A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night

This is a book review of Farshid Kazemi, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2021)

The Behavior of Rectangular and Circular Reinforced Concrete Columns under Biaxial Multiple Excitation

The aim of this study is to investigate the dynamic performance of rectangular and circular reinforced concrete (RC) columns considering biaxial multiple excitations. For this purpose, an advanced nonlinear finite element model which can simulate various features of cyclic degradation in material and structural components is used. The implemented nonlinear fiber beam-column model accounts for inelastic buckling and low-cycle fatigue degradation of longitudinal reinforcement and can simulate multiple failure modes of RC columns under dynamic loading. Hypothetical rectangular and circular columns are used to investigate the failure modes of RC columns. A detailed ground motion selection is implemented to generate real mainshock and aftershocks. It was found that multiple excitations due to aftershock has the potential of increasing the damage of the RC columns and longitudinal reinforcements are significantly affected low-cycle fatigue. Also, it was found that rectangular column is more sensitive to accumulative damage due to cyclic fatigue. This study increases the accuracy of structural analysis of RC columns and consequently improves understanding the failure modes of RC columns with different cross-sectional shapes

The Effect of Intraocular Pressure on Corneal Topographic Findings of Donor Cornea

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of intraocular pressure on topographic findings of donor corneas.Materials and Methods: In the present study 37 intact enucleated globes were included. Desirable intraocular pressure was provided by fluid flowing into the globe using a needle inserted via the optic nerve connected to a balanced salt serum bottle. The Sim K and corneal astigmatism in different IOPs (0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 mmHg) were measured using a topography cone (Zeiss-Humphery System, Atlas Version 10.1).Results: Out of 37 globes studied, 26 globes (70.3 %) were from male and 11 globes (29.7 %) were from female donors. Donors were aged 25 to 45 years at time of death with the mean age of 37 years. The mean Sim K was not significantly different in different IOP levels (0 to 50 mmHg). The mean corneal astigmatism had a significant relation with IOP (P < 0.001) and decreased (IOP 0 mmHg to IOP 30 mmHg) then increased (IOP 30 mmHg to IOP 50 mmHg) when the IOP was changed. The minimum astigmatism was detected at IOP 30 mmHg (1.56 D) and the maximum was detected at IOP 0 mmHg (2.76 ± 1.73). Conclusion: The mean Sim K of donor cornea does not significantly change in different IOP levels of enucleated globe, while the corneal astigmatism changes significantly.  It seems that keratometric readings from donor cornea might be used without caution about the IOP in enucleated globe. Key words: Eye globe; IOP; Sim K; Astigmatism

Vegetation Health and vegetative drought conditions: Case Study of AVHRR/VIIRS Data in Tigray Region, Ethiopia

In this study, weekly mean of vegetation health index (VHI) for Tigray region from 1982 to 2016 was compared with mean VHI during 2017. The Vegetation Health index (VHI) is based on a combination of products extracted from vegetation signals, namely the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and from the brightness temperatures, both derived from the NOAA Advanced Very High-Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) sensor. The data and images have 4 km spatial and 7-day composite temporal resolution. VH is calculated based on strong inverse correlation between NDVI and land surface temperature, since increasing land temperatures are assumed to act negatively on vegetation and consequently to cause stress. The VHI values range from 0 to 100, the low values representing stressed vegetation health conditions, middle values representing fair health conditions, and high values representing optimal or above-normal vegetation health conditions. Vegetative drought conditions were calculated using vegetation health conditions as proposed by Kogan. Extreme Drought<10 VHI, Severe Drought<20 VHI, Moderate Drought<30VHI, Mild Drought <40 VHI, No Drought>40 VHI. The results showed during 1985, 1990 – 91, 2009 and 2015-16 there was large area covered under drought conditions in Tigray Region. Drought conditions were found in Tigray region during 32nd week to 42nd week of 2017. Results shows eastern and south eastern part of Tigray has not been as much affected as western and central part of Tigray during 2017

Does Caesalpinia bonducella ameliorate genotoxicity? An in vitro study in human lymphocyte culture and in vivo study in Albino mice

AbstractMost of the world’s populations residing in developing countries depend on alternative medicine and use of plant ingredients. The plant Caesalpinia bonducella belongs to the family of Caesalpiniaceae and it is commonly known as Natakaranja in Hindi. It contains bonducin and two phytosterols namely sitosterol and hepatsane. The twigs and young leaves of C. bonducella are rationally used for curing tumors, inflammation and liver disorders. In our present work alcoholic extracts of this ayurvedic plant were tested for their antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic properties. The aim of the study is to investigate the antimutagenic and antigenotoxic potential of alcoholic extracts of C. bonducella against methyl methane sulfonate (MMS) induced genotoxicity. In this experiment we have used in vitro method i.e., human lymphocyte culture and in vivo method in bone marrow cells of albino mice, while the parameters studied included chromosomal aberrations (CA), sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and cell growth kinetics (RI) both in the presence as well as in the absence of exogenous metabolic activation system for in vitro studies whereas total aberrant cells and the frequencies of aberrations were used for in vivo methods. Alcoholic extracts of C. bonducella significantly reduce chromosomal aberration from 42.75%, 44.25%, and 51.75% levels [at 24, 48, and 72h due to methyl methane sulfonate (MMS)] to 28.50%, 30.25%, and 35.10%, respectively similarly sister chromatid exchanges were reduced from 7.70±1.50 to 5.20±1.50 at 48h of treatment and replication index was enhanced in vitro for each concentration and duration of treatment and their ameliorating potential was dose and duration dependent. Similarly these extracts significantly reduced the number of aberrant cells and frequency of aberrations per cell in in vivo

Analyzing Factors Influencing the Job Satisfaction of Building Construction Workers in Bangladesh: A Study on Private Construction Firms

Workers of all organizations need to be satisfied to facilitate their input towards the attainment of organizational goals. Construction workers like all other workers need this sort of satisfaction enables them give off their best. The purpose of this study was to analyze and find out the factors influencing the job satisfaction of construction workers who were working in private construction firms in Bangladesh. Data were collected from building construction workers of different private construction firms in Dhaka city. A total of 144 construction workers were interviewed randomly with a structured questionnaire. To meet the objective of this study individual bi-variate analysis and factor analysis of job satisfaction of building construction workers are considered here. The Cronbach’s “Alpha” reliability estimate for the 30 items was 0.897. This study worked with six main factors with twenty one dimensions related to job satisfaction. Out of which four factors such as motivation, working environment, human relations, and supervision by supervisor are moderately correlated to job satisfaction scoring 0.679, 0.555, 0.650 & 0.615 respectively. The findings indicate that 95% of the respondents are male and confirms the fact that the construction workers of this sector are male dominated. The age distribution of respondents that majority of respondents 71 (49.3%) out of a total 144 are aged between 21-30 years. It is evident from the study that regression model is able to express 63% of total variation. Human relations, motivation, working environment, and supervision by supervisor are the most influencing factors in framing job satisfaction of building construction workers since coefficient beta scores 0.323, 0.284, 0.276, & 0.235 respectively. So the management should focus on the above mentioned issues for making the workers happier with their job. Keywords: Influential factors, Building construction workers, Job satisfaction, Bangladesh

Clinical study of neurological presentation of diabetes mellitus in a tertiary care hospital

Background: A wide range of commotions affecting the central and peripheral nervous systems, either directly or indirectly, may be observed in patients with diabetes mellitus. The spectrum of neurological complications among diabetes are quite varied.Methods: Authors conducted a Cross-sectional prospective observational study to study different neurological manifestations of diabetes mellitus. at NRI General Hospital, Chinakakani, Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh. The selected patients were studied in detail with history and physical examination. The investigations included Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS), Postprandial Blood Sugar (PPBS), Glycosylated Hemoglobin (HbA1C).Results: A total of 100 subjects were included in the final analysis. Majority of participants were aged between 46 to 65 years, and 55% of them were males. Only 13% of the participants had HBA1c value below 7.5 gm%. Out of 100 participants, 82% participants had diabetic peripheral neuropathy. A total of 6 subjects had cranial neuropathy, with 5% participants having 3rd nerve and one participant had 6th nerve. Involuntary movements (Chorea) was present in 4% of patients. Among the people with Seizures, 6% participants had Hyperglycemic, and 2% participants had Hypoglycemic seizures. Out of 100 participants, 7 participants had dysautonomia.Conclusions: Peripheral neuropathy was the most common neurological manifestation among the diabetic population. The other key neurological abnormalities include cranial nerve palsy, dysautonomia, seizures and Chorea. Clinicians need to be aware the entire spectrum of neurological abnormalities among patients with type 2 Diabetes