Dietary nitrate enhances the contractile properties of human skeletal muscle

Dietary nitrate, a source of nitric oxide (NO), improves the contractile properties of human muscle. We present the hypothesis that this is due to nitrosylation of the ryanodine receptor and increased NO signaling via the soluble guanyl cyclase-cyclic guanosine monophosphate-protein kinase G pathway, which together increase the free intracellular Ca concentration along with the Ca sensitivity of the myofilaments themselves

Rib/snook design in mechanised depillaring of rectangular/square pillars

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via the DOI in this record.A field study at different mechanised depillaring (MD) operations in Indian coalfields (with depth ranging from 60 to 377 m and caveability Index variation from 2300 to 10500) found mixed performances of adopted sizes of the ribs/snooks. Formation of an irregular shaped rib/snook during MD of the existing square/rectangular pillars by a continuous miner and uniqueness of the existing geo-mining conditions limit scope of application of the conventional rib/snook design approaches. Taking guidance from the field studies, a parametric investigation is conducted in laboratory on the calibrated simulated models using FLAC3D. An analysis of stress redistribution for different stages of the MD in simulated models provided a different characteristic of an irregular shaped ribs/snooks failure. Presence of moderate roof strata is found to be, relatively, more significant for the rib/snook design. Based on the simulation results, an attempt is made to provide a model for the rib/snook design in MDCSIR-CIMF

Development offsets for ecosystem services in a rural residential development context: issues for the Murrindindi Shire application

Rural residential development could have a positive or negative effect on the supply of ecosystem services. In most cases, the effect tends to be negative. One way of managing the impact is through a market based instrument. In this paper we present a development offset MBI as a way of cost effectively managing the ecosystem service impact of development in the Murrindindi Shire, Victoria. In this paper we note that design of the instrument is critical to the success of any MBI, including development offsets. Key development offset design issues discussed in this paper include defining what is traded (the metric), facilitating trades in a thin marketplace with high transaction costs, and ensuring the offset is commensurate with the impact.Rural residential development, development offset,, market based instrument, design, Environmental Economics and Policy,

Putting Theory into Practice: Market Failure and Market Based Instruments (MBIs)

The use of market-based instruments (MBIs) to provide and protect ecosystem services has gained significant attention in Australia. Despite their popularity, MBIs are not appropriate for the provision of all ecosystem services. Rather, MBIs must be carefully designed given the ecosystem service outcomes desired, while meeting the needs of participants. In this paper we detail the importance of a robust theoretical structure to underpin the selection and design of an MBI. In particular, we demonstrate the role of identifying and analysing the nature of the market failures present, and their implications for instrument design. Our conclusions are illustrated using several regional MBI case studies.Market Based Instruments (MBIs), ecosystem services, conservation

Improving NRM Investment through a policy performance lens

Choosing a mechanism to encourage landholders to change their land management in order to deliver environmental outcomes is a complicated process. Careful instrument selection may count for little if uptake and adoption are insufficient to meet performance targets. Similarly, investors may require assurance that the proposed investment will deliver the stated goals. In order to reduce the uptake uncertainty facing policy makers we evaluate and describe several possible methods to guide and frame adoption targets. We conclude that referring to past adoption experience of a wide range of mechanisms offers the best approach to setting feasible adoption targets for future mechanisms. We call this adoption points of reference. This approach is tested by application to mechanisms focusing on delivering water quality improvements in GBR catchments. We conclude that the points of reference approach is appropriate and useful but should be supported by processes designed to incorporate the impact of heterogeneity and local knowledge and an emphasis on improving the accuracy of future data.adoption targets, NRM investment, reasonable assurance, water quality,

Characterization of Rock Fracturing for Vertical Boreability

This is the final version of the article. Available from Elsevier via the DOI in this record.Boreability can be defined as the ability of a bore to penetrate a rock mass. Understanding the factors influencing boreability is critical for enhanced project planning and reduce geotechnical risk in an offshore shaft boring environment. Large diameter drills are used for offshore shaft boring, which can be up to 7 m in diameter, and therefore more akin to tunnel boring machines due to the scale of the excavation and extent of ground interaction. With increases in bore diameter, there is a need to properly define and evaluate the effect of the degree of rock mass fracturing on machine performance for improved estimates of boreability. Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) simulation has been used as an innovative approach for stochastic realisation of rock mass fracturing by determination of the P32 volumetric fracture intensity in the context of boreability. P32 shows positive trend to specific penetration (SP), with maximum SP being achieved at moderate to high fracturing levels (20 - 25m-1). However, in this case, P32 shows a similar positive trend to P10, but with peak SP appearing at higher intensity levels. Increased RQD values result in reduced SP, with peak SP reached at moderate fracturing levels, similar to P10.This research is part of a wider study into excavatability, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (ESPRC) of the UK

Negotiation of poor ground in an undersea tunnel

The 2.65 km Gwithian outfall tunnel formed part of the tunnelling operations under the 'Clean Sweep' sewage/sewerage distribution system upgrade within the South West Region during the 1990's. The 3.0 m high by 2.8 m wide rectangular, tracked-tunnel was constructed by Trafalgar House Construction using drill and blast techniques to intercept a series of pre-drilled diffuser units 25 m below the sea-bed in St Ives Bay. In view of the close proximity to the sea-bed, and the risk of water ingress, systematic probe drilling was performed at regular intervals during construction. Where necessary, in order to reduce the water-make to within pre-defined limits, cementitious grouting of the ground ahead of the advancing face was undertaken. One major fault zone required extensive grouting, as initial probe holes were making in the order of 200 gallons per minute. Tunnel advance through exceptionally poor ground required modification to the excavation methodology and implementation of additional support measures. Evaluation of geotechnical data from the undersea tunnel suggests that the Q-system provided a sound basis for assessment of rock quality and for guidance on associated support requirements. Good correlation was obtained between mapped Qvalues and tunnel advance rates. Importantly, engineering judgement informed final support recommendations

Interview: Philip Coggan of the Economist on the West’s democratic decline and how to fix it

Philip Coggan, aka ‘Buttonwood’ of the Economist, recently spoke to Democratic Audit’s Sean Kippin about his new book ‘The Last Vote: the Threats to Western Democracy’, where we’ve gone wrong and how we might go about confronting the challenge. In part one of this two part interview, Coggan urges us to treat our next vote as if it’s our last

Interview: Philip Coggan of the Economist – “We may have ‘one person – one vote’, but we don’t have ‘one person – equal influence'”

Philip Coggan, aka ‘Buttonwood’ of the Economist, recently spoke to Democratic Audit’s Sean Kippin about his new book ‘The Last Vote: the Threats to Western Democracy’, where we’ve gone wrong and how we might go about confronting the challenge. In the second part of this two part interview, Coggan talks about the threat of the financial system to our democracy, and the prospects for state funding of politics

Evaluation of coal longwall caving characteristics using an innovative UDEC Trigon approach

Author version of article. The version of record is available from the publisher via DOI: 1016/j.compgeo.2013.09.020Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.The paper presents an innovative numerical approach to simulate progressive caving of strata above a longwall coal mining panel. A proposed Trigon logic is incorporated within UDEC to successfully capture the progressive caving of strata which is characterized by fracture generation and subsequent propagation. A new damage index, D, is proposed that can quantify regions of both compressive shear and tensile failure within the modelled longwall. Many features of progressive caving are reproduced in the model and found to fit reasonably well with field observations taken from a case study in the Ruhr coalfield. The modelling study reveals that compressive shear failure, rather than tensile failure, is the dominant failure mechanism in the caved strata above the mined-out area. The immediate roof beds act like beams and can collapse in beam bending when vertical stress is dominant or in beam shear fracture when horizontal stress is dominant. The proposed numerical approach can be used to guide the design of longwall panel layout and rock support mechanisms