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Here, we report a successful synthesis of single crystals of a topological semimetal (TSM) candidate, PdSn4, using a self-flux route. The synthesized crystal is well characterized through x-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A detailed Rietveld analysis of the powder XRD pattern of PdSn4 confirmed the same to crystallize in an Aea2 space group instead of reported Ccce. A large magnetoresistance (MR) along with Shubnikov–de Haas (SdH) oscillations have been observed in magneto-transport measurements at 2 K. The presence of weak antilocalization (WAL) effect in the synthesized PdSn4 crystal is confirmed and analyzed using Hikami Larkin Nagaoka formalism, being applied on magnetoconductivity of the same at a low magnetic field. An extended Kohler's rule is implemented on MR data to determine the role of scattering processes and temperature-dependent carrier density on the transport phenomenon in PdSn4. Furthermore, the non-trivial band topology and the presence of edge states are shown through density functional theory-based theoretical calculations. All calculations are performed considering the Aea2 space group symmetry. The calculated Z2 invariants (0; 0 1 0) suggest the presence of weak topological insulating properties in PdSn4. A clear evidence of topological edge states at Γ point is visible in calculated edge states spectra. This is the first report on PdSn4, showing the presence of SdH oscillation in magneto-transport measurements. Also, the presence of a weak insulating phase in PdSn4 is described for the first time on the basis of calculated Z2 invariants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An isotropic elastic solid reinforced with two families of aligned fibres behaves anisotropic to any deformation. For arbitrary orientation of fibres in either family, one set of fibres may be inclined obliquely to the aligned fibres in other family. A plane that contains the two families of aligned fibres becomes the plane of symmetry for composite material to exhibit monoclinic anisotropy. For this fibrous anisotropy, a fourth‐order elastic tensor is derived to define the constitutive relations between stress tensor and strain tensor. Components of this elastic tensor involve two Lame's moduli, eight fibroelastic coefficients and the angular deviation between two obliquely inclined fibre‐families. The velocities of bulk waves are calculated for propagation along general direction in this anisotropic composite. Propagation of surface wave is considered along the stress‐free plane boundary of anisotropic elastic half‐space. In a coordinate system with coordinate planes deviating from the plane boundary of the medium and/or plane of anisotropic symmetry, the fibrous composite is treated as triclinic for mathematical convenience. Mathematical model is derived to calculate the phase velocity of the surface wave, which varies with direction on the plane boundary. Horizontal energy flux at the boundary is calculated to determine the group velocity and ray direction of the surface wave. Effects of fibre‐orientations are analysed, numerically, on the wave velocities and ray direction of surface wave. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We derive the ultraviolet (UV) luminosity function (LF) of star-forming galaxies in the redshift range z  = 0.6–1.2, in the rest-frame far-UV (1500 Å) wavelength. For this work, we are in particular interested in the bright end of the UV LF in this redshift range. Data from the XMM–Newton Optical Monitor (XMM-OM), near-UV (2410–3565 Å) observations over 1.5 deg2 of the Cosmic evolution survey (COSMOS) field are employed for this purpose. We compile a source list of 879 sources with UVW 1AB in the range ∼21–24 mag from the wide-area UVW 1 image of the COSMOS field in the two bins 0.6 ≤ z ≤ 0.8 and 0.8 ≤ z ≤ 1.2. The M 1500 for these sources lies in the interval [ − 19.10, −22.50]. We use the maximum likelihood to fit a Schechter function model to the unbinned data to estimate the parameters (faint-end slope, characteristic magnitude, and normalization) of the Schechter function. We find the shape of the LF to be consistent with the Schechter model, and the parameters are in fair agreement with other studies conducted using direct measurements of the 1500 Å flux. We see a brightening of the characteristic magnitude as we move from lower (0.7) to higher (1.0) redshift. The measures for luminosity density are within the error margins of past studies. We examine the brightest sources in our sample for the active galactic nucleus contribution. These sources are characterized by their spectral energy distributions, integrated infrared (IR) luminosities, and morphologies. We also explore their overlap with the brightest IR galaxies in a similar redshift range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage who are receiving factor Xa inhibitors have a risk of hematoma expansion. The effect of andexanet alfa, an agent that reverses the effects of factor Xa inhibitors, on hematoma volume expansion has not been well studied. METHODS We randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, patients who had taken factor Xa inhibitors within 15 hours before having an acute intracerebral hemorrhage to receive andexanet or usual care. The primary end point was hemostatic efficacy, defined by expansion of the hematoma volume by 35% or less at 12 hours after baseline, an increase in the score on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale of less than 7 points (scores range from 0 to 42, with higher scores indicating worse neurologic deficit) at 12 hours, and no receipt of rescue therapy between 3 hours and 12 hours. Safety end points were thrombotic events and death. RESULTS A total of 263 patients were assigned to receive andexanet, and 267 to receive usual care. Efficacy was assessed in an interim analysis that included 452 patients, and safety was analyzed in all 530 enrolled patients. Atrial fibrillation was the most common indication for factor Xa inhibitors. Of the patients receiving usual care, 85.5% received prothrombin complex concentrate. Hemostatic efficacy was achieved in 150 of 224 patients (67.0%) receiving andexanet and in 121 of 228 (53.1%) receiving usual care (adjusted difference, 13.4 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.6 to 22.2; P=0.003). The median reduction from baseline to the 1-to-2-hour nadir in anti-factor Xa activity was 94.5% with andexanet and 26.9% with usual care (P<0.001). Thrombotic events occurred in 27 of 263 patients (10.3%) receiving andexanet and in 15 of 267 (5.6%) receiving usual care (difference, 4.6 percentage points; 95% CI, 0.1 to 9.2; P=0.048); ischemic stroke occurred in 17 patients (6.5%) and 4 patients (1.5%), respectively. There were no appreciable differences between the groups in the score on the modified Rankin scale or in death within 30 days. CONCLUSIONS Among patients with intracerebral hemorrhage who were receiving factor Xa inhibitors, andexanet resulted in better control of hematoma expansion than usual care but was associated with thrombotic events, including ischemic stroke. (Funded by Alexion Astra- Zeneca Rare Disease and others; ANNEXA-I ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03661528.) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we report the synthesis of single crystalline magnetic Weyl semimetal Co3Sn2S2. The synthesized crystal is characterized through various tools, viz. x-ray diffraction, field emission electron microscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A clear ferromagnetic transition is observed in magnetization and heat capacity at around 175 K, which is further verified through electrical transport measurements. Hysteresis is observed in ρ–T measurements in a cooling and a warming cycle, showing the presence of the first order phase transition and charge ordering in the synthesized sample. Synthesized Co3Sn2S2 exhibits a high magnetoresistance of around 230% at 2 K. The transport phenomenon in synthesized Co3Sn2S2 appears to have contributions from topological surface states at low temperature below, say, 70 K, and above that, the same is found to be strongly dependent on its bulk magnetic state. Magnetoconductivity data at low fields of up to ±1 T (Tesla) are fitted with the Hikami Larkin Nagaoka model, which shows the presence of a weak antilocalization (WAL) effect in the synthesized Co3Sn2S2 crystal at low temperatures below 30 K. Angle dependent magnetotransport measurements confirm that the observed WAL is the topological surface state dominated phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Uromodulin (Tamm-Horsfall protein), the most common protein in normal urine present in a bundant quantity, is increasingly considered as a potential biomarker relevant to kidney function and tubular reserve, chronic kidney disease and hypertension. A reduced number of tubular cells, is paralleled by reduced urinary and serum concentrations of uromodulin. Therefore, uromodulin might represent a promising biomarker for CKD. Aim: To evaluate the use of serum uromodulin as a biomarker in chronic kidney disease patients. Material and Methods: In an observational study, on 100 subjects with 50 normal healthy and 50 with CKD 1 - 5 stages patients attending Nephrology department in a tertiary care hospital for two years were enrolled. Lipid profile, Serum calcium, proteins, creatinine and serum Uromodulin along with e GFR was investigated. Data was analyzed using SPSS 16 and by using t test, ANOVA and correlation coefficients. Results: Mean age of the study participants was 47.47 ± 10.66 years. And 71% were male. On comparison between cases and controls, Serum Uromodulin, calcium, HDL was lower and other lab findings were significantly more in Cases than in controls. Serum Uromodulin was significantly decreased with severity of CKD. Conclusion: A comparative analysis of serum uromodulin with e GFR shows that eGFR is positively correlated with uromodulin. Lower serum uromodulin reflects a decline in kidney function. Thus serum uromodulin is a helpful marker in diagnosis of CKD at a nearly stage. The estimation of serum uromodulin level may aid in early diagnosis of kidney dysfunction and also in predicting the progression of disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study considers the propagation of harmonic plane waves in general anisotropic dissipative media. This propagation is governed by a complex slowness vector, which is resolved into a propagation vector and an attenuation vector. The attenuation part is decomposed into homogeneous attenuation and evanescent attenuation. This makes a generalised specification of slowness vector to represent (in)homogeneous propagation in (an)isotropic (an)elastic media. This specification applies to incident waves, scattered waves as well as surface/interface waves at the plane boundary of the medium. With the choice of involved parameters, this specification can represent the corresponding wave-fields in the absence of anisotropy and/or dissipation. This specification has been used to formulate a corrected procedure for the reflection of plane waves in a transversely isotropic piezothermoelastic medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An isotropic elastic solid reinforced with a family of parallel fibres behaves anisotropic to any deformation. With orientation of all fibres along a coordinate axis in rectangular Cartesian system, this anisotropy reduces to transverse isotropy. Else with arbitrary orientation of fibre‐family, induced anisotropy lacks any symmetry. In this composite medium with arbitrary anisotropy, three‐dimensional wave motion decaying with depth propagates as a surface wave along all directions on plane boundary. Real phase velocity for this surface wave lies implicit in a system of three equations with complex coefficients. An appropriate transformation of this system yields a real characteristic equation, which is solved to get the anisotropic phase velocity of generalised surface wave. This phase velocity defines a complex slowness vector, which is used to calculate the particle motion at any point in the medium. Effects of fibre‐orientation are analysed, numerically, on the phase velocity and polarisation of surface wave. For example, in the reinforced fibres alters the contours of particle motion through increased ellipticity. However, in the presence of fibres, the decay of particle motion with depth slows down. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Far-infrared observations from the Herschel Space Observatory are used to estimate the infrared (IR) properties of ultraviolet-selected galaxies. We stack the PACS (100, 160  |$\mu$| m) and SPIRE (250, 350, and 500  |$\mu$| m) maps of the Chandra deep field south (CDFS) on a source list of galaxies selected in the rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) in a redshift range of 0.6–1.2. This source list is created using observations from the XMM–OM telescope survey in the CDFS using the UVW1 (2910 Å) filter. The stacked data are binned according to the UV luminosity function of these sources, and the average photometry of the UV-selected galaxies is estimated. By fitting modified black bodies and IR model templates to the stacked photometry, average dust temperatures and total IR luminosity are determined. The luminosity-weighted average temperatures are consistent with a weak trend of increasing temperature with redshift found by previous studies. Infrared excess, unobscured, and obscured star formation rate (SFR) values are obtained from the UV and IR luminosities. We see a trend in which dust attenuation increases as UV luminosity decreases. It remains constant as a function of IR luminosities at fixed redshift across the luminosity range of our sources. In comparison to local luminous infrared galaxies with similar SFRs, the higher redshift star-forming galaxies in the sample show a lesser degree of dust attenuation. Finally, the inferred dust attenuation is used to correct the unobscured SFR density in the redshift range 0.6–1.2. The dust-corrected SFR density is consistent with measurements from IR-selected samples at similar redshifts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenomenon of reflection of attenuated waves is considered at the boundary of a transversely isotropic piezothermoelastic composite. Identical horizontal slowness for all waves at the boundary defines Snell's law, which ensures the continuation of wave-field at a scattering boundary. Relations from this law are solved to relate the propagation characteristics of reflected waves to those of the incident wave. Any outcome from these relations should conform to the relevant mathematical principles. Else, the phenomenon of reflection wanders in incorrect domain and does not make a true contribution to existing knowledge. Any study with incorrect reflection procedure should be marked for its lapses and corrected so as to restrict the spread of wrong information on wave propagation in real materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species assemblages are influenced by trophic and intraguild interactions, which may be competitive, facilitative, or neutral. These interactions vary in relative importance depending on resource availability. We assessed the nature of interactions among six carnivore species (Ursus arctos, Panthera uncia, Vulpes vulpes, Mustela altaica, and Martes foina) and their prey (Capra sibirica, Pseudois nayaur, Hemitragus jemlahicus, Moschus leucogaster, Ochotona sp., and Rodentia sp.) by examining their spatial–temporal overlaps using camera‐trap data gathered between 2016 and 2019 from the resource‐limited landscapes of the high Himalayas. We examined fine scale pairwise spatial interaction using multi‐species occupancy method and temporal overlap using time activity kernel densities function. Carnivore species showed relatively high spatio‐temporal overlap. We found spatial avoidance between two pairs and temporal avoidance between four out of 15 pairs. Contrary to our expectation that carnivore species would segregate due to competition in a resource‐poor environment, our results showed that they generally showed significant co‐occurrence and appeared to track their prey's activity. Our findings highlight the potentially overriding role of prey availability in influencing carnivore species occurrence in resource‐poor landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary goal of this study is to present a brief report on high-value endangered medicinal plants collected under the extreme climate conditions of Spiti Valley. This report will also include documentation of the traditional uses of these important medicinal and aromatic plants. During the current study, surveys and field visit were carried out during different seasons, samples were collected, and herbariums were made for each plant. This was followed by the identification and authentication of the plants. Traditional uses were documented through questionnaires, interviews, and open discussions with informants from the study area. The medicinal plants documented are Arnebia euchroma, Geranium wallichianum, Carum carvi, Capparis spinosa, Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Rosa webbiana, Dracocephalum heterophyllum, Hyoscyamus niger, Iris hookeriana, Oxytropis lapponica, Waldheimia tomentosa. The region is a source of great diversity of high-value medicinal plants mostly used for health care. These plants also serve other daily needs of the local inhabitants such as food, fodder, fuel, or ritual purposes. All plants possess significant significance in current research into the welfare of mankind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study illustrates the preparation of graphene oxide (GO) impregnated cellulose acetate (CA) ion exchange membrane (IEM). The compositional ratio of GO/CA/polyethylene glycol for preparing cation exchange membranes was optimised for ion exchange capacity (IEC), fixed charged density, water uptake, swelling degree and proton conductivity. Proton conductivity of 0.273 S cm−1 and IEC of 1.08 m mol/g at 30°C was obtained for the membrane with highest GO% (CAG3). The modified CAG3 membrane had better hydrophilicity with a contact angle of 53.4°. Based on the ion exchange property, the membrane was utilised to study the rejection behaviour of both cationic and anionic dyes along with its acid recovery performance in the presence of different salts. It was observed for highest GO-incorporated membrane CAG3 that the acid recovery increased to 61% (1.78 × 102 moles H+ ions/m2h). Low rejection rate for cationic dye (~20%) and high rejection for anionic dye (~92.5%) was obtained. The selective higher rejection of anionic dye along with better acid recovery confirms the formation of a better IEM with enhanced proton conductivity. Furthermore, on analysing for real-life water samples, obtained results showed that the rejection percentage and H+ ion molar flux rate decreased to 1.7% and 17.4%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in the general population ranges from 8 to 180 cases per 100,000 individuals. The female to male ratio varies from 6 to 13 cases in females for every 1 case in males. Several observations suggest an estrogen effect as a potential explanation for this gender difference. In children, the impact of sex hormones is assumed to be minimal, resulting in a female to male ratio of 3 to 1. We report a case series of five male patients who presented at the Kurnool Medical College, Kurnool in the state of Andhra Pradesh and were diagnosed to have lupus nephritis (LN). Male patients with SLE typically present with renal involvement and seizures rather than photophobia and skin manifestations. The prognosis for male patients also appears to be more severe. Therefore, despite the rarity of male patients with lupus, the symptoms are life-threatening, and early detection of the disease is crucial for improving patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Soybean [Glycie max (L.) Merril] is a very important oil seed and protein rich crop. It has the specific character to fix atmospheric nitrogen through root nodule bacteria in symbiotic relationship. A field experiment was conducted during kharif, 2019 at ARS farm, College of Agriculture, Ummedganj, Kota (Rajasthan). To find out the effect of organic and inorganic sources of nutrients on growth, yield attributes and nutrient uptake of soybean in Vertisols of Rajasthan. The soil of the experimental field comes under Vertisols with clay loam texture having low to medium fertility status and good porosity. Methods: The experiment consisted of 10 treatments viz. T0- Control (Absolute), T1- RDF (20-40-40), T2- 75% RDF + FYM (2.0 t ha-1), T3- 50% RDF + FYM (4.0 t ha-1), T4- 75% RDF + FYM (2.0 t ha-1)+Rhizobium, T5- 50% RDF + FYM (4.0 t ha-1) + Rhizobium, T6- 75% RDF + Vermicompost (1.0 t ha-1), T7- 50% RDF + Vermicompost (2.0 t ha-1), T8- 75% RDF+Vermicompost (1.0 t ha-1) + Rhizobium, T9- 50% RDF + Vermicompost (2.0 t ha-1) + Rhizobium. The experiment was laid out in randomised block design and was replicated thrice. Result: Among the nutrient management treatment, application of 75% RDF + Vermicompost (1.0 t ha-1) + Rhizobium (T8) resulted into maximum plant height (58.70 cm), branches plant-1 (5.60), chlorophyll content (2.84 mg g-1), total nodules per plant (47.40), effective nodules (31.59) and dry weight (84.20 mg), pods plant-1 (41.90), seeds pod-1 (3.47), grain yield (1380 kg ha-1), haulm yield (1885 kg ha-1), biological yield (3325 kg ha-1), protein (42.25%) and oil content (19.92%), N, P, K content and their uptake, with maximum gross return (53042.71 Rs ha-1), net return (28980.71 Rs ha-1) and B:C ratio (2.20) in soybean crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A single layer frequency selective rasorber exhibiting dual-band transmissive and dual-band absorber characteristics is proposed. The dual-band absorber characteristics are achieved by two concentric circular rings with circular stubs on outer ring and circular slots in inner ring. The dual-band transmissive characteristics are achieved by two concentric circular ring apertures with additional quad diagonally circular rings. The absorber rings and transmissive aperture rings are separated by 0.8 mm thick FR-4 substrate. The Equivalent Circuit Model of the proposed Frequency Selective Rasorber (FSR) structure has been rigorously analyzed to understand the behavior of the quad-band transmissive and absorber characteristics. The measurement results demonstrated that a pass band with a minimal insertion loss of 0.21 dB can be achieved at 7.38 GHz and 10.80 GHz. The absorption rates of higher than 95% were obtained at 3.28 GHz and 16.618 GHz. The proposed quad-band FSR also verifies the polarization-insensitive behavior from 0° to 45°. Measurement results of proposed quad-band FSR prototype demonstrated superior agreement with simulated results and analytically ECM results. As compared to earlier reported geometries, novelty lies in its compact topology, higher angular stability, polarization insensitivity, and in band transmission response at desired range for filtering out unwanted signals in metrological satellites, surface ship radars, and various Radome applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesenteric vascular thrombosis, typically of the superior mesenteric artery, is a frequent occurrence in patients with hypercoagulable conditions. Isolated involvement of the celiac artery is rare. Patients with celiac artery thrombosis can present with an acute abdomen or occasionally with acid peptic symptoms. A delay in diagnosis is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. We present a rare case of splenic infarction with celiac trunk thrombosis in a 54-year-old patient with underlying antiphospholipid (APLA) syndrome who presented with epigastric pain that was mistaken for symptoms of acid reflux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel watermarking technique for the tamper detection of text images is proposed. Entropy of every sentence is computed and Markov matrix using the occurrences of the characters is used to generate a character pattern. Entropy and character patterns are converted to Unicode Zero Width Characters (ZWCs) by using a lookup table. The ZWCs of entropy of each sentence is embedded at the end of every sentence after terminator. ZWCs of the character patterns are embedded in the end of the text of the image. On receiver side, ZWCs are extracted and converted to numerical form using the same lookup table. Entropy of every sentence and character patterns are recalculated and compared with extracted values for tamper detection. Comparison of technique with existing state-of-art techniques shows the effectiveness of the proposed technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mathematical model for mechanical and electrical dynamics is solved for three‐dimensional propagation of harmonic plane waves in a piezoelectric medium with arbitrary anisotropy. A system of modified Christoffel equations is derived to explain the existence and propagation of bulk waves or decaying phases in the considered medium. At the free plane boundary, a superposition of decaying phases form a generalised Rayleigh wave, which is governed by a linear system of four homogeneous equations. A complex determinantal secular equation ensures a solution to this system. True surface wave at the boundary of the considered medium demands a real solution of this complex secular equation. The linear system of four equations is then transformed to replace the complex secular equation with a real one, which can be solved by standard numerical methods. A real solution of this real secular equation provides the phase velocity for generalised Rayleigh wave at the boundary of piezoelectric medium with arbitrary anisotropy. This phase velocity defines a complex slowness vector, which is used to calculate the motion of material particles and the wave‐induced electric field. A numerical example is considered to compute the phase velocity as well as group velocity for given (arbitrary) propagation directions of Rayleigh wave at the boundary. Variations in particle motion and electric field, induced by Rayleigh wave, are analysed at different depths for different propagation directions at the boundary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cauliflower production during the late winter season has major problems including the requirement of long duration for its maturity, lower yield and poor postharvest quality, especially in the mid-hill region of Nepal. A field experiment was conducted to access the growth, crop maturity and yield of late-season cauliflower varieties at Puranchaur, Kaski in the mid-hill region of Nepal. Methods: The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with toal eleven late-season cauliflower varieties in which nine were hybrid varieties viz. Freedom, Titan, Ravella, Artica, Bishop, Casper, Indam 9803, NS 106 and Snow Mystique while two were open pollinated varieties viz. Amazing and Snowball 16. The experiment was conducted from November 2016 to March 2017 with four replications. Result: Significantly shorter period for final curd initiation of 76 days was recorded in NS 106 and Indam 9803 which was statistically similar with Amazing. Significantly shorter period for final curd maturation of 90 days was recorded in Amazing which was statistically similar to Bishop and NS 106. Similarly, the highest curd yield of 50 mt/ha was produced by Bishop at 91 days after transplanting (DAT) while the lowest crud yield of 19 mt/ha was recorded in Snowball 16 at 113 DAT. Finally, it was concluded that Bishop found the best hybrid variety for higher curd yield and short duration for maturation while Amazing performed higher yield than Snowball 16 and early maturing variety in the mid-hill region of Nepal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the long-term hearing outcomes in stapedotomy surgery using skeeter oto-drill and to assess safety in difficult situations. Method: A retrospective study was conducted with 944 patients who underwent 1007 stapedotomy procedures over 16 years, performed by a single surgeon using a trans-canal approach and a self-retaining ear canal retractor. Hearing thresholds were calculated over four frequencies. Air–bone conduction hearing thresholds were obtained at 1, 5 and 10 years post-operatively and compared to the pre-operative records. Results: Out of 1007 operated ears with one year follow up, 98.61 per cent of cases showed a negligible air–bone gap of equal to or less than 5 dB, 1.19 per cent of cases showed an air–bone gap equal to or more than 5 dB but less than 10 dB, and only 0.2 per cent of cases showed an air–bone gap of more than 10 dB. Conclusion: In this study, using skeeter drill with a 0.6 mm diamond burr to make the fenestra was constant in all the cases and one of the safest techniques, showing persistent long-term hearing results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periodontal disease, a persistent inflammatory condition affecting the tissues around the teeth, is brought on by an imbalance between dental biofilm and the host's reaction, with the potential for tooth loss. Periodontal disease has been linked to an excess of free radicals induced by oxidative stress or antioxidant deficiency. There is a notable oxidative process early in the course of periodontal disease, especially in periodontitis. The objective of the study is to assess if berry supplements can be used as a supplement to nonsurgical periodontal therapy. Forty individuals with chronic periodontitis in total were divided into two groups for this study. Group A received scaling and root planing (SRP), whereas Group B received SRP plus berry supplements. At baseline and on the 28th day, both groups had their probing pocket depth (PPD) and clinical attachment level (CAL) assessed. After then, the data from both time periods were compared. The SPSS software was used to examine the data (Version 23.0). Using an unpaired t-test, the mean PPD and CAL values were compared between the groups. The mean PPD in Group A decreased on day 28 from 4.18 ± 0.12 to 3.06 ± 0.02 while in Group B reduced from 4.21 ± 0.13 to 2.05 ± 0.08. The CAL in Group A improved from 5.05 ± 0.09 to 3.04 ± 0.11 and in Group B from 4.52 ± 0.17 to 2.02 ± 0.08. There was evidence of a statistically significant difference between two groups in terms of mean pocket depth and clinical attachment degree (P < 0.05). Therefore, berries may be an effective treatment for chronic periodontitis when used in conjunction with SRP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a partial or entirely independent jaw, oral implantology is a technique in dentistry used to enhance the function of mastication, esthetics, and phonation. An important diagnostic aspect for the effectiveness of implant therapy is the stability of the implants. This study aims to measure dental professionals' and dental students' knowledge of resonance frequency analysis (RFA) in dental implantology. This study aims to measure dental professionals' and dental students' knowledge of RFA in dental implantology. One hundred ninety-nine dentists and dental students participated in an online survey study that was delivered through Google Forms. For statistical analysis, tabulated data from the Excel sheets were transferred into the SPSS program. The Chi-square test is also used to examine clinical relevance. According to the study's findings, 60% of the respondents were male and 46% of those who responded were dental professionals. The respondents were primarily between the ages of 18 and 22 (36%). The majority of dental undergraduates and graduates were found to be knowledgeable about the various techniques used to gauge implant stability (P = 0.04 < 0.05). Within the limitations of this study, it was found that most of the dental students and dental practitioners participating in this study were aware of implant stability. The majority of the respondents were aware that RFA was used to measure primary and secondary stability and osseointegration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease of paramount importance at the wildlife-livestock-human interface. Aims: To study the occurrence and Mycobacterium (M) species involved in the TB of free-ranging and captive wild animals in various Indian states. Methods: A total of 396 clinical samples from 207 different wild animal species from various Indian national parks, zoological gardens, etc., were analyzed by lateral flow assay (LFA), Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) staining, and PCR. Clinical samples include blood (n=156), faecal swabs (n=103), serum (n=73), and nasal swabs or trunk wash fluids (n=64). Results: Clinical signs of TB were absent in 202 animals, although 21 wild animals were seropositive for pathogenic Mycobacterium antigens by LFA. Clinical signs like progressive weight loss, and respiratory distress were exhibited by 4 sloth bears (Melursus ursinus) and an elephant (Elephas maximus), which were also found positive for LFA, PCR, and ZN staining. ZN staining showed positivity for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) in 9 (8.74%) faecal and 9 (14.06%) nasal swabs or trunk wash fluids of sloth bears (7 samples) and elephants (2 samples). M. tuberculosis was detected in 7 sloth bears and 2 elephants, whereas M. bovis was found in a spotted deer (Axis axis) by speciesspecific PCR. Conclusion: The circulation of TB organisms in wild animals warrants a strict surveillance programme to identify the carrier status of these animals so that effective TB control strategies can be formulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calculation of collisional rate coefficients is a challenging and difficult task. When these data are not available, their values may be estimated using a scaling law. In some investigations, we have utilized a scaling law. Accurate collisional rate coefficients for cyclopropenylidene (c-C3H2) as a complete set are available, and thus it may be appropriate occasion to test the applicability of that scaling law. We have considered 50 rotational levels of each of the ortho and para species of c-C3H2 having energies up to 91.53 cm-1 and 87.21 cm-1, respectively. We have compared the results of radiative transfer using accurate collisional rate coefficients with those obtained using the scaling law, and have found that the results of the scaling law are qualitative. Hence, for getting the qualitative behaviour of an analysis, the use of the scaling law is quite reasonable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study considers to solve the complex dispersion equation for propagation of Rayleigh waves in a dissipative porous composite. This porous medium is a viscoelastic porous solid frame saturated with a viscous fluid. Seepage of fluid at the boundary is controlled through pore-fluid pressure and its normal gradient. A complex irrational equation governs the propagation, attenuation and dispersion of the Rayleigh waves. A complex analysis technique is used to solve this equation into an explicit expression for complex phase velocity. Effects of porosity and seepage from surface pores are analyzed numerically on the velocity of Rayleigh wave in a saturated poroelastic material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports the successful synthesis of single crystalline two-dimensional thin flakes of NbSe2. The XRD (X-ray diffraction) pattern of the grown crystal ensured its crystallization in a single phase with a hexagonal structure. The EDAX (energy dispersive X-ray analysis) endorsed the stoichiometry of the as-grown sample. To study the vibrational modes, the Raman spectra were recorded, which exhibited the expected four Raman active modes. The resistance vs temperature measurement showed a well-established superconducting transition (Tc) at 7.3 K. The ZFC (zero-field cooled) and FC (field cooled) magnetization curves, as well as the isothermal M−H (magnetization vs field) measurements, have been performed for both in-plane and out-of-plane H directions. Distinct anisotropy is observed in both magnetization and magneto-transport measurements with field direction, leading to different critical fields (Hc). Out-of-plane magneto-transport data hints towards the existence of a filamentary state. The density functional theory (DFT) has been used to study the band structure of NbSe2. Although the bulk band structure confirmed metallic behavior, the same of mono-layers of NbSe2 within the GGA+U framework showed a band gap of 1.17 eV. The article addresses the anisotropy in the electronic and magneto-transport of 2D superconductor NbSe2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Si2C and SiC2 both are considered to play key role in the formation of the SiC dust grains in the atmosphere of the carbon-rich stars. The molecule of our interest Si2C has been detected in the envelope of the red supergiant star IRC+10216 first time. It is an asymmetric top molecule having electric dipole moment of 1 Debye along the b-axis of inertia. Because of zero nuclear spin of both the Carbon and Silicon atoms, it has only paratransitions. Using the given spectroscopic data (rotational and centrifugal distortion constants and electric dipole moment), for the para-Si2C, we have calculated energies of 200 lower rotational levels (having energy up to 217.8 cm-1) and the Einstein A and B coefficients for 867 radiative transitions between the levels. We have solved a set of 200 statistical equilibrium equations coupled with 867 equations of radiative transfer (Sobolev analysis), where the collisional rate coefficients are taken from a scaling law. Out of 867 radiative transitions, 13 transitions have been found showing weak MASER action, and 19 transitions showing anomalous absorption. One transition 808-717 is found to show both the MASER action as well as the anomalous absorption. These transitions in addition to the observed transitions may play important role in the identification of Si2C in the cosmic objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using known values of rotational and centrifugal distortion constants in conjunction with electric dipole moment of NH2CHO, we have calculated energies of rotational levels in the ground vibrational state, and the probabilities for radiative transitions between the levels. The radiative transition probabilities in conjunction with the scaled values of collisional rate coefficients are used in the Sobolev LVG analysis of NH2CHO. There are some strong lines. For ortho-NH2CHO, we have found one transition 110-111 showing anomalous absorption and five transitions 615-514, 717-616, 716-615, 818-717, 817-716 showing emission feature. For para-NH2CHO, six emission transitions 505-404, 606-505, 707-606, 808-707, 909-808, 100.10-909 are found. Out of these 12 transitions, three transitions, 110-111, 505-404, and 808-707, are already found in the ISM. Other relatively weaker lines are also found in the ISM. In addition to the observed lines, 9 transitions may play important role in the identification of NH2CHO in a cosmic object. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) galaxy luminosity function (LF) and luminosity density (LD) measurements in the far-UV (1500 Å) wavelength, in the redshift range |$z$|  = 0.6–1.2. The UV LF is derived using XMM-Newton Optical Monitor (XMM-OM), UV (1600–4000 Å) observations of the Chandra Deep Field South, over an area of 396 arcmin2. Using the deep UV imaging of the CDFS, we identified >2500 galaxies in our sample with UVW1AB ≤ 24.5 mag. This sample, along with various other catalogues containing redshift information, is used to calculate the binned representation of the galaxy UV LF in the two redshift bins 0.6 ≤ |$z$| < 0.8 and 0.8 ≤ |$z$| < 1.2, having a wide range of 1500 Å rest-frame UV magnitudes (Δ M 1500 ≃ 3), reaching ≃ 1–1.5 magnitudes fainter than previous studies at similar redshifts. The binned LF is described well by the Schechter function form. Using maximum-likelihood, the Schechter function is fitted to the unbinned data to obtain the best-fitting values of the the UV galaxy LF parameters. We find that characteristic magnitude M * brightens by 0.8 mag from |$z$|  = 0.7 to |$z$|  = 1, implying an increase in the star formation activity between these redshifts, as reported by past studies. Our estimate of the faint-end slope |$-1.10^{+0.19}_{-0.18}$| is on the shallower side compared with previous studies at |$z$|  = 0.7, whereas a value of |$-1.56^{+0.19}_{-0.18}$| estimated for |$z$|  = 1.0, agrees with previous results given the uncertainties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Today’s world, AI has become an essential tool for achieving and creating the unthinkable. It is helping in creating innovative solutions for almost every industry there is. In the wake of this ever-growing demand of computerized intelligence, the analysis of automation by HR (Human Resources) in the form of predictive form can be formulated. As the Human Resource departments is solely responsible for recruiting and bring valuable talent to the industry, it becomes essential that this task is done with maximum efficacy. Through this project, we intend to predict which employee would prefer a job change and which employee would stay in a company and hence, help constitutes as an active research domain is how AI based intelligence can be interpreted and utilized assess the input resources required to put in an employee. The present techniques are in sufficient to deal the current uncertainties caused due to confliction in their nature. In order to work on this, we propose using natural language processing, opinion mining, fuzzy logic and various widely used classifiers namely Random Forest (RF), Cat Boost Classifier, Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Naïve Bayes (NB). We also used Mamdani based fuzzy inference system using nine input and out output, for the attrition prediction in a company. In future, this model can be improved further by incorporating more data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methylene is an important astrochemical compound. Though its laboratory spectrum was analyzed in 1982, its first unambiguous detection could be feasible after more than one decade in the hot core of Orion-KL nebula and the approximate molecular cloud of the continuum source W51M through its emission line 404-313. Since then waiting of its further detection has now broken as it has been detected in W51 E, W51 M, W51 N, W49 N, W43, W75 N, DR21, and S140 star forming regions, and in W3 IRS5 through the same transition 404-313. To find potential lines of methylene, we have performed Sobolev LVG analysis of each of the ortho and para species of methylene, considering 10 rotational levels having energy up to 324 cm-1. We have found only three lines, 404-313, 505-414 and 212-303 of methylene, which may help for its detection in a cosmic object. The line 212-303 lying at the lowest energy may be more helpful in a cosmic object having low kinetic temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though accurate laboratory studies of malononitrile (CH2(CN)2), a dinitrile molecule, have been carried out from time to time, and it has large electric dipole moment D, its detection in a cosmic object is still awaited. Because of two equivalent hydrogen atoms, it has ortho and para species. In order to obtain information about some potential spectral lines of malononitrile, which may play important role for its identification in a cosmic object, we have carried out Sobolev large velocity gradient (LVG) analysis, using spectroscopic data, for each of the species. We have calculated energies of 250 lower rotational levels (up to 98 cm–1) for each species and the Einstein and coefficients for 1231 (ortho) and 1229 (para) radiative transitions between the levels. The collisional rate coefficients, required for the analysis, are calculated with the help of a scaling law. Very exciting results are obtained; we have analyzed 6 potential transitions for each species of CH2(CN)2, which may play important role in the identification of malononitrile in a cosmic object. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The current study aimed to determine association of anti-TPO with LH/FSH in PCOS women. Design. Current case control study included 33 diagnosed PCOS women and 32 age matched healthy women and were analysed for body mass index (BMI) and waist to hip ratio (WHR), fasting blood glucose (FBG), free T3 (FT3), free T4 (FT4), Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), dehydroepiandrostenedione (DHEA-S), total testosterone, follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and anti thyroperoxidase antibodies (anti-TPO). Data was statistically analysed by Student's t -- test and Pearson's correlation analysis. Results. Of the total PCOS women, 45% were obese and 34.37% had raised anti-TPO. The biochemical profile of obese PCOS women showed significantly raised FBG (p<0.0001), LH (p<0.0001), Testosterone (p<0.0001) and DHEA-S (p=0.0021) as compared to non-obese PCOS women. The LH/FSH ratio was significantly raised in PCOS women as compared to control (p<0.0001). Pearson's correlation analysis showed a significant association of anti-TPO with FBS, testosterone, LH and LH/FSH in obese PCOS and with Testosterone and LH in non-obese PCOS women using SPSS 21. Conclusion. The current study shows a high prevalence of AITD in euthyroid PCOS women and suggests a strong link of euthyroid obese PCOS women to autoimmunity due to the hyper-anderogenism and a higher LH/FSH ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research highlights: The damage potential and losses were higher in case of tropical cyclone (TC) Phailin due to higher intensity, rapid intensification, longer duration in very severe cyclonic storm (VSCS)/extremely severe cyclonic storm (ESCS) stage, lower rate of decay after landfall and larger size as compared to TC Hudhud. The introduction of Doppler Weather Radars in recent years and improved modelling capabilities blended with subjective value addition through synoptic guidance enabled IMD to accurately monitor the track, intensity and landfall characteristics of these TCs. Though, the track forecast difficulty was higher in case of Hudhud as compared to Phailin, the errors were less in Hudhud and its forecast was more skillful due to improvements in numerical weather prediction (NWP) modelling in 2014. However, the intensity forecast difficulty was higher in case of Phailin as compared to Hudhud due to rapid intensification which could not be predicted by the dynamical and statistical models of India Meteorological Department (IMD). There is scope to improve NWP models and hence the operational intensity forecast especially rapid intensification forecasting. Two extremely severe cyclonic storms (ESCSs) Phailin and Hudhud developed over the Bay of Bengal (BoB) during October 2013 and 2014 and crossed the east coast of India near Gopalpur (Odisha) and Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) at 1700 UTC of 12th October 2013 and 0700 UTC of 12th October 2014, respectively, causing immense loss of property. Considering the devastating effect associated with the typical characteristics of the two tropical cyclones (TCs) and their occurrence during same period of the post-monsoon season, a study has been undertaken to compare the vital parameters including location, movement, intensity, size, etc., of these TCs. The results of this study can be utilized for better understanding and prediction of structural characteristics of TCs over the north Indian Ocean (NIO) and hence the associated adverse weather like heavy rain, gale wind and storm surge. The higher intensity, higher rate of intensification, longer duration in very severe cyclonic storm (VSCS) or higher stage, lower rate of decay after landfall and larger size were the typical characteristics in the case of TC Phailin leading to its higher damage potential in terms of accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) and hence higher loss in terms of power dissipation index (PDI) as compared to TC Hudhud. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies were conducted on the effect of organic amendments on plant growth characters and reproduction of Meloidogyne incognita in bell pepper. Organic amendments viz. vermicompost @ 100g/m², 200g/m², 300g/m², poultry manure @ 100g/m², 200g/m², 300g/m², compost @ 100g/m², 200g/m², 300g/m², and neem cake @ 300g/m² were used and suitable control was also maintained for comparison. Observations on plant growth characters (shoot and root length, shoot and root weight) and nematode reproduction factors (number of galls per 5g root, number of egg masses per 5g root, nematode population/200 cc soil) and yield kg/plant were recorded. Neem cake @300g/m²was found to be the best treatment in improving plant growth characters, yield and reducing nematode reproduction on bell pepper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum materials with non-trivial band topology and bulk superconductivity are considered superior materials to realize topological superconductivity. In this regard, we report detailed density functional theory (DFT) calculations and Z2 invariants for the NbC superconductor, exhibiting its band structure to be topologically non-trivial. Bulk superconductivity at 8.9 K is confirmed through DC magnetization measurements under field cooled (FC) and zero field cooled (ZFC) protocols. This superconductivity is found to be of type II nature as revealed by isothermal M-H measurements, and thus the Ginzburg–Landau parameter is calculated. A large intermediate state is evident from the phase diagram, showing NbC to be a strong type-II superconductor. Compared with earlier reports on superconducting NbC, a non-monotonic relationship of critical temperature with lattice parameters is seen. In conclusion, NbC is a type-II around 10 K superconductor with topological non-trivial surface states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinically, the lesions of dermal hypersensitivity reaction are characterized by papular urticaria-like eruptions lasting for longer than 24 h.3 Eruptive pseudoangiomatosis (EPA) is a variant of dermal hypersensitivity reaction consisting of benign, self-limiting exanthematous lesions. I To the Editor i , Delayed immunologic reactions are being increasingly reported following the administration of COVID-19 vaccines.1,2 Dermal hypersensitivity reaction is one such reaction pattern. Development of delayed dermal hypersensitivity reaction following the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine - A series of 37 cases. [Extracted from the article]

Classical high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) pattern in nCOVID-19 pneumonia is bilateral, basal, peripheral, subpleural, bronchopneumonia. Ground-glass opacities and consolidation are the most common initial radiological findings. However, chest computed tomography (CT) should not be used as an independent diagnostic tool to exclude or confirm COVID-19. CT is not a standard diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of COVID-19, but CT findings help to suggest the diagnosis in the appropriate setting. Chest CT findings should be correlated with epidemiologic history, clinical presentation, and reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results. Many other diseases can mimic nCOVID-19 in HRCT and vice versa. We report an atypical radiological feature in RT-PCR-confirmed nCOVID-19 pneumonia case. HRCT showed unilateral peripheral ground-glass opacity. Atypical HRCT features in nCOVID-19 described in literature include central involvement, peribronchovascular involvement, isolated upper lobe involvement, nodular opacities, lobar consolidation, solitary opacity, unilateral lung involvement, mediastinal adenopathy, cavitory lesions, pleural and pericardial effusion, and subpleural sparing. When radiological manifestations are atypical, diagnosis of nCOVID-19 pneumonia should be by exclusion of other causes for the radiological abnormality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Refinements in the modern computed tomography (CT) imaging techniques have led to anatomical variations in the fissures of lung being diagnosed more frequently. So far, majority of the studies conducted are cadaveric. There is paucity of studies in this aspect based on chest CT images. Hence, we undertook this study to find the anatomical variations in the fissures. Prior detection of anatomical abnormalities is important to reduce postoperative complications in lung resection surgeries. Materials and Methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted over a period of 2 years. Data were collected from the patients who underwent CT scan thorax. Patients in whom normal anatomy of lung was distorted and cases where both lungs were not visualized completely were excluded from the study. All the CT images were reviewed by a single radiologist. The presence or absence of the normal and accessory pulmonary fissures, as well as the continuity of each fissure, was recorded by the radiologist. Data were compiled and analyzed. Results The study population consisted of 394 (70.4%) males and 166 (29.6%) females, totaling 560 cases. Fissural variations were detected in 22.9% (n = 128). Also, 17.5% (n = 98) fissural variations were seen in males and 5.4% (n = 30) fissural variations were seen in females. Further, 54.7% (n = 70) of variations were detected in the right lung and 45.3% (n = 58) in the left lung. The most common fissural variation noted was right incomplete oblique fissure with a frequency of 8.4% cases (n = 47). The most common accessory fissure detected was inferior accessory fissure. Total 22 cases were detected in both the lungs, 17 cases in male and 5 in female. Conclusion Anatomical variations in fissures were found to be more in the right lung than the left lung. Accessory fissures were detected in higher incidence on the right side. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aminomethanol (NH2CH2OH) and N-Methylhydroxylamine (CH3NHOH) are isomers of each other, and have astrochemical importance. To our knowledge, they have not been analyzed so far in any terrestrial laboratory, and probably due to non-availability of accurate frequencies, they have not been searched in a cosmic object. It is well known that physical conditions in cosmic objects are very different as compared to those in our terrestrial laboratories. Therefore, these molecules may exist in the interstellar medium. For having information about the potential spectral lines of these molecules, we have obtained their rotational and centrifugal distortion constants, and electric dipole moment with the help of the GAUSSIAN software using B3LYP method, and aug-cc-pVDZ and aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets, separately. As the electric dipole moment has comparable components along all the three a, b and c axes, we have considered all the three types of radiative transitions together, and have calculated radiative transition probabilities for all the three kinds of radiative transitions. Considering a, b and c type transitions together, we have performed Sobolev LVG analysis of each molecule, where the collisional rate coefficients have been obtained using a scaling law. Considering energy levels up to 300 cm-1, we have found 181 weak MASER lines and 112 anomalous absorption transitions of NH2CH2OH, and 21 weak MASER lines and 28 anomalous absorption transitions of CH3NHOH, which may play important role for the identification of respective molecule in the ISM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]