Archives-June... 

Present study focused on pathological and genetic characterization of predominant post harvest fungal pathogens causing stem end rot, anthracnose and side rots of mango. Aggressiveness of these fungal isolates was tested through artificial inoculations under controlled conditions and all isolates were proved pathogenic with varying degree of aggressiveness in reference to control on both Sindhri and White Chounsa variety with exception of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides which showed no disease symptoms and characterized as non-aggressive isolates. All pathological results were proved highly significant at P<0.05 through ANOVA. DNA of fungal pathogens was successfully extracted and amplification was done through ITS1 and ITS4 primers and the amplified amplicons were productively digested with restriction enzymes (MboI, AluI, EcoRI, HaeIII, TaqI). Good genetic variability was obtained among the isolates of Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus but Colletotrichum gloeosporioides did not show genetic variability.

The massive amounts of data collected today by software in fields varying from academia to business and many other fields, is increasingly becoming a huge problem due to storage technologies not advancing fast enough to provide the performance scalability needed. This is even truer for data which are highly organized and require analysis while being stored in databases and being accessed by various applications simultaneously. As database vendors struggle to gain more market share new technologies emerge attempting to overcome the disadvantages of previous designs while providing more features. Two popular database types, the Relational Database Management Systems and NoSQL databases are examined. The aim of this paper was to examine and compare two databases from these two database models and answer the question of whether one performs and scales better than the other.

Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is a rare and benign congenital malformation. It results when the left superior cardinal vein caudal to the innominate vein fails to regress. It is often asymptomatic and usually diagnosed incidentally while performing imaging. The notation of a dilated coronary sinus on echocardiography should raise the suspicion of PLSVC. We report a rare case of a 56 year-old lady in whom we discover this anomaly because of dyspnea.

The present study deals with the comparative study of the quality requirements for the drugs that are injected into the body; during their production and for finished drugs. The concept of total quality control test refers to the process of striving to produce a quality product by a series of measures, requiring an organized effort in order to eliminate errors at every stage in the production. Product testing during the production is done in order to check the conformance of the final product with the standards as specified in the official book of drugs (pharmacopoeias) specific to each country. The test parameters have been discussed and taken from the official book of drugs issued by the respective authorities for India, US and UK. However, the parameters and standards differ from each other to some extent. Hence, an attempt is made to bring out the harmonized standards for a product so that it satisfies the quality requirements for many regions. The parameters as per the standards were compared and certain similarities and differences were observed. It was noted that except for a few parameters, the quality control tests were broadly similar.

Plantain banana are staple crops in DR Congo. These are superficially rooted monocot plants that require a continuous nutrient enrichment mechanism to maintain production, which decreases considerably after a few crop cycles. In burn agriculture, significant nutrient losses are recorded by various mechanisms. This research shows that cropping plantain banana in association with trees makes it possible to increase more not only the production of these on the unburned field in association with the trees, but also and above all to improve the yield of plantains in burned field in association with trees unlike burned cropping without the presence of trees where thirds of low yields are recorded.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a pillar of food security in the Democratic Republic of Congo, both for its starch-rich tuberous roots and for its leaves consumed as a vegetable. This study analyzes the preferences of value chain actors (producers, processors, and consumers) for cassava cultivars intended for the consumption of tender leaves in the city of Kindu. A socio-economic survey was conducted with 150 stakeholders using a participatory approach and a value chain framework. The findings reveal that from an agronomic perspective, the observed phytogenetic diversity (27 cultivars) constitutes a major asset for agroecological resilience against phytopathogenic constraints. However, a strong varietal consolidation is observed, with three cultivars largely dominating preferences: Kelenga (32.3%), Obama (31%), and Kavide (28.5%), together representing more than 90% of the distribution. Local varieties are valued for their organoleptic qualities and ecological adaptation, while improved varieties are adopted for their morpho-agronomic productivity, rapid vegetative growth, and efficiency in post-harvest processing. This coexistence reflects an agri-food transition where traditional practices and agronomic innovations complement each other. The perceptions of producers and consumers reveal a predominantly favorable trend toward foliar biomass harvesting (72.4% positive opinions), confirming its nutritional and socio-economic importance. However, the major constraints identified are primarily biophysical and agronomic (limited knowledge of agricultural practices, lack of resistant cultivars, diseases, and pests), representing nearly 75% of the bottlenecks. Logistical and commercial constraints (transport, price volatility, market access) appear secondary but directly affect economic valuation. These results have significant implications for varietal selection programs aimed at dual-purpose production (leaves and roots). The integration of local preferences into ideotype breeding strategies could enhance the adoption of agronomic innovations.

The present research studies the ceremonies about birth and impregnation in Abarkooh city, Iran. Abarkooh is one of the cities of Yazd Province, Iran, that is of great importance to do anthropology and historical researched, due to its old and rich cultural record. Customs and ceremonies about the birth in Iranian culture are more interesting and considerable. They are conventions that are more considerable in male chauvinistic Iranian society. Society in which women have always been surrounded within a four-way intersection, appealing to any superstition for the purpose of being pregnant was considered a usual affair. In such a society, the female barren had no place for herself in her society as well as among the members of her own family, thus, taking this fact into account, the importance of giving birth to offspring will fully be understood. This paper attempts to investigate the beliefs related to pregnancy and birth.

Suspension Polymerization was used for the synthesizing of cross-linked polystyrene-divinylbenzene (PS-DVB) containing 16% DVB. For application of these resins as columns’ filler in ion-exchange chromatography; the sulfonation reactions were done by acetyl sulfate and in the presence of methylene chloride as solvent at 60°C. The exchange capacities of cation exchange resins X-16 (CE=225 meq/100g) was determined by titration procedure. The structure of PS-DVB resin was investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) technique. The SEM images showed that the porous structure of PS-DVB resin was approximately maintained intact after sulfonation reaction. TGA and FTIR techniques were used to investigate the thermo gravimetric analysis and structures of obtained resins, respectively.

Interruptions in hydroelectric energy damage equipment and reduce worker productivity. Manufacturing leaders in Zambia who fail to implement strategies to manage hydroelectricity interruptions risk financial losses. Grounded in the contingency theory (CT), the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore strategies that some manufacturing leaders use to manage hydroelectricity interruptions. The participants were six managers from different manufacturing industries based in Lusaka, Zambia, who implemented strategies to manage hydropower interruptions. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews and reviews of company documents, company websites, and publications from the Zambia Association of Manufacturers related to managing hydroelectricity power interruptions. Thematic analysis was used to understand and discern the data. The important emergent theme was the importance of investment in stabilizers and storage facilities. A key recommendation from the findings, is to ensure an appropriate level of investment in alternative power-generating equipment and upgrading of plant transformers. The investment and the strategic outcomes from substantive investments in preventing energy disruptions are in the impetus for job creation, and the consequent positive social change with arising from fueling the local economy and subsequent tax base.

This study was designed to establish the project based factors influencing the supply of safe water in Kenya with Mombasa County as a case study. The Government and private organizations have established many water projects but most of them have been characterized with low levels of sustainability. Some of them have become un-operational requiring rehabilitation. Inspite of the existing projects, the water supply is still inadequate. To address the problem, this study identified four specific objectives, namely; to establish the influence of project planning on the supply of safe water, to establish the influence of project risk management on the supply of safe water, to determine the effect of project quality control management on the supply of safe water and to determine the effect of project monitoring and evaluation on the supply of safe water. The hypotheses used were geared towards establishing the influence of water projects? planning, risk management, quality management and monitoring & evaluation, on the supply of safe water. All the variables are interrelated. Project planning includes plans in all the project knowledge areas such as quality and risk management which touch on all deliverables and processes. M&E is also done on deliverables and processes, in reference to the agreement made during project planning. The study sought to assist the national and county governments in the sustained provision of safe water. The theories of sustainability, participation and project management were analyzed in relation to the supply of safe water. The participation theory discussed the unity of the beneficiaries for the sake of water projects. Sustainability theory discussed the long term water benefits. Whereas, the project management theory put emphasis on the water projects? processes.