Decreased Incidence of Pediatric Intussusception during COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) changed the epidemiology of various diseases. The present study retrospectively investigates the epidemiologic and clinical changes in pediatric intussusception for ages ≤ 7 years before (February 2019–January 2020) and after (February 2020–January 2021) the COVID-19 outbreak in a single pediatric emergency department of a university-affiliated tertiary hospital. The incidence of communicable diseases—defined as infectious diseases with the potential for human-to-human transmission via all methods, non-communicable diseases, and intussusception were decreased following the COVID-19 outbreak (15,932 to 3880 (24.4%), 12,994 to 8050 (62.0%), and 87 to 27 (31.0%), respectively). The incidence of intussusception correlated significantly with the change in incidence of communicable diseases (Poisson log-linear regression, odds ratio = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.08–4.26, and p = 0.029). Compared with the pre-pandemic period, patients of the pandemic period showed higher proportions of pathologic leading point (PLP) and hospitalization (14.8% vs. 2.3% and 18.5% vs. 4.6%, respectively), lower base excesses (−4.8 mmol/L vs. −3.6 mmol/L), and higher lactate concentrations (1.7 mmol/L vs. 1.5 mmol/L). The incidence of pediatric intussusception decreased after the COVID-19 pandemic. This reduced incidence may be related to the reduced incidence of communicable diseases. However, the proportions of more severe diseases and PLPs were higher after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Theoretical Substantiation of the Angle of Mounting a Flat Ridge-Forming Disc of a Row Crop Cultivator

The authors have developed a row-crop cultivator equipped with a ridge former, which allows performing high-quality operations of row crop cultivation in one pass. The inter row cultivation is carried out with a row-crop cultivator, on each section of which two ridge formers are mounted so that their flat discs are directed towards the row of plants at an acute angle, and the extreme edges of the wings of the V-shaped sweeps are located at the lower base of the soil ridge. When the row-crop cultivator moves, the V-shaped sweeps loosen the soil to the required depth and cut the weeds, and the flat discs move the soil layer coming off the wings of the V-shaped sweeps towards the rows of plants, hilling them and burying the weeds. In the presented article, the authors theoretically substantiate the angle of attack of a flat disc for burying weeds with a layer of soil of the required thickness. It was found that the angle of attack depends on the radius of the flat disc and the depth of its movement in the soil, the initial dimensions of the ridge and the physical and mechanical properties of the soil.

Strength Assessment of wedges in the Splice Zone of the Column

Splice zone is the lower base of cross-section and a part of column which is also known as lower hinge zone. It is the weaker part of the column so additional reinforcement should be required every time in case of regular pad footing. The presented research provides a way of strengthening the reinforced concrete column by applying wedges at the splice zone. The work is focused on the base cross-section of an isolated footing against deflection, stresses, bending moment, etc. By implementing the proposed work, we can avoid critical damage at the base cross-section of the column & it also provides more stability, thus make splice zone stronger than earlier to withstand the resistance. The two sets of footings are considered in which one is regular pad footing & the other is pad footing strengthened by applying wedges in the splice zone. Both of them are tested under constant axial load and moment. The static structural analysis is done by using finite element analysis in ANSYS 2016 software. Further we will observe the deflection, stresses & also the overall effects of applying wedges with multiple height & size at the splice zone of the column.

Cobamide remodeling in the freshwater microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

ABSTRACT Microalgae are not able to produce cobamides (Cbas, B12 vitamers) de novo. Hence, the production of catalytically active Cba-containing methionine synthase (MetH), which is present in selected representatives, is dependent on the availability of exogenous B12 vitamers. Preferences in the utilization of exogenous Cbas equipped with either adenine or 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole as lower base have been reported for some microalgae. Here, we investigated the utilization of norcobamides (NorCbas) for growth by the Cba-dependent Chlamydomonas reinhardtii mutant strain (ΔmetE). The growth yields in the presence of NorCbas were lower in comparison to those achieved with Cbas. NorCbas lack a methyl group in the linker moiety of the nucleotide loop. C. reinhardtii was also tested for the remodeling of NorCbas (e.g. adeninyl-norcobamide) in the presence of different benzimidazoles. Extraction of the NorCbas from C. reinhardtii, their purification, and identification confirmed the exchange of the lower base of the vitamers. However, the linker moiety of the NorCbas nucleotide loop was not exchanged. This observation strongly indicates the presence of an alternative mode of Cba deconstruction in C. reinhardtii that differs from the amidohydrolase (CbiZ)-dependent pathway described in Cba-remodeling bacteria and archaea.

Construction technology and quality control of double layer continuous paving of cement stabilized macadam base

the construction method of continuous paving of the upper and lower base of the water stable macadam base can improve the construction efficiency, overcome the quality problems of the traditional layered paving of the upper and lower base, such as untimely curing, slow construction, poor interlayer bonding, contraction joint and interlayer, so as to ensure the construction quality of the water stable macadam. It is also the promotion and application of new technology.

Changes in stratigraphic charts of neogene and quaternary deposits of Belarus due to the revision of the boundary between systems

Following the decision of the International Union of Geological Sciences on the transfer of the lower boundary of the Quaternary System/Period and the Pleistocene Series/Epoch from 1.8 Ma to 2.58 Ma (to the base of the Gelazian Stage/ Age of the Pliocene), the changes have been made in Stratigraphic charts of Neogene and Quaternary Deposits of Belarus (2010). The Neogene – Quaternary boundary in the territory of Belarus is aligned with the International Chronostratigraphic Chart and is made between the Kholmech horizon (analogue of Zanclean and Piacenzian, Pliocene) and the Dvorets horizon (analogue of Gelasian) displaced from the Pliocene to the lower base of the lowermost Pleistocene. Its new position in the sections is substantiated by paleobotanical data. New geological units were introduced into regional and local stratigraphic charts of the Neogene and Quaternary.

Characterization and Classification of Soils of Jirang Block in Meghalaya Plateau

The Meghalaya plateau occupying a major portion of entire state of Meghalaya remains as an important part of the ancient Deccan plateau. A detailed soil survey (1:10,000 scale) of the Jirang block of Ri-Bhoi district was carried out using IRS-P6 LISS IV and Cartosat-1 images. Typical pedons representing major landforms of the study area viz., denudational hills, plateau and inter hill valley plain developed from granite–gneiss occurring under varying land use were characterized, classified and assessed. The soils were deep to very deep, dark grayish brown to red in colour, extremely acid to moderately acid in reaction and high in organic carbon; the latter decreased with increase in depth. Soils on high denudational hills, highly dissected upper and lower plateau and lowly dissected lower plateau are highly weathered (kandic horizons) with base saturation <35% and are classified to Ultisols. Soils on low denudational hills are highly weathered Alfisols. Soils of moderately dissected lower plateau and those on upper valley region are both Alfisols, but the latter has lower base saturation than the former. The soils of the lower valley are Alfisols with an aquic moisture regime.

Capillary waves control the ejection of bubble bursting jets

Here we provide a theoretical framework describing the generation of the fast jet ejected vertically out of a liquid when a bubble, resting on a liquid–gas interface, bursts. The self-consistent physical mechanism presented here explains the emergence of the liquid jet as a consequence of the collapse of the gas cavity driven by the low capillary pressures that appear suddenly around its base when the cap, the thin film separating the bubble from the ambient gas, pinches. The resulting pressure gradient deforms the bubble which, at the moment of jet ejection, adopts the shape of a truncated cone. The dynamics near the lower base of the cone, and thus the jet ejection process, is determined by the wavelength $\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}^{\ast }$ of the smallest capillary wave created during the coalescence of the bubble with the atmosphere which is not attenuated by viscosity. The minimum radius at the lower base of the cone decreases, and hence the capillary suction and the associated radial velocities increase, with the wavelength $\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}^{\ast }$. We show that $\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}^{\ast }$ increases with viscosity as $\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}^{\ast }\propto Oh^{1/2}$ for $Oh\lesssim O(0.01)$, with $Oh=\unicode[STIX]{x1D707}/\sqrt{\unicode[STIX]{x1D70C}R\unicode[STIX]{x1D70E}}$ the Ohnesorge number, $R$ the bubble radius and $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70C}$, $\unicode[STIX]{x1D707}$ and $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70E}$ indicating respectively the liquid density, viscosity and interfacial tension coefficient. The velocity of the extremely fast and thin jet can be calculated as the flow generated by a continuous line of sinks extending along the axis of symmetry a distance proportional to $\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}^{\ast }$. We find that the jet velocity increases with the Ohnesorge number and reaches a maximum for $Oh=Oh_{c}$, the value for which the crest of the capillary wave reaches the vertex of the cone, and which depends on the Bond number $Bo=\unicode[STIX]{x1D70C}gR^{2}/\unicode[STIX]{x1D70E}$. For $Oh>Oh_{c}$, the jet is ejected after a bubble is pinched off; in this regime, viscosity delays the formation of the jet, which is thereafter emitted at a velocity which is inversely proportional to the liquid viscosity.

Potential risk of drift from inclined fan nozzles

ABSTRACT Pest, disease and weed control in large-scale crops depend on the application of agrochemicals. These applications are subject to several factors that can lead to drift. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of spray nozzles with inclined flat jet, on the drift. The drift was collected in a 10 m wind tunnel, with a spray system inside. The samples were collected in 5 horizontal points, from 2.0 to 6.0 m away from the spray nozzle and 5 points in the vertical, from 0.1 to 0.5 m away from the lower base of the wind tunnel, totaling 25 sample points. The mixture applied was glyphosate (isopropylamine salt, 1080 g a.e. ha-1) with 2,4-D (dimethylamine salt, 1.005 g a.e. ha-1). The nozzles J3D 100 025, JGC 120 02, JAP 110 015 and ADI 110 015 (control), inclined by 37.5º, 20º, 15º and 0º, respectively, were used in two directions of spray: upwind and downwind of the air flow direction. The nozzles J3D, JGC and JAP, when inclined downwind reduced the drift by 16.1, 2.6 and 39.0%, respectively, relative to the control, and when inclined upwind, reduced drift by 53.4, 3.9 and 18.6%, respectively, relative to the control. Spray nozzles with second-generation air-induction inclined flat jet (JAP) and standard inclined flat jet (J3D) reduce the collected drift compared to the nozzle without inclination, regardless of wind flow direction.