Elucidating the Mechanism of Copper-Induced Photoluminescence Quenching in 2-Phenylbenzimidazole-5-Sulfonic Acid.

To explore the possible impact of 2-Phenylbenzimidazole-5-sulfonic acid (PBSA) on the function of a sunscreen, in this work we investigate the binding of copper metal ions (Cu) to PBSA. Due to the existence of an intrinsic interaction phenomenon between Cu ions and PBSA molecules, the photoluminescence (PL) quenching arises owing to the charge transfer from PBSA to Cu ions. The mechanism of fluorescence quenching is probed experimentally following excitation at 306 nm by evaluating various quenching parameters with the help of the Stern-Volmer plot.

Protective and Flame-Retardant Bifunctional Epoxy-Based Nanocomposite Coating by Intercomponent Synergy between Modified CaAl-LDH and rGO.

Extensive utilization in various settings poses extra requirements of coatings beyond just anticorrosion properties. Herein, 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ) intercalated CaAl-based layered double hydroxide (CaAl-8HQ-LDH) was loaded on reduced GO (rGO) through a one-pot hydrothermal reaction, which was employed as the nanofiller endowing the epoxy (EP/CaAl-8HQ LDH@rGO) with excellent flame-retardancy while ensuring efficient protection for mild steel. Results of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) demonstrated the durability of the EP/CaAl-8HQ LDH@rGO-coated specimen, with the impedance at the lowest frequency (||) maintained as 1.

Effect of surface ligands on the photoinduced electron transfer rate and efficiency in ZnO quantum dots and graphene oxide assemblies.

Apart from biocompatibility, ZnO quantum dots (QDs) are considered to be an efficient luminescence material due to their low cost and high redox potential. Here, we report the synthesis of ZnO QDs by using five different functionalizing ligands like mercaptoacetic acid (MAA), 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA), octadecene (ODE), ethylene glycol (EG), and oleyl amine (OLA) and fabricate their assemblies with graphene oxide (GO). We investigate the role of functionalizing ligands as a surface modifier of ZnO QDs for their attachment to GO.

Correlation of Fasting Blood Sugar and Glycated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) With Thiamine Levels in Diabetic Patients.

Introduction It has been discovered that low levels of thiamine reserves in the body are related to diabetes mellitus (DM) because thiamine directly influences carbohydrate metabolism. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess several metabolic variables and blood thiamine levels in patients with type 1 and type 2 DM and compare them with those in a control group of healthy individuals. Methods This case-control study was conducted at multiple diabetic outpatient centers in Karachi.

Efficacy of cell-free DNA as a diagnostic biomarker in breast cancer patients.

Breast cancer is the most prevalent and leading cause of mortality worldwide among women. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) analysis is an alternative quantitative approach to conventional methods for cancer diagnosis. The current research project aimed to determine the efficacy of cfDNA as a diagnostic biomarker in breast cancer patients in Pakistan.

Quantifying irrigation water demand and supply gap using remote sensing and GIS in Multan, Pakistan.

Human interventions and rapid changes in land use adversely affect the adequate distribution of water resources. A research study was conducted to quantify the gap between demand and supply for irrigation water in Multan, Pakistan, which may lead to sustainable water management. Two remotely sensed images (Landsat 8 OLI and Landsat 5 TM) were downloaded for the years 2010 and 2020, and supervised classification method was performed for the selected land use land cover (LULC) classes and basic framework.

Sinovac COVID-19 Side Effects in Hypertensive Patients: An Observational Study From Pakistan.

Background The most important factor in combating the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was the provision of safe and effective vaccines. The acceptance of vaccines is impacted by several variables, including beliefs about the vaccine's safety and adverse effects. Vaccine side effects can vary depending on the type, but they are often moderate, localized, transient, and self-limiting.

Neurological Features and Their Association With Gender in Diabetes Mellitus Patients.

Introduction Understanding the wide range of clinical signs and symptoms associated with diabetes mellitus (DM) is crucial because people with DM are frequently misdiagnosed, given incorrect care, or poorly controlled. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the neurological symptoms associated with type 1 and type 2 DM patients with respect to patient gender. Methods This was a cross-sectional multicenter study that was conducted at different hospitals using a non-probability sampling method.

Enhancing the FRET by tuning the bandgap of acceptor ternary ZnCdS quantum dots.

In this article, we report the band gap tuning of ternary ZnCdS quantum dots (QDs) by varying the concentration of the capping ligand, mercaptoacetic acid (MAA). The functionalization of QDs leads to the control of their size and band gap due to the quantum confinement effect, causing blue shift in the absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectra with a gradual change in the concentration of the capping ligand from 0.5 to 2.

Tuning charge transfer efficiency by functionalizing ligands in FAPbBr nanocrystals and graphene heterostructures.

The combination of halide perovskite NCs with graphene to design heterostructures has proven to be a promising candidate for energy applications, optoelectronics, and photocatalysis. Efficient light energy absorption in perovskite NC-graphene heterostructures is of fundamental importance owing to their optoelectronic applications. A detailed understanding of the important process for device action, particularly interfacial charge transfer (CT), has thus far lingered subtly.

Probing the Förster Resonance Energy Transfer Dynamics in Colloidal Donor-Acceptor Quantum Dots Assemblies.

In this article, we report the synthesis of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) by hydrothermal method and surface modified CdS quantum dots (QDs) via the colloidal method and the fabrication of their dyad. The CdS QDs functionalized by mercaptoacetic acid (MAA) attach to the GQDs via electrostatic interactions. Spectral overlapping between the emission spectrum of GQDs and the absorption spectrum of CdS QDs allows efficient Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) from GQDs to the CdS QDs in the GQDs-CdS QDs dyads.

The Common Systemic and Local Adverse Effects of the Sinovac COVID-19 Vaccine: An Observational Study From Pakistan.

Background Vaccination acts by boosting the capacity of a person's immune system to identify and effectively resist infection-causing bacteria and viruses, as it stimulates the immune system to respond to the vaccine's antigens. The immunological response may include local and systemic symptoms, including pain at the injection site and fever, respectively. The Sinovac vaccine is an inactivated virus vaccine made in China and is one of the most widely used vaccines in many countries; however, the side effects of the Sinovac vaccine have not been well-studied in our population.

Green buildings model: Impact of rigid polyurethane foam on indoor environment and sustainable development in energy sector.

The construction and building industry in the modern world heavily relies on advanced techniques and materials such as polymers. However, with the world's population alarmingly increasing, contributing to the greenhouse effect, and severe weather conditions amplifying, it has become crucial to reduce the heat effects in both new and old buildings. To achieve this, 50-70% more energy is necessary, which highlights the importance of energy-efficient construction practices and materials.

Impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on environment, society, and food security.

Coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 is a viral and transferable disease caused by severe respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2. It can spread through breathing droplets in human beings. It caused 5.

Understanding the dynamics of capital structure, corporate governance, and corporate social responsibility in high- and low-leveraged US and Chinese firms.

Corporate social responsibility turned into a global sensation from the inception of the twenty-first century in the corporate world and grabbed immense engrossment from all stakeholders in their decision-making process. Capital structure and corporate governance practices are the well-mellowed facets of corporate finance literature. In this study, the moderating role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) between corporate governance and leverage of the US and Chinese listed firms has been established, with a further extension of analyzing the moderating role of CSR between corporate governance and leverage in high vs low leveraged firms and high CSR vs low CSR firms as the novelty of this study and has never been examined in both economies and globally.

Cu-Enhanced Efficient Förster Resonance Energy Transfer in PBSA Sunscreen-Associated Ternary Cu Cd S Quantum Dots.

Quantum dots (QDs) are semiconducting nanocrystals that exhibit size- and composition-dependent optical and electronic properties. Recently, Cu-based II-VI ternary Cu Cd S (CCS) QDs have emerged as a promising class of QDs as compared to their binary counterparts (CuS and CdS). Herein, a series of ternary CCS QDs are synthesized by changing the molar concentration of Cu ions only keeping the 1:1 ratio of the stoichiometric mixture of Cd and S.

Evaluating the efficiency of coarser to finer resolution multispectral satellites in mapping paddy rice fields using GEE implementation.

Timely and accurate estimation of rice-growing areas and forecasting of production can provide crucial information for governments, planners, and decision-makers in formulating policies. While there exists studies focusing on paddy rice mapping, only few have compared multi-scale datasets performance in rice classification. Furthermore, rice mapping of large geographical areas with sufficient accuracy for planning purposes has been a challenge in Pakistan, but recent advancements in Google Earth Engine make it possible to analyze spatial and temporal variations within these areas.

Assessment of land use/land cover changes and its effect on land surface temperature using remote sensing techniques in Southern Punjab, Pakistan.

Land surface temperature (LST) is defined as a phenomenon which shows that microclimate of an urban system gets heated much faster than its surrounding rural climates. The expansion of buildings has a noteworthy influence on land use/land cover (LULC) due to conversion of vegetation land into commercial and residential areas and their associated infrastructure by which LST is accelerated. The objective of the research was to study the impact of changes in LULC on LST of Southern Punjab (Pakistan) through remote sensing (RS) data.

Evaluating the Impact of Nitrogen Application on Growth and Productivity of Maize Under Control Conditions.

Climatic conditions significantly affect the maize productivity. Among abiotic factors, nitrogen (N) fertilizer and temperature are the two important factors which dominantly affect the maize ( L.) production during the early crop growth stages.

Efficacy of organic-based carrier material for plant beneficial rhizobacteria application in okra under normal and salt-affected soil conditions.

Aims: Plant beneficial rhizobacteria (PBR) improve salt tolerance and plant yield in vegetable plants by producing 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate-deaminase, indole-3-acetic acid and phosphate solubilization. Organic-based carrier material is needed to ensure the PBR's uniform application, distribution, survival and functioning in a variety of fields. The PBR also use carbon present in the carrier as food and energy source.

Framing South Asian politics: An analysis of Indian and Pakistani English print media discourses regarding Kartarpur corridor.

This paper aims to analyze the divergent perspectives of Indian and Pakistani English print media on opening the Kartarpur corridor. It is a four-kilometer-long cordoned-off strip from the Indo-Pak international border to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur located in Pakistan. The basic purpose of establishing this corridor is to give easy access to the Indian Sikh community.

Elucidating the Size-dependent FRET Efficiency in Interfacially Engineered Quantum Dots Attached to PBSA Sunscreen.

Applying sunscreen on human skin provides photoprotection against the harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation of the sun. Sunscreen absorbs UV radiations and dissipates the absorbed energy through various radiative and nonradiative pathways. The attachment of functionalized quantum dots (QDs) to the sunscreen component is a novel idea to enhance the absorption cross-section of UV radiations.

Exploring the potential of moringa leaf extract as bio stimulant for improving yield and quality of black cumin oil.

The history of plants to be utilized as medicines is thousands of years old. Black cumin is one of the most widely examined plant possessing naturally occurring compounds with antimicrobial potential. Foliar application of growth stimulators is a successful strategy to enhance yield and quality in many crops.