Pressure Relief Sizing of Reactive System using DIERS Simplified Methods and Dynamic Simulation Method

PresentationIncidents involving uncontrolled chemical reactions continue to result in fatality, injury and economic loss. These incidents are often the result of inadequate pressure relief system designs due to a limited knowledge of the chemical reactivity hazard. A safe process design requires knowledge of the chemical reactivity of desired as well as undesired chemical reactions due to upset conditions. Simplified, cost effective methods to relief system sizing are presented by The Design Institute of Emergency Relief Systems (DIERS). They require multiple experiments and sizing is only valid for the system composition and thermal inertia represented by the small scale experiments. Results are often conservative, especially for gassy systems. Detailed, dynamic computer simulation is highly accurate and can be used for iterative design and multiple scenario evaluation. In this study, an accelerating rate calorimeter (ARC®) and a low thermal inertia calorimeter (automatic pressure tracking adiabatic calorimeter – APTACTM) were used to collect chemical reactivity data for the dicumyl peroxide and toluene system. Results of the pressure relief system sizing using the two methodologies are presented and compared

Ketone Bodies and Signaling in Pancreatic Cancer Cell Lines

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, and 95% of these cases are caused by PDAC (pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma). Ketone bodies have previously been shown to decrease cell proliferation and cancer-induced cachexia. The molecular mechanism of ketone body-mediated growth inhibition of pancreatic cancer cells is not well understood. Research conducted thus far has not explored which molecular pathways are affected by ketone body treatment in pancreatic cancer cells. In the current study, the effect of the ketone body sodium hydroxybutyrate on the JAK-STAT and mTOR pathways and cell migration was explored. A decrease in cell migration was observed in a dose dependent manner. Levels of p-STAT3 and p-p70 S6K were decreased after 72 hour treatment with 5 and 10 mM sodium hydroxybutyrate. These proteins regulate transcription and translation of several genes involved in cellular growth and proliferation

A NOTE ON SPECIAL GEODESIC MAPPINGS ON RIEMANNIAN MANIFOLDS

In this paper, we have studied some properties of spe-cial geodesic mappings on Riemannian manifolds. We have shownthat if f : (Mn; g) ! ( Mn; g) is a special geodesic mapping ofa at Riemannian manifold (Mn; g) onto a Riemannian manifold( Mn; g), then Mn is of constant curvature

Microscale Gene Expression Analysis of Tumor-Associated Macrophages

Macrophages, apart from being the key effector cells of the innate immune system, also play critical roles during the development and progression of various complex diseases, including cancer. Tumor-associated macrophages, infiltrate tumors during different stages of cancer progression to regulate motility, invasion, and intravasation to metastatic sites. Macrophages can exist in different polarization states associated with unique function in tumors. Since tumor-associated macrophages constitute a very small proportion of tumor cells, analysis of gene expression pattern using normal extraction buffer-based methods remains a challenging task. Therefore, it is imperative to develop low-throughput strategies to investigate transcriptional regulations from a small number of immune cells. Here, we describe an efficient, sensitive, and cost-effective approach for gene expression analysis of a small number of fluorescence-activated sorted tumor-associated macrophages. Our analyses from the different number of stable, primary, and sorted macrophages suggest 5,000 cells is an optimal number for performing quantitative, real-time PCR analysis of multiple genes. Our studies could detect expression of macrophage-specific genes from cultured primary macrophages, and FACS-sorted macrophages from different biological tissues without introducing biases in comparative gene expression ratios. In conclusion, our kit-based method for quantitative gene expression analysis from a small number of cells found in biological tissues will provide an opportunity to study cell-specific, transcriptional changes

Instability in Rice Production in Gujarat: A Decomposition Analysis

Rice is the most important and extensively grown food crop in India and is the staple food for more than half of the world population. In India, Gujarat ranks 15th in terms of area and production and 9th in productivity (2011). The scope for expanding rice production lies in enhancing productivity. The growth rates of rice area, production and productivity during 1982-83 to 2011-12 were 0.41, 1.25 and 0.83 percent per annum respectively. The growth estimate from last 30 years data shows that negligible increase was recorded in area and production of rice. Presently the yield level of rice in the state is comparatively low from national average need to be increased substantially. The magnitude of instability in area and production of rice has been higher in all the selected districts compared to state. Variability in production has been at a higher rate compared to area and productivity variability in this crop. The area-yield co-variance had a stabilizing effect on reduction of instability in rice production It can be inferred that the wide fluctuation in production of rice crop have been due to the high variability in its productivity. The future development programmes should envisage on increase of yield for bringing stabilization in production of the crop. The area instability also needs to be reduced. This could be reduced by more investment on research for rice production technology in the state

Dynamics of socio-economic factors affecting climate vulnerability and technology adoption: Evidence from Jodhpur district of Rajasthan

Climate change and extreme weather fluctuations are the most threatening challenges to the farming communities especially in semi-arid tropics. The paper investigates socio-economic factors affecting vulnerability and adoption of innovations using micro-level survey data of 100 systematically selected farmers in the Jodhpur district of Rajasthan, India. The results reveal that higher income, irrigation and provision of seeds reduce climate vulnerability to a great extent. Several farm level strategies have been adopted by the farmers against climate induced stress, including change in cropping pattern, reduction in irrigation usage, use of drips and sprinklers and water conservation. In case of pearl millet cropping system, we found that adoption of wide row spacing is significantly influenced by the level of the farmer’s education, land size category, climate awareness and trainings programs. The study suggests that diversified crop sequence involving pearl millet-wheat-cluster bean-barley-onion, farmers’ adoption of suitable adaptation strategies and climate resilient technologies will improve with better awareness, education and farm governance with regard to climate change. Moreover, technologies especially indigenous ones suitable to the local contextual needs must be developed or fine-tuned and disseminated for reducing climate-induced vulnerability

Ayurveda Kayachikitsa towards the management of joint pain: a review

Joint pain is one of the very common problems amongst the elderly age population. Clinically it is characterized by shula, shotha and prasaarana-aakunchanayo pravruttischa vedana. Ayurveda described various treatment modalities for the management of joint pain such as; snehana, swedan, upanaha, lepa and herbal medicine. Kayachikitsa is branch which deal with use of ayurveda drugs for the management of various diseases. This branch also recommended use of different natural medicine for the treatment of joint pain. Guggulu (Comiphora mukul) is most common drug used in Amavata; disease of joint pain. Similarly various herbal formulation of Ashwagandha, Rasna, Sunthi, Pippali, Gokshura and Trivrut are also recommended in diseases of joint pain. Present article summarized role of herbal medicine in joint pain. Keywords: Ayurveda, Kayachikitsa, Joint Pain, Shula, Vedana.   &nbsp