Synthesis of bioactive calcium phosphate from cockle shell for biomedical applications

The present work reports the synthesis of bioactive calcium phosphate from cockle shell via the combination of calcination and hydrothermal process. The raw cockle shells were pre-treated with 30 % of hydrogen peroxide for 4 days to eliminate the impurities. Afterward, the dried cockle shells were crushed and calcined at various temperatures ranging from 300 to 1100 °C. Subsequently, the calcined powders underwent hydrothermal process in di-ammonium hydrogen phosphate and distilled water at pH of 10.5 for 30 minutes. Lastly, the hydrothermal treated powders were dried in oven at 50 °C for 3 days. The results showed that the mixture of aragonite, calcite, hydroxyapatite, and calcium hydroxide was successfully synthesized at a calcination temperature of 900 °C and 1100 °C. In addition, the nanorods in the length of 80-300 nm were formed. The findings of this work indicate that the cockle shell could be transformed into valuable bioactive materials for biomedical applications

Formulating a Strategy for Securing High-Speed Rail in the United States, Research Report 12-03

This report presents an analysis of information relating to attacks, attempted attacks, and plots against high-speed rail (HSR) systems. It draws upon empirical data from MTI’s Database of Terrorist and Serious Criminal Attacks Against Public Surface Transportation and from reviews of selected HSR systems, including onsite observations. The report also examines the history of safety accidents and other HSR incidents that resulted in fatalities, injuries, or extensive asset damage to examine the inherent vulnerabilities (and strengths) of HSR systems and how these might affect the consequences of terrorist attacks. The study is divided into three parts: (1) an examination of security principles and measures; (2) an empirical examination of 33 attacks against HSR targets and a comparison of attacks against HSR targets with those against non-HSR targets; and (3) an examination of 73 safety incidents on 12 HRS systems. The purpose of this study is to develop an overall strategy for HSR security and to identify measures that could be applied to HSR systems currently under development in the United States. It is hoped that the report will provide useful guidance to both governmental authorities and transportation operators of current and future HSR systems

Pomegranates and Railroads: Why POM Wonderful Suggests that the Federal Railroad Safety Act Should Never Preclude Federal Employers Liability Act Claims

On September 30, 2010, Scott Schendel was the engineer on a locomotive heading southbound near Two Harbors, Minnesota. His shift started early that morning – he clocked in at 4:30 a.m. – and the railroad wanted to make sure Schendel’s locomotive returned to Two Harbors before his mandatory twelve-hour on-duty time limit expired. At 4:05 p.m., however, disaster struck: Schendel’s locomotive collided with a northbound train, causing catastrophic damage. Three locomotives and fourteen rail cars derailed, resulting in $8.1 million in damages to railroad property

Modelling rail track deterioration and maintenance: current practices and future needs

As commercialisation and privatisation of railway systems reach the political agendas in a number of countries, including Australia, the separation of infrastructure from operating business dictates that track costs need to be shared on an equitable basis. There is also a world-wide trend towards increased pressures on rail track infrastructure through increases in axle loads and train speeds. Such productivity and customer service driven pressures inevitably lead to reductions in the life of track components and increases in track maintenance costs. This paper provides a state-of-the-art review of track degradation modeling, as well as an overview of track maintenance decision support systems currently in use in North America and Europe. The essential elements of a maintenance optimisation model currently under development are also highlighted

Application of Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) to UK rail safety of the line incidents

Minor safety incidents on the railways cause disruption, and may be indicators of more serious safety risks. The following paper aimed to gain an understanding of the relationship between active and latent factors, and particular causal paths for these types of incidents by using the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) to examine rail industry incident reports investigating such events. 78 reports across 5 types of incident were reviewed by two authors and cross-referenced for interrater reliability using the index of concordance. The results indicate that the reports were strongly focused on active failures, particularly those associated with work-related distraction and environmental factors. Few latent factors were presented in the reports. Different causal pathways emerged for memory failures for events such a failure to call at stations, and attentional failures which were more often associated with signals passed at danger. The study highlights a need for the rail industry to look more closely at latent factors at the supervisory and organisational levels when nvestigating minor safety of the line incidents. The results also strongly suggest the importance of a new factor – operational environment – that captures unexpected and non-routine operating conditions which have a risk of distracting the driver. Finally, the study is further demonstration of the utility of HFACS to the rail industry, and of the usefulness of the index of concordance measure of interrater reliability