bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Geosynthetic reinforced soil bridge abutments under base motion dynamic loading
Authors: Askari Mehdi , Mamaghanian Jaber , Razeghi Hamid Reza , Rahmaninezhad S. Mustapha
Published: April 2021

Geosynthetic reinforced soil (GRS) bridge abutments are of great interest in different highway projects due to their ease of construction, flexibility, cost-saving, aesthetic aspects and good performance comparing to traditional ones. However, their seismic performance is of question due to their complex structure and lack of proper investigations. Therefore, this paper investigates GRS abutment performance under earthquake loading through numerical modelling using FLAC software. The effect of lateral restraint due to the bridge deck existence was analyzed in this study. Comparing the models with and without the bridge deck indicated that the bridge deck simulation affected static and seismic performance of GRS abutment considerably. Accordingly, restriction of the upper part of GRS abutment with bridge deck modelling decreased facing displacement and reinforcement loads considerably under static loading. Furthermore, simulation of bridge deck caused a noticeable reduction in facing displacement after seismic loading, while it had no considerable effects in reinforcement loads. Additionally, it was found that seismic loading imposed a great increase in facing displacement and reinforcement loads compared to static state. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the dynamic performance of GRS abutments constructed in seismic prone areas.
Load-Settlement Behavior of Adjacent Strip Footings Resting on Slopes
Authors: A Anjali , J Jayamohan , S S Rageena
Published: April 2021

In many places of Kerala state the topography is sloping especially in the districts of Kottayam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kasaragod etc. A sloping ground is in unstable equilibrium, when compared with a level ground. When we construct structures on sloping ground, foundations will be placed on the slope at various levels. Applying loads on a slope of various levels may further degrade its stability and in addition, there will be interference between adjacent footings. Since the foundations are at different levels the stressed zones will overlap which may lead to differential settlement. This paper investigates the load - settlement behavior of footing resting on slopes, by carrying out a series of laboratory scale load tests on model footings resting at various levels along the slope surface. The parameters varied are eccentricity and slope angles. Finite element analyses are carried out with the FE software PLAXIS 2D and the results are compared with those obtained from laboratory scale load tests for validation.
Undrained Strength Characteristics of Fibre Reinforced Expansive Soils
Authors: Kurup G. Surya Narayana , P. S. Sona , U Luthfa , Manu Varsha , Sahib Amal Azad
Published: April 2021

Expansive soils are those whose volume changes take place while it comes in contact with water. It expands during rainy season due to intake of water and shrinks during summer season. Expansive soils owe their characteristics due to the presence of swelling clay minerals. Expansive soils cover nearly 20% of landmass in India and include almost the entire Deccan plateau, western Madhya Pradesh, parts of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra. The properties that describe the expansive behaviour of soils are free swell index, swell potential and swell pressure. This behaviour has an impounding effect on the bearing capacity and strength of foundation lying on such a soil. Some of the stabilization techniques which are currently being used are physical alternations, sand cushioning, belled piers, under reamed piers, granular pile anchors, chemical stabilization, and fibre reinforcement techniques. This paper focuses on improvement in the strength characteristics of stabilized Chittur soil. The commonly used stabilizer for expansive soils is lime. This paper looks upon alternative materials such as fly ash and polypropylene fibres in order to reduce the lime content. It was concluded from the trials that an optimum combination of 1.5% lime, 10% fly ash and 0.2% polypropylene fibres contribut
Transport of Microplastics from Municipal Solid Waste Landfills to Aquatic system: An Overview
Authors: Upadhyay Kshitij , Bajpai Samir
Published: April 2021

Microplastics possess a significant threat to water resources as well as aquatic life and present a challenge in overall water resource management. Among a wide variety of entry routes available for microplastics from land to water bodies, municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills are suspected to be one of the important land-based sources (entry point) of microplastics affecting water quality. Few studies reported the presence of microplastic in the leachate obtained from municipal solid waste landfills corroborating that MSW landfills not only act as a sink of microplastic pollution but also act as a source. Microplastics from these leachates move to the soil system thereby affecting its quality and further migrate to aquatic systems. This movement of microplastic from leachate to aquatic system not only deteriorate the water quality but also highlights the importance of land-based sources of microplastic. In this review, we focused on the role of landfills as a pathway for microplastics to water bodies. The main aims of this review the abundance and characteristics of microplastics in landfills and discuss the role of landfill age. Polyethylene in fragmented and fibrous form remains the predominant type and shape of microplastic in leachates. The shape, size, and abundance of microplastics in leachates vary with landfill age. Landfills also provide a favorable environment for microplastic degradation thereby turning macroplastics into tiny plastic pieces. The major type of degradation is oxidative degradation. Our review confirms that MSW landfills are indeed a source of microplastic and contribute to microplastic pollution in soil and aquatic systems.
The Potential of Sewage Treatment through Constructed Wetlands in Northeast India: A Critical Review
Authors: Yoka Getu , Bharti Ajay
Published: April 2021

The benefits of economical treatment systems and global demand for introducing sustainable way of environmental management, the Constructed Wetlands (CWs) treatment of domestic sewage is rising rapidly all over the globe. The Total nitrogen in the sewage is the summation of Organic Nitrogen, Nitrate Nitrogen, Nitrite Nitrogen and Ammonium Nitrogen. Ammonification, Matrix Adsorption, Nitrification, Denitrification, Plant Uptake and Ammonia Volatilization are the principle involved for total nitrogen removal in the treatment of sewage using CWs. This paper provides a comprehensive review by comparative analysis of effects of type and nature of flow system, wetland structures, types of Macrophyte, removal mechanisms, Aeration, Step-feeding and other key operational parameters and conditions for the enhance removal of total nitrogen in CWs.
Review on Factors Governing Stress Concentration Factor at Tubular Joints
Authors: Mathews Gemi Maria , M Althaf
Published: April 2021

Tubular structures have become so much in use because of their structural performance and attractive appearance. But at the intersections of these tubular structures (i.e., tubular joints), there is stress concentration which adds the fatigue damage in structures which is exposed to cyclic loads. The stress concentration factor plays a crucial role in the computation of fatigue life of tubular structures exposed to cyclic loads. This paper aims to review the factors governing stress concentration factor at tubular joints.
Seismic Retrofitting of Structures Using Steel Bracing: An Overview
Authors: S Silpa , Joy Chinsu Mereena
Published: April 2021

One of the major causes of the collapse of buildings are earthquakes. Reinforced concrete structures are vulnerable to seismic activities and can destruct the structures. The RC structures which are prone to seismic activities should be protected and need to be retrofitted to resist the seismic loads. Retrofitting is one of the best methods which can be used to strengthen the structures safe against seismic loads. Retrofitting techniques will increase the strength, stiffness, ductility and stability of structures as well as reduce the operation costs and environmental impacts. Various techniques of retrofitting can be adapted to improve the stability of the structure. One of the most effective method for retrofitting of structures is the use of steel bracings. Steel bracing can be effectively used for enhancing the earthquake resistance of seismically inadequate reinforced concrete frames. This paper reviews the effect of different steel bracing patterns used as retrofitting technique in the seismic performance of the structures.
Fatigue Life Prediction of Plain and Reinforced Concrete – A Review
Authors: B S Vishnu , Simon Keerthy M , Raj J Bharati
Published: April 2021

Many infrastructures like Bridge decks, airfield and highway pavements, offshore structure and machinery foundation are subjected to fatigue loading. This cyclic loading induces gradual, permanent internal changes in a material and thereby affecting the remaining life of the infrastructure. The heterogeneities in concrete add complexities in analysing fatigue failure of reinforced concrete. This review paper discuss about fatigue life prediction models for both plain and reinforced concrete structural member. This review paper comprises various deterministic and probabilistic models used in predicting the fatigue life of plain and reinforced concrete. Deterministic approach is dependent on some initial parameters and conditions and is unreliable to accurately determine the fatigue life of concrete. This results in the development of a more generalized model based on a probabilistic approach that accounts for the stochasticity in fatigue failure of concrete. In recent years, artificial neural network emerged as a new promising computational tool which adopts a probabilistic approach for modelling complex relationships.
Comparison of Hysteresis Models for Nonlinear Dynamic Analysis of Structural Systems
Authors: T K Arya Bharath , A.S Nisha
Published: April 2021

Hysteresis is a non-linear phenomenon exhibited by the mechanical systems. Beyond elastic limit the loading and unloading path of most of the system will differ and that nonlinear path is indicated by hysteresis. The reason for shape of hysteretic cure may due to either changes in material properties beyond the elastic range or due to the changes in structural geometry because of subjected load. This response is a function of both immediate deformation and the previous residual deformation acted on it since it represents the dissipated energy of structure. The hysteretic characteristics or degrading characteristics includes pinching, stiffness degradation, load deterioration, and sliding. A study of four commonly available hysteresis models, which are Bouc Wen Model, Mostaghel Model, Menegotto Pinto Model and Preisach Model were briefly reviewed and discussed in this section and the outcome of this study is the best fitted model for the nonlinear analysis. The scope of the work is to simulate nonlinear response of the building frame subjected to earthquake excitation in a most effective way.
A Review on Seismic Issues and Remedies in High-Rise Structures
Authors: S Adarsh , R Sajeeb
Published: April 2021

The increase in population in urban areas have popularised high rise structures, as a means of accommodating more people in a limited area. The major concerns in the designing and construction of high-rise structures are the safety aspects against wind and earthquake forces, as the collapse of the structure can lead to a disaster. The seismic zoning map of India shows that a large area of India is prone to earthquakes. The growing use of high strength and lightweight materials in high-rise structures makes them more flexible and lightly damped, thereby making these structures more sensitive to dynamic excitations. Presence of irregularities, setbacks, open ground story, weak and soft storeys, also increases the seismic vulnerability of high-rise structures. Vertical ground shaking can be of significant concern in terms of amplification of acceleration along the height of the building, and also, achieving vertical isolation had been challenging as the gravitational load must be sustained by the isolation system. Quasi-Zero stiffness system was found to be effective in vertical isolation of structures. Installing damping devices at optimal locations, base isolation systems, and suitable seismic retrofitting strategies can enhance the seismic performance of structures. This paper reviews the various factors that lead to seismic issues in high-rise structures such as size, shape, configuration, structural aspects, and material properties. The appropriate remedies to address the seismic issues are also reviewed.
A Review on the Mechanisms and Analysis of Fatigue in Ductile Materials
Authors: A Amal , Thowsif Mohammed
Published: April 2021

In civil engineering, fatigue can be referred to as the loss in structural performance of engineering components when subjected to repeated cyclic loads. Fatigue is identified as one of the leading factors that determines the lifespan of an engineering structure. Fatigue develops in the form of small and localized cracks which gradually propagates subcritically until the engineering component is structurally incapable to satisfy the serviceability conditions and ultimately fails. Due to the engineering importance of the phenomenon, fatigue is studied extensively in order to obtain a better understanding of the phenomenon and its manifestation in different engineering components. Over the years a number of mechanisms and models have been developed in order to explain, analyze and predict the effects of the phenomenon on various components. The three key factors that have been identified to have influenced the fatigue life of engineering components include the material properties of the engineering component, the geometry of the engineering component and the load pattern to which the engineering component is subjected. This paper aims to give a brief and consolidated overview of the various mechanisms, the different models and the influence of the various factors on the fatigue performance of components composed of ductile materials.
A Review on Seismic Performance Analysis of High Rise Modular Steel Construction (MSC)
Authors: Jasmin Rishma , Basheer Asif
Published: April 2021

The construction industry has tried out a variety of trends in its field to bring out innovative, economic, efficient and sustainable infrastructure to meet the growing demand. One such development is the off-site manufactured modular steel buildings. The practice reduces the construction period as well as reduces wastage of resources. It was extensively used for low rise structures earlier, but due to increasing urban construction demand the practice is preferred nowadays in high rise structures too. For the high rise structures the lateral stability needed to be well looked into as there may arise a mass irregularity, structural irregularity, discontinuity etc. Psychological acceptance of such construction practice by the public is also not assured as they are not well aware of the advantages and use of the practice. And hence there is a need to conduct detailed and thorough investigation on its contradiction part to seismic performance. The modular construction consists of different structural systems and load transferring mechanisms. The integration of many materials and elements to modular structures are also discussed in various papers. But regarding lateral force resistance of its structural and non-structural components only limited research is conducted. Further research is required. The aim of the study is to provide a collective critical review on individual units or components of the structural system and their effects contributing to seismic resistance.
Behaviour of longitudinally stiffened stainless-steel plate girder under combined bending and shear
Authors: Chandran T Sajith , M S Ajith
Published: April 2021

Due to the high corrosion resistance, the use of stainless steel is increased in a wide range of environment in the last two decades. The behaviour of stainless steel is different from that of carbon steel, especially in a stress-strain relationship. Stainless steel has a rounded stress-strain curve, whereas carbon steel exhibits a sharp yield point in the stress-strain curve. Stainless steel has better strain hardening capacity and possesses high ductility. Stiffeners are generally utilised in plate girder for increasing the load-carrying capacity by providing better resistance against buckling of web panels. The existing study related to austenitic stainless steel plate girder studied the effect of longitudinal stiffener placed at the centre of the web panel alone. Present work uses to optimise position of longitudinal stiffener in stainless steel plate girder subjected to combined bending and shear. The behaviour is analysed by using finite element software ABAQUS. The optimum location for longitudinal stiffener in long-span stainless steel plate girder under combined bending and shear was identified and compared the results with the standard design codes.
Response Spectrum Analysis of Multi Storied Building on Sloping Ground with Ground, Middle and Top Soft Storey
Authors: Sanni Shankar H. , Bidreddy Ratnakala S.
Published: April 2021

In the concrete era of construction activities, there is scarcity of land especially in metro cities. Even though if there is availability of land it may in the sloping ground, hillocks or on land filled areas, in such areas there will be difficulty in the construction and design aspects. To maintain the slope of the strata, different degrees of such buildings step back towards the slanting slope and may likewise also have set back simultaneously. Hence in the present paper, an attempt has been made to study, G+12 storey building assumed to be in flat ground and also on sloping ground with 20 degree inclination. The model considered to be a soft storey with infill walls and two different shear wall arrangements. The building has been modelled in ETABS software with response spectrum method of analysis. The study reveals that model with shear wall improves the performance of the structure in terms of displacement, drift and time period apart from the fact that the structure being constructed in normal ground or sloping ground.
Safety Impact Analysis of Lane Conversion on Selected Highway Corridor
Authors: Mohan Swathy P , S Archana , Sam S Ebin
Published: April 2021

The safety impact analysis of a widened corridor stretch of NH 66 was carried out in this study. A before and after black spot analysis was conducted using Arc Map 10.6 to identify significant hotspots using spatial joining and Getis Ord analysis. Two Poisson regression models were formulated for the weighted sum of fatal and grievous accidents for both pre lane widening as well as post lane widening conditions. The weighted sum of accidents showed a significant relationship with AADT value and black spot segment length in both models. It was found that 40-50 % reduction of crashes due to the lane conversion was estimated at a selected AADT range.
Potential of Driver Physiological Measures for Assessing Non-Urban Highway Geometry
Authors: Jacob Anitha , Akkara Jisha , K. J Jinesh , Therattil Jose P.
Published: April 2021

Life is a complex phenomenon, mostly controlled by sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. And it is quite dynamic in response to numerous stimulations getting from a system called, human-vehicle-environmental ensemble. Geometry is one of the fundamental stimulus for a driver driving on a highway. His/her mental workload will be based on the input he/she gets from the above system. A system that provides an optimum workload will be the most efficient one. This study explored the capability of different physiological measures to assess the quality of geometric design of non-urban highways. Heart rate, galvanic skin resistance and rate of eye blinking and their variance from base condition were the candidate measures under consideration. Radius of curve, length of curve, length of tangent section, superelevation at curves, degree of curvature, deflection angle and minimum available sight distance at curves were the geometric variables considered. The study included driving experiments done on 114 horizontal curves of gradient less than 2 percentage, each curve being driven over by 30 car drivers. The subjects were equipped with sensors for collecting physiological measures and continuous logging of the data along with geometric coordinates made the database for study. The study revealed the relationship between significant geometric variables and workload measures. The study will be a contribution in the field of road safety auditing, planning and designing of non-urban highways.
Comparative Study on Spatial Clustering Methods for Identifying Traffic Accident Hotspots
Authors: Aquil Mohd. Minhajuddin , Faheem Mir Iqbal
Published: April 2021

Traffic accidents in an urban road network are inevitable as a result claims and disputes arise among different road users. It is imperative to estimate the likelihood of traffic accidents resulting from different factors that contribute to loss of life, property and health of road users. There is a pressing need to reduce traffic accidents by identifying the location of accident hotspots using suitable analysis methods and examining them which is essential for the safety of road users. In this research traffic accident hotspots are identified using two spatial clustering analysis methods namely Getis-Ord Gi* and Nearest Neighborhood Hierarchy (NNH). These methods are compared and evaluated using the Prediction Accuracy Index (PAI) for their degree of accuracy. In this study, a cumulative traffic accident data of Hyderabad city of Telangana state over four years is researched upon and considered. Getis-Ord Gi* analysis measures the concentration ratio based on Z score identified as high (positive Z-values) and low values (negative Z-values). NNH analysis is another spatial clustering method which displays hotspot regions in the form of Convex hulls and Ellipses. The choice of the above two clustering methods represents the significance of the precision required. The findings of the study reveal that NNH method performed better compared to Getis-Ord Gi* method in its ability to detect hotspots. The above research methodology can be performed to any size of road network area globally having relevant accident data for the identification of hotspots for reducing the traffic accidents.
Artificial Neural Networks in Pavement Engineering: A Recent Review
Authors: Kurian Abhishek , Sunildutt Elvin
Published: April 2021

The application of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) in civil engineering has increased drastically in the past few years. ANN tools are nowadays used commonly in developed countries over various fields of civil engineering like geotechnical, structural, traffic, pavement engineering etc. This paper deals with the review of recent advancements and utilization of ANNs in pavement engineering. The review will focus on pavement performance prediction, maintenance strategies, distress intensity detection through deep learning techniques, pavement condition index prediction etc. The use of ANNs in pavement management systems are expected to furnish a systematic schedule and economic management strategies in the field of pavement engineering. The use of ANNs combined with deep learning techniques help to address complex problems in pavement engineering and pave the way to a sustainable future.
Performance Evaluation of Cold Bituminous Mix Reinforced with Coir Fibre
Authors: Amal R. , Narendra J. , Sivakumar M. , Anjaneyulu M.V.L.R.
Published: April 2021

Cold bituminous mix (CBM), which is a mixture of bitumen emulsion and aggregate that is mixed together at ambient temperature, has several advantages like energy savings, easiness in preparation, environmental benefits, and high production at low investment. But there are certain limitations of CBMs like inferior mechanical properties, high air voids, weak early life strength, long curing time and poor coating that hinder its extensive usage. The possibility of improving mechanical performance of CBMs by the addition of coir fibre is attempted in this study. The objectives of the study are to assess the improvement in performance of CBM due to addition of coir fibre and to identify the optimum length and optimum content of coir fibre for CBMs. Three coir fibre contents and three coir fibre lengths were used in this study. Performance evaluation of CBM modified with coir fibre was done through Retained Marshall Stability (RMS) test and Hamburg wheel tracking test. Coir fibre was added to the aggregates and mixed before the addition of pre-wetting water and emulsion, to achieve uniform distribution and to avoid balling of coir fibres. When coir fibre was added to the mix, Marshall Stability increased up to a certain level of coir fibre content depending on fibre length. Highest Marshall Stability value was obtained at 0.2% content (by weight of total mix) of coir fibre of 15 mm length. Resistance to moisture damage was assessed by RMS test. It was observed that the addition of coir fibre improved the RMS value. From the Hamburg wheel tracking test, it was observed that the addition of coir fibre improved rut resistance. For all fibre lengths, CBM with 0.2 % coir content showed the highest rut resistance, with 10 mm fibre length showed the best performance. Hence, coir fibre is recommended as a feasible additive for mechanical performance improvement of CBMs.
Study on VG-30 BC Mix by Partial Replacement of Cashew Nutshell Liquid for Rural Road
Authors: H D Prashanth , S Shishirakrishna , Bhat D Jayakrishna
Published: April 2021

A country's advancement for the most part relies upon the advancement of transportation of the nation. As Flexible pavement is significantly used in India, it is significant that means must be taken to expand the life of the bituminous mix. Flexible pavement is frequently exposed to issues like rutting, cracking, and other failures due to repeated traffic loads. In this paper, the main aim of the study is stabilization of bituminous mix with CNSL and comparing the results with the conventional bituminous mix. The material used for the present study is VG-30 grade bitumen, CNSL, Lime and Natural Coarse Aggregate. In this research study, the CNSL as a replacement to bitumen by 2%, 4% and 6% and finally the stability of the bituminous mix and stability of the partial replaced bitumen by CNSL are compared by conducting Marshal Stability test.From the experimental investigation it has been proved that 2% addition of CNSL gave better stability and the flow value was higher for addition of 4% CNSL when compared to conventional mix.
A Review on the Plastic Hinge Characteristics of Beam-Column Joints in RC Moment Resisting Frames
Authors: SS Surya , Sajeeb R
Published: April 2021

The behavior of beam-column joints plays a crucial role in the performance of Reinforced Concrete (RC) moment-resisting frames in earthquake-prone areas. In beam-column joints with high strength concrete and shear reinforcement in joints, the plastic hinge is formed at the beam-column joint interface, which is an undesirable failure mode. Predicting the behavior of plastic hinges subjected to large inelastic deformations caused by extreme loads such as earthquake plays an important role in assessing maximum stable deformation capacities of framed concrete structures. The present paper reviews the plastic hinge characteristics of beam-column joints of RC moment-resisting frames. A careful study and understanding of joint behavior are essential to arrive at a proper judgment of the design of joints. Various types of joints and the influence of bond strength characteristics, forces acting on joints, reinforcement detailing, and the concept and formation of plastic hinges in the joints are thoroughly reviewed.
Keynote Speech: Sustainable Construction Basic Practice – Strategy, Challenges, Importance Benefits and Positive Impact
Authors: P. Rajayogan
Published: April 2021

Sustainable construction is the process of constructing structures while being environmentally conscious of the material, design process, and sustainability of the structure and the effect it has on the environment. In simple terms, it is the process of creating structures in an environmentally friendly way. Sustainability factors are considered in the design, material, longevity, and future deconstruction as the main aspects. Also, to determine what is “allowed” and what may deem “disallowed”. The basic six sustainable practices / principles are optimizing site potential, sustainable energy use, protect and conserve water, optimizing material usage and building space, effective operational and maintenance practices and enhancing indoor environmental quality.
Variability of morphometric traits of seeds of different genotypes of Lycium spp.
Authors: Zhurba M. Yu. , Klymenko S. V. , Szot Iwona
Published: April 2021

Purpose. The objective of this study was to evaluate the morphological parameters of Lycium spp. seeds from the collections in M. M. Hryshko National Botanical Garden (NBS) NAS of Ukraine.
Methods. Cultivars and varieties of three Lycium species (Lycium barbarum, L. chinense, L. truncatum) were studied in the period from 2016 till 2019. The following morphometric measurments were conducted: seeds weight, seeds length, seeds width and index of seeds shape. Basic statistical analyses were performed using PAST 2.17. Hierarchical cluster analyses of similarity between genotypes were computed on the basis of the Bray-Curtis similarity index. Correlation between traits was determined using the Pearson correlation coefficient.
Results. Cultivars and varieties of different species of Lycium varied in weight, shape, and size of seeds. Seed weight varied from 0.54 to 3.54 mg, seed length from 1.90 to 3.06 mm, seed width from 1.43 to 2.53 mm. The shape indexes of seeds were found ranging from 0.73 to 0.80. The analysis of coefficient of variation showed the difference of variability in morphometric characteristics between some Lycium spp. cultivars and varieties. The most variable features: seeds weight (8.51–28.22%) and seeds length (5.07–24.81%) are important parameters for selection. The use of cluster analysis made it possible to establish the similarity between the species of the studied Lycium species.
Conclusions. Diagnostic signs by seed morphometry for differentiation of Lycium species were revealed. The analysis of coefficient of variation showed the difference of variability in morphometric characteristics between some Lycium cultivars and varieties. The most variable characteristics of the studied genotypes were seed weight and length, which are important parameters for selection because they determine the pulp content and number of seeds, as well as the ratio of these parameters between them. It is through variability that promising varieties with low seed weight and length can be selected, Due to securing them later vegetatively.
Comprehensive evaluation of spring barley breeding lines in yield, stability and tolerance to biotic and abiotic factors under condition of the central part of the Ukrainian Forest-Steppe
Authors: Hudzenko V. M. , Polischuk T. P. , Babii O. O. , Lysenko A. A. , Yurchenko T. V.
Published: April 2021

Purpose. Identification of spring barley promising breeding lines with combination of adaptive traits under conditions of the central part of the Ukrainian Forest-Steppe.
Methods. Field trial, laboratory-field analysis of drought tolerance, statistical and graphical analysis of experimental data.
Results. The analysis of variance of the AMMI model showed that the largest contribution to the general variation (85.78%) had environmental conditions (years of research). The value of the genotype was 8.21%, and the genotype by environment interaction was 6.01%. The first and second principal components of both AMMI and GGE biplot explained more than 85% of the genotype-environment interaction. Spring barley breeding lines ‘Deficiens 5162’, ‘Nutans 5073’ and ‘Deficiens 5161’ had the superior combination of yield performance and relative stability through the years according to GGE biplot. With GYT biplot analysis it has been determined that the breeding lines ‘Deficiens 5162’ and ‘Nutans 5073’ also significantly predominated over the other genotypes in terms of combination of yield performance and a number of other traits – 1000 kernels weight, drought tolerance, resistance to pathogens. Breeding lines ‘Deficiens 5161’, ‘Nutans 4966’, ‘Nutans 4705’, ‘Nutans 4816’, ‘Nutans 5184’, ‘Nutans 5193’, which exceeded the mean value in the trial in terms of combination of yield performance and a number of adaptive traits may have practical significance in the breeding process for creation of new initial material.
Conclusions. As a result of the complex evaluation when using AMMI, GGE biplot and GYT biplot graphical models the breeding lines ‘Deficiens 5162’ and ‘Nutans 5073’ with the optimal combination of yield, stability, thousand kernel weight and tolerance to abiotic and biotic environmental factors have been identified
Disertación sobre la legitimidad moral de las fronteras en los contextos del siglo XXI
Authors: Gutiérrez López Eduardo Elías
Published: April 2021

El fenómeno migratorio ha acompañado a la humanidad durante todas las etapas y transiciones políticas, sociales y económicas, pero recientemente se ha acentuado con eventos coyunturales como el éxodo de personas migrantes centroamericanas que llegó a México a finales de 2018. Estos hechos han revivido un debate filosófico que cuestiona la legitimidad de las fronteras, basado en que, a través de ellas, se convalidan jurídicamente desigualdades de toda clase. En este trabajo se evalúa la existencia –y pertinencia– de las fronteras jurídico-administrativas a partir de algunas doctrinas morales como el deontologismo, el utilitarismo y el primado de la voluntad; así como de algunas corrientes de la filosofía del derecho (iusnaturalismo) y de la sociología. El objetivo es responder, a partir de todas las doctrinas analizadas, las dos siguientes preguntas: ¿Cómo se trata actualmente a las personas migrantes que ingresan a un país que no es el de su origen y no lo hacen por las vías regulares existentes? ¿Desde cuál teoría ética se sostiene el rechazo de personas migrantes a un país distinto al de su origen?
Tecnología sostenible y Sumak Kawsay Convergencias y contradicciones
Authors: Cortés Ramírez Laura
Published: April 2021

Actualmente la sociedad de consumo en un entorno capitalista y globalizado es permeada por visiones novedosas como el sumak kawsay y la tecnología sostenible. El artículo se basará precisamente en la comparación de estos dos conceptos, encontrando convergencias y contradicciones, evidenciando la contraposición que los mismos muestran respecto al panorama económico contemporáneo y los principios que comparten alrededor del medio ambiente y la forma de gobierno. Por medio del presente trabajo se busca aportar en la introducción de visiones más conscientes en torno a la relación humano-naturaleza, como lo propone el enfoque del sumak kawsay, incorporando planteamientos relevantes desde la tecnología sostenible en el escenario vigente. El artículo finaliza con unas conclusiones y recomendaciones en torno al capitalismo y el consumo de la mano con la gobernanza multinivel y la protección medioambiental.
Construção do Pensamento sobre o Internacional na Rússia:
Authors: Vieira Secches Daniela , Bernardes Marina , Diniz Rocha Pedro
Published: April 2021

A compreensão sobre o internacional no século XX e o desenvolvimento do campo das Relações Internacionais ecoam particularidades do ambiente sociopolítico no qual são construídos. Isso pode ser percebido no caso da Rússia, onde a construção científica do campo está atrelada a projetos de nação que buscam imitar o Outro Ocidental, ou ontrapor-se a ele. O objetivo deste artigo é compreender o quadro contemporâneo das escolas de pensamento sobre o internacional naquele país. Para tanto, serão incorporados conceitos da sociologia do conhecimento e do construtivismo aplicado às Relações Internacionais a partir da noção de epistemologias geoculturais. Análises matriciais sobre a literatura revista serão o principal recurso de comparação das classificações propostas pelas obras selecionadas, com vistas a entender o impacto dos diferentes contextos sociopolíticos sobre a Academia. Conclui-se que o caso russo é um interessante exemplo no qual é possível observar a confluência de inclinações identitárias, projetos político-pragmáticos e a constituição dessa área do saber em torno do elemento Ocidental.
Inserção Regional em tempos de intolerância
Authors: Otavio Anselmo
Published: April 2021

O artigo possui como objetivo principal analisar a interação entre a imigração africana rumo à África do Sul e o processo de inserção deste país no continente africano ao longo das administrações Mandela, Mbeki, Zuma e Ramaphosa. A partir de revisão da literatura e da análise de documentos oficiais, busca-se defender a hipótese de que há o descolamento entre a intenção de Pretoria em ser mais atuante na África e a efetivação, de fato, de tal objetivo, visto que o processo de inserção no continente acaba sendo limitado pela dificuldade em romper com as ondas de intolerância para com o imigrante.
Aliança Brasil-Estados Unidos entre 1889-1942
Authors: Felix Marcelo M , Violante Alexandre Rocha
Published: April 2021

A conduta da política exterior brasileira para com os Estados Unidos da América (EUA) tem provocado muitos debates. Qual seria a melhor postura a ser seguida? Em que pese a pertinência da pergunta, tal aproximação com os EUA não é algo novo. Sendo assim, este artigo tem por objetivo analisar a relação diplomática Brasil-Estados Unidos, entre 1889 e 1942, e mostrar o que essa relação representou para cada ator. Por meio de uma pesquisa bibliográfica de abordagem histórica, constatou-se que o Brasil não possuiu histórico, na moldura temporal apresentada, de alinhamento sem barganha em sua relação político-diplomática com os Estados Unidos da América. Ao contrário, a diplomacia brasileira buscou uma aproximação que geralmente foi ditada pela necessidade de gerar ganhos econômicos, políticos e militares para o Brasil. Por outro lado, o posicionamento norte-americano na relação oscilou entre desinteresse, paciência e atitude de investida, porém não intervencionista.
Multivariate Optimization Applied to the Synthesis of Meglumine Antimoniate with Low Levels of Trivalent Antimony
Authors: Fabrino Henrique , Frezard Frédéric , de Oliveira Ana Carolina , Costa Letícia , Demicheli Cynthia
Published: April 2021

Meglumine antimoniate (MA) is a pentavalent antimony (SbV) drug recommended for the treatment of leishmaniasis. It is known that the trivalent antimony (SbIII) present as a residue in MA contributes to the drug side effects. In this article, multivariate optimization was used in the synthesis of MA in order to obtain a drug with low levels of SbIII. Four variables (source of antimony, temperature, water volume and pH) were preliminarily evaluated by 24-1 fractional factorial design. Central composite design (CCD) was used to determine the optimal synthesis conditions, using two different sources of SbV and the significant variables selected in a fractional factorial design. Response surface methodology obtained by CCD provided a model with non-significant regression (p = 0.05) for the synthetic route via KSb(OH)6. On the other hand, synthetic route via SbCl5 reached minimum value of SbIII content of 0.172% and significant regression, and it was selected for further evaluations. The analysis of MA formulations synthesized with SbCl5 under optimized conditions revealed the efficiency of multivariate optimization to reduce SbIII content. In addition, the monitoring of some physicochemical parameters of these formulations maintained at 40 ºC for 90 days, showed that stability was not altered at 95% confidence level.
Magnetized Biochar as a Gold Nanocatalyst Support for p-Nitrophenol Reduction
Authors: Lopes Renata , Guimarães Tiago , Astruc Didier
Published: April 2021

The biomass use is of considerable ecological and economical interest and here, biochar, a byproduct of biomass carbonization, is magnetized with Fe3O4 for its use as gold nanoparticle (NP) support towards catalysis of p-nitrophenol (4-NP) reduction. Biochar was synthesized from coffee straw biomass via pyrolysis, while magnetite functionalization was obtained using the precipitation method. The magnetite was identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The material had a specific surface area of 30 m2 g-1 and a zero point charge of 7.5. The gold NPs were deposited via reduction with NaBH4, which yielded Au and Fe3O4 NP of 4.61 and 10.9 nm, respectively. The materials were applied in the 4-NP reduction, with a rate constant kapp = (1.2 ± 0.2) × 10-2 s-1, and a synergistic effect between Au and Fe3O4 NPs was observed. Remarkably, comparison with graphene oxide to which biochar resembles showed similar behavior, and the material was reused in several catalytic cycles.
Shear Bond Strength and Optical Properties of Resin Composite - Layered Provisional Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)
Authors: Aksornmuang Juthatip , Tiangtrong Juckrapun
Published: April 2021

Aims:

To compare the shear bond strength between resin composite and Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with various bonding protocols and to evaluate the optical properties of resin composite - layered provisional Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA).

Materials and Methods:

Eighty cylindrical shape specimens were fabricated from self-polymerized provisional Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and they were randomly divided into eight groups. Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was mixed and bonded onto the specimens as a positive control group. Resin composite was bonded to MMA-wetted surface without bonding agent as a negative control group. All remaining groups were bonded to resin composite using different bonding agents (Scothbond Universal, Luxatemp glaze&bond, and HC Primer) with and without MMA wetting. Shear bond strength testing was performed using a universal testing machine. Various shades of 0.5 mm-thick resin composites were layered onto 1.5 mm-thick PMMA both light and dark shade, with the most effective bonding protocol. Color differences between resin composite and – layered provisional Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were measured using Spectrophotometer.

Results:

Bonding resin composite onto Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) using luxatemp glaze, bond and HC Primer without methyl methacrylate wetting provided statistically significantly lower bond strength than those of the MMA-wetted Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) surface. The highest shear bond strength was achieved with the application of Scothbond Universal Adhesive regardless of MMA wetting. The colors of resin composite - layered provisional Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were different from the original resin composite color with ΔE results greater than the acceptable threshold (>3.7).

Conclusion:

Resin composites were able to effectively bond to the MMA-wetted Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) surface with the application of a tested bonding agent. Layering Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with 0.5 mm-thick resin composite could not modify the Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) shade to the original resin composite color.
Factor Structure and Validity of the Korean Version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Among Early Childhood Teachers
Authors: Lee Boram
Published: April 2021

Background:

Depression is prevalent among teachers, particularly those in early childhood education. Thus, their depressive symptoms’ accurate assessment is important in both research and practice, and, for this purpose, the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) has shown considerable promise in depression screening and diagnosis. Although the PHQ-9 has been widely employed in both clinical and nonclinical settings, its validity among early childhood teachers in Korea is questionable, and its dimensionality remains controversial. This study’s purposes were thus to provide data on the factorial structure and psychometric properties of the PHQ-9’s Korean version and to investigate associations between the PHQ-9 and a corresponding psychiatric instrument, the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II).

Methods:

For this study, 252 early childhood teachers completed both the PHQ-9’s Korean version and the BDI-II. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to compare goodness-of-fit for four distinct factor models suggested by extant literature. Convergent validity was assessed by examining correlations between the PHQ-9 and the BDI-II.

Results:

A two-factor model with three items labeled “somatic” and six labeled “affective” provided the best fit. The scale’s convergent validity was supported by significant correlations with theoretically related measures, and its internal consistency was adequate.

Conclusion:

Overall, the results suggest that the PHQ-9’s Korean version is best conceptualized as a multidimensional measure of depression and confirms the PHQ-9 as a reliable assessment of depression among Korean early childhood teachers.
The Role of MicroRNAs (miRNA 155, miRNA-146b) and Procalcitonin as Novel Markers for the Diagnosis of Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis
Authors: El-Hassib Dalia M. A. , Abo-elmatty Dina M. , Mesbah Noha M. , Abd-Elsalam Sherief , Bastawisy Shorouk A. , E. Doaa , Hassan Ayat S.E.M. , Zahran Fawkia E. , Abdelghany Reda S. , Siddik Reham I. , Abdel-Hamed Asmaa R.
Published: April 2021

Background:

MircoRNAs are endogenous, small non-coding RNA molecules that have been recognized as important modulators of gene expression. MicroRNA is considered one of the potential biomarkers of infection and inflammation. Our study aims to identify the potential role of miRNA-155, miRNA-146b, and Procalcitonin (PCT) in the early detection of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in cirrhotic liver patients. miRNA-155 and 146b are molecular biomarkers , while procalcitonin is a serum marker in ascites patients complicated with Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis (SBP) .

Methods:

This study was conducted on 199 patients, 101 of them have ascites complicated with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, and 98 patients without spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (control group). Ascitic fluid samples were collected from patients with SBP undergoing paracentesis at National Hepatology Institute in Egypt. MicroRNAs were determined in the serum using qPCR (quantitative polymerase chain reaction), while procalcitonin has been assessed in serum samples using ELISA (Enzyme-linked immune assay) technique.

Results:

Serum levels of miRNA-146b & miRNA-155 were significantly higher (p<0.001) in spontaneous bacterial peritonitis patients (79.2% and 97.0% respectively) than ascites patients (17.3% and 7.1%, respectively). Furthermore, the serum level of procalcitonin was significantly higher (p<0.001) in spontaneous bacterial peritonitis patients than that in ascites patients (68.3% and 27.6%, respectively).

Conclusion:

miRNA-155, miRNA-146b and procalcitonin can be used as early markers for the detection of SBP in hepatic patients with ascites.