Adoption and impacts of zero tillage as a resource conserving technology in the irrigated plains of South Asia

Zero tillage / Rice / Wheat / Water conservation / India / Pakistan / Haryana / Punjab

Male Breast Cancer Presenting as Nipple Discharge

Male breast cancer (MBC) is a rare disease and constitutes less than 1% of all breast carcinoma cases. Although MBC most often presents with a palpable mass, failure to recognise the significance of other symptoms may lead to a delay in diagnosis. Nipple discharge (ND) is a rare symptom in men, but it may herald an underlying malignancy. We present two cases of (MBC) presenting with ND and emphasise the importance of this clinical sign in suspecting underlying malignancy and an opportunity for early diagnosis. We also discuss the clinical significance of ND in men in relation to current literature

Removal of laser-melted material with an assist gas

Molten material is removed in many laser applications such as laser grooving and laser cutting. An assist gas is usually used to remove the molten material from the laser material interaction zone. The effect of assist gas pressure on the material removal rate is investigated in this article for laser cutting and grooving applications. The model for melt depth is based on the overall energy balance, and the cut depth is obtained by considering the effect of the assist gas. The model for kerf width is based on the modified Rosenthal solution taking into account the melting effect. The cut depths reach a constant value beyond a critical pressure if the kerf width is of the order of nozzle width and through cuts are assumed. Most of the molten material is removed by the assist gas at pressures below this critical pressure. The model predicts on the basis of the Prandtl or Meyer relation that the cutting speed decreases when the assist gas pressure exceeds a critical value if the kerf dimensions are smaller than the nozzle dimensions

Bibliometric Review of Mental Health Research in Medical Colleges of Pakistan

Objectives: Mental health is a less frequently explored area of medical research as both developing and developed countries lack competent human resources and funding for this purpose. Reviewing mental health research can help medical professionals appreciate the progress of understanding and identify problems in this area. This systematic review examined the status of mental health research carried out in medical education institutions and tertiary healthcare hospitals across Pakistan over the past 70 years. Methods: PubMed ® (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland, USA), was searched for articles published between 1947 and 2017 related to mental health with an emphasis on the exclusive affiliation of the first author with a medical college in Pakistan. Results: A total of 118 articles were included in this study. The number of published research-based studies has increased steadily over the past years. However, there are indicators of a lack of quality research, such as no declaration of conflict of interest or the identification of a funding source and a general lack of publications in a journal with a high impact factor. Conclusion: The findings of this study have shown a steady improvement in the quantity and quality of mental health research conducted in Pakistani medical colleges/universities. However, a lack of funding, training and faculty induction policies may be hindering the establishment of a research culture and contributing to the slow progression of mental health research in Pakistan.Keywords: Medical Education; Mental Health; Research; Psychiatry in Literature; Pakistan

Numerical simulations of a falling film on the inner surface of a rotating cylinder

A flow in which a thin film falls due to gravity on the inner surface of a vertical, rotating cylinder is investigated. This is performed using two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) direct numerical simulations, with a volume-of-fluid approach to treat the interface. The problem is parameterised by the Reynolds, Froude, Weber and Ekman numbers. The variation of the Ekman number ($Ek$), defined to be proportional of the rotational speed of the cylinder, has a strong effect on the flow characteristics. Simulations are conducted over a wide range of $Ek$ values ($0 \leq Ek \leq 484$) in order to provide detailed insight into how this parameter influences the flow. Our results indicate that increasing $Ek$, which leads to a rise in the magnitude of centrifugal forces, produces a stabilising effect, suppressing wave formation. Key flow features, such as the transition from a 2D to a more complex 3D wave regime, are influenced significantly by this stabilisation, and are investigated in detail. Furthermore, the imposed rotation results in distinct flow characteristics such as the development of angled waves, which arise due to the combination of gravitationally- and centrifugally-driven motion in the axial and azimuthal directions, respectively. We also use a weighted residuals integral boundary layer method to determine a boundary in the space of Reynolds and Ekman numbers that represents a threshold beyond which waves have recirculation regions.Comment: 18 pages, 10 figure

Creating Capacity for Research Data Services at Regional Universities: A Case Study

Understanding the processes of research design and of data collection, organization, storage, preservation, and sharing is critical to the success of any project, regardless of the scope of the research. From research design and conceptualization to the potential sharing of data with other researchers for replicability, as well as preserving data for the benefit of the wider research community, unique challenges, as well as opportunities for research data management (RDM) and research data services (RDS) teams, are presented; these include problems, issues, and concerns regarding how to prepare a data management plan (DMP) and how to manage data collection, analysis, storage, and preservation. In response to these concerns, academic institutions typically have structured RDS for students and faculty through the support of many stakeholders: academic librarians who are familiar with the disciplinary resources and have skills in archives, data curation, and institutional repositories; information technology services staff who provide solutions to infrastructure issues regarding storage and archiving; and other campus research administration entities that deal with the funding, integrity, and administration aspects of the research

The Classical Sumudu Transform and its q-Image of the Most Generalized Hypergeometric and Wright-Type Hypergeometric Functions

The q- Calculus has served as a bridge between mathematics and physics, particularly in case of quantum physics. The q-generalizations of mathematical concepts like Laplace, Fourier and Sumudu transforms, Hypergeometric functions etc. can be advantageously used in solution of various problems arising in the field of physical and engineering sciences. The q-Sumudu transform, the q-image of classical Sumudu transform is the theoretical dual of the q-Laplace transform. In view of this, the present paper deals with some of the important applications of classical Sumudu and q-Sumudu transform of generalized hypergeometric function and Wright-type hypergeometric function. The results have been presented in terms of well-known Fox’s H-function. Some special cases have also been discussed

A review of diaphragmless shock tubes for interdisciplinary applications

Shock tubes have emerged as an effective tool for applications in various fields of research and technology. The conventional mode of shock tube operation employs a frangible diaphragm to generate shockwaves. The last half-century has witnessed significant efforts to replace this diaphragm-bursting method with fast-acting valves. These diaphragmless methods have good repeatability, quick turnaround time between experiments, and produce a clean flow, free of diaphragm fragments in contrast to the conventional diaphragm-type operation. The constantly evolving valve designs are targeting shorter opening times for improved performance and efficiency. The present review is a compilation of the different diaphragmless shock tubes that have been conceptualized, developed, and implemented for various research endeavors. The discussions focus on essential factors, including the type of actuation mechanism, driver-driven configurations, valve opening time, shock formation distance, and operating pressure range, that ultimately influence the shockwave parameters obtained in the shock tube. A generalized mathematical model to study the behavior of these valves is developed. The advantages, limitations, and challenges in improving the performance of the valves are described. Finally, the present-day applications of diaphragmless shock tubes have been discussed, and their potential scope in expanding the frontiers of shockwave research and technology are presented.Comment: Review paper, 31 pages, 18 figures, manuscript draf

Laboratory and field investigations in granular soils to correlate relative density, relative compaction and grain size

An attempt has been made to correlate relative density and relative compaction based on laboratory and field test data. In this investigation, 185 sandy soil samples were tested in the laboratory. The experimental investigations include classification tests, maximum and minimum density tests, and standard and modified Proctor and in-situ density tests. The values of the dry unit weight of these samples obtained by performing different tests fall between 14.7 kN/m(3) and 20.8 kN/m(3). Based on these results, linear and multivariate regression analyses were carried out to (a) relate relative compaction and relative density, (b) relate maximum (e(max)) and minimum void ratios (e(min)), and (c) express e(max) and e(min) in terms of median grain size (D-50) and uniformity coefficient (C-u). Experimental and predicted values varied +/- 5%, with a 95% confidence interval for the relation between relative compaction and relative density, and for other relations the variation was +/- 10%. The proposed equations were validated using a new data set which had not been used for the development of the correlations. Proposed equations were also compared with equations presented by various other researchers. Validation of the proposed equations suggests that these equations may be used for future prediction of the respective variables