Search

E-commerce is becoming more and more common as a result of how simple it is to use and how effective it is for trading. Although young people are attempting to order the majority of their daily essentials online, this has undoubtedly not yet had an impact on the sales of everyday goods. Many store owners are intimidated by all the technological ideals and technical terminologies even if they want to enter the online market. Companies want to promote themselves online without requiring a lot of technological expertise. A platform for business owners to advertise their goods and services to typical consumers is the suggested answer. This solution functions as a recommendation system by acting as a middleman between store owners and customers. We are trying to bridge this gap where consumers are more technology-oriented and shopkeepers lie at another end of the spectrum. The consumers, on the other hand, get to choose which shops to visit or get their product delivered from. This would reduce the monopoly caused by the e-commerce giants like Amazon, and Flipkart in the market. Also, the consumer enjoys instant knowledge about the availability of the product

This review paper focuses on the various methods and tools available for measuring visual acuity, a crucial aspect of visual function that is used to diagnose and monitor a wide range of ocular disorders. The paper provides an overview of the basic principles of visual acuity measurement and examines the most used techniques, including Snellen charts, the Rossano-Weiss test electronic Measurement of Visual Acuity (eMOVA)test, and paper-based tests (PBVA). The strengths and weaknesses of each method are discussed, along with the factors that can affect the accuracy and reliability of visual acuity measurements. The paper also considers recent developments in visual acuity testing, such as the use of Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning along with smartphone apps, and explores their potential benefits and limitations. As a whole, this review paper provides a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of the different approaches to measuring visual acuity and highlights the importance of careful consideration of the choice of the test method in clinical practice.

The hexane extracts of ginger root (Zingiber officinale) of the Zingiberaceae family and Coconut; Cocos nucifera a member of the Arecaceae family, from two locations in Guyana were used for the investigation of their antibacterial properties. To evaluate the scientific basis for the use of the plant and plant product, the antimicrobial activities of the extracts were evaluated against three common bacteria found on wound infections; Staphylococcus aureus a gram-positive bacteria, Klebsiella pneumoniae a Gram-negative, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa a common encapsulated, facultative aerobic and Gram-negative. The disc diffusion method was used to test the antimicrobial activity of the extracts which were evaluated in 20%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% concentrations against each organism in triplicates, and the diameter of the zone of inhibition was measured. There was no significant difference among the plant extracts from the different locations. The results showed that coconut oil in 50% was most effective against Staphylococcus aureus forming zones measuring 19-20mm, the 100% ginger concentration was most effective against Staphylococcus aureus also and the zones measured 23-15mm, the mixture of ginger and coconut oil was equally effective against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with zones measured 12-15mm. The study also investigated the phytochemical constituents of the plant hexane extracts to test the presence or absence of secondary metabolites. Results of the phytochemical studies revealed the presence of tannins, saponins, alkaloids, flavonoids, glycoside, phenol, and steroids in the extracts were active against the bacteria.

The elliptic curve discrete logarithm problem is believed to be a secure cryptographic primitive for over three and a half decades. This problem was reduced to a problem in linear algebra problem by a Las Vegas algorithm. That algorithm was presented in IndoCrypt 2018. It was further shown that the linear algebra problem can be solved by zero minors. In this paper, we propose oblique elimination as a way to solve the elliptic curve discrete logarithm problem. This paper provides an improved version of the oblique elimination algorithm along with an example. This paper also provides an implementation of the oblique elimination algorithm.

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder that occurs in the body because of decreased insulin activity and/or insulin secretion. Pathological changes such as nephropathy, retinopathy, and cardiovascular complications inevitably occur in the body with the progression of the disease. DM is mainly categorized into 2 sub-types, type I DM and type II DM. While type I DM is generally treated through insulin replacement therapy, type II DM is treated with oral hypoglycaemics.

The 22 June 2022 Mw 6.2 Khōst, Afghanistan, earthquake struck killing more than 1700 people and devastating the region. For studying this earthquake, we computed the coseismic deformation fields of the earthquake using the Sentinel-1 Terrain Observation with Progressive Scans Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR). The InSAR results show that the maximum coseismic displacement in the satellite line of sight direction reaches up to 39 cm. We determined the geometric parameters of the fault and coseismic slip distribution from these InSAR measurements. The best-fitted fault model shows that the rupture occurred on a right-lateral strike-slip fault with a strike of 203.7° and a dip of 68°. The most slip is concentrated at a shallow depth within the upper 10 km with the maximum slip of ∼3 m at 2.5 km depth. The maximum slip produced by this earthquake is significantly larger than the slip produced by several other similar earthquakes with similar magnitudes, implying that the focused shallow slip is likely the reason for the significant damage in the earthquake. The heavy rainfall was recorded during the earthquake period, which resulted in complicated fringes in coseismic interferograms close to the earthquake in time. Because a positive spatial and temporal correlation with the earthquake occurrence can be seen, the rainfall may have potential contributions to the earthquake, which deserves additional analysis in future. Combined with the potential effects of the 2015 Mw 7.5 Hindu Kush deep-seated earthquake, the seismicity in Afghanistan is the result of the ongoing subduction of the Indian plate beneath the Eurasian plate along their west boundary.

Kashmir Valley is one of the two administrative divisions of the Jammu and Kashmir region, lying within the Himalayan belt at the confluence of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. It is an elongated basin filled with deep sedimentary deposits in the central portion, bounded by the Himalayan Mountain ranges at the periphery. The Pleistocene Karewa deposits overlain by the Recent Alluvium form the major types of sediments in the valley, showing a thickness of over 1300m (Burbank and Johnson, 1982). To evaluate the seismic response of these geological deposits, we recorded microtremors and performed multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) testing at ~190 sites using TROMINO® equipment. Horizontal-to-vertical-spectral ratio (HVSR) curves and dispersion curves were respectively developed from the raw data, which were further used to estimate the site fundamental frequency (f0) and H/V amplitude (A) as well as average shear wave velocity over 30m depth (VS,30). A comparison of f0 and A with VS at each site was conducted to assess the suitability of codal provisions (NEHRP, EC8, etc.) and the specified amplification factors.We found certain issues with the use of VS,30 as the sole parameter for estimating the expected amplification at a site for seismic design. A direct correlation between amplification and stiffness (Vs30) at the sites was not attained, as opposed to the most common assumption in the prevalent code-based site classifications. Low amplification can be expected even at soft soil sites (NEHRP E) in the absence of an impedance contrast, and vice versa in stiff deposits. Observations in the deep sedimentary deposits in the valley show the importance of the contribution of deeper stratigraphy beyond the assumed 30m depth in the codes. Moreover, the notion of f0 being directly proportional to Vs30 irrespective of the geological conditions is not true. Besides, rock sites (NEHRP A and B) may not always present the conventional flat HVSR response, instead, significant high frequency amplifications can occur due to weathered or fractured material. Test results also revealed unusually high amplitudes within the fractured portion of a fault zone, signifying that the assumption of all rock sites being safe in terms of negligible amplifications may not be entirely correct. Topographic amplifications near basin edges, hill slopes, and within small valleys resulted in broad peaks over wide frequency range in the HVSR curves, which cannot be explained through the limited information contained in the Vs30 parameter.These incongruities observed at various sites in the Kashmir region point out the inadequacy of the site classifications based on the single-parameter (Vs30)approach, which do not always explain the actual amplifications observed during earthquakes in different geological conditions. The results obtained in the Kashmir Valley, backed by the similar arguments provided in literature (e.g., Lombardo and Rigano, 2006; Castellaro et al., 2008; Rovelli et al., 2009; Panzera et al., 2014; etc.), clearly indicate the need for adopting alternate site classification schemes (Di Alessandro et al., 2012; Pitilakis et al., 2019; Paolucci et al., 2021).

The oblateness and mass variation effects are studied in the circular Hill restricted 4-body problem (R4BP). Here we assume two bodies as oblate in shape and third one as spherical in shape, these three bodies are at the vertices of a triangle. The 4th infinitesimal body varies its mass and moving under the perturbed gravitational forces in the plane of primaries. With these perturbations, we evaluate the equations of motion and quasi-jacobian integral using specific scales and transformations. Finally, the numerical presentations are given such as stationary points, regions of motion, surfaces of section, periodic orbits and basins of convergence. 2010 MSC: 00-01, 99-00

Regarding passenger safety and road serviceability, the effects of earthquakes on underground transportation systems situated in seismically active regions yield a great challenge. The 345 km long Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project in Jammu and Kashmir is a railway track with underground tunnels that traverses the tectonically active area of the northwestern part of the Himalayas under difficult geological conditions. In this study, the Semi-Quantitative Seismic Risk Assessment (SQ-SRA) approach has been used to evaluate the seismic risk and post-seismic serviceability of this project. Out of the three alignment phases, the first one is accessible, the center one is accessible but requires repair, and the last one is inaccessible, according to the risk matrices. The majority of the tunnel sections in the last phase are situated near zones prone to landslides and large tectonic sources, and they also include extensively weathered rock mass, resulting in deformation, squeezing and cavity formation during the excavation process. The progressive effect of these issues increases the probability that these tunnels may get extensive damage, which would render the track segment inoperable under post-seismic conditions. The risk matrices and maps provided will serve as a valuable tool for directing track operations.

Foliar endophytic fungi spend a part of their life cycle on the leaves of plants. They may demonstrate no apparent symptoms but may also cause disease at a later time in the plant’s life. Studies investigating foliar fungal endophytes of mangroves are limited. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the foliar fungal endophytes present on the leaves of three mangrove species: namely Red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle), Black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) and White mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa). The study site was an area located at Hope, East Coast Demerara, and South America, Guyana. Out of sixty (60) leaf samples that were prepared, fourteen (14) fungal isolates were identified. Most of the fungi isolated in the study were found to be Hyphomycetes (Aspergillus, Fusarium, Penicillium, Alternaria, Cladosporium and Curvularia) while the others were Zygomorphic (MucorandRhizopus). The ANOVA calculations for the isolates from the three mangrove species were found to not be statistically significant.R manglewas the preferred host out of the three (3) species. The findings of this study confirm that mangroves have rich endophytic diversity and demonstrate rich research and biochemical potential.

Infrastructure projects require billions of dollars, but they are destroyed in seconds due to strong ground motion during earthquakes. The disaster mitigation cell of any nation seeks sustainable and resilient infrastructure schemes to reduce the catastrophic effects of any seismic hazard. This study attempted to carry out detailed seismic microzonation of Jammu Region (JR), which is located in the northwestern part of the Himalayas. To accomplish this, seismic hazard analysis and liquefaction assessment are carried out, with a primary focus on site characterisation using geophysical field testing. For the proposed seismic zones, the performance and vulnerability of tunnels are evaluated under various seismic environments. Further, seismic risk of the 345 km long Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) Project is assessed for serviceability in post-seismic conditions. The proposed zonation, risk matrices, and route maps will be useful for auditioning existing and proposed tunnelling projects in this area. This will pave the way for earthquake-resistant design of sustainable infrastructure projects in seismically active areas like the Himalayas.

Jammu and Kashmir in the northwestern part of the Himalayan region is frequently triggered with moderate to large magnitude earthquakes due to an active tectonic regime. In this study, a mathematical formulation-based Seismic Tunnel Damage Prediction (STDP) model is proposed using the deep learning (DL) approach. The pertinency of the DL model is validated using tunnel damage data from historical earthquakes such as the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake, the 2004 Mid-Niigata earthquake, and the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. Peak ground acceleration (PGA), source to site distance (SSD), overburden depth (OD), lining thickness (t), tunnel diameter (Ф), and geological strength index (GSI) were employed as inputs to train the Feedforward Neural Network (FNN) for damage state prediction. The performance evaluation results provided a clear indication for further use in a variety of risk assessment domains. When compared to models based on historical data, the proposed STDP model produces consistent results, demonstrating the robustness of the methodology used in this work. All models perform well during validation based on fitness metrics. The "STD multiple graphs" is also proposed which provide information on damage indexing, damage pattern, and crack predictive specifications. This can be used as a ready toolbox to check the vulnerability in post-seismic scenarios. The seismic design guidelines for tunnelling projects are also proposed, which discuss the damage pattern and suggest mitigation measures. The proposed STDP model, STD multiple graphs, and seismic design guidance are applicable to any earthquake-prone tunnelling project anywhere in the world.

Areca catechu is an important ancient drug commonly known as Supari in ayurvedic system of medicine. A lot of research work has been done on Areca catechu regarding various cardiovascular disorders such as Hypertension, Arrhythmia but no work has been done to find out its cardioprotective activity. Experimental procedures done on Wistar Albino rats as Normal control group (NC) received 0.5ml of normal saline throughout the study and served as control. Isoprenaline group (ISO) received 0.5ml of normal saline throughout the experimental phase and received Isoprenaline (85mg/kg, s.c.) on 14th and 15th day at a time lapse of 24 hours. Standard group (STD) received Metoprolol (pure) (10mg/kg/day, p.o.) for 13 days and received Isoprenaline (85mg/kg, s.c.) on 14th and 15th day. Test group received Areca catechu extract (100mg/kg/day, p.o.) and (200 mg/kg/day, p.o.) respectively for 13 days and Isoprenaline (85mg/kg, s.c.) on 14th and 15th day. On 16thday animals were sacrificed. The level of marker enzyme in serum as AST, ALT, CK, LDH, Troponin-I have shown significant decrease (P

Arecacatechu, commonly known as supari, consists of dried ripe nuts that came under Arecaceae family, which is cultivated in the tropical region of India and Southeast Asia. It is a prevalent traditional herbal medicine that is chewed to separate collected fluid in the alimentary canal and for killing worms. Areca catechu seed contains alkaloids (arecoline, arecaine, arecaidine, guvacoline, guvacine, and choline), tannin, gallic acid, gum, and various minerals such as copper, calcium, phosphorus, and iron. The chemical constituents of this plant have been used as antidiabetic, stomatitis, bleeding gums, gingivitis, conjunctivitis, glaucoma, leucorrhoea, urinary disorders, anorexia, diarrhea, blood pressure regulating activity, antiulcerogenic, antioxidant activity, anticonvulsant activity, central nervous system stimulant activity, antifertility, oxytocic activity, antiviral activity, anthelmintic, and foul breath. It showed a dose‐dependent toxicity profile, and various research has been done regarding its safety analysis and it would be considered safe when administered in the prescribed dose. The purpose of the present paper is to make available an up‐to‐date review on the ethnic, traditional description, morphology, phytochemistry, and the pharmacological and toxicological profile of this plant. Furthermore, the possible advances, trends, and a perspective for forthcoming research of this plant have also conversed.

Objectives Comparative evaluation of cardioprotective activity of Gala and Fuji apple juice against isoprenaline induced cardiotoxicity in rats. Methods Rats (125–150 g) were orally administered Gala (GA) and Fuji (FA) apple juice (3 mL/day, per oral) for 13 days. Myocardial injury was inducted on 14th and 15th day by the administration of Isoprenaline (85 mg/kg/day, subcutaneous). Results In treated group i.e. GA and FA, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), Troponin-I level and malondialdehyde (MDA) content was reduced while glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) level was significantly increased. Marked reduction in cholesterol, triglyceride, phospholipids, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) was observed while high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level increased significantly. In tissue and serum total serum protein (TSP) level, Albumin, Globulin and A/G ratio increased very significantly in the treated group while the level of white blood corpuscles (WBC), haemoglobin (Hb), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), total fibrinogen (TF), bleeding time (BT), c-reactive protein (C-rP), red blood corpuscles (RBC), clotting time (CT) and prothrombin time (PT) showed a significant rise in the level. The level of Sialic acid, hexose, fucose and hexosamine was highly significantly increased, there was an increase in the level of K+ and glycogen while a significant reduction in electrolyte and glucose level was observed when all these parameters were compared to Isoprenaline (ISO) group. The above findings were supported by histopathological examination of hearts. Cardioprotective activity was compared with standard drug, metoprolol. On comparative analysis of both juices, GA juices have found more effective when compared to FA juice. Conclusions The study was concluded that Gala and Fuji apple possessed significant prophylactic and protective effects against Isoprenaline-induced cardiotoxicity in rats through maintaining inhibiting lipid peroxidation, endogenous antioxidant enzyme activities and cytokine levels.

Composting is a self-heating, aerobic, bio-decomposition process of organic waste that has advantages over other disposal strategies since it reduces waste volume by 40-50% and kills pathogens by the heat generated during the thermophilic phase. This process uses organic waste (food scraps, grass chipping, etc.), water, soil (for added microbes) and either incorporation of air by turning the compost (aerobic) or lack of air within the compost (anaerobic). This study is designed to comparatively assess aerobic and anaerobic composting mechanisms on the productivity rate and analyse the different variables influencing the process. Based on the results obtained the time taken to completely compost the organic materials might not always be the same, because composting time is dependent on the percentage of microorganisms, water content, temperature and C:N ratio present in the pile at the said time along with the amount of material to be composted. Finally, this study will not only help farmers but also the general public in choosing a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way of reducing organic waste from landfills and reduction of greenhouse gases in the ozone layer.

Mangrove ecosystems are subject to multiple environmental stresses which often challenge their resistance and resilience. In this study, comparisons were made between mangrove trees and seedlings in natural, degraded, and restored mangrove ecosystems found on the coastline of Guyana. Biophysical measurements were made using the point-centred quarter method (PCQM) in both the wet and dry seasons. The density of seedlings and trees varied between locations, with natural mangrove ecosystems having the highest density while degraded ecosystems had the lowest. Significant differences were also reported for biophysical measurements for seedlings (df = 5, p < 2.2e-16) and trees (height; diameter at breast height) [F(10, 564) = 112.47, p < 2.2e-16] between all three types of mangrove ecosystems with biophysical measurements showcasing positive correlations (p < .05, rs < 0.5) in most locations. Regression analysis results further established strong relationships between biophysical measurements of plants and their locations. Mangrove ecosystems provide several ecological goods and services while providing protection against the sea and sustaining the resident biodiversity.There is a need for greater conservation and preservation efforts for mangrove ecosystems since their dynamics are heavily impacted by anthropogenic activities and natural phenomena.Mangroves have the capacity to capture and store carbon, making them active participants in the global sequestration of carbon, and in the fight against climate change. Mangrove ecosystems provide several ecological goods and services while providing protection against the sea and sustaining the resident biodiversity. There is a need for greater conservation and preservation efforts for mangrove ecosystems since their dynamics are heavily impacted by anthropogenic activities and natural phenomena. Mangroves have the capacity to capture and store carbon, making them active participants in the global sequestration of carbon, and in the fight against climate change.

In both urban and national frameworks, tunnels form vital components of the transport and utility systems. They are being constructed in densely populated urban zones and metro cities at an expanding rate to promote rising space and passage requirements. Occurrence of any sort of seismic activity in that particular region may cause damage of these infrastructures. Hence, a careful consideration of the impacts of seismic loadings on the analysis and design of tunnels is required as a part of hazard evaluation. Different closed form analytical approaches exist, such as methods given by Wang and Penzien for seismic analysis of shallow tunnels. Ovaling deformations occur when seismic waves propagate perpendicular to the axis of tunnel and are therefore, designed for the transverse direction. In this paper, these two analytical solutions are used for the analysis of tunnel lining forces, constructed in soft to hard soil with various mechanical properties and constant shear strain. Seismic analysis was carried out by means of selecting eight unique types of soil, very soft clay to highly dense sand. The study indicates a relative error in both analytical methods. It was found that the variations in thrust and bending moment are dependent on the flexibility ratio, thus, it is proposed that the stress distribution is to be considered for analysis and design of tunnels’ lining. It is also seen that the induced circular stress in the tunnel liner is decreased with increasing soil stiffness.