Reduction of Large Seismic Deformations using Elasto-plastic Passive Energy Dissipaters

The design of supporting systems for pipelines carrying highly toxic or radioactive liquids at very high temperature, is an important issue in the safety aspect for a nuclear power installation. These pipeline systems are normally designed to be held rigid by conventional snubber supports for protection from earthquake. The pipeline system design must balance the seismic deformations and other deformations due to thermal effect. A rigid pipeline system using conventional snubber supports always leads to an increase in thermal stresses, hence a rational seismic design for pipeline supporting systems becomes essential. Contrary to this rigid design, it is possible to design a flexible pipeline system and to decrease the seismic response by increasing the damping using passive energy absorbing (PEA) element, which dissipates vibration energy. An X-shaped or a hourglass-shaped metal element is a classic example of elasto-plastic passive energy absorber of metallic yielding type. The inherent ductile property of metals like steel, which undergoes stable energy dissipation in the plastic region, is made use of in achieving energy loss. This paper presents the experimental and analytical studies carried out on yielding-type elasto-plastic PEA elements to be used in a passive energy dissipating device for the control of large seismic deformations of pipelines subjected to earthquake loading

Neurology exit examination system in India: a survey of examiners' perceptions and recommendations

Background: The traditional Neurology exit examination in India has remained unchanged over the last few decades. In developed countries, objective evaluation methods have replaced the traditional ones. A need for such methods has not been explored in India. Objective: We aimed to study the perceptions and key recommendations of Neurology examiners on the existing examination pattern. Material and Methods: We conducted an online survey of examiners perceptions and recommendations using a set of 10 multiple-choice questions and an open-ended question. Results: 46 examiners provided completed responses suitable for analysis. Nearly equal proportions (30%) of the examiners had 10 years, 10–25 years and >25 years' experience. 92% were not satisfied with current system, 95% did not find adequate time for correction of theory scripts, 90% felt that theory questions were random, and 95% had legibility issues. 84% felt that the practical exams do not test true learning, 98% felt the examination stress impairs the performance and 85% felt that there are no objective criteria to pass the candidate. 83% felt the current system-needed changes. The key suggestions provided by the examiners to improve the system included objective assessments like MCQ, OSCE, OSLER and DOPS, inclusion of larger number of short answer type questions and periodic internal assessments of the candidates. Conclusions: A vast majority of examiners favoured changes to the current examination system and provided key recommendations. A larger study is needed to extrapolate these findings to the rest of India

Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.

BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362

Whole-genome sequencing reveals host factors underlying critical COVID-19

Critical COVID-19 is caused by immune-mediated inflammatory lung injury. Host genetic variation influences the development of illness requiring critical care1 or hospitalization2,3,4 after infection with SARS-CoV-2. The GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care) study enables the comparison of genomes from individuals who are critically ill with those of population controls to find underlying disease mechanisms. Here we use whole-genome sequencing in 7,491 critically ill individuals compared with 48,400 controls to discover and replicate 23 independent variants that significantly predispose to critical COVID-19. We identify 16 new independent associations, including variants within genes that are involved in interferon signalling (IL10RB and PLSCR1), leucocyte differentiation (BCL11A) and blood-type antigen secretor status (FUT2). Using transcriptome-wide association and colocalization to infer the effect of gene expression on disease severity, we find evidence that implicates multiple genes—including reduced expression of a membrane flippase (ATP11A), and increased expression of a mucin (MUC1)—in critical disease. Mendelian randomization provides evidence in support of causal roles for myeloid cell adhesion molecules (SELE, ICAM5 and CD209) and the coagulation factor F8, all of which are potentially druggable targets. Our results are broadly consistent with a multi-component model of COVID-19 pathophysiology, in which at least two distinct mechanisms can predispose to life-threatening disease: failure to control viral replication; or an enhanced tendency towards pulmonary inflammation and intravascular coagulation. We show that comparison between cases of critical illness and population controls is highly efficient for the detection of therapeutically relevant mechanisms of disease

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Not AvailableSix levels of energy input were used to cultivate three Sali paddy varieties of different durations. Operationwise as well as source-wise energy output, energy efficiency and energy productivity for different levels of energy input in paddy varieties were determined. Studies showed that with increase in the level of mechanization, The human and animal hour requirement for paddy cultivation was reduced from 795 to 350 and 352.5 to 22.5 hr/ha, respectively. Thus mechanization helped in a substantial reduction of drudgery of human and animals. Total energy requirement for paddy cultivation in the studied six levels of energy input ranged from 5630 to 8448 MJ/ha. Energy used in paddy cultivation could be reduced by 8 to 23% through increasing the level of mechanization. Under these six input energy levels and varieties, output parameters viz., output energy, energy use efficiency and energy productivity ranged from 35456 to 85922 MJ/ha, 5.94 to 13.09 and 0.4 to 0.89 kg/MJ, respectively. For all the levels of energy input, higher values of output energy parameters were observed in the long duration variety Ranjit compared to other two varieties. The benefit-cost (B:C) ratio under different levels of energy input varied from 0.95 to 2.90.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableSix levels of energy input were used to cultivate three Sali paddy varieties of different durations. Operationwise as well as source-wise energy output, energy efficiency and energy productivity for different levels of energy input in paddy varieties were determined. Studies showed that with increase in the level of mechanization, The human and animal hour requirement for paddy cultivation was reduced from 795 to 350 and 352.5 to 22.5 hr/ha, respectively. Thus mechanization helped in a substantial reduction of drudgery of human and animals. Total energy requirement for paddy cultivation in the studied six levels of energy input ranged from 5630 to 8448 MJ/ha. Energy used in paddy cultivation could be reduced by 8 to 23% through increasing the level of mechanization. Under these six input energy levels and varieties, output parameters viz., output energy, energy use efficiency and energy productivity ranged from 35456 to 85922 MJ/ha, 5.94 to 13.09 and 0.4 to 0.89 kg/MJ, respectively. For all the levels of energy input, higher values of output energy parameters were observed in the long duration variety Ranjit compared to other two varieties. The benefit-cost (B:C) ratio under different levels of energy input varied from 0.95 to 2.90.Not Availabl