Adoption Behavior of Paddy Farmers on Soil Health Card Recommendations

The study was conducted in Madurai district of Tamil Nadu to assess the adoption behavior of paddy farmers on Soil Health Card (SHC) based recommendations. A total of 120 paddy farmers who were the beneficiaries of SHC scheme were contacted to collect the data. A pre tested interview schedule was used to collect the data. The results revealed that overall adoption on SHC recommendations found to be medium (45.50%). With regard to straight fertilizers application before the introduction of SHC 40.80 percent of the respondents had applied excess NPK fertilizers. After the introduction, the excess range has been reduced up to 5.8 per cent and in the same way the deficient application was also rectified by 4.7 per cent of the farmers. With regard to complex fertilizers 12.8 per cent of the respondents had followed the exact recommendation of complex fertilizers. The adoption behavior of micronutrients showed that 29.50 per cent of respondents followed recommended dose of micronutrients after SHC scheme. About 6.00 per cent respondents had started to follow the correct dose of Bio fertilizers after the introduction of SHC. Overall adoption level of the farmers was up to medium level and hence emphasis is needed to inspire the farmers to adopt soil testing practices and soil fertility management

Improved control strategy of DFIG-based wind turbines using direct torque and direct power control techniques

This paper presents different control strategies for a variable-speed wind energy conversion system (WECS), based on a doubly fed induction generator. Direct Torque Control (DTC) with Space-Vector Modulation is used on the rotor side converter. This control method is known to reduce the fluctuations of the torque and flux at low speeds in contrast to the classical DTC, where the frequency of switching is uncontrollable. The reference for torque is obtained from the maximum power point tracking technique of the wind turbine. For the grid-side converter, a fuzzy direct power control is proposed for the control of the instantaneous active and reactive power. Simulation results of the WECS are presented to compare the performance of the proposed and classical control approaches.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Effect of Packaging Material on Moisture Migration and Textural Attributes of Bread During Storage

Bread as a commodity is included in the special inventory of Defence Forces, particularly as a morning or evening snack item. The present investigation pertains to the studies on the effect of various packaging materials, e.g. metalized polyester (MP-99.8 µm), low-density polyethylene with lower thickness (LDPE-1-78.33 µm), multi-layer flexible pouches (MLFP-106.2 µm), low-density polyethylene with higher thickness (LDPE-2-125.12 µm), and paper foil polyethylene (PFP-124.6 µm) on textural attributes of bread. Textural properties were significantly influenced by the change in moisture content which was clearly shifted from crumb to crust to the extent varying from -25.89% to +24.90% in LDPE-2; -29.11% to +29.77% in MP; -22.22% to +21.11%; in MLFP; -19.46% to +19.67% in PFP; -20.42% to +20.55% in LDPE-1 at the end of its expected shelf-life i.e. five days. Though overall bread moisture content was not much affected in PFP and MP, the marked difference was primarily observed in the case of bread packed in LDPE-2, LDPE-1, and MLFP. This difference may be attributed to the thickness and permeable properties of the packaging material used for the study. The hardness and resilience of samples depicted opposite trends, respectively, during their storage. The current study gives insight into physicochemical changes occurring in the bread system when  variety commonly practiced packaging materials is used and a perspective strategy for its extended life during varied field conditions.

Design and Optimization of Spur Gear Box Parameters

The field of gear design is an extremely broad and complex area, and a complete coverage in any research work is not possible. In this work only parallel axis spur gear reduction unit which is the type, probably encountered most often in general practice, has been considered. A review of relevant literature in the areas of optimized design of spur gear indicates that compact design of spur gears involves a complicated algebraic analysis. A series of iterations is normally required to arrive at a practical combination of pinion teeth and module from their theoretical values. The present work describes the development of such a design methodology and diagnostic tool for determining the modes of failures for spur gear and also the causes of these failures have been studied. The ray diagram is also considered for finding out the minimum diameter and maximum transmission range. The focus is on developing a design space which is based on module and pinion teeth by using a simple logical statement in computer software. This is a much simplified approach for obtaining practical values of the module and pinion teeth for an optimum minimum centre distance between the two transmission shafts. Attention has been devoted to determine the exact mode of failure which dictated the design at the optimum conditions corresponding to the minimum centre distance for the design of gear reduction unit minimum dimensions

System for Water Quality Monitoring and Distribution

Water plays a vital role in the creation of human being and other natural phenomena. More than 80% of the resources is surrounded by water but in that only 20% is good for consumption others are fully polluted and contaminated. Now a days water is more polluted, and even supplied in a very lesser level so to check and monitor the quality of the water we mainly using a number of sensors are used to monitor the water’s quality and distribute it to the less fortunate. The quality of the water is affected by several parameters. Water is provided from difference resources like lake, pond, well, ground water, oceans etc.so these waters are not good for consumption Therefore, our goal is to assess the water’s quality while keeping an eye on the flow and level of the water. It is intended to use a variety of cutting-edge devices to check various water quality system parameters

Therapeutic reprogramming of glioblastoma phenotypic states using multifunctional heparin nanoparticles

Glioblastomas (GB) are the most common and deadly primary malignant brain tumors due to their infiltrative growth and resistance to conventional therapies. GB cell plasticity and differentiation into drug‐resistant mesenchymal‐like (MES) states protect tumors from conventional treatments. This study introduces a novel precision medicine approach employing heparin‐based nanoparticles (HP‐NPs) engineered to cross the blood‐brain barrier and target MES‐like glioma stem cells (GSCs). Encapsulating doxorubicin (DOX) in HP‐NPs reduces drug‐mediated complement and coagulation cascades, enhancing hemocompatibility in human whole blood. In vitro, HP‐NPs demonstrate efficient uptake by patient‐derived GSCs. Preclinical evaluations in patient avatars indicate plain HP‐NPs outperform DOX‐loaded HP‐NPs in reducing GB progression. Transcriptomic studies show HP‐NPs downregulate heparin‐binding epidermal growth factor (HBEGF), shifting MES GSCs into less plastic astroglial‐like cells, impairing tumorigenesis. HP‐NPs are well‐tolerated and safe at therapeutic doses in healthy rats, offering a promising new paradigm in anticancer therapy to overcome GB recurrence and improve therapeutic outcomes

Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among HIV patients in Benin City, Nigeria

This study was carried out to determine the presence of intestinal parasites and their correlation with CD4+ T-cell counts and demographics among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients in Benin City, Nigeria. Stool specimens from 2,000 HIV-positive patients and 500 controls (HIV-negative individuals) were examined for ova, cysts, or parasites, using standard procedures. In addition, patient's blood samples were analyzed for CD4 counts by flow cytometry. An overall prevalence rate of 15.3% was observed among HIV-positive patients while 6.2% was noted among non-HIV subjects. HIV status was a significant (P<0.0001) risk factor for acquiring intestinal parasitic infections. Male gender, CD4 count <200cell/µl, and diarrhea were significantly associated with an increased prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among HIV-positive patients. The level of education, occupation, and source of water among HIV patients significantly (P<0.0001) affected the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections. Ascaris lumbricoides was the most predominant parasite in both HIV-positive patients and controls. A CD4 count <200 cells/µl was significantly associated with only Isospora belli and Cryptosporidium infections. The presence of pathogenic intestinal parasites such as A. lumbricoides, hookworm, Giardia intestinalis, Entamoeba histolytica, Trichuris trichiura, and Taenia species among HIV-infected persons should not be neglected. Cryptosporidium species and I. belli were the opportunistic parasites observed in this study. Routine screening for intestinal parasites in HIV-positive patients is advocated

Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) Adult Study Protocol: Rationale, Objectives, and Design

IMPORTANCE: SARS-CoV-2 infection can result in ongoing, relapsing, or new symptoms or other health effects after the acute phase of infection; termed post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), or long COVID. The characteristics, prevalence, trajectory and mechanisms of PASC are ill-defined. The objectives of the Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) Multi-site Observational Study of PASC in Adults (RECOVER-Adult) are to: (1) characterize PASC prevalence; (2) characterize the symptoms, organ dysfunction, natural history, and distinct phenotypes of PASC; (3) identify demographic, social and clinical risk factors for PASC onset and recovery; and (4) define the biological mechanisms underlying PASC pathogenesis. METHODS: RECOVER-Adult is a combined prospective/retrospective cohort currently planned to enroll 14,880 adults aged ≥18 years. Eligible participants either must meet WHO criteria for suspected, probable, or confirmed infection; or must have evidence of no prior infection. Recruitment occurs at 86 sites in 33 U.S. states, Washington, DC and Puerto Rico, via facility- and community-based outreach. Participants complete quarterly questionnaires about symptoms, social determinants, vaccination status, and interim SARS-CoV-2 infections. In addition, participants contribute biospecimens and undergo physical and laboratory examinations at approximately 0, 90 and 180 days from infection or negative test date, and yearly thereafter. Some participants undergo additional testing based on specific criteria or random sampling. Patient representatives provide input on all study processes. The primary study outcome is onset of PASC, measured by signs and symptoms. A paradigm for identifying PASC cases will be defined and updated using supervised and unsupervised learning approaches with cross-validation. Logistic regression and proportional hazards regression will be conducted to investigate associations between risk factors, onset, and resolution of PASC symptoms. DISCUSSION: RECOVER-Adult is the first national, prospective, longitudinal cohort of PASC among US adults. Results of this study are intended to inform public health, spur clinical trials, and expand treatment options

Track A Basic Science

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138319/1/jia218438.pd