Fabrication and performance evaluation of vertical farming structures

This study was undertaken to fabricate Vertical Farming Structures (VFS) suitable for homestead and evaluate the performance of fabricated vertical farming structures. The experiment was conducted in Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology (KCAET), Tavanur, in Malappuram district, Kerala. Two vertical farming structures DVFS 1 (Developed vertical farming structure 1) and DVFS 2 (Developed vertical farming structure 2) were designed and fabricated. The drip irrigation system was adopted to irrigate the plants to reduce the wastage of water. Amaranthus seedlings of variety ‘Kannara local’ was taken for the trial. Climatic parameters and biometric observations were analyzed to compare and evaluate the performances of vertical farming structures. Correlation analysis was done using IBM SPSS statistics 25 software. The analysis of trials revealed that DVFS 1 showed better performance in every aspect compared to DVFS 2. The biometric observations like plant height and number of leaves were more in T1 at the right side and followed by T3 at the right side of DVFS 1. The plant characteristics are highly correlated with the light intensity. This was the reason for more growth was observed on the right side of DVFS 1. The maximum yield was obtained from the DVFS 1 (58%) than DVFS 2 (42%).  The study recommended that usage of the platform like structure with triangular cross-section was more advantageous than the structure with tiers one over the other with Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) splits

Digitized archive of the Kodaikanal images: Representative results of solar cycle variation from sunspot area determination

Photographic images are valuable data resources for studying long term changes in the solar magnetic field and its influence on the Earth's climate and weather. We digitized more than 100 years of white light images stored in photographic plates and films that are available at Kodaikanal observatory starting from 1904. The digitized images were calibrated for relative plate density and aligned in such a way that the solar north is in upward direction. A semi-automated sunspot detection technique was used to identify the sunspots on the digitized images. In addition to describing the calibration procedure and availability of the data, we here present preliminary results on the sunspot area measurements and their variation with time. The results show that the white-light images have a uniform spatial resolution throughout the 90 years of observations. However, the contrast of the images decreases from 1968 onwards. The images are circular and do not show any major geometrical distortions. The measured monthly averaged sunspot areas closely match the Greenwich sunspot area over the four solar cycles studied here. The yearly averaged sunspot area shows a high degree of correlation with the Greenwich sunspot area. Though the monthly averaged sunspot number shows a good correlation with the monthly averaged sunspot areas, there is a slight anti-correlation between the two during solar maximum The Kodaikanal data archive is hosted at http://kso.iiap.res.in. The long time sequence of the Kodaikanal white light images provides a consistent data set for sunspot areas and other proxies. Many studies can be performed using Kodaikanal data alone without requiring intercalibration between different data sources.Comment: 9 pages, A&A(accepted

Comparative observational study between Atorvastatin and Rosuvastatin based on HbA1c levels of patients diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome and heart failure

Background: Our study aims to compare HbA1c levels in hospitalized acute coronary syndrome and heart failure patients treated with atorvastatin versus rosuvastatin Methods: This is a retrospective, prospective  observational study in which the study population includes ACS and HF Hospitalized patients, the study subjects are divided based on patients prescribed  with Atorvastatin and Rosuvastatin based on the medication chart, and those patients' previous history of statin use is collected from history chart, patient case notes, doctors notes, laboratory data is collected and documented in data collection form, lab data includes HbA1c, finally compared Atorvastatin and Rosuvastatin using excel and JASP descriptive analysis. Results: Overall, we collected data for 132 cases, of which 55% are males and 45% females, 59.10% are above 61 years of age, 39.39% are diagnosed with ACS and 23.48% are diagnosed with HF, among 67 patients who are using Atorvastatin, there was a significant mean decrease in HbA1c% from 8.359% to 7.901%, and among 65 Rosuvastatin users there was an increase in mean HbA1c% from 8.386%  to 8.389%. Additionally for non-diabetic individuals, there was an increase in Hba1c% from 6.339% to 6.387%. Conclusions: We concluded that Atorvastatin is a more effective statin than Rosuvastatin which will reduce the risk of new-onset Diabetes Mellitus in non- diabetic individuals and reduce the risk of increasing complications of diabetes mellitus in patients who are Diabetic

Determination of the chromospheric quiet network element area index and its variation during 2008-2011

Generally it has been considered that the plages and sunspots are the main contributors to the solar irradiance. There are small scale structures on the sun with intermediate magnetic fields that could also contribute to the solar irradiance. It has not yet been quantified how much of these small scale structures contribute to the solar irradiance and how much it varies over the solar cycle. In this paper, we used Ca II K images obtained from the telescope installed at Kodaikanal observatory. We report a method to separate the network elements from the background structure and plage regions. We compute the changes in the network element area index during the minimum phase of solar cycle and part of the ascending phase of cycle 24. The measured area occupied by the network elements is about 30% and plages less than 1% of the solar disk during the observation period from February 2008-2011. During the extended period of minimum activity it is observed that the network element area index decreases by about 7% compared to the area occupied by the network elements in 2008. A long term study of network element area index is required to understand the variations over the solar cycle.Comment: 12 pages, 9 Figures, Accepted for publication in RA

A study on drug utilization pattern of anticoagulants in post-cardiac surgeries at a tertiary care hospital

Background: The study is being carried out mainly to understand the prevention of coagulation of blood after a patient undergoing various types of cardiac surgeries, using different anticoagulation therapies suitable to particular types of cardiac surgery. This study was conducted to know the types of anticoagulants prescribed to patients who have undergone different types of cardiac surgeries along with the prescribed anticoagulants. Methods: The study method used was a retrospective and prospective observational study carried out on 50 patients who underwent cardiac surgeries in the department of cardiology and medicine. Results: A total of 50 patients were enrolled for this study who satisfied the inclusion criteria, out of which 64% of patients were males, and 36% were females. The highest number of patients were found to be in between the age group of 61-70 yrs (34%), whereas age group between 51-60 yrs (28%), age group 71 and above (18%), 41-50 (14%), 21-30 yrs (4%) and 18-20 yrs (2%) respectively. Most of the patients had undergone Coronary Artery bypass grafting. It was seen that the highest Anticoagulant being prescribed was Heparin in most of the post-cardiac surgeries. Whereas drugs like dalteparin, acenocoumarol, and warfarin were prescribed the majority in valvular heart surgeries. Conclusions: Various cardiac surgeries were taken into consideration for the study. The most common anticoagulants prescribed were heparin, dalteparin, acenocoumarol, and warfarin in coronary artery bypass surgery and valvular heart surgeries respectively

Low-Temperature Spin Dynamics of Doped Manganites: roles of Mn-t2g and eg and O-2p states

The low-temperature spin dynamics of doped manganites have been analyzed within a tight-binding model, the parameters of which are estimated by mapping the results of ab initio density functional calculations onto the model. This approach is found to provide a good description of the spin dynamics of the doped manganites, observed earlier within the ab initio calculations. Our analysis not only provides some insight into the roles of the eg and the t2g states but also indicates that the oxygen p states play an important role in the spin dynamics. This may cast doubt on the adaptability of the conventional model Hamiltonian approaches to the analysis of spin dynamics of doped manganites.Comment: 12 pages; Includes 5 figure

PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF LEONOTIS NEPETIFOLIA (L) R.BR - A SHORT REVIEW

Leonotis nepetifolia (L) R.Br commonly known as Lion’s ear, has number of therapeutic properties and is also known as Christmas candlestic. The genus Leonotis has 12 species widely distributed in Pan Tropics and is represented by one species, Leonotis nepetifolia in India. It belongs to family Lamiaceae. Leonotis nepetifolia is an economically important medicinal plant of repute in Indian traditional systems of medicine such as Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha. The Ayurvedic name of the plant is Granthiparni, while the trade name is Barchi Buti. It has many therapeutic properties and proved in Madagascar, Brazil, Canada, Kenya and many African Countries to treat diseases, rheumatism, dysmenorrhoea, bronchial asthma, fever, diarrhoea influenza and malaria and is also an analgesic. The decoction of the leaves is used to treat coughs, burns and skin ailments. The whole plant is used for menstrual pain and unspecified female complaints. This plant exhibited various pharmacological activities such as antioxidant activity, antidiabetic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, wound healing, hepatoprotective activity and antimicrobial activities. Phytochemical examination of this plant indicated the presence of alkaloids (leonurine and stachydrene), iridoid glycoside (leonuride), iridoid glycosides (leonurin and leonuridine), diterpenoids (leocardin), flavonoids (rutin, quercetin, hyperoside, apigenin), volatile oil, tannins and vitamin A. Leonotis nepetifolia is highly therapeutic and is used in various Ayurvedic formulations. This article briefly reviews the pharmacological and various therapeutic aspect of Leonotis nepetifolia

4-[(E)-(Hy­droxy­imino)­meth­yl]-N,N-di­methyl­anilinium chloride

In the title compound, C9H13N2O+·Cl−, the cation, apart from the methyl groups, is almost planar, with a maximum deviation of 0.040 (1) Å; the methyl C atoms deviate by 0.389 (2) and −1.247 (1) Å, from the mean plane. In the crystal, cations and anions associate through C—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds, forming a helical arrangement. In addition, inter­molecular O—H⋯Cl, N—H⋯Cl and C—H⋯N inter­actions are observed