A sudden increase in pore water pressure causes the effective stress to decrease significantly, which in turn causes a loss of shear strength and the subsequent outcome of allowing the soil to behave as a liquid, resulting in soil liquefaction. Agartala, the capital of Tripura, is located in northeastern India, and the entire region is considered seismically active according to the seismic zoning map of India as per IS 1893:2002 (Part 1); the entire region is classified as Zone-V. Significant earthquakes have struck this region, including the 1897 Shillong and 1950 Assam earthquakes. The city is vulnerable to liquefaction due to alluvial soil and a low groundwater table. Several parameters are involved in assessing liquefaction potential in the deterministic method and have different input parameter uncertainties, resulting in inconsistent outcomes. As a result, evaluating liquefaction susceptibility requires a thorough probability approach that considers parameter uncertainty. In this work, the soil liquefaction potential of Agartala City is assessed using fuzzy logic and compared to the conventional Reliability technique using the first-order second-moment method. Soil liquefaction potential was properly calculated using both approaches for the 71 boreholes in and around Agartala city. The outcomes are shown as contour maps representing spatial variations of the probability of liquefaction at different depths. In this study, Fuzzy logic is used to model the relationships between different soil parameters, which can help better understand the soil\'s behaviour during liquefaction. This developed method can assess the vulnerability of liquefaction potential and select appropriate materials and construction processes.

Developing high quality learning contents (LCs) and improving their interactions in online learning with e-learning contents is important for greater cognitive abilities of a learner. The aim of this research is to design LCs with new self-feedback structure by considering the personalized characteristics of a learner in order to ensure his greater cognitive abilities through improved interactions. A new form of LCs is developed, which learning nodes consists of knowledge units of 5-10 minutes with each unit linked to assessment and control objects. The communication interface of the learning management system (LMS) is extended for a learner to support not only learning and navigation but self-assessment and repeated learning when interacting with LCs. Experiments were performed for three years to analyse the collected achievements of 376 online learners. The results show that the self-feedback is a significant factor that gives positive influence on the learner’s cognition during the COVID-19 pandemic. The average score of participants were increased by 0.2 than before 2020.

The purpose of this article is to propose a range of natural-based external thermal insulation (ETI) \nsystems for the vertical walls of a residential building located in the Southwest region of Algeria \n(Bechar), which represents the real case of the majority of constructions existing in the area. To \nachieve this, a combination of thermal insulation systems was realized, using natural origin materials \nsuch as wood wool, cellulose wadding, expanded cork, hemp fiber, and sheep wool. The evaluation \nof energy consumption (heating and air conditioning) was carried out using a dynamic thermal \nsimulator \"TRNSYS\". In order to establish a precise estimate of the savings achieved and the payback \nperiod on investment, a techno-economic study was conducted for all the tested systems. The results \nobtained show a considerable efficiency of the proposed natural-based systems compared to \nsynthetic-based system for the thermal insulation of vertical walls, allowing significant energy \nsavings in the form of annual benefits while improving the energy performance of the studied building \nas well as the quality of life of its occupants.

the building envelope can reduce heating and cooling consumption, if it is well thermally insulated from the outside. To do this, it is necessary to use eco-friendly materials, such as recycled materials, which could control the environmental impact. The objective of this work is not only to design sustainable designs for hot and arid climates, but also to have new thermal insulation systems based on recycled materials and fibers. In this regard, the systems studied were fixed to a simple concrete block wall, under cladding (dry process). The results showed the important role of insulation with recycled materials such as wood fiber from the outside. These results make it possible to evaluate the potential impact of ETIs based on recycled and natural materials in extreme conditions, highlighting the interest in maintaining summer comfort. It�s concluded that the use of recycled material can be enable to improving consumption energy. Also, the technical-economic analysis can be revealed, the technical feasibility of the systems studied and the economic impact of natural and recycled insulating materials compared to conventional polystyrene insulation.

The concept of double-composed metric spaces was introduced by Ayoob et al [Mathematics 2023, 11, 1866]. In this paper, we establish some fixed and common fixed point results for generalized rational type contractions via certain control functions in the setting of double-composed metric spaces. Our results extend and improve the recent results in double-composed metric spaces, as well as some well-known results in the literature. And, we present nontrivial examples to support the validity of our results. Finally, we apply our result to prove the existence and uniqueness of solution for nonlinear integral equations.

The effectiveness of blended learning from a multidimensional perspective is critical to reveal, as it helps teachers design or select appropriate teaching materials that adhere to the nature of instruction and students’ needs, interests, and learning styles. However, empirical scholarship attempts to exercise this importance is scarce. For that reason, this study is aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of blended learning from a multidimensional perspective, which includes attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction, by using the ARCS motivational design in one of the private universities in Indonesia. To examine the effectiveness, this study compared blending learning with full online instruction. Using one-shot case study (post-questionnaire survey) to university students who experienced the two different types of instructions, this study reveals interesting findings as follows. Blended learning was better in gaining the learning attentions of students and sustaining their learning engagement, providing a space for relevancy, the entanglement between content materials with the students’ background knowledge, and nurturing students’ confidence in fulfilling the tasks. Nevertheless, both types of instruction (blended and full online learning) could encourage students’ favorable attitude towards learning. Grounded based on these results, practical implications on blended learning instruction are provided.

Background: Since the relation between ocular manifestation and COVID-19 has been not elucidated well, thus this study was performed to assess the transmission to patients and healthcare providers via ocular secretions, and to decide if there is a link between ocular symptoms and COVID-19.\nMethods: Total 101 cases, which have been diagnosed with COVID-19 based on the clinical symptoms, radiological studies and confirmed by RT-PCR and hospitalized in Ardabil Imam Reza Hospital from 15th April 2020 to 15th September. Ocular examination done and patients’ demographical data and ocular symptoms were recorded and also ocular secretion specimens were obtained to evaluate the COVID-19 RT-PCR test to detect the virus in ocular secretion specimen.\nResults: In this study, we observed that 15.8% of patients had positive RT-PCR test for COVID-19 in their ocular secretion specimens. In addition, we showed that there is no difference among male and female as well as age in patients with positive RT-PCR and negative tests obtained from ocular secretion. Also, we observed that 27 patients (26.7%) were symptomatic patients for ocular manifestations including conjunctivitis, epiphora, injection, discharge and etc. but only 2 patients (1.98%) had follicular conjunctivitis during examination. Besides, non-symptomatic patients (for ocular manifestations) had significant lower rate of positive RT-PCR test from their ocular secretion.\nConclusion: This study showed that ocular secretion might be a source of COVID-19 infection even in non-symptomatic patients. Thus, self-protection from ocular secretion should be observed by ophthalmologists from all patients (even non-symptomatic patients).

This study was aimed to determine forage value of quinoa at the different sowing dates under semi-arid conditions. Research was conducted according to randomized complete blocks design with three replicates in Harran plain conditions in 2016, Sanliurfa, Turkey. Q-52 Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) variety was used as plant material. In the study 9 different sowing dates were used such as 15 February, 1 March, 15 March, 1 April, 15 April, 1 May, 15 May, 1 June and 15 June. In the research plant height, stem diameter, number of branches per plant, biomass yield, dry forage yield and harvest index were investigated. As a result of the research, statistically significant differences were seen between sowing dates at tested characteristics (P?0.01). Plant height ranged from 81.8 cm to 109.4 cm, stem diameter from 9.0 mm to 12.6 mm, number of branches per plant from 10.3 to 12.7 number. Biomass yield values were between 1281.0 kg da-1 and 1751.4 kg da-1, dry forage yield between 415.8 kg da-1 and 546.0 kg da-1 and harvest index were between 39.3% and 42.0%. Tested characteristics generally increased from 15 February to 1 April sowing dates, but after 1 April sowing dates decreased. Higher values were obtained from April and May sowing dates. The most suitable planting date for quinoa plant in semi-arid climatic conditions was determined as 1 April and can be recommended in similar ecologies.

In this study, the effect of a power converter SEPIC type converter, which converts the DC voltage generated from photovoltaic panels, which is one of the environmental energy production sources, to another DC voltage level, on the output voltage stability under five different types of controllers was investigated. The simulation of the system was performed by connecting PI, Fuzzy Logic, Fuzzy-Tuned PI, 2-DOF PI and Fractional PID controllers to the proposed SEPIC converter, respectively. System efficiency and stability were compared under the influence of these five different types of controllers. System performance in stable and transient conditions was carried out in MATLAB-SIMULINK environment to emphasize the basis of studies.

Introduction\nIn the last two decades, refractive eye surgeries have been reported as the most non-emergency \nophthalmic surgeries and since there are many differences in pentacam indices in various types \nand severities of refractive errors, therefore very accurate pre-surgical screening is one of the \nkey factors in terms of refractive errors for surgical success. \nAims The aim of this study was to determine Pentacam indices in patients with different types \nof refractive errors that undergone PRK in the Noor surgical center of Ardabil, Iran during the \nrecent 5 years (2014-2018)as well as to show their correlation with the refractive error types \nand severities.\nMaterials & Methods\nThis descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 2215 eyes of 1125 patients undergoing \nPRK surgery. A patient\'s checklist was provided including demographic information, refractive \nerror, keratometry, pachymetry, corneal surface zone indices, and progressive corneal \nthickness indices. All data were analyzed by statistical analysis program IBM SPSS 25.Furthermore, descriptive statistics, and statistical methods such as T test, one way ANOVA \nand Pearson were also applied for data analysis\nResults\nThe mean age of the subjects was 28.48 ± 6.82 years with female to male ratio of 66.4% . \nMyopia with the rate of 85.73% was found to be the most common refractive error with mean \n± SD spherical Equivalent (SE) of -3.91± 2.50 . \nThe findings showed that ISV,IVA, Anterior chamber depth, volume and angle has significant \ndifference (P=0.00) when compared to each other in all types of refractive errors.high myopes \nhad significantly higher Kmax front than low myopes (P=0.00) . In astigmatics, Kmax front in \nextreme type was significantly higher than in high (P=0.01) and moderate (P=0.00) type. \nModerate astigmatics had higher anterior chamber angle than high (P=0.012) and extreme \n(P=0.024) types. ISV of high myopes was significantly higher than ISV of moderate and mild \ntypes (P=0.00). Also extreme astigmatics had significantly higher ISV than high and moderate \ntypes (P=0.00). Extreme astigmatics had significantly higher IVA and IHA than moderate types \n(0.001 and P=0.035 respectively). High myopes had significantly lower Rmin than mild myopes \n(P=0.02) and extreme astigmatics had significantly lower Rmin than high (P=0.014) and \nmoderate types (P=0.013).\nConclusion\nThe findings of the present study showed that some of Pentacam indices can be related to the \ntypes of refractive errors in patients undergoing PRK surgery and in some of these indices there \nis statistically significant differences between different severities of refractive errors. \nTherefore, their preoperative evaluation is very important.

- Smart Grids will be the promising solution to the future energy crisis. One of the most important feature of the smart grid is its active Demand Response(DR) model through which the consumer can shape their daily energy consumption patterns so that they can reduce their energy usage and peak to average ratio(PAR).A bidirectional communication architecture has been proposed between the end users and the service provider. We prefer user preference based energy consumption scheduling method which encourages the users to adopt smart usage of electricity. A real time pricing scenario is adopted which encourages the users to to reshape their demand profile in to low price hours. To avoid the grid overloading during load shifting we set limit on maximium power to the residential unit during each time slot.The method aims at scheduling the appliances based on their need, hence to optimize the energy usage and to minimize the usage cost. The optimization problem for consumption scheduling has been solved using genetic algorithm.

Novel deep eutectic solvent (DES) using Choline Chloride (ChCl) as the hydrogen bond acceptor and triflouroacetic acid (TFA) as hydrogen bond donor (1.0:1.5 molar ratio) was prepared at room temperature and characterized by FT- IR and 1H NMR spectroscopy. Also, this novel acidic RTDES (room temperature deep eutectic solvent) was successfully used both as reaction medium and catalyst in Biginelli, Biginelli-like, and Hantzsch reactions. The procedures have the advantages of high yields, short reaction times and easy work-up as well as the reaction conditions are relatively mild and don’t require additional catalysts and organic solvents. The DES could be easily recycled without considerable loss of activity even after three cycles.

The objective of this study was to explore the potency of Chandan Ghari (Pakistan) bentonite in pharmaceutical sector. In general, the high mineral, chemical, and microbial purity of bentonites are the basic requirements of pharmaceutical industry. The suspension tests are required to explore its specific use. In the raw sample, the trace elemental composition (arsenic and lead) were found within the allowed range of pharmacopeia specification. Similarly, the microbiological tests fulfilled the requirements. The suspension tests such as gel formation and swelling power failed to attain the specified minimum value of 2 mL and ≥20 mL, respectively. The 6% quartz contents in raw bentonite suggested their use only for topical administration. The original sample was treated with NaCl and purified by sedimentation technique. This purification method made this bentonite promising as the physicochemical properties including the swelling power and gel formation were enhanced. In the view of major pharmacopeias specifications, the modified and purified bentonite sample could be chosen for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics application.