Spatial Variability of the Depth of Weathered and Engineering Bedrock using Multichannel Analysis of Surface Wave Method

In this paper an attempt has been made to evaluate the spatial variability of the depth of weathered and engineering bedrock in Bangalore, south India using Multichannel Analysis of Surface Wave (MASW) survey. One-dimensional MASW survey has been carried out at 58 locations and shear-wave velocities are measured. Using velocity profiles, the depth of weathered rock and engineering rock surface levels has been determined. Based on the literature, shear-wave velocity of 330 ± 30 m/s for weathered rock or soft rock and 760 ± 60 m/s for engineering rock or hard rock has been considered. Depths corresponding to these velocity ranges are evaluated with respect to ground contour levels and top surface levels have been mapped with an interpolation technique using natural neighborhood. The depth of weathered rock varies from 1 m to about 21 m. In 58 testing locations, only 42 locations reached the depths which have a shear-wave velocity of more than 760 ± 60 m/s. The depth of engineering rock is evaluated from these data and it varies from 1 m to about 50 m. Further, these rock depths have been compared with a subsurface profile obtained from a two-dimensional (2-D) MASW survey at 20 locations and a few selected available bore logs from the deep geotechnical boreholes.

Oxygen transfer and energy dissipation rate in surface aerator

The dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy (epsilon) is a key parameter for mixing in surface aerators. In particular, determination epsilon across the impeller stream, where the most intensive mixing takes place, is essential to ascertain that an appropriate degree of mixing is achieved. Present work by using commercial software VisiMix (R) calculates the energy dissipation rate in geometrically similar unbaffled surface aeration systems in order to scale-up the oxygen transfer process. It is found that in geometrically similar system, oxygen transfer rate is uniquely correlated with dissipation rate of energy. Simulation or scale-up equation governing oxygen transfer rate and dissipation rate of energy has been developed in the present work.

Oxygen transfer and energy dissipation rate in surface aerator

The dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy(e)is a key parameter for mixing in surface aerators. In particular, determination e across the impeller stream, where the most intensive mixing takes place, is essential to ascertain that an appropriate degree of mixing is achieved. Present work by using commercial software VisiMix calculates the energy dissipation rate in geometrically similar unbaffled surface aeration systems in order to scale-up the oxygen transfer process. It is found that in geometrically similar system,oxygen transfer rate is uniquely correlated with dissipation rate of energy. Simulation or scale-up equation governing oxygen transfer rate and dissipation rate of energy has been developed in the present work.

Influence of surface stress on elastic constants of nanohoneycombs

Surface effect on the four independent elastic constants of nanohoneycombs is investigated in this paper. The axial deformation of the horizontal cell wall is included, comparing to the Gibson's method, and the contributions of the two components of surface stress (i.e. surface residual stress and surface elasticity) are discussed. The result shows that the regular hexagonal honeycomb is not isotropic but orthotropic. An increase in the cell-wall thickness t leads to an increase in the discrepancy of the Young's moduli in both directions. Furthermore, the surface residual stress dominates the surface effect on the elastic constants when t < 15 nm (or the relative density <0.17), which is in contrast to that the surface elasticity does when t > 15 nm (or the relative density > 0.17) for metal Al. The present structure and theory may be useful in the design of future nanodevices.

Comparative analysis of the uropathogenic Escherichia coli surface proteome by tandem mass-spectrometry of artificially induced outer membrane vesicles

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) are the major cause of urinary tract infections. For successful colonisation of the urinary tract, UPEC employ multiple surface-exposed or secreted virulence factors, including adhesins and iron uptake systems. Whilst individual UPEC strains and their virulence factors have been the focus of extensive research, there have been no outer membrane (OM) proteomic studies based on large clinical UPEC collections, primarily due to limitations of traditional methods. In this study, a high-throughput method based on tandem mass-spectrometry of EDTA heat-induced outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) was developed for the characterisation of the UPEC surface-associated proteome. The method was applied to compare the OM proteome of fifty-four UPEC isolates, resulting in the identification of 8789 proteins, consisting of 619 unique proteins, which were subsequently interrogated for their subcellular origin, prevalence and homology to characterised virulence factors. Multiple distinct virulence-associated proteins were identified, including two novel putative iron uptake proteins, an uncharacterised type of chaperone-usher fimbriae and various highly prevalent hypothetical proteins. Our results give fundamental insight into the physiology of UPEC and provide a framework for understanding the composition of the UPEC OM proteome.

Compressibility effects on hydromagnetic surface

The dispersion equation for hydromagnetic surface waves along a plasma-plasma interface has been solved as a function of the compressibility factor c 1/v A1, where c 1 and v A1 are the acoustic and Alfvén wave speed in one of the medium, for general wave propagation direction. Both slow and fast magnetosonic surface waves can exist. The nature and existence of these waves depends on the values of c 1/v A1 and theta, the angle of wave propagation. For low-beta plasmas only fast mode exists. The slow mode does not propagate below a critical value of c 1. When c 1 rarr infin the phase velocity of the slow wave tend to the Alfvén surface wave velocity in the incompressible media and for large theta the phase velocity of the fast wave approaches this value. The phase velocity of the slow wave increases whereas for the fast wave it decreases with increase in the angle theta.

Uniformity in Bias Tilt for Nematics Oriented by Polyvinyl Alcohol Surface Layers

Uniformity in bias tilt, for the polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)surface layer induced orientation of nematic liquid crystals, could be achieved for large area display panels, if one of the transparent electrodes is first directionally rubbed with fine abrasive; then both the electrodes coated with PVA, followed by directionally buffing the chemisorbed layers in the same direction. Uniformity may be due to increased 'train' configuration of the adsorbed macromolecule by falling on to microgrooves and maintaining the same sense of asymmetry for the looped segments.

The National Road Safety Partnership Program providing a pathway for any business/organisation to create a positive road safety culture

The National Road Safety Partnership Program (NRSPP) is an industry-led collaborative network which aims to support Australian businesses in developing a positive road safety culture. It aims to help businesses to protect their employees and the public, not only during work hours, but also when their staff are ‘off-duty’. How do we engage and help an organisation minimise work-related vehicle crashes and their consequences both internally, and within the broader community? The first step is helping an organisation to understand the true cost of its road incidents. Larger organisations often wear the costs without knowing the true impact to their bottom line. All they perceive is the change in insurance or vehicle repairs. Understanding the true cost should help mobilise a business’s leadership to do more. The next step is ensuring the business undertakes an informed, structured, evidence-based pathway which will guide them around the costly pitfalls. A pathway based around the safe system approach with buy-in at the top which brings the workforce along. The final step, benchmarking, allows the organisation to measure and track its change. This symposium will explore the pathway steps for organisations using NRSPP resources to become engaged in road safety. The 'Total Cost of Risk' calculator has been developed by Zurich, tested in Europe by Nestle and modified by NRSPP for Australia. This provides the first crucial step. The next step is a structured approach through the Workplace Road Safety Guide using experts and industry to discuss the preferred safe system approach which can then link into the national Benchmarking Project. The outputs from the symposium can help frame a pathway for organisations to follow through the NRSPP website.

ASEAN and ADB implementing new approaches to building road safety capacity

Following the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) senior transport officials meeting in May 2011, the Secretariat requested the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to provide assistance to improve road safety in ASEAN. In response, ADB, funded by the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction, has begun an innovative approach to capacity building that has already been adapted and replicated in other sub-regions. This paper will discuss the model central to the project. The Road Safety Capacity Building for ASEAN Project commenced in May 2013. Each country has appointed a National Focal Point (NFP) to identify and coordinate information. A team of International Experts were appointed to develop materials and present a comprehensive train the trainer program focused on five key areas. Thirty eight senior Government officers from across ASEAN attended a two week program at ADB headquarters in Manila and will arrange and deliver specific training and associated activities to other colleagues within their country. ADB has appointed a National Consultant to work in partnership with the trainees on a range of activities including development of “pipeline project proposals” for funding consideration investors and donors. As part of the project, a draft ASEAN Regional Road Safety Strategy document has been prepared and consultation will further refine its directions and contents. The project will reach its conclusion in 2015 and a follow up phase three project is being considered.

Ultrasound-assisted surface engineering of pharmaceutical powders

Effective processing of powdered particles can facilitate powder handling and result in better drug product performance, which is of great importance in the pharmaceutical industry where the majority of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are delivered as solid dosage forms. The purpose of this work was to develop a new ultrasound-assisted method for particle surface modification and thin-coating of pharmaceutical powders. The ultrasound was used to produce an aqueous mist with or without a coating agent. By using the proposed technique, it was possible to decrease the interparticular interactions and improve rheological properties of poorly-flowing water-soluble powders by aqueous smoothing of the rough surfaces of irregular particles. In turn, hydrophilic polymer thin-coating of a hydrophobic substance diminished the triboelectrostatic charge transfer and improved the flowability of highly cohesive powder. To determine the coating efficiency of the technique, the bioactive molecule β-galactosidase was layered onto the surface of powdered lactose particles. Enzyme-treated materials were analysed by assaying the quantity of the reaction product generated during enzymatic cleavage of the milk sugar. A near-linear increase in the thickness of the drug layer was obtained during progressive treatment. Using the enzyme coating procedure, it was confirmed that the ultrasound-assisted technique is suitable for processing labile protein materials. In addition, this pre-treatment of milk sugar could be used to improve utilization of lactose-containing formulations for populations suffering from severe lactose intolerance. Furthermore, the applicability of the thin-coating technique for improving homogeneity of low-dose solid dosage forms was shown. The carrier particles coated with API gave rise to uniform distribution of the drug within the powder. The mixture remained homogeneous during further tabletting, whereas the reference physical powder mixture was subject to segregation. In conclusion, ultrasound-assisted surface engineering of pharmaceutical powders can be effective technology for improving formulation and performance of solid dosage forms such as dry powder inhalers (DPI) and direct compression products.

Surface waves in the presence of external high frequency fields

The system equations of a collisionless, unmagnetized plasma, contained in a box where a high frequency (HF) electric field is incident, are solved in the electrostatic approximation. The surface modes of the plasma in the semi-infinite and box geometry are investigated. In thi high frequency limit, the mode frequencies are not significantly changed by the HF field but their group velocities can be quite different. Two long wavelength low frequency modes, which are not excited in the absence of HF field, are found. These modes are true surface modes (decaying on one wavelength from the surface) unlike the only low frequency ion acoustic mode in the zero field case. In the short wavelength limit the low frequency mode occurs at omega i/ square root 2, omega i being the ion plasma frequency, as a result similar to the case of no HF field.

Developing a new index for comparing road safety maturity: Case study of the ASEAN community

As part of the development of the ASEAN Regional Road Safety Strategy, a new index for measuring road safety maturity (RSM) was constructed from numerical weightings given to measurable factors presented for each of the pillars that guide national road safety plans and activities in WHO Global Road Safety Report 2013: road safety management, safer road and mobility, safer vehicles, safer road users and post-crash response. The index is based on both a content analysis approach and a binary methodology (report/no report) including measures which have been considered pertinent and not redundant. For instance, the use of random breath testing and/or police checkpoints in the national drink driving law are combined in the enforcement index. The value of the index per pillar ranges from 0 to 100%, taking into account whether there is total, partial or non-implementation of certain actions. In addition, when possible, the self-rated level of enforcement is included. The overall ratings for the I 0 ASEAN countries and the scores for each of the pillars are presented in the paper. The extent to which the RSM index is a valid indicator of road safety performance is also discussed.

Simulating Surface Aeration Systems at Different Scale of Mixing Time

Macro and micromixing time represent two extreme mixing time scales,which governs the whole hydrodynamics characteristics of the surface aeration systems. With the help of experimental and numerical analysis, simulation equation governing those times scale has been presented in the present work.