Future fuels and engines for railroad locomotives. Volume 1: Summary

The potential for reducing the dependence of railroads on petroleum fuel, particularly Diesel No. 2 was investigated. Two approaches are studied: (1) to determine how the use of Diesel No. 2 can be reduced through increased efficiency and conservation, and (2) to use fuels other than Diesel No. 2 both in Diesel and other types of engines. Because synthetic hydrocarbon fuels are particularly suited to medium speed diesel engines, the first commercial application of these fuels may be by the railroad industry

Role of oestradiol-17β in the regulation of synthesis and secretion of human chorionic gonadotrophin by first trimester human placenta

Inhibition of aromatase, a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of oestradiol-17β , by the addition of 1,4,6-androstatrien-3,17-dione resulted in a significant increase in the levels of immunoreactive human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) in the medium and tissue. This increase was partially reversed by the simultaneous addition of oestradiol-17β . These effects on the levels of immunoreactive hCG were also reflected by the increased levels of mRNA specific for the α and β subunits of hCG following the addition of the aromatase inhibitor. However, addition of tamoxifen resulted in a drastic decrease in the levels of both the messages. Based on these results, it is suggested that the synthesis of hCG is negatively modulated by oestradiol-17β in the human placenta

What is Information Worth for an Extra Quintal of Grain?: Randomised Experimental Evidence from Farmers in India

This study evaluates whether access to real-time customised idiosyncratic agricultural information over extended seasons improves the value of such information among farmers. We conduct a controlled randomised experiment in the Indian state of Karnataka. The study employs the difference-in-difference method to a panel of households comparing the differential valuation of information during the post-intervention period between treatment (participant) and control (non-participant) farmers relative to the outcomes observed during a pre-intervention period. We find robust evidence of the intervention showing significantly positive impacts on the valuation of agricultural information among treatment farmers relative to the control farmers. A difference of each one unit improvement in information access is found to be associated with 53 percent average increase in the mean valuation of the information. The result indicates that farmers value information that is comprehensive, reliable, real-time and idiosyncratic as opposed to the more generic or piecemeal information

Combined molecular/continuum modeling reveals the role of friction during fast unfolding of coiled-coil proteins

Coiled-coils are filamentous proteins that form the basic building block of important force-bearing cellular elements, such as intermediate filaments and myosin motors. In addition to their biological importance, coiled-coil proteins are increasingly used in new biomaterials including fibers, nanotubes, or hydrogels. Coiled-coils undergo a structural transition from an a-helical coil to an unfolded state upon extension, which allows them to sustain large strains and is critical for their biological function. By performing equilibrium and out-of-equilibrium all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of coiledcoils in explicit solvent, we show that two-state models based on Kramers’ or Bell’s theories fail to predict the rate of unfolding at high pulling rates. We further show that an atomistically informed continuum rod model accounting for phase transformations and for the hydrodynamic interactions with the solvent can reconcile two-state models with our MD results. Our results show that frictional forces, usually neglected in theories of fibrous protein unfolding, reduce the thermodynamic force acting on the interface, and thus control the dynamics of unfolding at different pulling rates. Our results may help interpret MD simulations at high pulling rates, and could be pertinent to cytoskeletal networks or protein-based artificial materials subjected to shocks or blasts

ACCURACY OF FNAC IN FEMALE BREAST LESIONS

Background: Various breast lesions are common lesions in females with a wide range of variability from inflammatory lesions, benign and malignant breast lesions. FNAC is first diagnostic test, as it has high sensitivity and specificity. Lesions were categorized on FNA into inflammatory lesions, benign neoplastic lesions, malignant neoplastic lesions, and suspicious for malignancy. Methods: This was a retrospective study done in the Department of Pathology, P.D.U. Medical College, Rajkot, Gujarat State, India from Aug-2013 to July 2014. FNAC of 392 cases of breast lesions were done and reported by expert pathologist. The histopathological specimens when available were reported by other pathologist without prior knowledge of FNA diagnosis. Sensitivity, Specificity and Accuracy of FNA diagnosis were then analyzed. Results: A total of 392 cases of breast lesions were diagnosed on FNA, out of them histopathological correlation was available in 87 cases. Benign breast lesions are more common in younger patients in 21-30 yrs age group and malignant lesions are more common in old age group patients of 41-60 yrs with few exceptions. In our setup fibroadenoma is the most common benign breast lesion (26.53%) and ductal carcinoma (17.86%) is the most common malignant lesion. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of FNAC for malignant lesions were found to be 91.43%, 100% and 96.25% respectively. Conclusion: FNAC is an effective and valid tool as the first line diagnostic modality in the preoperative diagnosis of the malignant and benign breast lesions.KEYWORDS: FNAC; Breast lesions; Fibroadenoma; Ductal carcinoma

Solar cycle variation and its impact on critical frequency of F layer

20-29The ionosphere exhibits the variability over different time scales. In the present paper we present the long term solar activity variations of mid latitude ionosphere. To accomplish this study we have considered a famous Australian station namely Hobart (42.88°S, 147.32°E), which falls in the mid latitudinal region. The variability has been examined over the previous three solar cycles i.e, 21, 22 and 23 solar cycles. To characterize the long term variability of the solar activity we have used four indices namely sunspot number (Rz), solar radio flux (F 10.7cm), Mg II core to wing ratio and solar flare index. Similarly, for ionospheric variability we have the critical frequency of F2 layer (foF2). From our study, we found that the long term changes in the solar activity indices which are closely and synchronously reflected in the ionospheric foF2. To quantify the magnitude of association between the long term solar activity variations and the ionsopehric variations we have performed the single regression analysis and computed the correlation coefficients between the two types of indicies, and found that there exists an extremely strong correlation between the two types of indices for all the three solar cycles. Hence, it has been concluded that the ionospheric foF2 is strongly influenced by solar activity with an 11-year variability

ACCURACY OF FNAC IN FEMALE BREAST LESIONS

Background: Various breast lesions are common lesions in females with a wide range of variability from inflammatory lesions, benign and malignant breast lesions. FNAC is first diagnostic test, as it has high sensitivity and specificity. Lesions were categorized on FNA into inflammatory lesions, benign neoplastic lesions, malignant neoplastic lesions, and suspicious for malignancy. Methods: This was a retrospective study done in the Department of Pathology, P.D.U. Medical College, Rajkot, Gujarat State, India from Aug-2013 to July 2014. FNAC of 392 cases of breast lesions were done and reported by expert pathologist. The histopathological specimens when available were reported by other pathologist without prior knowledge of FNA diagnosis. Sensitivity, Specificity and Accuracy of FNA diagnosis were then analyzed. Results: A total of 392 cases of breast lesions were diagnosed on FNA, out of them histopathological correlation was available in 87 cases. Benign breast lesions are more common in younger patients in 21-30 yrs age group and malignant lesions are more common in old age group patients of 41-60 yrs with few exceptions. In our setup fibroadenoma is the most common benign breast lesion (26.53%) and ductal carcinoma (17.86%) is the most common malignant lesion. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of FNAC for malignant lesions were found to be 91.43%, 100% and 96.25% respectively. Conclusion: FNAC is an effective and valid tool as the first line diagnostic modality in the preoperative diagnosis of the malignant and benign breast lesions.KEYWORDS: FNAC; Breast lesions; Fibroadenoma; Ductal carcinoma

Non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions in the EU-28 from 2005 to 2050: GAINS model methodology

This report presents the GAINS model methodology for the 2016 Reference scenario for emissions of non-CO2 greenhouse gases (GHGs), mitigation potentials and costs in the EU-28 with projections to 2050. The non-CO2 emission scenarios form part of the work under the EUCLIMIT2 project1. The project aims at producing projections for all emissions of GHGs in the EU-28 consistent with the macroeconomic and population projections presented in EC/DG ECFIN (2015). Four modelling groups were involved in the work: PRIMES (National Technical University of Athens), CAPRI (Bonn University), GLOBIOM (IIASA-ESM program) and GAINS (IIASA-MAG program). This report focuses on describing the methodology of the GAINS model for the estimation of the non-CO2 GHGs, i.e., methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and three groups of fluorinated gases (F-gases) viz. hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). The report is structured as follows. Section 2 presents the general GAINS methodology for estimating draft non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions for EU-28. Sections 3, 4 and 5 describe in detail the methodology applied for estimation of emissions by source for CH4, N2O and Fgases, respectively. Finally, Section 6 provides a comparison between emissions reported by member states to the UNFCCC for years 2005 and 2010 and the emissions estimated by the GAINS model for the same years

A prospective study on feto-maternal outcome in patients with premature rupture of membranes at tertiary care center

Background: PROM is associated with increased risk of chorioamnionitis, unfavorable cervix and dysfunctional labour, increased cesarean rates, postpartum hemorrhage and endometritis in the mother. Possible neonatal outcomes in cases of PROM may include respiratory distress syndrome, hypothermia, hypoglycemia, intraventricular hemorrhage, broncho pulmonary dysplasia etc. Objective of this study the maternal and perinatal outcomes in premature rupture of membranes at term.Methods: This prospective study was done among 100 pregnant women with premature rupture of membranes after 37 completed weeks visited at department of obstetrics & Gynecology in RCSM Hospital, Kolhapur during June 2014 and June 2015. Inclusion Criteria was Gestational  age  of  >37  weeks  confirmed  by  dates,  clinical  examination  or ultrasound, cervical dilatation of <3 cms, Lack of uterine contractions for atleast 1 hour from PROM, Single live pregnancy in vertex presentation and PROM confirmed by Direct visualization or Litmus.Results: Present study found highest number of cases among age group 20-24 years and mean age was 22 years. Almost 70% cases were un-booked. Average duration to PROM to hospital admission was 9.6 hours. Most common maternal outcome was febrile illness Most common perinatal outcome was birth asphyxia and 3 perinatal death.Conclusions: Pregnancies complicated with PROM should have supervised labor preferably in an institution. Management of each case has to be individualised. A combined effort of obstetrician and neonatalogist is necessary. A good neonatal intensive care unit can be instrumental in reducing the perinatal morbidity and mortality