Development and evaluation of multi millet thresher

In tribal areas of India, traditional methods of threshing of minor millets like little millet (Panicum sumatrense), M1, kodo millet (Paspalum scrobiculatum), M2, foxtail millet (Setaria italica), M3, proso millet (P. miliaceum), M4, barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumantacea), M5, finger millet (Eleusine coracana), M6 is done of beating by sticks or treading out the crop panicle under the feet of oxen. This operation is most time consuming, labour intensive, drudgery prone, uneconomical, lower output and obtain low quality products. A thresher for these millet crops was developed and optimization of the operating parameters with little millet was done by using Response surface methodology (RSM). The optimized parameters were 7.79% (d.b) moisture content, 105 kgh-1 feed rate, 625 rpm cylinder speed, 5 mm threshing sieve size which gave maximum threshing efficiency of 95.13% and cleaning efficiency of 94.12%. After optimization of parameters the thresher was tested for threshing of all the six minor millets with proper adjustments of sieve. Threshing capacity of M1, M2, M3, M4, M5 and M6 were obtained as 89, 137, 140, 91, 88 and 99 kg/h, respectively with more than 96% threshing efficiency and less than 2% broken grain

Probing the N=14N = 14 subshell closure: gg factor of the 26^{26}Mg(21+^+_1) state

The first-excited state $g$~factor of $^{26}$Mg has been measured relative to the $g$ factor of the $^{24}$Mg($2^+_1$) state using the high-velocity transient-field technique, giving $g=+0.86\pm0.10$. This new measurement is in strong disagreement with the currently adopted value, but in agreement with the $sd$-shell model using the USDB interaction. The newly measured $g$ factor, along with $E(2^+_1)$ and $B(E2)$ systematics, signal the closure of the $\nu d_{5/2}$ subshell at $N=14$. The possibility that precise $g$-factor measurements may indicate the onset of neutron $pf$ admixtures in first-excited state even-even magnesium isotopes below $^{32}$Mg is discussed and the importance of precise excited-state $g$-factor measurements on $sd$~shell nuclei with $N\neq Z$ to test shell-model wavefunctions is noted.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Smart Grid Hybrid Generation System

ABSTRACT: This report presents a survey work on Hybrid Generation System (two forms of renewable energy-wind and solar) and on the role of smart grids in addressing the problems associated with integration of renewable resources. One of the most challenging aspects of integrating renewable generation resources (renewable) from an operations standpoint, is dealing with their inherit intermittent generation profile. This includes both the non-dispatchable production, as well as the quick generation ramping rates. Wind parks can ramp from zero megawatts (0MW) to full capacity in a matter of hours. Solar photovoltaic (PV) plants can ramp from full capacity to 0MW and back to full capacity in a matter of minutes when a cloud passes overhea

Survival of molecular gas in Virgo's hot intracluster medium: CO near M86

We carried out CO(1-0) and CO(2-1) observations of 21 different regions in the vicinity of M86, NGC4438, and along the 120 kpc-long, Ha-emitting filamentary trail that connects them, aiming to test whether molecular gas can survive to be transferred from a spiral to an elliptical galaxy in Virgo's 10^7K intracluster medium (ICM). We targeted Ha-emitting regions that could be associated with the interface between cold molecular clouds and the hot ionized ICM. The data, obtained with the 30m telescope of the Institut de Radioastronomie Millimetrique, led to the detection of molecular gas close to M86. CO gas with a recession velocity that is similar to that of the stars, -265 km/s, and with a corresponding H2 mass of 2*10^7 M_sun, was detected ~10 kpc southeast of the nucleus of M86, near the peak of its HI emission. We argue that it is possible for this molecular gas either to have formed in situ from HI, or to have been stripped from NGC4438 directly in molecular form. In situ formation is nonetheless negligible for the 7*10^6 M_sun of gas detected at 12:26:15.9+12:58:49, at ~10 kpc northeast of M86, where no (strong) HI emission is present. This detection provides evidence for the survival of molecular gas in filaments for timescales of ~100 Myr. An amount equivalent to 5*10^7 M_sun of H2 gas that could be lost to the ICM or to neighboring galaxies was also discovered in the tidal tail northwest of NGC4438. A scenario of gas being alternatively brought to M86 from NGC4388 on its south was also examined but it was considered unlikely due to the non detection of CO below or at the HI stream velocities, 2000-2700 km/s.Comment: A&A, final versio

Aerial dissemination of Clostridium difficile spores

Background: Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhoea (CDAD) is a frequently occurring healthcare-associated infection, which is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality amongst elderly patients in healthcare facilities. Environmental contamination is known to play an important contributory role in the spread of CDAD and it is suspected that contamination might be occurring as a result of aerial dissemination of C. difficile spores. However previous studies have failed to isolate C. difficile from air in hospitals. In an attempt to clarify this issue we undertook a short controlled pilot study in an elderly care ward with the aim of culturing C. difficile from the air. Methods: In a survey undertaken during February (two days) 2006 and March (two days) 2007, air samples were collected using a portable cyclone sampler and surface samples collected using contact plates in a UK hospital. Sampling took place in a six bedded elderly care bay (Study) during February 2006 and in March 2007 both the study bay and a four bedded orthopaedic bay (Control). Particulate material from the air was collected in Ringer's solution, alcohol shocked and plated out in triplicate onto Brazier's CCEY agar without egg yolk, but supplemented with 5 mg/L of lysozyme. After incubation, the identity of isolates was confirmed by standard techniques. Ribotyping and REP-PCR fingerprinting were used to further characterise isolates. Results: On both days in February 2006, C. difficile was cultured from the air with 23 samples yielding the bacterium (mean counts 53 – 426 cfu/m3 of air). One representative isolate from each of these was characterized further. Of the 23 isolates, 22 were ribotype 001 and were indistinguishable on REP-PCR typing. C. difficile was not cultured from the air or surfaces of either hospital bay during the two days in March 2007. Conclusion: This pilot study produced clear evidence of sporadic aerial dissemination of spores of a clone of C. difficile, a finding which may help to explain why CDAD is so persistent within hospitals and difficult to eradicate. Although preliminary, the findings reinforce concerns that current C. difficile control measures may be inadequate and suggest that improved ward ventilation may help to reduce the spread of CDAD in healthcare facilities

Birthing practices of traditional birth attendants in South Asia in the context of training programmes

Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) training has been an important component of public health policy interventions to improve maternal and child health in developing countries since the 1970s. More recently, since the 1990s, the TBA training strategy has been increasingly seen as irrelevant, ineffective or, on the whole, a failure due to evidence that the maternal mortality rate (MMR) in developing countries had not reduced. Although, worldwide data show that, by choice or out of necessity, 47 percent of births in the developing world are assisted by TBAs and/or family members, funding for TBA training has been reduced and moved to providing skilled birth attendants for all births. Any shift in policy needs to be supported by appropriate evidence on TBA roles in providing maternal and infant health care service and effectiveness of the training programmes. This article reviews literature on the characteristics and role of TBAs in South Asia with an emphasis on India. The aim was to assess the contribution of TBAs in providing maternal and infant health care service at different stages of pregnancy and after-delivery and birthing practices adopted in home births. The review of role revealed that apart from TBAs, there are various other people in the community also involved in making decisions about the welfare and health of the birthing mother and new born baby. However, TBAs have changing, localised but nonetheless significant roles in delivery, postnatal and infant care in India. Certain traditional birthing practices such as bathing babies immediately after birth, not weighing babies after birth and not feeding with colostrum are adopted in home births as well as health institutions in India. There is therefore a thin precarious balance between the application of biomedical and traditional knowledge. Customary rituals and perceptions essentially affect practices in home and institutional births and hence training of TBAs need to be implemented in conjunction with community awareness programmes

RhoD regulates cytoskeletal dynamics via the actin nucleation-promoting factor WASp homologue associated with actin Golgi membranes and microtubules

The Rho GTPases have mainly been studied in association with their roles in the regulation of actin filament organization. These studies have shown that the Rho GTPases are essential for basic cellular processes, such as cell migration, contraction, and division. In this paper, we report that RhoD has a role in the organization of actin dynamics that is distinct from the roles of the better-studied Rho members Cdc42, RhoA, and Rac1. We found that RhoD binds the actin nucleation–promoting factor WASp homologue associated with actin Golgi membranes and microtubules (WHAMM), as well as the related filamin A–binding protein FILIP1. Of these two RhoD-binding proteins, WHAMM was found to bind to the Arp2/3 complex, while FILIP1 bound filamin A. WHAMM was found to act downstream of RhoD in regulating cytoskeletal dynamics. In addition, cells treated with small interfering RNAs for RhoD and WHAMM showed increased cell attachment and decreased cell migration. These major effects on cytoskeletal dynamics indicate that RhoD and its effectors control vital cytoskeleton-driven cellular processes. In agreement with this notion, our data suggest that RhoD coordinates Arp2/3-dependent and FLNa-dependent mechanisms to control the actin filament system, cell adhesion, and cell migration

Driving Innovation through Big Open Linked Data (BOLD): Exploring Antecedents using Interpretive Structural Modelling

YesInnovation is vital to find new solutions to problems, increase quality, and improve profitability. Big open linked data (BOLD) is a fledgling and rapidly evolving field that creates new opportunities for innovation. However, none of the existing literature has yet considered the interrelationships between antecedents of innovation through BOLD. This research contributes to knowledge building through utilising interpretive structural modelling to organise nineteen factors linked to innovation using BOLD identified by experts in the field. The findings show that almost all the variables fall within the linkage cluster, thus having high driving and dependence powers, demonstrating the volatility of the process. It was also found that technical infrastructure, data quality, and external pressure form the fundamental foundations for innovation through BOLD. Deriving a framework to encourage and manage innovation through BOLD offers important theoretical and practical contributions

Decay and Fission Hindrance of Two- and Four-Quasiparticle K Isomers in (254)Rf

Two isomers decaying by electromagnetic transitions with half-lives of 4.7(1.1) and 247(73)μs have been discovered in the heavy Rf254 nucleus. The observation of the shorter-lived isomer was made possible by a novel application of a digital data acquisition system. The isomers were interpreted as the Kπ=8-, ν2(7/2+[624],9/2-[734]) two-quasineutron and the Kπ=16+, 8-ν2(7/2+[624],9/2-[734])⊗ - 8-π2(7/2-[514],9/2+[624]) four-quasiparticle configurations, respectively. Surprisingly, the lifetime of the two-quasiparticle isomer is more than 4 orders of magnitude shorter than what has been observed for analogous isomers in the lighter N=150 isotones. The four-quasiparticle isomer is longer lived than the Rf254 ground state that decays exclusively by spontaneous fission with a half-life of 23.2(1.1)μs. The absence of sizable fission branches from either of the isomers implies unprecedented fission hindrance relative to the ground state