Fracture Simulation of Concrete Beams to assess softening behavior by varying different fractions of Aggregates

Simulating the concrete fracture unlike other elastic and brittle materials quite different due to its quasibrittleness. The present research focussed on assess softening behavior by varying different fractions of aggregates  and cement matrix in micro details. Extended Finite Element Method (XFEM) for crack modeling implemented for simulating and visualizing crack propagation through Cement matrix, Interfacial Transition Zone (ITZ) and Aggregates . This approach permits the initializing crack by from enrichment zone and propagation of crack through element by traction separation law .The crack formation initiates when the maximum principal tensile stress reaches the tensile strength. The work involves creating python script for iterative process of random distribution of aggregates with in the matrix using Monte Carlo method and creating Cohesive zone element for zero thickness ITZ. introduces a finite element modeling technique for investigating multiscale fracture characteristics. This approach encompasses multiple levels of analysis, including the generation of aggregate particles using a Monte Carlo method implemented via a Python script. Additionally, we replicate the Interfacial Transition Zone (ITZ) between aggregate and mortar in the model. The load-deflection curves can be used to assess the softening behavior of concrete and suggest the realistic fraction of coarse aggregate in mix proportion to impart more ductility to beams

Synthesis, Characterization and Biological Activity of Quinoline Bound Imidazoles

8-Hydroxyqunoline derivatives were synthesised by treating 5-chloromethyl-8-hydroxy quinoline with imidazole and characterized using NMR and mass spectrometry. 2-mercaptoimidazole derivatives of 8-hydroxy quinoline were also synthesized and characterized. One of the compounds in this series has been tested for dengue activity along with other series of compounds, but did not show any activity against dengue virus

PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT AMONG ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS RESIDING IN URBAN BENGALURU: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Introduction Increase in life expectancy results in an increasing elderly population which contributes to 9.3% of global population. With epidemiological transition of diseases, the burden of chronic morbidity conditions will also increase with an effect on Quality of life, which demands social support especially among elderly individuals. Hence the present study was taken up to assess social support among elderly individuals residing in urban field practice area of Bangalore Medical College & Research Institute (BMCRI), Bengaluru. Objective: To assess the perceived social support among elderly population residing in the urban field practice area of BMCRI Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted to assess the perceived social support among 100 elderly population residing in the urban field practice area of BMCRI. Simple random sampling technique was used. Data was collected using validated Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) questionnaire along with socio-demographic factors. Results: In this study, the mean age of the elderly individuals was 67.0 + 5.90 years, total social support score was 59.2 + 17.97. Perceived social support was found to be statistically significant found between characteristics gender, educational status, marital status, earning status, marital status, earning status, support obtained for medication and previous hospitalization. (p<0.05

Evaluation of organisms present in the gut of Hirudinaria granulosa or Indian cattle leech used for the purpose of Hirudotherapy (Jalukavacharana) in Ayurveda - A Metagenomic study

In Ayurveda, Shalyatantra envisages surgical (Shastra Karma) and minimally invasive surgical methods (Anushastra Karma) for the management of various diseases. Among minimally invasive surgery, blood letting (Raktamokshana) plays an important role. Hirudotherapy or therapeutic use of leeches (Jalukavacharana) has been lauded for its role in the management of abscess, inflammation, cellulitis, non-healing ulcers, skin diseases etc. Leeches are applied to the venous-congested sites to withdraw obstructive blood and also the presence of anticoagulating and vasodilating agents further reduce circulatory obstruction and facilitate blood flow through the area. However, the advantages of leech therapy are confounded by more recent and widely reported occurrences of leech-borne infections at the bite wound, which may cause septicaemia in the patient when left untreated. It has been observed that the infection of the surgical site with bacterial species, necessitates prophylactic antibiotic cover. The study was undertaken to check for the presence and dominance of the various classes of bacteria in the gut of Indian Cattle leech which is used for the purpose of Jalukavacharana by Ayurvedic surgeons. Microbes belonging to the Phylum Proteobacteria were the most dominant followed by Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. In the phylum Proteobacteria, the abundance of bacteria belonging to the family Enterobacteriacea was observed. Presence of genera classified under Alcaligenaceae, Aeromonadaceae and Rhodospirillaceae were recorded to a significant extent. This study on the presence of microbes can probably shed light on the scientific value of Poorvakarma told by Sushrutha, where he advises to keep leeches in Haridra before being used for therapy to avoid transmission of infections

The immunity raised by recent European subtype 1 PRRSV strains allows a better replication of East European subtype 3 PRRSV strain Lena than the immunity raised by an older strain -increased risk for spatial expansion of PRRSV Lena-like strains

The spatial distribution of PRRSV-1 subtypes in Europe is quite stable, most probably due to a strong population immunity induced by the local PRRSV strains. In this study, we evaluated the potential of the immunity induced by several West European subtype 1 PRRSV strains (2007 isolate 07V063 and 2013 isolates 13V091 and 13V117) to provide a protection against the highly virulent East European subtype 3 PRRSV strain Lena. Eleven-week-old pigs were inoculated with subtype 1 PRRSV strains (07V063, 13V091 or 13V117). Seven weeks later, the pigs were challenged with PRRSV strain Lena. Clinical, virological and serological parameters were monitored upon challenge. Number of fever days was higher (P < 0.05) in the non-immune control group (7.6 ± 1.7 days) compared to animals from immune groups (07V063-immune: 4.0 ± 1.2 days, 13V091-immune: 4.6 ± 1.1 days, 13V117-immune: 4.0 ± 2.9 days). In all groups, protection was characterized by reduction (P < 0.05) of AUC values of nasal shedding (control: 14.6 ± 5.6, 07V063-immune: 3.4 ± 3.4, 13V091-immune: 8.9 ± 6.1, 13V117-immune: 8.0 ± 6.1) and viremia (control: 28.1 ± 11.0, 07V063-immune: 5.4 ± 4.4, 13V091-immune: 9.0 ± 1.5, 13V117-immune: 8.3 ± 4.8). Reduction of respiratory disease, nasal shedding (mean AUC and mean peak values) and viremia (mean AUC and mean peak values) was more pronounced in 07V063-immune (P < 0.05) than in 13V091-immune and 13V117-immune animals. Inoculation of animals with subtype 1 PRRSV strains caused a priming of Lena-specific VN antibody response. Upon challenge with PRRSV Lena a serological booster effect was observed for neutralizing antibodies against strains used for the first inoculation. Our results indicate that immunity elicited by inoculation with subtype 1 PRRSV strains can partially protect against antigenically divergent subtype 3 strains. We conclude that the lower protection level elicited by recently isolated subtype 1 PRRSV strains may facilitate spatial expansion of subtype 3 strains from East Europe to West Europe

Immunity raised by recent European subtype 1 PRRSV strains allows better replication of East European subtype 3 PRRSV strain Lena than that raised by an older strain

International audienceAbstractStable spatial distribution of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRSV)-1 subtypes in Europe is accompanied by a strong population immunity induced by local PRRSV strains. In the present study, it was examined if the immunity induced by three West European subtype 1 PRRSV strains (2007 isolate 07V063 and 2013 isolates 13V091 and 13V117) offers protection against the highly virulent East European subtype 3 PRRSV strain Lena. The number of fever days was greater (p < 0.05) in the control group (7.6 ± 1.7 days) compared to the immune groups (07V063-immune: 4.0 ± 1.2 days, 13V091-immune: 4.6 ± 1.1 days, 13V117-immune: 4.0 ± 2.9 days). In all groups, protection was characterized by reduction (p < 0.05) of AUC values of nasal shedding (control: 14.6, 07V063-immune: 3.4, 13V091-immune: 8.9, 13V117-immune: 8.0) and viremia (control: 28.1, 07V063-immune: 5.4, 13V091-immune: 9.0, 13V117-immune: 8.3). Reduction of respiratory disease, nasal shedding (mean AUC and mean peak values) and viremia (mean AUC and mean peak values) was more pronounced in 07V063-immune (p < 0.05) than in 13V091-immune and 13V117-immune animals. Inoculation with subtype 1 PRRSV strains caused priming of the Lena-specific virus neutralization antibody response. Upon challenge with Lena, we observed a very strong serological booster effect for neutralizing antibodies against strains used for the first inoculation. Our results indicate that inoculation with subtype 1 PRRSV strains can partially protect against antigenically divergent subtype 3 strains. The lower protection level elicited by recently isolated subtype 1 PRRSV strains may impair the outcome of the spatial expansion of subtype 3 strains from East Europe to West Europe

Transcriptomic Analysis of Inbred Chicken Lines Reveals Infectious Bursal Disease Severity Is Associated with Greater Bursal Inflammation In Vivo and More Rapid Induction of Pro-Inflammatory Responses in Primary Bursal Cells Stimulated Ex Vivo

In order to better understand differences in the outcome of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) infection, we inoculated a very virulent (vv) strain into White Leghorn chickens of inbred line W that was previously reported to experience over 24% flock mortality, and three inbred lines (15I, C.B4 and 0) that were previously reported to display no mortality. Within each experimental group, some individuals experienced more severe disease than others but line 15I birds experienced milder disease based on average clinical scores, percentage of birds with gross pathology, average bursal lesion scores and average peak bursal virus titre. RNA-Seq analysis revealed that more severe disease in line W was associated with significant up-regulation of pathways involved in inflammation, cytoskeletal regulation by Rho GTPases, nicotinic acetylcholine receptor signaling, and Wnt signaling in the bursa compared to line 15I. Primary bursal cell populations isolated from uninfected line W birds contained a significantly greater percentage of KUL01+ macrophages than cells isolated from line 15I birds (p &lt; 0.01) and, when stimulated ex vivo with LPS, showed more rapid up-regulation of pro-inflammatory gene expression than those from line 15I birds. We hypothesize that a more rapid induction of pro-inflammatory cytokine responses in bursal cells following IBDV infection leads to more severe disease in line W birds than in line 15I.

Genotoxic agents promote the nuclear accumulation of annexin A2: role of annexin A2 in mitigating DNA damage

Annexin A2 is an abundant cellular protein that is mainly localized in the cytoplasm and plasma membrane, however a small population has been found in the nucleus, suggesting a nuclear function for the protein. Annexin A2 possesses a nuclear export sequence (NES) and inhibition of the NES is sufficient to cause nuclear accumulation. Here we show that annexin A2 accumulates in the nucleus in response to genotoxic agents including gamma-radiation, UV radiation, etoposide and chromium VI and that this event is mediated by the nuclear export sequence of annexin A2. Nuclear accumulation of annexin A2 is blocked by the antioxidant agent N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) and stimulated by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), suggesting that this is a reactive oxygen species dependent event. In response to genotoxic agents, cells depleted of annexin A2 show enhanced phospho-histone H2AX and p53 levels, increased numbers of p53-binding protein 1 nuclear foci and increased levels of nuclear 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanine, suggesting that annexin A2 plays a role in protecting DNA from damage. This is the first report showing the nuclear translocation of annexin A2 in response to genotoxic agents and its role in mitigating DNA damage.Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC); European Union [PCOFUND-GA-2009-246542]; Foundation for Science and Technology of Portugal; Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute; Terry Fox Foundationinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Design, motions, capabilities, and applications of quadruped robots: a comprehensive review

Robots are becoming integral to society and industries due to their enormous advantages. Among the various categories of mobile robots, including wheeled robot, tracked robot, and legged robots, the latter stands out as a better choice for most field applications due to their adaptability across various terrains. The purpose of this review is to study the locomotion capabilities of quadruped robots and judge their suitability for climbing applications as most unexplored applications of automation and robotics are required to climb. This review explores the locomotion capabilities of quadruped robots. It covers different aspects of quadruped robots like types of legs, leg design, gait patterns, and their mathematical formulations, and types of motions like omnidirectional motion and body sway motion. It also emphasizes its fault-tolerant gait, adaptability, and reliability. The paper also focuses on slope and stair climbing, outlining design requirements and applications. The study includes an examination of the applicability of various gaits under different conditions and the methods for increasing stability without compromising speed. Overall, the review serves as a valuable resource for future research in this field

Topological and lattice-based AM optimization for improving the structural efficiency of robotic arms

The robotic arm is one of the vital components of robot assembly. The purpose of the robotic arm is to transmit power and conduct the desired motion, i.e., translation or rotation. Robotic limbs are designed and constructed to execute certain tasks with a high degree of speed, accuracy, and efficiency. This research focuses on to enhancing the strength-to-weight ratio of robotic arm using certain techniques of additive manufacturing, i.e., topology optimization and lattice structure. Employing the finite element analysis, the impact of weight reduction optimization on structural parameters such as stress and deformation in the current design is assessed using ANSYS R18.1 for FE analysis and Creo parametric 7.0 design software for computer-aided design modeling. Observations reveal that the 0.5 and .4 scale lattice structure designs have deformation of 0.01453mm and 0.01453 mm respectively though the generic design has 0.01043 mm deformation. Notably, the 0.5 scale lattice of the robotic arm exhibits a 31.08% higher equivalent stress than the generic design with 29.3%. reduction in mass of the robotic arm. These findings highlight the efficacy of lattice structures for optimizing the robotic arm’s performance, contributing to advancements in power-efficient robot assembly processes