The inherent complexity of adaptive mechanisms to salinity stress necessitates novel approaches to plant breeding. In rice, wide introgression is an approach that is yet to be fully exploited, especially from the not-so-distant species related to cultivars. We explored the genetic combining potential of the AA-genome wild species Oryza rufipogon, the closest progenitor of cultivated Oryza sativa ssp. japonica, to uncover physiological novelties for salinity tolerance created by transgressive effects. Comprehensive evaluation of a set of chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSL) for various physiometric traits revealed the occurrence of individuals transgressing the parental phenotypic range. This indicates that introgression of alien O. rufipogon genomic segments into O. sativa genomic background can alter the overall potential of the recipient by creating novel physiological attributes better than the donor or worse than the recipient. In-depth characterization of transgressive tolerant and transgressive sensitive CSSLs showed the occurrence of novel attributes in terms of energy balance and gas exchange that positively correlated with enhanced or reduced potential for salinity tolerance. Integrated morphological, physiological, biochemical, ionomic, genomic, and transcriptomic profiling revealed five genomic regions with QTL effects, and seven genes with putative eQTL effects that explain the occurrence of transgressive phenotypes. Genes with eQTL effects are associated with the regulation of cytokinin-mediated processes, MYB transcription factors, and transmembrane transport, that positively correlated with the maintenance of shoot biomass, regulation of stomatal conductance, and modulation of cellular homeostasis. The transgressive lines had non-parental expression patterns for eleven genes that originated from O. rufipogon. These genes gained new patterns of regulation (de-regulation effects) in the genomic background of O. sativa indicating the unleashing of cryptic functions through introgression.

The global capacity to meet the increasing demand for food and environmental services faces significant threats from land degradation. This study aims to gauge farmers' perceptions of land degradation and management practices. Utilizing a combination of primary and secondary sources, the research gathers precise information crucial for achieving its objectives. Employing descriptive research methodology allows for an in-depth exploration of the issue, capturing its nature and status comprehensively. The study employs both purposive sampling, a non-probability technique, and simple random sampling, a probability method, to select its samples. Data analysis, conducted using descriptive and inferential statistical methods with SPSS V20, reveals insights. The results, particularly from the chi-square test, demonstrate a positive correlation between awareness of land degradation causes and different age groups. Interestingly, farmers who accurately document their figures exhibit greater knowledge of land management techniques compared to those with limited literacy, indicating a significant association.

Introduction : With the recent Food and Drug Administration approval in February 2024 of the EVOQUE transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (TTVR) system, and with at least 15% occurrence of conductional disorder requiring pacemaker implant, there will be an increasing need to implant leadless devices across TTVR valves. We report a case where the use of a pulmonary artery (PA) catheter facilitated navigation of the delivery catheter across a newly implanted EVOQUE valve in a severely enlarged right atrium (RA) and resulted in a successful implantation of an AVEIR VR leadless pacemaker (LP). Methods and Results : An 81-year-old woman with persistent atrioventricular block following implant of an EVOQUE TTVR system was referred for an AVEIR VR LP implant. Because of a severely enlarged RA, deflection of the delivery catheter was not sufficient to reach and engage the TTVR lumen. Using a steerable introducer, a PA catheter was advanced through the TTVR and positioned in the right PA. An extra-stiff guidewire was advanced through the PA catheter to straighten and provide stiffness. By tethering the delivery catheter to the PA catheter using a 90-degrere loop snare, the delivery catheter was advanced through the TTVR, guided by the PA catheter that functioned as a rail. Once within the right ventricle, the delivery catheter was able to successfully implant the LP onto the apical septum. Conclusion : As both TTVR and LP implants become more widely performed, the need to implant LP devices in patients with TTVR valves will only increase. Implanting an LP through a TTVR valve can be challenging when there is severe RA enlargement and delivery catheter deflection is not sufficient to reach and engage the valve lumen. While changes in delivery catheter design may eventually provide more effective deflection range, using a PA catheter as a rail for the delivery catheter can be an effective technique.

In this paper, we study the highly dispersive nonlinear perturbation Schrödinger equation, which has arbitrary form of Kudryashov’s with sextic-power law refractive index and generalized non-local laws. For the equation has highly dispersive nonlinear terms and higher order derivatives, it cannot be integrated directly, so we build an integrable factor equation for the approximated equation and apply the trial equation method and the complete discrimination system for polynomial method to create new soliton solutions. On the other hand, we use the bifurcation theory to qualitatively analyze the equation and find the model has periodic solutions, bell-shaped soliton solutions and solitary wave solutions via phase diagrams. The topological stability of the solutions with respect to the parameters is explored in order to better understand the effect of parameters perturbations on the stability of the model’s solutions. Furthermore, we analyze the modulation instability and give the corresponding linear criterion. After accounting for external perturbation terms, we analyze the chaotic behaviors of the equation through the largest Lyapunov exponents and phase diagrams.

The aim of this paper is to derive many novel formulas involving the sum of powers of consecutive integers, the Bernoulli polynomials, the Stirling numbers and moments arise from conditional probability, moment generating functions and arithmetic functions by using the methods and techniques, which are used in discrete distributions in statistics such as uniform distribution, moment generating functions, and other probability distributions. Moreover, relations among the generalized Euler totient function, finite distributions containing special numbers and polynomials, discrete probability formula, and other special function are given. By using the Riemann zeta function and the Liouville's function, we derive a novel moment formula probability distribution on the set positive integers. Finally, by using approximation formulas for certain family of finite sums, approximation formulas for the sum of powers of consecutive integers involving the Bernoulli polynomials,and certain classes conditional probability involving the Laplace's rule of succession are derived.

not-yet-known not-yet-known not-yet-known unknown A Memristor-controlled CMOS reconfigurable true time delay circuit is introduced in this paper. The delay circuit includes 3 stages of g m -C all pass filter delay elements connected in cascade, and memristor-based tuneable DC voltage sources. The memristor value variation changes the DC bias voltage inputs of the delay elements, and thus controls the delay time indirectly: The memristor resistance changes in analogue from 10kΩ to 17 kΩ , changing the tuneable DC voltage source output from 584mV to 711mV DC voltage and the delay from 269ps to 632ps. The delay circuit can work in a frequency range from 50MHz to 1.6GHz with gain ripple smaller than 3dB. The resolvable delay time step across the delay range is < 8.7ps, troughing at as low as 0.4ps. A delay circuit working in the MHz region is also designed to compare the performance with the GHz circuit, and a memristor programming circuit is built to change the resistance levels of memristors.

In this paper, we present a method for the manipulation of objects in maritime environments, in particular for the transportation of objects between two docked ships using a 6-DoF robotic arm. The presented method uses RGBD camera mounted on the robot arm end effector to localize the object with respect to the robot arm base. The design of a gripper, and a control method based on force and torque measurements provide a robust method for picking up object, that can compensate the influence of relative ship motion due to waves and localization error. The components of the proposed method, as well as the entire manipulation procedure have been tested both in a laboratory environment and in a real-world maritime environments scenario and have shown that the solution works reliably.

There is great interest in alternative pollination strategies for crop production in the face of climate change and perennial threats to the traditional pollination mechanisms. This review explores the potential for robotic pollination in response to these challenges to crop fertilization and global food production. Herein we describe the viability of novel robotic systems equipped with artificial intelligence and machine vision, as alternatives to traditional insect pollination. We examine the technological progress and challenges for both aerial and ground-based robotic artificial pollination systems and emphasize the need for continued research and development in this area to ensure sustainable agricultural productivity. This paper highlights the importance of robotic pollination as a practical and environmentally sustainable approach in modern agriculture, amidst burgeoning ecological threats and a dwindling agricultural workforce.

All- trans retinoic acid (atRA), bioactive component of vitamin A, plays a pivotal role in various biological processes. Essential for embryonic development, bone growth and maintenance, and immune function, atRA exerts its regulatory effects primarily through its interaction with the nuclear receptor RARα. Upon binding to RARα, atRA enters the nucleus and forms a heterodimer with RXR. This heterodimer can then interact with various transcription factors to form regulatory complexes that influence gene expression. While the role of atRA in regulating the type 2 immune response has been studied, the role atRA in Th2 cell differentiation is warranted to fully elucidate its mechanisms and potential therapeutic applications. Our study shows that atRA suppressed Th2 phenotype by down-regulating type 2 transcription factors such as Spi1 and cMaf. atRA also down-regulated IL-4 and IL-13 production in Th2 cells, potentially by up-regulating Gfi1, a transcriptional repressor. atRA increased the Gfi1 recruitment to the Il4 and Il13 promoters, along with the common enhancer Ecr. RARα, which is typically an inducer of Il4 and Il13, was observed to decrease recruitment to these loci in atRA-treated Th2 cells. Comparative gene expression analysis revealed a reduction in inflammatory responses in atRA-treated Th2 cells. Furthermore, these cells exhibited a negative correlation with epigenetic modifications, nuclear receptor activity among other biological processes. Collectively, our findings suggest that atRA can effectively suppress the Th2 phenotype in vitro, through the regulation of key type 2 transcription factors and associated biological pathways, indicating its potential therapeutic implications for limiting type 2 immune responses.

This review synthesizes the role of Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (A.a) in modulating immune responses through citrullination and assesses its impact on periodontitis and systemic conditions. A systematic review was conducted on preclinical and clinical studies focusing on Pg- and A.a-induced citrullination and its effects on immune responses, particularly inflammatory pathways and on systemic diseases. The search included PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and gray literature. Quality and risk of bias were assessed using OHAT Rob Toll and QUIN-Tool. The review is registered in PROSPERO (ID: CRD42024579352). 18 articles published up to August 2024 were included. Findings show that Pg and A.a citrullination modulates immune responses, leading to neutrophil dysfunction and chronic inflammation. Key mechanisms include citrullination of antimicrobial peptides, CXCL10, histone H3, α-enolase, and C5a, impairing neutrophil activation and promoting NET formation. This review suggests that Pg and A.a citrullination modulates immune responses and may influence periodontitis and systemic conditions like RA. Beyond ACPA production, these pathogens affect key proteins such as H3, C5a, and CXCL10, as well as antimicrobial peptides, NET formation, and phagocytosis. These interactions lead to neutrophil dysfunction and potentially affect other cells, subsequently disrupting local and systemic inflammatory responses.

Rotary Friction Welding (RFW) plays a crucial role in manufacturing components for automotive and marine applications. However, the low-cycle fatigue life of dissimilar welded joints made of carbon steel alloys, specifically C35 and C45, remains insufficiently understood. This study aims to bridge this gap by evaluating how RFW parameters affect the fatigue life of these materials, using both experimental and modelling approaches. A series of axial low-cycle fatigue tests were conducted on base metals and RFW specimens under varying friction pressures, revealing a direct correlation between friction pressure and fatigue strength coefficient. The fatigue life was initially modelled using the Coffin-Manson equation, validated with established methods, and subsequently refined using an Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS). The ANFIS model was developed to predict fatigue life under different stress and strain conditions, providing enhanced prediction accuracy compared to traditional empirical models. Results demonstrated that increased friction pressure significantly enhances fatigue life and strengthens weld interfaces. Detailed microstructural analysis further supported the observed improvements in fatigue performance. This research provides comprehensive insights into optimizing RFW parameters to improve the fatigue performance of both similar and dissimilar carbon steel joints. By integrating empirical, experimental, and ANFIS-based modelling, the findings offer practical guidelines for selecting optimal welding conditions in industrial applications, potentially reducing costs associated with extensive fatigue testing and improving component longevity.

Introduction: Leptomeningeal disease (LMD) in diffuse midline gliomas can lead to devastating symptoms such as severe pain, urinary incontinence, and tetraparesis, with limited treatment options. In the present study, we determined whether the detection of H3F3A K27M-mutant droplets in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) could serve as a reliable biomarker for the detection of LMD in diffuse midline gliomas. Methods: Twenty-four CSF samples were obtained from 21 diffuse midline glioma patients. Histological confirmation of H3F3A K27M mutation was obtained in 9 (42.8%) cases. ctDNA was extracted from CSF, and H3F3A K27M-mutant and wildtype droplets were detected using digital droplet PCR (ddPCR). LMD was diagnosed by CSF cytology and/or pre- and post-contrast head and whole spine MR imaging. Results: The number of H3F3A K27M-mutant droplets (median 7 [range 0-297] vs median 0 [range 0-2]; p <.0001) and variant allele frequency (VAF) (median 50.0% [range 7.5-87.5%] vs median 0.0% [range 0.0-40.0%]; p <.0001)) were significantly higher in the LMD/early LMD group compared to no LMD group. In two cases (Case 4 and Case 11) without clinical evidence of LMD, multiple H3F3A K27M-mutant droplets were detected in the CSF ctDNA. In those cases, extensive spinal dissemination was detected 175 and 176 days after the initial liquid biopsy. One case (Case 15) with high Schlafen11 (SLFN11) expression in the tumor responded well to treatment for LMD and survived for 532 days after the diagnosis of LMD. Conclusion: This study provides evidence that detecting H3F3A K27M-mutant droplets in CSF ctDNA is diagnostic for LMD and is more sensitive than traditional methods such as CSF cytology and MR imaging.

Burkitt’s lymphoma (BL) is a non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) type fast growing neoplasm of the B-cells and is one of the most common subtypes of paediatric lymphomas. A case of 5 years old female presenting with pain and abnormal teeth mobility in the mandible and swelling of right eye. The initial presentation coincided with multiple organ involvement and urgent referral to Oncology was made. Chemotherapy was initiated and patient was in remission within two months, remains in remission 22 months later. This case reports stresses on dentists and GP recognising signs of abnormal presentations and referring to relevant specialities to ensure early detection and management.

not-yet-known not-yet-known not-yet-known unknown Empirical evidence suggests engagement with nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) serves to regulate emotions, though there is controversy surrounding specific mechanisms by which this occurs, partially because of limited ability to observe the behavior within a laboratory setting. Although behavioral analogues (e.g., pressure, cold) have found support for the role of pain in affect regulation, they have neglected other potential processes, including viewing one’s wound and seeing blood. In a virtual reality paradigm, participants were randomly assigned to either a “see blood” ( n = 35) or “no blood” ( n = 29) condition following a negative mood induction to simulate the experience of self-cutting. Positive (PA) and negative affect (NA) were assessed at baseline, post-induction, and post-NSSI. Analyses failed to support differential changes in both NA and PA following engagement with NSSI between conditions, though NA increased significantly post-NSSI across conditions. Results from this study provide no evidence to suggest viewing blood alone (i.e., without pain) is an integral part of emotion regulation processes associated with NSSI. Unexpected mood worsening following virtual reality NSSI simulation raises questions about the utility of this paradigm for studying the affect regulation functions of NSSI above and beyond existing methods (e.g., EMA). However, qualitative evidence and follow-up assessments suggest it is a feasible and safe way to study NSSI within a laboratory setting. Future research is needed to adjust virtual reality procedures for NSSI to make the experience more realistic (e.g., adding pressure) and to clarify whether it can capture established affect regulation functions of NSSI.

The stochastic approximation based control law has been proved to be a powerful tool to achieve the robust distributed coordinated control for multi-agent systems (MASs) with uncertain disturbances in fixed or balanced time-varying network. However, its effectiveness proof in unbalanced time-varying networks is not well solved. The main contribution of this paper is solving this problem in two typical coordinated control problems based on a time-varying quadratic Lyapunov function. Firstly, the stochastic approximation for consensus problem of discrete-time single-integrator MASs with additive noises is studied. We build the weak consensus, mean square and almost sure consensus conclusion under the assumption that the time-varying network is uniformly strongly connected (USC) by adopting the stochastic approximation based consensus protocol. The convergence rate of the weak consensus is also quantified. Secondly, the stochastic approximation for formation control problem of MASs with relative-position information in the plane as an application of the built consensus conclusion is studied. We show that the stochastic approximation based formation control law can be used to achieve the desired formation for MASs if the network is USC. We finally give numerical simulations to verify the correctness of the conclusion.

not-yet-known not-yet-known not-yet-known unknown Background: Internet gaming disorder, sometimes referred to as IGD, is an emerging diagnosis. IGD is ”a pattern of gaming behaviour (”digital-gaming” or ”video-gaming”) characterized by impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming over other activities to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other interests and daily activities, and continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences.” Aim: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and predictors of internet gaming disorder among adolescents in Al-Baha City. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among the Saudi population in Al-Baha City. The data was collected over three months from January to March 2023 using a web-based structured questionnaire with a sample size of 375 participants and the data was analyzed using SPSS. Results: The majority of study participants (58.7%) were females and (41.3%) were males, IGD prevalence among adolescents in Al Baha city was 16.3%, with a higher frequency among males. at the same time, 83.7% of them had no IGD. Conclusion: This study concluded that IGD prevalence among adolescents in Al Baha city was relatively moderate compared to previous studies with a higher frequency among males. Significant relationships existed between age, gender, educational level, and IGD. Additionally, gender and neglect of personal hygiene were positive predictors of IGD. Recommendation: The current study recommends conducting more research in the Al-Baha region to generalize the results, conducting research on how to control the spread of Internet gaming disorder, conducting health education programs on healthy gaming behaviours and designing and implementing innovative interventions for adolescents with Internet gaming disorder.

Combined heat and power (CHP) systems are among the important components for enhancing energy efficiency and sustainability by simultaneously generating electricity and useful thermal energy, reducing waste and costs. Consequently, the effective control of these systems is considered important. To that end, this paper provides a comprehensive review of the intelligent methodologies applied to CHP systems, emphasizing their prevalence in the USA and Europe through statistical insights. It outlines the mathematical foundations of CHP systems, analyzing the advancements in intelligent control methods for optimal planning, economic dispatch, and cost minimization. Artificial Intelligence (AI) models, such as Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Bidirectional LSTM (BiLSTM), and Random Forest, are described and applied to a simulated CHP system. The Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) derived from these models demonstrate their efficacy for optimizing CHP performance. This paper also highlights the impact of AI-driven models for enhancing CHP system efficiency, while identifying the challenges in AI-CHP integration and envisioning CHP systems as important components of future sustainable energy systems.

Objective: ePrescriptions are associated with increased patient satisfaction, decreased provider burden, decreased administrative costs, and a positive impact on planetary health. We aimed to attain 20% overall usage of ePrescriptions in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (OHNS) at the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) by December 2023. Method: This project followed the Institute for Healthcare Improvement model and used a pre-post intervention design. A root-cause analysis identified potential obstacles to ePrescribing. Change ideas, including educational seminars, surveys, quarterly reporting of ePrescription usage, and public encouragement of top ePrescribers in the department, were implemented and tested using Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles. ePrescription usage and carbon footprint savings associated with ePrescriptions were measured. Provider and patient satisfaction surveys were conducted as balancing measures for perception of increased burden on providers. Results: During the pre-intervention and post-intervention phases, a total of 400 and 1000 ePrescriptions were prescribed by the department, respectively. There was a statistically significant increase in the mean proportion of ePrescription used before (mean: 9.7%; sd=7.6) and after (mean: 40.7%; sd=6.4) the intervention (p<0.001), which exceeded the goal. SPC charting suggested special cause variation, signifying a statistically significant improvement. Additionally, a reduction of 125.9 lbs of CO 2 equivalents was associated with ePrescription use. 66.7% of providers rated overall satisfaction with ePrescriptions at 7/10 or higher, and 76.9% indicated that patients either sometimes, usually, or always opted for ePrescriptions when given the choice. Conclusion: Our change ideas increased ePrescription usage in an academic OHNS department and was associated with increased planetary health savings and provider satisfaction.

Paraquat poisoning is a critical and frequently lethal condition due to its extreme toxicity, especially concerning lung health. This case report outlines the clinical journey and treatment of a 33-year-old Iranian male who survived significant ingestion of paraquat, an occurrence that is generally linked to unfavorable outcomes. The patient was admitted after a suicide attempt involving paraquat, presenting symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and erythematous rashes. Despite receiving immediate and intensive treatment—including hemodialysis, antioxidant therapy, and comprehensive supportive care—the patient experienced acute lung injury on the fifth day of hospitalization, as confirmed by computed tomography (CT) scans. This case highlights the vital role of early intervention and ongoing monitoring in the management of paraquat poisoning, particularly in reducing the risk of severe complications like lung injury. Although the patient was ultimately discharged in stable condition, the development of lung damage emphasizes the necessity for further research into more effective therapies for paraquat toxicity. This report adds to the limited clinical knowledge surrounding paraquat poisoning, offering valuable insights for healthcare providers dealing with similar cases.

not-yet-known not-yet-known not-yet-known unknown Introduction: Evidence from multiple data sources indicates that toxocariasis might play a role in the allergic asthma in children. This case-control study investigated the connection between Toxocara seropositivity and allergic asthma. It also sought to identify the conventional risk factors associated with both asthma and Toxocara infection. Methods: In this case-control study, 200 allergic asthma children, and 208 children with no history of allergic asthma were included as the healthy group. Sera samples were examined for specific anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies using a serological assay. Results: The overall prevalence of toxocariasis was 6.9% among children. The seroprevalence of toxocariasis in asthmatic children and healthy children was 8% and 5.8% respectively, with no significant difference (P-value= 0.373). In subgroup analyses based on sociodemographic, Toxocara infection seropositivity was significantly associated with two independent variables, including the father’s occupation (P-value = 0.017) and soil contact in asthmatic children (P-value = 0.033). Conclusions: Our results showed a higher prevalence of Toxocara infection in asthmatic children compared to healthy controls, but this difference was not statistically significant. To gain a clearer understanding and comparison of Toxocara infection rates between asthmatic and healthy children, additional comprehensive studies with larger sample sizes and diverse detection methods using different antigenic sources are required.

The performance of neural models designed for language generation and comprehension depends heavily on the quality of the data used for training. High-quality datasets enable models to better generalize, while noisy, redundant, or irrelevant data can significantly hinder learning, leading to inefficiencies and reduced accuracy. A novel automated data filtering system has been introduced, offering a method to systematically refine large-scale datasets through objective metrics, such as perplexity and entropy, ensuring the retention of only the most relevant and diverse data for training. The system demonstrates substantial improvements in computational efficiency, reducing training time while enhancing model performance across key metrics like perplexity and BLEU scores. By removing low-value data and preserving linguistic diversity, the filtering approach highlights the importance of data curation in building more robust and scalable models. Empirical results indicate that models trained with filtered datasets consistently outperform those trained with unfiltered data, offering insights into more efficient methods for dataset preparation in language model development.

Abstract It is possible that humans may never find a neural mechanism that measures the number of action potentials on the scale of neurons. For the cerebral cortex, neurons are merely geometric points without spatial characteristics. No matter when or from which direction a neural signal arrives, the signal expression of a neuron within a neural region is unique. This unique neural signal expression is determined by the properties of the neuron, which in turn are determined by the neurotransmitters it secretes. In the universe, any complete space can be expressed as z = a + bi, where a is the observable part by humans, the real part of z, and bi is the unobservable part, the imaginary part. In the human brain, the real and imaginary parts can transform into each other, forming neural responses in the brain. If the cerebral cortex is a two-dimensional plane structure, then the neural projection structure constitutes the third dimension, and all the neural inhibitory signals form the fourth-dimensional structure of the human brain. At any given moment in the cerebral cortex, the prerequisites for the existence of consciousness include the following: some excited neurons have consistent action potential waveforms and phases, the structure between the excited neurons is continuous, and the biological characteristics of the neurons are fully expressed

The locus coeruleus (LC) neurons send extensive projections to the somatosensory cortex and release noradrenaline (NA) at synaptic terminals, which is thought to regulate the activation of sensory-related cells by acting on three types of receptors (α1, α2 and β). Although previous studies have examined the effects of LC stimulation on single-unit sensory neurons, their impact on somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) and their temporal variations, as well as the specific roles of NA receptors remain unclear. Herein, we investigated how SEPs are modulated by tonic LC stimulation at physiological frequencies (0.1, 1 and 4 Hz) and identified the receptors involved in these changes. Forepaw stimulation-induced amplitudes in SEP were enhanced in response to 1 Hz stimulation of the LC but not in response to 0.1 and 4 Hz stimulation. Interestingly, the enhancement of SEPs after LC stimulation persisted for tens of minutes following the cessation of stimulation. Optical imaging using a voltage-sensitive dye showed an increase in the depolarizing response in the somatosensory cortex after 1 Hz stimulation. Prazosin (α1 receptor antagonist) and propranolol (β receptor antagonist) inhibited SEP enhancement following 1 Hz LC stimulation, whereas yohimbine (α2 receptor antagonist) had no effect. This suggests that the observed enhancement in SEP observed is primarily mediated by the activation of cortical excitatory α1 and β receptors. These findings provide insight into the impact of the NA system on sensory information processing as well as the pathophysiology of sensory disorders related to the disruption of the NA system.

Saline stress poses a significant threat to agricultural productivity worldwide, particularly in salt-affected regions. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) with halotolerant properties offer a sustainable solution to mitigate this challenge. This study focuses on the isolation, screening, and characterization of halotolerant bacteria from saline environments to enhance plant growth under saline conditions. Bacterial strains were isolated from rhizosphere soils collected from saline-affected agricultural fields in Thanjavur and Pudukkottai districts, Tamil Nadu. The isolates were screened for their ability to tolerate varying sodium chloride concentrations (0 M to 2.5 M) and assessed for plant growth-promoting traits, including indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production, phosphate, potassium, and zinc solubilization. Further characterization of the isolates focused on their sodium uptake, exopolysaccharide production, and biofilm formation mechanisms critical for survival in saline environments. Molecular identification via 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that the isolates belong to the Bacillus genus, known for their plant growth-promoting capabilities. In conclusion, these halotolerant PGPB hold potential as eco-friendly bio-inoculants to alleviate saline stress in crops, offering a sustainable approach to improving agricultural productivity in salt-affected soils. This research underscores the potential of halotolerant PGPB in developing resilient agricultural practices.