Phenolic compounds’ characterization of Artemisia rutifolia spreng from Pakistani flora and their relationships with antioxidant and antimicrobial attributes

Artemisia rutifolia (Asteraceae) had been used in traditional medicines for the treatment of different ailments. In the current study, an effort was made to explore the phenolic composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of different solvent extracts obtained from A. rutifolia leaves. The reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (RP-HPLC) analysis revealed the higher extent of polyphenolic compounds (i.e., gallic acid, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, syringic acid, sinapic acid, p-coumaric acid, m-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, vanillic acid, myricetin, and quercetin) in methanol extract. Methanol extract consistently showed the highest total phenolic contents (98 ± 2 µg GAE/mg of plant extract), total flavonoid contents (28 ± 0.0 µg QE/mg of plant extract), antimicrobial activity, free radical (DPPH) scavenging (IC₅₀ = 39 µg/mL) activity, and reducing power (18.3 ± 0.2 mg GAE/g of plant extract) followed by those of chloroform and hexane extracts, respectively. The current study concluded that extracts of A. rutifolia are novel natural source of antioxidative and antimicrobial agents for the treatment of oxidative stress-related disorders and microbial infections.     

Modification of cotton fabric for textile dyeing: industrial mercerization versus gamma irradiation

The current research is intended to investigate the effect of gamma radiation on the cotton fabric and compare the dyeability of gamma irradiated fabric with that of chemically mercerized fabric using reactive dye, Reactive Violet H3R. The gray cotton fabric samples were desized and bleached, before being mercerized or irradiated, followed by dyeing with reactive dye. The cotton fabric was exposed to variable absorbed doses of 2–10 kGy. The color strength values at various levels of temperature, pH, dyeing time, and salt concentration were evaluated using optimal conditions of mercerization and gamma-ray treatment. The comparison of color strength values for the mercerized and the gamma irradiated cotton fabric showed that the irradiated fabric had high color strength at 60 °C using dye bath of pH10 in the presence of 6 g/L of exhausting agent while dyeing for 40 min. Both mercerization and irradiation increased the surface area of fibers that substantially elevated the dyeing performance and fastness properties.     

Coverage Differentiation Based Adaptive Tx-Power for Congestion and Awareness Control in VANETs

The use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a copilot for the drivers has a potential to improve traffic safety and efficiency. A key challenge in integrating ICT in vehicular networks is to provide the mechanisms for the delivery of safety messages called beacons. In particular, finding the trade-off between providing sufficient coverage and controlling channel congestion remains the focus in the stipulated amendments for safety message transmissions. In this paper, we handle this trade-off by proposing a Multi-metric Power Control (MPC) approach, which uses application requirements and channel states to determine a transmit power for safety messages. The MPC gives a best-effort approach to satisfy the coverage range requirement of a message as specified by the application. Moreover, the concept distinguishes among message types to provide coverage differentiation. We show that the best-effort approach of providing coverage for different messages can control congestion and as a result improve awareness by minimizing beacon collisions. The performance analysis of MPC using discrete event simulation confirms its practicality.     

Quenching-circumvented ergodicity in relaxor Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3-BaTiO3-K0.5Na0.5NbO3

Quenching alkaline bismuth titanates from sintering temperatures results in increased lattice distortion and consequently higher depolarization temperature. This work investigates the influence of quenching on the ergodicity of relaxor Na_1/2Bi_1/2TiO₃-BaTiO₃-K_0.5Na_0.5NbO₃. A distinct departure from ergodicity is evidenced from the increase in remanent polarization and the absence of frequency dispersion in the permittivity response of poled samples. Further, the samples exhibit enhanced negative strain upon application of electric field, indicating proclivity towards correlated polar nanoregions, corroborated by the enhanced tetragonal distortion. As a result, ergodic relaxor Na_1/2Bi_1/2TiO₃-6BaTiO₃-3K_0.5Na_0.5NbO₃ exhibits a depolarization temperature of 85°C with a 60% increase in remanent polarization and approximately a threefold increase in remanent strain upon quenching. Quenching-induced changes in the local environment of Na⁺ and Bi³⁺ cations hinder the development of ergodicity promoted by the A-site disorder. These results provide new insight into tailoring ergodicity of relaxor ferroelectrics.     

Conjugate forced convection-conduction heat transfer analysis of a heat generating vertical cylinder

Conjugate heat transfer by forced convection over a vertical cylinder without heat generation has been a subject of many investigations in the recent past. In the present work, the radial heat conduction along with heat generation in a vertical cylinder is considered for analysis. The steady two-dimensional conduction equation for the heat generating cylinder and steady two-dimensional laminar boundary layer equations for the flowing fluid are solved simultaneously using a finite-difference scheme. Results are presented for a wide range of conduction-convection, heat generating parameters and length to diameter ratio for a specific fluid having Prandtl number 0.005. It is found that the radial temperature distribution in the boundary layer as well as the cylinder are remarkably significant especially with the inclusion of internal heat generation in the cylinder.     

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in air-conditioner filter dust of indoor urban setting: Implication for health risk in a developing country

This preliminary investigation highlights the occurrence of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the indoor environment of a megacity, Lahore, Pakistan using the dust ensnared by air-conditioner filters. The Σ₁₆OCPs concentration ranged from 7.53 to 1272.87 ng/g with the highest percent contribution by ΣDDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane; 87.21%) and aldrin (6.58%). The spatial variation of OCPs profile revealed relatively higher concentration from homes near to agricultural and abandoned DDT manufacturing sites. Calculated isomer ratios revealed historic sources of hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) and the fresh input of technical DDT and chlordane by the dwellers. The air conditioner dust was helpful to better understand the health risk in the indoor environment. So far a high lifetime cancer risk (10⁻³) was predicted for toddlers via accidental ingestion, inhalation, and dermal exposure. Similarly, the non-carcinogenic risk-based hazard quotient was found to be high for toddlers (6.94) and within the permissible limit (<1) for adults.     

Biopolymer blended films of poly(butylene succinate)/cyclic olefin copolymer with enhanced mechanical strength for packaging applications

The demand for biodegradable materials is on the rise because humanity is now more concerned about a sustainable lifestyle than ever before. In this regard, we present solution casting synthesized novel biopolymer blended films of poly(butylene succinate)/cyclic olefin copolymer (PBS/COC) for packaging applications. These films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared microscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), universal tensile testing (ASTM D882 standard), and antibacterial Disc diffusion tests using gram-negative Escherichia coli (E.coli) and gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) bacteria. The XRD and FTIR revealed the type of bonding to be physical in-between the constituent polymers; ensuring the biodegradable nature of their blends, while the thickness of films was found to be <100 μm. The SEM, tensile, and antibacterial testing concluded that 30%PBS with 70%COC by weight blending is the best composition; showing a compact/pin-holes free morphology, the highest strength of 91 MPa, and contact inhibition with E.coli and S.aureus bacteria.     

The challenges of land development for housing provision in New Zealand

The land development process in New Zealand is criticised for causing delays in the delivery of adequate housing. These delays upset the demand and supply equilibrium, leading to housing shortages, expensive builds and rentals. This study investigates the challenges in land development, to ascertain the factors that are limiting its efficiency as a major catalyst to housing provision. An understanding of the complexities of the development process could enable the suggestion of feasible solutions for achieving housing goals. A two-stage process was adopted to achieve this study objective. In stage one, a critical review of relevant literature helped to identify 48 measurement items. Those items were included in a questionnaire survey in the second stage, to gather data from stakeholders involved in land development process in New Zealand. Using relative importance index (RII) method, nine significant challenges were identified, which were then categorised and discussed in accordance with the construction stakeholder groups that are responsible for creating those challenges. The nine major challenges are: delay in reviews and approval of documents; scope change; lengthy consent application processes; late response to queries by regulatory authorities; poor interaction between regulatory authorities; poor coordination within regulatory authorities; poor planning and scheduling; design errors and slow progress during design development. Findings of this study highlight the need for the development of proper workplan for consent processing, reasonable factoring of the risks associated with scope changes in the land development process, and the enhancement of project management skills of land development contractors.

     

Determination and dispersion of pollutants from different fuel types used in brick kilns by using Gaussian’s plume model

The present study was conducted to compare the concentration of pollutants and their level of dispersion in the atmosphere from the plume of brick kilns using different types of fuels. For this purpose, two brick kilns were selected based on their fuel type. One type of fuel was good quality coal (F1) and the other was low-quality coal mixed with wood (F2). The air emissions data illustrated that carbon monoxide concentration was more (108 ± 0.90 ppm) in the plume of F1 than in the plume of F2 (82 ± 0.98 ppm) and sulfur dioxide was more (1955 ± 3.76 ppm) in the plume of F2 than in the plume of F1 (6 ± 0.07 ppm). The Gaussian plume model showed that plume from good quality coal as fuel (F1) disperses 0.7 ± 0.01 km horizontally and 4 ± 0.03 km vertically whereas the plume from low-quality coal mixed with wood (F2) disperse 1 ± 0.01 km horizontally and 2 ± 0.02 km vertically. Pearson correlation also showed a significant (p < 0.05) difference between both fuel types. These high concentrations can have negative impacts on the atmospheric environment as well as community health.     

Ultrasonic absorption of biodiesels and blends

Biodiesel is an environmental friendly alternative fuel for petroleum diesel (PD). It can also be used as blend component with PD. In the present study, the ultrasonic absorption of cotton seed oil methyl esters (CSOME) and palm stearin methyl esters (PSME) biodiesels and their blends with PD have been measured and analyzed as a function of fatty acid profiles of biodiesels. The CSOME that are rich in unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) have shown more absorption than PSME which are rich in saturated FAME as there is difference in the structures of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. The reason for the absorption may be due to the molecular relaxation phenomenon of methyl ester molecules. The ultrasonic absorption may be more in blends than in pure oils.