis nebulized with epinephrine in 3% hypertonic saline versus nebulized with placebo in 3% hypertonic saline. This will help the physicians in offering better treatment options in terms of better symptomatic relief and earlier hospital discharge.MethodsIt was a Randomized Clinical Trial. The study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Islamabad. Non-Probability Consecutive Sampling technique was used. Sample size was calculated by using WHO sample size calculator. A total of one hundred and fifty two patients (n=152), children of both genders between age 2–36 months who presented with clinical diagnosis of acute bronchiolitis of moderate severity according to Wood-Downes (WDF score)3 were divided into two groups. In group 1, patients received nebulized epinephrine (3 ml of 1:1000) in 3% hypertonic saline (7 ml). In group 2, patients received nebulized 3% hypertonic saline (7 ml ) plus 3 ml placebo(sterile water). The primary outcome was length of hospital stay.ResultsMean length of hospital stay was found to be significantly shorter in Epinephrine group as compared with placebo ( 3.14 days± 1.20 versus 4.03± 1.01, respectively, p=0.001).Student t test for independent samples was applied and difference came out to be significant between two groups. (p=0.001) (See table 1). Similar trend was noted when data was stratified with respect to gender, age and baseline WDF score (P<0.05 in all cases).Abstract 7843 Table 1 GROUP Mean length of hospital stay (Days) Standard Deviation P-Value t-test Epinephrine 3.14 1.20 0.001 Placebo 4.03 1.01 ConclusionsMean length of hospital stay was found to be significantly shorter in Epinephrine group as compared with Placebo. Results of present study and few other studies provide a compelling argument for the combination of epinephrine and 3% hypertonic saline to reduce the overall length of hospital stay in infants with moderate bronchiolitis. However, it is premature to recommend this treatment and further studies with larger sample size to replicate the results of present study are essential before recommending this treatment in routine clinical practice.ReferencesJiao Tian, Xin-Yu Wang, Lin-Lin Zhang, Meng-Jia-Liu, Jun-Hong Ai. Clinical epidemiology and disease burden of bronchiolitis in hospitalized children in China : a national cross-sectional study. World J Pediatr. 2023 Feb;16:1–13.Stuart R Dalziel, et al. Lancet. Bronchiolitis. 2022.Wood- Downes clinical scoring system modified by Ferres for moderate bronchiolitis.

Nickel (Ni) is a naturally occurring metal, but anthropogenic activities such as industrialization, use of fertilizers, chemicals, and sewage sludge have increased its concentration in the environment up to undesirable levels. Ni is considered to be essential for plant growth at low concentration; however, Ni pollution is increasing in the environment, and therefore, it is important to understand its functional roles and toxic effects on plants. This review emphasizes the environmental sources of Ni, its essentiality, effects, tolerance mechanisms, possible remediation approaches, and research direction that may help in interdisciplinary studies to assess the significance of Ni toxicity. Briefly, Ni affects plant growth both positively and negatively, depending on the concentration present in the growth medium. On the positive side, Ni is essential for normal growth, enzymatic activities (e.g., urease), nitrogen metabolism, iron uptake, and specific metabolic reactions. On the negative side, Ni reduces seed germination, root and shoot growth, biomass accumulation, and final production. Moreover, Ni toxicity also causes chlorosis and necrosis and inhibits various physiological processes (photosynthesis, transpiration) and cause oxidative damage in plants. The threat associated with Ni is increased as Ni concentration increases day by day in the environment, particularly in soils; therefore, it would be hazardous for crop production in the near future. Additionally, the lack of information regarding the mechanisms of Ni tolerance in plants further intensifies this situation. Therefore, future research should be focused on approachable and prominent solutions in order to minimize the entry of Ni into our ecosystems.

pH-sensitive hydrogels have been developed greatly over the past few years. This has been possible due to the synthesis of new hydrogel systems with increased sensitivity - a sensitivity of up to 10 pH units has already been established. Recently, pH-sensitive hydrogels have shown to be very useful in biomedical applications, such as targeted cancer treatment and treatment of skin lesions. Prolonged drug release has been made available through the use of such hydrogels. The synthesis of pH-sensitive hydrogels is also quick and cost-effective. This review presents a background on the properties of pH-sensitive hydrogels and discusses some of the hydrogels with different sensitivity ranges and their possible applications. A range of synthesis processes have also been briefly introduced along with the fabrication of different structures such as microcantilevers and contact lenses.

Energy storage system (ESS) technology is still the logjam for the electric vehicle (EV) industry. Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries have attracted considerable attention in the EV industry owing to their high energy density, lifespan, nominal voltage, power density, and cost. In EVs, a smart battery management system (BMS) is one of the essential components; it not only measures the states of battery accurately, but also ensures safe operation and prolongs the battery life. The accurate estimation of the state of charge (SOC) of a Li-ion battery is a very challenging task because the Li-ion battery is a highly time variant, non-linear, and complex electrochemical system. This paper explains the workings of a Li-ion battery, provides the main features of a smart BMS, and comprehensively reviews its SOC estimation methods. These SOC estimation methods have been classified into four main categories depending on their nature. A critical explanation, including their merits, limitations, and their estimation errors from other studies, is provided. Some recommendations depending on the development of technology are suggested to improve the online estimation.

Insecticide induced-hormesis is a bi-phasic phenomenon generally characterized by low-dose induction and high-dose inhibition. It has been linked to insect pest outbreaks and insecticide resistance, which have importance in the integrated pest management (IPM). In this paper, hormesis effects of four insecticides on demographic parameters and expression of genes associated with metabolic resistance were evaluated in a field collected population of the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae Sulzer. The bioassay results showed that imidacloprid was more toxic than acetamiprid, deltamethrin and lambda-cyhalothrin. After exposure to sublethal doses of acetamiprid and imidacloprid for four generations, significant prolonged nymphal duration and increased fecundity were observed. Subsequently, mean generation time ( T ) and gross reproductive rate ( GRR ) was significantly increased. Moreover, expression of CYP6CY3 gene associated with resistance to neonicotinoids was increased significantly compared to the control. For pyrethriods, across generation exposure to sublethal doses of lambda cyhalothrin and deltamethrin prolonged the immature development duration. However, the expression of E4 gene in M. persicase was decreased by deltamethrin exposure but increased by lambda cyhalothrin. Based on results, demographic fitness parameters were effected by hormetic dose and accompanied with detoxifying genes alteration, hence, which would be evaluated in developing optimized insect pest management strategies.