Kuwait Journal of Science最新文献

{"title":"Viruses infecting soybean and molecular characterization of soybean mosaic virus isolates in the Black Sea Region of Turkiye","authors":"Ilyas Deligoz ,&nbsp;Mehmet A. Sevik ,&nbsp;Nazli D. Kutluk Yilmaz","doi":"10.1016/j.kjs.2024.100340","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.kjs.2024.100340","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Many viruses are known to infect and damage soybean (<em>Glycine max</em>) around the world. To detect viruses and determine their incidence, surveys were conducted in soybean fields in Samsun province located in the northern part of Türkiye for four consecutive years from 2014 to 2017. Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) and cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) were detected in soybeans after analyzing 444 leaf samples by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). SMV was the most prevalent virus, with an average of 13.9%, followed by CMV (3.6%), and SMV + CMV (0.9%) in this study. However, alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV), tobacco ringspot virus (TRSV), and tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) were not detected in any of the soybean samples tested. In this study, four SMV-infected samples were selected according to their location and the SMV isolates were molecularly analyzed based on P3 cistrons. Results showed that all SMV isolates were the same at the amino acid level in terms of P3 amino acid sequence when those isolates were compared. The BLAST analysis of the P3 cistron of the Turkish SB20, SC25, and STK1 isolates showed that they were most closely related to the German Salzlandkreis-2_17 isolate (99.71–99.62% nucleotide identity; 100% amino acid identity, respectively), while the other isolate, STR2, was more similar to the Iranian Ar33 and Lo3 isolates, the German Salzlandkreis-2_17, and the Dutch Summer Shell isolates (99.62% nucleotide identity; 100% amino acid identity, respectively). To our knowledge, this is the first report for SMV and CMV infection in soybean plants in the Black Sea Region and the first molecular characterization of SMV isolates in Türkiye.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17848,"journal":{"name":"Kuwait Journal of Science","volume":"52 1","pages":"Article 100340"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142701882","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A reappraisal of Mesozoic-Cenozoic sequence stratigraphy in Offshore Indus Basin, Pakistan","authors":"Tanveer Ahmed ,&nbsp;Khaista Rehman ,&nbsp;Muhammad Iqbal Hajana ,&nbsp;Sajjad Ahmed ,&nbsp;Syed Haroon Ali ,&nbsp;Qamar Yasin","doi":"10.1016/j.kjs.2024.100338","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.kjs.2024.100338","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Offshore Indus Basin is a passive continental margin and a frontier zone for hydrocarbon exploration based on structural and stratigraphic features observed on seismic data. In this study, the seismic and biostratigraphic framework is established using seismic data, geophysical well logs, along with biostratigraphic information to define the depositional sequences in the study region. A re-examination of the seismic data exhibits normal faults and a total of six seismic sequences ranging from Cretaceous to Quaternary. <em>Nummulites atacicus</em>, <em>Nummulites globulus</em>, <em>Discocyclina</em> sp., <em>Miscellanea miscella</em>, and <em>Ranikothalia</em> sp. are the major identified fauna in the Karachi South A1 well (2030–2724 m). The <em>Miscellanea miscella, Ranikothalia</em>, and <em>Discocyclina</em> sp. ages range from 55 to 56.5, 55–59, and 55–59 Ma respectively. Employing biostratigraphy, <em>Ranikothalia</em>/<em>Miscellanea miscella</em>/<em>Discocyclina</em> biozone (55–59 Ma), a single sequence, a third order cycle of deposition and transgressive and highstand system tracts have been recognized in the Karachi South A1 well. Linking biostratigraphic results to seismic stratigraphy indicates that the strata located in the range of 2030–2724 m is of the Ranikot (Paleocene) Formation and has been previously given Eocene age rather than the Paleocene using vintage seismic data. The environment of deposition of the Ranikot Formation in the Karachi South A1 well is the subtidal environment of the middle-shelf (30–45m depth) setting.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17848,"journal":{"name":"Kuwait Journal of Science","volume":"52 1","pages":"Article 100338"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-11-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142593349","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A comprehensive review of spatial distribution modeling of plant species in mountainous environments: Implications for biodiversity conservation and climate change assessment","authors":"Sadaf Safdar ,&nbsp;Isma Younes ,&nbsp;Adeel Ahmad ,&nbsp;Srikumar Sastry","doi":"10.1016/j.kjs.2024.100337","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.kjs.2024.100337","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Species Distribution Modelling (SDM) techniques, developed in the 1980s, have gained significant attention in recent years. These techniques are increasingly recognized as powerful tools to support forest management strategies in the context of climate change. This study presents a comprehensive literature review of SDM techniques in mountainous environments, utilizing remote sensing techniques and data. Forty-one published papers were reviewed, covering 25 years (1997–2022). The review explores various SDM techniques, the use of remotely sensed data, accuracy assessments, environmental variables, and the limitations and challenges of species distribution modeling in mountainous environments across different spatial scales. The study revealed that the most widely used SDM techniques were Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt), Random Forest (RF), and Generalized Linear Models (GLMs), with recent studies emphasizing machine learning. We describe different modeling algorithms, including presence-only and presence/absence modeling algorithms, machine-learning algorithms, distance-based algorithms, and regression-based algorithms. This study presents the first global literature review of SDM techniques in mountainous environments, emphasizing the necessity of considering the uncertainties associated with climate change scenarios. This study also argues the strengths and limitations of SDM techniques in mountainous environments. Despite limitations of SDM techqniues, the study found an increasing trend in their application in mountainous environments. Finally, this review aims to provide a valuable resource for forest managers, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers employed in forest conservation in mountainous environments around the globe.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17848,"journal":{"name":"Kuwait Journal of Science","volume":"52 1","pages":"Article 100337"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142527183","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The entropy-transformed Gompertz distribution: Distributional insights and cross-disciplinary utilizations","authors":"Tabassum Naz Sindhu ,&nbsp;Anum Shafiq ,&nbsp;Showkat Ahmad Lone ,&nbsp;Tahani A. Abushal","doi":"10.1016/j.kjs.2024.100335","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.kjs.2024.100335","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A novel two-parameter continuous model titled the entropy-transformed Gompertz (ETGPZ) distribution has been developed via the entropy transform. A new framework has been investigated and found to meet the criteria of the probability function. By significantly improving the functional shape and having the ability to model the most likely form of the hazard rate function, this new modification has increased the adaptability of the typical distribution. Some of its core characteristics, such as its statistical and computational features, are clearly presented. A thorough simulation analysis has been done to examine the final behavior of maximum likelihood estimators while estimating model parameters. We assess the performance and practical applicability of the ETGPZ distribution using eight real datasets from engineering and biomedical fields. The results demonstrate that the ETGPZ outperforms the baseline Gompertz (GPZ) distribution, highlighting its superiority and broader potential for various applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17848,"journal":{"name":"Kuwait Journal of Science","volume":"52 1","pages":"Article 100335"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142573045","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of groundwater quality of Al-Shagaya area (Kuwait) for irrigation and industrial purposes using water quality index and GIS techniques","authors":"Fawzia Al-Ruwaih,&nbsp;Redha Mohammad,&nbsp;Shafiullah Mohideen","doi":"10.1016/j.kjs.2024.100334","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.kjs.2024.100334","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Groundwater samples and pumping test data were analyzed from three selected fields (Fields B, C, and D) of the Dammam limestone aquifer (Al-Shagaya, Kuwait) to investigate their aquifer hydrogeological properties and reveal the main geochemical processes. The suitability for irrigation and industrial use was assessed by using water quality index (WQI) and determining the agricultural quality. The pumping tests revealed a confined to semi-confined aquifer, with transmissivity ranging between 4000 and 1.5x10⁶ Igpd/ft, and a storage coefficient of 2 to 4x10⁻⁴. The aquifer salinity ranged from 2403 to 5672 mg/l with Na₂SO₄ and CaSO₄ as the main chemical types. The values of WQI indicated that 18% of groundwater samples were of very good quality while 82% of the samples were of acceptable quality. This study has found that the groundwater of this area can be used for industrial and irrigation purposes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17848,"journal":{"name":"Kuwait Journal of Science","volume":"52 1","pages":"Article 100334"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142527182","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quantile-based robust Kibria–Lukman estimator for linear regression model to combat multicollinearity and outliers: Real life applications using T20 cricket sports and anthropometric data","authors":"Danish Wasim ,&nbsp;Muhammad Suhail ,&nbsp;Sajjad Ahmad Khan ,&nbsp;Maha Shabbir ,&nbsp;Fuad A. Awwad ,&nbsp;Emad A.A. Ismail ,&nbsp;Hijaz Ahmad ,&nbsp;Amjad Ali","doi":"10.1016/j.kjs.2024.100336","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.kjs.2024.100336","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The performance of ordinary least squares (OLS) and ridge regression (RR) are influenced when outliers are present in y-direction with multicollinearity among independent variables. The robust RR with ridge parameters provides a biased estimator that has a smaller variance than conventional OLS and RR estimators. The optimal value of the ridge parameter has a vital role in bias-variance tradeoff. This study proposes quantile-based estimation of ridge parameter in robust RR to deal with the joint issue of y-direction outliers and multicollinearity. The effectiveness of the proposed estimators is evaluated using intensive Monte Carlo simulation and two real data sets in terms of mean square error (MSE) and predictions sum of squared error (PSSE) criterion. Simulation findings reveal that the newly developed estimators of ridge parameter in robust RR have better performance than OLS, RR, and existing robust RR estimators when errors are normally and non-normally distributed. The results from two numerical examples of T20 Cricket sports and anthropometric data show that the new estimator with quantile probability 0.50 and 0.99 respectively has winning performance among all competing and proposed estimators.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17848,"journal":{"name":"Kuwait Journal of Science","volume":"52 1","pages":"Article 100336"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142527252","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A framework for automatically generating composite keywords for geo-tagged street images","authors":"Abdullah Alfarrarjeh ,&nbsp;Seon Ho Kim ,&nbsp;Jungwon Yoon","doi":"10.1016/j.kjs.2024.100333","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.kjs.2024.100333","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Due to the ubiquity of sensor-equipped cameras such as smartphones, images are associated with spatial metadata, including camera’s geographical location and viewing orientation, which can be used for automatically generating better semantic keywords about geo-tagged urban street images in addition to visual keywords extracted from image analysis. This study introduces a novel framework for auto-tagging images that integrates both spatial and visual properties to generate comprehensive and accurate tags. The framework operates through four phases: extraction, abstraction, composition, and assessment. Our research highlights the benefits of combining visual and spatial analyses, demonstrated through a case study using geo-tagged urban street images from Orlando, Pittsburgh, and Manhattan. Experimental results show that the proposed framework significantly enhances the accuracy of keyword-based searches compared to conventional methods. In particular, based on our experiments, image search using the tags generated by our proposed framework, referred to as descriptive tags, achieved an average precision improvement factor of 0.9 compared to conventional tags. Additionally, our proposed ranking algorithm, which extends the term frequency-inverse document frequency (TF-IDF) algorithm, resulted in improvement factors of 0.86 for mean average precision (MAP) and 0.57 for mean reciprocal rank (MRR). Moreover, our framework’s flexibility and robustness make it suitable for diverse applications, from smart cities to online shopping. The paper also includes a detailed evaluation and user study, confirming the precision and reliability of the generated tags.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17848,"journal":{"name":"Kuwait Journal of Science","volume":"52 1","pages":"Article 100333"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142552773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating the impact of biochar on methane gas emissions and its effect on enteric fermentation","authors":"Hana'a Burezq,&nbsp;Fatin Khalil","doi":"10.1016/j.kjs.2024.100332","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.kjs.2024.100332","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aims to evaluate the impact of biochar on methane gas emissions and to investigate its effect on enteric fermentation. Methane gas emissions from Naeemi ewes’ ruminants were measured, with animals divided into two groups, each containing 14 ewes. The treatment group was fed a combination of biochar and a basal ration, while the control group received the basal ration alone. The results demonstrate that the initial gas emission for both animal groups at day 0 was 1082 ppm, and the inclusion of biochar in the diet significantly (<em>P</em>&lt;0.05) reduced CH₄ gas emissions by 65.58 % to 78.39%. Furthermore, feeding Naeemi sheep with biochar and the basal ration led to a significant (<em>P</em>&lt;0.05) increase in body weight (63.66 kg) and growth rate (length: 79.3 cm, waist: 81.75 cm, and height: 99.76 cm) compared to the control group. Additionally, it raised the average body condition score (BCS) to 3.56, in contrast to the control group's score of 2.83, primarily due to the positive impact of biochar on fat gain. The study revealed that biochar enhances nutrient utilization, improves feed efficiency, and significantly reduces methane gas emissions in livestock. When incorporated into the sheep's diet, biochar can modify digestive processes and promote better nutrient absorption.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17848,"journal":{"name":"Kuwait Journal of Science","volume":"52 1","pages":"Article 100332"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142426679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of sol-gel synthesized α-aluminium oxide nanoparticles for the enhancement of transformer oil insulation properties","authors":"Venkatesh Yepuri,&nbsp;Palikela Ramachandramurthy","doi":"10.1016/j.kjs.2024.100331","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.kjs.2024.100331","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Transformers require advanced insulating materials that outperform mineral oil in terms of cooling, insulation effectiveness, eco-friendliness, and operational efficiency in extreme operational and weather conditions. As a result, emphasis has shifted to renewable and ecologically friendly materials. This change in emphasis is motivated by worries about the environment, fuel shortages, and the disposal of waste oil. Transformers have historically employed solid insulators like paper and pressboard as well as mineral or synthetic oil. However, the development of ecologically friendly insulating materials has been spurred by new environmental regulations as well as economic benefits. This research investigates the use of sol-gel synthesized aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃) nanoparticles to improve the insulation properties of host transformer oil. The synthesized aluminium nanoparticles were characterized with X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and found rhombohedral structure, whose chemical composition was studied by energy dispersive X-ray spectrum (EDAX). Investigation using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) also revealed the production of AlOOH and hydroxyl vibrational bands at wavenumbers of 690 and 2976 cm^-1, respectively. Studies using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) showed that the nanoparticles are spherical in form and have a diameter of around 38 nm. Additionally, the incorporation of α-aluminium oxide nanoparticles into the host oil showed an improvement in the breakdown voltage and suggested a possible use for better transformer oil insulation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17848,"journal":{"name":"Kuwait Journal of Science","volume":"52 1","pages":"Article 100331"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142426677","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fabrication of Cu-doped iron oxyhydroxide for phosphate removal: A comprehensive spectroscopic, equilibrium, and thermodynamic approach","authors":"Mabkhoot Alsaiari ,&nbsp;Muhammad Iqbal Zaman ,&nbsp;Abdul Niaz ,&nbsp;Sadullah Khan ,&nbsp;Sania Bibi ,&nbsp;Muhammad Ibrahim Khan ,&nbsp;Rehmat Ali Khan ,&nbsp;Jamie Morgan ,&nbsp;Abdulrahman Faraj Alharbi","doi":"10.1016/j.kjs.2024.100330","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.kjs.2024.100330","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Phosphate remediation from natural and wastewater systems is of great importance, and the use of adsorption and ion exchange processes are efficient means for its decontamination. In this study, pure and Cu-doped iron oxyhydroxide was synthesized by the co-precipitation method and was successfully applied for the decontamination of phosphate from aqueous solutions. The solid sample was characterized using a surface area analyzer, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), pH_iep, and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The results reveal that the surface area of iron oxyhydroxide increases from 35.1 m²/g to 126 m²/g with Cu ion doping, which may be due to the difference in ionic radii of Fe⁺³ (0.645 Å) vs. Cu⁺² (0.73 Å), thus creating crystal defects. The isoelectric point (pH_iep) for the Cu-doped sample was found to be 3.05 in 0.1M KNO₃ and decreased to 2.5 when treated with phosphate anions in solution. Elemental analyses confirmed by XPS indicated that 0.1% by weight Cu was incorporated into the doped iron oxyhydroxide, changing the overall surface parameters. The adsorption process was evaluated with different doses of Cu-doped iron oxyhydroxide, contact time, phosphate anion concentrations, and pH of solution over a range of temperatures (303–323K). The adsorption of phosphate increased with increasing phosphate anion concentrations and decrease with increase in temperature. Langmuir models fittedthe adsorption data well with a good correlation coefficient (R² = 0.99). The sorption maxima for pure iron oxyhydroxide were found to be 0.04 mmol/g at pH 3 and 303K. With Cu ion doping, sorption maxima increased elevenfold to 0.442 mmol g⁻¹ at 303K. Thermodynamic specifications indicated that the sorption process was spontaneous and endothermic in nature. Thermodynamic parameters were evaluated from the Langmuir constant X_m (mmol.g⁻¹) and B (L.mmol⁻¹). FT-IR analyses revealed that phosphate species were adsorbed via electrostatic interactions on the positive sites of the Cu-doped iron oxyhydroxide along with ion exchange mechanism on the surface of the solid.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17848,"journal":{"name":"Kuwait Journal of Science","volume":"52 1","pages":"Article 100330"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142527181","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}