Optimizing Surface Profiles during Hot Rolling: A Genetic Algorithms based Multi-objective Analysis

A hot rolled strip produced by any integrated steel plant would require satisfying some stringent requirements of its surface profile. Crown and Flatness are two industrially accepted quantifiers that relate to the geometric tolerances in the rolled strips. This study attempts to regulate both crown and flatness within an acceptable limit, satisfying more than one objective at a time. Mathematically, this leads to a multi-objective optimization problem where the solution is no longer unique and a family of equally feasible solutions leads to the so called Pareto-Front, where each member is simply as good as the others. To implement this concept in the present context, one needs to realize that the surface deformation, which is ultimately imparted to the rolled sheets, comes from more than one source. The wear of the rolls, their thermal expansion, bending, and also deformation, contribute significantly towards the crown and flatness that is ultimately observed. During this study a detailed mathematical model has been worked out for this process incorporating all of these phenomena. Computation for the Pareto-optimality has been carried out using different forms of biologically inspired Genetic Algorithms, often integrated with an Ant Colony Optimization Scheme. Ultimately the model has been fine tuned for the hot rolling practice in a major integrated steel plant and tested against their actual operational data

Quantitative estimation and evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity of macromolecules of Boswellia serrata

The present study was aimed to isolate and perform qualitative analysis of macromolecules present in Boswellia serrata followed by evaluation of their anti-inflammatory activity by in-vitro IL-6 ELISA study. The oleo gum resin of B. serrata was pretreated with hexane, methanol and the obtained residue was extracted with water and the final dried powder was taken for macromolecule analysis. The macromolecules which comprise of polysaccharides, mucilages and proteins were quantitatively estimated and evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activity by in-vitro IL-6 ELISA study. From the current study, it was found that the macromolecules present in B. serrata majorly comprise of polysaccharides and mucilages with moderate quantity of proteins. The quantitative analysis of polysaccharides, mucilages and proteins were found 35.91%, 34% and 14.29%. From the in-vitro IL-6 ELISA study, it was found that the macromolecules showed 82.63% inhibition of IL-6. The identified macromolecules from B. serrata showed significant anti-inflammatory activity by inhibition of IL- 6 and further need to confirm by in vivo study to qualify B. serrata macromolecules as a promising anti-inflammatory agent

Quantitative estimation and evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity of macromolecules of Boswellia serrata

940-943The present study was aimed to isolate and perform qualitative analysis of macromolecules present in Boswellia serrata followed by evaluation of their anti-inflammatory activity by in-vitro IL-6 ELISA study. The oleo gum resin of B. serrata was pretreated with hexane, methanol and the obtained residue was extracted with water and the final dried powder was taken for macromolecule analysis. The macromolecules which comprise of polysaccharides, mucilages and proteins were quantitatively estimated and evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activity by in-vitro IL-6 ELISA study. From the current study, it was found that the macromolecules present in B. serrata majorly comprise of polysaccharides and mucilages with moderate quantity of proteins. The quantitative analysis of polysaccharides, mucilages and proteins were found 35.91%, 34% and 14.29%. From the in-vitro IL-6 ELISA study, it was found that the macromolecules showed 82.63% inhibition of IL-6. The identified macromolecules from B. serrata showed significant anti-inflammatory activity by inhibition of IL- 6 and further need to confirm by in vivo study to qualify B. serrata macromolecules as a promising anti-inflammatory agent

Glyconanoparticles for colorimetric bioassays

Carbohydrate molecules are involved in many of the cellular processes that are important for life. By combining the specific analyte targeting of carbohydrates with the multivalent structure and change of solution colour as a consequence of plasmonic interactions with the aggregation of metal nanoparticles, glyconanoparticles have been used extensively for the development of bioanalytical assays. The noble metals used to create the nanocore, the methodologies used to assemble the carbohydrates on the nanoparticle surface, the carbohydrate chosen for each specific target, the length of the tether that separates the carbohydrate from the nanocore and the density of carbohydrates on the surface all impact on the structural formation of metal based glyconanoparticles. This tutorial review highlights these key components, which directly impact on the selectivity and sensitivity of the developed bioassay, for the colorimetric detection of lectins, toxins and viruses

Low-smoke chulha in Indian slums: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Background Biomass fuel is used as a primary cooking source by more than half of the world’s population, contributing to a high burden of disease. Although cleaner fuels are available, some households continue using solid fuels because of financial constraints and absence of infrastructure, especially in non-notified slums. The present study documents a randomised controlled study investigating the efficacy of improved cookstove on the personal exposure to air pollution and the respiratory health of women and children in an Indian slum. The improved cookstove was based on co-creation of a low-smoke chulha with local communities in order to support adaption and sustained uptake. Methods The study will be conducted in a non-notified slum called Ashrayanagar in Bangalore, India. The study design will be a 1:1 randomised controlled intervention trial, including 250 households. The intervention group will receive an improved cookstove (low-smoke chulha) and the control group will continue using either the traditional cookstove (chulha) or a combination of the traditional stove and the kerosene/diesel stove. Follow-up time is 1 year. Outcomes include change in lung function (FEV1/FVC), incidence of pneumonia, change in personal PM2.5 and CO exposure, incidence of respiratory symptoms (cough, phlegm, wheeze and shortness of breath), prevalence of other related symptoms (headache and burning eyes), change in behaviour and adoption of the stove. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee of the Indian Institute of Public Health Hyderabad- Bengaluru Campus. Discussion The findings from this study aim to provide insight into the effects of improved cookstoves in urban slums. Results can give evidence for the decrease of indoor air pollution and the improvement of respiratory health for children and women. Trial registration The trial was registered with clinicaltrials.gov on 21 June 2016 with the identifier NCT02821650; A Study to Test the Impact of an Improved Chulha on the Respiratory Health of Women and Children in Indian Slums

A multi-targeted approach to suppress tumor-promoting inflammation

Cancers harbor significant genetic heterogeneity and patterns of relapse following many therapies are due to evolved resistance to treatment. While efforts have been made to combine targeted therapies, significant levels of toxicity have stymied efforts to effectively treat cancer with multi-drug combinations using currently approved therapeutics. We discuss the relationship between tumor-promoting inflammation and cancer as part of a larger effort to develop a broad-spectrum therapeutic approach aimed at a wide range of targets to address this heterogeneity. Specifically, macrophage migration inhibitory factor, cyclooxygenase-2, transcription factor nuclear factor-κB, tumor necrosis factor alpha, inducible nitric oxide synthase, protein kinase B, and CXC chemokines are reviewed as important antiinflammatory targets while curcumin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate, genistein, lycopene, and anthocyanins are reviewed as low-cost, low toxicity means by which these targets might all be reached simultaneously. Future translational work will need to assess the resulting synergies of rationally designed antiinflammatory mixtures (employing low-toxicity constituents), and then combine this with similar approaches targeting the most important pathways across the range of cancer hallmark phenotypes

Low-Energy Parity-Violation and New Physics

The new physics sensitivity of a variety of low-energy parity-violating (PV) observables is analyzed. A comparison is made between atomic PV for a single isotope, atomic PV using isotope ratios, and PV electron-hadron and electron-electron scattering. The complementarity among these observables, as well as with high-energy processes, is emphasized. Theoretical uncertainties entering the interpretation of low-energy measurements are discussed.Comment: 37 pages, 2 figures. Omissions to Tables I and V corrected along with some minor typographical errors. To appear in Phys. Rev.