Effect of nano materials in geopolymer concrete

SummaryIn general, cement based concrete can be replaced by low calcium fly-ash based geopolymer concrete regarding the adverse effect of the manufacture of ordinary Portland cement on environment. Nowadays, nano technology has an important role in the field of construction industries. It has been seen that several properties of cement based concrete are affected by different nano materials. As low calcium fly-ash based geopolymer concrete is an alternate option for cement based concrete, nano materials may also have some influence on it. An experimental program has been taken up on low calcium fly-ash based M25 grade geopolymer concrete having 16 (M) concentration of activator liquid. Different percentage of nano materials viz. nano silica, carbon nano tube, titanium di-oxide were also used to investigate the effect of nano materials on geopolymer concrete. Geopolymer concrete with 1% titanium di-oxide shows appreciable improvement in compressive strength although pH remains almost same in all cases

Design and Development of a Public Health Information Service Model for Rural Inhabitants of Balasore District of Odisha: A Case Study

Introduction: The government of India has started concentrating on developing rural health infrastructure to provide primary health care services to most of the rural population, which had been by and large remained neglected. Though the government provides healthcare facilities to rural people, they are not effectively reaching them. The purpose of the study is to explore the public health information services, which ascertain the information needs of the Balasore district's rural inhabitants, and to develop an integrated Public Health Information Service (PHIS) model for health communication that promotes public health. Methods: A survey was conducted with the help of a structured questionnaire developed to gather information regarding public health communication infrastructures and services rendered by the medical officers, rural inhabitants, and the librarians of the medical college and public libraries of the Balasore district of Odisha. Results: The authors found a situation that demands an assessment of a suitable PHIS model to fulfill the health information requirement of the rural inhabitants of the Balasore district of Odisha. Conclusion: This integrated public health information service model is conceptualized and is based on the suitability of health information exchange for rural people

Design and Development of a Public Health Information Service Model for Rural Inhabitants of Balasore District of Odisha

This research paper focuses on the Public Health Information Service model for the rural inhabitants of the Balasore district, which is one of the objectives of the study. This integrated strategic model is conceptualized and is based on the suitability of health information exchange to rural people. It considers the various parameters of the public and the medical libraries; and the health information stakeholders. The model recommends the direct involvement of libraries in providing in-house and outhouse health information services to the public in a collaborative manner. This research paper presents an Integrated Public Health Services (IPHIS) model for rural people, which exemplifies in the form of the Health Information Center (HIC), which would adopt some attributes, and create an environment that enables rural people to access and avail health information services. The model would provide a health information exchange (HIE) environment, which would imply the best possible ways of health information transfer to promote health among the rural inhabitants of the Balasore district of Odisha

Investigation on stability of weld morphology, microstructure of processed zones, and weld quality assessment for hot wire gas tungsten arc welding of electrolytic tough pitch copper

In the present investigation, stability of weld morphology was investigated in case of electrolytic tough pitch copper (12 mm thickness) processed by Hot Wire Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (HW GTAW) using CuNi filler wire with variations of processing conditions, using different combination of hot wire’s parameters such as feed rate and current. The assessment of weld bead geometry was performed using visual examination (during and after welding), and macrographic dimensional measurements of weld bead geometry such as depth of penetration and depth to width ratio. In addition to the stability of weld bead geometries, microstructural variations and weld quality assessments were studied using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and micro-hardness measurements in case of processed sample observed with most uniform weld bead geometry. The results revealed that minimum dimensional variations of weld bead geometry throughout the processed length was obtained with 5.42 mm bead width, 1.2 mm bead height, 1.8 mm penetration, and 0.36 depth to width ratio when hot wire’s parameters were 0.6 m/min wire feed rate and 90 amps hot wire current. The bridging mode of metal transfer helps to receive more stable weld bead geometry with minimum dimensional variations. Ni filler wire of HW GTAW improves the hardness in the Heat affected zone (70 HV0.3) and weld zone (80 HV0.3), which were 33% and 17% higher of base material. The weld zone was consisting of mixed mode of grains such as dendrites just above the fusion line and cellular grains further above dendrites in case of processed sample of minimum dimensional variations of weld bead geometry throughout the processed length

Involvement of TSC genes and differential expression of other members of the mTOR signaling pathway in oral squamous cell carcinoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite extensive research, the five-year survival rate of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients has not improved. Effective treatment of OSCC requires the identification of molecular targets and signaling pathways to design appropriate therapeutic strategies. Several genes from the mTOR signaling pathway are known to be dysregulated in a wide spectrum of cancers. However, not much is known about the involvement of this pathway in tumorigenesis of OSCC. We therefore investigated the role of the tumor suppressor genes, <it>TSC1 </it>and <it>TSC2</it>, and other members of this pathway in tumorigenesis of OSCC.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Expression of genes at the RNA and protein levels was examined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and western blot analyses, respectively. Loss of heterozygosity was studied using matched blood and tumor DNA samples and microsatellite markers from the <it>TSC1</it>, <it>TSC2 </it>and <it>PTEN </it>candidate regions. The effect of promoter methylation on TSC gene expression was studied by treating cells with methyltransferase inhibitor 5-azacytidine. Methylation status of the <it>TSC2 </it>promoter in tissue samples was examined by combined bisulfite restriction analysis (COBRA).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed downregulation of <it>TSC1</it>, <it>TSC2</it>, <it>EIF4EBP1 </it>and <it>PTEN</it>, and upregulation of <it>PIK3C2A</it>, <it>AKT1</it>, <it>PDPK1</it>, <it>RHEB</it>, <it>FRAP1</it>, <it>RPS6KB1</it>, <it>EIF4E </it>and <it>RPS6 </it>in tumors. A similar observation was made for AKT1 and RPS6KB1 expression in tumors at the protein level. Investigation of the mechanism of downregulation of TSC genes identified LOH in 36.96% and 39.13% of the tumors at the TSC1 and TSC2 loci, respectively. No mutation was found in TSC genes. A low LOH rate of 13% was observed at the PTEN locus. Treatment of an OSCC cell line with the methyltransferase inhibitor 5-azacytidine showed a significant increase in the expression of TSC genes, suggesting methylation of their promoters. However, the 5-azacytidine treatment of non-OSCC HeLa cells showed a significant increase in the expression of the <it>TSC2 </it>gene only. In order to confirm the results in patient tumor samples, the methylation status of the <it>TSC2 </it>gene promoter was examined by COBRA. The results suggested promoter hypermethylation as an important mechanism for its downregulation. No correlation was found between the presence or absence of LOH at the TSC1 and TSC2 loci in 50 primary tumors to their clinicopathological variables such as age, sex, T classification, stage, grade, histology, tobacco habits and lymph node metastasis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our study suggests the involvement of TSC genes and other members of the mTOR signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of OSCC. LOH and promoter methylation are two important mechanisms for downregulation of TSC genes. We suggest that known inhibitors of this pathway could be evaluated for the treatment of OSCC.</p

Metabolic acetate therapy improves phenotype in the tremor rat model of Canavan disease

Genetic mutations that severely diminish the activity of aspartoacylase (ASPA) result in the fatal brain dysmyelinating disorder, Canavan disease. There is no effective treatment. ASPA produces free acetate from the concentrated brain metabolite, N-acetylaspartate (NAA). Because acetyl coenzyme A is a key building block for lipid synthesis, we postulated that the inability to catabolize NAA leads to a brain acetate deficiency during a critical period of CNS development, impairing myelination and possibly other aspects of brain development. We tested the hypothesis that acetate supplementation during postnatal myelination would ameliorate the severe phenotype associated with ASPA deficiency using the tremor rat model of Canavan disease. Glyceryltriacetate (GTA) was administered orally to tremor rats starting 7 days after birth, and was continued in food and water after weaning. Motor function, myelin lipids, and brain vacuolation were analyzed in GTA-treated and untreated tremor rats. Significant improvements were observed in motor performance and myelin galactocerebroside content in tremor rats treated with GTA. Further, brain vacuolation was modestly reduced, and these reductions were positively correlated with improved motor performance. We also examined the expression of the acetyl coenzyme A synthesizing enzyme acetyl coenzyme A synthase 1 and found upregulation of expression in tremor rats, with a return to near normal expression levels in GTA-treated tremor rats. These results confirm the critical role played by NAA-derived acetate in brain myelination and development, and demonstrate the potential usefulness of acetate therapy for the treatment of Canavan disease

Search for post-merger gravitational waves from the remnant of the binary neutron star merger GW170817

In Advanced LIGO, detection and astrophysical source parameter estimation of the binary black hole merger GW150914 requires a calibrated estimate of the gravitational-wave strain sensed by the detectors. Producing an estimate from each detector's differential arm length control loop readout signals requires applying time domain filters, which are designed from a frequency domain model of the detector's gravitational-wave response. The gravitational-wave response model is determined by the detector's opto-mechanical response and the properties of its feedback control system. The measurements used to validate the model and characterize its uncertainty are derived primarily from a dedicated photon radiation pressure actuator, with cross-checks provided by optical and radio frequency references. We describe how the gravitational-wave readout signal is calibrated into equivalent gravitational-wave-induced strain and how the statistical uncertainties and systematic errors are assessed. Detector data collected over 38 calendar days, from September 12 to October 20, 2015, contain the event GW150914 and approximately 16 of coincident data used to estimate the event false alarm probability. The calibration uncertainty is less than 10% in magnitude and 10 degrees in phase across the relevant frequency band 20 Hz to 1 kHz

Supplement: "Localization and broadband follow-up of the gravitational-wave transient GW150914" (2016, ApJL, 826, L13)

This Supplement provides supporting material for Abbott et al. (2016a). We briefly summarize past electromagnetic (EM) follow-up efforts as well as the organization and policy of the current EM follow-up program. We compare the four probability sky maps produced for the gravitational-wave transient GW150914, and provide additional details of the EM follow-up observations that were performed in the different bands

Multi-messenger observations of a binary neutron star merger

On 2017 August 17 a binary neutron star coalescence candidate (later designated GW170817) with merger time 12:41:04 UTC was observed through gravitational waves by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor independently detected a gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) with a time delay of ~1.7 s with respect to the merger time. From the gravitational-wave signal, the source was initially localized to a sky region of 31 deg2 at a luminosity distance of 40+8-8 Mpc and with component masses consistent with neutron stars. The component masses were later measured to be in the range 0.86 to 2.26 Mo. An extensive observing campaign was launched across the electromagnetic spectrum leading to the discovery of a bright optical transient (SSS17a, now with the IAU identification of AT 2017gfo) in NGC 4993 (at ~40 Mpc) less than 11 hours after the merger by the One- Meter, Two Hemisphere (1M2H) team using the 1 m Swope Telescope. The optical transient was independently detected by multiple teams within an hour. Subsequent observations targeted the object and its environment. Early ultraviolet observations revealed a blue transient that faded within 48 hours. Optical and infrared observations showed a redward evolution over ~10 days. Following early non-detections, X-ray and radio emission were discovered at the transient’s position ~9 and ~16 days, respectively, after the merger. Both the X-ray and radio emission likely arise from a physical process that is distinct from the one that generates the UV/optical/near-infrared emission. No ultra-high-energy gamma-rays and no neutrino candidates consistent with the source were found in follow-up searches. These observations support the hypothesis that GW170817 was produced by the merger of two neutron stars in NGC4993 followed by a short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) and a kilonova/macronova powered by the radioactive decay of r-process nuclei synthesized in the ejecta