An Experimental Study of the Performance of a Subscale Kerosene - Fuelled Ejector Ramjet at Simulated Takeoff

The ejector ramjet is a rocket based combined cycle propulsion system in which a rocket and ramjet are integrated to accrue synergistic benefits. A proof-of-concept experiment to augment the thrust of a simulated rocket by the induction of air through an ejector and the subsequent afterburning of kerosene fuel in it is described. Ejector ram-jet thrust augmentation ratios of up to around 1.1 at the simulated take off conditions have been achieved. The critical effect of the operating conditions and the ejector ramjet geometry, in particular the afterburner configuration, for achieving thrust augmentation ratios greater than one have been demonstrated

Influence of Active Tuberculosis on Chemokine and Chemokine Receptor Expression in HIV-Infected Persons

Tuberculosis (TB) is the major opportunistic infection of HIV-1-infected patients in developing countries. Concurrent infection with TB results in immune cells having enhanced susceptibility to HIV-1 infection, which facilitates entry and replication of the virus. Cumulative data from earlier studies indicate that TB provides a milieu of continuous cellular activation and irregularities in cytokine and chemokine circuits that favor viral replication and disease progression. To better understand the interaction of the host with HIV-1 during active tuberculosis, we investigated in vivo expression of the HIV-1 coreceptors, CCR5 and CXCR4, and circulating levels of the inhibitory �-chemokines, macrophage inflammatory protein-1-� (MIP-1�), macrophage inflammatory protein-1-� (MIP-1�), and regulated upon activation T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), in HIV-positive individuals with and without active pulmonary tuberculosis. We found a significant decrease from normal in the fraction of CD4� T cells expressing CCR5 and CXCR4 in individuals infected with HIV. However, CCR5 and CXCR4 expression did not differ significantly between HIV patients with and without tuberculosis. Higher amounts of MIP-1�, MIP-1�, and RANTES were detected in plasma of HIV-1-positive individuals, particularly those with dual infection, although the increase was not found to be statistically significant

Steady-state pharmacokinetics of Nevirapine in HIV-1 infected adults in India

Background and Objectives: A variety of demographic factors, sex, and degree of immunosuppression can influence antiretroviral drug concentratians. The authors studied the influence of immune status, sex, and body mass index (BMI) on the steady-state pharmacokinetics of nevirapine delivered as a fixed-dose combination in HIV-1-infected patients in India. Methods: Twenty-six HIV-l-infected adult patients undergoing treatment with nevirapine-based highly active antiretroviral therapy regimens participated in the study. Pharmacokinetic variables were compared between patients divided based an CD4 cell counts, sex, and BMI. Results: Patients with higher BMI had lower peak and trough concentration and exposure of nevirapine than those with lower BMI; none of the differences in the pharmacokinetic variables of nevirapine between the various patient groups was statistically significant. Conclusions: Patients' immune status, sex, or BMI had no impact on the pharmacokinetics of nevirapine. Plasma nevirapine concentrations were maintained within the therapeutic range of the drug in the majority of the patients

Effect of copper and manganese on free amino acid content of Neurospora crassa

Effect of copper and manganese on free amino acid content of Neurospora crass

Dichotomous venation and anastomosis in the corolla of an orchid-Habenaria dentata (SW.) Schltr

The lip of the corolla in habenaria dentata (Sw.) Schltr. is tripartite. The lateral lobes show dichotomously branched veins. While the majority of the vein-endings are related to crenulation in the corolla and terminate at the tip, others end blindly. Usually each crenulation receives one vein. In exceptional cases two veins enter a crenulation. Cases of veins ending beneath an incision (sinus) separating two crenulations have been observed. Sinus vein dichotomies are present. Nine types of anastomoses are described. In Type I, two branches of a single vein-dichotomy remain united. Type II is characterized by the union of adjacent branches of two vein dichotomies and their separation. Type III is similar to Type II but the branches do not separate after confluence. In Type IV an arcuate vein unites with the branch of contiguous vein dichotomy and then separates. Type V is similar to Type IV but the fused branches do not separate. Type VI is formed by the union of the outer branch of a second order vein-dichotomy and the outer branch of a first order vein-dichotomy. In Type VII one outer branch each of two adjacent second order vein-dichotomies unite and separate. Type VIII is similar to Type VII but the branches do not separate after confluence. In Type IX the outer branch of a third order vein-dichotomy and the outer branch of a second order vein-dichotomy unite and separate after a short area of confluence. Cases of vein-approximations also have been observed

A Study on the Training Needs of Veterinary Officers Working in Andhra Pradesh, India

The quality of the animal health care services delivered depends on the Knowledge and Skill updation of the qualified veterinary service providers (Veterinary Officers- VO). This study was aimed at studying the Training Need Assessment (TNA) of the VO’s in Andhra Pradesh. A survey was conducted through Google forms in a structured interview schedule by electronically, from 130 veterinary Officers working under state government of Andhra Pradesh. Data was collected through Gmail and WhatsApp, regarding the training needs of VO’s on different parameters covering different major subject areas of field importance and was presented in means and percentages. Most of the respondents were Males (74%) with an average experience in the field is 10 years and majority of them attended 8 subject related trainings in their service. Majority opined that they need training on Blood sample examination (72%), Sheep farming(65%), Ethno veterinary medicine (85%), Skill in surgical operations (86%), Infertility cases therapeutics (84%), Metabolic diseases (75%), Service rules and regulations (97%) and Complete feed preparation (79%). Majority of the respondents needed such trainings once in six months (68%), to be conducted as three day residential (57%) including much practical aspects (92%). Provision of the adequate resources and support by the public and private stakeholders for organizing need based trainings to the Veterinary Officers will help in achieving the knowledge updation of the field veterinarians

Influence of Narrative Elements on User Behaviour in Photorealistic Social VR

Social Virtual Reality (VR) applications are becoming the next big revolution in the field of remote communication. Social VR provides the possibility for participants to explore and interact with a virtual environments and objects, feelings of a full sense of immersion, and being together. Understanding how user behaviour is influenced by the shared virtual space and its elements becomes the key to design and optimize novel immersive experiences that take into account the interaction between users and virtual objects. This paper presents a behavioural analysis of user navigation trajectories in a 6 degrees of freedom, social VR movie. We analysed 48 user trajectories from a photorealistic telepresence experiment, in which subjects experience watching a crime movie together in VR. We investigate how users are affected by salient agents (i.e., virtual characters) and by the narrative elements of the VR movie (i.e., dialogues versus interactive part). We complete our assessment by conducting a statistical analysis on the collected data. Results indicate that user behaviour is affected by different narrative and interactive elements. We present our observations, and we draw conclusions on future paths for social VR experiences

Biological effects of power frequency magnetic fields: Neurochemical and toxicological changes in developing chick embryos

BACKGROUND: There are several reports that indicate a linkage between exposure to power frequency (50 – 60 Hz) magnetic fields with abnormalities in the early embryonic development of the chicken. The present study was designed to understand whether power frequency electromagnetic fields could act as an environmental insult and invoke any neurochemical or toxicological changes in developing chick embryo model. METHODS: Fertilized chicken eggs were subjected to continuous exposure to magnetic fields (50 Hz) of varying intensities (5, 50 or 100 μT) for a period of up to 15 days. The embryos were taken out of the eggs on day 5, day 10 and day 15. Neurochemical (norepinephrine and 5-hydroxytryptamine) and amino acid (tyrosine, glutamine and tryptophan) contents were measured, along with an assay of the enzyme glutamine synthetase in the brain. Preliminary toxicological investigations were carried out based on aminotransferases (AST and ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase activities in the whole embryo as well as in the liver. RESULTS: The study revealed that there was a significant increase (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001) in the level of norepinephrine accompanied by a significant decrease (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001) in the tyrosine content in the brain on day 15 following exposure to 5, 50 and 100 μT magnetic fields. There was a significant increase (p < 0.001) in glutamine synthetase activity resulting in the significantly enhanced (p < 0.001) level of glutamine in the brain on day 15 (for 100 μT only). The possible mechanisms for these alterations are discussed. Further, magnetic fields had no effect on the levels of tryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptamine in the brain. Similarly, there was no effect on the activity of either aminotransferases or lactate dehydrogenase in the whole embryo or liver due to magnetic field exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these studies we conclude that magnetic field-induced changes in norepinephrine levels might help explain alterations in the circadian rhythm, observed during magnetic field stress. Also, the enhanced level of glutamine can act as a contributing factor for developmental abnormalities

Mechanisms and models of somatic cell reprogramming

Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research (Jerome and Florence Brill Graduate Student Fellowship)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (US NIH grant RO1-CA087869)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (US NIH grant R37-CA084198)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (NSF Graduate Research Fellowship)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) ((NIH) Kirschstein National Research Service Award,1 F32 GM099153-01A1)Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Vertex Scholar

A reconfigurable CPW bow-tie antenna using an integrated ferroelectric thin film varactor

A novel printed antenna with a frequency reconfigurable feed network is presented. The antenna consists of a bowtie structure patch radiating element in the inner space of an annulus that is on a nongrounded substrate with a ferroelectric (FE) Barium Strontium Titanate (BST) thin film. The bowtie patch is fed by a coplanar waveguide (CPW) transmission line that also includes a CPW-based BST shunt varactor. Reconfiguration of the compact 8 mm × 8 mm system has been demonstrated by shifting the antenna system’s operating frequency 500 MHz in the 7–9 GHz band by applying a DC voltage bias