Energy consumption and capacity utilization of galvanizing furnaces

An explicit equation leading to a method for improving furnace efficiency is presented. This equation is dimensionless and can be applied to furnaces of any size and fuel type for the purposes of comparison. The implications for current furnace design are discussed. Currently the technique most commonly used to reduce energy consumption in galvanizing furnaces is to increase burner turndown. This is shown by the analysis presented here actually to worsen the thermal efficiency of the furnace, particularly at low levels of capacity utilization. Galvanizing furnaces are different to many furnaces used within industry, as a quantity of material (in this case zinc) is kept molten within the furnace at all times, even outside production periods. The dimensionless analysis can, however, be applied to furnaces with the same operational function as a galvanizing furnace, such as some furnaces utilized within the glass industry. © IMechE 2004

Lipid droplet detection by the cavity perturbation method

There are currently no point-of-care diagnosis strategies available to indicate the presence of neoplasmic growth. This research aims to develop a novel diagnostic strategy based on detecting TAG accumulation in cells. This element of the research is a preliminary experiment to prove the concept of detecting TAG lipid droplets in YEPD media. It was found that a change in mono-unsaturated concentration can be detected by the frequency shift in a resonant cavity. The dielectric constant of TAG vegetable oils was calculated at 2.34-2.39. It was also found that concentrations of lipid droplet can be differentiated up to 5% (v/v)

Cellular glutathione as a determinant of the sensitivity of colorectal tumour cell-lines to ZD2767 antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (ADEPT)

ZD2767P, a nitrogen mustard glutamate prodrug, is currently being evaluated in Phase 1 clinical trials of antibody directed enzyme prodrug therapy (ADEPT). There was no significant relationship between basal glutathione (GSH) concentration and sensitivity to ZD2767P + carboxpeptidase G2 (CPG2) in colorectal tumour cell-lines. Depletion of intracellular GSH using buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) resulted in only a modest potentiation of ZD2767P + CPG2 activity and hence BSO is unlikely to markedly enhance the activity of this ADEPT treatment. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig

Great art for everyone? Engagement and participation policy in the arts

New Labour began its administration with a commitment to bring democracy to culture. However, a decade later the Arts Council England (ACE)'s mission statement of "Great art for everyone" suggested a continued emphasis on access to mainstream culture rather than on cultural democracy. The argument in this paper is that Labour's vision has resulted in little change to the basis upon which arts institutions receive regular funding, or the social composition of those who participate in the arts in Britain today - who remain predominantly white and middle class. Public consultation through The arts debate provides evidence that the arts are still perceived as elitist, and policy too insular and self-reflective. The report clearly identified the public's desire for not only greater transparency in decisionmaking processes but also involvement in the decisions themselves, in order to democratise the arts. This paper draws on research investigating the extent to which participatory decisionmaking schemes affect cultural democracy and the subsequent impact on artistic policy and practice. In addition to documentary analysis, this study involved interviews with policymakers, practitioners and the public, focusing on two projects using participatory decision-making in England. © 2011 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC

Application of photogrammetry to generate quantitative geobody data in ephemeral fluvial systems

Outcrop studies are often used as analogues to subsurface sedimentary reservoirs, with photogrammetry representing a useful technique to obtain quantitative geometrical data of sedimentary architectures. Digital photogrammetry techniques were used to study fluvial sediments of the Lower Jurassic Kayenta Formation of the western USA, and model-extracted statistics for channel and sheetflood elements, relevant to reservoir modelling, were compared to 1D and 2D datasets from the same outcrops. Results suggest that the 1D/2D data significantly underestimated element dimensions and ranges in ephemeral-fluvial systems. Consequently, this study demonstrates the value of photogrammetric techniques for obtaining statistically relevant and more accurate reservoir modelling input data from outcrop

Environmental and Parental Influences on Offspring Health and Growth in Great Tits (Parus major)

PMCID: PMC3728352This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited

A phase I trial of antibody directed enzyme prodrug therapy (ADEPT) in patients with advanced colorectal carcinoma or other CEA producing tumours

Antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy is a targeted therapy in which a prodrug is activated selectively at the tumour site by an enzyme, which has been targeted to the tumour by an antibody (antibody-enzyme conjugate). Previous clinical trials have shown evidence of tumour response, however, the activated drug had a long half-life, which resulted in dose-limiting myelosuppression. Also, the targeting system, although giving high tumour to blood ratios of antibody-enzyme conjugate (10 000 : 1) required administration of a clearing antibody in addition to the antibody-enzyme conjugate. The purpose of this current study therefore was to attempt tumour targeting of the antibody-enzyme conjugate without the clearing antibody, and to investigate a new prodrug (bis-iodo phenol mustard, ZD2767P) whose activated form is highly potent and has a short half-life. Twenty-seven patients were treated with antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy using A5CP antibody-enzyme conjugate and ZD2767P prodrug, in a dose-escalating phase I trial. The maximum tolerated dose of ZD2767P was reached at 15.5 mg m−2×three administrations with a serum carboxypeptidase G2 level of 0.05 U ml−1. Myelosuppression limited dose escalation. Other toxicities were mild. Patients' quality of life was not adversely affected during the trial as assessed by the measures used. There were no clinical or radiological responses seen in the study, but three patients had stable disease at day 56. Human anti-mouse antibody and human anti-carboxypeptidase G2 antibody were produced in response to the antibody enzyme conjugate (A5CP). The antibody-enzyme conjugate localisation data (carboxypeptidase G2 enzyme levels by HPLC on tumour and normal tissue samples, and gamma camera analysis of I-131 radiolabelled conjugate) are consistent with inadequate tumour localisation (median tumour: normal tissue ratios of antibody-enzyme conjugate of less than 1). A clearance system is therefore desirable with this antibody-enzyme conjugate or a more efficient targeting system is required. ZD2767P was shown to clear rapidly from the circulation and activated drug was not measurable in the blood. ZD2767P has potential for use in future antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy systems

Countering the Australian 'ndrangheta: The criminalisation of mafia behaviour in Australia between national and comparative criminal law

Mafia-type criminal groups belonging to, or originated from, the Calabrian ‘ndrangheta from Southern Italy, have been object of recent academic research and media attention in Australia. The Australian ‘ndrangheta, as qualified form of organised crime, poses new challenges for law enforcement in the country. This paper briefly looks at the strategies to fight organised crime in Australia, with specific focus on anti-association laws. By using a comparative approach, the paper will look at the criminalisation of mafias as qualified forms of organised crime in other two jurisdictions, Italy and the USA, to advocate for an effective mafia criminalisation in Australia. In conclusion, this paper will argue that, in order to also fight mafia phenomena, criminal law in Australia should focus on behaviours of organised crime groups rather than only on the criminalisation of proscribed associations and their illegal activities