Different strokes for different folks: Comparative analysis of 3D printing in large, medium and small firms

Industry 4.0 technologies such as 3D printing have radically transformed innovative outcomes for firms in terms of product design and offerings in the recent past. Acknowledging the impact, existing scholarship has delved into different dimensions of this technology and outcomes of its adoption, yet when compared with the scale of industrial activity globally and the varied possibilities associated with the adoption of this relatively new technology, the literature is woefully lean. Discussions and conversations on facilitators and inhibitors of adoption and continued usage are still nascent, particularly when one ponders upon specific insights related to sectors and firm size. The present study seeks to address this paucity by using the lens of firm size. Specifically, the study examines how firm size impacts various positive and negative outcomes of industry 4.0 innovation adoption and usage using 3D printing as an exemplar. Toward this end, we conducted a qualitative study to collect responses from 46 managers, 23 each from large-size and small-size enterprises operating in the United Kingdom. Thematic coding of responses revealed five aggregate dimensions representing facilitators and four aggregate dimensions representing inhibitors. Analysis of the findings revealed differences in outcomes with firm size, indicating that the adoption and optimal use of innovations such as 3D printing were indeed incumbent on firm size in the case of disruptive, technology-driven innovations that are generically presumed to have positive outcomes. Overall, the findings of this study provide new insights into various facilitators and inhibitors of the adoption of 3D printing technology, which can help firms to make better strategic decisions on the effective usage of this technology

Sinkholes in Earth Dam Kota Barrage [India]

Kota Barrage is the lowermost hydraulic structure amongst the series of four dams built across the river Chambal, a tributary of the river Yamuna in the Ganga Basin. It is situated near the Kota City, Rajasthan in India and is in operation since November, 1960 with an irrigation potential of 679 thousand ha in two adjoining states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. It comprises of a composite structure consisting of a 268.2m long earth and rockfill dam and a 304.8m long masonry spillway, the total length being 573.0m The earth/rockfill dam abuts in the right against a hillock over which a very old Garh Complex exists and two fort walls intervened in between the spillway and the abutment have divided the dam into three distinct reaches having different foundation sub-strata. The spillway rests on hard quartzitic sand stone with high rock face in the left flank and is provided with 19-radial gates (12 2m x 12.2m each) and 2-under-sluices (2. 7m x 3.3m) to discharge 21240 cumecs at MWL 260.9m. Heavy leakage of water through the bed rock crevices in the adjacent right abutment resting on hillock stope wet spots on downstream edge alongwith repeated settlements and formation of sinkholes on top of the dam has led to a great concern about safety of the dam. Geo-technical investigations carried out recently revealed some lenses/zones with low density soilmass and higher permeability at places in the embankment

Antifungal activity of essential oils and their volatile constituents against respiratory tract pathogens causing Aspergilloma and Aspergillosis by gaseous contact

Aspergillosis is an acute chronic and rapidly fatal disease which is not contagious. Invasive Aspergillosis is often found in severely immuno-suppressed patients, and is characterized by invasion of blood vessels which can result into dissemination to other organs. Aspergilloma is a fungal ball that develops in previous cavitary lung lesions. Essential oils and their volatile constituents have been used as antifungal, anti-infectious and antimicrobial agents. Inhalation of vapours of the essential oils kill invaders attached to the inner respiratory lining and worksynergistically with the body defences. In this study, 16 essential oils were used against Aspergillus niger and A. fumigatus of which about 14 oils proved to be effective. Results showed that the most effective oils against both Aspergillus species were found to be of Cinnamomum zeylanicum (Cinnamon), Syzygium aromaticum (Clove), Carum carvi (Caraway), Cymbopogon citrates (Lemongrass), Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel) and Myristica fragrans (Nutmeg). Moderately effective oils were of Gaultheria procumbens (Wintergreen), Pinus palustris (Turpentine), Sesamum indicum (Sesame), Trachyspermum ammi (Ajowain) and Origanum vulgare (Oregano). The oils of Lavandula augustifolia (Lavender), Elletaria cardamomum (Cardamon) and Cymbopogon nardus (Citronella) showed minimum activity. Azadirachta indica (Neem) and Linum usitatissimum (Linseed) showed no activity giving no inhibition zones

Successful pulmonary thromboendarterectomy in a patient with sickle cell disease and associated resolution of a leg ulcer

© 2017 Indian Chest Society | Published by Wolters Kluwer -Medknow. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a relatively frequent and severe complication of sickle cell disease (SCD). PH associated with SCD is classified as Group 5 PH. The exact pathogenesis of PH in SCD in not known. There are also very limited treatment options available at this time for such patients with Group 5 PH. Patients with SCD are predisposed to a hypercoagulable state and thus can also suffer from chronic thromboembolism. These patients can have associated chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), thus being classified as Group 4 PH. We present such a case of a patient with SCD diagnosed with severe PH who was found to have CTEPH and successfully underwent a thromboendarterectomy with resolution of his symptoms such as reduction of his oxygen requirements and healing of chronic leg ulcer. This case illustrates the importance of screening patients with SCD and elevated pulmonary artery pressures for CTEPH as this would offer possible treatment options such as pulmonary thromboendarterectomy and/or riociguat in this subset of patients

Effects on Breathing of Agonists to μ-opioid or GABA\u3csub\u3eA\u3c/sub\u3e Receptors Dialyzed into the Ventral Respiratory Column of Awake and Sleeping Goats

Pulmonary ventilation (V̇I) in awake and sleeping goats does not change when antagonists to several excitatory G protein-coupled receptors are dialyzed unilaterally into the ventral respiratory column (VRC). Concomitant changes in excitatory neuromodulators in the effluent mock cerebral spinal fluid (mCSF) suggest neuromodulatory compensation. Herein, we studied neuromodulatory compensation during dialysis of agonists to inhibitory G protein-coupled or ionotropic receptors into the VRC. Microtubules were implanted into the VRC of goats for dialysis of mCSF mixed with agonists to either μ-opioid (DAMGO) or GABAA (muscimol) receptors. We found: (1) V̇I decreased during unilateral but increased during bilateral dialysis of DAMGO, (2) dialyses of DAMGO destabilized breathing, (3) unilateral dialysis of muscimol increased V̇I, and (4) dialysis of DAMGO decreased GABA in the effluent mCSF. We conclude: (1) neuromodulatory compensation can occur during altered inhibitory neuromodulator receptor activity, and (2) the mechanism of compensation differs between G protein-coupled excitatory and inhibitory receptors and between G protein-coupled and inotropic inhibitory receptors

State-Dependent and -Independent Effects of Dialyzing Excitatory Neuromodulator Receptor Antagonists into the Ventral Respiratory Column

Unilateral dialysis of the broad-spectrum muscarinic receptor antagonist atropine (50 mM) into the ventral respiratory column [(VRC) including the pre-Bötzinger complex region] of awake goats increased pulmonary ventilation (V̇i) and breathing frequency (f), conceivably due to local compensatory increases in serotonin (5-HT) and substance P (SP) measured in effluent mock cerebral spinal fluid (mCSF). In contrast, unilateral dialysis of a triple cocktail of antagonists to muscarinic (atropine; 5 mM), neurokinin-1, and 5-HT receptors does not alter V̇i or f, but increases local SP. Herein, we tested hypotheses that 1) local compensatory 5-HT and SP responses to 50 mM atropine dialyzed into the VRC of goats will not differ between anesthetized and awake states; and 2) bilateral dialysis of the triple cocktail of antagonists into the VRC of awake goats will not alter V̇i or f, but will increase local excitatory neuromodulators. Through microtubules implanted into the VRC of goats, probes were inserted to dialyze mCSF alone (time control), 50 mM atropine, or the triple cocktail of antagonists. We found 1) equivalent increases in local 5-HT and SP with 50 mM atropine dialysis during wakefulness compared with isoflurane anesthesia, but V̇i and f only increased while awake; and 2) dialyses of the triple cocktail of antagonists increased V̇i, f, 5-HT, and SP

His230 of serine hydroxymethyltransferase facilitates the proton abstraction step in catalysis

The three-dimensional structures of rabbit and human liver cytosolic serine hydroxymethyltransferase revealed that H231 interacts with the O3′ of pyridoxal-5′-phosphate and other residues at the active site such as S203, K257, H357 and R402 (numbering as per the human enzyme). This and the conserved nature of H231 in all serine hydroxymethyltransferases highlights its importance in catalysis and/or maintenance of oligomeric structure of the enzyme. In an attempt to decipher the role of H230 (H231 of the human enzyme) in the catalytic mechanism and/or maintenance of oligomeric structure of sheep liver serine hydroxymethyltransferase, the residue was mutated to arginine, phenylalanine, alanine, asparagine or tyrosine. Our results suggest that the nature of the amino acid substitution has a marked effect on the catalytic activity of the enzyme. H230R and H230F mutant proteins were completely inactive, dimeric and did not bind pyridoxal-5′-phosphate. On the other hand, mutation to alanine and asparagine retained the oligomeric structure and ability to bind pyridoxal-5′-phosphate. These mutants had only 2-3% catalytic activity. The side reactions like transamination and 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolate independent aldol cleavage were much more severely affected. They were able to form the external aldimine with glycine and serine but the quinonoid intermediate was not observed upon the addition of 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolate. Mutation to tyrosine did not affect the oligomeric structure and pyridoxal-50-phosphate binding. The H230Y enzyme was 10% active and showed a correspondingly lower amount of quinonoid intermediate. The kcat/Km values for L-serine and L-allothreonine were 10-fold and 174-fold less for this mutant enzyme compared to the wild-type protein. These results suggest that H230 is involved in the step prior to the formation of the quinonoid intermediate, possibly in orienting the pyridine ring of the cofactor, in order to facilitate effective proton abstraction