bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Contest Between Religious Interests and Business Interests ‒ TFD Network Africa (Pty) Ltd v Faris (2019) 40 ILJ 326 (LAC)
Authors: ME Manamela
Published: March 2021

The right to freedom of religion is one of the fundamental human rights. This is evident from several sections of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (the Constitution), including sections 9, 15 and 31. Section 9(4) prohibits unfair discrimination (whether direct or indirect) against anyone on one or more of the grounds listed in section 9(3), which includes religion. Section 15(1) states that everyone has the right to freedom of conscience, religion, thought, belief and opinion, while section 31(1)(a) provides that persons belonging to a religious community may not be denied the right to practise their religion with other members of the community.In line with the Constitution, labour legislation such as the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 (LRA) and the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 (EEA) also protects this right. Section 187(1)(f) of the LRA provides that if an employee is discriminated against and is dismissed based on religion, among other grounds, such a dismissal will be deemed to be an automatically unfair dismissal. Section 6(1) of the EEA prohibits unfair discrimination, whether direct or indirect, in any employment policy or practice based on prohibited grounds such as religion. It is evident from all the above provisions that the right to freedom of religion is vital to people’s lives, including employees’ lives.Although an employee has the right to practise religion, he or she also has the common-law duty to render services or to put his or her labour potential at the disposal of the employer as agreed in terms of the contract of employment – except during the employee’s annual leave, sick leave and maternity leave.  An employee may therefore be in breach of this duty if he or she refuses to work or deserts his or her employment or absconds from his or her employment or is absent from work without permission. In addition to the above duty, employees have a duty to serve the employer’s interests and to act in good faith.

Often, employees’ right to freedom of religion collides with their duty to render services and to serve the employer’s interests; employees present various reasons related to their religious practices for their failure to render services. As a result, employers are regularly required to be lenient and make efforts to accommodate employees’ religious beliefs in the workplace. At times, this becomes a burden to employers as they have to accommodate employees with diverse individual religious interests, but also ensure that their businesses remain operational. Religion remains one of the most contentious and problematic areas for employees and employers to deal with in the workplace.The discussion that follows evaluates the court’s finding in view of relevant constitutional provisions, labour law legislation and common law. It further considers the position under American law regarding religion and reasonable accommodation in the workplace.
Duress by Indirect Circumstances in English and South African Law: A Comparison – R v Brandford [2017] 2 All ER 43; [2016] EWCA Crim 1794
Authors: Samantha Goosen
Published: March 2021

While duress by means of direct threats can provide a defence in criminal law, the legal question is whether threats conveyed indirectly are capable of providing a valid defence in criminal law. More specifically, can indirect threats then also be used as a means of defending another party’s interests that are under attack? There appears to be both academic support and precedent to answer this question in the affirmative.
“El día del Señor, grande y terrible”: El poder de las emociones y el lenguaje emotivo en los textos bíblicos apocalípticos
Authors: J. Klingbeil Chantal , A. Klingbeil. Gerald
Published: March 2021

Este estudio se centra en el poco explorado campo de las emociones y el lenguaje emotivo en la literatura apocalíptica bíblica, concentrándose en textos seleccionados de Daniel y Apocalipsis. Los autores de este estudio presuponen la naturaleza integral de los seres humanos. El estudio ofrece una definición operativarespecto a las emociones e intenta hacer una breve revisión de cómo estas funcionan. Luego analiza algunas expresiones emocionales negativas y positivas seleccionadas de los libros apocalípticos de Daniel (centrándose en los capítulos 7 al 12) y Apocalipsis, así como algunas de las respuestas emotivas que el lector de estos libros es animado a experimentar. Finalmente, se ofrecen algunas conclusiones tentativas que surgen de esta investigación pionera.
Jornada Universitária em Defesa da Reforma Agrária: contribuições da Psicologia Social Comunitária
Authors: Figueiredo Gislayne Cristina , Sewo Mírian Toshiko , Rocha Ribeiro Rosa Lúcia , De Barros Amailson Sandro
Published: March 2021

OBJETIVO: Este trabalho é um relato de experiência que tem como objetivo apresentar o processo de organização da 2ª Jornada Universitária em Defesa da Reforma Agrária (JURA), ocorrida na Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT), a qual foi construída seguindo os princípios da Educação Popular e da Psicologia Social Comunitária, e que visou constituir-se como espaço de discussão de temas afetos à questão agrária e à transformação social, possibilitar a inserção das populações tradicionais e dos movimentos sociais na universidade e propiciar a aproximação entre o saber tradicional e o conhecimento científico. CASUÍSTICA: A abordagem teórico-metodológica adotada para a condução organizativa e a realização da JURA permitiu a construção de um espaço que fomentou a participação em condições igualitárias e dialógicas entre os membros da comunidade acadêmica e os participantes de movimentos sociais, os quais compuseram a comissão de organização do evento. CONSIDERAÇÕES FINAIS: Conclui-se pela validade de se aplicar os princípios e metodologias da Educação Popular e da Psicologia Social Comunitária aos processos de construção de atividades na academia, haja vista que estes possibilitaram potencializar o diálogo e o fortalecimento coletivo em torno dos objetivos do evento, em um processo que se configurou como educativo e emancipatório.
Assessment of Myoelectric Manifestations of Muscle Fatigue During Repetitive Isometric Voluntary Contraction in Boys Aged 12-14
Authors: Samanta Abir , Mukherjee Sabyasachi
Published: March 2021

Aim: To study the peculiarity of electromyography signal characteristics alternation using different sEMG parameters during repetitive voluntary isometric fatiguing contraction in adolescent boys. 
Materials and methods. 12 subjects with height 148.75 ± 10 cm; Mass 38.9 ± 7.9 kg; age – 12 to 14 years were recruited. The sEMG signal alteration of external oblique, rectus abdominis, erector spinae muscles during a fatiguing plank were analyzed. A separate one-way repeated measures ANOVA was used to test the statistical significance of task time and electromyography parameters of the global core muscle in the pre-, during- and post-fatigue plank test. One-way Friedman ANOVA was applied for Shapiro-Wilk p < 0.05. The Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient with bivariate linear regressions analysis was performed between the pre-pre fatigue and post-post fatigue amplitude mean and standard deviation values. The Spearman correlation coefficient between amplitude and endurance time both in the pre- and post-fatigue state was conducted. 
Results. The mean value of rectified amplitude increased (p < 0.05) for all muscles, the standard deviation of amplitude and total spectral power increased significantly (p < 0.05) for all muscles except the erector spinae muscle (p > 0.05). The power at normalized low frequency significantly changed (p = 0.05) in the erector spinae muscle. A significant change in normalized low frequency for agonist/synergist (p = 0.02) and agonist/antagonist muscles (p = 0.05) was observed. The average amplitude value had a significant positive and linear relationship with the amplitude variability both in the pre- to post-fatigue state, except the erector spinae muscle. The time to task failure was not correlated (p > 0.05) with the sEMG amplitude. 
Conclusions. Increased sEMG amplitude resulted mainly from rapid additional motor unit recruitment and rate coding during muscle fatigue. The reduction of conduction velocity might affect the spectral power with a spectral shift towards low-frequency. Increased variability, agonist/antagonist co-activity during fatiguing contraction might extend the holding time. The postural fatiguing task/plank increases multiarticular joint function by involving several joints and muscles, increases variability in the contribution of synergist muscles. This factor provides an intuitive explanation about the absence of a relationship between endurance time and sEMG amplitude changes.
Share of Strength Parameters of Bench Press and Barbell Bench Pull on a Horizontal Bench in Sports Performance in Kayak Disciplines
Authors: Broďáni Jaroslav , Dvořáčková Natália , Czaková Monika , Malík Zdenek , Lopata Peter
Published: March 2021

The objective of the study was to deal with the ratio of the parameters of maximum muscle power and power endurance and explain their contribution to the sports performance in kayak disciplines of Slovakia National Team members.
Material and methods. Strength parameters were monitored by Tendo Power Analyser in the barbell bench press and pull on a horizontal bench. A diagnostic series of maximum power and effective repetition test for power endurance was performed at both, barbell bench press and bench pull exercises. Determining the factors limiting sports performance in kayak disciplines 200 meters, 500 meters, 1,000 meters, 5,000 meters, and marathon 21,500 meters, the evaluation of dependence between all power variables were used. The stepwise regression was used to reduce the indicators. 
Results. It was found out that in kayak sprint disciplines (200 meters, 500 meters) the sports performance in the kayak is influenced by the barbell bench pull more than bench press on the horizontal bench when speaking about the strength parameters. In the middle-distance disciplines (1,000 meters), the ratio of strength parameters is balanced. As the length of kayak disciplines increases (5,000 meters and 21,500 meters), the ratio of strength parameters has changed in favor of the barbell bench press.
From the parameters of maximum muscle performance and muscle endurance measured in the barbell bench press and pull on a horizontal bench, the average power of power endurance was demonstrated to explain the sports performance in kayak disciplines. 
Conclusion. From the parameters of maximum power and power endurance in the bench press and bench pull in all kayak disciplines, the parameter of average power in power endurance was proved to explain sports performance. Knowledge of these factors will allow optimizing the content of sports training of kayakers, the process of developing their strength skills, and their transformation process into a structure of sports performance and kayaking paddling technique.
Bone morphogenetic protein 2: heterologous expression and potential in bone regeneration
Authors: Mesa Restrepo Andrea , Fernando Alzate Juan , Patiño Gonzalez Edwin Bairon
Published: March 2021

Currently, bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) is one of the two osteoinductive growth factors used in medical devices to promote bone formation. Typically, this protein is bought from commercial houses at high rates and in small quantities that are not enough to cover clinical needs. Because of this, it has been proposed that research centers use their own heterologous expression systems to have a constant supply of BMP-2. The aim of this study was to standardize the heterologous expression of BMP-2 and evaluate its osteoinductive activity in vitro. Our procedure for expression and purification was based on recombinant DNA technology using the plasmid pET-28 and IPTG as inductor. After extracting the protein from inclusion bodies, folding it and modifying it via a redox system, we observed via electrophoresis a 26 kDa dimer. We evaluated its osteoinductive activity in myoblastic C2C12 by quantifying enzymatically the activity of alkaline phosphate (ALP) and staining mineralization nodules. ALP activity is proportional to BMP-2 concentration, increasing 90% at 3 µg/mL. These cells form calcium nodules, mineralizing 50% of the area.
Social Encounter by Experiment? Potentials and Pitfalls of Real-World Labs for Urban Planning
Authors: Räuchle Charlotte
Published: March 2021

This article explores the potential of real-world labs (RWLs) and real-world experiments (RWEs) to be a fruitful addition to established approaches in urban planning in Germany. While transdisciplinary and transformative RWLs rooted in socio-ecological sustainability studies have become an important tool for experimenting with innovative solutions for environmental challenges in cities, RWLs aimed at improving social cohesion in neighbourhoods and fostering a communal life characterised by dialogue and solidarity are rare. To this latter aim, this article contributes with research experience from a transdisciplinary RWL on cooperative urban open space development seeking to foster social cohesion in super-diverse neighbourhoods in Germany. This article analyses the contradictory perceptions of the local stakeholders involved as regards the potentials of RWEs to be a meaningful addition to established planning practices. This article makes it clear that there is greater proximity between urban planning theory, practice, and RWEs than initially assumed. Nevertheless, RWEs have considerable potential as a positive complement to established approaches to urban planning and as a means of experimenting with open-ended encounter formats in neighbourhoods.
Urban Planning by Experiment at Precinct Scale: Embracing Complexity, Ambiguity, and Multiplicity
Authors: Sharp Darren , Raven Rob
Published: March 2021

Urban living labs have emerged as spatially embedded arenas for governing urban transformation, where heterogenous actor configurations experiment with new practices, institutions, and infrastructures. This article observes a nascent shift towards experimentation at the precinct scale and responds to a need to further investigate relevant processes in urban experimentation at this scale, and identifies particular challenges for urban planning. We tentatively conceptualise precincts as spatially bounded urban environments loosely delineated by a particular combination of social or economic activity. Our methodology involves an interpretive systematic literature review of urban experimentation and urban living labs at precinct scale, along with an empirical illustration of the Net Zero Initiative at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, which is operationalising its main campus into a living lab focussed on precinct-scale decarbonisation. We identify four processual categories relevant to precinct-scale experimentation: embedding, framing, governing, and learning. We use the empirical illustration to discuss the relevance of these processes, refine findings from the literature review and conclude with a discussion on the implications of our article for future scholarship on urban planning by experiment at precinct scale.
How Cities Learn: From Experimentation to Transformation
Authors: Evans James , Vácha Tomáš , Kok Henk , Watson Kelly
Published: March 2021

Cities must change rapidly to address a range of sustainability challenges. While urban experimentation has prospered as a framework for innovation, it has struggled to stimulate broader transformation. We offer a novel contribution to this debate by focusing on what municipalities learn from experimentation and how this drives organisational change. The practicalities of how municipalities learn and change has received relatively little attention, despite the recognised importance of learning within the literature on urban experiments and the central role of municipalities in enabling urban transformation. We address this research gap, drawing on four years of in-depth research coproduced with European municipal project coordinators responsible for designing and implementing the largest urban research and innovation projects ever undertaken. This cohort of professionals plays a critical role in urban experimentation and transformation, funnelling billions of Euros into trials of new solutions to urban challenges and coordinating large public-private partnerships to deliver them. For our respondents, learning how to experiment more effectively and embedding these lessons into their organisations was the most important outcome of these projects. We develop the novel concept of process learning to capture the importance of experimentation in driving organisational change. Process learning is significant because it offers a new way to understand the relationship between experimentation and urban transformation and should form the focus of innovation projects that seek to prompt broader urban transformation, rather than technical performance. We conclude by identifying implications for urban planning and innovation funding.
SCOPE MISMATCH: EXPLAINING THE EXPANSION OF ANTI-MILITARY INFRASTRUCTURE-SITING CAMPAIGNS*
Authors: Kim Claudia Junghyun
Published: March 2021

While scholars agree that frame bridging contributes to movement expansion, this article identifies the underinvestigated concept of frame-movement scope mismatch—the phenomenon where the scope of movement frames and the scope of the movements that employ such frames do not match, such as a movement that adopts internationalist rhetoric yet remains local. This study investigates this mismatch based on cases of anti-U.S. military siting campaigns where similar frame bridging strategies resulted in movements of different scales. Findings show that movement scope expansion depended on the politicization of siting disputes that provided siting opponents with political opportunities for coalition building and qualified the causal influence of frame bridging. Varying external political circumstances, in other words, interacted with the invariant feature of frame bridging to determine frame resonance and coalitional mobilization.
Stages of development of the system of objective assessment of the cancer service of Russia, the northwestern Federal district of the Russian Federation (morbidity, mortality, reliability of accounting, primary mortality, median survival, observed and relative survival of patients with malignant neoplasms). Part I.
Authors: Merabishvili Vakhtang M. , Belyaev Alexey M.
Published: March 2021

The first part of the study includes a brief historical outline on the creation of an objective system for assessing the activities of the oncological service in Russia and the Northwestern Federal District of the Russian Federation.Dynamic series of all types of indicators of the populations morbidity and mortality have been presented, an increasing process of reliability and improvement of the quality of registration of primary patients with malignant tumors has been shown.In Russia, aswell as in the Northwestern Federal District of the Russian Federation, standardized indicators of the malignant tumorsincidence remain at a relatively low level. In the world ranking of Cancer Registries, the Russian Federation is on 300th place among 450 others.The mortality rate of the population in most localizations isrecorded above the average European indicators.
Subsoiling Impact on Soil Physical Structure, Root Activity, Photosynthetic Characteristics, and Water Use Efficiency in Maize
Authors: Yan Weiping
Published: March 2021

In order to promote the comprehensive production capacity and yield of farmland soil, the effects of subsoil tillage on soil structure, root activity, photosynthetic characteristics, dry matter accumulation, yield and water use through long-term positioning research in semi-arid areas were studied. This study was started in 2011 and investigated in the 2015–2016 research cycle. The experiment was conducted with five treatments including 30 cm subsoiling (SS-30) and 40 cm subsoiling (SS-40) before spring sowing, 30 cm (AS-30) and 40 cm (SS-40) between rows after autumn harvest and no subsoiling (CK). The effects of subsoiling on soil properties, crop growth, yield and water use of maize in semi-arid areas were investigated. The results showed that subsoiling significantly reduced the penetration resistance and bulk density of soil, and significantly increased the soil moisture content from subsoiling to the surface. Subsoiling increased GSand Ci, Tr, Pnand WUE in maize plants, and significantly increased root activity. Subsoiling significantly increased dry weight of aboveground part and root, significantly decreased root shoot ratio, and significantly increased WUE per plant. Subsoiling significantly increased 100 grain weight, yield and WUE of population. Subsoiling can effectively improve the soil structure, enhance the water storage capacity of the soil in arid areas, delay water loss, improve root activity, net photosynthetic rate, dry matter accumulation and WUE, and promote crop growth and yield of maize. Subsoiling in autumn has the best effect on soil improvement. Increasing the subsoiling depth properly can improve their effects, which will gradually less with the passage of time.© 2021 Friends Science Publishers
Analysis of Composition and Morphology of Cuticular Wax of Wheat at Different Development Stages
Authors: Wang Jiahuan
Published: March 2021

In order to investigate the morphology and composition of cuticular waxes on the spikes and leaves at different plant growth stages, the glossy variety (Changwu9945-10) and glaucous variety (L955195) of wheat (Triticum aestivum) were selected. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that the morphology of cuticular wax crystals changed constantly throughout plant growth, and the wax crystals of spike (glume) and leaf surfaces were tubules and platelets. Tubule wax crystals could formed on the glumes within a few days, but took longer time to form on the leaf surface. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis displayed five different compound classes on the extracts of the spikes and leaves, including alkane homologues (C25–C33), alcohol homologues (C22–C32), aldehyde homologue (C24–C30) and diketones (C31). Furthermore, the content of five compound classes changed at the different development stages in the cultivars. The total wax content at each development stage of L955195 was higher than that of Changwu9945-10. Interestingly, OH-β-diketones identified only in the glaucous variety (L955195). Diketone was the major compound class that caused the changes during the spike growth period, while alcohols were the major compound classes that caused the changes during the leaf growth period. At the same time, there were also dramatic changes in the chain length distribution of these compositions. Therefore, based on the above results, this study provided comprehensive information for wheat cuticular waxes and advanced the knowledge for development of wheat waxes in the future. © 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers © 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers© 2021 Friends Science Publishers©
A voltas co uso do artigo nas denominacións toponímicas
Authors: Porto Dapena Xosé-Álvaro
Published: March 2021

O obxecto do presente traballo é estudar a natureza e funcións do artigo que nunha grande porcentaxe de casos, tanto en galego coma en español, precede aos nomes de lugar como en A Coruña, Os Peares, El Escorial, Los Monegros. A idea, xeralmente aceptada, de que este artigo forma parte do propio topónimo é tan só certa en contados casos, como son os de Oporto ou Alcalá en español, ou, en galego, Arriba, Ocastro e Acernada, porque, ademais de aglutinarse graficamente co topónimo, xa non se sente nin funciona como verdadeiro artigo.Agora ben, segundo se argumenta nas páxinas que seguen, normalmente o artigo que precede aos topónimos segue funcionando como tal artigo, constituíndo, polo tanto, un vocábulo en si mesmo que, obviamente, non pode interpretarse como constituínte do nome propio a que acompaña. Con este forma o que aquí imos chamar sintagma denominativo, onde tal apéndice gramatical pode desempeñar tres funcións moi distintas: a anafórica (por exemplo, en o Miño, o Pindo, el Ebro), a recategorizadora (así, en a Galicia medieval, el Madrid de los Austrias) e, finalmente, a pleonástica, como, por exemplo, en A Coruña, La Rioja. É certo que, neste último caso, o artigo se acha máis unido ao nome –de aí o costume de escribilo con maiúscula inicial–; pero segue comportándose como tal, como o demostra o feito de ser incompatible con outro artigo de carácter anafórico ou recategorizador (por exemplo, en a Coruña de antes da guerra / *a A Coruña de antes da guerra), ou que, precedido de certas preposicións, se funde con elas (así, Vai na Coruña, Anda polas Pontes). A conclusión que se tira de todo isto é que o artigo pleonástico é igualmente traducible que, por descontado, o anafórico e recategorizador cando se fala ou escribe nunha lingua diferente á orixinaria do topónimo: Nació en la Mariña, Veño das Batuecas.
INVESTIGATION OF TAUTOMERIC STRUCTURES OF 6-AZA-2-THIOURACIL-5-CARBOXYLIC ACID USING VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY ALONG WITH DFT THEORETICAL METHOD
Authors: DİKMEN Gökhan
Published: March 2021

Molecular structure, tautomeric forms, vibrational modes, optic and electronic properties of 6-Aza-2-thiouracil-5-carboxylic acid (6A2T5CA) molecule were characterized by FT-IR, Raman, UV-VIS spectral methods and DFT method. The experimental results Show that FT-IR and Raman spectroscopic methods could be used to determine the different tautomeric forms of 6A2T5CA molecule clearly. Although title molecule has different tautomeric forms such as oxo and hydroxy because of inter molecular interactions, it has other tautomeric forms, as well due to intra molecular interaction of functional groups within the molecule. In particular, such structures change between each other depending on the solvent. Differences in some vibrational bands were observed in IR and Raman spectra of the molecule which were dissolved in ethanol and water and the solid form. These differences were observed especially in N-H and O-H functional groups. In addition, vibrational modes, optimized structures, energy values, electronic transitions and HOMO-LUMO energy values of tautomeric forms were calculated using B32LYP/6-311G(2d,2p) level of theory. Experimentally obtained results were compared with theoretically obtained results and it was indicated that there was a good agreement between each other. It was also observed that the molecule has a different tautomeric form when it was dissolved in ethanol, however the molecule has another tautomeric form when it was dissolved in water.
EFFECT OF POLYBUTADIENE COMPOSITION ON THE GLASS TRANSITION TEMPERATURE OF SBS BLOCK COPOLYMERS
Authors: GÜNDÜZ Serhat , SAR Yavuz , ÇAKTI Kaan
Published: March 2021

Gel permeation chromatography (GPC), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and elemental analysis techniques were used to study the molecular characteristics of six commercially available styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) block copolymers which are mostly used for modifying bitumen. The cis-1,4, trans-1,4, and 1,2-vinyl units in the polybutadiene (PB) parts and the styrene contents of the SBS block copolymers were investigated by means of 1H-NMR spectra. In addition carbon and hydrogen contents were estimated using 1H-NMR measurements. These estimated values were confirmed using the results of elemental analysis (EA). The glass transition temperatures (Tg) of SBS block copolymers were obtained using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The SBS block copolymers used in this study have different structural properties such as molecular weight and linearity. However, it is observed that the Tg-onset values are directly proportional to the percentage of the 1,2-vinyl units and inversely proportional to the percentage of the trans-1,4 units in the SBS block copolymers.
NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF SQUARE HOLLOW COLUMN-BEAM CONNECTIONS BY ABAQUS
Authors: TWIZERE Moussa , TAŞKIN Kıvanç
Published: March 2021

In recent years, steel or composite beam-column connections have drawn increasing praise due to the rapid development of assembled steel structures. However, limited researches have paid attention to the analytical behavior of square hollow column-beam joints. This work presents a numerical study on the static and cyclic behavior of the connections between a square hollow steel column and I-beam. Finite element analytical modeling of the joint was performed considering complex contact interactions and material models. Six different connections were evaluated by using ABAQUS. The modeling techniques used in this work, including the mesh and element types, the material properties, and the contact elements, were validated by comparing the numerical results of a through plate connection model with the experimental study results. Good agreement between the test and analytical results was observed in terms of the failure modes and the hysteretic behavior. Based on numerical results, the failure mode, moment-rotation curves for the SHS column to steel beam connections were discussed.
Optimization Modeling of nFe0/Cu-PRB Design for Cr(VI) Removal from Groundwater
Authors:   the Department of Earth System Science and Technology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Sciences (IGSES), Kyushu University, Kasuga-city, Kasug-Koen (6-1), Fukuoka, 816-8050, Japan, Maamoun I. , Falyouna O. , Eljamal R. , Bensaida K. , Eljamal O.
Published: March 2021

Hexavalent chromium is one of the highly toxic heavy metals which could lead to severe health issues when it is discharged into aquifers as industrial wastewater. In the current study nFe0/Cu was successfully employed in PRB technology for Cr(VI) removal from groundwater. Batch and column experiments confirmed the high reactive performance of nFe0/Cu towards Cr(VI) removal by around 85% removal efficiency. The main pathways for Cr-species removal by nFe0/Cu were determined as the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) by both nFe0 and Cu0 and the precipitation/co-precipitation of Cr(III) with the released iron oxides on the nFe0/Cu surface. The developed 3D-surface response optimization model confirmed the reciprocal relation between the residence time, barrier thickness and hydraulic conductivity. The interaction and sensitivity analysis between the model’s parameters were significantly crucial for defining the optimal design conditions of the nFe0/Cu-PRB. Generally, the current study could represent a great contribution in scaling-up the PRB technology towards the real field applications.
Depression and its associated factors among elderly people of old age homes and community of Kathmandu district, Nepal: a comparative study
Authors: Mali Prajita , Poudel Eak Narayan , Mali Sushmita , Poudel Lisasha , Joshi Santosh Prakash
Published: March 2021

Background: Depression is a common public health problem among elders worldwide and is associated with high morbidity and disability. This study aims to assess depression and its associated factors among elderly in old-age homes and a community of Kathmandu district.Method: A comparative cross-sectional study recruited 122 elderly from old-age homes and a community of Kathmandu district. Depression was measured using the Geriatric Depression Scale-short scale (GDS-15). Socio-demographic and medical history was collected using semi-structured questionnaire. We utilized bivariate logistic regression to assess the association of depression with each variable. Results: The prevalence of depression among elderly in old-age homes was 74.6% and in community was 41.8%. The study found that elderly residing at old age homes were four (OR=4.087; 95% CI=2.373-7.038) times more likely to have depression than those residing in the community. Age was found to be associated with depression among the respondent of both settings. In old-age homes, not receiving old-age allowance, bad perception of life, bad social relation, having a chronic disease, lack of care from family, stress and weeping as stress coping strategy were associated with depression. In the community, stress, non-involvement in family decision making, feeling of neglect, dysfunctional capability, bad social relation, lesser monthly income had positive relation with depression.Conclusion: Depression is highly prevalent among Nepalese elderly, with higher burden in those living in old-age homes. This emphasizes the need for screening of depression among elderly, to initiate early intervention measures.
Nutrition counselling and knowledge on iron and folic acid supplementation among pregnant women in Nyeri County, Kenya
Authors: Ng'the Henry Mburu , Nderitu Douglas , Wanja Stephanie
Published: March 2021

Background: In the world, a deficiency of iron is the most common nutrition disorder affecting more than 30% of the global populace more so children and women. Countries in the developing world are working in programs on implementing the iron and folic acid supplementation (IFAS) although the effectiveness of curbing anemia is usually affected by non-compliance to iron and folic acid supplements by women who are pregnant. The government of Kenya has come up with strategies to deal with anemia which include supplementation of iron and folic acid, implementation of focused antenatal care even though they have encountered a few hurdles resulting to sub optimal coverage and low levels of compliance.Methods: This was a mixed method study whereby both qualitative and quantitative data was analysed. A sample size of 385 pregnant women were interviewed. Data was collected using questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data which was presented in form of frequency and percentage tables, bar graphs and pie charts. Results: Results show that 96% of the expectant women indicated that they were advised to take fruits while 86% indicated that they were advised to take green vegetables. This shows that pregnant women in the study had good knowledge of their dietary needs.Conclusions: The study concludes that expectant women had high nutrition knowledge on foods that raise the haemoglobin levels during gravidity.
Cross-sectional study to assess the awareness about personal hygiene and food borne diseases among food handlers in a tertiary care hospital in Puducherry
Authors: P. M. Mohammed Shareef , Prabhankumar R. , M. Manikandam , Purty Anil J.
Published: March 2021

Background: Food handlers play an important role in ensuring food safety throughout the chain of production, processing, storage and preparation. Mishandling and disregard of hygienic measures by food handlers may lead to food contamination and cause illness among the consumers. This study was undertaken to determine the knowledge, attitude and practice towards food-borne diseases and personal hygiene among food handlers in a tertiary care hospital and to assess their morbidity status.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the food handlers working in the food establishments within the campus of Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Puducherry. Total 51 food handlers consented and participated. Participants were explained about the purpose of study and written informed consent was obtained. Data was collected using a pre-tested pre-validated questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 17.0. Institutional ethics committee approval was obtained for the study.Results: Overall the average score for knowledge, attitude and practices was good among the food handlers. There was statistically significant association between the lesser attitude & practice scores and the history of gastrointestinal morbidity among the participants. There was positive correlation between the years of work experience and the mean knowledge, attitude and practice scores.Conclusions: Although knowledge, attitude and practices of the food handlers working in the tertiary care hospital was good but periodic health education and awareness will contribute in maintaining and reinforcing the existing knowledge and practices so as to prevent any food contamination and potential outbreak of food borne illness.
Eligibility for home care of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients: challenges from a low resource setting in Central Kerala, South India
Authors: N. Divyamol , C. Sreedevi
Published: March 2021

Background: As a large spectrum of COVID 19 disease is asymptomatic, there came a need for home based management of asymptomatic cases, which can ensure efficient utilisation of resources for care of severe cases. On 7th August 2020, Kerala government came up with advisory for home care of asymptomatic cases. The study was done to assess eligibility for home care among patients then admitted in COVID First Line Treatment Centres in Palakkad and to identify the challenges to aid in further planning and decision making about home care.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 133 laboratory confirmed COVID 19 cases admitted to CFLTCs during 08 August 2020 to 12 August 2020. Semi-structured questionnaire was administered over telephone, after getting oral informed consent from patients. Analysis was done using Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) 20.Results: 28.31% of asymptomatic cases were eligible for home care. The challenges were lack of separate room with attached bathroom and ventilation (29%), absence of facility to separate vulnerable persons at home (18.5%), lack of healthy caretaker (15.9%) and being unaware about co-morbidity status (27%). Significant associations were found between socioeconomic status and availability of separate room with attached bathroom as well as separate facility to accommodate vulnerable persons.Conclusions: Major factors limiting eligibility for home care were lack of facility to self isolate and to separate vulnerable persons away from home. Both factors were common among patients from BPL families. 27.4% of asymptomatic patients were unaware of co-morbidity status. This reinforces importance of screening for non communicable diseases in the community.
Perceived stressors and outcomes among professionals working from home during COVID-19 pandemic in India
Authors: Gulia Shikha , Arora Smriti
Published: March 2021

Background: Aim of the study was to assess stressors and positive outcomes among professionals working from home during COVID-19 pandemic in India. Novel Corona virus disease (COVID-19) originated from China has rapidly spread in the world across borders, infecting millions of people throughout the whole world. As this novel corona virus is highly contagious and has enforced countries for complete shutdown, anxiety and concerns in society are globally affecting every individual to variable extents. Due to this lockdown, most of the professions have very first time in world and specially in India opted for working from home.Methods: This is quantitative approach study, cross-sectional study. Convenient and snowball sampling technique used to select subject via google form technique. 284 professionals enrolled in study from various professions and the google form was sent through mail, WhatsApp and text messages. The data is analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.Results: The results of the study shown that majority of the professionals have experienced stress related to their job, social stress along with the physical stressors and have also developed some new life skills and utilized this time to plan about new ideas and goals.Conclusions: There is an intense need to keep a check on mental health during work from home to relieve stress and anxiety posed by COVID-19 pandemic.
Epidemiological perspectives of COVID-19 in Telangana and India: a descriptive study design
Authors: Barhate Amruta , Bhatia Prakash
Published: March 2021

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has made the world to come to a standstill. What started as on 16th March 2020, as 114 confirmed cases of COVID‑19 in the country has now reached worrisome figures. The latest world scenario as per WHO as on 30th November, 2020 is as under-World data: 62,509,444 cases, deaths: 1,458,782; USA: 13,082,877 cases, deaths: 263,946; India: 9,431,691 cases, deaths 137, 139. It is evident that worldwide India is number two in case load and there’s no reason to prevent India from becoming number one unless appropriate corrective steps are taken.Methods: The present study has looked into various data sources available in public domain. The study covered a period of almost nine months i.e., from March 2020 to November 2020. The study revealed a steady increase in the number of COVID-19 cases from March 2020 with peak of pandemic occurring in the mid of September and then a steady decline of cases from October.Results: The data analysis shows that after peaking of cases in September, the epidemic will decline in a phased manner by the end of March 2021. Even though there is a decline seen from the month of October, spike of COVID-19 cases was seen in November in some of the states of India. Therefore, we can’t deny the possibility of a second wave of pandemic to occur in the month of December 2020 and January 2021.Conclusions: Hence appropriate and strict control measures have to be put in place for effective control of the Pandemic and its resurgence.
Reversible alteration of brainstem auditory evoked potential in iron deficient anemic patients in response to treatment
Authors: Gupta Sushant , Sharma Geetanjali , Atri Sudhir K. , Sharma Priyanka
Published: March 2021

Background: Iron deficiency anemia is associated with central and peripheral nervous system disturbances. Iron is an essential component of brain growth, myelination, nerve impulse conduction, protein synthesis, hormone production, fundamental aspects of cellular energy metabolism and is involved in neurotransmitter synthesis including serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. Hence, its deficiency adversely affects motor performance, mental development as well as cognitive and behavioral functions. Since myelination is concerned with conduction in nerve fibers, iron deficiency potentially impairs neuronal transmission and leads to functional neurodeficit like hearing loss.Methods: BAEP was recorded using RMS EMG EP MK2 machine in patients of iron deficiency anemia with haemoglobin less than 10.9 g/dl between 18-50 years of age who were followed up after 3 months of treatment and compared with 30 age and sex matched controls.Results: BAEP absolute and interpeak latencies were prolonged in IDA patients as compared to the control groups which was reversible with iron replacement therapy.Conclusions: Increased absolute and interpeak latencies of BAEP indicates impairment of auditory pathways in IDA patients. Thus, the electrophysiological study of BAEP provides an objective method for monitoring the function of CNS, especially the auditory function in iron deficiency anemia patients before and after iron replacement therapy. It is a non-invasive test for early diagnosis and therefore early treatment to prevent complications.
Modelling of COVID-19 positive cases at tertiary care hospital of Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh using regression models
Authors: Kaushal Suneel Kumar , Kumar Navin , Yadav Mukesh , Patel Ashok Kumar
Published: March 2021

Background: Corona viruses signify a most important group of viruses mostly affecting human beings. It is a respiratory infection with common signs and symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat, headache, and loss of taste, loss of smell, respiratory symptoms. In India till 31st December 2020, the total number of confirmed cases were 1,02,86,310; with active number of cases were 2,52,699 number of cases recovered were 98,81,732 while number of deaths were 1,49,018. Objective of the study was to find the quadratic and cubic model of COVID-19 positive cases at tertiary care hospital of Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh.Methods: A hospital based study was carried out with confirmed covid-19 cases admitted to Government Medical College Banda, UP. 1486 cases have been taken from the period of 1st April 2020 up to 31st December 2020.Results: In this study maximum cases (30.14%) belongs to the age group of 30-45 years. Male population is more than females in all districts. In this study the cubic model shows the best fit with the highest R-square value. Difference in the proportion in each age group (p value<0.001) and sign and symptoms (p value < 0.001) were statistically significant.Conclusions: The current study focused on presenting trends in the Bundelkhand region, Uttar Pradesh with respect to the outbreak of COVID-19. The spread of COVID-19 cases follow cubic model. We conclude that cases of COVID-19 will decline in the coming days heading towards the reduction in daily number of cases.
Impact of COVID-19 on orthopaedic residents in South India: a survey
Authors: Mukherjee Kaustav , Basak Indrakshi , Prasanth Tarun
Published: March 2021

Background: Since the outbreak of COVID-19 and its exponential spread throughout India, a lot burden has fallen upon the healthcare workers and in turn on the resident doctors who were posted on Covid duties. Increased risk of contracting the virus, limited patient inflow, suspended elective surgeries continued to be a reason of concern for most orthopaedic residents throughout the country during the peak of the virus outbreak.Methods: An anonymous online survey of framed questionnaire was sent to the resident doctors in South India in order to perceive the state of mind they were in.Results: The survey was completed by 314, second and final year residents from 5 major cities in South India.22.8% residents said that elective surgeries were still withheld in their department.27.9% residents believed that online teaching modality was not sufficient and 39.5% residents did not feel prepared enough for surgery with it. While, 21.1% residents stated that there were no surgeries in last one week in the unit. As a result, 33.3% residents expressed themselves as definitely stressed out in the then scenario.Conclusions: The era post COVID-19 has brought with it a lot of challenges, the most important being the psychological impact on the residents. It needs to be taken as the foremost interest in the teaching module or structure to make them aware on how to overcome it and formulate new methods to cope up with the valuable training time lost.