12 research outputs found
Comprehensive review of multiomics applications and remediation of plant heavy metal toxicity
No full textHeavy metal pollution severely impacts plant health by inhibiting growth, photosynthesis, enzyme activities, and causing oxidative stress. Plants respond to such stress by activating complex defense mechanisms involving reactive oxygen species and different signaling pathways. These pathways are pivotal in triggering plant defense responses and are currently a major focus of research. Understanding the complex mechanisms of heavy metal uptake, transport, chelation, and signaling can guide strategies to improve plant resilience and stress tolerance. In this review, we aim to highlight the key heavy metals found in soil and the environment, along with their mechanisms of accumulation in plants. We also explore the defense responses of plants through various signaling pathways such as calcium (Ca2+), MAP kinase, and hormone signaling. Additionally, we emphasize the importance of understanding advanced omics technologies, including transcriptomics, metabolomics, and bioinformatic tools, in enhancing our knowledge of plant resilience and stress tolerance
Narrative Dimension in Multimedia Inter-connected Narrative Stories A Semiotic-Cultural Reading in (Chambers and Mirrors)
No full textMultimedia narration is the one that uses the screen, makes use of informational media, and uses hyperlinks to make the reading process random, and allows the reader to use more than one sense and more than one response and reach more than one end. The research aims to provide a semiocultural reading in the interconnected stories collection (Chambers and Mirrors) by the Moroccan writer (Labiba Khammar). Its importance is to reveal the ability of the multimedia narration to dislodge the cultural repressed, to practice the act of rejection, to resist with the magic of writing, and to invoke the digital medium. The research concludes that the hyperlink was clear evidence of the quality of technical plot, that the author appealed to interconnected stories to write the novel, that her narrative characters had become social strata and human patterns, and that some components acquired microcosm from Arab society in general, and Moroccan in particular
Superabsorbent Cellulose Fibers for Reducing Shrinkage and Micro-Cracking in Concrete
Get PDFOne of the major durability issues in concrete structures is the cracking resulting from shrinkage. Drying shrinkage contributes a major portion of shrinkage strain in conventional concrete. Controlling the drying shrinkage of concrete can lower the total shrinkage strain and subsequently reduce the extent of cracking and enhance the durability of concrete structures. The objective of this study is to develop a pulp fiber-based concrete to reduce the drying shrinkage and micro-cracks in concrete. Using superabsorbent cellulose fibers (SCF) in the concrete mix, this study intends to develop a concrete mix with acceptable properties with reduced shrinkage strain and cracking. Using Scanning Electron Microscope images, crack growth in different concrete specimens with and without SCF is observed. Free shrinkage tests are conducted to investigate the efficiency of SCF in controlling concrete shrinkage. The test results indicated significantly reduced crack widths and a lower shrinkage strain in concrete containing SCFs.The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the pdf file of the accepted manuscript may differ slightly from what is displayed on the item page. The information in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript reflects the original submission by the author
The Arizona Civics Education Project: Providing a one-stop Source for non-partisan Civic Education Learning Resources Focused on Arizona State Government
No full textabstract: The Arizona Civic Education Project is a cross-college collaboration supported by the Maricopa County Community College District to design, develop, and distribute publicly available, interactive, and engaging multimedia modules about Arizona State Government and the justice system. The modules aim to consist of high quality, professionally produced, value- neutral, fact-based, and bias-free videos, lesson plans, printable materials and activities that explain how Arizona state government is structured and how the justice system works in Arizona. The modules also identify and teach the audience how to deal with encounters within the justice system through lessons about the courts and dealing with the police. In addition to the resources we create, links are provided with attribution to other free resources that have been developed by other organizations. The targeted audience for this project is high school and college students attending public high schools and community colleges. In 2015, Arizona legislature passed the American Civics Act (House Bill 2064). This bill requires students to pass a civics test based on the United States Immigration and Naturalization civics questions. Students are required to score 60% or higher in order to graduate from high school or obtain a high school equivalency certificate. The Arizona Department of Education along with help from the Maricopa County Education Service Agency and Arizona educators have developed a mostly multiple-choice version of the required test. The modules provide helpful information that pertains to the civic test along with additional informational useful to students and educators alike.
There were a few goals kept in mind when assembling the modules and collecting information to put them together. The most important thing is to fairly and effectively educate students about their rights and the place they can hold in their own government. The youth in America, and specifically Arizona, with one of the lowest rated public education systems in the country1, needs to better understand the justice system and the way it works in order to really be able to better understand and decide the role they play in it as they grow into the adult population. We also aimed to teach students, mostly young adults, how to navigate being involved with the law and situations they may find themselves in like being arrested or having to go to court. The videos included in the related modules teach students what to do if they’re ever arrested and go over important legal actions that could affect their outcome. It was also important to provide instructors with a fair and trusted curriculum that can be taught across the state. With a shortage of qualified teacher in the state, it is impossible to provide students from all different districts and background with the same content. With the mandated civics test required to graduate from high school, it’s important that students get a fair chance at passing despite their living conditions or resources. With the modules we provide, passing the civics test along with managing other issues that pertain to young Americans, become attainable and don’t require as much additional time spent outside of school hours. The additional topics covered within our modules also provide information regarding resources that students will find useful for their families and loved ones. Students in compromised neighborhoods may have family and loved ones dealing with court cases and the justice system. Overall, we wanted to provide an unbiased, all-inclusive curriculum that can be used across the state to help students learn about all aspects of the government in Arizona. (abstract
The Impact Of Teachers' Perceptions On Organizational Dna To Organizational Commitment
No full textOrganizational DNA is defined as the vision, values, and sense of orientation that enables employees to understand and embrace the purpose and strenght of the organization and hold the organization together. The main purpose of this research is to reveal the relationship between public employees’ perceptions of organizational DNA and their organizational commitment. In line with the sub-objectives determined in accordance with the main purpose, the research was designed using the correlational survey model, one of the quantitative research methods. The universe of the research consists of staff working in public institutions and organizations located in Mersin province and Tarsus district. The data were collected by the convenience sampling method. It has been concluded that the perception of organizational DNA differs according to gender, seniority, age and education. On the other hand, the level of organizational commitment of public employees has also been relatively high, which differs according to the seniority and age variables. Finally, the results showed that there is a significant relationship between perception of organizational DNA and organizational commitment
Czy coaching kierowniczy wpływa na orientację opinii podległych pracowników? Mediacyjna i emocjonalna rola nadzoru
No full textManagerial coaching has become a widely used human resource development strategy to improve various employee outcomes within organizations. However, existing literature lacks empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of managerial coaching and less known about how managerial coaching influences subordinate feedback orientation through the mediating effect of employees’ commitment to the supervisor. This study uses a structured questionnaire to gather data from a cross-sectional sample of 257 employees working in the banking sector of Lahore, Pakistan, with a response rate of approximately 57%. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is used to test the proposed hypotheses. The results reveal that managerial coaching has a positive and direct significant impact on the subordinate feedback orientation and affective supervisory commitment. Affective supervisory commitment has a positive and direct significant relationship with the subordinate feedback orientation. Affective supervisory commitment also mediates the indirect relationship between managerial coaching and subordinate feedback orientation. This research also provides implications for managers and leaders, specifically looking to improve various employee outcomes through managerial coaching in the workplace.Coaching menedżerski stał się szeroko stosowaną strategią rozwoju zasobów ludzkich w celu poprawy wyników różnych pracowników w organizacjach. Jednak w istniejącej literaturze brakuje dowodów empirycznych dotyczących skuteczności coachingu menedżerskiego i mniej wiadomo na temat tego, jak coaching menedżerski wpływa na orientację zwrotną podwładnych poprzez mediacyjny efekt zaangażowania pracowników wobec przełożonego. W badaniu tym zastosowano ustrukturyzowany kwestionariusz w celu zebrania danych z przekrojowej próby 257 pracowników zatrudnionych w sektorze bankowym w Lahore w Pakistanie, przy wskaźniku odpowiedzi wynoszącym około 57%. Modelowanie równań strukturalnych (SEM) służy do testowania proponowanych hipotez. Wyniki pokazują, że coaching menedżerski ma pozytywny i bezpośredni znaczący wpływ na orientację zwrotną podwładnych i afektywne zaangażowanie przełożonych. Zaangażowanie w nadzór afektywny ma pozytywny i bezpośredni znaczący związek z podporządkowaną orientacją na informację zwrotną. Zaangażowanie w nadzór afektywny pośredniczy również w pośrednim związku między coachingiem menedżerskim a orientacją zwrotną podwładnych. Badania te dostarczają również implikacji dla menedżerów i liderów, w szczególności chcących poprawić wyniki różnych pracowników poprzez coaching menedżerski w miejscu pracy
The role of HVDC to enhance energy management issues and maintain power system stability in Bangladesh
No full textNon-communicable diseases household survey
No full text<p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>*Corresponding Author:</strong></p><p>Ghamdan Gamal Alkholidy ([email protected])</p><p> </p><p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p>Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) claim 41 million lives annually, accounting for 71% of global mortality. The Middle East sees a rapid increase in NCD cases, yet Yemen remains underexplored in this context. This study aims to investigate NCD epidemiology in Sana'a City, Yemen, for 2017. Raw data from a 2017 house-to-house survey conducted by the Ministry of Public Health and Population was analyzed. Household heads reported any of the following five NCDs in the household: hypertension (HTN), diabetes mellitus (DM), bronchial asthma (BA), mental disorders (MD), and epilepsy. Data were entered and analyzed using Epi info 7.2, using 2017 projections from the 2004 census. The study encompassed 241,310 households, housing 1,592,646 individuals. Among these, 59,061 households (24.48%) included 70,178 individuals with at least one NCD. The overall NCD prevalence was 4.4%, with specific prevalence: HTN 2.3%, DM 2.2%, BA 0.4%, MD 0.27, and epilepsy 0.19%. NCD prevalence was significantly higher among females than males (5.1% vs. 3.8%; odds ratio [OR] 1.35, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.33–1.35), a trend mirrored in HTN (3.1% vs 1.6%; OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.90–1.98), DM (2.3% vs 2.1%; OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.09–1.13), and BA (0.5% vs 0.3%; OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.49–1.65). Conversely, MD was more prevalent among males than females (0.35% vs. 0.16%; OR 2.2, 95% CI 2.06–2.31). NCD prevalence increased with age, with nearly 18% of patients having more than one NCD, including 35.2% of HTN patients also having DM. One-quarter of surveyed households had at least one member with one or more of the five NCDs, emphasizing an overall NCD prevalence of 4.4%. These findings rely only on self-reported diagnosed cases, lacking standardized measures. In light of these findings, it is crucial to increase focus on NCDs, enhance healthcare provision, improve data collection, implement an NCDs stepwise survey, and establish an NCD surveillance system.</p><p> </p><p><i><strong>Keywords:</strong></i></p><p> Non-communicable diseases; Hypertension; Diabetes; Bronchial asthma</p>
Mapping phenotypic performance and novel SNPs for cold tolerance in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) genotypes through GWAS and population genetics
No full textAbstract The cold stress susceptibility of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) curtails its cultivation, with significant impact in temperate regions and on cropping seasons. To unravel genomic regions responsible for cold stress resilience, a diverse set of fifty genotypes encompassing cultivated, wild species, and landraces were genotyped using genotyping-by-sequencing. Over two years and six trials employing both early and late sowing, these lines were evaluated. Illumina-based next-generation sequencing produced up to 3 million reads per sample from individually sequenced library pools. The Tassel pipeline yielded 10,802 variants, subsequently filtered to 3,854 SNPs for genome-wide association analysis (GWAS). Employing clustering methods (population structure) via TASSEL, SNPhylo, and Kinship matrix, the fifty genotypes clustered into four distinct gene pools. The GWAS for cold tolerance in tomato integrated key traits including yield. Using six independent phenotypic datasets representing various environments, the study identified 4,517 significant marker-trait associations for cold tolerance traits. Notably, pivotal variations (> 10%) in cold stress tolerance, particularly proline content, were linked to marker-trait associations. Additionally, 5,727 significant marker-trait associations for yield and yield-related traits were unveiled, shedding light on fruit yield and directly associated attributes. The investigation pinpointed 685 candidate genes across all examined traits, including 60 genes associated with biological processes within these genomic regions. Remarkably, 7 out of the 60 genes were directly linked to abiotic stress tolerance, functioning as stress-responsive genes either directly or indirectly. The identified genes, particularly those associated with stress response, could hold the key to enhancing cold tolerance and overall crop productivity in tomato cultivation
Reinventing Public Sector for Innovativeness and Performance: A Case Study of University of the Punjab, Lahore
Get PDFToday’s complex and competitive work environment has urged organizations both public and private for revisiting their practices, management styles and attitudes for improved performance. There is a great realization that when an organization adopts innovativeness, creativity and sate of the art practices in all of its dimensions, it becomes successful. Literature on this subject also reveals that public sector organizations universally suffer from bureaucratic behaviors, centralized systems and rigid practices and therefore, needs more of such innovativeness through reinventing their existing ways, behaviors and systems (Moghaddam et al., 2015, Osborne and Gaebler 1992). This study towards its attempt towards reinventing the public sector organization aims to access how organizational innovativeness impacts the performance using University of the Punjab as a case in point. The study sample consisted of 50 head of departments. The study used a modified instrument that measures both innovative orientation, which is based on the extensively tested Covin and Slevin (1989) scale and innovation management, which is based on Stevenson’s (1983) conceptualization of innovation as a set of opportunity-based management practices. Performance is multi-dimensional in nature; therefore, both financial and non-financial performance indicators have been used. Relationships between these constructs have been analyzed through PLS-SEM (Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling). The results demonstrate that a greater strategic orientation and better reward philosophy positively influence organizational performance and satisfaction. Limited evidence was found about the direct relationship between innovative orientation and financial performance. The results indicate that there is limited innovative orientation and innovation management in University of the Punjab which has theoretical and practical implications. The study offers recommendations for reinventing public sector through bringing in innovativeness, efficiency and agility towards improved organizational performance
