Training volitional control of the theory of mind network with real-time fMRI neurofeedback.

Is there a way improve our ability to understand the minds of others? Towards addressing this question, here, we conducted a single-arm, proof-of-concept study to evaluate whether real-time fMRI neurofeedback (rtfMRI-NF) from the temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) leads to volitional control of the neural network subserving theory of mind (ToM; the process by which we attribute and reason about the mental states of others). As additional aims, we evaluated the strategies used to self-regulate the network and whether volitional control of the ToM network was moderated by participant characteristics and associated with improved performance on behavioral measures. Sixteen participants underwent fMRI while completing a task designed to individually-localize the TPJ, and then three separate rtfMRI-NF scans during which they completed multiple runs of a training task while receiving intermittent, activation-based feedback from the TPJ, and one run of a transfer task in which no neurofeedback was provided. Region-of-interest analyses demonstrated volitional control in most regions during the training tasks and during the transfer task, although the effects were smaller in magnitude and not observed in one of the neurofeedback targets for the transfer task. Text analysis demonstrated that volitional control was most strongly associated with thinking about prior social experiences when up-regulating the neural signal. Analysis of behavioral performance and brain-behavior associations largely did not reveal behavior changes except for a positive association between volitional control in RTPJ and changes in performance on one ToM task. Exploratory analysis suggested neurofeedback-related learning occurred, although some degree of volitional control appeared to be conferred with the initial self-regulation strategy provided to participants (i.e., without the neurofeedback signal). Critical study limitations include the lack of a control group and pre-rtfMRI transfer scan, which prevents a more direct assessment of neurofeedback-induced volitional control, and a small sample size, which may have led to an overestimate and/or unreliable estimate of study effects. Nonetheless, together, this study demonstrates the feasibility of training volitional control of a social cognitive brain network, which may have important clinical applications. Given the study's limitations, findings from this study should be replicated with more robust experimental designs.

Secretory leucocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) as an adjunct prognostic biomarker for canine pyometra.

Pyometra is a potentially life-threatening condition that affects intact female dogs in their middle to advance age. Timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment are critical for the survival of patients, especially when pyometra advances to sepsis. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic potential of certain haematology, serum biochemical and inflammatory biomarker, secretory leucocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) for pyometra in bitches (n = 41). Blood samples were collected after clinical diagnosis of pyometra for haematology and serum biochemistry. Based on the prognosis following medical/surgical treatment, animals were retrospectively categorized into survivor (n = 29) and dead (n = 12). Endometrial tissue sections were obtained from the bitches undergoing ovariohysterectomy (n = 21). Serum concentration of SLPI was quantified using sandwich ELISA and its expression in the endometrium was investigated using RT-qPCR. A marked increase in the total leucocyte count (TLC), neutrophils, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine was observed in the female dogs that did not survive. Significant elevation in the serum SLPI concentration (3.49 ± 0.44 vs. 2.38 ± 0.13 ng/mL) was observed in the bitches those died after the treatment, in comparison to those survived (p < .01). Additionally, there was a notable upregulation of SLPI in the endometrium in the bitches those died due to pyometra. Based on the ROC analysis results, it was observed that a cut-off concentration of 2.93 ng/mL for SLPI, 27.77 mg/dL for BUN and 16.3 × 103 /µL for TLC could effectively distinguish the prognosis of pyometra-affected dogs. From this study, it can be concluded that upregulation of SLPI in the endometrium and its elevated concentration in peripheral circulation along with TLC and BUN concentration could serve as valuable indicators for predicting the prognosis of pyometra in bitches.

Serum concentrations of secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor and IL6 can predict the onset of sepsis in pyometra bitches.

As onset of sepsis adversely affects the prognosis of canine pyometra, finding biomarkers that would distinguish sepsis status would be useful in the clinical management. Accordingly, we hypothesized that differential expression of endometrial transcripts and circulating concentration of certain inflammatory mediators would discriminate pyometra-led sepsis (P-sepsis+) from those of pyometra without sepsis (P-sepsis-). Bitches with pyometra (n = 52) were classified into P-sepsis+ (n = 28) and P-sepsis- (n = 24) based on vital clinical score and total leukocyte count. A group of non-pyometra bitches (n = 12) served as control. The relative fold changes in the transcripts of IL6, IL8, TNFα, IL10, PTGS2, mPGES1 and PGFS, SLPI, S100A8, S100A12 and eNOS were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, the serum concentrations of IL6, IL8, IL10, SLPI and prostaglandin F2α metabolite (PGFM) were assayed by ELISA. The relative fold changes in S100A12 and SLPI and mean concentrations of IL6 and SLPI were significantly (p < .05) higher in P-sepsis+ than that of P-sepsis- group. Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed that serum IL6 had a diagnostic sensitivity of 78.6% and a positive likelihood ratio (LR+) of 2.09, at a cut-off value of 15.7 pg/mL to diagnose P-sepsis+ cases. Similarly, serum SLPI had a sensitivity of 84.6% and an LR+ of 2.23, at a cut-off value of 2.0 pg/mL. It was concluded that SLPI and IL6 would serve as putative biomarkers for pyometra-led sepsis in bitches. Monitoring SLPI and IL6 would be a useful adjunct to the established haemato-biochemical parameters in customizing the treatment strategies and arriving at the decision for management of pyometra bitches with critical illness.

Appraisal of COVID-19 lockdown and unlocking effects on the air quality of North India.

The COVID-19 pandemic lockdown supposedly provided a 'window' of reinstatement to natural resources including the air quality, but the scenario after the phased unlocking is yet to be explored. Consequently, here we evaluated the status of air quality during the 8th phase of unlocking of COVID-19 lockdown (January 2021) at three locations of North India. The first site (S1) was located at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-PPCB; the second site (S2) at Yamunapuram, Bulandshahr-UPPCB; and the third site (S3) at Okhla Phase-2, Delhi-DPCC. The levels of PM2.5 showed a significant increase of 525.2%, 281.2%, and 185.0% at sites S1, S2 and S3, respectively in the unlock 8 (January 2021), in comparison to its concentration in the lockdown phase. Coherently, the levels of PM10 also showed a prominent increase of 284.5%, 189.1%, and 103.9% at sites S3, S1, and S2, respectively during the unlock 8 as compared to its concentration in the lockdown phase. This rise in the concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 could be primarily attributed to the use of biomass fuel, industrial and vehicular emissions, stubble burning considering the agricultural activities at sites S1 and S2. Site S3 is a major industrial hub and has the highest population density among all three sites. Consequently, the maximum increase (295.7%) in the NO2 levels during the unlock 8 was witnessed at site S3. The strong correlation between PM2.5, PM10, and CO, along with the PM2.5/PM10 ratio confirmed the similar origin of these pollutants at all the three sites. The improvements in the levels of air quality during the COVID-19 lockdown were major overtaken during the various phases of unlocking consequent to the initiation of anthropogenic processes.

Treating agricultural non-point source pollutants using periphyton biofilms and biomass volarization.

Untreated domestic wastewater and agricultural runoff are emerging as a potent cause of non-point source (NPS) pollutants which are a major threat to aquatic ecosystems. Periphyton biofilm-based technologies due to their high growth rate, energy efficiency and low input costs offer promising solutions for controlling nutrient pollution in agricultural systems. In this study we employed periphyton floway to treat NPS pollution from the agricultural watershed. The process performance of outdoor single pass algae floway (AFW) was evaluated. Steady state average biomass concentration of 11.73 g m-2 d-1 and removal rate of nitrogen: 0.60 g m-2 d-1, phosphorus: 0.27 g m-2d-1, arsenic: 9.26 mg m-2 d-1, chromium: 255.3 mg m-2 d-1 and lead: 238.6 mg m-2 d-1 was achieved. In addition, the microalgae and their associated bacterial diversity and dynamics were analyzed. The results revealed a high diversity and rapid variations in the microbiome structure with diatom and cyanobacteria dominance combined with high N fixing and P solubilizing bacteria during most of the operational period. Elemental analysis of periphyton biomass was done for its safe use as slow-release fertilizer. Biofuel feedstock potential and nanoparticle generation potential of the biomass were analyzed. This work highlights the potential use of periphyton biofilms in remediation and recycling of NPS pollutants with simultaneous resource recovery.

Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in Gomti-Ganga Alluvial Plain, associated human health risks assessment and potential remediation using novel-nanomaterials.

The health risks associated with consumption of water from river Gomti polluted with potentially toxic elements (PTEs), including As, Fe, Pb, Cd, Mn, Cr, Ni, and Hg were investigated at the initiation of unlocking of COVID-19 lockdown and compared with pre-COVID-19 lockdown status. In the current investigation, the total hazard index (THI) values exceeded the acceptable limit of "unity" at all sampling stations. The use of river water for drinking and domestic purposes by millions of people with high THI values has emerged as a matter of huge concern. The individual hazard quotients associated with Cd and Pb were found to be most severe (> 1). A vivid difference between the THI values during the two study phases indicated the positive impact of COVID-19 lockdown signifying the prominent impact of anthropogenic activities on the PTE concentrations. The closure of local manufacturing units (textile, battery, etc.) emerged as a potential reason for decreased health risks associated with PTE levels. The higher susceptibility of children to health risks in comparison with adults through the values of THI and HQs was interpreted across the study area. Potential remedial measures for PTE contamination have also been suggested in the study.

Spatiotemporal assessment of groundwater quality in the Central Ganga Plain, India, using multivariate statistical tools.

In the present study, the water quality status of the Sadar block in Pratapgarh district of Uttar Pradesh, India, was calculated by Water Pollution Index (WPI) using 15 groundwater quality parameters (pH, turbidity, EC (electric conductivity), TDS (total dissolved solids), salinity, total hardness, Ca2+, K+, Mg2+, Na+, Cl-, F-, SO42-, HCO3-, and NO3-) at 40 different study locations. It is found that 10%, 25%, and 65%, of samples, fall under the good, moderately polluted, and highly polluted category, respectively. Irrigation suitability of groundwater has also been evaluated by using irrigation suitability parameters, i.e., Sodium Absorption Ratio (SAR), Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC), Permeability Index (PI), Kelly Ratio (KR), Percentage Sodium (% Na), and Magnesium Hazards (MH). Based on the analysis, it was determined that most of the samples were suitable for irrigation in the area. Irrigation practices are found to be unsuitable for Kelly's ratio of 37.5%, MH 60%, and RSC 55% samples. WPI and Pearson's correlation matrix (PCA) have suggested a significant linear relationship among the water quality parameters based on the test results. The Gibbs plot indicates that the majority of samples fall under the "evaporation dominance" category while the rest fall under the "rock weathering dominance" suggesting that the complex geochemical mechanisms are active in the study area. This study would be very helpful to government authorities and it would aid them to suggest alternate drinking water resources in affected areas.

Appraisal of Groundwater Quality with Human Health Risk Assessment in Parts of Indo-Gangetic Alluvial Plain, North India.

Groundwater contamination in the Indo-Gangetic alluvial plain has reportedly been affected by various factors, such as mineral dissolution, overexploitation, precipitation, and ion exchange. This study was designed to interpret the hydrochemical fluctuations in the groundwater sources of a rural area in Raebareli district. Groundwater is slightly alkaline and affected by the issues of fluoride, salinity, hardness, and nitrate. The Pollution Index of Groundwater significantly categorize 57% and 79% of the samples under the "insignificant pollution" category during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon periods. The Health risk assessment indicated the high susceptibility of children toward health risks. It also indicated that fluoride had greater impact than nitrate in the study area. The multivariate statistical analysis indicates that anthropogenic activities, such as agricultural practices, including excessive fertilizer application and improper domestic and cattle waste management, are probable causes of groundwater contamination through NO3-, Cl-, Na+, and K+. Furthermore, the base exchange index classified 71.43% samples in pre-monsoon and 78.57% in post-monsoon as Na-HCO3 type. The meteoric genesis index suggested that 78.57% and 85.71% of the samples belong to shallow meteoric water percolation type during pre- and post-monsoon periods, respectively. The Piper plots revealed that HCO3-Ca·Mg and SO4·Cl-Na + K type are the prominent facies in the area, with dominance of alkalis and weak acids. According to Gibbs plot, majority of the samples fall under "rock dominance" suggesting that "rock-water" interaction was the dominant natural process controlling the groundwater chemistry.

Role of Surface Preparation in Corrosion Resistance Due to Silane Coatings on a Magnesium Alloy.

Coating of an organo-silane (Bis-1,2-(TriethoxySilyl)Ethane (BTSE)) has been observed to improve the corrosion resistance of magnesium alloy AZ91D. Three different types of surface preparations have been employed before condensing the silane coating on to the substrate. Corrosion resistance was investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). A specific alkali treatment of the substrate prior to the coating has been found to improve the corrosion resistance of the coated alloy, which has been attributed to the ability of the treatment in facilitating the condensation of a relatively compact siloxane film.

IgG4 autoantibodies against muscle-specific kinase undergo Fab-arm exchange in myasthenia gravis patients.

Autoimmunity mediated by IgG4 subclass autoantibodies is an expanding field of research. Due to their structural characteristics a key feature of IgG4 antibodies is the ability to exchange Fab-arms with other, unrelated, IgG4 molecules, making the IgG4 molecule potentially monovalent for the specific antigen. However, whether those disease-associated antigen-specific IgG4 are mono- or divalent for their antigens is unknown. Myasthenia gravis (MG) with antibodies to muscle specific kinase (MuSK-MG) is a well-recognized disease in which the predominant pathogenic IgG4 antibody binds to extracellular epitopes on MuSK at the neuromuscular junction; this inhibits a pathway that clusters the acetylcholine (neurotransmitter) receptors and leads to failure of neuromuscular transmission. In vitro Fab-arm exchange-inducing conditions were applied to MuSK antibodies in sera, purified IgG4 and IgG1-3 sub-fractions. Solid-phase cross-linking assays were established to determine the extent of pre-existing and inducible Fab-arm exchange. Functional effects of the resulting populations of IgG4 antibodies were determined by measuring inhibition of agrin-induced AChR clustering in C2C12 cells. To confirm the results, κ/κ, λ/λ and hybrid κ/λ IgG4s were isolated and tested for MuSK antibodies. At least fifty percent of patients had IgG4, but not IgG1-3, MuSK antibodies that could undergo Fab-arm exchange in vitro under reducing conditions. Also MuSK antibodies were found in vivo that were divalent (monospecific for MuSK). Fab-arm exchange with normal human IgG4 did not prevent the inhibitory effect of serum derived MuSK antibodies on AChR clustering in C2C12 mouse myotubes. The results suggest that a considerable proportion of MuSK IgG4 could already be Fab-arm exchanged in vivo. This was confirmed by isolating endogenous IgG4 MuSK antibodies containing both κ and λ light chains, i.e. hybrid IgG4 molecules. These new findings demonstrate that Fab-arm exchanged antibodies are pathogenic.

IL-17-producing CD4(+) T cells contribute to the loss of B-cell tolerance in experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis.

The role of Th17 cells in the pathogenesis of autoantibody-mediated diseases is unclear. Here, we assessed the contribution of Th17 cells to the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG), which is induced by repetitive immunizations with Torpedo californica acetylcholine receptor (tAChR). We show that a significant fraction of tAChR-specific CD4(+) T cells is producing IL-17. IL-17(ko) mice developed fewer or no EAMG symptoms, although the frequencies of tAChR-specific CD4(+) T cells secreting IL-2, IFN-γ, or IL-21, and the percentage of FoxP3(+) Treg cells were similar to WT mice. Even though the total anti-tAChR antibody levels were equal, the complement fixating IgG2b subtype was reduced in IL-17(ko) as compared to WT mice. Most importantly, pathogenic anti-murine AChR antibodies were significantly lower in IL-17(ko) mice. Furthermore, we confirmed the role of Th17 cells in EAMG pathogenesis by the reconstitution of TCR ß/δ(ko) mice with WT or IL-17(ko) CD4(+) T cells. In conclusion, we show that the level of IgG2b and the loss of B-cell tolerance, which results in pathogenic anti-murine AChR-specific antibodies, are dependent on IL-17 production by CD4(+) T cells. Thus, we describe here for the first time how Th17 cells are involved in the induction of classical antibody-mediated autoimmunity.

Osmoregulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae via mechanisms other than the high-osmolarity glycerol pathway.

The response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to osmotic stress, whether arising from environmental conditions or physiological processes, has been intensively studied in the last two decades. The well-known high-osmolarity glycerol (HOG) signalling pathway that is induced in response to osmotic stress interacts with other signalling pathways such as the cell wall integrity and the target of rapamycin pathways. Osmotic balance is also maintained by the regulated opening and closing of channel proteins in both the cell membrane and intracellular organelles such as the vacuole. Additionally, environmental stresses, including osmotic shock, induce intracellular calcium signalling. Thus, adaptation to environmental stresses in general, and osmotic stress in particular, is dependent on the concerted action of components of multiple interacting pathways. In this review, we describe some of the major mechanisms and molecules involved in osmoregulation via pathways other than the high-osmolarity glycerol pathway and their known interactions with one another that have been discovered over the last two decades.

Proteasome inhibition with bortezomib depletes plasma cells and specific autoantibody production in primary thymic cell cultures from early-onset myasthenia gravis patients.

Bortezomib is a potent inhibitor of proteasomes currently used to eliminate malignant plasma cells in multiple myeloma patients. It is also effective in depleting both alloreactive plasma cells in acute Ab-mediated transplant rejection and their autoreactive counterparts in animal models of lupus and myasthenia gravis (MG). In this study, we demonstrate that bortezomib at 10 nM or higher concentrations killed long-lived plasma cells in cultured thymus cells from nine early-onset MG patients and consistently halted their spontaneous production not only of autoantibodies against the acetylcholine receptor but also of total IgG. Surprisingly, lenalidomide and dexamethasone had little effect on plasma cells. After bortezomib treatment, they showed ultrastructural changes characteristic of endoplasmic reticulum stress after 8 h and were no longer detectable at 24 h. Bortezomib therefore appears promising for treating MG and possibly other Ab-mediated autoimmune or allergic disorders, especially when given in short courses at modest doses before the standard immunosuppressive drugs have taken effect.

State-of-the-art review on hydrogen's production, storage, and potential as a future transportation fuel.

Global energy consumption is expected to reach 911 BTU by the end of 2050 as a result of rapid urbanization and industrialization. Hydrogen is increasingly recognized as a clean and reliable energy vector for decarbonization and defossilization across various sectors. Projections indicate a significant rise in global demand for hydrogen, underscoring the need for sustainable production, efficient storage, and utilization. In this state-of-the-art review, we explore hydrogen production methods, compare their environmental impacts through life cycle analysis, delve into geological storage options, and discuss hydrogen's potential as a future transportation fuel. Combining electrolysis to make hydrogen and storing it in porous underground materials like salt caverns and geological reservoirs looks like a good way to balance out the variable supply of renewable energy and meet the demand at peak times. Hydrogen is a key component of our sustainable economy, and this article gives a broad overview of the process from production to consumption, touching on technical, economic, and environmental concerns along the way. We have made an attempt in this paper to compile different methods for the production of hydrogen and its storage, the challenges faced by current methods in the manufacturing of hydrogen gas, and the role of hydrogen in the future. This review paper will serve as a very good reference for hydrogen system engineering applications. The paper concludes with some suggestions for future research to help improve the technological efficiency of certain production methods, all with the goal of scaling up the hydrogen economy.

Social victimization, default mode network connectivity, and psychotic-like experiences in adolescents.

Social victimization (SV) and altered neural connectivity have been associated with each other and psychotic-like experiences (PLE). However, research has not directly examined the associations between these variables, which may speak to mechanisms of psychosis-risk. Here, we utilized two-year follow-up data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study to test whether SV increases PLE through two neural networks mediating socio-affective processes: the default mode (DMN) and salience networks (SAN). We find that a latent SV factor was significantly associated with PLE outcomes. Simultaneous mediation analyses indicated that the DMN partially mediated the SV-PLE association while the SAN did not. Further, multigroup testing found that while Black and Hispanic adolescents experienced SV differently than their White peers, the DMN similarly partially mediated the effect of SV on PLE for these racial groups. These cross-sectional results highlight the importance of SV and its potential impact on social cognitive neural networks for psychosis risk.

Assessment of higher demand of household energy consumption in different households in India: an inter-comparative study and solar savings valuation.

The present work focuses on a detailed inter-comparative assessment of household energy consumption (HEC) patterns for different Indian households including their living style and pattern of using clean energy fuels. This assessment has been done for cooking, heating, cooling, and transportation patterns in different households. It has been observed that the monthly income, family size, and house location have a significant effect on the monthly HEC of a specific household. Besides the complete assessment of HEC, results of the present study also show the potential of solar energy applications through which rural poor households and lower-income households can save approximately $10.77 to $14.36 monthly while urban households can save $17.95 to $29.92 monthly. Rural side medium-income households can save about $10.77 to $14.36 in cooking and about $11.97 to $16.76 monthly in space heating, cooling, and lighting, while urban medium-income households can save about $17.95 to $29.92 monthly. Likely, rural high-income households or rich households can save about $11.97 to $16.76 in cooking, and about $17.95 to $29.92 monthly in space heating, cooling, and lighting while urban high-income households can save about $29.92 to $53.86 monthly. Rich households can save up to $23.94 in cooking, and up to $95.75 monthly in space heating, cooling, and lighting. A complete formulization of the theoretical assessment of HEC has been discussed in this study.

Decision-making under risk and its correlates in schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) are associated with pervasive cognitive impairments, including deficits in decision-making under risk. However, there is inconclusive evidence regarding specific mechanisms underlying altered decision-making patterns. In this study, participants (33 SSD and 28 non-SSD) completed the Columbia Card Task, an explicit risk-taking task, to better understand risk preference and adjustment in dynamic decision-making. We found that while there is no group difference in overall risk-taking, risk preference, or optimal decision-making, risk adjustment to contextual factors (e.g., loss probability) is blunted in SSD. We also found associations between risk-taking/suboptimal decision-making and disorganized symptoms, excited symptoms, and role functioning, but no associations between decision-making and working memory. These results suggest that during a complex, dynamic risk-taking task, individuals with SSD exhibit less adaption to changing information about risk, which may reflect risk imperception.

Role of calcium nutrition in plant Physiology: Advances in research and insights into acidic soil conditions - A comprehensive review.

Plant mineral nutrition has immense significance for crop productivity and human well-being. Soil acidity plays a major role in determining the nutrient availability that influences plant growth. The importance of calcium (Ca) in biological processes, such as signaling, metabolism, and cell growth, underlines its critical role in plant growth and development. This review focuses on soil acidification, a gradual process resulting from cation leaching, fertilizer utilization, and drainage issues. Soil acidification significantly hampers global crop production by modifying nutrient accessibility. In acidic soils, essential nutrients, such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), and Ca become less accessible, establishing a correlation between soil pH and plant nutrition. Cutting-edge Ca nutrition technologies, including nanotechnology, genetic engineering, and genome sequencing, offer the potential to deliver Ca and reduce the reliance on conventional soluble fertilizers. These fertilizers not only contribute to environmental contamination but also impose economic burdens on farmers. Nanotechnology can enhance nutrient uptake, and Ca nanoparticles improve nutrient absorption and release. Genetic engineering enables the cultivation of acid-tolerant crop varieties by manipulating Ca-related genes. High-throughput technologies such as next-generation sequencing and microarrays aid in identifying the microbial structures, functions, and biosynthetic pathways involved in managing plant nutritional stress. The ultimate goal is to shed light on the importance of Ca, problems associated with soil acidity, and potential of emerging technologies to enhance crop production while minimizing the environmental impact and economic burden on farmers.

Cooking performance assessment of a phase change material integrated hot box cooker.

Previous research on solar box cookers focusing on the bulk usage of energy storage materials is a costly technique for performance enhancement. Bulk energy storage materials take much time to charge and, thus, result in a low rate of cooking at the start. Therefore, a hot box solar cooker has been developed and experimentally studied for thermal performance enhancement in a hilly region of Uttarakhand, India. A bed of phase change material (paraffin wax) filled with small capsule-shaped containers was prepared (detachable) and placed over the cooking tray of the tested cooker. These containers were vertically positioned over the bed to enhance the heat transfer rate inside the cooker to attain a fast-cooking response. Notably, the combined effect of extended geometry with PCM is an excellent method to increase the efficiency of a solar cooker. As per the author's knowledge, likely techniques have not been studied for a box cooker to achieve a fast-cooking rate in any hilly region up to date. The results of cooking tests show that the cooking plate attained a maximum temperature of about 150 °C. It is because of the combined effect of extended fins (vertical capsules) and PCM filled inside them. The results of the experimental study show that the thermal efficiency of the cooker was found to be about 45.7%, the cooking power was calculated about 54.71 W, the heat transfer coefficient was estimated about 311 W/m2 °C, and the overall heat loss coefficient was computed about 5.71 W/m2 °C. This modified cooker costs about $48.19, and the payback period is about 03 years and 11 months. Cooking trials also showed that the present SBC could cook almost all the dishes commonly cooked in Uttarakhand.

The sources, leaching, remediation, and environmental concerns associated with groundwater salinity.

Water resources management and sustainable development depend on the quality of groundwater as a major source of fresh water. As a result of rising water demand in emerging nations and overexploitation, groundwater quality has declined globally in many aquifers. One of the most significant elements that lower the quality of the groundwater is salinization. This review is to provide an overview of various materials that are used in the design and development of innovative chitosan-based nanocomposite polymeric membranes for desalination. Biodegradable, non-toxic, affordable, and easily available, with film-forming ability and poly-functionality, chitosan is an ideal material for a sustainable future. Membrane preparation for desalination using chitosan helps to provide antibacterial and antioxidant activities, great chelating capabilities, and strong adsorption capacity. In this research, we discuss a variety of concepts concerning the different sources of elevated salinity and available desalination methods. A comprehensive framework was also developed to understand the leaching and percolation of salt in groundwater, an essential component of managing risks and ensuring safety. Additionally, we explain the various remediation strategies for reducing groundwater's salt concentration and explore the best method for desalination specifically focused on chitosan.