Review of experimental methods to determine spontaneous combustion susceptibility of coal – Indian context

This paper presents a critical review of the different techniques developed to investigate the susceptibility of coal to spontaneous combustion and fire. These methods may be sub-classified into the two following areas: (1) Basic coal characterisation studies (chemical constituents) and their influence on spontaneous combustion susceptibility. (2) Test methods to assess the susceptibility of a coal sample to spontaneous combustion. This is followed by a critical literature review that summarises previous research with special emphasis given to Indian coals

A global research priority agenda to advance public health responses to fatty liver disease

Background & aims An estimated 38% of adults worldwide have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). From individual impacts to widespread public health and economic consequences, the implications of this disease are profound. This study aimed to develop an aligned, prioritised fatty liver disease research agenda for the global health community. Methods Nine co-chairs drafted initial research priorities, subsequently reviewed by 40 core authors and debated during a three-day in-person meeting. Following a Delphi methodology, over two rounds, a large panel (R1 n = 344, R2 n = 288) reviewed the priorities, via Qualtrics XM, indicating agreement using a four-point Likert-scale and providing written feedback. The core group revised the draft priorities between rounds. In R2, panellists also ranked the priorities within six domains: epidemiology, models of care, treatment and care, education and awareness, patient and community perspectives, and leadership and public health policy. Results The consensus-built fatty liver disease research agenda encompasses 28 priorities. The mean percentage of ‘agree’ responses increased from 78.3 in R1 to 81.1 in R2. Five priorities received unanimous combined agreement (‘agree’ + ‘somewhat agree’); the remaining 23 priorities had >90% combined agreement. While all but one of the priorities exhibited at least a super-majority of agreement (>66.7% ‘agree’), 13 priorities had 90% combined agreement. Conclusions Adopting this multidisciplinary consensus-built research priorities agenda can deliver a step-change in addressing fatty liver disease, mitigating against its individual and societal harms and proactively altering its natural history through prevention, identification, treatment, and care. This agenda should catalyse the global health community’s efforts to advance and accelerate responses to this widespread and fast-growing public health threat. Impact and implications An estimated 38% of adults and 13% of children and adolescents worldwide have fatty liver disease, making it the most prevalent liver disease in history. Despite substantial scientific progress in the past three decades, the burden continues to grow, with an urgent need to advance understanding of how to prevent, manage, and treat the disease. Through a global consensus process, a multidisciplinary group agreed on 28 research priorities covering a broad range of themes, from disease burden, treatment, and health system responses to awareness and policy. The findings have relevance for clinical and non-clinical researchers as well as funders working on fatty liver disease and non-communicable diseases more broadly, setting out a prioritised, ranked research agenda for turning the tide on this fast-growing public health threat

Textural characteristics of beach sediments along Kalpakkam, south east coast of India

1562-1574Samples collected from foreshore region showed more variations in grain size as compared to mid-shore region samples. Median values varied from -0.08ø to 2.19 ø with an average of 1.04 ø (Std ± 0.65 ø). Mean value showed that samples were fine to coarse sand, whereas, only 1.8% of total samples were found as very coarse sand. During southwest monsoon the average mean size of the beach sediment was 0.98 ø, which is coarse sand in contrast to the medium sand observed during other seasons. Present study showed that, 81.7% of the samples were unimodal and 17.8% samples were bimodal. Sediment samples were very well sorted (0.18 ø) to poorly sorted (1.18 ø) and sorting characteristics decreased with increased wave energy. Skewness value indicated that 41% & 11% of the samples were positively skewed and negative skewed respectively, whereas, rest of the samples were symmetrical. All the beaches were dominated by mesokurtic sediment. Dominance of positively skewed sediment in the study area indicated the prevalence of low wave activity and longshore current. Presence of relatively high fraction of mesokurtic sediment indicated that the beaches along Kalpakkam by and large have uniform energy environment

Evolution of the Oligotrophic West Pacific Warm Pool During the Pliocene-Pleistocene Boundary

This study investigates the development of oligotrophic conditions, thickening, and zonal and meridional contraction of the West Pacific Warm Pool (WPWP) during the Pliocene. It has been hypothesized that the evolution of the WPWP and the establishment of strong equatorial Pacific zonal gradients are closely related to the narrowing of the Indonesian Gateway (IG) as well as the closure of the Central American Seaway (CAS). However, the timing of the development of these events remains unclear. Here we report Pliocene-to-Recent relative abundances of planktic foraminifera at Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) Site 214 in the eastern Indian Ocean and at Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 807, in the western Pacific. A comparison of the abundance of mixed-layer species (MLS) from both sites indicates a pronounced increase in their population between ~3.15 and 1.6 Ma. There is a contemporaneous decrease in the Globigerinita glutinata population during this time, which together with the MLS data suggest the development of oligotrophic conditions in the western tropical Pacific. Our data suggest that the oligotrophic WPWP, resembling present-day conditions, developed around 3.15 Ma and was closely linked to the gradual constriction of the IG. ©2020. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.6 month embargo; first published: 20 October 2020This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

New record of an epizoic diatom, Pseudohimantidium pacificum on two species of copepods from the Indian Ocean

1331-1334Pseudohimantidium pacificum Hustedt and Krasske, 1941, an epizoic diatom was found on the copepod genera Corycaeus Dana and Euterpina acutifrons Dana from the coastal waters of Southwestern Bay of Bengal. The present report forms the first record of the epibiont Pseudohimantidium pacificum from the Indian coast and the Indian Ocean

Not Available

Not AvailableNot AvailableNot Availabl