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This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of Project E-LOCAL, a virtual expert sharing activity, in enhancing students’ knowledge and their appreciation on Cagayan culture and tradition of a Private Higher Education Institution in Northern Philippines. A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods of research was utilized in the study. For the quantitative part, both quasi-experimental method and descriptive survey were used, while basic qualitative research was employed from the qualitative aspect of the research. A total of 41 pre-service teachers participated in this study. The results reveal that students have limited knowledge on their own culture prior to the implementation of the program. Finally, results of the evaluation of the students on the implementation of the program shows that Project E-LOCAL is very effective as a teaching and learning strategy in integrating local knowledge in an online learning environment.

Daisy Asiimwe,1 Isaac Bangi,1 Jospeh Esanyu,1 Daniel Ojok,1 Benedict Okot,1 Clinton Olong,1 Robert Wagubi,1 Godfrey Kisembo,2 Fred Sempijja,3 Enoch Muwanguzi,1 Benson Okongo1 1Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara City, Uganda; 2Department of Hospital Administration, Kiryandongo General Hospital, Kiryandongo, Uganda; 3Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Uganda Institute of Allied Health and Management Sciences - Mulago, Kampala City, UgandaCorrespondence: Benson Okongo, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, P.O. BOX 1410, Mbarara City, Uganda, Tel +256 778 557 867, Fax +256-485-20782, Email bokongo@must.ac.ugPurpose: To determine the prevalence of anemia and its association with Helicobacter pylori infection among adult dyspeptic patients.Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 283 dyspeptic patients at Kiryandongo General Hospital, in Uganda. A structured questionnaire was administered to capture demographic and clinical characteristics of study participants. Four milliliters of blood were then collected into an EDTA vacutainer for Complete Blood Count (CBC) and analyzed using HUMA COUNT 30TS, and peripheral blood smears were made and stained using Giemsa stain. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin levels < 12g/dl in females and < 13g/dl in men according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) stool antigen test was performed using Whole power H. pylori Ag rapid test device, and saline stool preparation was examined for intestinal parasites. Chi-squared test and Logistic regression were performed to determine association, and a p-value of ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: The overall prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection was 42.4% (120/283). The prevalence of anemia among H. pylori-infected patients was 25.8% (31/120) and 15.3% (25/163) among H. pylori-negative counterparts. H. pylori infection was significantly associated with anemia (p-value 0.042), age (p-value 0.02, 0.009), water sources (p-value 0.0049,) and intestinal parasitic infestation (p-value 0.02), respectively.Conclusion: This study has shown that the prevalence of H. pylori infection and anemia is high among dyspeptic patients at Kiryandongo General Hospital. H. pylori infection was found associated with anemia, age, water sources, and intestinal parasitic infestation. Routine screening of anemia in H. pylori-infected individuals and further studies to explore the relationship between anemia and H. pylori disease is highly recommended.Keywords: anemia, prevalence, Helicobacter pylori infection

Introduction: Mucormycosis manifests as various syndromes in human beings, particularly in immunocompromised patients and those with diabetes mellitus. Recently, several cases of mucormycosis in people with COVID19 have been increasingly reported worldwide, especially from India. This prompted us to conduct a study in mucormycosis patients with COVID-19, to know its clinical profile of the COVID-19 patients with mucormycosis and identify of various risk factors in mucormycosis patients with COVID-19 infection. Materials and Methods: This Cross sectional Retrospective Qualitative Descriptive study was conducted in Department of Medicine, MGM Medical College and Hospital, Aurangabad [Maharashtra]. A total of 100 patients admitted from April 2021 to August 2021 were enrolled as study participants. All COVID-19 patients admitted in MGM who are diagnosed with mucormycosis by microbiologically (KOH mount) or radiologically (CT/MRI) or by histopathology. Observations and Results: The mean age of patients was 59.72±12.47 years. The male 73 (73.0%) predomianance than female 27(27.0%). 88(88.0%) of patients were having Diabetic Mellitus and 31(31.0%) of patients were having hypertension. All the patients were given Antibiotic & steroids during treatment of COVID-19 at hospitalisation. 15(15.0%) of patients were admitted in ICU during treatment of COVID-19. 76(76.0%) patients were required Oxygen, 03(3.0%) were on NIV/Ventilator and 08 (8.0%) patients were on HFOT during treatment of COVID-19. Overall (97.0%) of patients were recovered. Conclusion: Diabetes mellitus is identified as the leading underlying comorbidity in cases diagnosed with mucormycosis in post COVID-19 patients. Also use of steroid, duration of use of steroid, and oxygen therapy during the treatment of COVID-19 were risk factors observed in the patients with mucormycosis.

Background: Parity and psychological problems are one of the factors that contribute to the high tendency to occur hyperemesis gravidarum as a condition that results in pathology for the mother and the fetus she contains.Methods: The research design is correlational analytic with a cross sectional design approach. The independent variables are parity and psychology, while the dependent variable is the incidence of hyperemesis gravidarum. The population is all pregnant women in the first trimester at the Wairasa Health Center, Central Sumba Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, a sample of 26 respondents using the accidental sampling technique. The data collection technique used a questionnaire.Results: The results of the ordinal regression analysis showed that the Nagelkerke coefficient value of 92.4% means that the independent variable is parity and psychology affects the incidence of hyperemesis gravidarum in general by 92.4% while 7.6% is influenced by other factors that are not included in the model testing.Conclusion: there is a relationship between parity and psychology of pregnant women in the first trimester with the incidence of hyperemesis gravidarum

Cellular senescence is a conserved biological process essential for embryonic development, tissue remodeling, repair, and a key regulator of aging. Senescence also plays a crucial role in cancer, though this role can be tumor-suppressive or tumor-promoting, depending on the genetic context and the microenvironment. The highly heterogeneous, dynamic, and context-dependent nature of senescence-associated features and the relatively small numbers of senescent cells in tissues makesin vivomechanistic studies of senescence challenging. As a result, which senescence-associated features are observed in which disease contexts and how they contribute to disease phenotypes remain largely unknown. Similarly, the specific mechanisms by which various senescence-inducing signals are integratedin vivoto induce senescence and why some cells become senescent while their immediate neighbors do not are unclear. Here, we identify a small number of cells that exhibit multiple features of senescence in a genetically complex model of intestinal transformation we recently established in the developing Drosophila larval hindgut epithelium. We demonstrate that these cells emerge in response to concurrent activation of AKT, JNK, and DNA damage response pathways within transformed tissue. Eliminating senescent cells, genetically or by treatment with senolytic compounds, reduces overgrowth and improves survival. We find that this tumor-promoting role is mediated by Drosophila macrophages recruited to the transformed tissue by senescent cells, which results in non-autonomous activation of JNK signaling within the transformed epithelium. These findings emphasize complex cell-cell interactions underlying epithelial transformation and identify senescent cell-macrophage interactions as a potential druggable node in cancer.One sentence summary:Interactions between transformed senescent cells and macrophages drive tumorigenesis.

The study focuses on the exploration of the challenges experienced by some women in men-dominated societal spaces, specifically in the household and workplace in the municipality of Midsayap, North Cotabato, Philippines. The 5 participants were identified through non-probability sampling, specifically purposive sampling. The study employed qualitative research, specifically narratology. The result showed that most of the participants experienced gender inequality and discrimination. However, the coping mechanisms of the participants just as respect verbally expressing their opinions, and ignoring people’s negative comments helped them to excel and have their capabilities visible in the community. The study exhibited evident manifestations of discrimination, gender stereotyping, and gender inequality. Thus, the study enlivens awareness of the underlying realities of women even in this new era.

The characteristics of the fore and aft foils at the various angles of attack incorporated with forward velocities have been vulnerable to induce strong nonlinearities to dynamic lift force and ship resistance. Then, a computational simulation is necessarily required to predict their performances in the calm water condition. This paper presents a computational investigation of the hydrofoil ship on predicting lift and ship’s resistance using fluid dynamic (CFD) simulation approach. Several parameters such as Froude numbers and the angle of attacks both of fore and aft foils have been accordingly taken into account. The results revealed that the subsequent increase on angle of attack of fore and aft foils was directly proportional to the lift force and the ship’s resistance. In addition, the lift force of the aft and fore foils with the angle of attacks of 10 degrees and 5 degrees, respectively, resulted in the significant increase of the lift force and the ship’s resistance. However, the subsequent increase of Froude number from 1.382 up to 1.626 has insignificant effect to the lift and the ship’s resistance of the hydrofoil. It can be concluded that CFD simulation is very beneficial to ensure an operational effectiveness of hydrofoil design towards prediction on the lift force and the hydrofoil’s resistance at the preliminary design stage.

The Modified Andreasen and Andersen model (MAA model) is commonly chosen to realize condensed particle packing in ultra-high-performance concretes (UHPCs). In the MAA model, the q (distribution modulus) is a parameter that plays a critical role in the UHPC matrix design. The objective of this study is to figure out the influence of the q for the compressive strength of UHPC-containing coarse aggregate (UHPC-CA). Therefore, a series of investigations were conducted, covering the following aspects: first, the traditional design procedure, based on the MAA model, of UHPC-CA is revised by taking water and steel fibers into account in the particle packing system. The results show that the revised design process of UHPC-CA yielded more excellent products with better workability and compressive strength. Second, different q values which are 0.2, 0.21, 0.22, 0.23, and 0.25 are employed. The results show that when q is 0.25, the maximum compressive strength can be achieved. However, the flowability decreases with the increase of the q value. Third, an empirical calculation of the optimal coarse aggregate content in the light of different q values and maximum size of coarse aggregate are proposed.

Objectives: Estimating the mesiodistal dimensions of unerupted canines and premolars in early mixed dentition is a critical tool in space management. According to previous studies, tooth size varies by ethnicity which could affect diagnosis and treatment planning. The aim of the study was to know whether the Tanaka-Johnston method is valid for the North Karnataka population. Materials and Methods: A total of 4,600 school children (2,300 boys and 2,300 girls) (age 11-16 years) with no craniofacial skeletal abnormalities, with no history of orthodontic and orthopedic treatment or maxillofacial surgeries, from 2013 June to 2019 June were taken for mixed dentition analysis by the Tanaka-Johnston method. Pearson correlation test was used to identify the correlation between various variables. Results: The findings revealed a sexual dimorphism in the widths of canine and premolar widths in the maxillary and mandibular teeth. A statistically significant difference was found between the width of the sum of incisor widths and the actual widths of canine and premolars for maxillary and mandibular arches, regardless of gender. Conclusion: The Tanaka-Johnston analysis was not precise enough to be used for the North Karnataka population in its original form, so new regression equations were developed.

Managing labour turnover is critical for any organization sustainability and competitiveness. In the past, turnover was higher in government organizations as compared to non-Governmental Organizations. Currently however, non-Governmental organizations are facing difficulties to retain good performers, experienced and well trained employees due to high turnover. This study attempted to assess factors influencing labour turnover intentions in non-Governmental Organizations by taking the case of the Christian Social Service Commission (CSSC) in Dar es Salaam. Specifically, the study sought to assess how work-related factors, organization factors and personal factors influence labour turnover intentions at CSSC. A case study design and quantitative approach were employed in this study. Data was collected from 80 employees through standardized questionnaire, and both descriptive and inferential statistics procedures were applied in data analysis. The research revealed that organization factors and work-related factors moderately influence turnover intentions, whereas the personal factors had no significant influence. In this respect improving on salaries, fringe benefits, personal career advancement opportunities, involvement in decision making, friendly organization policies, job securities to name a few will scale down turnover intensions. However, further studies can be carried out including more variables than those assessed in this study to reveal factors affecting labour turnover intentions.

Present article suggested and proposed a new design of 4-bit optical sequence detector using an electro-optic effect by utilizing Lithium niobate (LiNbO3) based Mach–Zehnder interferometer, because of its consistency about production and stability. Suggested sequential detector is designed by OptiBPM (optical beam propagation method) software. This structure uses EO effect to alter the light upon lithium niobate optical waveguide via cross-state to bar-state and replica. Sequence detector is a sequential state machine, that extract an input string of bits and, when the targeted bit has been detected, then it gives an output as 1. In this paper the authors have focused on all-optical 4-bit sequential detector to produce the outcome as 1 when the bit sequence finds as 1101 within the given data. This all-optical device can be utilized in several optical switching and networking operations. The suggested design is replicated with MATLAB along with mathematical descriptions too and has been verified.

The English language is known to be a universal language as it is used in different parts of the world. It connects nations, links people from different places, is widely used in education and the business world, and is most notably used for globalization. Although people were given all of the chances and opportunities to study the said language, some were still struggling to use it orally or in writing. With all the interventions made, others are yet to improve and have a low or poor English language proficiency. Hence, the objective of this descriptive study is to determine the English language proficiency of elementary pupils. The respondents of the study were all of the grade IV pupils enrolled in the school year 2020-2021 at one private institution in the Northern Philippines. The results revealed that the overall English language proficiency of the pupils is at an advanced level, regardless of whether they are in the transitional year from using their mother tongue to using the English language, which is grade IV. Meanwhile, the profile variables included in the study were not significantly associated with the pupils' English language proficiency. Thus, a manifestation that respondents' profile does not prompt pupils' proficiency level because no relationship was revealed as suggested by the results of this study.

Relatively cool tropical climate with high annual rainfall experienced in mountainous tropical region creates favorable agricultural areas where intensive agricultural practices often correlate with increasing landslide events. While it has long been associated with landslides, agricultural practice in such areas especially in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia continues to flourish with minimal regard to environmental sustainability and safety. Therefore, this study aims to confirm the relationship between human activities and landslide occurrences and identify human practices that directly or indirectly cause landslides. Aerial photograph was used to identify landslides and anthropogenic features while other remotely sensed data including Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (IFSAR) were used to establish the geomorphology of study area. A total of 207 landslides were identified in a 25 km2 area from remote sensing study and field mapping. They were superimposed over several potential contributing factors including geology, slope gradient and human activities. This study found that landslides are more likely to occur in areas greater than 15° of slope angle. The main factor, however, is the human factor where 164 landslides (79.22% of total identified landslides) were located in agricultural lands. Poorly planned and engineered agricultural farms were identified as the main causal factors for landslide occurrences at the study area, either directly or indirectly. These issues were observed through remote sensing study using aerial photograph which were then verified through site observations. New district development plan called for a stricter regulations in new tourism and agricultural developments. Improvements should also be implemented on existing agricultural activities where most of these landslides were located at this area. Therefore, in addition to controlling new developments, improving of existing agricultural practices in Cameron Highlands shall be a major focus in ensuring slope safety and their sustainability.

A study was conducted to ease the fodder cutting operations a commercially available hand chaff cutter (Sokhiya Agricultural Industries, Jaipur, India) during 2019–20 in the Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering at College of Agricultural Engineering, Sangareddy, Telangana, India. The assessment was done using with 3 different age group female workers who regularly feed to the animals to assess its suitability for workers of the southern region of India. The parameters used for the Ergonomical evaluation include machine operation at different forces are heart rate, pulse rate, oxygen consumption rate, and energy expenditure rate. The average heart rate for female subjects of P1, P2 and P3 was recorded before the operation is 79, 76 and 81 beats min-1 and after the operation is 109, 108 and 113 beats min-1 for various fodders. The average pulse rate for female subjects of P1, P2, and P3 was recorded before the operation is 62, 68, and 63 beats min-1 and after the operation is 80, 80, and 82 beats min-1 for various fodders. The average oxygen consumption rate and energy expenditure rate of female subjects of P1, P2 and P3 were found to be 0.61, 0.59 and 0.66 liter min-1, and 12.68, 12.36 and 13.74 KJ min-1 respectively after operation of chaff cutter. The physiological parameters are heart rate, pulse rate, oxygen consumption rate, and energy consumption rate increased more rapidly for all age group female workers after operation of chaff cutter with 3 various fodders.

Introduction The objective of this research was to analyze the effect of orthodontic treatment with maxillary permanent first molar extraction on the occlusal stress distribution and displacement in the human skull. Methods A 3-dimensional finite element model was constructed on the basis of a computed tomography scan, and it was used as the pretreatment model. The software used for geometric modeling was Solid Works (Dassault Systemes, Paris, France). For the extraction model, the maxillary permanent first molar was removed, followed by a repositioning of the anterior and posterior segments to create a space closure model. Stress distribution was evaluated under the simulation of 1000 N for occlusal forces and 400 N for masseter muscle force. Results The highest von Mises stress was observed at the zygomatic process of the temporal bone across all 3 models (25 MPa), whereas stress at the pterygomaxillary suture area was almost 50% less. However, the stress in the pterygomaxillary suture area was lowest in the extraction model (18%) and space closure (30%). Stress in the zygomatic process of the frontal bone and frontal process of the maxilla increased from pretreatment to extraction model followed by space closure model. Conclusions The occlusal forces were transferred through maxillonasal, maxillozygomatic, and maxillopterygoid stress trajectories. The mesial displacement of the molars may weaken the role of maxillopterygoid stress trajectory while strengthening the role of maxillonasal stress trajectory.

Objective To determine whether disrupting the renin angiotensin system with angiotensin receptor blockers will improve clinical outcomes in people with covid-19. Design CLARITY was a pragmatic, adaptive, multicentre, phase 3, randomised controlled trial. Setting 17 hospital sites in India and Australia. Participants Participants were at least 18 years old, previously untreated with angiotensin receptor blockers, with a laboratory confirmed diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection who had been admitted to hospital for management of covid-19. Intervention Oral angiotensin receptor blockers (telmisartan in India) or placebo (1:1) for 28 days. Main outcome measures The primary endpoint was covid-19 disease severity using a modified World Health Organization Clinical Progression Scale (WHO scale) at day 14. Secondary outcomes were WHO scale scores at day 28, mortality, intensive care unit admission, and respiratory failure. Analyses were evaluated on an ordinal scale in the intention-to-treat population. Results Between 3 May 2020 and 13 November 2021, 2930 people were screened for eligibility, with 393 randomly assigned to angiotensin receptor blockers (of which 388 (98.7%) to telmisartan 40 mg/day) and 394 to the control group. 787 participants were randomised: 778 (98.9%) from India and nine (1.1%) from Australia. The median WHO scale score at day 14 was 1 (interquartile range 1-1) in 384 participants assigned angiotensin receptor blockers and 1 (1-1) in 382 participants assigned placebo (adjusted odds ratio 1.51 (95% credible interval 1.02 to 2.23), probability of an odds ratio of >1 (Pr(OR>1)=0.98). WHO scale scores at day 28 showed little evidence of difference between groups (1.02 (0.55 to 1.87), Pr(OR>1)=0.53). The trial was stopped when a prespecified futility rule was met. Conclusions In patients admitted to hospital for covid-19, mostly with mild disease, not requiring oxygen, no evidence of benefit, based on disease severity score, was found for treatment with angiotensin receptor blockers, using predominantly 40 mg/day of telmisartan. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04394117 .

SUMMARYMost epithelial tissues are maintained by stem cells that produce the different cell lineages required for proper tissue function. Constant communication between different cell types that make up a tissue is essential to ensure that all cell lineages are produced at appropriate numbers and to mount regenerative responses to injury, infection, and other environmental stresses. Cancer-driving alterations change the intrinsic properties of transformed cells and disrupt stem cell regulation, cell fate decisions, and cell-cell communication within transformed tissue. However, mechanisms by which these processes are disrupted and co-opted to support tumorigenesis are not well understood. Here, we report a novel genetic platform, PromoterSwitch, that allows targeting of genetic manipulations to a small subset of cells of any tissue or cell type of interest and all their subsequent progeny. We use this technology to generate large, transformed clones derived from individual stem/progenitor cells in the adult Drosophila intestine. We show that cancer-driving genetic alterations representing common colon tumor genome landscapes drive disruptions in cell fate decisions within transformed clones and changes in the relative abundance of different intestinal cell lineages. We also uncover a critical, context-dependent role for the differentiated, hormone-producing enteroendocrine (EE) cells in the growth and maintenance of transformed clones. Our analysis in different genetic contexts provides insights into how the intrinsic properties of transformed cells —dictated by the genetic alterations they carry— determine their response to their environment and dependence on niche signals. A better mechanistic understanding of disruptions of cell-cell communication, stem cell regulation, and cell fate decisions within tumors could reveal novel vulnerabilities and druggable regulatory nodes that can be exploited for therapy. Understanding how tissues respond to the emergence of cells with cancer-driving genetic alterations also provides insights into stem cell biology and epithelial homeostasis.

Received on 16 January 2023; accepted on 21 February 2023Kinases are key regulators of cellular signal transduction pathways. Many diseases, including cancer, are associated with global alterations in protein phosphorylation networks. As a result, kinases are frequent targets of drug discovery efforts. However, target identification and assessment, a critical step in targeted drug discovery that involves identifying essential genetic mediators of disease phenotypes, can be challenging in complex, heterogeneous diseases like cancer, where multiple concurrent genomic alterations are common. Drosophila is a particularly useful genetic model system to identify novel regulators of biological processes through unbiased genetic screens. Here, we report 2 classic genetic modifier screens focusing on the Drosophila kinome to identify kinase regulators in 2 different backgrounds: KRAS TP53 PTEN APC, a multigenic cancer model that targets 4 genes recurrently mutated in human colon tumors and KRAS alone, a simpler model that targets one of the most frequently altered pathways in cancer. These screens identified hits unique to each model and one shared by both, emphasizing the importance of capturing the genetic complexity of human tumor genome landscapes in experimental models. Our follow-up analysis of 2 hits from the KRAS-only screen suggests that classical genetic modifier screens in heterozygous mutant backgrounds that result in a modest, nonlethal reduction in candidate gene activity in the context of a whole animal—a key goal of systemic drug treatment—may be a particularly useful approach to identify the most rate-limiting genetic vulnerabilities in disease models as ideal candidate drug targets.

Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan tujuan yaitu(1)mengetahui kualitas keterlaksanaan pembelajaran dengan menggunakan model guide inquiry,(2)dapat mengetahui peningkatan hasil belajar. Adapun penelitian ini menggunakanan pendekatan kualitatif dengan rancangan penelitian tindak kelas,rancangan penelitian ini ada 2 tindakan dan terbagi menjadi 4 tahapan, yaitu: perencanaan,tindakan,pengamatan,dan refleksi.Sasaran dalam tindakan ini adalah peserta didik kelas VIII A SMP Negeri 2 Wanukaka terdiri dari 32 orang. Adapun hasil penelitian menunjukkan nilai rata-rata pada keterlaksanaan kegiatan belajar mengajar pada tindakan 68,12% pada tindakan II 85%. Sedangkan rata-rata hasil belajar dari ketiga ranah yaitu afektif tindakan I 68,67% dan tindakan II 76,25%, kognitif pada tindakan I 73,59% pada tindakan II 82,03%,ranah psikomotorik pada tindakan I 71,04%, pada tindakan II 77,53%. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian dapat disimpulkan melalui penerapan model inkuiri terbimbing hasil belajar siswa dapat meningkat.

Utilization of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) in road construction has become a common practice worldwide. This is in-line with the global objective of sustainable development aimed at lowering the consumption of dwindling sources of virgin aggregates and coming up with viable solutions to deal with RAP materials generated from highway rehabilitation projects. In the present study, an investigation of the laboratory performance of foamed bitumen stabilized material mixes for use in base courses was conducted. A suitable laboratory mix design was developed to evaluate the effect of different proportions of bitumen and Portland cement on properties of cold RAP materials. Cement content was varied at percentages of 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0% while bitumen content was varied at percentages of 1.75, 2.0, and 2.5%. Also, mixes utilizing typical bituminous surfacing materials encountered on paved road networks during road rehabilitation were assessed. RAP materials from pavements comprising thick layers of asphalt concrete and thin layers of surface dressing as well as unbound crushed aggregate made from fresh quarried rock often used for road bases were considered. Optimal values of 1.0% and 2.5% for cement and bitumen contents, respectively, were determined and used to come up with mixes which incorporated different surfacing materials. Mixes developed were analyzed for mechanical properties of indirect tensile strength (soaked and unsoaked), indirect tensile fatigue, elastic modulus and rutting. RAP materials from thin layers of surface dressing were determined as the best performing surfacing material for cold foamed in-place pavement recycling technology.

The experimental work on the self-cleaned zirconia coatings prepared using a co-precursor sol–gel method is presented here. The zirconia coatings were synthesised using zirconium n-propoxide (ZrPro...

Filler and binder make up a small proportion of bituminous mixtures, hence they are considered as important ingredients of mixtures. Sometimes due to equipment error during production, some mixtures retain extra or a reduced amount of filler or binder as compared to the design mix formula. It is thought that the poor performance of bituminous mixtures is a result of inadequate proportioning of materials and the use of inappropriate compaction tools. This study was intended to appreciate the influence of contents of filler and binder in relation to durability in asphalt mixtures. Filler used was crushed stone passing 0.075 mm sieve, while the binder was 35/50 penetration grade. Several trial mixes were prepared following Ugandan specifications for Road and Bridge Works, and the Asphalt Institute in MS-2. Marshall design method was used, studying volumetric properties with an average stability value of 22.3 kN, average flow value of 3.7 mm, VA of 4.4%, VFB of 69.3%, and VMA of 14.2%. Also, compaction of mixtures to assess its performance at optimum filler and binder contents was done. Compaction was done using an Automatic Impact Hammer, a Vibrating Hammer, and a Superpave Gyratory compactor aimed at simulating secondary compaction by traffic and assessing the retained air voids which was 3.3%, 1.3%, and 0.7% respectively. Generally, in bituminous mixtures when a vibrating hammer or a gyratory compactor is recommended for compaction, coarser mixes would be the best choice.

Only a few studies describe the pathophysiology and outcomes of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in pregnancy, which the authors aim to review here. DCM causes enlargement of the ventricles and reduced systolic function. Fluid overload and raised cardiac output in pregnancy may contribute to cardiac complications that lead to cardiac remodeling and heart failure, a common cause of maternal mortality. The risk of cardiac complications is higher in women with New York Heart Association class III and IV. Fetal and neonatal complications are common with coexisting obstetric risk factors. Hence, prepregnancy counseling and a multi-disciplinary approach are essential. Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockers prevent cardiac remodeling but are teratogenic. Drugs, such as β-blockers to control cardiac remodeling, thiazide diuretics to reduce preload, hydralazine and nitrates to reduce afterload and digoxin to increase inotropy, are safe and should be used to manage DCM in pregnancy.Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a rare disease of the heart associated with the enlargement of its chambers and subsequent reduction in its pumping ability. The authors aim to describe the disease process, presentation and treatment of DCM in pregnancy in this review article. A physiological change in pregnancy is an increase in the total blood volume to ensure blood supply to the fetus. This can, however, have a negative impact on the already diseased heart in DCM and present as heart failure in pregnancy. The clinical outcomes of DCM in pregnancy depend on heart health prior to pregnancy. During pregnancy, the mother can suffer from cardiac events, such as heart failure, arrhythmias and sudden death, whereas the fetus may be born prematurely and be small for gestational age. Drugs useful in slowing the progression of DCM, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers, are contraindicated in pregnancy. Hence, such women require careful monitoring throughout pregnancy by a multi-disciplinary team. Drugs that can be safely used to manage DCM include β-blockers, thiazide diuretics and digoxin. More comprehensive studies on DCM in pregnancy are needed to better understand the disease process and accordingly counsel and treat women with this condition in pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Soft tissue tumours constitute a large and heterogeneous group of neoplasms. Most soft tissue tumors in the upper extremity are benign, and soft tissue sarcomas are rare in the hand and wrist. Supercial soft-tissue masses are among the most common indications for imaging of the extremities. A broad array of benign and malignant processes may be manifested in palpable cutaneous or subcutaneous masses or nodules. In tertiary care set up both imaging and FNAC can play a vital role in preliminary diagnosis of soft tissue lesions of the extremities by differentiating them from cutaneous vs. non cutaneous, osseous vs. non osseous tumors. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted in the Department of Pathology, Government general hospital Nizamabad, Telangana ,during March 2017 to March 2019 that evaluated 50 patients with history of swelling in upper and lower limb had been evaluated . Detailed history, thorough clinical examination, Imaging, Fine needle aspiration cytology was performed in all the 50 Patients. Aspiration smears were stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin and microscopic examination done. RESULT: The patients aged from 10 to 75 years, average age at presentation was 41.2 yrs. Of total 50 cases 27 were upper limb (54%) and 23(46%) were lower limb lesions. Of both upper limb and lower limb lesions, Lipoma constituted most common lesion 20 cases(40%) with 16 cases of total 27 cases in upper limb (59%) making it most common benign soft tissue lesion in the upper limb. 4 cases(8%) out of 50 cases were diagnosed as spindle cell lesion undetermined/sarcoma and advised histo-pathological evaluation. CONCLUSION: A detailed evaluation of patients presenting with swelling in the upper and lower limb coupled with imaging and FNAC, in establishing the diagnosis required for further follow action was done. In most of the cases imaging coupled with FNAC gave better results but in some it required histo-pathological evaluation. FNAC was found to be an better modality for preliminary diagnosis along with radiology in decision making process for further surgical approach.

BACKGROUND Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) have evolved into a pandemic world-wide including India because of burgeoning population and adoption of unhealthy lifestyles often aping the west. Early identification of increasing trends in the rise of risk factors (RFs) of NCDs in all populations is of utmost importance. The present study aims to track the trends of certain RFs of NCDs in medical students. METHODS All the 141 students who had completed 3 years of medical college were included. 8 of them who were absent during study period were excluded. Base line data concerning the medical students was taken in the month of December 2016. Their anthropometric measurements like height, weight, waist circumference, waist-hipratio, and blood pressure were noted as per standard guidelines. The changes in the trends of hypertension, general obesity, and central obesity were analysed. RESULTS Out of the total 141 study subjects 93 (66 %) were female 48 (34 %) were male medical students. The mean age of students was 20.94 years with SD of 0.80. 64 (45.4 %), 62 (44 %) and 13 (9.2 %) students were aware of positive family history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and obesity respectively. None of them were in the habit of smoking, drinking alcohol or tried narcotics. Undernourished students reduced from 28 (19.9 %) to 16 (11.3 %). Physical exercise among students increased significantly. General obesity (BMI ≥ 25 Kg / mt2 ), central / abdominal obesity represented by waist circumstance and blood pressure were observed to have increased significantly. The combined obesity in the present study was 15.6 %. CONCLUSIONS Tracking of weight gain, blood pressure, physical activity in medical students was done after three years from the base line data collected in 2016. It was observed that certain risk factors of NCDs like obesity, hypertension, waist circumference, showed significant upward trends. Medical students should undergo periodic health check–ups (screening) to identify the emergence of RFs of NCDs in their nascent stage and transform themselves as role models in the community by maintaining and advocating healthy lifestyles. KEYWORDS Tracking, Risk Factors, NCDs, Medical Students

This paper presents an assessment of the contribution of reactive aggregates on performance of asphalt pavements in service in order to better understand how to mitigate likely asphalt pavement failures resulting thereof. A petrographic and mineralogical analysis was done on rocks that were used in the asphalt mix as well as their mineral composition. Also, a visual condition survey, deflection testing and coring of the asphaltic surfacing for further analysis and testing were conducted to establish the extent of the distresses. Results showed that though aggregates tested were meeting the criteria required of a good quality asphalt concrete in relation to mechanical properties, they did not satisfy the other criteria in relation to their mineralogical composition and adhesion. Aggregates were found to be reactive and contained pyroxenes and feldspar which were responsible for deterioration in form of ‘blows ups’ and indentations observed on the pavement surface. Pyroxenes oxidised when they combined with atmospheric components due to their high iron content to form hydrated iron oxides. Feldspars experienced a hydrolytic reaction when they reacted with water to form clay minerals, potassium ions, and silica in solution. Continued exposure of reactive aggregates through water and air permeating into the open textured and cracked asphalt surface will result into total transformation of the pyroxenes into erodible iron oxides and hydroxides hence leading to further deterioration of the asphalt pavement. It is recommended that engineers consider conducting petrographic and mineralogical analysis when sourcing quarries for production of aggregates to be used in asphalt mixes.

In this study, TiB2 reinforced Al-matrix composite was fabricated by in situ stir casting route, and the effect of processing parameters was investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were used to study the composition and microstructure of the samples. Finally, to investigate the tribological and electrochemical behavior of the samples, wear tests (pin-on-disk) and potentiodynamic polarization tests (PDP) were used, respectively. Results showed that by increasing stirring time, both tribological and mechanical behavior of the samples improved. Also, it was found that by increasing the stirring speed of the melt to 180 rpm, the mechanical and tribological behavior of the samples improved, and by further increasing the stirring speed to 300 rpm, they were decreased. Consequently, samples containing lower than 7 wt. % TiB2 showed better metallurgical properties, due to lack of agglomeration.

Penelitian ini berjudul bentuk, fungsi dan makna pidato pernikahan adat Dadang Nulang Lunung Tapu pada masyarakat Desa Anajiaka, Kecamatan Umbu Ratu Nggay Barat, Kabupaten Sumba Tengah. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan bentuk, fungsi dan makna pidato pernikahan adat masyarakat Desa Anajiaka, Kecamatan Umbu Ratu Nggay Barat, Kabupaten Sumba Tengah. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode penelitian deskriptif kualitatif. Teknik pengumpulan data yang digunakan adalah teknik observasi, dokumentasi, perekaman (video), dan wawancara. Hasil yang diperoleh dalam menganalisis bentuk, fungsi dan makna pidato pernikahan adat Dadang Nulang Lunung Tapu di Desa Anajiaka, Kecamatan Umbu Ratu Nggay Barat, Kabupaten Sumba Tengah, yakni fungsi dari tuturan yang ditemukan adalah untuk menyampaikan isi hati, mempermudah urusan adat, fungsi nasehat, fungsi tanggung jawab, dan penyederhanaan urusan bisnis. Makna dari tuturan-tuturan tersebut adalah makna bertanggung jawab, kebersamaan, dan religius.

Objectives: Treating white spot lesions (WSL) to create a sound and esthetically pleasing enamel surface is a question yet to be fully answered. The objective of this randomized controlled trial was to measure and compare the degree of regression of WSL during orthodontic treatment achieved by using three commercially available materials. Methods: A single-blinded randomized prospective clinical trial, comprising 80 patients categorized into four groups (one control group and three experimental groups, with 20 subjects per group) using block randomization, was conducted. Group A (control group): Colgate strong toothpaste; and experiments groups were Group B: GC tooth mousse, Group C: Phos-Flur mouthwash and Group D: SHY-NM. Subjects were instructed to use the designated dentifrice/mouthwash and photographs were taken at baseline, third and sixth months, and white spot lesions were reassessed in the maxillomandibular anterior teeth. Results: All the three groups had shown an improvement in WSL. But Group B has shown the greatest difference in mean values of decalcification index (DI) scores. Conclusion: All three commercially available products showed a regression of WSL over a 6-month duration. GC tooth mousse proved to be the most effective means of treating WSL over other regimens.

The linkage between academia and the industry is increasingly becoming an essential component of national economic development. Industries depend much on their workforce from Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs) for both innovation and technological development. On the other hand, strong linkage scales down unemployment risk. As a result, this study assessed the existing linkage between HLIs and industry and its contribution towards semi- industrialized economy. The study involved two Universities, three non-university institutions and five local industries in Dar es Salaam and Coastal regions. Data were collected through interviews and desktop survey from the selected institutions’ databases. Five (5) research directors, ten (10) faculty deans from HLIs, and five officials (5) from five industries were purposively selected and interviewed. The collected data were then thematically analyzed. Findings from the study suggest that the linkage in terms of training output is moderate. Knowledge is mainly transferred from HLIs to industries through field placement and employment opportunities of the trained workforce. Likewise, research and consultancy services linkage are still very low compared to the training and consultancy functions. It is further revealed that low motivation to academicians, lack of trust among industry owners towards HLIs, and meager budgets for research and consultancies are some of the factors that hinder the desired linkage. Conclusively, there exists a weak linkage between HLIs and industries in Tanzania. It is, therefore, suggested that the government should be involved, and should legitimize the collaboration. The objective is to smoothen the road towards the industrial economy. Engagement of the parties at all levels is required by raising awareness and participation.

Onion (Allium cepa, L) is a very important vegetable crop in India. India is the second largest producer of onion in the world and the crop is grown on more than 1.22 million hectares. Fusarium Basal Rot (FBR) is an economically important diseasef onion that causes considerable losses in onion production up to 50% in field and 30-40% during post-harvest storage of bulbs (Gupta and Gupta 2013; Rajamohan et al. 2019). Onion plants showing chlorosis, twisting, wilting, necrosis, bulb discoloration, rot in the basal parts of bulb and roots typical to FBR were observed, in a field trial of 36 onion cultivars during October 2020 in Bangalore, Karnataka. FBR incidence varied from 30-100% in this field (Fig 1 a-d). Symptomatic bulbs were washed with water, basal plate and fleshy leaves cut into 0.5 to 1 cm-size, surface disinfected with 1.5% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) for 3 min, and rinsed with sterile distilled water. Twenty pieces were placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) in Petri plates and incubated at 25°C for 7 days. Colonies from single-spore isolates on PDA showed abundant white aerial mycelium. Colonies showed light pink or purple coloration on the reverse side of the culture plate with brown center (Fig 1e-f). Macroconidia were 19.13 to 28.35 (mean= 24.2) × 4.29 to 6.06 (mean= 5.05) µm, hyaline, falcate, with slightly curved apexes, and three to five septa. Microconidia were cylindrical to ellipsoid, aseptate, hyaline 8.20 to 12 (mean=10.0) × 3.55 to 4.79 (mean= 4.29) µm (Fig 1g). Chlamydospores were round, intercalary, hyaline, single or in chains (Fig 1h). Two isolates (IBFF-09IBFF-10) were analyzed for internal transcribed spacer-ITS (White et al. 1990) and translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1) gene (O'Donnell et al. 1998) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced. ITS and partial tef1 gene sequences of isolates IBFF-09 and IBFF-10 were submitted to the NCBI database (GenBank accession # ON394614ON026859; # ON409480, ON093166 respectively). Phylogenetic analysis of tef1 gene placed the isolates with F. falciforme (Fig 1i). A pathogenicity test was performed by dipping roots of 28 days old healthy onion seedlings of a susceptible genotype 16/7Y GR3 into a conidial suspension (1 × 104 conidia/ml) of isolate IBFF-10 for 15 min and then transplanting the plants into pots containing sterilized potting mix. Inoculated plants developed typical symptoms of FBR and were all dead by 20 days post inoculation (Fig 1j) while the non-inoculated controls remained healthy. Pathogen was re-isolated from infected plants and showed the same morphology, ITS and tef1 sequence similarity as the original isolate, thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. Basal rot of onion by F. falciforme is reported from Mexico (Tirado-Ramírez et al. 2021). Till date, only F .oxysporum, F. proliferatum and F. solani have been implicated in onion FBR in India (Lee et al. 2021; Rathore and Patil, 2019). F. falciforme however, i prevalent in India and is reported to infect other crops (Gangaraj et al. 2022; Gupta et al. 2019; Homa et al. 2018). There is a high probability that this pathogen is contributing significantly to basal rot disease but it has not been reported yet. To our knowledge, this is the first report of F. falciforme infecting onions in India. In order to develop FBR resistant onion cultivars it is critical to identify and study the response of onion genotypes to different Fusarium spp causing the disease.