Review of alternative fuels data bases

Based on an analysis of the interaction of fuel physical and chemical properties with combustion characteristics and indicators, a ranking of the importance of various fuel properties with respect to the combustion process was established. This ranking was used to define a suite of specific experiments whose objective is the development of an alternative fuels design data base. Combustion characteristics and indicators examined include droplet and spray formation, droplet vaporization and burning, ignition and flame stabilization, flame temperature, laminar flame speed, combustion completion, soot emissions, NOx and SOx emissions, and the fuels' thermal and oxidative stability and fouling and corrosion characteristics. Key fuel property data is found to include composition, thermochemical data, chemical kinetic rate information, and certain physical properties

The Determinants of Child Weight and Height in Sri Lanka: A Quantile Regression Approach

Reducing child malnutrition is a key goal of most developing countries. To combat child malnutrition with the right set of interventions, policymakers need to have a better understanding of its economic, social and policy determinants. While there is a large literature that investigates the determinants of child malnutrition, it focuses almost exclusively on mean effects of these determinants. However, socioeconomic background variables and policy interventions may affect child nutrition differently at different points of the conditional nutritional distribution. Using quantile regressions, this paper explores the effects of variables such as a child?s age, sex and birth order; household expenditure per capita; parental schooling; and infrastructure on child weight and height at different points of the conditional distributions of weight and height using data from Sri Lanka?s Demographic and Health Survey. Results indicate that OLS estimates can be misleading in predicting the effects of determinants at the lower end of the distributions of weight and height. For example, even though on average Sri Lankan girls are not nutritionally-disadvantaged relative to boys, among children at the highest risk of malnutrition girls are disadvantaged relative to boys. Likewise, although expenditure per capita is associated with strong nutritional improvement on average, it is not a significant determinant of child height or weight at the lower end of the distribution. Similarly, parental education, electricity access, and the availability of piped water have larger effects on child weight and height at the upper quantiles than at the lower quantiles. The policy implication is that general interventions?parental schooling, infrastructure and income growth?are not as effective for children in the lower tail of the conditional weight and height distributions. These children, who are at the highest risk of malnutrition, are likely to need specialized nutritional interventions.child health, child nutrition, malnutrition, child weight, child height, quantile regression, Sri Lanka

Variations of the harmonic components of the X-ray Pulse Profile of PSR B1509-58

We used the Fourier decomposition technique to investigate the stability of the X-ray pulse profile of a young pulsar PSR B1509-58 by studying the relative amplitudes and the phase differences of its harmonic components with respect to the fundamental using data from the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer. Like most young rotation powered pulsars, PSR B1509-58 has a high spin down rate. It also has less timing noise allowing accurate measurement of higher order frequency derivatives which in turn helps in study of the physics of pulsar spin down. Detailed investigation of pulse profiles over the years will help us establish any possible connection between the timing characteristics and the high energy emission characteristics for this pulsar. Further, the study of pulse profiles of short period X-ray pulsars can also be useful for using them as means of interplanetary navigation system. The X-ray pulse profile of this source has been analysed for 15 $\rm years$ (1996-2011). The long term average amplitudes of the first, second and third harmonics (and their standard deviation for individual measurements) compared to the fundamental are 36.9 % (1.7 %), 13.4 % (1.9 %) and 9.4 % (1.8 %) respectively. Similarly, the phases of the three harmonics (and standard deviations) with respect to the fundamental are 0.36 (0.06), 1.5 (0.2), 2.5 (0.3) $\rm radian$ respectively. We do not find any significant variation of the harmonic components of the pulse profile in comparison to the fundamental.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figure

Multiple-scale turbulence modeling of boundary layer flows for scramjet applications

As part of an investigation into the application of turbulence models to the computation of flows in advanced scramjet combustors, the multiple-scale turbulence model was applied to a variety of flowfield predictions. The model appears to have a potential for improved predictions in a variety of areas relevant to combustor problems. This potential exists because of the partition of the turbulence energy spectrum that is the major feature of the model and which allows the turbulence energy dissipation rate to be out of phase with turbulent energy production. The computations were made using a consistent method of generating experimentally unavailable initial conditions. An appreciable overall improvement in the generality of the predictions is observed, as compared to those of the basic two-equation turbulence model. A Mach number-related correction is found to be necessary to satisfactorily predict the spreading rate of the supersonic jet and mixing layer

A mathematical model of a large open fire

A mathematical model capable of predicting the detailed characteristics of large, liquid fuel, axisymmetric, pool fires is described. The predicted characteristics include spatial distributions of flame gas velocity, soot concentration and chemical specie concentrations including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water, unreacted oxygen, unreacted fuel and nitrogen. Comparisons of the predictions with experimental values are also given

Hysterolaparoscopy in the evaluation and management of female infertility

Background: To study the role of hysterolaparoscopy in the evaluation and management of female infertility.Methods: A retrospective study of the 677 case files of all the patients who underwent diagnostic hysterolaparoscopy for infertility between January 2011 to December 2016 at Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences, Hubli and Sushruta Multispeciality hospital, Hubli. These infertile women were confirmed to have normal ovulatory cycles, hormonal assays and seminogram report. Dye studies as well as inspection for abnormal pelvic and intrauterine pathology and necessary therapeutic interven-tions were done during the procedure. Abnormal pelvic and intrauterine pathology by hysterolaparoscopy were categorized.Results: Out of 677 cases, 74% patients had primary, 26% patients had secondary infertility. As a whole pelvic pathology was confirmed in 59.5% and intrauterine pathology in 22.3% patients by hysteroscopy. The most common laparoscopic abnormality detected was Polycystic ovaries (27.1%), followed by pelvic adhesions (18.7%). Tubal block comprised 8.1% whereas distorted uterus by fibroid in 6.2% and pelvic endometriosis in 8.7%. In hysteroscopy, the incidence of uterine anomaly was 54 (7.9%). Septate uterus is the most common with a mean incidence of approximately 37 (67.8%).Conclusions: Diagnostic hysterolaparoscopy is an effective diagnostic and therapeutic modality for certain significant and correctable abnormalities in pelvis, tubes and uterus which are missed by other imaging modalities

Emergency internal iliac artery ligation: a conservative lifesaving procedure

Background: Internal iliac artery ligation (IIAL) is a surgical approach which causes a drop in arterial pressure and virtual elimination of the Trip-hammer effect and also preserves fertility. The objective was to study the role of IIAL in arresting and preventing postpartum hemorrhage (PPH).Methods: A retrospective case series involving examination of the files of all the women who had Internal iliac artery ligation between June 2013 and May 2015 in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences, Hubli.Results: Out of the 15 women who underwent IIAL, 14(93.3%) had therapeutic IIAL and 1(6.67%) had prophylactic IIAL. Associated procedures like B-Lynch sutures, ovarian a. ligation and uterine a. ligation were performed before the decision for IIAL. Hysterectomy was performed in 5 cases to arrest hemorrhage (33.3%). Two woman died inspite of IIAL and subtotal hysterectomy due to uncontrolled PPH. No patient suffered pelvic organ injury or ischaemic complications.Conclusions: Bilateral ligation of Internal Iliac artery is a safe, rapid and effective way of treating PPH. Early resort to IIAL prevents hysterectomy in women with atonic PPH

Uterine rupture at the fundus during pregnancy: a case report

Rupture of a gravid uterus is a surgical emergency. Predisposing factors include a scarred uterus. Spontaneous rupture of an unscarred uterus during pregnancy is a rare occurrence. We hereby present the case of a spontaneous complete uterine fundal rupture at Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences, Hubli, Karnataka, India. The patient had a history of septal resection. Spontaneous uterine rupture occurs when there is an upper segment uterine scar. This case report shows that past history of septal resection is a risk factor for the presence of uterine scar

A rare case report of cord entanglement in a post-dated monochorionic monoamniotic twins

Monochorionic Monoamniotic (MCMA) twin gestations have been associated perinatal mortality rates as high as 28 to 47%. Umbilical cord entanglements and knots, twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, congenital anomalies, prematurity and intertwin locking during labour is responsible for their high perinatal morbidity and mortality. We report here a case of Cord entanglement in a post-dated MCMA twin pregnancy without any complications

Software Test Automation with Robot Framework

Testing is a crucial activity in Software Development Process. It is to examine & modify source code. Effective Testing produces high quality software. To improve the quality and the efficiency of software testing, software automation test has been used widely during the software testing. This paper discusses the advantages of testing tools in software test automation, with the Robot framework