Automated Slope Stability Analysis of Zoned Dams

The study pertains to the pseudo-static stability analysis of zoned dams with geologic discontinuities in the foundation. Sequential unconstrained minimization technique in conjunction with Janbu\u27s generalized procedure of slices has been used for finding the critical slip surface and the corresponding minimum factor of safety. The method has been found to be quite efficient in solving such problems

Active immunization by a dengue virus-induced cytokine

Dengue type 2 virus (DV)-induced cytotoxic factor (CF) is capable of reproducing various pathological lesions in mice that are seen in human dengue. The present study was undertaken to investigate the protective effect of active immunization of mice with CF, Mice were immunized with 5 μ g of CF and prevention of CF-induced increase in capillary permeability and damage to the blood brain barrier were studied at weekly intervals, up to 48 weeks, by challenging with 3 μ g of CF, Maximum protection against increase in capillary permeability and damage to the blood-brain barrier was observed in week 4 after immunization. A breakthrough in the protection occurred with higher doses of CF in a dose-dependent manner. Challenge with a lethal intracerebral (i.e.) dose of DV showed significantly prolonged mean survival time and delayed onset of symptoms of sickness in the immunized mice compared with the normal mice, but the titre of the virus in the brain was similar in the two groups. On i.p. challenge with the virus the protection against damage to the blood-brain barrier was 86± 7% at week 4 and 17± 4% at week 26 after immunization. Sera obtained from the immunized mice showed the presence of CF-specific antibodies by ELISA, Western blot, and by neutralization of the cytotoxic activity of CF in vitro. The present study describes successful prevention of a cytokine-induced pathology by specific active immunization

A Parallax Distance to the Microquasar GRS 1915+105 and a Revised Estimate of its Black Hole Mass

Using the Very Long Baseline Array, we have measured a trigonometric parallax for the micro quasar GRS 1915+105, which contains a black hole and a K-giant companion. This yields a direct distance estimate of 8.6 (+2.0,-1.6) kpc and a revised estimate for the mass of the black hole of 12.4 (+2.0,-1.8) Msun. GRS 1915+105 is at about the same distance as some HII regions and water masers associated with high-mass star formation in the Sagittarius spiral arm of the Galaxy. The absolute proper motion of GRS 1915+105 is -3.19 +/- 0.03 mas/y and -6.24 +/- 0.05 mas/y toward the east and north, respectively, which corresponds to a modest peculiar speed of 22 +/-24 km/s at the parallax distance, suggesting that the binary did not receive a large velocity kick when the black hole formed. On one observational epoch, GRS 1915+105 displayed superluminal motion along the direction of its approaching jet. Considering previous observations of jet motions, the jet in GRS 1915+105 can be modeled with a jet inclination to the line of sight of 60 +/- 5 deg and a variable flow speed between 0.65c and 0.81c, which possibly indicates deceleration of the jet at distances from the black hole >2000 AU. Finally, using our measurements of distance and estimates of black hole mass and inclination, we provisionally confirm our earlier result that the black hole is spinning very rapidly.Comment: 20 pages; 2 tables; 6 figure

iPTF16abc and the population of Type Ia supernovae: Comparing the photospheric, transitional and nebular phases

Key information about the progenitor system and the explosion mechanism of Type Ia supernovae (SNe~Ia) can be obtained from early observations, within a few days from explosion. iPTF16abc was discovered as a young SN~Ia with excellent early time data. Here, we present photometry and spectroscopy of the SN in the nebular phase. A comparison of the early time data with a sample of SNe~Ia shows distinct features, differing from normal SNe~Ia at early phases but similar to normal SNe~Ia at a few weeks after maximum light (i.e. the transitional phase) and well into the nebular phase. The transparency timescales ($t_0$) for this sample of SNe~Ia range between $\sim$ 25 and 41 days indicating a diversity in the ejecta masses. $t_0$ also weakly correlates with the peak bolometric luminosity, consistent with the interpretation that SNe with higher ejecta masses would produce more $^{56}$Ni. Comparing the $t_0$ and the maximum luminosity, L$_{max}$\, distribution of a sample of SNe~Ia to predictions from a wide range of explosion models we find an indication that the sub-Chandrasekhar mass models span the range of observed values. However, the bright end of the distribution can be better explained by Chandrasekhar mass delayed detonation models, hinting at multiple progenitor channels to explain the observed bolometric properties of SNe~Ia. iPTF16abc appears to be consistent with the predictions from the M$_{ch}$ models.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Emergence of metronidazole-resistant Bacteroides fragilis, India.

This article does not have an abstract

Radial basis function neural networks applied to NASA SSME data

This paper presents a brief report on the application of Radial Basis Function Neural Networks (RBFNN) to the prediction of sensor values for fault detection and diagnosis of the Space Shuttle's Main Engines (SSME). The location of the Radial Basis Function (RBF) node centers was determined with a K-means clustering algorithm. A neighborhood operation about these center points was used to determine the variances of the individual processing notes

Kinematics of Black Hole X-ray Binary GRS 1915+105

The space velocity of a stellar black hole encodes the history of its formation and evolution. Here we measure the 3-dimensional motion of the microquasar GRS 1915+105, using a decade of astrometry with the NRAO Very Long Baseline Array, together with the published radial velocity. The velocity in the Galactic Plane deviates from circular rotation by 53-80 +_ 8 km/s, where the range covers any specific distance from 6-12 kpc. Perpendicular to the plane, the velocity is only 10 +_ 4 km/s. The peculiar velocity is minimized at a distance 9-10 kpc, and is then nearly in the radial direction towards the Galactic Center. We discuss mechanisms for the origin of the peculiar velocity, and conclude that it is most likely a consequence of Galactic velocity diffusion on this old binary, rather than the result of a supernova kick during the formation of the 14 Mo black hole. Finally, a brief comparison is made with 4 other BH binaries whose kinematics are well determined.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures. ApJ accepte

ROLE OF RADIATION AS EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION IN Aβ INDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS IN ANIMAL MODEL OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

Objective: The present study was undertaken to study the therapeutic effects of low dose fractionated cranial X-irradiation on reducing the amyloid-beta (Aβ) induced oxidative stress burden in an animal model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: S.D. female rats received an intracerebroventricular injection of Aβ peptide at stereotaxically defined points. Experimental sessions were conducted by randomly dividing animals into four groups, namely sham-operated, Aβ-injected, and Aβ injection followed by cranial X-irradiation and only cranial X-irradiated. Anesthetized animals received 5 μl synthetic Aβ peptide injection with a 10 μl Hamilton microsyringe with the needle kept in place for a period of 2min following injection. Sham-operated group received 5 μl of bidistilled water instead of Aβ peptide. Animals were treated 6 weeks post-surgery with fractionated radiation of 2Gy for 5 days. Neurobehavior studies were undertaken to confirm memory impairment along with biochemical indices involved in the antioxidant defense system. Results: Fractionated cranial X-irradiation proved effective in restoration of activity of enzymes involved in the antioxidant defense system; the lipid peroxidation and catalase levels that showed a significant increase in Aβ-treated group decreased on subsequent X-irradiation. Moreover, the decrease in the superoxide dismutase, glutathione, glutathione-S-transferase, and glutathione reductase levels witnessed an increase post-irradiation, implicating the X-irradiation to be an effective intervention to restore the redox status of the oxidatively stressed brain cells in AD condition. Conclusion: The present study evaluated the therapeutic potential of low dose fractionated cranial X- irradiation by mitigating the amyloid-induced oxidative stress suggesting a novel treatment for AD-associated pathologies

Ideas on DC-DC Converters for Delivery of Low Voltage and High Currents for the SLHC / ILC Detector Electronics in Magnetic field and Radiation environments

For more efficient power transport to the electronics embedded inside large colliding beam detectors, we explore the feasibility of supplying 48 Volts DC and using local DCDC conversion to 2 V (or lower, depending upon on the lithography of the embedded electronics) using switch mode regulators located very close to the front end electronics. These devices will be exposed to high radiation and high magnetic fields, 10 – 100 Mrads and 2 - 4 Tesla at the SLHC, and 20 Krads and 6 Tesla at the ILC