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Broad-base agricultural terraces can be difficult to delineate in flat landscapes, particularly when covered by crops, due to subtle changes in elevation over relatively wide distances. In northeastern Oklahoma, these terraces are usually less than half a meter high and 15 to 20 m wide. The objective of this research was to develop and test a technique for identifying and classifying terraces using computer vision applied to terrain derivatives calculated from digital elevation models at five sites. We tested 38 terrain-derivative grid combinations or sets that represented 19 terrain characteristics, calculated from elevation models after two Gaussian smoothing strategies to provide some degree of generalization and a removal of excess noise. The best subsets achieved a 98% classification accuracy (kappa 0.96) and consisted of derivatives representing hydrology, morphometry, and visibility categories. Inaccuracies occurred primarily at the edges of some of the study sites, where agricultural fields bordered incised drainage areas where changes in elevation were similar to those for the terraces. Further study will elucidate the relationships between terrace “borrow” and “deposition” areas in the terrace areas and their relationships to yield and salinity issues. This work seeks to automate terrace identification for digital soil mapping on terraced fields for the improved delivery of soil information for resource conservation and land use.

Cover crop biomass is helpful for weed and pest control, soil erosion control, nutrient recycling, and overall soil health and crop productivity improvement. These benefits may vary based on cover crop species and their biomass. There is growing interest in the agricultural sector of using remotely sensed imagery to estimate cover crop biomass. Four small plot study sites located at the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, Crop Production Systems Research Unit farm, Stoneville, MS with different cereals, legumes, and their mixture as fall-seeded cover crops were selected for this analysis. A randomized complete block design with four replications was used at all four study sites. Cover crop biomass and canopy-level hyperspectral data were collected at the end of April, just before cover crop termination. High-resolution (3 m) PlanetScope imagery (Dove satellite constellation with PS2.SD and PSB.SD sensors) was collected throughout the cover crop season from November to April in the 2021 and 2022 study cycles. Results showed that mixed cover crop increased biomass production up to 24% higher compared to single species rye. Reflectance bands (blue, green, red and near infrared) and vegetation indices derived from imagery collected during March were more strongly correlated with biomass (r = 0–0.74) compared to imagery from November (r = 0.01–0.41) and April (r = 0.03–0.57), suggesting that the timing of imagery acquisition is important for biomass estimation. The highest correlation was observed with the near-infrared band (r = 0.74) during March. The R2 for biomass prediction with the random forest model improved from 0.25 to 0.61 when cover crop species/mix information was added along with Planet imagery bands and vegetation indices as biomass predictors. More study with multiple timepoint biomass, hyperspectral, and imagery collection is needed to choose appropriate bands and estimate the biomass of mix cover crop species.

Because the manual counting of soybean (Glycine max) plants, pods, and seeds/pods is unsuitable for soybean yield predictions, alternative methods are desired. Therefore, the objective was to determine if satellite remote sensing‐based artificial intelligence (AI) models could be used to predict soybean yield. In the study, multiple remote sensing‐based AI models were developed for soybean growth stage ranging from VE/VC (plant emergence) to R6/R7 (full seed to beginning maturity). The ability of the deep neural network (DNN), support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and AdaBoost to predict soybean yield, based on blue, green, red, and near‐infrared reflectance data collected by the PlanetScope satellite at six growth stages, was determined. Remote sensing and soybean yield monitor data from three different fields in 2 years (2019 and 2021) were aggregated into 24,282 grid cells that had the dimensions of 10 m by 10 m. A comparison across models showed that the DNN outperformed the other models. Moreover, as crops matured from VE/VC to R4/R5, the R2 value of the models increased from 0.26 to over 0.70. These findings indicate that remote sensing data collected at different growth stages can be combined for soybean yield predictions. Moreover, additional work needs to be conducted to assess the model's ability to predict soybean yield with vegetation indices (VIs) data for fields not used to train the model. Core Ideas: Remote sensing‐based artificial intelligence (AI) models can estimate soybean yield.Of the AI techniques tested, the deep neural network (DNN) generally explained the most yield variability (R2).Yield predictions were improved by combining satellite images collected at multiple growth stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oniticellini Kolbe, 1905 is a paucispecific tribe of the scarab beetle subfamily Scarabaeinae. The tribe is composed of 256 described species worldwide, while from India 26 species were recorded up to date. Beetles belonging to this tribe are commonly known as paracoprid dung beetles and perform some remarkable ecological functions. Nevertheless, there is a dearth of knowledge on the occurrence of these beetles in the mega diverse tropical forests of the Himalayan foothills located in the North of the West Bengal state of India.A first faunistic account of the tribe Oniticellini Kolbe, 1905 from Baikunthapur forest, located at the Himalayan foothills of the West Bengal state of India is presented. A total of 5 species of the tribe distributed over two genera Tiniocellus and Liatongus were recorded during multiple surveys for scarab fauna of the forest. All the taxa were recorded for the first time from the area, while Tiniocellus spinipes (Roth, 1851) is a new record for the West Bengal State of India. Additionally, a preliminary checklist of Indian species of the tribe is also provided.

This paper aimed to estimate the technical efficiency of rice production, also identifying the factors affecting technical efficiency. Jhapa, the Terai district of Nepal, having the highest rice production in the country, was purposely selected for the study. The primary information was collected from 100 rice growing farmers, randomly selected from the sampling frame, using the pre-tested semi-structured interview schedule. Also, two Key Informant Surveys were done. Besides, the secondary information was collected by reviewing the related literatures. Descriptive statistics, stochastic frontier model with Cobb-Douglas production function, and tobit model were used for data analysis. The stochastic production frontier model revealed that with the increase in seed, chemical fertilizer, human labor, and tractor power by 1 percent, the rice yield increases by 0.25 (P

Objective The mean platelet volume (MPV) is a measure of platelet size, and it is considered a surrogate marker of platelet activation. Because the correlation between platelet count/size and lung cancer prognosis remains unclear, this meta-analysis comprehensively evaluated the prognostic significance of MPV among patients with lung cancer. Methods A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, and additional sources of relevant studies were conducted with no language restrictions from inception to 7 May 2021. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS)/progression-free survival (PFS), as well as their hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), were pooled to evaluate the relationship between MPV and survival. The study protocol was registered on PROSPERO. Results Eleven studies involving 2421 patients with lung cancer were included in our analysis. Nine studies including only patients with non-small cell lung cancer were included in the meta-analysis. Our analysis revealed no significant associations of MPV with OS (HR = 1.09, 95% CI = 0.84–1.41) and DFS/PFS (HR = 1.13, 95% CI = 0.58–2.20). Conclusion Pretreatment MPV levels did not display prognostic significance in patients with NSCLC. Large-scale prospective studies and a validation study considering ethnicity and lung cancer staging are warranted.

Introduction: Drug interactions are one of the major contributors to increase hospital stay, inflate health care expenses, and cause serious adverse events and end-organ damage. Patients admitted to the intensive care unit are already critically sick and are at greater risk of these adverse outcomes. The study aimed to find out the prevalence of potential drug-drug interactions in the Intensive Care Units of a tertiary care centre. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among the patients admitted in the Intensive Care Unit of a tertiary care hospital from April-June 2019. Ethical approval was taken from the Institutional Review Board at the institute (Reference number: 399). Convenience sampling method was used. Data was collected using proforma and potential drug-drug interactions were identified using Lexicomp® drug-interactions version 1.1 (Wolters Kluwer). All the drug interactions identified were classified and the severity scale of interactions was also defined. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 17.0 was used for data analysis. Point estimate at 95% Confidence Interval was calculated along with frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and mode. Results: Out of 101 patients, the prevalence of the drug-drug interaction was found to be 90 (89.11%) (83.04-95.18 at 95% Confidence Interval). A total of 490 drug-drug interactions were identified. In severity scale, it was seen that 311 (63.46%) were of moderate severity and 303 (61.83%) of drug interactions were categorised as category C in risk rating. Conclusions: Prevalence of potential drug-drug interactions was higher compared to similar published literature. The most common drug with potential interaction was fentanyl and among pairs was fentanyl plus paracetamol.

Half-metallic Heusler alloys have attracted significant attention due to their potential application in spin-transport-based devices. We have synthesized one such alloy, CoFeV0.5Mn0.5Si, using arc melting and high-vacuum annealing at 600 °C for 24 hours. First principles calculation indicates that CoFeV0.5Mn0.5Si shows a nearly half-metallic band structure with a degree of spin polarization of about 93%. In addition, this value can be enhanced by the application of tensile strain. The room temperature x-ray diffraction patterns are indexed with the cubic crystal structure without secondary phases. The annealed sample shows ferromagnetic order with the Curie temperature well above room temperature (Tc = 657 K) and a saturation magnetization of about 92 emu/g. Our results indicate that CoFeV0.5Mn0.5Si has a potential for room temperature spin-transport-based devices.

Abstract Background Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a potentially fatal viral infection with a wide range of manifestations and can also present with a variety of movement disorders (MD) including dystonia. Dystonic features in JE are uncommon. Here, we have tried to summarize the clinical features and management of dystonia among JE patients with a comprehensive literature search. Methods Various databases, including PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar, were searched against the predefined criteria using suitable keywords combination and boolean operations. Relevant information from observational and case studies was extracted according to the author, dystonic features, radiological changes in the brain scans, treatment options, and outcome wherever provided. Result We identified 19 studies with a total of 1547 JE patients, the diagnosis of which was confirmed by IgM detection in serum and/or cerebrospinal fluid in the majority of the patients (88.62%). 234 (15.13%) of JE patients had dystonia with several types of focal dystonia being present in 131 (55.98%) either alone or in combination. Neuroimaging showed predominant involvement of thalami, basal ganglia, and brainstem. Oral medications including anticholinergics, GABA agonists, and benzodiazepines followed by botulinum toxin were the most common treatment modalities. Conclusion Dystonia can be a disabling consequence of JE, and various available medical therapies can significantly improve the quality of life. Owing to insufficient studies on the assessment of dystonia associated with JE, longitudinal studies with a larger number of patients are warranted to further clarify the clinical course, treatment, and outcome of dystonia.

Abstract Tractor guidance (TG) improve environmental gains relative to nonprecision technologies; however, studies evaluating how tractor operator experience for nonguidance comparisons affect gains are nonexistent. This study explores spatial relationships of overlaps and gaps with operator experience level (0–1, 2–3, 6+ yr) during fertilizer and herbicide applications based on terrain attributes. Tractor paths recorded by global navigation satellite systems were used to create overlap polygons. Results illustrate operator experience level is critical for better efficiency gains estimation (for non‐TG comparisons). Operators with 6+ yr of experience reduced overlap by 7.7 and 20.6% compared with operators with 2–3 and 0–1 yr of experience, respectively. New operators had consistently higher overlap across all slope (1). A low interpersonal reliability value of 0.02–0.03 indicates operator experience is crucial to estimate TG efficiency gains and consistent drivers experience levels are needed when evaluating economic and environmental gains from TG.

Objective Breast cancer (BC) is the most common form of cancer among Asian females. Mutations in the BRCA1 / BRCA2 genes are often observed in BC cases and largely increase the lifetime risk of having BC. Because of the paucity of high-quality data on the molecular spectrum of BRCA mutations in South Asian populations, we aimed to explore these mutations among South Asian countries. Methods A systematic literature search was performed for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutation spectrum using electronic databases such as PubMed, EMBASE, and Google Scholar. Twenty studies were selected based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results The 185delAG (c.68_69del) mutation in exon 2 of BRCA1 was the most common recurrent mutation and founder mutation found. Various intronic variants, variants of unknown significance, large genomic rearrangements, and polymorphisms were also described in some studies. Conclusions The South Asian population has a wide variety of genetic mutations of BRCA1 and BRCA2 that differ according to countries and ethnicities. A stronger knowledge of various population-specific mutations in these cancer susceptibility genes can help provide efficient strategies for genetic testing.

Introduction Fine needle aspiration cytopathology (FNAC) is widely used for the stratification of thyroid nodules. Objective The objective of the present study is to validate FNAC reporting based on The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (TBSRTC) at our institution and to calculate the risk of malignancy in each category. Methods This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted jointly at the Department of Ear, Nose and Throat and at the Department of Pathology for a period of 1.5 years (May 2018 to November 2018). All cases presenting with thyroid swelling in the outpatient department were investigated with ultrasonography (USG) of the neck, thyroid function test, and FNAC. All FNAC reporting was done according to TBSRTC. Results A total of 134 thyroidectomies were performed during the study period. The female to male ratio was 5.3:1. The age ranged from 11 to 74 years old. with a mean age of 51 years old. The FNAC has a specificity of 84.9%, a sensitivity of 89.4%, a positive predictive value of 86.4%, a negative predictive value of 88.2%, and an accuracy of 87.3% in detecting thyroid cancer. The implied risk of malignancy (ROM) in Bethesda II, III, IV, V and VI is 11.7%, 25%,40%,76.6% & 96%, respectively. Conclusion The four studied categories had a ROM comparable to other studies, except for the Bethesda III category. Further studies with larger sample sizes and with the use of USG guidance for the aspiration from the thyroid swelling may give better results by reducing the number of false negative and false positive cases.

Background. Ingestion of sharp foreign bodies is uncommon and often underreported. It can present with esophageal perforation which is a life-threatening complication requiring prompt diagnosis and management. Case Presentation. We report a case of accidental ingestion of a razor blade in a chronic alcoholic who presented with hematemesis after an esophageal perforation, the diagnosis of which was confirmed by radiology. Conclusion. Early recognition of esophageal perforation is crucial for early intervention. Proper history taking and radiological investigations are a key to reaching a diagnosis.

Background. There is limited information available regarding the management of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) associated with SARS-CoV-2. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the optimal treatment using IVIG alone versus IVIG plus glucocorticoids. Methods. PubMed, Google Scholar, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched along with other secondary searches. Studies published within the time frame of January 2020 to August 2021 were included. We screened records, extracted data, and assessed the quality of the studies using NOS. Studies that directly compare the two treatment groups were included. Analyses were conducted using the random-effects model (DerSimonian-Laird analysis) if I2 > 50% and fixed-effects model was used if I2

Introduction. Intensive lifestyle modification including a healthy diet changes the diagnostic status of patient from prediabetes to nondiabetes. In type 2 diabetes, improper eating habits increase insulin resistance. This study is aimed at assessing adherence to the dietary recommendation and its associated factors among people with type 2 diabetes. Methods. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among systematically sampled type 2 diabetic patients using interview on Gandaki Medical College Teaching Hospital and Diabetes, Thyroid, and Endocrinology Care Center, Pokhara. The Perceived Dietary Adherence Questionnaire was used to assess dietary adherence. Data was entered in EpiData version 3.1 and analyzed on SPSS version 20. Logistic regression with adjusted odds ratio and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals were used to find out significance of association. Results. Among 204 participants, only 15.7% of the participants had good dietary adherence. The mean age and standard deviation were 53.03±11.90 years. Factors such as participants living in single family (AOR 2.7, 95% CI 1.0-7.4), participants who could afford recommended diet (AOR 2.9, 95% CI 1.0-8.3), participants having self-control on food (AOR 4.1, 95% CI 1.2-14.1), participants who were engaged in moderate to heavy physical activities (AOR 3.3, 95% CI 1.2-9.2), and participants who had adherence to medication (AOR 3.5, 95% CI 1.2-10.1) were significantly associated with adherence to dietary recommendation. Conclusions. Adherence to dietary recommendation among people with type 2 diabetes was low. Factors such as family type, affordability of recommended diet, self-control on food, physical activity, and medication adherence were significantly associated with adherence to dietary recommendations among people with type 2 diabetes. These factors should be considered by nutrition counselors and clinical decision-makers in patient counseling regarding dietary adherence.

Background. Cesarean section (CS) is one of the most performed surgeries in obstetrics. Surgical site infection is the major cause of morbidity and mortality causing an increase in the duration of hospitalization as well as the cost of admission for the patient. Objective. To determine incidence of surgical site infection following cesarean section, classify them according to CDC criteria, and identify the different risk factors. Methodology. This is a case-control study conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), main campus of Institute of Medicine (IOM), Kathmandu, Nepal. Surgical site infections (SSI) in patients who underwent cesarean sections from February 2019 to August 2019 were taken as cases, while the patients who underwent cesarean section before or after the procedure and did not develop SSI comprised the controls. Visual inspection during ward rounds, reports from laboratory, and postprocedure follow-ups for up to 30 days formed the basis of identifying infections on the patients. Risk factors were identified by bivariate and multivariate logistic regression. Results. Out of 1135 cases of cesarean sections, 97 of them developed SSI with incidence rate of 8.54%. Among them, 94.85% were superficial incisional and 5.15% were deep incisional type of SSI with no organ space type. Cases had higher mean age 26.88±4.38 years compared to 24.81±5.08 years in controls. Host-related risk factors which led to higher odds of developing surgical site infection (SSI) were obesity with adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 15.72 (confidence interval (CI): 4.60-53.67), diabetes/hypertension in pregnancy with AOR 4.75(CI 1.69-13.32), and other medical diseases with AOR 9.38 (CI 2.89-30.46). Duration of the rupture of membrane for more than 18 hours with AOR 8.38 (CI 1.48-47.35), more than five per vaginal (PV) examination with AOR 1.93 (95% CI 1.03-3.64), and in labor status with AOR 6.52 (CI 1.17-36.38) were some procedure-related factors resulting into higher odds of infection. Conclusion. Multiple risk factors like age, obesity, medical complications during pregnancy, occurrence of labor status during cesarean section, prolonged duration of rupture of membrane for more than 18 hours, and more than five vaginal examinations before the procedure increases the chance of surgical site infection (SSI) following cesarean section.

A majority of emergency response in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) without formal emergency medical services (EMS) rely on uncoordinated layperson first responders (LFRs) to respond to emergencies using readily available mobile phones and private transport. Although formally trained LFRs are an important foundation for nascent emergency medical services (EMS) development, without coordination by standardized emergency medical dispatch (EMD) systems, LFR response is limited to witnessed emergencies, which provides significant but incomplete coverage. After training and equipping LFRs, EMD implementation using telecommunications technologies is the next step in formal EMS development and is essential to coordinate response, given the impact of timely prehospital response, intervention, and transportation on reducing morbidity/mortality. In this paper, we describe the current state of dispatch technologies used for emergency response in LMICs, focusing on the role of communication technologies, current approaches, and challenges in communication, and offer potential strategies for future development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ranju Kharel Sitaula,1 Anadi Khatri,2 MK Janani,3 Rajendra Mandage,4 Soumen Sadhu,5 HN Madhavan,6 Madan Prasad Upadhyay,7 Jyotirmay Biswas8 1Department of Ophthalmology, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal; 2Birat Eye Hospital, Biratnagar, Nepal; 3Sankara Nethralaya Referral Laboratory, Medical Research Foundation, Chennai, India; 4Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India; 5Department of Optometry, The SankaraNethralaya Academy, Unit of Medical Research Foundation, Chennai, India; 6Larson & Turbo Microbiology Research Center, Sankara Nethralaya Referral Laboratory, Chennai, India; 7Children Hospital for Eye, Ear Nose Throat and Rehabilitation Services, Bhaktapur, Nepal; 8Department of Uvea and Ocular Pathology, Medical and Vision Research Foundations, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, IndiaCorrespondence: Anadi Khatri Department of Vitreoretina ServicesBirat Eye Hospital, Biratnagar, NepalTel +977841767205Email anadikc@gmail.comImportance: An observant Chinese doctor Li Wenliang became the first physician to alert the world about COVID-19. Being an ophthalmologist himself, he has put the additional onus on us. The fact that the ocular manifestation could be the first presenting feature of novel coronavirus pneumonia should not be ignored and the possibility of spread of SARS-CoV-2 through the ocular secretions cannot be ruled out. However, with breakthroughs still evolving about this disease, the calls are now louder for closer examination on the pathogenesis of conjunctivitis associated with it. Hence, we conducted a scoping review of all available literature till date to fill in the “potential” gaps in currently available knowledge on ocular manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection in an attempt to establish continuity in the “chain of information” from December 2019 till April 2020. We also summarize a possible hypothesis on much less understood and highly debated topics on regard to the etiopathogenesis of ocular involvement in SARS-CoV-2 based on either presence or absence of ACE2 receptor in the ocular surface.Methods: We conducted a scoping review search of published and unpublished SARS-CoV-2-related English language articles from December 2019 till mid of April 2020 from the online databases. The findings were summarized using text, tables, diagrams, and flowcharts.Results: The commonest ocular manifestation in SARS-CoV-2 infection is follicular conjunctivitis and has been the first manifestation of SARS-CoV-2 infection in 3 reported cases till date. The ocular surface inoculated with the SARS-CoV-2 leads to the facilitation of the virus to the respiratory system via the lacrimal passage. RT-PCR analysis of the ocular secretions has shown the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 nucleotides indicating the possibility of infection of ocular secretions. ACE2 receptors and its expression on the ocular mucosal surface are linked behind the etiopathogenesis of conjunctivitis.Conclusion: Conjunctivitis can be the presenting manifestation but may go unnoticed due to its mild nature. The ocular surface could serve as the entry gateway for the virus and ocular secretions could play a role in virus shed. The eye care personnel, as well as the general people, need to be more vigilant and adopt protective eye measures.Keywords: ACE2 receptor, conjunctiva, coronavirus, COVID-19 infection, ocular, ophthalmic, 2019-nCOV, SARS-CoV-2

Abstract The energy harvesting methods enable WSNs nodes to last potentially forever with the help of energy harvesting subsystems for continuously providing energy, and storing it for future use. The energy harvesting techniques can use various potential sources of energy, such as solar, wind, mechanical, and variations in temperature. Energy-constrained sensor nodes are small in size. Therefore, some mechanisms are required to reduce energy consumption and consequently to improve the network lifetime. The clustering mechanism is used for energy efficiency in WSNs. In the clustering mechanism, the group of sensor nodes forms the clusters. The performance of the clustering process depends on various factors such as the optimal number of clusters formation and the process of cluster head selection. In this paper, we propose a hybrid whale and grey wolf optimization (WGWO)-based clustering mechanism for energy harvesting wireless sensor networks (EH-WSNs). In the proposed research, we use two meta-heuristic algorithms, namely, whale and grey wolf to increase the effectiveness of the clustering mechanism. The exploitation and exploration capabilities of the proposed hybrid WGWO approach are much higher than the traditional various existing metaheuristic algorithms during the evaluation of the algorithm. This hybrid approach gives the best results. The proposed hybrid whale grey wolf optimization-based clustering mechanism consists of cluster formation and dynamically cluster head (CH) selection. The performance of the proposed scheme is compared with existing state-of-art routing protocols.

Drought, mostly, is major limitation of rainfed lowland rice. Varieties that can escape or tolerate moisture stress are desirable for increasing production and contributing food security of the country as rice is most consumed among the cereals and contribute largely in total cereal production. With objective of identifying early maturing and high yielding rice genotypes having potentiality to escape or tolerate moisture stress, a total of twenty rice genotypes tested in a Randomized Complete Block design. Statistical analysis revealed that genotypes were highly significant for most of the traits under observation. Green super rice genotype HHZ10-DT7-Y1 was found superior in performance for most of the measured morphological traits viz. highest grain yield, thousand grain weight and biomass yield, but found statistically at par with Hardinath- 3 (check) in maturity. Similarly, HHZ1-DT3-Y1-Y1 recorded highest harvest index, number of filled grains/ panicle, earliest days to flowering and maturity. Yield advantage of HHZ lines, except HHZ25-DT9-Y1-Y1, over check was 19 to almost 45 %, and 28.51 to 56. 22% more than national average grain yield in rainfed condition. Water table was lower, and recorded none after 6th week of measurement. Plant height, panicle length, thousand grain weight, harvest index, days to flowering, days to maturity were identified as important traits for future grain yield improvement program based on their heritability study.

A survey of the dung beetle fauna from the Nadia district of West Bengal, India resulted in the recognition of 22 species belonging to Onthophagus Latreille, 1802. All these are new reported for the district. Twelve species are also newly recorded for the West Bengal state: Onthophagus (Onthophagus) andrewesi Arrow, 1931; O. (O.) ceylonicus Harold, 1859; O. (Onthophagiellus) crassicollis Boucomont, 1913; O. (Colobonthophagus) hindu Arrow, 1931; O. (O.) mau­ritii Boucomont, 1919; O. (Colobonthophagus) paliceps Arrow, 1931; O. (Colobonthophagus) pardalis (Fabricius, 1798); O. (O.) porcus Arrow, 1931; O. (Eremonthophagus) semicinctus d’Orbigny, 1897; O. (O.) socialis Arrow, 1931; O. (Indonthophagus) turbatus Walker, 1858; and O. (O.) zebra Arrow, 1931. All the recorded taxa are provided with distribution, material examined, diagnostic characters, and remarks. A preliminary checklist of the genus from India based on available literature and physical examination of specimens is also provided.

Genetic biofortification, a way to improve micronutrients mainly zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) concentrations, in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) that could reduce the malnutrition in the developing world. This study was conducted at the research field of Hill Crops Research Program, Kabre, Dolakha, Nepal from December 2015 to May 2016 to evaluate biofortified wheat genotypes for grain zinc and iron concentrations, grain yield and associated component traits. Fifty biofortified spring wheat genotypes were evaluated using alpha lattice design with two replications. Highly significant variation was found among the wheat genotypes for days to heading, days to maturity, thousand grains weight, grain yield, grain zinc and iron concentrations. The value of grain zinc concentration varied from 18.85 to 69.98 ppm with a mean value of 34.12 ppm. The genotype 6HPYT405 had the highest grain zinc concentration (69.98 ppm) followed by 6HPYT432 (46.62 ppm) and 6HPYT404 (44.56 ppm). Similarly, the value of grain iron concentration varied from 35.05 to 56.06 ppm with a mean value of 44.65 ppm. The genotypes 6HPYT420 had the highest grain iron concentration (56.06 ppm) followed by genotype 6HPYT405 (55.94 ppm) and 6HPYT421 (55.33 ppm). The genotypes 6HPYT404, 6HPYT405, 6HPYT410, 6HPYT421, 6HPYT423, 6HPYT431, 6HPYT432, 6HPYT439, 6HPYT440 and 6HPYT450 had higher grain zinc and iron concentrations. So, these genotypes can be used as parents in future breeding programs to develop zinc and iron-enriched wheat varieties. The genotypes namely 6HPYT428, 6HPYT437, 6HPYT438, 6HPYT443, 6HPYT444, 6HPYT447 and 6HPYT448 were found high yielding genotypes which could be selected for varietal development program. [Fundam Appl Agric 2020; 5(1.000): 78-87]

In this paper, we investigate the reliability and security of cooperative dual-hop non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) for internet-of-thing (IoT) networks, in which the transceivers consider a detrimental factor of in-phase and quadrature-phase imbalance (IQI). The communication between the source and destination is accomplished through a decode-and-forward (DF) relay in the presence of an eavesdropper. In order to characterize the performance of the considered system, exact analytical expressions for the outage probability (OP) and intercept probability (IP) are derived in closed-form. Furthermore, to better understanding the performance of the considered system, we further derive the asymptotic expressions of OP in the high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regime and IP at the high main eavesdropping ratio (MER) region. A large number of analysis and Monte Carlo simulation results show that the existence of IQI usually increases the corresponding OP and reduces the IP, which means that reduces the reliability of the system and improves the security. In addition, the provided results provide useful insights into the trade-off between reliability and security of secure cooperative communication systems.

In this paper, we propose a unified framework for hybrid satellite/unmanned aerial vehicle (HSUAV) terrestrial non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) networks, where satellite aims to communicate with ground users with the aid of a decode-forward (DF) UAV relay by using NOMA protocol. All users are randomly deployed to follow a homogeneous Poisson point process (PPP), which is modeled by the stochastic geometry approach. To reap the benefits of satellite and UAV, the links of both satellite-to-UAV and UAV-to-ground user are assumed to experience Rician fading. More practically, we assume that perfect channel state information (CSI) is infeasible at the receiver, as well as the distance-determined path-loss. To characterize the performance of the proposed framework, we derive analytical approximate closed-form expressions of the outage probability (OP) for the far user and the near user under the condition of imperfect CSI. Also, the system throughput under delay-limited transmission mode is evaluated and discussed. In order to obtain more insights, the asymptotic behavior is explored in the high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) region and the diversity orders are obtained and discussed. To further improve the system performance, based on the derived approximations, we optimize the location of the UAV to maximize the sum rate by minimizing the average distance between the UAV and users. The simulated numerical results show that: i) there are error floors for the far and the near users due to the channel estimation error; ii) the outage probability decreases as the Rician factor K increasing, and iii) the outage performance and system throughput performance can be further improved considerably by carefully selecting the location of the UAV.

In this article, the noncoherent detection scheme for the receiver in wireless sensor nodes is discussed. That is, an implementation-friendly and energy-efficient symbol-by-symbol detection scheme for IEEE 802.15.4 offset-quadrature phase shift keying (O-QPSK) receivers is investigated under both pure additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel and fading channel. Specifically, the residual carrier frequency offset (CFO) of the chip sample is estimated and compensated with the aid of the preamble; then, the standard noncoherent detection scheme with perfectly known CFO is directly configured. The corresponding simulation results show that only 4 preamble symbols is sufficient for accurate CFO estimation. Compared with the conventional noncoherent detector, the average running time per data packet of our enhanced detector is only 0.17 times of the former; meanwhile, at the packet error rate of 1 × 10-3, our enhanced detector can obtain 2.2 dB gains in the (32, 4) direct sequence spread spectrum system. A more reasonable trade-off between complexity and reliability is thus achieved for energy-saving and maximum service life in wireless sensor networks (WSNs).

Millimeter wave (mmWave) massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems can obtain sufficient beamforming gains to combat severe path loss in signal propagation. The hybrid (analog/digital) beamforming with multiple data streams can be utilized to further improve mmWave spectral efficiency. In this paper, we focus on the hybrid beamforming design of a downlink mmWave massive multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) system based on full-connected structure, and aim to maximize the sum rate of the overall system as an objective function. In the analog beamforming stage, a piecewise successive iterative approximation (PSIA) algorithm is proposed to design the analog beamformer and combiner. This algorithm not only has a linear property, but also can obtain closed-form solutions. In the digital beamforming stage, the piecewise successive approximation method is utilized to design the digital beamforming based on the criterion to avoid the loss of information, which can help reduce the computational complexity and is also implemented simply. The results show that the proposed scheme achieves good sum-rate performance in the mmWave massive MU-MIMO system, and outperforms the state-of-the art MIMO hybrid beamforming design schemes, even when the number of base station antennas is not very large.

Abstract A blunt trauma to a phthisical eye may elicit sympathetic ophthalmia. Non invasive imaging such as use of optical coherence tomography and angiography metrics of the retinal and choroidal vasculature can help monitor response to the treatment.

Purpose: The aim of our study was to investigate the change in the subfoveal choroidal thickness in unilateral acute anterior uveitis with treatment. Choroidal inflammation is uncommon but can occur in the acute stage of anterior uveitis. Methods: All diagnosed patients with the first episode of unilateral acute anterior uveitis were included in the study conducted for a period of July 2017–July 2018. Choroidal thickness at subfoveal region was measured with spectralis spectral domain optical coherence tomography using enhanced depth-imaging scans. Standardized, masked manual measurement of the choroidal thickness was performed in the center of the ETDRS fields. The unaffected fellow eye of the same patient was taken as a control group and their subfoveal choroidal thickness was measured. Follow up of the patients was done at 2 weeks posttreatment to reevaluate the choroidal thickness. Results: A total of 61 eyes of 61 patients with unilateral acute anterior uveitis were included in the study. The mean central subfoveal choroidal thickness was significantly higher (304.82 ± 73.17 μm) as compared to that of controls (251.28 ± 66.38 μm) at presentation (P < 0.001). Following treatment and at two weeks follow up, the subfoveal choroidal thickness significantly reduced from 304.82 ± 73.17 to 274.46 ± 63.82 μm (P < 0.001). Also the subfoveal choroidal thickness was positively correlated with visual acuity (r = 0.22, P < 0.251) before treatment. Conclusion: Acute anterior uveitis is associated with an increase in the subfoveal choroidal thickness followed by the significant decrease in choroidal thickness with treatment, suggesting that choroid is also inflamed along with anterior segment inflammation.

Abstract In this follow up paper, we calculate higher point tree level graviton Witten diagrams in AdS4 via bulk perturbation theory. We show that by rearranging the bulk to bulk graviton propagators, the calculations effectively reduce to the computation of a scalar factor. Analogous to the amplitudes for vector boson interactions we computed in the previous paper, scalar factors for the graviton exchange diagrams also become relatively simple when written in momentum space. We explicitly calculate higher point correlators and discuss how this momentum space formalism makes flat space and collinear limits simpler.

Parash Gyawali, Ranju Kharel Sitaula, Anish Kharal, Asmita Bhusal, Manisha Paudel, Sagun Narayan Joshi BP Koirala Lions Centre for Ophthalmic Studies, Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Institute of Medicine, Kathmandu, NepalCorrespondence: Parash GyawaliBP Koirala Lions Centre for Ophthalmic Studies, Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Institute of Medicine, Kathmandu, NepalTel +97 798 4006 9980Email parash.gyawali619@gmail.comPurpose: This study was conducted primarily to measure sub-foveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) in healthy Nepalese population. Also, the correlation of SFCT with age, inter-eye difference of SFCT, inter-gender variation and inter-ethnic variation of SFCT was observed.Materials and methods: A cross-sectional, hospital based study in 162 participants (324 eyes) of six ethnic groups (Brahmin, Chhetri, Newar, Tamang, Muslim, and Gurung) was conducted. The mean age of participants was 37.37 ± 15.02 years. All the participants underwent SFCT measurement using Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (Spectralis HRA+OCT, Heidelberg Engineering, Germany) with the help of in-built caliber. Age, inter-gender, inter-eye and inter-ethnic differences in SFCT were recorded and analyzed.Results: The average SFCT of right eye (RE) and left eye (LE) was 307.98 ± 74.64 μm and 312.63 ± 76.90 μm respectively, with average SFCT of 310.31 ± 75.70 μm for both eyes. SFCT of only the RE was selected for further calculation due to insignificant inter-eye difference of SFCT (p = 0.128). There was a significant negative correlation of SFCT with age (r = −0.705, p = 0.01). A regression analysis showed thinning of SFCT by 3.50 ± 0.278 μm per year. In another context, SFCT of male and female was 305.49 ± 79.72 μm and 313.55 ± 70.76 μm respectively. However, there was no significant inter-gender difference (p = 0.51). Similarly, inter-ethnic variations of SFCT was also statistically non -significant (p = 0.74).Conclusion: SFCT was negatively correlated with the age of participants, implying a decrease in choroidal thickness (CT) with an increase in age. Age can be considered as an important factor in the measurement of SFCT. Gender and ethnic groups did not have a significant role in the measurement and comparison of SFCT.Keywords: sub-foveal choroidal thickness, enhanced depth imaging, optical coherence tomography, OCT, spectral domain, SD

Abstract Background Uveal effusion syndrome is a rare entity of idiopathic exudative detachments of uveal tissues and retina. Medical treatments with systemic steroids and antimetabolites have been tried but with variable results. Scleral windows or vortex decompressions are usually performed and surgeons usually perform partial sclerectomy in all the quadrants. Case presentation For the first time, we report 2 cases of nanophthalmic uveal effusion syndrome managed with our technique. Conclusion Quadrantic vortex vein decompression with external drainage for nanophthalmic uveal effusion can provide immediate and stable gain in vision.

Abstract In this paper, we present a simple and iterative algorithm that computes Witten diagrams. We focus on the gauge correlators in AdS in four dimensions in momentum space. These new combinatorial relations will allow one to generate tree level amplitudes algebraically, without having to do any explicit bulk integrations; hence, leading to a simple method of calculating higher point gauge amplitudes.

Ruchi Shrestha,1 Ranju Kharel Sitaula,1 Pratap Karki,1 Sagun Narayan Joshi,1 Suniti Rawal2 1Department of Ophthalmology, B.P.Koirala Lions Centre for Ophthalmic Studies, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal; 2Department of Gynaecology and Obstreitics, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, NepalCorrespondence: Ruchi ShresthaDepartment of Ophthalmology, B.P.Koirala Lions Centre for Ophthalmic Studies, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj Road, Kathmandu 44600, NepalTel +977-9847027650Email drruchishrestha@gmail.comAbstract: This paper reports and discusses a case of bilateral lupus retinopathy with macular edema in a patient diagnosed with systemic lupus retinopathy and treated with combined intravitreal bevacizumab (0.025 mL/0.625 mg) and intravitreal dexamethasone (0.05 mL/0.2 mg). The patient was a 25-year-old female with a history of diminution of vision in both eyes. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of the right eye was 2/60 and of the left eye was 1/60. Fundus examination revealed bilateral swelling of the optic disc nasally, cotton wool spots, and multiple flame shaped, dot and blot hemorrhages in the disc and macula. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) revealed macular edema in both eyes. Despite being treated with immunosuppressive the visual acuity did not improve. Two doses of combined intravitreal bevacizumab (0.025 mL/0.625 mg) and dexamethasone (0.05 mL/0.2 mg) were given to the patient in both eyes at an interval of one week. Two weeks after the last intravitreal injection the BCVA was 6/24 and N8 in both eyes. Fundus examination revealed a decrease in the number and size of hemorrhages, and resolution of the blurred disc margin, cotton wool spots, and hard exudates. OCT of the macula 2 weeks after the last intravitreal injection showed a significant decrease in macular edema. The intraocular pressure was not elevated for a period of 6 months. This case would be a unique case of lupus retinopathy with macular edema receiving a combined half dose of intravitreal injection bevacizumab and dexamethasone with promising results. This could be beneficial in a set up where the patients cannot afford intraocular steroid implants.Keywords: systemic lupus erythematosus, macular edema, bevacizumab, dexamethasone

Purpose: Seasonal Hyperacute Panuveitis (SHAPU), is a mysterious blinding disease seen only in Nepal with a higher prevalence among children usually seen in autumn every alternate odd year since 1975. This report highlights the sporadic summer outbreak in the even years with atypical presentation. Observations: Three patients were diagnosed as SHAPU in the summer (May) of 2020. All of them noted the presence of white moths (Gazalina species) in their environment with or without direct physical contact. The clinical patterns were severe in nature including corneal melting. Two out of three patients (66.6%) developed phthisis bulbi and lost their vision. Conclusions and importance: White moth has been associated as a risk factor for SHAPU. Despite the known natural history of appearance after monsoon of every odd year, the few unhatched eggs of the moths may hatch under the favorable circumstances in the summer of the even years and may lead to the sporadic outbreak of SHAPU. Though less in numbers, the clinical presentation of such sporadic SHAPU cases may be atypical with less favorable outcome.

Colossal amounts of food waste are generated and discarded daily at the expense of financial resources and at a detriment to the environment. One such food waste, okara – a soybean by-product, is valorized in this study by upcycling it into nutritional extracts for micronutrients encapsulation. Micronutrient malnutrition, particularly in the developing world, is a major public health challenge. Herein, okara extracts were obtained through a low-cost extraction process and was subsequently developed as an encapsulant material for micronutrients β-carotene, and ferrous sulphate encapsulation, using zein as an excipient. Spray-drying, as a scalable technique, was employed to produce various formulations which were assessed for release profiles, shelf-life, β-carotene antioxidant activity and cell cytotoxicity. Finally, an optimized dual-micronutrient formulation displayed a sequential release with ferrous sulphate releasing in simulated gastric fluid, and β-carotene releasing predominantly in simulated intestinal fluid. This sequential release profile favors the absorption of both the micronutrients and could potentially enhance their bioavailability.

Intravitreal steroid implants are the latest trend for uveitis macular oedema treatment. Dexamethasone intravitreal implants are new in our contexts but we report 2 cases of uveitic cystoid macular oedema where this implant proved very useful in the treatment of recalcitrant macular oedema where other treatment modality fails. Two cases of non-infectious uveitis and intermediate uveitis with recalcitrant uveitic macular oedema underwent dexamethasone intravitreal implantation. Their central macular thickness & central macular volume reduced significantly with the implant. With the reduction in macular parameters, the best-corrected visual acuity also improved and visual rehabilitation was achieved. Thus, dexamethasone intravitreal implant helps in sustained drug delivery inside the vitreous leading to resolution of uveitic macular oedema in recalcitrant cases. Keywords: Macular oedema; ozurdex; steroid; uveitis; vision

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are one of the major contributors to poor indoor air quality. Due to advancements in sensor technologies, continuous if not regular monitoring total VOC (TVOC) and or some specific VOC in potential high risk workplaces is possible even in resource limited settings. In this study, we implemented a portable VOC sensor to measure concentration of TVOC and formaldehyde (HCHO) in six types of potential high risk workplaces (n = 56 sites) of Katmandu Valley. For comparison, concentration was also measured in immediate surroundings (n = 56) of all the sites. To get preliminary information on safety practices, a survey study was also conducted. The mean TVOC and HCHO concentration in the sites ranged from 1.5‒8 mg/m3 and 1.5 and p < 0.05) in 34 (~61%) and 47 sites (∼84%), respectively. A strong positive correlation between HCHO and TVOC concentration was observed in furniture industry (R = 0.91) and metal workshops (R = 0.98). Interestingly, we found TVOC and HCHO concentration higher than WHO safe limit in ∼64% and ∼32% sites, respectively. A rough estimate of chronic daily intake (CDI) of formaldehyde showed that CDI is higher than WHO limit in four sites. These findings suggested that indoor air quality in the significant number of the workplaces is poor and possible measures should be taken to minimize the exposure.

Woody plant encroachment is an ongoing global issue. In the Southern Great Plains of the United States, the rapid encroachment and coalescence of woody plants are transforming herbaceous-dominated rangelands into woodlands with a detrimental impact on water quality and quantity. In this study, we conducted modeling simulations to assess how converting juniper (Juniperus virginiana) woodland and low to moderately productive grassland into switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) biomass production system would affect streamflow and sediment yields in the Lower Cimarron River, Oklahoma. First, the grassland areas in the basin were divided into productivity classes suitable for rangeland activities based on the soil productivity index. Next, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool was used to develop the basin hydrologic model, calibrated and validated for streamflow in five gaging stations with a percent bias of 0.76, and R2 of >0.77. Then, the model was used to simulate evapotranspiration (ET), streamflow, groundwater recharge, and sediment loads under different land use conversion scenarios. Results showed that converting existing juniper woodlands, ~4% of the basin, to switchgrass had limited impacts on the water budget and sediment yield. A hypothetical scenario of converting low to moderately productive rangeland to switchgrass increased annual ET by 2.6%, with a decrease in streamflow by 10.8% and a reduction in sediment yield by 39.2% compared to the baseline model. Results indicated that switchgrass could be considered a potential land use alternative to address the juniper encroached grassland with minimal loss in streamflow but a substantial reduction in sediment yield in the southcentral region of the Great Plains.

Introduction: Thyroid hormones have a major influence on synthesis, mobilization and metabolism of lipids. Hypothyroidism accounts for a notable cause of secondary dyslipidemia. This can increase the risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This study was performed to find out the prevalence of lipid profile abnormalities in newly diagnosed primary hypothyroid states. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 71 patients in the context of newly diagnosed primary hypothyroidism patients visiting outpatient department of internal medicine from 9th December 2018 to 30th June 2020 after taking ethical clearance from Institutional Review Committee. Case screening for lipid profile changes was performed at the time of diagnosis of primary hypothyroidism. A convenience sampling method was used. Data entry and descriptive analysis were done in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 16.0. Point estimate at 95% Confidence Interval was calculated along with frequency and proportion for binary data. Results: In this study including 71 cases of newly diagnosed primary hypothyroidism, 49 (69.0%) (95% Confidence Interval= 58.24-79.76) had abnormal lipid profiles. Among them, 5 (38.5%) out of 13 (18.3%) cases of subclinical hypothyroidism and 44 (75.9%) out of 58 (81.7%) cases of overt hypothyroidism had abnormal lipid profiles. Conclusions: The prevalence of abnormal lipid profile parameters was similar to the study done in various studies in similar settings except for high-density lipid which showed both similarity and dissimilarity with other studies. Our study suggested that all newly diagnosed cases of primary hypothyroidism are to be investigated for dyslipidemia thus ensuring early treatment and prevention of complications.