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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Species Diversity And Extinction Risk Of Vertebrate Pollinators In India, Ratheesh Kallivalappil, Florencia Grattarola, Dilkushi De Alwis Pitts, Sheena C. Cotter, Daniel Pincheira-Donoso Jun 2024

Species Diversity And Extinction Risk Of Vertebrate Pollinators In India, Ratheesh Kallivalappil, Florencia Grattarola, Dilkushi De Alwis Pitts, Sheena C. Cotter, Daniel Pincheira-Donoso

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Animal pollinators underpin the functioning and persistence of ecosystems globally. However, the vital role of pollination is being progressively eroded by the worldwide decline of pollinator species caused by human-induced environmental degradation, resulting in rising costs to biodiversity, agriculture, and economy. Most studies quantifying pollinator diversity and declines have focused on insects, whereas vertebrate pollinators remain comparatively neglected. Here, we present the first comprehensive study quantifying the macroecological patterns of species richness and extinction risk of bird and mammal pollinators in India, a region of extremely high biodiversity and increasing anthropogenic pressure. Our results reveal that hotspots of mammal pollinator …


Camel Dung-Derived Biochar For The Removal Of Copper(Ii) And Chromium(Iii) Ions From Aqueous Solutions: Adsorption And Kinetics Studies, Kenesha Wilson, Jibran Iqbal, Amira Obaid Abdalla Obaid Hableel, Zainab Naji Khalaf Beyaha Alzaabi, Yousef Nazzal Feb 2024

Camel Dung-Derived Biochar For The Removal Of Copper(Ii) And Chromium(Iii) Ions From Aqueous Solutions: Adsorption And Kinetics Studies, Kenesha Wilson, Jibran Iqbal, Amira Obaid Abdalla Obaid Hableel, Zainab Naji Khalaf Beyaha Alzaabi, Yousef Nazzal

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This study explores an innovative approach to tackle the critical issue of heavy metal ion contamination in aqueous solutions through the utilization of camel dung-derived biochar. In the context of global environmental concerns and the adverse impacts of heavy metal pollution on ecosystems and human health, the investigation focuses on copper(II) and chromium(III) ions, which are among the most pervasive pollutants originating from industrial activities. The research revealed that camel dung-derived biochar exhibits exceptional potential for the removal of copper(II) and chromium(III) ions, with removal efficiencies of more than 90% and adsorption capacities of 23.20 and 23.36 mg/g, respectively. The …


Metabolic Responses Of Plants To Meloidogyne Species Parasitism: A Review On Molecular Events And Functions, Rishil Gupta, Manar Fawzi Bani Mfarrej, Bekri Xhemali, Amir Khan, Hera Nadeem, Faheem Ahmad Feb 2024

Metabolic Responses Of Plants To Meloidogyne Species Parasitism: A Review On Molecular Events And Functions, Rishil Gupta, Manar Fawzi Bani Mfarrej, Bekri Xhemali, Amir Khan, Hera Nadeem, Faheem Ahmad

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The sedentary endoparasitic nematodes, Meloidogyne species, induce the formation of permanent feeding structures in the roots and alter the morpho-physiological and molecular events during parasitism. Several parasitism genes have been identified, indicating that effector proteins are important players in plant nematode interactions. During the interaction, many molecular events occur in host plants, such as pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP)-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector triggered immunity (ETI) by which they suppress parasitism genes of nematodes. Plant-nematode interactions are complex and dynamic events that reflect the activation and suppression of expressed genes encoding various defence-related proteins, hormones, and enzymes. The omic studies such …


Optimizing Tomato Seedling Growth With Indigenous Mangrove Bacterial Inoculants And Reduced Npk Fertilization, Soumaya Tounsi-Hammami, Munawwar Ali Khan, Aroosa Zeb, Aneesa Rasheed Anwar, Naman Arora, Muhammad Naseem, Sunil Mundra Jan 2024

Optimizing Tomato Seedling Growth With Indigenous Mangrove Bacterial Inoculants And Reduced Npk Fertilization, Soumaya Tounsi-Hammami, Munawwar Ali Khan, Aroosa Zeb, Aneesa Rasheed Anwar, Naman Arora, Muhammad Naseem, Sunil Mundra

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The search for ecofriendly products to reduce crop dependence on synthetic chemical fertilizers presents a new challenge. The present study aims to isolate and select efficient native PGPB that can reduce reliance on synthetic NPK fertilizers. A total of 41 bacteria were isolated from the sediment and roots of mangrove trees (Avicennia marina) and assessed for their PGP traits under in vitro conditions. Of them, only two compatible strains of Bacillus species were selected to be used individually and in a mix to promote tomato seedling growth. The efficiency of three inoculants applied to the soil was assessed in a …


Software Jimenae Allows Efficient Dynamic Simulations Of Boolean Networks, Centrality And System State Analysis, Martin Kaltdorf, Tim Breitenbach, Stefan Karl, Maximilian Fuchs, David Komla Kessie, Eric Psota, Martina Prelog, Edita Sarukhanyan, Regina Ebert, Franz Jakob, Gudrun Dandekar, Muhammad Naseem, Chunguang Liang, Thomas Dandekar Dec 2023

Software Jimenae Allows Efficient Dynamic Simulations Of Boolean Networks, Centrality And System State Analysis, Martin Kaltdorf, Tim Breitenbach, Stefan Karl, Maximilian Fuchs, David Komla Kessie, Eric Psota, Martina Prelog, Edita Sarukhanyan, Regina Ebert, Franz Jakob, Gudrun Dandekar, Muhammad Naseem, Chunguang Liang, Thomas Dandekar

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The signal modelling framework JimenaE simulates dynamically Boolean networks. In contrast to SQUAD, there is systematic and not just heuristic calculation of all system states. These specific features are not present in CellNetAnalyzer and BoolNet. JimenaE is an expert extension of Jimena, with new optimized code, network conversion into different formats, rapid convergence both for system state calculation as well as for all three network centralities. It allows higher accuracy in determining network states and allows to dissect networks and identification of network control type and amount for each protein with high accuracy. Biological examples demonstrate this: (i) High plasticity …


Bimetallic Bi/Cu0-Catalyzed Persulfate-Based Advanced Oxidation Processes Towards Clofibric Acid Degradation In Wastewater, Jibran Iqbal, Noor S. Shah, Javed Ali Khan, Mohamed A. Habila, Grzegorz Boczkaj, Asam Shad, Yousef Nazzal, Ahmed A. Al-Taani, Fares Howari Dec 2023

Bimetallic Bi/Cu0-Catalyzed Persulfate-Based Advanced Oxidation Processes Towards Clofibric Acid Degradation In Wastewater, Jibran Iqbal, Noor S. Shah, Javed Ali Khan, Mohamed A. Habila, Grzegorz Boczkaj, Asam Shad, Yousef Nazzal, Ahmed A. Al-Taani, Fares Howari

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Clofibric acid (CFA), an important blood-lipid regulatory drug is an emerging organic pollutant and widely reported in water resources. A novel bimetallic, bismuth/zero valent cupper (Bi/Cu0) catalyst was prepared which showed better physiological, structural, and catalytic properties than Cu0. The Bi/Cu0 effectively catalyzed persulfate (S2O82−) and caused 85% degradation of CFA. The Bi coupling improved reusability and stability of Cu0. The use of alcoholic and anionic radical scavengers and analyzing change in [S2O82−]0 proved that Bi/Cu0/S2O82− yield hydroxyl radicals (●OH) and sulfate radicals (SO4●–). The ●OH and SO4●– showed faster reaction with CFA, i.e., 4.65 × 109 and 3.82 × …


Removal Of Organic Pollutants Through Hydroxyl Radical-Based Advanced Oxidation Processes, Zia Ul Haq Khan, Noor Shad Gul, Sana Sabahat, Jingyu Sun, Kamran Tahir, Noor Samad Shah, Nawshad Muhammad, Abdur Rahim, Muhammad Imran, Jibran Iqbal, Taj Malook Khan, Syed Khasim, Umar Farooq, Jianbo Wu Nov 2023

Removal Of Organic Pollutants Through Hydroxyl Radical-Based Advanced Oxidation Processes, Zia Ul Haq Khan, Noor Shad Gul, Sana Sabahat, Jingyu Sun, Kamran Tahir, Noor Samad Shah, Nawshad Muhammad, Abdur Rahim, Muhammad Imran, Jibran Iqbal, Taj Malook Khan, Syed Khasim, Umar Farooq, Jianbo Wu

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The use of Advance Oxidation Process (AOPs) has been extensively examined in order to eradicate organic pollutants. This review assesses the efficacy of photolysis, O3 based (O3/UV, O3/H2O2, O3/H2O2/UV, H2O2/UV, Fenton, Fenton-like, hetero-system) and sonochemical and electro-oxidative AOPs in this regard. The main purpose of this review and some suggestions for the advancement of AOPs is to facilitate the elimination of toxic organic pollutants. Initially proposed for the purification of drinking water in 1980, AOPs have since been employed for various wastewater treatments. AOPs technologies are essentially a process intensification through the use of hybrid methods for wastewater treatment, which …


Marine Mammals Of The Emirates: Whales, Dolphins, Porpoises And Dugongs, Ada Natoli, Shamsa Al Hameli Nov 2023

Marine Mammals Of The Emirates: Whales, Dolphins, Porpoises And Dugongs, Ada Natoli, Shamsa Al Hameli

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Marine mammals have always captured the imagination of the people they share their environment with, but few people know that various species populate the waters of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The world’s second largest population of dugongs reside in the Abu Dhabi Emirate, while two species of dolphins (Indian Ocean humpback and Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin) and the elusive finless porpoises inhabit Abu Dhabi and Dubai waters. Facing both the Sea of Oman and the Arabian Gulf, the UAE hosts a total of 18 species of marine mammals. These include the biggest animal on Earth, the blue whale, Bryde’s, humpback …


Deep Learning For Plant Bioinformatics: An Explainable Gradient-Based Approach For Disease Detection, Muhammad Shoaib, Babar Shah, Nasir Sayed, Farman Ali, Rafi Ullah, Irfan Hussain Oct 2023

Deep Learning For Plant Bioinformatics: An Explainable Gradient-Based Approach For Disease Detection, Muhammad Shoaib, Babar Shah, Nasir Sayed, Farman Ali, Rafi Ullah, Irfan Hussain

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Emerging in the realm of bioinformatics, plant bioinformatics integrates computational and statistical methods to study plant genomes, transcriptomes, and proteomes. With the introduction of high-throughput sequencing technologies and other omics data, the demand for automated methods to analyze and interpret these data has increased. We propose a novel explainable gradient-based approach EG-CNN model for both omics data and hyperspectral images to predict the type of attack on plants in this study. We gathered gene expression, metabolite, and hyperspectral image data from plants afflicted with four prevalent diseases: powdery mildew, rust, leaf spot, and blight. Our proposed EG-CNN model employs a …


Defence Response Of Host Plants For Cyst Nematode: A Review On Parasitism And Defence, Rishil Gupta, Manar Fawzi Bani Mfarrej, Rehab O. Elnour, Mohamed Hashem, Faheem Ahmad Oct 2023

Defence Response Of Host Plants For Cyst Nematode: A Review On Parasitism And Defence, Rishil Gupta, Manar Fawzi Bani Mfarrej, Rehab O. Elnour, Mohamed Hashem, Faheem Ahmad

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The Cyst nematodes (CN), such as Heterodera spp. and Globodera spp. are key biotrophic pathogens inflicting high levels of damage to agricultural and horticultural crops. This review sheds light on the parasitism of the CN and molecular defence responses of infected plants. We highlight the role of effector proteins secreted from the oesophageal gland cells of the CN, hormone-signalling pathway, and miRNA regulation of gene expression that modulate the differentiation of the feeding site. In addition, we speak of the role of pattern-triggered immunity (PTI), effector-triggered immunity (ETI), resistance genes (R genes), and pathogenesis-related proteins in the immune defence responses …


E-Waste Recycling Behavior In The United Arab Emirates: Investigating The Roles Of Environmental Consciousness, Cost, And Infrastructure Support, Kareem Abdul Waheed, Abhilasha Singh, Ayisha Siddiqua, Maisa El Gamal, Mohammed Laeequddin Oct 2023

E-Waste Recycling Behavior In The United Arab Emirates: Investigating The Roles Of Environmental Consciousness, Cost, And Infrastructure Support, Kareem Abdul Waheed, Abhilasha Singh, Ayisha Siddiqua, Maisa El Gamal, Mohammed Laeequddin

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This study examines whether consumers’ behavior affects e-waste recycling in the UAE. This paper provides a theoretical model of e-waste recycling behavior based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), and it goes on to analyze the impact of environmental consciousness, infrastructural support, and costs in e-waste recycling. To assess this study’s constructs, a survey instrument is created. The theoretical model is tested using data gathered from a survey of UAE residents. PLS-SEM (partial least squares structural equations modeling) is used to assess the data. The results support the use of the TPB in the e-waste recycling behavior context. Furthermore, …


Integrative Molecular Analysis Of Dna Methylation Dynamics Unveils Molecules With Prognostic Potential In Breast Cancer, Rashid Mehmood, Alanoud Alsaleh, Muzamil Y. Want, Ijaz Ahmad, Sami Siraj, Muhammad Ishtiaq, Faizah A. Alshehri, Muhammad Naseem, Noriko Yasuhara Jun 2023

Integrative Molecular Analysis Of Dna Methylation Dynamics Unveils Molecules With Prognostic Potential In Breast Cancer, Rashid Mehmood, Alanoud Alsaleh, Muzamil Y. Want, Ijaz Ahmad, Sami Siraj, Muhammad Ishtiaq, Faizah A. Alshehri, Muhammad Naseem, Noriko Yasuhara

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DNA methylation acts as a major epigenetic modification in mammals, characterized by the transfer of a methyl group to a cytosine. DNA methylation plays a pivotal role in regulating normal development, and misregulation in cells leads to an abnormal phenotype as is seen in several cancers. Any mutations or expression anomalies of genes encoding regulators of DNA methylation may lead to abnormal expression of critical molecules. A comprehensive genomic study encompassing all the genes related to DNA methylation regulation in relation to breast cancer is lacking. We used genomic and transcriptomic datasets from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TGCA) Pan-Cancer Atlas, …


Metal Composition And Contamination Assessment Of Urban Roadway Dusts On The Abu Dhabi-Liwa Highway, Uae, Ahmed A. Al-Taani, Yousef Nazzal, Fares M. Howari, Jibran Iqbal, Muhammad Naseem, Manish Sharma, Cijo Xavier, Dimitrios Papandreou, Lina Maloukh, Lakshmi Ambika, Imen Ben Salem, Abeer Al Bsoul, Haitham M. Farok Apr 2023

Metal Composition And Contamination Assessment Of Urban Roadway Dusts On The Abu Dhabi-Liwa Highway, Uae, Ahmed A. Al-Taani, Yousef Nazzal, Fares M. Howari, Jibran Iqbal, Muhammad Naseem, Manish Sharma, Cijo Xavier, Dimitrios Papandreou, Lina Maloukh, Lakshmi Ambika, Imen Ben Salem, Abeer Al Bsoul, Haitham M. Farok

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The metal composition of road-deposited dust along the Abu Dhabi-Liwa Highway was investigated to provide insight into the contamination profile and levels of road dust. The average concentrations of metals decreased in the order Al (28668 ± 4631 mg/kg)> Fe (21461 ± 2594 mg/kg) > Mn (711.8 ± 76.3 mg/kg) > Zn (210.6 ± 51.6 mg/kg) > Cu (94.9 ± 15.8 mg/kg) > Pb (83.6 ± 5.3 mg/kg) > Cd (75.1 ± 1.6 mg/kg) > Co (62.6 ± 6.4 mg/kg) > As (4.7 ± 2.9 mg/kg) > Ni (0.10 ± 0.19 mg/kg) > Cr (0.08 ± 0.06 mg/kg). The spatial variations of metals suggest different sources and contributing factors …


An Advanced Deep Learning Models-Based Plant Disease Detection: A Review Of Recent Research, Muhammad Shoaib, Babar Shah, Shaker Ei-Sappagh, Akhtar Ali, Asad Ullah, Fayadh Alenezi, Tsanko Gechev, Tariq Hussain, Farman Ali Mar 2023

An Advanced Deep Learning Models-Based Plant Disease Detection: A Review Of Recent Research, Muhammad Shoaib, Babar Shah, Shaker Ei-Sappagh, Akhtar Ali, Asad Ullah, Fayadh Alenezi, Tsanko Gechev, Tariq Hussain, Farman Ali

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Plants play a crucial role in supplying food globally. Various environmental factors lead to plant diseases which results in significant production losses. However, manual detection of plant diseases is a time-consuming and error-prone process. It can be an unreliable method of identifying and preventing the spread of plant diseases. Adopting advanced technologies such as Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) can help to overcome these challenges by enabling early identification of plant diseases. In this paper, the recent advancements in the use of ML and DL techniques for the identification of plant diseases are explored. The research focuses on …


A Fog Computing Framework For Intrusion Detection Of Energy-Based Attacks On Uav-Assisted Smart Farming, Junaid Sajid, Kadhim Hayawi, Asad Waqar Malik, Zahid Anwar, Zouheir Trabelsi Mar 2023

A Fog Computing Framework For Intrusion Detection Of Energy-Based Attacks On Uav-Assisted Smart Farming, Junaid Sajid, Kadhim Hayawi, Asad Waqar Malik, Zahid Anwar, Zouheir Trabelsi

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Precision agriculture and smart farming have received significant attention due to the advancements made in remote sensing technology to support agricultural efficiency. In large-scale agriculture, the role of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has increased in remote monitoring and collecting farm data at regular intervals. However, due to an open environment, UAVs can be hacked to malfunction and report false data. Due to limited battery life and flight times requiring frequent recharging, a compromised UAV wastes precious energy when performing unnecessary functions. Furthermore, it impacts other UAVs competing for charging times at the station, thus disrupting the entire data collection mechanism. …


Metagenomic Analysis Of The Outdoor Dust Microbiomes: A Case Study From Abu Dhabi, Uae, Lina Maloukh, Yousef Nazzal, Alagappan Kumarappan, Fares Howari, Lakshmi Kesari Ambika, Rihab Yahmadi, Manish Sharma, Jibran Iqbal, Ahmed A. Al-Taani, Imen Ben Salem, Cijo M. Xavier, Muhamad Naseem Feb 2023

Metagenomic Analysis Of The Outdoor Dust Microbiomes: A Case Study From Abu Dhabi, Uae, Lina Maloukh, Yousef Nazzal, Alagappan Kumarappan, Fares Howari, Lakshmi Kesari Ambika, Rihab Yahmadi, Manish Sharma, Jibran Iqbal, Ahmed A. Al-Taani, Imen Ben Salem, Cijo M. Xavier, Muhamad Naseem

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Outdoor dust covers a shattered range of microbial agents from land over transportation, human microbial flora, which includes pathogen and commensals, and airborne from the environment. Dust aerosols are rich in bacterial communities that have a major impact on human health and living environments. In this study, outdoor samples from roadside barricades, safety walls, and fences (18 samples) were collected from Abu Dhabi, UAE and bacterial diversity was assessed through a 16S rRNA amplicon next generation sequencing approach. Clean data from HiSeq produced 1,099,892 total reads pairs for 18 samples. For all samples, taxonomic classifications were assigned to the OTUs …


Green Synthesis Of Lead Oxide Nanoparticles For Photo-Electrocatalytic And Antimicrobial Applications, Zia Ul Haq Khan, Noor Shad Gul, Faisal Mehmood, Sana Sabahat, Nawshad Muhammad, Abdur Rahim, Jibran Iqbal, Syed Khasim, Mohamed Abdel Salam, Taj Malook Khan, Jianbo Wu Jan 2023

Green Synthesis Of Lead Oxide Nanoparticles For Photo-Electrocatalytic And Antimicrobial Applications, Zia Ul Haq Khan, Noor Shad Gul, Faisal Mehmood, Sana Sabahat, Nawshad Muhammad, Abdur Rahim, Jibran Iqbal, Syed Khasim, Mohamed Abdel Salam, Taj Malook Khan, Jianbo Wu

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Synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) for many different uses requires the development of environmentally friendly synthesis protocols. In this article, we present a simple and environmentally friendly method to synthesize lead oxide (PbO) NPs from the plant material of the Mangifera indica. Analytical techniques such as spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and microscopy were used to characterize the synthesized PbO NPs, and their photo-electrocatalytic and antifungal properties were also evaluated. H2O2 was used to investigate the efficacy of removing methylene blue dye. At a range of pH values, H2O2 was used to study the role of hydroxyl radicals in the breakdown of methylene …


Bacterial Pneumonia Associated With Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Pathogens: Understanding Epidemiology, Resistance Patterns, And Implications With Covid-19, Dalal Hammoudi Halat, Carole Ayoub Moubareck Jan 2023

Bacterial Pneumonia Associated With Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Pathogens: Understanding Epidemiology, Resistance Patterns, And Implications With Covid-19, Dalal Hammoudi Halat, Carole Ayoub Moubareck

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The ongoing spread of antimicrobial resistance has complicated the treatment of bacterial hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Gram-negative pathogens, especially those with multidrug-resistant profiles, including Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter spp., are an important culprit in this type of infections. Understanding the determinants of resistance in pathogens causing pneumonia is ultimately stressing, especially in the shadows of the COVID-19 pandemic, when bacterial lung infections are considered a top priority that has become urgent to revise. Globally, the increasing prevalence of these pathogens in respiratory samples represents a significant infection challenge, with major limitations …


Indigenously Produced Biochar Retains Fertility In Sandy Soil Through Unique Microbial Diversity Sustenance: A Step Toward The Circular Economy, Munawwar Ali Khan, Alsayeda Zahra Salman, Shams Tabrez Khan Jan 2023

Indigenously Produced Biochar Retains Fertility In Sandy Soil Through Unique Microbial Diversity Sustenance: A Step Toward The Circular Economy, Munawwar Ali Khan, Alsayeda Zahra Salman, Shams Tabrez Khan

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Introduction: Agricultural productivity in the arid hot desert climate of UAE is limited by the unavailability of water, high temperature, and salt stresses. Growing enough food under abiotic stresses and decreasing reliance on imports in an era of global warming are a challenge. Biochar with high water and nutrient retention capacity and acid neutralization activity is an attractive soil conditioner. This study investigates the microbial community in the arid soil of Dubai under shade house conditions irrigated with saline water and the shift in the microbial community, following 1 year of amendment with indigenously prepared biochar from date palm waste. …


Towards A Novel Approach For Smart Agriculture Predictability, Rima Grati, Myriam Aloulou, Khouloud Boukadi Jan 2023

Towards A Novel Approach For Smart Agriculture Predictability, Rima Grati, Myriam Aloulou, Khouloud Boukadi

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No abstract provided.


Association Of The Gut Microbiota With Clinical Variables In Obese And Lean Emirati Subjects, Manal Ali Ahmad, Mirey Karavetian, Carole Ayoub Moubareck, Gabi Wazz, Tarek Mahdy, Koen Venema Jan 2023

Association Of The Gut Microbiota With Clinical Variables In Obese And Lean Emirati Subjects, Manal Ali Ahmad, Mirey Karavetian, Carole Ayoub Moubareck, Gabi Wazz, Tarek Mahdy, Koen Venema

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Background: Growing evidence supports the role of gut microbiota in obesity, yet exact associations remain largely unknown. Specifically, very little is known about this association in the Emirati population. Methods: We explored differences in gut microbiota composition, particularly the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio, between 43 obese and 31 lean adult Emirate counterparts, and its association with obesity markers, by using V3-V4 regions of 16 S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing data. Furthermore, we collected anthropometric and biochemical data. Results: The two major phyla in obese and lean groups were Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. We observed a significantly lower alpha diversity (Shannon index) in …


Elucidating The Effect Of Iron Acquisition Systems In Klebsiella Pneumoniae On Susceptibility To The Novel Siderophore-Cephalosporin Cefiderocol, Lana Daoud, Farah Al-Marzooq, Carole Ayoub Moubareck, Akela Ghazawi, Timothy Collyns Dec 2022

Elucidating The Effect Of Iron Acquisition Systems In Klebsiella Pneumoniae On Susceptibility To The Novel Siderophore-Cephalosporin Cefiderocol, Lana Daoud, Farah Al-Marzooq, Carole Ayoub Moubareck, Akela Ghazawi, Timothy Collyns

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BACKGROUND: Cefiderocol (CFDC) is a novel siderophore-cephalosporin, effective against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. As it has a siderophore side chain, it can utilize iron acquisition systems for penetration of the bacterial outer membrane. We aimed to elucidate the role of siderophores and iron uptake receptors in defining Klebsiella pneumoniae susceptibility to CFDC. METHODS: Initially, 103 K. pneumoniae strains were characterized for susceptibility to different antibiotics including CFDC. CFDC minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined in iron-depleted and iron-enriched conditions. Iron uptake genes including siderophores, their receptors, ferric citrate (fecA) and iron uptake (kfu) receptors were detected by PCR in all the …


A Deep Learning-Based Model For Plant Lesion Segmentation, Subtype Identification, And Survival Probability Estimation, Muhammad Shoaib, Babar Shah, Tariq Hussain, Akhtar Ali, Asad Ullah, Fayadh Alenezi, Tsanko Gechev, Farman Ali, Ikram Syed Dec 2022

A Deep Learning-Based Model For Plant Lesion Segmentation, Subtype Identification, And Survival Probability Estimation, Muhammad Shoaib, Babar Shah, Tariq Hussain, Akhtar Ali, Asad Ullah, Fayadh Alenezi, Tsanko Gechev, Farman Ali, Ikram Syed

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Plants are the primary source of food for world’s population. Diseases in plants can cause yield loss, which can be mitigated by continual monitoring. Monitoring plant diseases manually is difficult and prone to errors. Using computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI) for the early identification of plant illnesses can prevent the negative consequences of diseases at the very beginning and overcome the limitations of continuous manual monitoring. The research focuses on the development of an automatic system capable of performing the segmentation of leaf lesions and the detection of disease without requiring human intervention. To get lesion region segmentation, we …


The Effectiveness Of Project-Based Learning On Emirati Undergraduate Students In A Microbiology Course, Carole Ayoub Moubareck Dec 2022

The Effectiveness Of Project-Based Learning On Emirati Undergraduate Students In A Microbiology Course, Carole Ayoub Moubareck

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Purpose: A composting project was introduced into an undergraduate microbiology course, to evaluate its efficacy against traditional lecturing for teaching environmental sustainability. Design/methodology/approach: The research project was a semester-long intervention. Three groups of students participated in the study: a group of 47 female undergraduate students were involved in a composting project, a group of 43 female students were exposed to a traditional lecture and a group of 34 students were the control group. A pretest and a posttest were used, along with poster presentations for the composting project students. In addition, a questionnaire was used to examine students' attitudes toward …


Characterization Of Biochar Produced From Al Ghaf Tree For Co2 Capture, Imen Ben Salem, Maisa El Gamal, Manish Sharma, Fares M. Howari, Yousef Nazzal, Cijo Xavier, Fareeda M. Almenhali Dec 2022

Characterization Of Biochar Produced From Al Ghaf Tree For Co2 Capture, Imen Ben Salem, Maisa El Gamal, Manish Sharma, Fares M. Howari, Yousef Nazzal, Cijo Xavier, Fareeda M. Almenhali

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Climate change, global warming, and rise in water levels are environmental problems caused by the high emissions of greenhouse gases, and the most harmed one is carbon dioxide. Biochar is a material produced by thermochemical conversions with oxygen-depleted conditions of organic materials, and this process calls pyrolysis. Recently, it has been evaluated as a carbon dioxide capture, and its porous structure, structural properties, and production methods are easy. Al Ghaf (Prosopis cineraria) tree is one of the United Arab Emirates’ national trees with a wide range of intriguing properties, including high nutritional value, medicinal/pharmaceutical potential, and biosorption. This paper focuses …


An Effective Deep Learning Approach For The Classification Of Bacteriosis In Peach Leave, Muneer Akbar, Mohib Ullah, Babar Shah, Rafi Ullah Khan, Tariq Hussain, Farman Ali, Fayadh Alenezi, Ikram Syed, Kyung Sup Kwak Nov 2022

An Effective Deep Learning Approach For The Classification Of Bacteriosis In Peach Leave, Muneer Akbar, Mohib Ullah, Babar Shah, Rafi Ullah Khan, Tariq Hussain, Farman Ali, Fayadh Alenezi, Ikram Syed, Kyung Sup Kwak

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Bacteriosis is one of the most prevalent and deadly infections that affect peach crops globally. Timely detection of Bacteriosis disease is essential for lowering pesticide use and preventing crop loss. It takes time and effort to distinguish and detect Bacteriosis or a short hole in a peach leaf. In this paper, we proposed a novel LightWeight (WLNet) Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model based on Visual Geometry Group (VGG-19) for detecting and classifying images into Bacteriosis and healthy images. Profound knowledge of the proposed model is utilized to detect Bacteriosis in peach leaf images. First, a dataset is developed which consists …


Catalytic Reduction Of Dyes And Antibacterial Activity Of Agnps@Zn@Alginate Composite Aerogel Beads, Fadila Benali, Bouhadjar Boukoussa, Nour El Houda Benkhedouda, Amina Cheddad, Ismail Issam, Jibran Iqbal, Mohammed Hachemaoui, Mohamed Abboud, Adel Mokhtar Nov 2022

Catalytic Reduction Of Dyes And Antibacterial Activity Of Agnps@Zn@Alginate Composite Aerogel Beads, Fadila Benali, Bouhadjar Boukoussa, Nour El Houda Benkhedouda, Amina Cheddad, Ismail Issam, Jibran Iqbal, Mohammed Hachemaoui, Mohamed Abboud, Adel Mokhtar

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This work focuses on the preparation of aerogel composite beads based on Zn(II)-crosslinked alginate and loaded with different percentages of AgNPs using a simple approach. The obtained samples were evaluated in two different applications: the first application consists in their use as catalysts for the reduction of MB, MO, OG and CR dyes in a simple and binary system under the presence of NaBH4. For this, several parameters affecting the catalytic behavior of these catalysts have been investigated and discussed such as the catalyst mass, AgNPs content, dye nature, and the selectivity of the catalyst in a binary system. The …


Determinants Of Entrepreneurial Risk Among Young Emiratis, Linda Smail, Mouawiya Alawad, Aleciane Da Silva Moreira Ferreira, Jorge López Puga, Ana María Ruiz Ruano García Nov 2022

Determinants Of Entrepreneurial Risk Among Young Emiratis, Linda Smail, Mouawiya Alawad, Aleciane Da Silva Moreira Ferreira, Jorge López Puga, Ana María Ruiz Ruano García

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This work aimed to investigate the determinants of entrepreneurial risk among Emirati youth enrolled in a university in the United Arab Emirates. This was a quantitative study, which used a survey of 324 university students with an average age of 20.7 years and a standard deviation of 3.1 years. The collected data were analyzed using two methods—Ordinal Probit Regression Estimation and Structural Equation Modeling—to identify the factors that may determine entrepreneurial risk and assess the research hypotheses among this group of Emirati youth. The results showed that Emirati youth are risk-averse when (a) they do not receive government support, (b) …


Deep Learning-Based Segmentation And Classification Of Leaf Images For Detection Of Tomato Plant Disease, Muhammad Shoaib, Tariq Hussain, Babar Shah, Ihsan Ullah, Sayyed Mudassar Shah, Farman Ali, Sang Hyun Park Oct 2022

Deep Learning-Based Segmentation And Classification Of Leaf Images For Detection Of Tomato Plant Disease, Muhammad Shoaib, Tariq Hussain, Babar Shah, Ihsan Ullah, Sayyed Mudassar Shah, Farman Ali, Sang Hyun Park

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Plants contribute significantly to the global food supply. Various Plant diseases can result in production losses, which can be avoided by maintaining vigilance. However, manually monitoring plant diseases by agriculture experts and botanists is time-consuming, challenging and error-prone. To reduce the risk of disease severity, machine vision technology (i.e., artificial intelligence) can play a significant role. In the alternative method, the severity of the disease can be diminished through computer technologies and the cooperation of humans. These methods can also eliminate the disadvantages of manual observation. In this work, we proposed a solution to detect tomato plant disease using a …


Synthesis Of Boron-Doped Zinc Oxide Nanosheets By Using Phyllanthus Emblica Leaf Extract: A Sustainable Environmental Applications, Awais Khalid, Pervaiz Ahmad, Saleh Muhammad, Abdulhameed Khan, Mayeen Uddin Khandaker, Md Mottahir Alam, Mohd Asim, Israf Ud Din, Jibran Iqbal, Ibad Ur Rehman, Zohaib Razzaq, Sivakumar Pandian, Rohit Sharma, Talha Bin Emran, M. I. Sayyed, Saad Aldawood, Abdelmoneim Sulieman Jul 2022

Synthesis Of Boron-Doped Zinc Oxide Nanosheets By Using Phyllanthus Emblica Leaf Extract: A Sustainable Environmental Applications, Awais Khalid, Pervaiz Ahmad, Saleh Muhammad, Abdulhameed Khan, Mayeen Uddin Khandaker, Md Mottahir Alam, Mohd Asim, Israf Ud Din, Jibran Iqbal, Ibad Ur Rehman, Zohaib Razzaq, Sivakumar Pandian, Rohit Sharma, Talha Bin Emran, M. I. Sayyed, Saad Aldawood, Abdelmoneim Sulieman

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The use of Phyllanthus emblica (gooseberry) leaf extract to synthesize Boron-doped zinc oxide nanosheets (B-doped ZnO-NSs) is deliberated in this article. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows a network of synthesized nanosheets randomly aligned side by side in a B-doped ZnO (15 wt% B) sample. The thickness of B-doped ZnO-NSs is in the range of 20–80 nm. B-doped ZnO-NSs were tested against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial strains including Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Escherichia coli. Against gram-negative bacterium (K. pneumonia and E. coli), B-doped ZnO displays enhanced antibacterial activity with 26 and 24 mm of inhibition zone, respectively. …