Community structure of fish parasites and their intermediate hosts in relation to Trophic conditions of lakes.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the helminth communities in populations of three fish species along the trophic gradient of lakes. Data were collected from three lakes of differing trophic status in the Kashmir Himalayas, namely Anchar (severely eutrophic), Dal (highly eutrophic) and Manasbal (moderately eutrophic) during June 2006 to May 2008. The main objectives of the study were: (1) to examine the physico-chemical characteristics of lakes and (2) to assess the helminth assemblage patterns in fish populations of lakes. In addition, a follow-up study was undertaken to study the density profiles of intermediate hosts during the second year (June 2007 – May 2008). Fish species studied included one native species Schizothorax niger Heckel and three non-native species – Cyprinus carpio communis Linnaeus, C. c. specularis Linnaeus and Carassius carassius (Linnaeus). A comparison of physico-chemical parameters and depth revealed that the study lakes presented a mosaic of different trophic gradients; Anchar was most affected by eutrophication, followed by Dal, whereas Manasbal was the least eutrophic among the three lakes. A total of seven helminth parasite species were recorded during the investigation period. These included three trematodes: Diplozoon kashmirensis Kaw, Clinostomum schizothoraxi Kaw, and Posthodiplostomum cuticola Dubios (Neascus cuticola Nordmann); two cestodes: Bothriocephalus acheilognathi Yamaguti and Adenoscolex oreini Fotedar and two acanthocephalans: Pomphorhynchus kashmirensis Kaw and Neoechinorhynchus manasbalensis Kaw from Acanthocephala. The populations of different intermediate host guilds such as cyclopoid copepods, gastropods, oligochaetes, ostracods, and amphipods showed interlake variations. The densities of intermediate hosts especially cyclopoid copepods, gastropods and oligochaetes were higher at Anchar, suggesting a positive response of the invertebrate host community to cultural eutrophication. However, the pattern exhibited by ostracods and amphipods were not so distinct which agreed well with the rare status of their parasites in lakes. The analysis of data showed a clear habitat effect on the abundance pattern of helminth species. Helminth infracommunity richness was highest in host populations of S. niger and C. carassius from the Anchar lake compared to two other lakes. On the otherhand, there was no observed pattern of community structure in the case of C. carpio in the three lakes.Digital copy of Ph.D thesis.University of Kashmir

Interactions of shock tube exhaust flows with laminar and turbulent flames

The interactions of flow features emitting from open-ended shock tubes with free-standing propane flames have been investigated using high-speed schlieren imaging and high-frequency pressure measurements, with additional data from validated numerical modeling. Both compressed air-driven interactions with non-pre-mixed laminar diffusion flames (small-scale) and explosively-driven interactions with turbulent non-pre-mixed turbulent flames (large-scale) were tested for various flame locations and shock tube stagnation pressures (and therefore Mach numbers). In the small-scale tests it was observed that the flames were not significantly influenced by the passage of either the initial shock if placed close to the tube exit, or the weaker pressure waves downstream if the flame was placed further away. Four types of interaction were classified, three of which led to permanent extinguishment of the flames. The most effective mechanism of extinguishment for a flame in-line with the exhaust was the axial exhaust jet of expanding air, which served to push the flame off the fuel source either at close range (Type I) or more slowly at a distance (Type II), after which rapid cessation of combustion occurred. With the flame positioned to one side of the path of the jet, strong loop vortices achieved a similar overall outcome of extinguishment, albeit with very different flame behavior in reaction to the strong turbulence and vorticity induced by the passing flow (Type III). In all cases bar one, the disruption to the fire triangle caused by these flow effects was sufficient to extinguish – rapidly and permanently – the flame. However, at a sufficient lateral offset of the flame from the shock tube exit, the strength of rotating flow being entrained into the diffusing vortex ring was not sufficient to remove and disperse the heat from the extinguished flame (Type IV), such that re-ignition could occur. By contrast, in the large-scale tests with a significantly different shock pressure profile and a flame approximately 1 order of magnitude greater, extinguishment in all cases for all shock strengths and locations was achieved by the shock itself (accelerating combustion) and the following “blast wind” impulsively moving the flame off the fuel source, with the vortices having negligible effect at the given testing locations (Type V)

An X-ray upper limit on the presence of a Neutron Star for the Small Magellanic Cloud and Supernova Remnant 1E0102.2-7219

We present Chandra X-ray Observatory archival observations of the supernova remnant 1E0102.2-7219, a young Oxygen-rich remnant in the Small Magellanic Cloud. Combining 28 ObsIDs for 324 ks of total exposure time, we present an ACIS image with an unprecedented signal-to-noise ratio (mean S/N ~ sqrt(S) ~6; maximum S/N > 35) . We search within the remnant, using the source detection software {\sc wavdetect}, for point sources which may indicate a compact object. Despite finding numerous detections of high significance in both broad and narrow band images of the remnant, we are unable to satisfactorily distinguish whether these detections correspond to emission from a compact object. We also present upper limits to the luminosity of an obscured compact stellar object which were derived from an analysis of spectra extracted from the high signal-to-noise image. We are able to further constrain the characteristics of a potential neutron star for this remnant with the results of the analysis presented here, though we cannot confirm the existence of such an object for this remnant.Comment: Accepted to the Astrophysical Journa

The High Voltage Feedthroughs for the ATLAS Liquid Argon Calorimeters

The purpose, design specifications, construction techniques, and testing methods are described for the high voltage feedthrough ports and filters of the ATLAS Liquid Argon calorimeters. These feedthroughs carry about 5000 high voltage wires from a room-temperature environment (300 K) through the cryostat walls to the calorimeters cells (89 K) while maintaining the electrical and cryogenic integrity of the system. The feedthrough wiring and filters operate at a maximum high voltage of 2.5 kV without danger of degradation by corona discharges or radiation at the Large Hadron Collider

From toothpick legs to dropping vaginas: Gender and sexuality in Joan Rivers' stand-up comedy performance

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final published article is available from the link below. Copyright @ 2011 Intellect.This article employs sociocultural analysis to examine Joan Rivers’ stand-up comedy performances in order to reveal how she successfully operates in a sphere of artistic expression that has been, and continues to be, male-dominated. The analysis uncovers how Rivers’ stand-up comedy performance involves a complex combination of elements and how it fuses features that are regarded as ‘traditionally masculine’, such as aggression, with features frequently used by other female stand-up comedians, such as self-deprecating comedy and confessional comedy. Furthermore, the analysis exposes the complex ways in which constructions of gender and sexuality are negotiated and re-negotiated in Rivers’ stand-up comedy performance, and illustrates how dominant ideological identity constructions can be simultaneously reinforced and subverted within the same comic moment

The process of updating engineering management science in an Australian regional university excellence in developing e-learning

The aim of this paper is to share the processes in revising the courseware of the course of Engineering Management Science coded as ENG4004, in the Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical, Mechatronics, Electrical and Electronic, Computer Systems, Instrumentation and Control), Bachelor of Engineering Technology (Mechanical, Building and Construction Management) programs offered by the University of Southern Queensland (USQ), a regional Australian University with excellence in developing e-learning (Good University Guides 2001; Morgan 1997). The paper describes how the authors review the courseware of the course. The needs for the review are also explained. The assessments of the course were also studied and revised. The authors also estimated the costs involved in reviewing the course. At the same time, the paper also predicts the benefits that will be offered to students and the community including employers who are going to employ USQ graduates. It is finally concluded that the review is worthwhile and the actual costs to the university are minimal

Thermal responses of single zone offices on existing near-extreme summer weather data

There have been a number of attempts in the past to define “near extreme” weather for facilitating overheating analysis in free running buildings. The most recently efforts include CIBSE latest release of Design Summer Year (DSY) weather using multiple complete weather years and a newly proposed composite DSY. This research aims to assess how various single zone offices respond to these new definitions of near extreme weathers. Parametric studies were carried out on single zone offices through which four sampling sets of models were employed to examine the thermal responses of dry bulb temperature, global solar radiation & wind speed collectively. London weather data from 1976 to 1995 were used and the overheating assessments were made based on CIBSE Guide A & BS EN 15251. The research discovers that solar radiation and wind both influence the predicted indoor warmth with solar radiation has obvious stronger impacts than wind. No perfect correlation was found from observation and Spearman’s rank order analysis on the ranks between the weather warmth and the predicted indoor warmth. The ranks made using multiple weather parameters show better correlation than some of the dry bulb temperature only metrics. The research also discovers that the Test Reference Year weather behaves warmer than expected. It is also found that a single complete year can not represent the near-extreme consistently and there is no evidence a composite DSY is better statistically. These findings support the notion of using multiple complete warm weather years for overheating assessments