Basic features of current induced/shared by cables mounted on down conductors/towers during stroke interception

The telecommunication, broadcasting and other instrumented towers carry power and/or signal cables from their ground end to their upper regions. During a direct hit to the tower, significant induction can occur to these mounted cables. In order to provide adequate protection to the equipments connected to them, protection schemes have been evolved in the literature. Development of more effective protection schemes requires a quantitative knowledge on various parameters. However, such quantitative knowledge is difficult to find at present. Amongst several of these aspects, the present work aims to investigate on the two important aspects: (i) what would be the nature of the induced currents and (ii) what will be the current sharing if as per the practice, the sheath of the cable is connected to the down conductor/tower. These aspects will be useful in design of protection schemes and also in analyzing the field structure around instrumented towers.

The effect of base roughness on the development of a dense granular flow down an inclined plane

The development of the flow of a granular material down an inclined plane starting from rest is studied as a function of the base roughness. In the simulations, the particles are rough frictional spheres interacting via the Hertz contact law. The rough base is made of a random configuration of fixed spheres with diameter different from the flowing particles, and the base roughness is decreased by decreasing the diameter of the base particles. The transition from an ordered to a disordered flowing state at a critical value of the base particle diameter, first reported by Kumaran and Maheshwari Phys. Fluids 24, 053302 (2012)] for particles with the linear contact model, is observed for the Hertzian contact model as well. The flow development for the ordered and disordered flows is very different. During the development of the disordered flow for the rougher base, there is shearing throughout the height. During the development of the ordered flow for the smoother base, there is a shear layer at the bottom and a plug region with no internal shearing above. In the shear layer, the particles are layered and hexagonally ordered in the plane parallel to the base, and the velocity profile is well approximated by Bagnold law. The flow develops in two phases. In the first phase, the thickness of the shear layer and the maximum velocity increase linearly in time till the shear front reaches the top. In the second phase, after the shear layer encompasses the entire flow, there is a much slower increase in the maximum velocity until the steady state is reached. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.

Methionine down-regulates TLR4/MyD88/NF-kappa B signalling in osteoclast precursors to reduce bone loss during osteoporosis

Background and PurposeStudies have demonstrated that a moderate intake of amino acids is associated with development of bone health. Methionine, a sulphur-containing essential amino acid, has been largely implicated for improving cartilage formation, however its physiological significance on bone integrity and functionality have not been elucidated. We investigated whether methionine can prevent osteoporotic bone loss. Experimental ApproachThe anti-resorptive effect of methionine, (250mgkg(-1) body wt administered in drinking water for 10 weeks), was evaluated in ovariectomized (OVX) rats by monitoring changes in bone turnover, formation of osteoclasts from blood-derived mononuclear cells and changes in the synthesis of pro-osteoclastogenic cytokines. Key resultsMethionine improved bone density and significantly decreased the degree of osteoclast development from blood mononuclear cells in OVX rats, as indicated by decreased production of osteoclast markers tartarate resistant acid phosphatase b (TRAP5b) and MIP-1. siRNA-mediated knockdown of myeloid differentiation primary response 88 MyD88], a signalling molecule in the toll-like receptor (TLR) signalling cascade, abolished the synthesis of both TRAP5b and MIP-1 in developing osteoclasts. Methionine supplementation disrupted osteoclast development by inhibiting TLR-4/MyD88/NF-B pathway. Conclusions and ImplicationsTLR-4/MyD88/NF-B signalling pathway is integral for osteoclast development and this is down-regulated in osteoporotic system on methionine treatment. Methionine treatment could be beneficial for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Terminalia paniculata bark extract attenuates non-alcoholic fatty liver via down regulation of fatty acid synthase in high fat diet-fed obese rats

Background: This study was performed to understand the possible therapeutic activity of Terminalia paniculata ethanolic extract (TPEE) on non alcoholic fatty liver in rats fed with high fat diet. Methods: Thirty six SD rats were divided into 6 groups (n = 6): Normal control (NC), high fat diet (HFD), remaining four groups were fed on HFD along with different doses of TPEE (100,150 and 200 mg/kg b.wt) or orlistat, for ten weeks. Liver tissue was homogenized and analyzed for lipid profiles, activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Further, the expression levels of FAS and AMPK-1 alpha were also studied in addition to histopathology examination of liver tissue in all the groups. Results: HFD significantly increased hepatic liver total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), free fatty acids (FFA) and MDA but decreased the activities of SOD and CAT which were subsequently reversed by supplementation with TPEE in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, TPEE administration significantly down regulated hepatic mRNA expression of FAS but up regulated AMPK-1 alpha compared to HFD alone fed group. Furthermore, western blot analysis of FAS has clearly demonstrated decreased expression of FAS in HFD + TPEE (200 mg/kg b. wt) treated group when compared to HFD group at protein level. Conclusions: Our biochemical studies on hepatic lipid profiles and antioxidant enzyme activities supported by histological and expression studies suggest a potential therapeutic role for TPEE in regulating obesity through FAS.

Effect of surfactants on the instability of a two-layer film flow down an inclined plane

The effect of insoluble surfactants on the instability of a two-layer film flow down an inclined plane is investigated based on the Orr-Sommerfeld boundary value problem. The study, focusing on Stokes flow P. Gao and X.-Y. Lu, ``Effect of surfactants on the inertialess instability of a two-layer film flow,'' J. Fluid Mech. 591, 495-507 (2007)], is further extended by including the inertial effect. The surface mode is recognized along with the interface mode. The initial growth rate corresponding to the interface mode accelerates at sufficiently long-wave regime in the presence of surface surfactant. However, the maximum growth rate corresponding to both interface and surface modes decelerates in the presence of surface surfactant when the upper layer is more viscous than the lower layer. On the other hand, when the upper layer is less viscous than the lower layer, a new interfacial instability develops due to the inertial effect and becomes weaker in the presence of interfacial surfactant. In the limit of negligible surface and interfacial tensions, respectively, two successive peaks of temporal growth rate appear in the long-wave and short-wave regimes when the interface mode is analyzed. However, in the case of the surface mode, only the long-wave peak appears. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.

Studies of Adsorption Characteristics of Activated Carbons Down to 4.5 K for the Development of Cryosorption Pumps for Fusion Systems

Cryosorption pump is the only possible device to pump helium, hydrogen and its isotopes in fusion environment, such as high magnetic field and high plasma temperatures. Activated carbons are known to be the most suitable adsorbent in the development of cryosorption pumps. For this purpose, the data of adsorption characteristics of activated carbons in the temperature range 4.5 K to 77 K are needed, but are not available in the literature. For obtaining the above data, a commercial micro pore analyzer operating at 77 K has been integrated with a two stage GM cryocooler, which enables the cooling of the sample temperature down to 4.5 K. A heat switch mounted between the second stage cold head and the sample chamber helps to raise the sample chamber temperature to 77 K without affecting the performance of the cryocooler. The detailed description of this system is presented elsewhere. This paper presents the results of experimental studies of adsorption isotherms measured on different types of activated carbons in the form of granules, globules, flake knitted and non-woven types in the temperature range 4.5 K to 10 K using Helium gas as the adsorbate. The above results are analyzed to obtain the pore size distributions and surface areas of the activated carbons. The effect of adhesive used for bonding the activated carbons to the panels is also studied. These results will be useful to arrive at the right choice of activated carbon to be used for the development of cryosorption pumps.

Role of upward leaders in modifying the induced currents in solitary down-conductors during a nearby lightning strike to ground

Electromagnetic field produced by a lightning strike to ground causes significant induction to tall objects in the vicinity. The frequency of occurrence of such nearby ground strikes can be higher than the number of direct strikes. Therefore, a complete knowledge on these induced currents is of practical relevance. However, limited efforts towards the characterisation of such induced currents in tall down-conductors could be seen in the literature. Due to the intensification of the background field caused by the descending stepped leader, tall towers/down-conductors can launch upward leaders of significant length. The nonlinearity in the conductance of upward leader and the surrounding corona sheath can alter the characteristics of the induced currents. Preliminary aspects of this phenomenon have been studied by the author previously and the present work aims to perform a detailed investigation on the role of upward leaders in modifying the characteristics of the induced currents. A consistent model for the upward leader, which covers all the essential electrical aspects of the phenomena, is employed. A first order arc model for representing the conductance of upward leader and a field dependant quadratic conductivity model for the corona sheath is employed. The initial gradient in the upward leader and the field produced by the return stroke forms the excitation. The dynamic electromagnetic response is determined by solving the wave equation using thin-wire time-domain formulation. Simulations are carried out initially to ascertain the role of individual parameters, including the length of the upward leader. Based on the simulation results, it is shown that the upward leader enhances the induced current, and when significant in length, can alter the waveshape of induced current from bipolar oscillatory to unipolar. The duration of the induced current is governed by the length of upward leader, which in turn is dependant on the return stroke current and the effective length of the down-conductor. If the current during the upward leader developmental phase is considered along with that after the stroke termination to ground, it would present a bipolar current pulse. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neonatal exposure to 17 beta-estradiol down-regulates the expression of synaptogenesis related genes in selected brain regions of adult female rats

Aims: Administration of estradiol or compounds with estrogenic activity to newborn female rats results in irreversible masculinization as well as defeminization in the brain and the animals exhibit altered reproductive behavior as adults. The cellular and molecular mechanism involved in inducing the irreversible changes is largely unknown. In the present study, we have monitored the changes in the expression of selected synaptogenesis related genes in the sexually dimorphic brain regions such as POA, hypothalamus and pituitary following 17 beta-estradiol administration to neonatal female rats. Main methods: Female Wistar rats which were administered 17 beta-estradiol on day 2 and 3 after birth were sacrificed 120 days later and the expression levels of genes implicated in synaptogenesis were monitored by semi-quantitative reverse transcription PCR. Since estradiol induced up-regulation of COX-2 in POA is a marker for estradiol induced masculinization as well as defeminization, in the present study only animals in which the increase in expression of COX-2 gene was observed in POA were included in the study. Key findings: Down-regulation of genes such as NMDA-2B, NETRIN-1, BDNF, MT-5 MMP and TNF-alpha was observed in the pre-optic area of neonatally E2 treated female rat brain but not in hypothalamus and pituitary compared to the vehicle- treated controls as assessed by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Significance: Our results suggest a possibility that down-regulation of genes associated with synaptogenesis in POA, may be resulting in disruption of the cyclical regulation of hormone secretion by pituitary the consequence of which could be infertility and altered reproductive behavior. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lack of Critical Slowing Down Suggests that Financial Meltdowns Are Not Critical Transitions, yet Rising Variability Could Signal Systemic Risk

Complex systems inspired analysis suggests a hypothesis that financial meltdowns are abrupt critical transitions that occur when the system reaches a tipping point. Theoretical and empirical studies on climatic and ecological dynamical systems have shown that approach to tipping points is preceded by a generic phenomenon called critical slowing down, i.e. an increasingly slow response of the system to perturbations. Therefore, it has been suggested that critical slowing down may be used as an early warning signal of imminent critical transitions. Whether financial markets exhibit critical slowing down prior to meltdowns remains unclear. Here, our analysis reveals that three major US (Dow Jones Index, S&P 500 and NASDAQ) and two European markets (DAX and FTSE) did not exhibit critical slowing down prior to major financial crashes over the last century. However, all markets showed strong trends of rising variability, quantified by time series variance and spectral function at low frequencies, prior to crashes. These results suggest that financial crashes are not critical transitions that occur in the vicinity of a tipping point. Using a simple model, we argue that financial crashes are likely to be stochastic transitions which can occur even when the system is far away from the tipping point. Specifically, we show that a gradually increasing strength of stochastic perturbations may have caused to abrupt transitions in the financial markets. Broadly, our results highlight the importance of stochastically driven abrupt transitions in real world scenarios. Our study offers rising variability as a precursor of financial meltdowns albeit with a limitation that they may signal false alarms.

Investigations into the structural and down-shifting and up-conversion luminescence properties of Ba2Na1-3xErxNb5O15 (0 <= x <= 0.06) nanocrystalline phosphor synthesized via sol-gel route

The present work deals with the structural and efficient down-shifting (DS) and up-conversion (UC) luminescence properties of erbium ion (Er3+) doped nanocrystalline barium sodium niobate (Ba2Na1-3xErxNb5O15, where x = 0, 0.02, 0.04 and 0.06) powders synthesized via novel citrate-based sol-gel route. The monophasic nature of the title compound was confirmed via x-ray powder diffraction followed by FT-IR studies. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) facilitated the establishment of the nanocrystalline phase and the morphology of the crystallites. The Kubelka-Munk function, based on diffused reflectance studies and carried out on nano-sized crystallites, was employed to obtain the optical band-gap. The synthesized nanophosphor showed efficient DS/PL-photoluminescence and UC luminescence properties, which have not yet been reported so far in this material. The material emits intense DS green emission on excitation with 378 nm radiation. Interestingly, the material gives intense UC emission in the visible region dominated by green emission and relatively weak red emission on 976 nm excitation (NIR laser excitation). Such a dual-mode emitting nanophosphor could be very useful in display devices and for many other applications.

Implementación de HyD [Hidroxicolecalciferol (25-OH-D3)] en la dieta de pollos de engorde como profilaxis de osteopatías, enfatizando en el sindrome del hueso negro, Granja Trinidad-1, Tip Top industrial

El objetivo del experimento fue evaluar el efecto del Hidroxicolecalciferol [HyD (25 –OH- D3)] en pollos de engorde, atraves de porcentajes de ceniza, calcio, fosforo y diagnostico de síndrome de hueso negro, se evaluaron dos tratamientos ( HyD y Testigo) con seis repeticiones para cada uno en dos tiempos a los 21 y 35 días de edad en análisis de ceniza, calcio y fosforo para lo cual se extrajo una tibia por pollo, dichos análisis resultaron con diferencias no significativas en ambas edades, las evaluaciones dieron como resultado que de los 21 día a los 35 días disminuyen su valor, ceniza baja de 43.8% a 36.8% en el testigo y de 42.4% a 37.7% en HyD, calcio de 15.6% a 13.4% para el testigo y de 16% a 14.5% para HyD de igual manera para los porcentaje de fosforo de 21 a 35 días con 7.6% a 6.5% para testigo y 7.5% a 6.7% para HyD. A los 35 días los resultados son mayores en el grupo HyD, 37.7% HyD,36.8% testigo en ceniza, calcio 14.5% HyD, testigo 13.4% y fosforo 6.7% HyD , 6.5% para testigo, las diferencias de 21 a 35 días son notorias y conservan la parte proporcional en que los porcentajes estan en ceniza calcio y fosforo, pero estas disminuyen para una misma variable de los 21 días de edad a los 35, sin encontrar diferencia significativas. A los 35 días se realizo análisis de síndrome de hueso negro con un total de 22 repeticiones por tratamiento, la extracción de dicha muestra (tibia) se realizo en planta de proceso, el análisis determino diferencias entre las aves muestreadas dando los mejores resultados aquellas que fueron alimentadas con Hidroxicolecalciferol [HyD (25 –OH- D3)], se observo en los resultados que en el grupo con HyD alcanzo un 91% de individuos sanos superando significativamente al testigo que solo llego a un 77% de individuos sanos, empleando un grado de libertad y 0.05 de significancia, lo que indica diminución de la presencia del síndrome de hueso negro, producto del HyD, empleando la línea genética Cobb 500, y alimentando los pollos del día cero al día 21 con diferencias de tratamiento e igual alimento del día 22 al día 35.

Homenagem ao Dia Internacional da Síndrome de Down

Sessão Solene realizada no Plenário da Câmara dos Deputados, por iniciativa da Comissão de Legislação Participativa, em homenagem ao Dia Internacional da Síndrome de Down, comemorado no dia 21 de março, e que em 2010 teve como lema "Inclusão para Autonomia".

Design of a Self-Adaptive Down-Hole Layered Steam Injector and Its Application

Layered steam injection, widely used in Liaohe Oilfield at Present, is an effective recovery technique to heavy oil reserves. Which makes the steam front-peak push forward uniformly, the amount of steam injection be assigned rationally, and the effect of injection steam be obtained as expected. To maintain a fixed ratio of layered steam injection and solve the problem of nonadjustable hole diameter with the change of layer pressure in the existing injectors, a new method is proposed in this paper to design layered steam injectors based on the dynamic balance theory. According to gas-liquid two-phase flow theory and beat transfer theory, the energy equation and the heat conduction equation in boreholes are developed. By analyzing the energy equilibrium of water-steam passing through the injector hole, we find an expression to describe the relation between the cross-sectional area of injector hole and the layer pressure. With this expression, we provide a new set of calculation methods and write the corresponding computer program to design and calculate the main parameters of a steam injector. The actual measurement data show that the theoretically calculated results are accurate, the software runs reliably, and they provide the design of self-adjustable layered steam injectors with the theoretical foundation.