A Study on Linear Static Structural FEA of a Conveyor Stand for Different Stress Distribution and Shearing deformation

The conveyor stand is to design and analysis for the various stress and deformation. Unpackaged material moving requirements have continued to press the strap conveyor industry to carry higher tonnages over longer distances and more diverse routes. In order to keep the material transport safe and short period of time, Conveyor have always been an efficient and elastic indentation due to idler support. To survive a support structure within the standard and recommendation theanalysis carried out for various stress distribution and shearing deformation

Novel genetic loci associated with hippocampal volume

The hippocampal formation is a brain structure integrally involved in episodic memory, spatial navigation, cognition and stress responsiveness. Structural abnormalities in hippocampal volume and shape are found in several common neuropsychiatric disorders. To identify the genetic underpinnings of hippocampal structure here we perform a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 33,536 individuals and discover six independent loci significantly associated with hippocampal volume, four of them novel. Of the novel loci, three lie within genes (ASTN2, DPP4 and MAST4) and one is found 200 kb upstream of SHH. A hippocampal subfield analysis shows that a locus within the MSRB3 gene shows evidence of a localized effect along the dentate gyrus, subiculum, CA1 and fissure. Further, we show that genetic variants associated with decreased hippocampal volume are also associated with increased risk for Alzheimer's disease (rg =-0.155). Our findings suggest novel biological pathways through which human genetic variation influences hippocampal volume and risk for neuropsychiatric illness

Effeat of SiC concentration and strain rate on the compressive deformation behavior of 2014A1-SiCp composite.

The compressive deformation behaviour of 2014Al-SiCp composites containing varying amount of SiCp has been studied at different strain rates (10−3 to 10−1 s−1). The composite materials were prepared through stir-casting (vortex) method. The yield stress, Young's modulus, percentage elongation and fracture stress were measured from the true stress–true strain plots. The Young's modulus of the materials was found to increase with increase in SiCp content. But the yield stress and the fracture stress do not follow any definite relationship with SiC content. The composite, containing 15 vol.% SiCp, exhibits minimum stress values irrespective of strain rates. The composite, containing either less or greater than 15 vol.% SiCp, exhibited almost same yield stress as that of the alloy. The elongation, in general, decreases with increase in SiCp. It was further found that the above parameters do not follow any definite trend of variation with strain rate for any investigated materials. The strain-hardening exponent and the strain rate sensitivity were determined for each of the materials at different strain rates. It was noted that the plastic strength coefficient also follows the same trend of variation with SiCp content irrespective of strain rate; but the strain-hardening exponent increases marginally with increase in SiCp content. The strain-hardening exponent also remains invariant to strain rate. The strain rate sensitivity is noted to be very low. However, within this variation, the composite containing 15 vol.% SiC exhibits the minimum value of strain rate sensitivity. This also suggests that at room temperature, the cast alloy and/or composites are almost insensitive to strain rate

Genetic Analysis and Trait Association in Multi-parent Advanced Generation Inter-Cross (MAGIC) F2 Population of Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.)

Genetic variability studies offers basic information related to genetic properties of the population based on which breeding methods could be formulated for further improvement of the crop. The estimates of heritability, coefficients of variability and genetic advance was calculated in a multi-parent advanced generation inter-cross (MAGIC) F2 segregating populations for 10 traits including nicotine percentage, total soluble sugars and yield contributing traits during 2015 seasons at Northern Light Soils (NLS). The estimates of phenotypic coefficients of variation (PCV) were high and moderate for plant height (18.16%), number of leaves (15.96%), leaf area index (27.35%), internodal length (21.01%), stem diameter (16.73%), grade index (13.86%), nicotine percentage (19.87%), total soluble sugars (39.81%), chlorides (23.35%) and leaf yield (13.27%) in MAGIC-F2 segregating populations at NLS 2015 season. High heritability coupled with high and moderate genetic advance was observed for all the traits studied. Correlation studies revealed that total soluble sugars was positively and significantly correlated with leaf area index, stem diameter, grade index and leaf yield. However total soluble sugars was negatively correlated with nicotine as total nicotine alkaloid and with chlorides percentage. Path coefficient analysis revealed that total percentage of sugars could be improved through selection of grade index, stem diameter, leaf area index and cured leaf yield which were positively correlated with total soluble sugar percentage. The current study also revealed that the MAGIC F2 population could be used for development high sugar lines with moderate or low levels of nicotine and chlorides in tobacco

Synergistic activity of methanolic extract of Thespesia populnea (malvaceae) flowers with oxytetracycline

The object of this study was to formulate new, cost effective anti-microbial combination for multidrug resistant diseases based on the synergistic activity of oxytetracycline with methanolic extract of Thespesia populnea (Malvaceae) a medicinal plant common in South India. The MIC of methanolic extracts in combination with oxytetracycline using 12 different both gram positive and gram negative bacteria was found to be around (62.5 µg/mL to 1000 µg/mL). The synergistic activity was verified using Kirby and Bauer techniques. 83.3% shows synergistic activity against all 12 different bacteria both gram positive and gram negative species. The highest synergism rate was attained against Shigella boydii (ATCC8700)

Validation of the VBLaST Peg Transfer Task: A First Step toward an Alternate Training Standard

International audienceBackground: The FLS trainer lacks objective and automated assessments of laparoscopic performance and requires a large supply of relatively expensive consumables. Virtual reality simulation has a great potential as a training and assessment tool of laparoscopic skills and can overcome some limitations of the FLS trainer. This study was carried out to assess the value of our Virtual Basic Laparoscopic Surgical Trainer (VBLaST©) in the peg transfer task compared to the FLS trainer and its ability to differentiate performance between novice, intermediate and expert groups. Methods: Thirty subjects were divided into three groups: novices (PGY1-2, n = 10), intermediates (PGY3-4, n=10), and experts (PGY5, surgical fellows and attendings, n = 10). All subjects performed ten trials of the peg transfer task on each simulator. Assessment of laparoscopic performance was based on FLS scoring while a questionnaire was used for subjective evaluation. Results: The performance scores in the two simulators were correlated, though subjects performed significantly better in the FLS trainer. Experts performed better than novices only on the FLS trainer while no significant differences were observed between the other groups. Moreover, a significant learning effect was found on both trainers, with a greater improvement of performance on the VBLaST©. Finally, 82.6% of the subjects preferred the FLS over the VBLaST© for surgical training which could be attributed to the novelty of the VR technology and existing deficiencies of the user interface for the VBLaST©. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the VBLaST© reproduced faithfully some aspects of the FLS peg transfer task (such as color, size and shape of the peg board, etc.) while other aspects require additional development. Future improvement of the user interface and haptic feedback will enhance the value of the system as an alternative to the FLS as the standard training tool for laparoscopic surgery skills

Diagnostic capabilities of nanopore long-read sequencing in muscular dystrophy

Many individuals with muscular dystrophies remain genetically undiagnosed despite clinical diagnostic testing, including exome sequencing. Some may harbor previously undetected structural variants (SVs) or cryptic splice sites. We enrolled 10 unrelated families: nine had muscular dystrophy but lacked complete genetic diagnoses and one had an asymptomatic DMD duplication. Nano-pore genomic long-read sequencing identified previously undetected pathogenic variants in four individuals: an SV in DMD, an SV in LAMA2, and two single nucleotide variants in DMD that alter splicing. The DMD duplication in the asymptomatic individual was in tandem. Nanopore sequencing may help streamline genetic diagnostic approaches for muscular dystrophy