Development of a high pressure compressed natural gas mixer for a 1.5 litre CNG-diesel dual engine

[Abstract]: The Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis software was used to study the flow behaviour of compressed natural gas (CNG) and air in a CNG-air mixer to be introduced through the air inlet of a CNG-Diesel dual fuel stationary engine. The results of the simulation show that the Venturi mixer with more holes gives superior engine performance compared to the 4-hole Venturi mixer. Further analysis is done on the different holes mixer to investigate the effect of engine speed on the mass flow rate of CNG and the equivalence ratio Lambda. The second part of the paper represents a comparison results between the performances of a single cylinder research Compression Ignition CI engine fuelled with CNG-diesel system and conventional CI engine fuelled by conventional diesel. The engine was equipped with the simulated Venturi mixer, the result showed significant reduction in the exhaust gas emission compared to the conventional diesel engine. The average power output generated by dual fuel engine was slightly higher than that diesel one at different engine speeds

Comparison of effectiveness of Swamiji Vethathiri Maharishi’s acupressure 14 points exercise with TCM acupressure therapy in the treatment of depression, thyroid problems and heart ailments

In this research article, the research scholar has made a maiden attempt in presenting three original case reports pertaining to the treatment of depression, thyroid problems and heart ailments faced by three different patients and a gradual recovery from these problems through a regular and unintermittent practice of Acupressure 14 points exercise designed by Swamiji Vethathiri Maharishi (1911-2006) a South Indian born Saint and Savant. According to him a continuous practice of this acupressure 14 points exercise ensures free flow of bio-magnetic energy or vital life force energy throughout the body without any short-circuit by removing air bubbles in the nerves and helps in the free flow of blood circulation and restores the body to the normal condition free from pain and diseases. In a similar manner, the concept of Traditional Chinese Medicine acupressure therapy involves Qi energy or vital life force energy which circulates through natural pathway in the body called meridians such as Yin-Yang channels. Blockage or an imbalance or disharmony in the flow of Qi energy or vital life force energy in Yin and Yang channels can cause illness and pain. Thus, concept of TCM acupressure therapy as well as Swamij Vethathiri Maharishi’s Acupressure 14 points exercise help the patients to correct the functional imbalance and restore the free flow of bio-magnetic energy or Qi energy and thereby returning the body to a more natural state of well-being. Thus, Swamiji Vethathiri Maharishi's acupressure14 point’s exercises and TCM acupressure therapy can be regarded as a priceless treasure to the society in general and to the patients suffering from various illnesses in particular. Swamiji Vethathiri Maharishi's Acupressure 14 points exercises as well as TCM acupressure therapy using fingertips is a non-pharmacological and self-care treatment, very safe, involves no side-effect and an inexpensive method which doesn’t require any equipment

Measuring the Human Factor of Cyber Security

This paper investigates new methods to measure, quantify and evaluate the security posture of human organizations especially within large corporations and government agencies. Computer security is not just about technology and systems. It is also about the people that use those systems and how their vulnerable behaviors can lead to exploitation. We focus on measuring enterprise-level susceptibility to phishing attacks. Results of experiments conducted at Columbia University and the system used to conduct the experiments are presented that show how the system can also be effective for training users. We include a description of follow-on work that has been proposed to DHS that aims to measure and improve the security posture of government departments and agencies, as well as for comparing security postures of individual agencies against one another

Should you restrict your cardiac patient from driving?

That depends, of course, on your patient's particular condition, but your decision can be guided by various cardiovascular society consensus conferences, such as the one from the Canadian Cardiovascular Society, since no evidence-based guidelines exist. It seems sensible to say, though, that impairment of consciousness associated with any heart disease needs further evaluation, with a complete restriction of driving for at least 6 months (strength of recommendation [SOR]: C, based on expert opinion and extrapolation from observational studies)

Investigation on D-STATCOM Operation for Power Quality Improvement in a Three Phase Three Wire Distribution System with a New Control Strategy

This paper deals with the issue of modeling and analysis of power controllers, power electronic-based equipment aimed at improving the reliability, stability and quality of power flows in low voltage distribution networks. A new control scheme is proposed to generate the PWM signal based on the measurements of voltage, and no reactive power measurements are required. The operation of the proposed control method is presented for D-STATCOM. Simulations and analysis are carried out in MATLAB/PLECS with this control method for the proposed systems. The reliability of the control scheme in the system response to the voltage instabilities due to system faults or load variations is proved obviously in the simulation results. Keywords: D-STATCOM, PWM, VSC, MATLAB/PLECS

Why Arts Education, At All?: An A/r/tographic Inquiry

In the wake of curricular epistemicide, the authors draw your attention towards the theoretical and practical constraints created around arts education. As a/r/tographers (artists, researchers, and teachers), we argue that our ways of knowing and creating in the space of curriculum and instruction are dynamic ways to think about and through curricular epistemicide. In foregrounding our own experiences of “(un)becoming through the cracks”, when we are faced with restrictive ways of knowing in a Department of Teacher Education, we put forth a question through our arts-based practices of knowing: why arts education, at all

Analysing an Imbalanced Stroke Prediction Dataset Using Machine Learning Techniques

A stroke is a medical condition characterized by the rupture of blood vessels within the brain which can lead to brain damage. Various symptoms may be exhibited when the brain's supply of blood and essential nutrients is disrupted. To forecast the possibility of brain stroke occurring at an early stage using Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) is the main objective of this study. Timely detection of the various warning signs of a stroke can significantly reduce its severity. This paper performed a comprehensive analysis of features to enhance stroke prediction effectiveness. A reliable dataset for stroke prediction is taken from the Kaggle website to gauge the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. The dataset has a class imbalance problem which means the total number of negative samples is higher than the total number of positive samples. The results are reported based on a balanced dataset created using oversampling techniques. The proposed work used Smote and Adasyn to handle imbalanced problem for better evaluation metrics. Additionally, the hybrid Neural Network and Random Forest (NN-RF) utilizing the balanced dataset by Adasyn oversampling achieves the highest F1-score of 75% compared to the original unbalanced dataset and other benchmarking algorithms. The proposed algorithm with balanced data utilizing hybrid NN-RF achieves an accuracy of 84%. Advanced ML techniques coupled with thorough data analysis enhance stroke prediction. This study underscores the significance of data-driven methodologies, resulting in improved accuracy and comprehension of stroke risk factors. Applying these methodologies to medical fields can enhance patient care and public health outcomes. By integrating our discoveries, we can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the public health system

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN NATURAL FIBER HYBRID COMPOSITES FOR BALLISTIC APPLICATIONS: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF MECHANISMS AND FAILURE CRITERIA

The use of lightweight natural fiber functional composites in the manufacturing of ballistic protective materials has garnered significant attention in recent years. This is due to their superior mechanical properties, cost-effectiveness, and environmental sustainability. Ballistic panels are constructed using multiple layers of diverse composites, which collectively exhibit excellent mechanical properties. These properties enable them to withstand strong impacts enhancing their capability for different applications in defense, military, and aerospace components. The primary focus of this review is to examine the different influential factors that govern the development of novel polymeric materials for current ballistic applications. It also explores various research approaches, such as experimental, analytical, numerical modeling, and empirical techniques. The review highlights both internal factors, such as material composition, and external factors, such as projectile parameters (e.g., nose angles, projectile shape, and projectile size). These factors are crucial for optimizing the robust ballistic performance of natural fiber-based polymer composites. In addition, various valuable insights to develop more effective and sustainable ballistic protective materials for applications in bulletproof helmets, defense, aerospace, and military sectors have also been elaborated. Consequently, the article presents a comprehensive review of the impact of utilizing various natural fibers as alternative materials to Kevlar for armor structures, offering a state-of-the-art perspective and challenges faced in full-scale implementation

Paraoxonase 2 overexpression inhibits tumor development in a mouse model of ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer (OC) is most lethal malignancy among all gynecological cancer. Large bodies of evidences suggest that mitochondrial-derived ROS play a critical role in the development and progression of OC. Paraoxonase 2 (PON2) is a membrane-associated lactonase with anti-oxidant properties. PON2 deficiency aggravates mitochondrial ROS formation, systemic inflammation, and atherosclerosis. The role of PON2 in cancer development remains unknown. In this report, in human, we identified that PON2 expression is higher in early stages (but not in late stages) of OC when compared to normal tissue. Using a mouse xenograft model of OC, we demonstrate that overexpression of PON2 prevents tumor formation. Mechanistically, PON2 decreases OC cell proliferation by inhibiting insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) expression and signaling. Intriguingly, PON2 reduces c-Jun-mediated transcriptional activation of IGF-1 gene by decreasing mitochondrial superoxide generation. In addition, PON2 impairs insulin like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) signaling in OC cells by altering cholesterol homeostasis, which resulted in reduced caveolin-1/IGF-1R interaction and IGF-1R phosphorylation. Taken together, we report for the first time that PON2 acts as a tumor suppressor in the early stage of OC by reducing IGF-1 production and its signaling, indicating PON2 activation might be a fruitful strategy to inhibit early stage ovarian tumor