Abstract
Earthquake events are not something which can be avoidable. The Indian subcontinent has a background marked by devasting quakes. Quakes are generally caused when the stone underground out of ...nowhere breaks along an issue. Ground shake is caused by seismic waves due to sudden release of energy. The Centre of earthquake vibration is known as epicentre. Due to earthquake millions of lives are lost which can never be affordable. Most of the structures are subjected to vibrations; it causes destruction of country’s infrastructure. In the recent earthquakes many well designed concrete structures have been severely damaged or collapsed. To protect structures from response reduction of structures and important harm under such serious earthquakes has become a vital theme in structural engineering. In this investigation, we evaluated seismic performance of staging system of elevated water storage tank with or without Base Isolation by using SAP2000. From this examination the powers following up on elevated water tank because of seismic powers are determined for zone IV.
Simple measures of acute physiologic compromise, functional status and comorbidity may help clinicians to make decisions relating to clinical care and resource utilisation.
To explore the usefulness ...of common assessment tools in predicting outcomes of (i) death or intensive care unit (ICU) admission and (ii) length of hospital stay at a busy tertiary hospital in Singapore.
Three hundred and ninety-eight consecutive admissions to two general medicine teams were prospectively assessed during 2 months in 2011. Patients were followed until discharge or transfer to ICU/high dependency unit (HDU). Data collected included routine demographic data, final diagnosis, comorbid conditions including a weighted prognostic comorbidity index (the updated Charlson index) and the modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) at presentation to the emergency department. The admission modified Barthel Index was recorded for patients aged 65 and over. Death and total length of hospital stay were recorded in all cases.
Of 398 patients, 16 (4 %) died or were transferred to ICU and 99 (25%) stayed for more than 7 days. Medical early warning (MEW) scores of ≥5 were significantly associated with death or ICU admission (hazard ratio 5.50, 95% confidence interval 1.77-17.07, P = 0.003). There was no independent association between this outcome and the Charlson score or admission Barthel Index. Excess length of stay was associated with a modified Barthel Index ≤17 and altered mental status at presentation.
Among unselected general medical patients, MEW scores of ≥5 were significantly associated with death or ICU admissions and only functional status and altered mental status were independent predictors of excess length of stay.
We present the results of our power spectral density analysis for the BL Lac object OJ 287, utilizing the Fermi-LAT survey at high-energy γ-rays, Swift-XRT in X-rays, several ground-based telescopes ...and the Kepler satellite in the optical, and radio telescopes at GHz frequencies. The light curves are modeled in terms of continuous-time autoregressive moving average (CARMA) processes. Owing to the inclusion of the Kepler data, we were able to construct for the first time the optical variability power spectrum of a blazar without any gaps across ∼6 dex in temporal frequencies. Our analysis reveals that the radio power spectra are of a colored-noise type on timescales ranging from tens of years down to months, with no evidence for breaks or other spectral features. The overall optical power spectrum is also consistent with a colored noise on the variability timescales ranging from 117 years down to hours, with no hints of any quasi-periodic oscillations. The X-ray power spectrum resembles the radio and optical power spectra on the analogous timescales ranging from tens of years down to months. Finally, the γ-ray power spectrum is noticeably different from the radio, optical, and X-ray power spectra of the source: we have detected a characteristic relaxation timescale in the Fermi-LAT data, corresponding to ∼150 days, such that on timescales longer than this, the power spectrum is consistent with uncorrelated (white) noise, while on shorter variability timescales there is correlated (colored) noise.
Raised intraocular pressure (IOP) is the major risk factor responsible for optic nerve damage in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). The trabecularmeshwork acts as a valve in aqueous outflow and ...relaxes with nitric oxide (NO) agonists. Since NO is synthesized by endothelium and smooth muscle elsewhere in the body, this study investigated the NO levels in the aqueous humor of patients with POAG compared with cataract patients.
Aqueous humor samples were taken by paracentesis from 16 consecutive patients with POAG (9 male and 7 female; mean age 69.0+/-3.4 yrs) and 14 age and sex-matched controls with cataract (8 male and 6 female; mean age 66.7+/-4.1 yrs) during elective surgery. As an indicator for NO, aqueous total nitrite levels (end - product of NO) were measured by Greiss reaction. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for statistical analysis and P <0.05 was considered significant.
The mean age and sex in two groups were comparable. The mean aqueous humor NO levels were significantly (P = 0.001) lower in patients with glaucoma (72.72+/-11.21 micromol/L) than in patients with cataract and no glaucoma (86.92+/-11.23 micromol/L).
Decreased NO production in patients with POAG indicates that NO-producing cells may be lost as the disease progresses. The control of NO levels in the eye might be a therapeutic target in glaucoma.
To measure central corneal thickness (CCT) in patients with Behçet's disease (BD), particularly in the active disease.
We measured CCT by ultrasound pachymetry in 64 patients with Behçet's disease ...and in 20 healthy controls. Forty-one of the patients with BD had ocular involvement and 23 none; 19 of the 41 with ocular involvement were in an active period and 22 had inactive disease.
The mean CCT in the group with active ocular involvement was significantly higher (589+/-27 microm) than in the control group (553+/-21 microm) (p = 0.003), the group with inactive ocular involvement (560+/-26 microm) (p < 0.001), and the group with no ocular involvement (558+/-25 microm) (p < 0.001). After appropriate treatment of patients with active ocular involvement, the mean CCT returned nearly to normal (563+/-20 microm) and the difference from controls was not significant. There was no significant difference for the mean CCT between controls and the patients with no ocular involvement or with inactive ocular involvement.
Behçet's patients with active ocular involvement have a thicker CCT than patients with inactive ocular involvement. There was no difference in CCT between controls and patients with no ocular involvement. The CCT of patients with active ocular involvement returned to nearly normal after treatment. CCT must be taken into account when developing a managing and following approach for Behcet's patients with active ocular involvement.
Context. The paper is comprised of optical identification and multiwavelength studies of a new X-ray source discovered by the Spectrum Roentgen-Gamma (SRG) observatory during the ART-XC survey and ...its follow-up optical and X-ray observations. Aims. We aim to identify SRGA J213151.5+491400 in the optical wavelengths. We determine spectra and light curves in the optical high and low states to find periodicities in the light curves and resolve emission lines in the system using optical ground-based data. We intend to study the spectral and temporal X-ray characteristics of the new source using the SRG surveys in the high and low states and NICER data in the low state. Methods. We present optical data from telescopes in Türkiye (RTT-150 and T100 at the TÜBİTAK National Observatory) and in Russia (6-m and 1-m at SAO RAS), together with the X-ray data obtained with ART-XC and eROSITA telescopes aboard SRG and the NICER observatory. Using the optical data, we performed astrometry, photometry, spectroscopy, and power spectral analysis of the optical time series. We present optical Doppler tomography along with X-ray data analysis producing light curves and spectra. Results. We detected SRGA J213151.5+491400 in a high state in 2020 (17.9 mag) that decreased by about 3 mag into a low state (21 mag) in 2021. We find only one significant period using optical photometric time series analysis, which reveals the white dwarf spin (orbital) period to be 0.059710(1) days (85.982 min). The long slit spectroscopy in the high state yields a power-law continuum increasing towards the blue with a prominent He II line along with the Balmer line emissions with no cyclotron humps, which is consistent with a magnetic cataclysmic variable (MCV) nature. Doppler Tomography confirms the polar nature revealing ballistic stream accretion along with magnetic stream during the high state. These characteristics show that the new source is a polar-type MCV source. ART-XC detections yield an X-ray flux of (4.0−7.0) × 10 −12 erg s −1 cm −2 in the high state. eROSITA detects a dominating hot plasma component (kT max > 21 keV in the high state) declining to (4.0−6.0) × 10 −13 erg s −1 cm −2 in 2021 (low state). The NICER data obtained in the low state reveal a two-pole accretor showing a soft X-ray component at (6−7) σ significance with a blackbody temperature of 15−18 eV. A soft X-ray component has never been detected for a polar in the low state before.
The illegal online trade in wildlife has increased significantly over the last 2 decades. Applying a systematic survey approach, we examined the online trade in elephant ivory before and after the ...implementation of a domestic trade ban in Singapore, to understand the forms of elephant ivory offered for sale, the e-commerce sites used and the effect of the domestic trade ban. Using elephant ivory and lookalikes in form, shape and colour as proxies for elephant ivory, we found that most of the online listings consisted of bird cages and related accessories such as bird feeding cups and ornaments used to adorn them. After the domestic trade ban in elephant ivory was implemented on 1 September 2021, a 76% drop in total listings was observed. Causal impact analysis indicated a strong causal effect of the domestic trade ban, resulting in an 83% drop in the mean number of new listings found weekly relative to the predicted counterfactual market response based on a Bayesian structural time-series model in the absence of the ban. E-commerce sites play an important role in combatting illegal wildlife trade online by removing flagged listings and sending notifications to raise awareness of the ban. We found textual descriptions of products to be more effective for preliminary differentiation of legal and potentially illegal listings compared to the detection of Schreger lines in images, although this remains a significant challenge for law enforcement. Our findings can inform future efforts to develop automated detection methods for elephant ivory in online markets.
ABSTRACT OJ 287 is a quasi-periodic quasar with roughly 12 year optical cycles. It displays prominent outbursts that are predictable in a binary black hole model. The model predicted a major optical ...outburst in 2015 December. We found that the outburst did occur within the expected time range, peaking on 2015 December 5 at magnitude 12.9 in the optical R-band. Based on Swift/XRT satellite measurements and optical polarization data, we find that it included a major thermal component. Its timing provides an accurate estimate for the spin of the primary black hole, . The present outburst also confirms the established general relativistic properties of the system such as the loss of orbital energy to gravitational radiation at the 2% accuracy level, and it opens up the possibility of testing the black hole no-hair theorem with 10% accuracy during the present decade.
Tuberculosis (TB) is a public health problem worldwide, with the highest mortality . The development of nucleic acid-based tests for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) has ...significantly increased sensitivity compared to conventional smear microscopy and provides results within a matter of hours compared to weeks for solid culture, which is the current gold standart. The aim of this study was to compare the culture, microscopic smear and molecular method in the diagnosis of TB.
Seven hundred ninety specimens belonging to clinically suspected cases of TB were studied retrospectively. The specimens were grouped as respiratory and non-respiratory and the groups were compared for mycobacterial detection assays. The culture and the molecular diagnostic GeneXpert MTB/RIF (GX) assay method were compared.
When culture was used as the reference standart, 32 (4.05%) specimens were positive for MTBC. Of the 32 culture positive clinical specimens 24 (3.03%) were respiratory and 8 (1.01%) were non-respiratory specimens. All 24 of the 24 respiratory specimens were positive by the GX test, Seven of the eight non-respiratory specimens positive for culture were positive by GX assay. Five of the seven hundred fifty-eight samples of culture negative were positive with GX assay. Sensitivity and specificity of GX were found to be 96.8 % and 99.3 %, respectively.
Molecular methods to acquire time in diagnosis as well as the increase in linearity gives a different perspective to the diagnosis of tuberculosis. The GX assay has a diagnostic utility for rapid diagnosis of TB.
A pot experiment was conducted with multi-metal （Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn） contaminated acidic soil to investigate changes in available metal burden resulting from the application of industrial wastes （fly ...ash and steel slag）. The efficiency of amendments- induced metal stabilization was evaluated by diffusive gradients in thin films （DGT）, sequential extraction, and plant uptake. The stability of remediation was assessed by an acidification test and by chemical equilibrium modeling. Addition of fly ash （20 g kg-1） and steel slag （3 g kg-1） resulted in similar increase in soil pH. Both amendments significantly decreased the concentrations of metals measured with DGT （CDGT） and the metal uptake by Oryza sativa L. Significant correlations were found between CDGT and the concentration of a combination of metal fractions （exchangeable, bound to carbonates, and bound to Fe/Mn oxides）, unraveling the labile species that participate in the flux of metal resupply. The capability of metal resupply, as reflected by the R （ratio of CDGT to pore water metal concentration） values, significantly decreased in the amended soils. The CDGT correlated well with the plant uptake, suggesting that DGT is a good indicator for bioavailability. Acidification raised the extractable metal concentration in amended soil but the concentration did not return to the pre-amendment level. Equilibrium modeling indicated that the soil amendments induced the precipitation of several Fe, A1 and Ca minerals, which may play a positive role in metal stabilization. Chemical stabilization with alkaline amendments could be an effective and stable soil remediation strategy for attenuating metal bioavailability and reducing plant metal uptake.
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