bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Numerical Simulation of Maneuvering of "Naniwa-maru," A Full-scale Reconstruction of Sailing Trader of Japanese Heritage
Authors: Masuyama Yutaka , Nomoto Kensaku , Sakurai Akira
Published: May 2021

Numerical simulation of maneuvering of “Naniwa-maru" was performed to clarify the maneuver characteristics in particular with wearing operation. "Naniwa-maru" belongs to a type called Higaki-kaisen, and the Higaki-kaisen is a type of the more generic class of vessels named "Bezai-ship". Bezai-ship are typical Japanese sailing traders in the 18th to the mid- 19th century which have different appearance and construction from those of Western tall ships. The present paper shows the numerical simulation of her wearing operation, and the results compared with the measured data. The equations of motion dealt with coupled ship motions of surge, sway, roll and yaw with co-ordinate system using horizontal body axes. The numerical simulation indicates ship response according to the measured time history of rudder angle, and shows the ship trajectory and the sailing state parameters such as heading angle, leeway angle, heel angle and velocity. The calculated results indicated the ship performance very well.
A Novel Data-Driven Subsea Project Delivery Ecosystem
Authors: Noiray Gautier , Boisne Matt
Published: May 2021

Beyond the craze for Digitization in the industry, there remains a lack of clarity on the concrete changes and value most companies are extracting from it. The recent market conditions, exacerbated by the current global pandemic, make this question more relevant than ever, as any new investment becomes ever more challenged.

McDermott have been at the forefront of the energy industry digitization, and over the past couple of years, they have ideated, developed, and implemented a novel data-driven Subsea Project delivery ecosystem. This cross-functional ecosystem leverages cloud technology and Python scripting to enhance and systemize processes, fundamentally tying back to the field architecture digital twin. The purpose of the paper is to communicate the main drivers at the origin of the initiative, to describe the current solution, including the associated risks (and mitigations) and the benefits that arise from its use as well as give the reader a sense of the more long-term vision.
Seakeeping Evaluation of a Tri-SWACH Based on CFD Calculations and Model Tests
Authors: Xiang Gong , Datla Raju , Xiang Xianbo
Published: May 2021

AEGIR is a time-domain seakeeping CFD code that uses an advanced, high-order boundary element method (BEM) to solve the three-dimensional potential-flow and has been developed for several years. In this paper, the latest version of AEGIR is used to predict the seakeeping of the Tri-SWACH with and without side hulls in headsea regular waves respectively. The primary objective was to evaluate its accuracy of predicting seakeeping performance of the Tri-SWACH under regular headsea waves in AEGIR. A series of simulated time domain heave and pitch responses for Tri-SWACH with and without side hulls via AEGIR have been compared with corresponding model tests conducted in the high speed towing tank in Davidson Lab, Stevens Institute of Technology. A good agreement in terms of heave and pitch responses between AEGIR numerical predictions and experimental data shows the seakeeping prediction capability of AEGIR for Tri-SWACH Preliminary Design. Also, the simulated seakeeping of a Tri-SWACH is compared with a Tri-SWACH center hull. It is found that the effects of side hulls will increase the transverse stability of the Tri-SWACH without causing additional significant effect on the seakeeping performance of the Tri-SWACH.
Youth Preferences for Workplace Characteristics and What Could Elderly Care Sector Suggest in This Case
Authors: Okunevičiūtė Neverauskienė Laima , Žalimienė Laimutė , Junevičienė Jolita
Published: May 2021

The article seeks to answer the question: What are the opportunities and preconditions in the future for having more young workforce in the care sector for the elderly? The article analyses the requirements for a job in general and specifically for work in the care sector for the elderly, and compares whether the working conditions and the nature of work in this sector meet these needs. The analysis revealed that there is a significant mismatch between the needs of modern young people (Generation Y) in terms of the characteristics of the job desired and the existing structures (specificities of jobs in the care sector) that are being addressed through certain practical social policy initiatives.
D614G substitution at the hinge region enhances the stability of trimeric SARS-CoV-2 spike protein
Authors:   Molecular Biophysics Unit, Yazhini Arangasamy ,   Indian Institute of Science,   Bangalore, Karnataka, 560012, India
Published: May 2021

Mutations in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 are the major causes for the modulation of ongoing COVID-19 infection. Currently, the D614G substitution in the spike protein has become dominant worldwide. It is associated with higher infectivity than the ancestral (D614) variant. We demonstrate using Gaussian network model-based normal mode analysis that the D614G substitution occurs at the hinge region that facilitates domain-domain motions between receptor binding domain and S2 region of the spike protein. Computer-aided mutagenesis and inter-residue energy calculations reveal that contacts involving D614 are energetically frustrated. However, contacts involving G614 are energetically favourable, implying the substitution strengthens residue contacts that are formed within as well as between protomers. We also find that the free energy difference (ΔΔG) between two variants is -2.6 kcal/mol for closed and -2.0 kcal/mol for 1-RBD up conformation. Thus, the hermodynamic stability has increased upon D614G substitution. Whereas the reverse mutation in spike protein structures having G614 substitution has resulted in the free energy differences of 6.6 kcal/mol and 6.3 kcal/mol for closed and 1-RBD up conformations, respectively, indicating that the overall thermodynamic stability has decreased. These results suggest that the D614G substitution modulates the flexibility of spike protein and confers enhanced thermodynamic stability irrespective of conformational states. This data concurs with the known information demonstrating increased availability of the functional form of spike protein trimer upon D614G substitution.
Antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxicity potential of n-hexane extract of Cayratia trifolia L
Authors:   Department of Biotechnology, Annai College of Arts and Science, Kovilacheri, Tamil Nadu 612503, India, Bhuvaneswari Meganathan
Published: May 2021

It is of interest to analyze the antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxicity activity of n-hexane extract of Cayratia trifolia L. (C. trifolia). The antimicrobial activity of n-hexane extract of C. trifolia was determined using disc diffusion method against six selected pathogenic microorganisms. The cytotoxicity potential of n-hexane plant extract was also studied against A2780 cell lines by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Results, n-hexane extract of C. trifolia possess significant antioxidant activity with significant IC50 values in radical scavenging assays. In antimicrobial studies, the maximum zone of inhibition was found in the range of 19.0 ą 0.1 to 22.0 ą 0.1 mm. In MTT assay, inhibition of cell growth with minimal IC50 values of 46.25ą0.42μg/mL against A2780 cell lines was observed. Thus, n-hexane extract of C. trifolia is a possible antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxicity agent.
Helbred og trivsel
Authors: La Cour Peter , Pedersen Heidi Frølund
Published: May 2021

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: During the first COVID-19 lockdown, public health officials and political decision makers were aware that the lockdown would have some sort of psychological repercussion, but it was totally unknown what reactions the disease would evoke. This article investigates how the physical and mental health (well-being) were affected. Data from the COVID-19 survey indicate that negative consequences were uneven distributed in the population with especially young women, but also young men reporting alarming degrees of low well-being.

DANSK RESUMÉ: Gennem første COVID-19 nedlukning i foråret 2020 var det endnu helt ukendt, hvilke reaktioner sygdommen ville fremkalde. Denne artikel undersøger, hvordan det fysiske og psykiske helbred (trivslen) blev påvirket. Den fremhæver, hvordan især de negative påvirkninger ramte befolkningen skævt, og at særligt de unge kvinder, men også unge mænd rapporterede mistrivsel i alarmerende omfang.
Effect of longitudinal stiffeners’ spacing in lateral-torsional buckling
Authors:   Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (Colombia), Prado Néstor I. , Carrillo julian , Pineda Sergio M.
Published: May 2021

This study focused on the experimental assessment of the effect of the spacing between longitudinal stiffeners welded to I-shaped beams under the action of lateral-torsional buckling. In this procedure, 192 aluminum beams on a 1:9 scale were tested under simple-support conditions with a laterally unbraced length ranging from 0.55 m through 1.95 m. Moreover, the stiffeners’ spacing was also ranged from 3 to 9 times the depth of section. The structural behavior of the beams is discussed in terms of their flexural capacity, spacing between longitudinal stiffeners, lateral displacement of compression flange and failure angle twist. Results show that the spacing of longitudinal stiffeners influences the flexural capacity of I-shaped beams, so that, when the spacing of longitudinal stiffeners decreases, flexural capacity tends to increase, especially in the elastic buckling zone.
An experimental study on the performance of precast ferrocement panel for composite masonry slab systems
Authors:   The University of Edinburgh, Yardim Yavuz , Alpaslan Koroglu Mehmet
Published: May 2021

This study investigates the necessary norms of precast slabs connections experimentally in order to adapt and suggest a new connection system for existing composite masonry floor. In order to check the system security, full size precast slab tests performed for both slab-beam-slab (SBS) connection and slab-slab (SS) connection. Slabs, designed with the norms of standards and information from literature, were tested under distributed loads. It has been experimentally proved that the offered SBS connection successfully improved the performance the proposed slab floors.
Functional grading of viscoelastic defined hot mix asphalt layers
Authors:   Sivas Cumhuriyet University (Turkey), Bostancıoğlu Murat
Published: May 2021

In the design of layered flexible pavements with the mechanistic-empirical (M-A) method, the material characterization of layers is critical for the correct calculation of mechanical responses. The surface layers of flexible pavements produced as hot mix asphalt (HMA) behave as a visco-elastic material under real field conditions. In this study, in which the HMA surface layer was defined viscoelastic by creep-compliance method, functional grading was applied to the surface layer at the same time to increase the fatigue strength of the pavement. Functional grading application was performed in the form of 3, 5, 7, and 9 sub-layers with linear and exponential functions. The pavement life values due to the mechanical responses that occurred in the pavement were determined by the Asphalt Institute and Shell methods. The study results show that the fatigue strength of the viscoelastic surface layer increases significantly as a result of functional grading. Especially in sections with exponential grading, an improvement of more than 10% was achieved even when a small number of sub-layers used. These results show that functional grading can also be successfully applied in field studies, and even with three sub-layers, significant improvements can be provided
Experimental analysis of fire resistance of mortar coatings on structural masonry walls
Authors:   Unisinos University, Prager Gustavo , Périco Rodrigo ,   Unisinos University, Giovana Poleto Giovana Poleto ,   Unisinos University, Longhi Bolina Fabrício ,   Unisinos University, Fonseca Tutikian Bernardo ,   Unisinos University
Published: May 2021

The discussion on fire safety is necessary in Brazilian buildings. Current legislation requires construction with compartmentalized areas separated by walls with structural ceramic blocks capable of resisting fire for an amount of time pre-determined in norm NBR 14432 (ABNT, 2001). However, a lack of building standards requires experimental tests according to NBR 5628 (ABNT, 2001) to determine the necessary configuration to achieve fire resistance. For this purpose, this study analyzed the effect of fire on structural walls covered with a mortar coating. Experiments were conducted in real scale in a standardized vertical oven and the fire growth curve of ISO 834 (ISO, 1999). Three types of walls were tested, each with a different mortar coating: (a) lime; (b) 0.6 kg/m³ polypropylene fiber and 1.2 kg/m³ polypropylene fiber. The mortar coatings were 1.5 cm thick on the side facing the fire and 2.5 cm thick in the outside. The wall was composed of structural blocks measuring 14 cm x 19 cm x 29 cm. Fire experiments evaluated the structure stability, impermeability to hot gases and smoke and thermal insulation of each sample. Results showed that the structural system with 1.2 kg/m³ polypropylene fiber mortar coating obtained the best thermal insulation effect with the longest fire resistance time of 176 min.
Structural analysis of earth construction’s vaults: Case of underground tombs of Chogha Zanbil
Authors:   Assistant Professor at Buein Zahra Technical University, Niroumand Hamed , Hosseini Sara , Burcu Gültekin Arzuhan , Barceló Juan Antonio , Osmadi Atasya , Mahdavi Fatemeh
Published: May 2021

The 3300-year-old Chogha Zanbil is the largest and best-preserved five levelled pyramidal earth ziggurat outside Mesopotamia, which was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Underground tombs of Chogha Zanbil are accepted as outstanding instances in Iran and consist of vaults, which are built with special methods by Elamite architects. In this context, the main purpose of this paper is to contribute to sustain the outstanding universal value of the Chogha Zanbil. For that purpose, this paper puts forward a structural analyse of the vaults of five Chogha Zanbil underground tombs, which were built inside the ground by brick, lime mortar, plaster and bitumen materials. Data for underground tombs and vaults were collected upon field observations and literature study. SAP software was used to determine the way the forces are transmitted through the vaults, the conditions of bending moments, the shear forces. As a result, it has been observed that the bending in the vaults turns into pressure force that is perfectly resisted by bricks. In conclusion, it was ascertained that the vaults of the Chogha Zanbil underground tombs were built with the right techniques at that time, so that the vaults still have solid behaviour after thousands of years and remained completely healthy to this day.
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Granulosa Cell Tumour of the Ovary: A Case Report
Authors: Yadav Pratiksha , Sekhon Rubab K , Krishnarjun Muralinath , Parikh Khushali D , Chandanwale Shirish S
Published: May 2021

Granulosa Cell Tumour (GCT) is a rare malignant ovarian tumour. Adult GCT variety is more common than juvenile variety and occurs usually in postmenopausal women. It showed a spectrum of the imaging findings due to various histological appearances. It may present with solid masses, multilocular cystic lesion or completely cystic lesion. Here, authors present an interesting case of a 27-year-old young female, who presented with a large lump in the abdomen. On Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) there was a large well-defined, multilocular cystic lesion at superior aspect of the lesion and complex cystic, solid mass at inferior aspect. Functional MRI like diffusion weighted imaging which provides good image contrast helped in determining the malignancy despite a benign diagnosis on ultrasound guided biopsy and furthering the patient for histopathological examination to come to a final diagnosis.
Antibacterial Efficacy of Different Herbal Based Irrigant Solutions in Deciduous Teeth
Authors: Mohammed Naamatullah Ahmed , Selivany Bahar Jaafar
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Endodontic infection requires the successful removal of microorganisms from the root canal system. The most effective irrigant solution is sodium hypochlorite, but possible problems due to its toxicity require the look for new alternatives. Constant increases in antibiotic resistance and side-effects caused by chemical irrigation have shifted research towards the production of herbal alternatives, especially in paediatric dentistry. Aim: To evaluate and compare the antibacterial efficacy of miswak, green tea, chamomile and 0.5% NaOCl as an endodontic irrigants against Enterococcus faecalis in primary root canals. Materials and Methods: The in-vitro study was conducted at the Department of Conservative Dentistry and Department of Microbiology, College of Dentistry, University of Duhok from January 2020 till June 2020. Seventy five freshly extracted intact human mandibular primary molars were decoronated at Cemento-Enamel Junction (CEJ) and distal roots were separated and biomechanically prepared up to F3 Protaper file and stored in normal saline. The specimens were inoculated with Enterococccus faecalis suspension and incubated for 72 hours. Specimens were divided into five groups containing fifteen teeth each (n=15). Freshly prepared alcoholic extracts of miswak, green tea and chamomile were used as an irrigant solution against E.faecalis compared to NaOCl as positive control and normal saline as negative control. Swabs were collected using F3 protaper paper points. The number of colonies was counted in suitable plate under good illumination and manual lens for magnification. Statistical analysis was performed by using Kruskal-Wallis one-way Analysis and Student-Newman-Keuls Method. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0 was used. The p-values more than 0.05 were considered as statistically non significant. Results: Green Tea, among the herbal experimental groups, had the most effective antibacterial effect against E.faecalis. No significant statistical difference was detected between green tea (p=0.272) and NaOCl; however, there was significant difference between miswak, chamomile and NaOCl as well as between the rest herbal experimental groups and normal saline. Conclusion: NaOCl remains the gold standard as irrigant in primary teeth. Green tea extract may help in reducing E.faecalis inside the canals of primary teeth. Good efficacy against E.faecalis was also shown by Miswak and chamomile however the results obtained were not significant when compared with NaOCl.
A Case Series on Neuroborreliosis- An Emerging Infection in India
Authors: Sehgal Rachna , Bhatt Meenakshi
Published: May 2021

Lyme disease is a zoonotic disease spread by the bite of Ixodes ticks. These ticks are known to be found in wooded or grassy areas. The disease manifestations can be divided into early Lyme disease and late Lyme disease. The manifestations of late Lyme disease may include arthritis, cranial nerve palsies, short-term memory deficits and Lyme carditis. The disease is diagnosed by a two-step process of Enzyme immunoassay followed by Western blot Test. Disseminated disease is treated with Intravenous (IV) ceftriaxone, cefotaxime or penicillin G, or a combination of oral and IV regimens or in some cases, only oral drugs for up to 28 days. Lyme disease is endemic in temperate regions, especially in America. However, over the years the disease has been reported from various countries of Asia including in India, where there have been sporadic cases. Hereby, the author presents three paediatric cases with varied presentations. The neurological symptoms ranged from Lower Motor Neuron (LMN) facial nerve palsy to acute encephalitis. One patient also had non-erosive arthritis.
Complex Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Salvages a Patient with Recurrent Acute Coronary Syndrome and Ischaemic Heart Failure with Multiple Life Threatening Co-morbidities: A Case Report
Authors: Kunwar Brajesh , Ingle Farah , Ingle Atul , Tulagseri Chandrasekhar
Published: May 2021

More than 422 million people are suffering from Diabetes Mellitus (DM) worldwide. Majority of the affected population resides in lower and middle income countries. This chronic, metabolic disease gradually does serious damage to heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves; eventually causing cardiovascular diseases, peripheral vascular diseases, retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy. Here, a rare case of a 58-year-old male was present who had history of uncontrolled DM with dry gangrene in right forefoot, acute kidney injury and Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) involving Left Main (LM) bifurcation presented with recurrent acute coronary syndrome with heart failure. Patient in view of multiple co-morbidities was unfit for Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) was managed successfully with complex coronary intervention involving LM bifurcation.
Validity of Hysteroscopy and Transvaginal Sonography in Evaluating Abnormal Uterine Bleeding- A Retrospective Study
Authors: Jha Sangam , Anant Monika , Sinha Upasna
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (AUB) affects 14-25% of women of reproductive age group and accounts for 66% of hysterectomies. Accurate diagnosis of the cause of AUB will reduce the hysterectomy burden, but the ideal evaluating tool to accurately diagnose the cause of the same is debatable. Aim: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of transvaginal sonography and hysteroscopy in the evaluation of abnormal uterine bleeding, using histopathological diagnosis as gold standard. Materials and Methods: This retrospective descriptive study was conducted on patients who underwent transvaginal sonography and hysteroscopy for evaluation of abnormal uterine bleeding from January 2017 to January 2020. Data including demographic details, sonographic details, pre-operative diagnosis, anaesthesia used, operative notes, complications and histopathological diagnosis were obtained from clinical record sheet of the patients. Sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy of TVS and hysteroscopy was calculated using MedCalc software version 19.2.6. Results: A total of 214 patients were enrolled in the study. Hysteroscopy reported >95% diagnostic accuracy for all intrauterine pathology compared to TVS which revealed diagnostic accuracy of 73.13% for polyp, 77.1% for endometrial hyperplasia and 73.6% for all other pathology. Hysteroscopy revealed strong to almost perfect correlation with histopathological diagnosis for all pathology compared to TVS which demonstrated weak correlation for various intrauterine pathology. Conclusion: Hysteroscopy should be used as initial evaluating tool in AUB as it is simple and minimal-invasive with high diagnostic accuracy.
Second Metacarpal Base Avulsion Fracture Due to the Extensor Carpi Radialis Longus Tendon: A Case Report
Authors: Rao Tanvi , Victor Jonathan
Published: May 2021

Fracture avulsion injuries of the extensors of the wrist are not common. The most common mode of injury is forced flexion of the hand and wrist with Extensor Carpi Radialis Longus (ECRL) contraction at the same time. These fractures are generally managed by Open Reduction and Internal Fixation (ORIF) along with repair of the ECRL tendon. This modality of management is associated with less chance of complications, makes the joint more stable and has an overall positive result.
Assessment of Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness among Postnatal Mothers in Tertiary Care Hospital, West Bengal
Authors: Sau Bratadipa , Ghosh Santanu , Samanta Amrita
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Maternal mortality still remains a major public health challenge in India. Delays in seeking, reaching and obtaining to appropriate intranatal care are the crucial factors determining maternal mortality. Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness (BPACR) is the process of planning for normal birth and anticipating the actions needed in case of an emergency. It is a logical process of addressing delays in delivery. Aim: To assess BPACR status of postnatal mothers using BPACR index and to determine association between socio demographic and other variables and BPACR status among them. Materials and Methods: The cross-sectional, observational study was conducted on 200 post-natal mothers of Indoor Patient Department (IPD), Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, in a tertiary care hospital in West Bengal. Socio demographic information and information on antenatal history, decision makers during pregnancy, type and distance of nearest health facility, knowledge of danger signs, identification of the skilled birth attendant, mode of transport, arrangement for money and other variables were collected by interviewing the patients with a predesigned, pretested, semi structured schedule and by reviewing records. BPACR is the process of planning for normal birth and anticipated actions needed during an emergency. To assess BPACR status among postnatal women, BPACR index is measured which consists of a set of indicators. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. Proportion and chi-square test were used wherever applicable. The p-value of less The p-value of less than 0.05 was taken as statistically significant. Results: The final BPACR index was 61.07. All participants identified skilled birth attendants for delivery. Almost all were aware of Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY). Among 200 women, about 90% of them had knowledge about transportation services provided by the government. Only 63.5% of the mothers (127/200) availed Antenatal Care (ANC) by skilled provider. About 38.5% (77/200) of study participants identified the mode of transportation, and 38% (76/200) of them saved money for delivery expenses. No participant could identify more than eight danger signs of pregnancy. Overall, 75% (150/200) of participants were well prepared. On bivariate analysis, good preparedness have been found to be significantly associated (p-value <0.05) with age group, type of decision maker during pregnancy and presence of the husband accompanying their wives in any of the ANC visits. Conclusion: Majority of the population were well prepared, but awareness on danger signs was very low. Women empowerment in terms of behavior change communication at family, community and tertiary care level to be carried out through formal and informal approaches are the needs of the hour.
The Impact of Floating Egyptian Pound on Agricultural Sector in Egypt
Authors: El-Rasoul Ahmed Abou El-Yazid , Ghanem Marwa Ghareeb , Shafei Mahmoud A. , Sultan Mohamed A.
Published: May 2021

This research aimed to estimate the impact of applying flexible exchange rate on the Egyptian agriculture sector. Egypt applied floating exchange rate regime three times during the period 1991-2018. This research is based on some analytical approaches to achieve its objective such as robust regression and vector error correction model (VECM).It concluded that floating of Egyptian pound was not a good decision and it had a negative impact on Egyptian agricultural sector. The positive relationship between real Egyptian agricultural gross domestic product and real agricultural imports as well as the positive relationship between real agricultural imports and dollar exchange rate in Egypt which are not apply the economic logic, proof that the floating exchange rate regime and the macroeconomic policies applied during the study period were not effective as Egypt imports good and service with high prices due to the devaluation of Egyptian pound. So, the growth in agricultural gross domestic product was not real. The Egyptian government should pay more attention on the agricultural sector.
Health Related Quality of Life of Children Infected with HIV in Agra Region, India
Authors: Kumar Abhishek , Agarwal Dipti , Prajapati N.C.
Published: May 2021

Objective and Methods: HIV specific health related quality of life (HRQOL) instrument based on PedQLTM4.0 generic scale was prepared and named HIV-QOL. It was validated and used to evaluate HRQOL in HIV infected children in an observational,crossectional study conducted in the Department of Pediatrics, Sarojini Naidu Medical College, Agra, India.

Results:Cronbach’s alpha score > 0.7,supported acceptable internal consistency of the instrument.The correlation coefficient of more than 0.8 indicated that the instrument was valid for application. Study included 40 HIV infected children between age 8 to 18 years.Their mean scores were calculated in all four domains (viz physical, social, emotional and school functioning) and comparison of HRQOL scores was done with respect to various social and demographic parameters. CD4 counts, clinical stage of the disease and living status of the parents and anti retroviral therapy (ART) had significant influence on the HRQOL scores.

Conclusion: HIV QOL is a valid instrument to assess the health related quality of life of HIV infected children in India. It can help in assessing their health status, as well as in evaluating the impact of various medical and social programmes aimed at improving their quality of life.
Detection and Classification of Leukocytes in Leukemia using YOLOv2 with CNN
Authors: Abas Shakir M. , Abdulazeez Adnan M.
Published: May 2021

The development of machine learning systems that used for diagnosis of chronic diseases is challenging mainly due to lack of data and difficulty of diagnosing. This paper compared between two proposed systems for computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) to detect and classify three types of white blood cells which are fundamental of an acute leukemia diagnosis. Both systems depend on the You Only Look Once (YOLOv2) algorithm based on Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). The first system detects and classifies leukocytes at the same time called computer-aided diagnosis with one model (CADM1). The second system separates detection and classification by using two models called computer-aided diagnosis with two models (CADM2). The main purpose of the paper is proving the high performance and accuracy by fragmentation of the main task into sub-tasks through comparing between CADM1 and CADM2. Also, the paper proved that can be depending only on deep learning without any traditional segmentation and preprocessing on the microscopic image. The (CADM1) achieved average precision for detection and classification class1=56%, class2=69% and class3 72% while (CADM2) achieved average precision up to 94% for detect leukocytes and accuracy 92.4% for classification. The result of the second system is very suitable for diagnosis leukocytes in leukemia.
Determination of the Level of Aflatoxins Contamination in Maize (Zea mays L.) Produced in Five Regions of Côte d’Ivoire
Authors: Bamba Sira , Biego Henri Marius Godi , Coulibaly Adama , Yves Nyamien B. , Daouda Sidibe
Published: May 2021

Aims: The aim of this work is to assess the level of aflatoxins contamination in maize produced in five regions (Poro, Hambol, Gontougo, Gbêkê, Indénié-Djuablin) of Côte d'Ivoire.

Place and duration of study: In this study 375 samples of maize (grains, cobs, spathes) were taken from February 2016 to January 2017 and the aflatoxin analyses were carried out at the Biotechnology Laboratory, Agriculture and Development of Biological Resources of the Félix Houphouët-Boigny University.

Methodology: The aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1 and G2) were extracted and assayed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) according to the AOAC method.

Results: The results indicate the presence of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 in all forms of maize (grains, cobs, spathes) and in the five regions chosen for the study. The mean concentrations of aflatoxins B1 (AFB1) and the total aflatoxins (AFT) varied from 0.79 ± 0.04 µg/kg to 130.31 ± 22.56 µg/kg and from 2.63 ± 2,35 µg/kg to 169.13 ± 40.39 µg/kg respectively. samples from Indénié-Djuablin, Hambol and Gountougo regions showed the highest proportions of non-compliance with the european Union limit of 5 μg/kg and 10 μg/kg. Regarding AFB1, these proportions vary from 0% to 46% in the regions of Gbêkê, Poro and Hambol, while they are between 54% and 96% in the regions of Indénié-Djuablin and Gontougo. For total aflatoxins, the proportions of non-compliant samples were between 0% and 40% (Gbêkê and Poro), 12% and 56% (Hambol), 56% and 96% (Indénié-Djuablin and Gontougo).

Conclusion: These results demonstrate a need for monitoring of maize production by stakeholders in the sector who should adopt good agricultural practices.
Extent of Awareness and Various Challenges Faced by the Rural People Due to Pandemic of COVID-19
Authors: Maity Biman , Das Tarun Kumar , Pradhan Kausik
Published: May 2021

COVID-19 is an infectious disease which caused severe pandemic to the whole world. Due to its effect of various agricultural sectors such as crop, livestock and fishery have been smash hard by pandemic. The study was conducted to get perception of extent of awareness and its effect due to pandemic of COVID-19 by the rural people in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal. There were 80 respondents from four villages who experienced the negative impact of lockdown due to COVID-19 were selected for the study. The data were collected through well-structured interview schedule with the help of online google form as well as verbal communication in mobile phone. Collected data were compiled and analyzed with simple statistical tools to draw a specific conclusion. The results show that 41.25 per cent of the respondent had high level of awareness on COVID-19 followed by 20.0 per cent had lower level of awareness on corona virus disease. The finding also said that 82.50 per cent of the respondent had faced challenges of lack of opportunities for earning money followed by 72.50 per cent had scarcity of food materials or insufficient of food items in the locality during pandemic of COVID-19. Due to lockdown, the movement of agriculture produces from its place of production to the ultimate consumer has been also affected. It is suggested that some more specific and need based income generating measure is required to taken by the various existing government and non-government organization to reduce the pandemic situation among rural communities.
Effect of Sources, Split and Foliar Application of KCl and KClO3 on Availability and Uptake of Nitrogen in Aerobic Rice
Authors: Babu P. Anji , Hattab K. Omar , Aruna L. , Mohan R.
Published: May 2021

Aim: To investigate the effect of KCl and KClO3 as sources of potassium in aerobic rice with four types of split doses and two levels of foliar applications of potassium.

Study Design: The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with three replications.

Place and Duration of Study: Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru College of Agriculture and Research Institute, Karaikal, Puducherry.

Methodology: The rice variety PMK 4 was tested with two sources of potassium viz., Potassium chloride (KCl) and Potassium chlorate (KClO3), four types of split application viz., K control (S1), basal with no split (S2), two splits (S3) and three splits (S4) along with foliar application treatments viz., no foliar (F1) and foliar spray (F2).

Results: The results of field experiment revealed that the N availability in soil was more at all stages of crop growth by two and three split doses of potassium. The KClO3 increased the available N status at active and panicle initiation stages. Whereas in flowering stage, the KCl recorded the higher available N status in soil. The nitrogen uptake at active tillering stage and flowering stage was evidently improved with three split doses of potassium. Whereas in panicle initiation stage, the two split doses registered higher N uptake. The nitrogen uptake by both grain and straw was conspicuously higher in three and two split doses of potassium.

Conclusion: The split applications tested in this investigation influenced the available N status in soil. Almost in all the stages, three split applications retained more available N in soil. This implies the positive interaction of potassium with nitrogen.
Performance of Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L) Varieties under Protected Condition
Authors: Anand M. , Kamalkumaran P.R. , Velmurugan M. , Sankari A.
Published: May 2021

The present investigation was undertaken to elevate different carnation varieties for the performance of Growth, yield and post-harvest quality under protected condition. The experiment was conducted in Horticultural Research Station, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, The Nilgiris, India . The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with Eleven   varieties of Carnation viz., Big one, Turbo, Solex, Hunza, Easy Golem, Express Golem, Red King, Golem, Gioele, Big mama and Happy Golem. observation were recorded for plant height (cm), days to first flower, flowering duration, length of flower stem (cm), diameter of flower (cm), Number of flowers per plant and Calyx splitting (High : 60% and above, Medium: 30 – 50%, Low : less than 30%), Strength of flower stem, vase life solutions viz., AOA (25ppm), AOA (50ppm), CoCl2 (10ppm) ,CoCl2 (20ppm) and plain water  for 30 minutes. The cultivar Happy Golem recorded maximum plant height of 100.50cm and the minimum plant height of 77.0 cm was noticed in Golem. Maximum number of shoots  per plant was recorded in the cultivar Gioele (7.98 ) followed by Hunza (7.50) and minimum number of shoots per plant was observed in the entry Golem (5.30).Maximum number of leaves (195.20) and Leaf length (13.55 cm) was recorded in the entry Gioele. The Days to first flower ranged between 130.01 to 139.20 days from planting. The cultivar Turbo (130.01) recorded early to initiate the flower bud followed by Golem (130.10) .The cultivar Red king recorded maximum flowering duration of 13.50 days followed by big mama (13.20 days)) and minimum flowering duration was observed in Happy Golem (10.47 days).The Cultivar Gioele recorded the highest stalk length of 93.00 cm and the lowest stalk length of 68.50cm was observed by Golem. With respect to yield parameters maximum number of flowers per plant was recorded in Gioele (7.50 nos) followed by Red king (7.17 nos) and Hunza (6.97 nos) and Minimum number of flowers per plant was recorded in Golem (5.11 nos). Maximum number of A and B grade flower stems are produced in the Variety Gioele. Among the cultivar for prolonging the vase life of Carnation,  treatment comprising of AOA @50ppm recorded maximum vaselife of 19 days by cultivar, minimum flower diameter (5.3cm) and maximum total water absorbed (45.0 ml) and found to be the best to increase the shelf life of  carnation.
Isolation and Screening of Chilli Pepper for Fungal Contamination and Aflatoxin Production
Authors: Rajendran Sasireka , Shunmugam Ganapathy , Vaikuntavasen Paranidharan , Palanisamy Jeevanand , Subbiah Srinivasan
Published: May 2021

Improper postharvest management of red chili pepper results in the invasion of Aspergillus spp. It is the most common pathogen that infects chili resulting in the production of aflatoxin - the most potent biological toxin. The present study was aimed to study the occurrence of naturally occurring fungal pathogens in the commercially available chilli pepper in India. About twenty samples were collected from retail stores and commercial markers of Tamil Nadu, India. Isolation and purification of the naturally occurring fungal pathogens were carried out using a potato dextrose agar medium. Results showed that the samples were contaminated with Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus, and A. niger. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was done to morphologically confirm the pathogens. SEM analysis also showed the internal structural damage caused by the pathogens.  Followed by the isolation, all the samples that contained A. flavus were tested for aflatoxin production using the thin layer chromatography (TLC) method. It was found that a total of 16 chilli samples were tested positive for aflatoxin production. It could be seen that the tropical climatic conditions of India increased the probability of aflatoxin production in the chilli pepper.
A Polygonal Finite Element Method for Stokes Equations
Authors: Chen Xinjiang
Published: May 2021

In this paper, we extend the Bernardi-Raugel element [1] to convex polygonal meshes by using the generalized barycentric coordinates. Comparing to traditional discretizations defined on triangular and rectangular meshes, polygonal meshes can be more flexible when dealing with complicated domains or domains with curved boundaries. Theoretical analysis of the new element follows the standard mixed finite element theory for Stokes equations, i.e., we shall prove the discrete inf-sup condition (LBB condition) by constructing a Fortin operator. Because there is no scaling argument on polygonal meshes and the generalized barycentric coordinates are in general not polynomials, special treatments are required in the analysis. We prove that the extended Bernardi-Raugel element has optimal convergence rates. Supporting numerical results are also presented.
Nutritional and Biochemical Quality Assessment of Commonly Consumed Jujube (Zizyphus mauritiana L.) Varieties Available in Bangladesh
Authors: Paul Nishita Rani , Mallick Supti , Zakir H. M. , Rahman A. , Quadir Q. F.
Published: May 2021

A study was conducted to determine major biochemical and mineral constituents in commonly consumed jujube varieties of Bangladesh. A total of 15 (4 local/deshi and 11 exotic) varieties of matured jujube fruits were collected from the different markets and local areas of Mymensingh district, Bangladesh, and analyzed for this study. The study results revealed that all studied physical properties were lower in local/deshi sour varieties of jujube, and BAU kul contained the maximum amount of flesh (edible part of fruits) along with flesh and seed ratio. Among the biochemical properties- titratable acidity, vitamin C, chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, total sugar and reducing sugar content varied from 0.178-2.769%, 33.28-98.63 mg/100 g flesh, 0.0019-0.0174 mg/g tissue, 0.0007-0.0148 mg/g tissue, 2.50-9.83% and 0.135-4.150%, respectively. The study results revealed that local/deshi varieties contained a comparatively higher amount of vitamin C and lower total sugar. However, BARI kuls contained significantly higher amounts of vitamin C and chlorophylls compared to other exotic varieties. The content of Ca, Mg, Na, K, P, and S in jujube varieties ranged from 0.040-0.233%, 0.071-0.164%, 0.054-0.189%, 0.490-2.602%, 0.062-0.234% and 0.079-0.359%, respectively. Regarding major nutrients studied, Ca, Na, K, P, and S contents were higher in local/deshi sour varieties while Mg content was higher in exotic varieties. The study results concluded that most of the biochemical and mineral contents in local/deshi sour jujube fruits were higher, allowing breeders to develop new varieties and improve the quality of existing exotic cultivars.
Effect of Katakakhadiradi Kashayam on Lipid Profile and Pancreatic Damage in Type II Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Subbiah Angelie Jessica , Kavimani M. , Ramadoss Mukilan , Rao Mudiganti Ram Krishna , Prabhu K.
Published: May 2021

The lipid pattern and levels in diabetic patient are the same as those for subjects with cardiovascular disease. The tactic underlying the oral hypoglycemic agent is to adjust the lipid profile; which can be achieved by herbal therapy. The use of herbs and formulations for attenuation of hyperglycemia and to aid protection against the pancreatic damage is clinically very important. This study was intended to find the efficacy of Katakakhadiradi Kashayam(KKK)on lipid profile and pancreatic tissue damage in streptozotocin-nicotinamide (SN) induced diabetic rats. The diabetic rats were treated with Katakakhadiradi Kashyam orally at doses of 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg/bw. For 28 days and compared with the standard drug Glibenclamide. After the kashayam treatment triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol and total cholesterol level were assayed and pancreatic tissue damage caused by streptozotocin was analysed by histology study.Katakakhadiradi kashayam could restore the serum lipid profile by controlling the blood glucose level and reduce the pancreatic injury in diabetic rats. Supplementation of Katakakhadiradi kashayam showed a significant improvement in the serum lipid profile thus helping in retarding the secondary complications.
Structural Optimization, Electronic Band Structure, Mechanical and Thermodynamics Properties of Fe3Al
Authors: Okunzuwa I. S. , Eddy E. Aigbekaen
Published: May 2021

We calculated the structural, electronic, mechanical and thermal properties of Fe3Al semiconducting using Quantum ESPRESSO, an open source first principles code based on density-functional theory, plane waves, and pseudopotentials. Structural parameter results (equilibrium lattice parameters, bulk modulus and its derivative pressure) have been reported. The underestimated band gap is obtained along with higher state density and energy bands around the fermi level. Mechanical properties of the rock-salt structure of Fe3Al, such as, shear modulus (G), Young’s modulus (E), and Poisson’s ratio () were investigated. The thermodynamic parameters are also present. The results are in good agreement with the available experimental and other theoretical results.
Influences of Socio-economic Factors on Lemon Pest Management Practices in Tangail District of Bangladesh
Authors: Hasan Shahriar , Haque Md. Enamul , Afrad Md. Safiul Islam , Alam M. Zinnatul , Hoque Muhammad Ziaul , Islam Md. Riazul
Published: May 2021

Aims: The main objective of the study was to explore the influences of socio-demographic factors of lemon cultivators on accepting pest management practices.

Study Design: A total of 120 lemon growers of the Tangail district were selected as samples following the proportionate random sampling technique. Primary data were collected from sampled respondents using a pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaire by face-to-face interview.

Results and Discussion: Findings indicate that majority of the respondents were middle-aged (69.2%), having a secondary level of education (47.5%), small farm size (73.3%), medium family size (57.5%), and medium use of information sources (74.2%). Farmers use chemical, mechanical, and cultural pest management practices, with the majority of respondents had a moderate degree of adoption. Education, annual family income, contact with the source of information, and organizational participation of the respondents showed positive significant relationships with their adoption of pest management practices. High input price, low market price of the product, disease, and pest attack was identified as the major problems faced by the lemon growers.

Conclusion: Adoption of pest management practices significantly influenced by socio-economic factors of lemon growers. Hence, agricultural extension agents should step forward to work with different groups of farmers for raising their knowledge of integrated pest control and improve expertise in lemon cultivation. Furthermore, the government should take the requisite steps to address issues such as high production costs, low commodity prices, and disease and pest infestation.