Water vapor diffusion through glass fiber reinforced polymer nanocomposites

Fiber reinforced plastics (FRPs) are used to make aircraft structures, highway bridges, automobile components, storage tanks, boat hulls, truck beds, and so on. When these FRPs are exposed to the atmosphere, environmental humidity can weaken the structural integrity and cause fiber delamination. The use of glass-fiber-reinforced nanocomposites made by addition of nanoclay, reduces the fiber damage and delamination because of its ability to enhance the barrier property of the matrix material. Clay not only acts as a barrier toward moisture diffusion, it also sequesters the moisture and protects the glass surface. During the course of this study the role of nano and micro fillers such as Montmorillonite clay, carbon nanotubes and Kevlar(TM) pulp in decreasing the diffusion coefficient for steady-state moisture transport through vinyl ester-based composites was quantified. Effects of temperature, concentration gradient, filler-type, filler content, extent of filler dispersion, filler orientation, and moisture adsorption on the filler surface were studied. It was found that nano and micro fillers bring about a decrease in diffusivity of vinyl ester composites, but the decrease is not as substantial as predicted by available equations in literature. An attempt was also made to evaluate the applicability of existing models in quantifying the decrease of diffusion coefficient for nanocomposites. It was found that the models developed during the course of this work were more effective in predicting the experimental results then the existing models

Annual population rhythm of Anopheles mosquitoes in Indian subcontinent

Several organism show a rhythm based behavior in their life. Mosquitoes are surviving successfully since ancient time on earth while lots of biological creatures have been extinct. Thus it is interesting to study their population load. Climatic conditions affect mosquito population significantly so on the basis of malaria cases their population is estimated in present study in Indian geographical scenario. In this study it was found that their annual population load show a scientific rhythm. A schematic wave form representation is also presented here to show mosquito population load. This study will be helpful in malaria vector eradication and health care policies. 
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CONTEMPLATION OF OPERATIONS PERSPECTIVES ENCUMBERING THE PRODUCTION-CONSUMPTION AVENUES OF THE PROCESSED FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN

In developing nations, the changing lifestyle of the masses and the winds of globalization have increased the consumption rate of processed food items. However, the network of processed food supply chains is confronting various challenges impacting the production-consumption avenues. The presented work aims to identify and analyze the challenges encumbering the processed food supply chain dynamics. To meet this goal, thirty-two distinct challenges are identified from the research literature and refined by seeding inputs from field experts into an exploratory factor analysis. Challenges of high field relevance are further analyzed for the contextual interrelationships and severity by the novel hybrid approach Interval Valued Neutrosophic Vague Set Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory. The outcomes of the presented work find their implication in formulating the decisional framework and strategic and tactical roadmaps to mitigate the impact of these challenges to mapping demand and supply patterns

Computational Study Reliability of Diesel Engine through Electrical Assembly

Consistency of a system is the probability that, under defined operational and environmental conditions, the device can perform a specific function at the end over a specified time [Dinkar et al. 2018]. Reliability must be defined by definitive norm based on many variables, maximum of that may random [Bhardwaj et al. (2018)]. Reliability is arduous to scale, because no such tool is there to do this for specific machine. The reliability of the diverse units of complex machinery depends on their output process, the standard of the composites used in their design, operating conditions, etc. Despite these criteria the reliability of the system is very much related to diverse forms of uncertainty. The numerical assessment of ambiguities is therefore the starting point for a numerical assessment of reliability [Bhardwaj et al. (2019)]. The theory of probability is a concept concerned with the analysis of risk [Li, Y. - F et al. 2006]. Maintenance regulations can address issues pertaining to general maintenance, fix or dump laws, rules on emergency reporting, inventory control, supply of spare parts, etc. Such maintenance policies may be defined in advance and implementation decisions may be taken accordingly. The design process involves unit length assessments, research protocols, degree of automation as well as integrated redundancies, test time, specific test facilities and measures for safety; and so forth [Allan, T.M., 2012]. Performance is an attribute of reliability to reparable systems which accounts for the quality and service property of a component or device. ABC appraisal seeks to distinguish the item from each other and decide the importance of the element and the degree as required by company

Challenges for Fast Radio Bursts as Multi-Messenger Sources from Binary Neutron Star Mergers

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are a newly discovered class of radio transients that emerge from cosmological sources and last for $\sim$ a few milliseconds. However, their origin remains a highly debated topic in astronomy. Among the plethora of cataclysmic events proposed as potential progenitors, binary neutron star (BNS) mergers have risen as compelling candidates for at least some subset of apparently non-repeating FRBs. However, this connection should not be drawn solely on the basis of chance coincidence probability. In this study, we delineate necessary criteria that must be met when considering an association between FRBs and BNS mergers, focusing on the post-merger ejecta environment. To underscore the significance of these criteria, we scrutinize the proposed association between GW190425 and FRB20190425A. Our investigation meticulously accounts for the challenging condition that the FRB signal must traverse the dense merger ejecta without significant attenuation to remain detectable at 400 MHz. Furthermore, we find that if the FRB is indeed linked to the gravitational wave event, the GW data strongly support a highly off-axis configuration, with a probability of the BNS merger viewing angle $p(\theta_v$ $>$ 30$^{\circ}$) to be $\approx$ 99.99%. Our findings therefore strongly exclude an on-axis system, which we find, on the other hand, to be required in order for this FRB to be detectable. Hence, we conclude that GW190425 is not related to FRB20190425A. We also discuss implications of our results for future detections of coincident multi-messenger observations of FRBs from BNS remnants and GW events and argue that BNS merger remnants cannot account for the formation of > 1% of FRB sources. This observation suggests that short gamma-ray bursts should not be used to explain global attributes of the FRB host population.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures. Submitte

Impact of COVID-19 related delays on outcome of intertrochanteric neck femur fractures

Background: We are aware of no other study that has examined how the epidemic has affected an emergency service. Hence, the present study aims to determine the functional outcomes of delayed fixation to understand the impact of COVID-19 related hindrance to emergency service. Methods: During the 1st wave of COVID-19, prevailing staff shortages and need for COVID tests resulted in minimum delay of 10 days between admission and surgeries as compared to the recommended urgent fixation standard. Harris Hip Score was calculated at 1 year follow up for these patients. Results: The results showed that the mean age of the patients was 68.65±8.03 years. Out of all the patients, 50.9% were males and 49.1% were females. The mean Harris Hip score at 1 year follow-up was 78.76±11.65. Out of all, 3.63% were lost to follow up, and 20% were expired. Conclusions: Early surgery seems to improve survival and decline in pressure sores. Conservative management should be well planned and used on patients who actually have a good risk to benefit ratio to it as the patients can develop increased risk of pulmonary, skin, and urinary infections. Efforts should be made to operate patients on within one to two days. Despite the fact that the overall number of trauma cases declined in this unprecedented COVID-19 scenario

Antimicrobial resistance in patients with suspected urinary tract infections in primary care in Assam, India

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the prevalence and diversity of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria isolated from urine samples of community-onset urinary tract infection (UTI) patients in southern Assam, India. METHODS: Freshly voided midstream urine samples were collected from patients attending primary healthcare centres, with the patients’ epidemiological data also recorded. Species identification was confirmed using a VITEK 2 compact automated system. Phenotypic confirmation of ESBLs was performed using the combined disc diffusion method (CLSI 2017) and carbapenemase production was phenotypically characterized using a modified Hodge test. Common ESBLs and carbapenem-resistance mechanisms were determined in Escherichia coli isolates using PCR assays. Incompatibility typing of the conjugable plasmids was determined by PCR-based replicon typing; the phylotypes and MLSTs were also analysed. RESULTS: A total of 301 (59.7%) samples showed significant bacteriuria along with symptoms of UTI and among them 103 isolates were identified as E. coli of multiple STs (ST3268, ST3430, ST4671 and others). Among them, 26.2% (27/103) were phenotypically ESBL producers whereas 12.6% (13/103) were carbapenemase producers. This study describes the occurrence of diverse ESBL genes—bla(CTX-M-15), bla(SHV-148), bla(PER-1) and bla(TEM)—and two E. coli isolates carrying the bla(NDM-1) carbapenemase gene. ESBL genes were located within transconjugable plasmids of IncP and IncF type whereas bla(NDM-1) was carried in an IncF(repB) type plasmid. CONCLUSIONS: This study illustrates the high rate of MDR in E. coli causing UTI in primary care in rural Assam. UTIs caused by ESBL- or MBL-producing bacteria are very difficult to treat and can often lead to treatment failure. Thus, future research should focus on rapid diagnostics to enable targeted treatment options and reduce the treatment failure likely to occur with commonly prescribed antibiotics, which will help to combat antimicrobial resistance and the burden of UTIs

The 60 pc Environment of FRB 20180916B

Fast Radio Burst FRB 20180916B in its host galaxy SDSS J015800.28+654253.0 at 149 Mpc is by far the closest-known FRB with a robust host galaxy association. The source also exhibits a 16.35-day period in its bursting. Here we present optical and infrared imaging as well as integral field spectroscopy observations of FRB 20180916B with the WFC3 camera on the Hubble Space Telescope and the MEGARA spectrograph on the 10.4-m Gran Telescopio Canarias. The 60-90 milliarcsecond (mas) resolution of the Hubble imaging, along with the previous 2.3-mas localization of FRB 20180916B, allow us to probe its environment with a 30-60 pc resolution. We constrain any point-like star-formation or HII region at the location of FRB 20180916B to have an H$\alpha$ luminosity $L_\mathrm{H\alpha} \lesssim 10^{37}\,\mathrm{erg\,s^{-1}}$ and, correspondingly, constrain the local star-formation rate to be $\lesssim10^{-4}\,\mathrm{M_\odot\,yr^{-1}}$. The constraint on H$\alpha$ suggests that possible stellar companions to FRB 20180916B should be of a cooler, less massive spectral type than O6V. FRB 20180916B is 250 pc away (in projected distance) from the brightest pixel of the nearest young stellar clump, which is $\sim380$\,pc in size (full-width at half maximum). With the typical projected velocities of pulsars, magnetars, or neutron stars in binaries (60-750 km s$^{-1}$), FRB 20180916B would need 800 kyr to 7 Myr to traverse the observed distance from its presumed birth site. This timescale is inconsistent with the active ages of magnetars ($\lesssim10$ kyr). Rather, the inferred age and observed separation are compatible with the ages of high-mass X-ray binaries and gamma-ray binaries, and their separations from the nearest OB associations.Comment: Updated version: Updated Figure 2. 16 pages, 4 figures, 1 table. Published in ApJ Letters. Comments welcom

Proposed host galaxies of repeating fast radio burst sources detected by CHIME/FRB

We present a search for host galaxy associations for the third set of repeating fast radio burst (FRB) sources discovered by the CHIME/FRB Collaboration. Using the ~1 arcmin CHIME/FRB baseband localizations and probabilistic methods. We identify potential host galaxies of two FRBs, 20200223B and 20190110C at redshifts of 0.06024(2) and 0.12244(6), respectively. We also discuss the properties of a third marginal candidate host galaxy association for FRB 20191106C with a host redshift of 0.10775(1). The three putative host galaxies are all relatively massive, fall on the standard mass-metallicity relationship for nearby galaxies, and show evidence of ongoing star formation. They also all show signatures of being in a transitional regime, falling in the "green valley" which is between the bulk of star-forming and quiescent galaxies. The plausible host galaxies identified by our analysis are consistent with the overall population of repeating and non-repeating FRB hosts while increasing the fraction of massive and bright galaxies. Coupled with these previous host associations, we identify a possible excess of FRB repeaters whose host galaxies have M_u - M_r colors redder than the bulk of star-forming galaxies. Additional precise localizations are required to confirm this trend.Comment: 11 pages, submitted to AAS journal