Feasibility study of an explosive gun

Feasibility of high performance, explosively driven device, and calculations for deformable piston light gas gu

Short SULF1/SULF2 splice variants predominate in mammary tumours with a potential to facilitate receptor tyrosine kinase-mediated cell signalling

The relative roles of SULF1 and SULF2 enzymes in tumour growth are controversial, but short SULF1/SULF2 splice variants predominate in human mammary tumours despite their non-detectable levels in normal mammary tissue. Compared with the normal, the level of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) activity was markedly increased in triple-positive mammary tumours during later stages of tumour progression showing increased p-EGFR, p-FGFR1 and p-cMet activity in triple-positive but not in triple-negative tumours. The abundance of catalytically inactive short SULF1/SULF2 variants permits high levels of HS sulphation and thus growth driving RTK cell signalling in primary mammary tumours. Also observed in this study, however, was increased N-sulphation detected by antibody 10E4 indicating that not only 6-O sulphation but also N-sulphation may contribute to increased RTK cell signalling in mammary tumours. The levels of such increases in not only SULF1/SULF2 but also in pEGFR, pFGFR1, p-cMet and Smad1/5/8 signalling were further enhanced following lymph node metastasis. The over-expression of Sulf1 and Sulf2 variants in mammary tumour-derived MDA-MB231 and MCF7 cell lines by transfection further confirms Sulf1-/Sulf2-mediated differential modulation of growth. The short variants of both Sulf1 and Sulf2 promoted FGF2-induced MDA-MB231 and MCF7 in vitro growth while full-length Sulf1 inhibited growth supporting in vivo mammary tumour cell signalling patterns of growth. Since a number of mammary tumours become drug resistant to hormonal therapy, Sulf1/Sulf2 inhibition could be an alternative therapeutic approach to target such tumours by down-regulating RTK-mediated cell signalling

Innovation in the 21st century SME manufacturing environments

The environment in which we inhabit is shaped by technology and how as users we use it. This can be seen in the manufacturing SME environment. Manufacturing SMEs are dynamic and flexible but as the business environment is changing at a greater rate than ever before they have to adapt to changes more quickly and efficiently. The ability to adapt to change needs to be reflected in the organisations information management system. The information flows have to be dynamic and flexible to allow for change to occur more efficiently in the organisation not only at management level but throughout the organisation, for the shop floor operator to the managing director. Ambient intelligence (AmI) can assist in the development of more dynamic information flows in the organisation. AmI is a user centred technology concept. In involves including the user, process and environment in the system in a more dynamic way by integrating the various elements to interact together to create an environment that caters to need and requirements of user technologically. This can be achieved by developing an AmI system that can adapt to the different needs and requirements of the users of the system for information related to there specific requirements at any given time. The paper examines the concept of AmI within manufacturing SME. An AmI SME process typology is presented and applied to the manufacturing case study. The solution and implementation are examined through the typology. The business benefits of the system are highlighted

Estimation of CBR Value Using Dynamic Cone Penetrometer

IRC•37-2001, the Indian Roads Congress standard deals with the design of flexible pavements and recommends the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) as an indicator of subgrade soil strength. The subbase/base thickness of pavement is governed by the CBR value of the subgrade soil along with some other parameters such as traffic intensity, climatic conditions, etc. The conventional CBR testing method is expensive, time consuming and its repeatability is low. Additionally, it is very difficult to mould the sample at the desired in-situ density in the laboratory CBR test. Values of in• situ density are underestimated due to local dampness of surface water percolation and stress release while taking out the sample. Dynamic cone penetration test (DCPT) value conducted in the field can be used to estimate the CBR value provided a suitable relationship exists between CBR and DCPT value. In the present study an attempt has been made to establish a relationship between the DCPT value and the CBR

Evaluation and comparative performance of six loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) varieties under Punjab conditions

Evaluation and comparative performance of six loquat Eriobotrya japonica Lindl. cultivars viz. selections, pathankot, tanaka, golden yellow, pale yellow and improved golden yellow was studied under Punjab conditions in 2012-13 and 2013-14. The main objective of the study was to evaluate and recommend the loquat variety with higher yield potential and better fruit quality for the growers of Punjab. Among the six varieties of loquat, cv. Tanaka was found most promising on the basis of the maximum fruit weight (23.5g), fruits per cluster (12), fruit length (4.5cm) fruit breadth (3.64 cm) Pulp weight (29.52g) fruit yield (34.0g),TSS (11.03%.) with minimum acidity (1.12%), seed weight and seed number. Moreover ‘Tanaka’ fruits had higher consumer acceptance (7.83 out of 9) as compared to other loquat varieties under comparison. These varieties were compared with recommended varieties as standard check. The study indicate that cv Tanaka has the potential to excel under Punjab conditions as compared with the prior existing cultivation

Suicide and self-harm in Britain: researching risk and resilience using UK surveys

Aim The main aim of this study was to raise awareness of surveys that could be used to inform self-harm and suicide prevention work. We asked: What UK survey datasets are available for research? What aspects of people’s lives are associated with self-harm and attempted suicide? How do statistical findings resonate with people’s lived experience? What implications do they see? Findings Survey analyses revealed that risk factors for self-harm are wide ranging and include: Mental health Physical health and health behaviours Social relationships Stressful events Employment and financial circumstances Identity and demographics Many different factors are independently associated with self-harm. There is a dose relationship, with more exposure to a factor linked with increased risk. Risks are cumulative that is, exposure to multiple factors is associated with greater risk. Through facilitated consultation, men with lived experience, bereaved family members, and practitioners identified recommendations for responding to suicidal distress in men. These related to the following three main areas: 1. Recognising need: who is ‘ill enough’? Permission - men said that they often did not know they were entitled to help Ask - people who outwardly appear to be functioning may not be Persistence - ask and offer help more than once. 2. Facilitating access: right words, time and place What is available - support is needed with ongoing stress as well as for crises Find the words - men wanted examples of how to ask for help Allow time - employers expect recovery to be swift, some men felt rushed to come off medications or were discharged from services they still needed. 3. Adjusting delivery: equal engagement Power - some were uncomfortable with service dynamics, preferring peer support Every service contact counts - negative contacts had particular impact Safe spaces - may be different for men and women. Methods There were three strands of work: Secondary analysis of nine survey series, spanning more than twenty years Linkage of 144,000 survey participants to information on whether they were alive in 2013 and whether they had taken their own life Facilitated consultation, through depth interviews with people with lived experience

Comparative study of Hemp and Jatropha oil blends used as an alternative fuel in diesel engine

Abstract: The methyl esters of vegetable oils, known as biodiesel are becoming increasingly popular because of their low environmental impact and potential as a green alternate fuel for diesel engines. Use of vegetable oils in conventional not adapted diesel engines leads to slightly inferior performance and higher smoke emissions due to their high viscosity. The performance of vegetable oils can be improved by modifying them through the transesterification process. In the present study, a comparison on the basis of the performance and emission characteristics of different blends of transesterified Hemp (B10 and B20)and Jatropha (B10 and B20) biodiesel was done on a 550 cm³ single cylinder four stroke water cooled diesel engine and the results were compared to that of diesel. Results indicated that in comparison to pure diesel and Jatropha, B20 blend of Hemp biodiesel provides better thermal efficiency, lower specific fuel consumption, reduced CO and CO2 emissions but a considerable increase was found in NOx emission and smoke density was decreased with increase in biodiesel concentration i.e. at 20%. Keywords: Bio-diesel, hemp oil, Jatropha oil, transesterification, engine performance, exhaust emissions, Indi

Effect of integrated nitrogen management on NPK uptake in basmati rice (Oryza sativa L.)

A field experiment entitled NPK uptake influenced by integrated nitrogen management in basmati rice (Oryza sativa L.) was conducted at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during kharif 2010. The experiment was conducted in randomized block design with 13 treatment combinations of chemical fertilizer, green manuring (GM) with Crotalaria juncea, farmyard manure (FYM) and organic preparations [OP (Jeevamrit and Panchagavya)] in four replications. The highest grain yield (34.9±0.54 q ha-1 ) was obtained with combined application of FYM and 50 per cent of recommended nitrogen (RN) followed by GM+FYM+OP (33.7 q ha-1 ) and GM+FYM (33.4±0.99 q ha-1 ). Straw yield (63.1 q ha-1 ) increased significantly (P<0.01) in treatment where FYM combined with 50 per cent of RN was applied. Among different nitrogen management treatments, the maximum N, P and K uptake in grain and straw were observed under treatment T8 (FYM +50 per cent of RN) viz. integrated nitrogen treatment followed by T11 (GM+FYM+OP) and T9 (GM+FYM). Thus, combined application of FYM @ 19.76 t ha-1- with reduced fertilizer dose (50 % of RN) increased the yield and NPK uptake in basmati rice

Unique Mass Texture for Quarks and Leptons

Texture specific quark mass matrices which are hermitian and hierarchical are examined in detail . In the case of texture 6 zeros matrices, out of sixteen possibilities examined by us, none is able to fit the low energy data (LED), for example, $V_{us} = 0.2196 \pm 0.0023$, $V_{cb} = 0.0395 \pm 0.0017$, $\frac{V_{ub}}{V_{cb}} = 0.08 \pm 0.02$, $V_{td}$ lies in the range $0.004 - 0.013$ (PDG). Similarly none of the 32 texture 5 zeros mass matrices considered is able to reproduce LED. In particular, the latest data from LEP regarding $|V_{ub}|/|V_{cb}|(=0.093\pm0.016)$ rules out all of them. In the texture 4 zeros case, we find that there is a unique texture structure for $U$ and $D$ mass matrices which is able to fit the data.Comment: 12 pages, LaTeX,some changes in the references,minor changes in the text,to appear in Phys Rev D(Rapid communications

Managing regional security of supply : a case study from Scotland

Securing the supply of electricity to a region of a power system requires either generation capacity within that region, or transmission import capability coupled with generation elsewhere in the power system. The problem is one of co-optimising generation and transmission infrastructure. This paper begins by discussing changes in Great Britain (GB) regulator environment affecting the provision of regional security of supply: changes to the transmission charging regime; new regulatory arrangements including enhancements to the System Operator’s role, and the opening up of major new transmission projects to competition; and some limitations of the existing standard defining the methodology for calculating secure transmission capabilities. Scotland, as a region of the GB power system, provides an interesting case study in which to investigate the allocation of contributions to regional security of supply between transmission and various categories of generation. In particular, intermittent generation is currently ignored when calculating the level of transmission import capability required to maintain security of supply in a region, whilst it is considered in overall generation adequacy calculations at a system level. Whilst wind generation is not dispatchable, it is shown here that it does provide an additional source of generation availability that should be considered in studies into transmission import requirements. This paper uses historical data for Scottish generation availability from recent winters to investigate the likely impact of changes to the Scottish generation fleet on the need for secure transmission import capability into Scotland. It calculates transmission requirements based on the risk of requiring demand reduction within a region. Scenarios representing possible generation backgrounds in Scotland over the coming decade show that, measured in this way, wind generation can offset transmission import requirements by up to 25% of its installed capacity. The key conclusions of the paper are that a risk-based analysis of regional security of supply and transmission requirements can help allocate the true impact of different generators on the transmission import capability needed to secure supply to a region. Such a method can therefore be useful in informing the allocation of charges between parties and in developing planning standards to shape future investment in the system