bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design and Analysis of Airfoil-Shaped Impeller Blades of Centrifugal Pump
Authors: Shah Parth , Ashwin Ganesh M. , Kuruppa Raj Thundil
Published: September 2016

This paper deals with a comparative study of the outlet pressure-energy between a conventional and normal blade impeller and an airfoil-shaped blade impeller of a centrifugal pump. Although the volute casing is an important component along with an impeller [1], the present comparative analysis makes the volute casing redundant to the study, hence neglected. All centrifugal pumps are usually designed and manufactured using backward swept blades with equal camber on the top and bottom sides. An increased camber on the top side is an ideal trait for a lift generating airfoil. The purpose is to implement the principle of lift generation of airfoil for centrifugal pumps. As a result, a local suction side and pressure side can be visualized using CFX-post processor. The 3D analysis of such a centrifugal pump impeller is designed in SOLIDWORKS® and analyzed using ANSYS® CFX. The SST (Menter’s Shear Stress Transport) model is used as it combines both the k-ω and k-ε turbulence models.
Experimental Setup and Methodology to Carryout Fatigue Testing of Spiral Bevel Gears Used in Differential Gear Box Using NVH Approach
Authors: Bhavi Iresh , Kuppast Vinay , Kurbet Shivakant
Published: September 2016

Currently the fatigue testing of bevel gears are being done by using non rotating type of fixtures that applies fatigue load on a single tooth, which does not resemble the actual loading condition in an automotive differential gear box. This paper discusses the experimental setup with the noise and vibration analysis approach to determine the signature of failures of spiral bevel gears. The proposed experimental setup seems promising for further research and development in the fatigue testing of spiral bevel gears.
The Crown pinion and wheel assembly is used for the testing. The pinion is connected to the electric 3 phase AC motor of 75HP with a suitable coupling and the crown wheel is mounted on the half axle shaft, which in turn is connected to an electric dynamometer. The speed/torque of electric motor and the load applied by the dynamometer can be varied. The acoustic sensor is mounted near the differential gear box and the accelerometers are mounted on the Pinion bearing, Crown wheel bearing and the half axle bearing.
A four channel data acquisition system is used to log data in time domain (raw data) by three accelerometers and an acoustic sensor. The variations of sound pressure(dB) v/s time, sound Pressure(FFT-(RMS)) amplitude v/s Frequency, Acceleration v/s Time, Octave analysis i.e., Band power v/s Frequency, Noise spectrum Power v/s Frequency, Histogram, Power density v/s Time can be obtained. These data are then used to plot vibration and SPP levels in frequency domain to develop the noise and vibration signature of that crown pinion for given cycles of operation. The tests on Bevel pinion and gear set were performed in the BEC, Bagalkot NVH lab facility. The gear set run successfully at double the rated torque for 30 million pinion cycles. And the signature of pinion failure was obtained. The results demonstrated the suitability of using the given bevel crown pinion and gears set for specified speed, high load application in differential gear box of an automobile.
Development of Novel Natural Composites with Fly Ash Reinforcements and Investigation of their Tensile Properties
Authors: Praveen Kumar A. , Nalla Mohamed M. , Kurien Philips K. , Ashwin J.
Published: September 2016

Increasing demand for special materials leads to new inventions. One of the most promising inventions is the concept of composites. Natural fibers have the potential as a reinforcing material as an alternative to the use of glass, carbon and other synthetic fibers in automotive industries. Among various natural fibers, Kenaf is a widely used fiber due to its easy availability, low density, low production cost and satisfactory mechanical properties. To enhance the mechanical properties of natural fibre composites, strengthening of the matrix and fibre is very much essential. A prospective reinforcement in this regard is fly ash, which is abundantly available as a waste product from thermal power plants. In this paper, a new novel natural composite with epoxy as a resin and reinforcing both bio waste (Kenaf) and industrial waste (Fly ash) has been developed. All the laminates were prepared with a total of 4 plies. Laminates without fly ash filler were also fabricated for comparison purpose. A hand lay-up method was used for the fabrication of composites and was tested as per ASTM standards for evaluation of tensile properties. The effect of fly ash weight percentage (5, 10, 15% wt.) on tensile properties was studied experimentally. Due to the incorporation of fly ash fillers into the kenaf fiber composites, there is considerable improvement in the mechanical properties. Overall results supported the effective utilization of natural composites for automotive applications.
A New Proposed Method to Reverse Engineer a Residual Limb for Prosthetic Socket - Procedure, Advantages and Challenges
Authors: Singh Divya , Pandey Richa
Published: September 2016

A prosthetic replaces any missing human body part visibly and also aims to resume the normal functionality of the part. Reverse engineering extracts information from a present model or available design and develops a new model using advanced CAD tools. Nowadays the reverse engineered part can be combined with rapid prototyping by various software and integration of CAD-CAM platforms. In this paper, a new method to reverse engineer the residual limb information for lower limb amputees, in order to use it for analyzing and developing a prosthetic socket by scanning and developing a CAD model is proposed. Along this are discussed, the advantages and challenges. This work falls in the emerging field of interdisciplinary engineering, combining medical and advanced mechanical engineering on a humanitarian platform
Development of Rubber Nanocomposites for Engineering Application
Authors: Jawahar Paulraj , Kartheeswaran Parthasarathy
Published: September 2016

Rubber finds wide range of application in automotive sector starting from tires to rubber bushes. Incorporation of nanoparticles like carbon nanotubes to rubber has improved the mechanical properties significantly. Still dispersion of carbon nanotube in raw rubber is a challenging process. In this work multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) are dispersed in the varying proportions (0.5, 1, 1.5 wt.%) in high viscous aromatic rubber processing oil using high shear planetary ball mill for a period of 2 hours. Then the rubber nanocomposites have been processed in double roll mill by adding the chemicals in the following order (Natural Rubber, Antioxidant: 1 phr, Oil: 5 phr, Zinc Oxide: 4 phr, Stearic Acid: 2 phr, Accelerator: 1 phr, Sulfur: 2 phr). It was found that, the incorporation of Multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) has improved the mechanical properties of natural rubber significantly. Din abrasion studies show improvement in wear resistance of natural rubber incorporated with multiwall carbon nanotube.
Effect of Boundary Conditions on Phase Change in Rectilinear and Spherical Porous Media
Authors: Basu Rahul
Published: September 2016

This paper examines a model for coupled heat and mass transfer for freezing in a porous matrix with Dirichlet and convective boundary conditions. Variables include porosity, heat transfer coefficients, thermal and mass diffusivity, density, latent heat and boundary temperatures. It is shown that heat and mass transfer balance at the interface can affect stability. The effect of boundary conditions on the velocity of freezing is computed for some cases, and applications to physical problems highlighted
Buckling Analysis of Sodium to Sodium Heat Exchanger Tubes
Authors: Gupta Gagan , Sharma Anil Kumar
Published: September 2016

Sodium to sodium heat exchanger tubes are small in diameter, long and thin. These tubes are supported at intermediate locations and subjected to compressive and tensile loading during reactor operation. Structural mechanics analyses of a 2-D axi-symmetric model of heat exchanger was performed to estimate the load sharing in these tubes during reactor operation on finite element software ABAQUS. Since the tubes are suppoted at intermediate locations, a 3D model of full tube with intermediate support was made to calculate the critical buckling load and buckling modes. In this paper, structure analysis of heat exchanger and load sharing in tubes, critical load for tube and buckling modes in the tube, and design check of tubes under compression are covered. Tubes which are under compression are checked for buckling and found within the design limit.
Evaluation of Key Design Parameters of an Encapsulated Latent Heat Thermal Storage Unit
Authors: Lakshmi Narasimhan N. , Karthik P.
Published: September 2016

The present work numerically investigates for a latent heat thermal storage (LHTS) unit, the effect of key design parameters such as the inlet temperature of the heat transfer fluid (HTF), initial and melting temperatures of the PCM, thermophysical parameters such as specific heat, thermal conductivity etc., on its performance. A numerical model has been developed considering the discharging mode of operation and solved employing finite difference technique. The parametric study reveals that the effect of HTF inlet temperature on the unit's thermal response is more compared to initial temperature of the PCM and the influence of thermal conductivity of the PCM is very strong compared to specific heat capacity of the solid PCM
Thermal Performance of a Compact Loop Heat Pipe with Silver-Water Nanofluid
Authors: Ninolin Emerald , Asirvatham Lazarus Godson , Ramachandran K.
Published: September 2016

The thermal performance of a compact loop heat pipe is fabricated and tested for different heat inputs ranging from 30 W to 500 W using water and silver-water nanofluid with low volume concentrations of silver nanoparticles (0.03% and 0.09%) in vertical orientation. A flat square evaporator having a bottom area of 30 mm × 30 mm and a height of 15 mm is used in the present study. The effect of heat input on the thermal resistance, evaporation and condensation heat transfer coefficient is experimentally investigated. The results showed that a reduction in the evaporator thermal resistance of 26.45% is achieved with 0.09 volume percentage of silver nanoparticles when compared with that of water. Further an enhancement in the convective heat transfer coefficient of 25.23% has been observed with the same volume concentration of silver nanoparticles. Addition of small amount of nanoparticles enhanced the operating range of heat pipe beyond 500 W and without the occurrence of any dry out conditions. From the outcome of this study, it is concluded that the compact loop heat pipe with flat square evaporator can be used for thermal control of electronic equipments with limited space.
Design and Optimization of Dish for Solar Thermal Incineration
Authors: Ashwin Ganesh M. , Ganti Gaurav , Choudhury Aushman , Raja Sekhar Y.
Published: September 2016

Waste disposal in remote areas is a hurdle due to lack of active dumping space. Besides, improper dumping of waste on empty land can have a detrimental impact on the environment. Incineration of waste using thermal incineration (using a solar concentrator) can be utilized for mobile incineration devices to dispose of hazardous waste effectively with a limited space. The design and mobility of the solar dish for this purpose is one of the most important considerations. The modeling of the solar dish was performed on SOLIDWORKS® with APEX® for optical simulation. The simulation results showed a linear variation of flux coating to enable a more comprehensive cost benefit analysis for the design. The simulation was also used to check whether the required flux at focus (to achieve ignition) was achieved. Further work is required to validate the results.
A Case Study on Insulating Main Steam Line (MSL) with Silica Aerogel
Authors: Manohar J. , Ramprakash S. , Selvakumar G. , Dhiliban Dhiliban
Published: September 2016

In this paper, a case study on replacing the existing insulating material (Mineral wool) by the Silica Aerogel in the main steam line (MSL) of the thermal power plant is presented.A sample length of 3 m in MSL was insulated with various thicknesses of silica aerogel, mineral wool and the combinations of mineral wool and silica aerogel. The heat loss in the sample length with different insulating material was calculated by carrying out field experiments. The results show that the silica aerogel is providing better insulation than the mineral wool. Nonetheless, the use of silica aerogel is expensive. To bring down the cost, hybrid insulation with the optimal thickness of silica aerogel + mineral wool + silica aerogel was suggested. This hybrid combination considerably reduced the heat loss and improved the thermal efficiency. The payback period for this implementation was reported.
Investigation of Stability of Water Based MWCNTs Nanofluids and Size Distribution of MWCNTs Functionalized by Different Chemical Treatment Processes
Authors: Giri Prasad M.J. , Ramesh Dinesh , Rishi Kumar R. , Jerome Santharaj N. , Abhishek Raaj A.S. , Santhip J.
Published: September 2016

Recently the study on the convective heat transfer properties of the nanofluids has gained remarkable importance. Nanofluids are stable dispersions of nanoparticles into a base fluid. These are experimentally found to possess enhanced mechanical and heat transfer properties compared to the parent base fluid. Previous studies confirm that of all the nanofluids, the ones prepared using MWCNTs with distilled water as the base fluid produced a maximum enhancement in the thermal conductivity of the dispersant. This widens the potential scope of MWCNTs nanofluids as coolants in different applications. Despite its exceptional properties, preparation of a stable water based MWCNTs nanofluid often involves a tedious process because of their hindrance to disperse in organic solvents. Functionalization is the process of surface modification of CNTs to reduce their hydrophobicity thereby improving their dispersion effect in organic solvents. Functionalization by chemical treatment is the most effective method in maintaining the long term stability of the nanofluids, but these processes often involve treatment with strong chemicals which affects the size distribution and morphology of the carbon nanotubes. The current study investigates the stability and particle size distribution of MWCNTs nanofluids functionalized by different processes and reports the most effective process for functionalization of MWCNTs.
Role of Additives on Emission Characteristics of Methyl Ester in Constant Speed Diesel Engine
Authors: Yuvarajan D. , Surendran R. , Vinoth Kumar V. , Devanathan R.
Published: September 2016

In this study, the outcome of adding n-butyl alcohol to jatropha methyl ester on the emissions characteristics of compression ignition engines is investigated. Single cylinder diesel engine was fuelled with n-butyl alcohol / jatropha methyl ester blends. The doping volume of n-butyl alcohol to jatropha methyl ester blends was in the range of 10, 20 and 30%. Emission parameters such as Hydro carbon (HC), Carbon monoxide (CO), Nitrogen oxides (NOX) and Smoke emissions were examined at different load conditions. The engine speed was maintained constant throughout the trail. This work resulted in a significant reduction in reduction in all the emissions. Addition of n-butyl alcohol as additive improves the rate of combustion, mixing and vaporization of the blends with air and reduces the emissions associated with it. Further, it can be used in the existing engine with any modification. This also results that the addition of n-butyl alcohol to jatropha methyl ester reduces the emissions associated with it. Further, no damage to engine components was observed during the trail.
Numerical Investigations on Effect of Obstacle in an Incompressible Laminar Wall Jet Flow
Authors: Arul Prakash M , Mayilsamy K. , Rajesh Kanna P.
Published: September 2016

The effect of obstacle in an incompressible laminar wall jet flow is investigated numerically. Heat transfer enhancements in cooling of heated objects are found wide application in almost all fields of engineering. Wall jet cooling is one such important application. From literature survey in the related area it is found that the influence of the presence of obstacles in the flow path of laminar wall jet needs to be investigated. The objective of the present work is to study the effect of obstacle on flow characteristics of the incompressible laminar wall jet. The wall jet is blown along a horizontal bottom wall. The obstacle block is placed on the bottom wall. A two dimensional computational domain is considered. At the left side of the computational domain a vertical wall is present. The right and top of the domains are open to ambient fluid. An in-house code developed based on vorticity-stream function formulation for the full computational domain is used to solve the problem. The flow pattern, formation and growth of recirculation, attachment and re-attachment behaviors and the velocity profiles were studied with and without obstacle. From the results of the investigations, the influences of obstacle on flow characteristics of wall jet was found more at higher Reynolds numbers and at the regions nearer to the obstacle.
Design, Structural and Kinematic Analysis of Reconfigurable Sewage Cleaning Robot
Authors: Ajin M. , Satheesh Kumar Gopal , Karthikeyan P.
Published: September 2016

Congested sewage system causes many health related problem, since every work activity bring sewage workers into contact with perilous and toxic substances while removing the clogs occurring in the system. The major illness includes not just associated the relatively mild case of gastroenteritis, but also the potentially fatal diseases such as leptospirosis and hepatitis. The aim of the project is to implement a robot to remove the choke in the sewage system at low cost and to completely eliminate the human engagement for this task. A robot of that nature could also be used in critical places where human workers cannot be employed to remove the clog because of physical limitations. An improved design incorporating the improvisations learnt from earlier versions of the developed robots is to be attempted in this project work. The performance of this robot is analyzed through multi body dynamics after incorporating the robot into the work environment. After finalizing the design through the analysis, the robot would be fabricated. Finally the evaluation of the robot performance in real-time would be performed through experimental tests. The control mode would be semi-autonomous initially and then would be made completely autonomous. For convenience, the robot can also be operated manually from outside the sewage system based on the environment and requirement.
Low Cost Battery Operated Vehicle Using Joystick Control for Physically Challenged
Authors: Prashaanth R. , Sindhu S.L. , Veena S. , Srilakshmi P.S. , Saravanan P.
Published: September 2016

Wheelchairs are used by people having difficulty in walking due to disability or some illness. The wheelchairs can either be self-propelled or can be moved by using the torque developed from the electric motors fitted to the wheels. The use of automated wheelchairs has largely increased as it does not require any muscular movement from the user. The various automated wheelchair models available in the market are of high cost and cannot be afforded by everyone in need. In this project, we aim to develop a low cost automated wheelchairWithout compromising its reliability. The wheelchair movement is controlled by the user via a thumb joystick. The control algorithm is implemented by using ATMEGA 328P.
Design and Fabrication of RC Quad-Copter for Video Surveillance
Authors: Paul Chiranjeet , Raghukiran Nadimpalli
Published: September 2016

The usage of unmanned aerial vehicles has grown drastically because of their ability to operate in dangerous locations while keeping their human operators at a safe distance. In the present work, an attempt has been made to design and fabricate a quadcopter for video surveillance. For continuous video streaming, a miniature wireless camera has been installed in the quadcopter. The camera helps the user to guide the vehicle and also to receive continuous clips of the surveyed location in laptop. Further analysis has been carried out on the frame material to determine better feasible option for carrying out the fabrication. The control system consists of a RC joystick, which sends the input to the multi rotor board using transmitter and receiver. KK 2.1.5 board is used as the brain of the device. Since quadcopter has a better dynamic stability than helicopter, giving the user more comfort of flying, they play a predominant role in different areas for surveillance, military operations, fire sensing and many other complex situations.
Vibration Based Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting
Authors: Shakthivel T.S. , Burela Ramesh Gupta
Published: September 2016

Piezoelectric energy harvesting has applications in aircraft technology, where the piezoelectric patches are attached to the wings of the aircraft to convert the mechanical vibrations into useful electrical energy, which further is used to power the sensors of Aircraft Health Monitoring System, inflight operations like lighting and onboard entertainment. In this article, the performance of vibration based piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH) for a given frequency range is studied. A piezoelectric material that has a maximum piezoelectric coefficient (PZT-G1195) is chosen to increase the effective power output. The output power generated by the harvester due to transverse and longitudinal vibrations are compared. Finally parametric studies are performed on the PEH to analyze the design parameters influencing its performance.
Effect of Cooling Medium on Fracture Toughness of Rotomoulded Product
Authors: Ramkumar P.L. , Kulkarni D.M. , Chaudhari Vikas V.
Published: September 2016

In day-to-day life, usage of plastics is numerous. It offers variety of benefits compared to other materials in various sectors like house hold applications, agricultural industry, and packaging, etc. There are numerous methods for processing plastics. These include: blow moulding, injection moulding, rotational moulding, transfer moulding and thermoforming. Rotational moulding is a competitive alternative to other plastic manufacturing process, since it offers designers an opportunity to achieve an economic production of stress free products. Many products made by rotational moulding process using linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) are widely used in outdoor applications such as boats, over head tanks, and car body parts etc. In such applications, fracture properties are considered to be critical from the quality characterization point of view. Selection of appropriate cooling medium plays vital role to enhance the quality of rotomolded products. In this paper, an attempt has been made to investigate the effect of cooling medium on fracture toughness of the rotationally moulded products. Fracture tests are carried out on a compact tension (CT) test specimens prepared as per the ASTM D 6068 (2012). The tests are performed on a universal testing machine. R-curve method is used to determine the fracture toughness (JIC) of rotomoulded products. From the experimental results it is found that rapid cooling method favours better fracture toughness of rotomoulded products. Therefore, it is recommended to use faster cooling aids like water cooling in rotational moulding process to achieve highest fracture toughness.
Design and Optimization of Core Assembly Line for Turbo Charger
Authors: Paveethrun Sa. , Bakthavachalam R. , Kannan S.
Published: September 2016

This study investigates ‘Manufacturing design for productivity’ surveying a case study of an existing assembly line for Turbo charger Core. The main aim is to investigate the possibilities of operational improvement by reducing number of stations in assembly line in a cost-effective manner by reducing the number of grippers used in complete assembly layout. An assembly line is selected for the case study. An existing assembly is redesigned by using the concepts of methods engineering. Then both cases are analyzed and discussed in terms of their output ability and manufacturing time. After the analysis of redesigned assembly layout it is observed that we can reduce average Operation time by 15 % at the end of this study. At the end of this project, we increased the production quantity from 824 to 955 products. Because efficiency of station work has increased with the redesigned assembly line with aid of dual arm robot. The new assembly line reduces the station idle time and increases its efficiency in operation. The existing assembly line was covering 8 m2 it got reduced to 4 m2 approximately in optimized layout. It is observed 15.89% productivity increased for the same period of time. By the standardization and the elimination of the station operations, and reducing the labor cost the company could increase its competitive strength through the optimized layout design.
Candona alchichica (Podocopida: Candonidae), a new ostracod species from saline, tropical Lake Alchichica, Mexico
Authors: Cohuo Sergio , Hernández Maria del Carmen , Pérez Liseth , Alcocer Javier
Published: September 2016

In North America, most species of the Candonidae family belong to the genus Candona. These species are frequently found in freshwater ecosystems and in sediment sequences, which makes them valuable tools for paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Knowledge of Mexican Candona species is limited, however, and scant information exists regarding their taxonomy and ecology. Here we describe Candona alchichica, a new ostracod species we suggest being endemic to Lake Alchichica, central Mexico. The species belongs to the acuminata group of species, based on the presence of 5+1 setae on the second segment of the mandibular palp. It is closely related to C. patzcuaro, C. tahoensis and C. ohioensis, but differs from those species in that the females have an elongated genital field, wide at the base and narrow at the end. Males have elongated hook-like prehensile palps and a particular arrangement of lobes in the hemipenis, i.e., the a-lobe is inclined with a digitiform basal projection, the b-lobe is distally rounded and the h-lobe is square-shaped and exceeding the length of the b-lobe. Candona alchichica n. sp. and C. patzcuaro display very similar shells in length and morphology, which can cause confusion if identification is carried out in the absence of soft parts, a common situation when dealing with carapace and valve remains in sediment cores. Detailed morphometric analyses, however, revealed a clear difference between the valves of the two taxa. Candona alchichica n. sp. has taller valves (p˂0.05), with concave dorsal margin, and with the anterior margin considerably narrower than posterior margin, all characteristics different from C. patzcuaro. Most important, in spite of their similar shape, the two species exhibit contrasting ecological preferences. Candona alchichica n. sp. inhabits clear, cold, saline, oligotrophic waters, whereas C. patzcuaro dwells in turbid, warm, fresh, eutrophic waters. In addition, we include a revision of the morphological characteristics and taxonomic position of C. patzcuaro, based on type material and specimens collected from the type locality (i.e., Lake Pátzcuaro, Michoacán). This study highlights the importance of undertaking detailed morphometric analyses of the recent ostracod fauna to provide reliable taxonomic identifications and ecological characterizations of species, which are critical for accurate paleoclimatic and paleoecological reconstructions.
Possible relationship between certolizumab pegol and arrhythmias: report of two cases
Authors: Talotta R. , Atzeni F. , Batticciotto A. , Ventura D. , Sarzi-Puttini P.
Published: September 2016

It is still unknown whether there is an association between the use of certolizumab pegol (CZP) in rheumatic patients and the onset of cardiac arrhythmias. We describe the cases of two patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with CZP as the first-line biological drug and methotrexate (MTX), who developed an arrhythmic event. The first was a 60-year-old, hypertensive male smoker, the second a 66-year-old dyslipidemic female non-smoker. Both were diagnosed as having RA in 2010, and started treatment with MTX plus CZP. The first patient developed undatable atrial fibrillation, which was resistant to pharmacological treatment and electrical cardioversion. The second patient developed an atrial flutter, which was treated with a betablocker. In both cases, we set a cautious interval between two consecutive administrations of CZP and, in the first case, also reduced the dose of MTX without any worsening of RA activity. Although many studies have shown that tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha plays a pathogenetic role in inducing an arrhythmogenic substrate that is apparently rescued by anti-TNF drugs, there is still a lack of conclusive data. We suggest caution in any patient developing a cardiac event (including rhythm disorders) during treatment with a conventional or biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug.
Impacts of Coal Burning on Ambient PM2.5 Pollution in China
Authors: Ma Qiao , Cai Siyi , Wang Shuxiao , Zhao Bin , Martin Randall V. , Brauer Michael , Cohen Aaron , Jiang Jingkun , Zhou Wei , Hao Jiming , Frostad Joseph , Forouzanfar Mohammad H. , Burnett Richard T.
Published: September 2016

Abstract. High concentration of fine particles (PM2.5), the primary concern about air quality in China, is believed to closely relate to China’s large consumption of coal. In order to quantitatively identify the contributions of coal combustion in different sectors to ambient PM2.5, we developed an emission inventory for the year 2013 using up-to-date information on energy consumption and emission controls, and conducted standard and sensitivity simulations using the chemical transport model GEOS-Chem. According to the simulation, coal combustion contributes 22 μg m−3 (40 %) to the total PM2.5 concentration at national level (averaged in 74 major cities), and up to 37 μg m−3 (50 %) in Sichuan Basin. Among major coal-burning sectors, industrial coal burning is the dominant contributor with a national average contribution of 10 μg m−3 (17 %), followed by coal combustion in power plants and domestic sector. The national average contribution due to coal combustion is estimated to be 18 μg m−3 (46 %) in summer and 28 μg m−3 (35 %) in winter. While the contribution of domestic coal burning shows an obvious reduction from winter to summer, contributions of coal combustion in power plants and industrial sector remain at relatively constant levels through out the year.
Box-modelling of the impacts of atmospheric nitrogen deposition and benthic remineralisation on the nitrogen cycle of the eastern tropical South Pacific
Authors: Su Bei , Pahlow Markus , Oschlies Andreas
Published: September 2016

Abstract. Both atmospheric deposition and benthic remineralisation influence the marine nitrogen cycle, and hence ultimately also marine primary production. The biological and biogeochemical relations in the eastern tropical South Pacific (ETSP) among nitrogen deposition, benthic denitrification and phosphorus regeneration are analysed in a prognostic box model of the oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles in the ETSP. Atmospheric nitrogen deposition ( ≈ 1.5 Tg N yr−1 for the years 2000–2009) is offset by half in the model by reduced N2 fixation, with the other half transported out of the model domain. Model- and data-based benthic denitrification in our model domain are responsible for losses of 0.19 and 1.0 Tg Tg N yr−1, respectively, and both trigger nitrogen fixation, partly compensating for the NO3− loss. Model- and data-based estimates of enhanced phosphate release via sedimentary phosphorus regeneration under suboxic conditions are 0.062 and 0.11 Tg N yr−1, respectively. Since phosphate is the ultimate limiting nutrient in the model, even very small additional phosphate inputs stimulate primary production and subsequent export production and NO3− loss in the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ). A sensitivity analysis of the local response to both atmospheric deposition and benthic remineralisation indicates dominant stabilising feedbacks in the ETSP, which tend to keep a balanced nitrogen inventory; i.e. nitrogen input by atmospheric deposition is counteracted by decreasing nitrogen fixation; NO3− loss via benthic denitrification is partly compensated for by increased nitrogen fixation; enhanced nitrogen fixation stimulated by phosphate regeneration is partly counteracted by stronger water-column denitrification. Even though the water column in our model domain acts as a NO3− source, the ETSP including benthic denitrification might be a NO3− sink.
Flow dynamics in hyper-saline aquifers:
hydro-geophysical monitoring and modelling
Authors: Haaken Klaus , Deidda Gian Piero , Cassiani Giorgio , Deiana Rita , Putti Mario , Paniconi Claudio , Scudeler Carlotta , Kemna Andreas
Published: September 2016

Abstract. Saline-freshwater interaction in porous media is a phenomenon of practical interest particularly for the management of water resources in arid and semi-arid environments, where precious freshwater resources are threatened by seawater intrusion and where storage of freshwater in saline aquifers can be a viable option. Saline-freshwater interactions are controlled by physico-chemical processes that need to be accurately modelled. This in turn requires monitoring of these systems, a non-trivial task for which spatially extensive, high resolution non-invasive techniques can provide key information. In this paper we present the field monitoring and numerical modelling components of a methodology aimed at understanding complex saline-freshwater systems. The methodology is applied to a freshwater injection experiment carried out in a hyper-saline aquifer near Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy). The experiment was monitored using time-lapse cross-hole electrical resistivity tomography (ERT). To investigate the flow dynamics, coupled numerical flow and transport modeling of the experiment was carried out using an advanced 3D density-driven flow-transport simulator. The simulation results were used to produce synthetic ERT inversion results to be compared against real field ERT results. This exercise demonstrates that the evolution of the freshwater bulb is strongly influenced, not surprisingly, by the system's very mild hydraulic heterogeneities. The study highlights the value of the ERT field data at imaging the freshwater bulb behavior, as well the value of the modelling results at interpreting these data. Further steps towards a quantitative integration of monitoring and modelling tools are discussed.
Brief Communication: Glaciers in the Hunza Catchment (Karakoram) are in balance since the 1970s
Authors: Bolch Tobias , Pieczonka Tino , Mukherjee Kriti , Shea Joseph
Published: September 2016

Abstract. Previous geodetic estimates of mass changes in the Karakoram revealed balanced budgets or a possible slight mass gain since the year ~ 2000. Indications for longer-term stability exist but no mass budget analyses are available before 2000. Here, we show that glaciers in the Hunza River basin (Central Karakoram) were on average in balance since the 1970s based on analysis of stereo Hexagon KH-9, SRTM, ASTER and Cartosat-1 data. Heterogeneous behaviour and frequent surge activities were also characteristic for the period before 2000.
ODOS POKYČIAI SERGANT AMILOIDOZE
Authors: Orlovskytė Tatjana , Marčiukaitienė Irena , Lapinskaitė Genovaitė , Meškauskas Raimundas , Bylaitė-Bučinskienė Matilda
Published: September 2016

The symptoms of amyloidosis depend directly on the localization of amyloid deposits: it can be accumulated in only one body organ (localized amyloidosis) or in more than one organ system (systemic amyloidosis). The possibility of skin lesions exists in both cases. Cutaneous amyloidosis and skin changes induced by systemic amyloidosis are diagnosed significantly more often in Southeast Asia, China and South America than in Europe. The aim of this article was to review the forms of cutaneous amyloidosis, the main skin changes induced by systemic amyloidosis, symptoms, diagnosis and methods of treatment. Despite of the big diversity of the symptoms, some of them could be very important in the diagnosis of both localized cutaneous and systemic amyloidosis. The review of the newest publications of cutaneous amyloidosis, the comprehensive classification, symptoms and the main principles of diagnosis and treatment are presented.
The Exceptionality of Jordan and its Democracy in King Hussein’s Last Speech From the Throne
Authors: El-Sharif Ahmad
Published: September 2016

The Late King Hussein’s last Speech from the Throne in 1997 was given amidst public outcry over the outcomes of the parliamentary elections which resulted the triumph tribal figures with regional affiliations after the boycott of most political parties. This brought to public debate the questions of maintain the long-established balance between the several socio-political structures in the political life in Jordan. While the speech can be perceived as a reflection of King Hussein’s vision about ‘Jordanian democracy’, it can also be interpreted as an elaborate scheme to construct the conventional understanding of the exceptionality of Jordan and its socio-political institutions; including democracy. This article discusses the representation of ‘Jordanian democracy’, the state, and the socio-political structures in Jordan as reflected in the Late King’s last speech from the throne (1997). The analytical framework follows a critical metaphor analysis perspective in which all instances of metaphors used to epitomise these issues are primarily acknowledged from there sociocultural context. Herein, the article focuses on revealing the aspect of metaphorical language by which the Late King Hussein legitimizes and, hence, constructs, the prevailing ideology pf the ‘exceptionality’ of Jordan.
Target Situation Analysis in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Malaysia-Based Multi-National Enterprises: the Case of German
Authors: Mayr Waltraud , Chow Voon Foo Thomas , Mohamad Akmar
Published: September 2016

Purpose - The aim of this study is to examine the German language needs of employees in multinational companies in Malaysia and the expectations of employers in the teaching of German in their companies. As an additional variable, training for sustainable development (ESD) is included. The language learning needs are described and worked as a basis for the development of language programs for adults. A special main focus is on the local situation in Malaysia and the situations that may arise in Germany during the posting to the headquarters of the respective company.

Design / methodology / approach - The mixed-mode research method is chosen in order to obtain a spectrum of ideas about the teaching of German in German Companies in Malaysia (qualitative research) and to conduct a review of the German education (quantitative research). The needs analysis addressed the employers, employees and teachers in a survey period of about four weeks using a questionnaire.

Results - The results of the needs assessment show a discrepancy between supply and demand in terms of the required skills in the German language as well as other skills that are regarded by employers as extremely important. In particular, skills that are necessary in key competencies and techniques are clearly required, but hardly included in class. Thus, the results of this needs assessment provide concrete starting points for the improvement of teaching German and with this, the improvement of communicative competence in the workplace.

Originality / Benefits - This study contributes to the current issues concerning the German mediation requirements: How can the demand for German at the workplace be detected and exactly described? What methods are available, which studies at home and abroad already exist?
Unique Balinese Speaking System as Guidance of Character Media
Authors: M.Hum., A.Ma. I Nyoman Suwija
Published: September 2016

Balinese language is one of regional languages in Indonesia that has levels of speaking or anggah-ungguh basa so that it called a unique language. The unique of Balinese language is caused by the system of tribute applying by the speaker to the listener that should be respected. Therefore, the result of this study is to describe the values of character education that implicit in unique Balinese speaking system.

This study is qualitative research that dissected by structuralism theory. The source data are obtained by library research that helped by noting technique. The data is obtained and processed by analytic descriptive method.
Based on the result of this study is in the unique Balinese speaking system founded twelve of values character education, namely: (1) religious, (2) honesty, (3) tolerance, (4) discipline, (5) creative, (6) democratic, (7) curiosity, (8) love of the homeland, (9) friendship and communicative, (10) love peaceful, (11) concern, and (12) responsibility.
A cultura escolar e a produção da cultura da escola com a entrada/permanência do "novo" na escola: um ensaio sobre os seus efeitos
Authors: Dickel Adriana , Demenech Flaviana
Published: September 2016

O processo de universalização do ensino viveu diferentes momentos, impulsionado pelos meios populares organizados e pelo contexto econômico em constante transformação. Com este trabalho, pretende-se compreender as estratégias que as escolas estão produzindo para atender a grupos que, além de ter acesso à escola, permanecem nela em razão de programas sociais de diferentes naturezas e objetivos. Esses grupos levam consigo necessidades e demandas e projetam sobre esse ambiente ações, linguagens, concepções, que aprofundam a heterogeneidade presente no cotidiano escolar e tensionam a tendência à homogeneização, peculiar a esse espaço. Inicialmente, aprofundam-se aspectos desse contexto por meio da exploração de três categorias: o “novo”, tendo por referência os trabalhos de Sader (1988) e de Ezpeleta e Rockwell (1989), a cultura escolar, com base em Viñao Frago (2005) e Forquin (1993), dentre outros, e a cultura da escola, por meio dos estudos de Lahire (2005) e Mafra (2003). Na sequência, com base em um estudo de caso etnográfico realizado em duas escolas públicas do município de Passo Fundo, RS, são expostas cenas que remetem a duas estratégias – acolhimento e relação família/escola – utilizadas pelas escolas para administrar as tensões que esse cenário produz. Conclui-se que, quando novos personagens entram em cena, os tensionamentos próprios do caráter público imposto historicamente à escola se exacerbam e velhas contradições se tornam mais evidentes. As escolas fazem um grande esforço para acolher e fazer com que o “novo” permaneça na escola, por vezes, reforçando o ideal de padronização e a imposição de regras próprias da cultura escolar, e, por outras, recrudescendo os problemas vividos pelas crianças e jovens, ao buscar na família apoio para pressioná-los a adequarem-se ao seu modo de operar. Observa-se, ainda, que o projeto de formação da escola sucumbe à necessidade de administrar o caos que se entranhou em seu cotidiano, sem que consiga oferecer razões aos jovens e às crianças para que assumam um lugar nesse projeto.
A ciranda da inclusão: promovendo o desenvolvimento e a interação em um grupo de jardim de infância de que faz parte uma criança com autismo.
Authors: Sanches Isabel Rodrigues , Falcão Ruthe Bezerra
Published: September 2016

Este artigo resulta de um trabalho de projeto que utilizou uma metodologia qualitativa, numa abordagem de investigação-ação. Teve como objetivo promover uma educação inclusiva, apostando no desenvolvimento e na interação de todas as crianças, num grupo de jardim de infância, e na superação das dificuldades de uma criança com diagnóstico de autismo. Começou-se com uma fundamentação teórica sobre a educação inclusiva (SANCHES, 2005, 2012; SANCHES; TEODORO, 2006; HEWITT, 2010; LEITÃO, 2010; RODRIGUES, 2006; FONSECA, 2004), a conceptualização do autismo e respectivos métodos de intervenção (LIMA, 2012; TOLEZANI, 2010; MARQUES, 2000; PIACENTINI, 2009). Suportada pela recolha e análise dos dados da entrevista, observação e sociometria, fez-se a caracterização da situação inicial e a planificação, desenvolvimento e avaliação do plano de ação. Promovendo a interação diária com o grupo, esta criança desenvolveu as suas capacidades, por contraposição a um atendimento individual que se tinha revelado insuficiente. O uso sistemático de estratégias de intervenção promotoras de inclusão permitiu o desenvolvimento e a socialização de todos os alunos.
MONITORAMENTO DE PONTES EM CONCRETO ARMADO DA ESTRADA DE FERRO CARAJÁS - BRASIL
Authors: De Carvalho Neto José Alves , Veloso Luis Augusto
Published: September 2016

Este trabalho apresenta uma metodologia para o monitoramento e análise estrutural de pontes e viadutos ferroviários da Estrada de Ferro Carajás, no norte do Brasil. Cinco pontes e um viaduto foram monitorados com extensômetros e acelerômetros. Os testes de monitoramento foram realizados com trens que operam em velocidades normais e reduzidas para determinar o fator de amplificação dinâmica. Foi feita a análise modal experimental para validar os modelos numéricos que foram utilizados para a análise da segurança estrutural e previsão da vida-útil à fadiga. A metodologia para o monitoramento e análise estrutural das pontes e viadutos da EFC utilizada permitiu uma avaliação precisa das suas condições de segurança, tendo em conta o seu estado atual depois de mais de 20 anos em operação.
Es Posible Enfrentar el Cambio Climático y Producir más Leche y Carne con Sistemas Silvopastoriles Intensivos
Authors: Murgueitio Restrepo Enrique , Barahona Rosales Rolando , Flores Estrada Martha Xochilt , Chará Orozco Julián David , Rivera Herrera Julián Esteban
Published: September 2016

Reducir la vulnerabilidad a los desastres, adaptar los sistemas de producción agropecuaria a los cambios ambientales y mitigar las emisiones de gases con efecto de invernadero son acciones urgentes para enfrentar el cambio climático. En ganadería bovina de pastoreo, la investigación aplicada realizada en empresas y familias pioneras de varios países, ha permitido notables avances en agroforestería, especialmente con el sistema silvopastoril intensivo (SSPi), un uso de la tierra caracterizado por aplicar simultáneamente varios principios agroecológicos orientados a la maximización de la transformación de la energía solar en biomasa, la fijación biológica del nitrógeno, la solubilización del fósforo, la acumulación de materia orgánica en el suelo, el pastoreo rotacional, el uso inteligente del agua, la conservación de la diversidad biológica y el bienestar animal. Con estos arreglos, en los SSPi se aumenta la carga animal hasta cuatro o cinco veces en comparación al pastoreo extensivo pasando de 200 hasta 800-1200 kg ha-1 año-1, a la par que se reducen los costos en sistemas intensivos al reemplazar el alimento concentrado (40% en vacas lecheras tropicales) y evitar el uso de fertilizantes nitrogenados (bajan de 300 ha-1 año-1 de N2 hasta cero). La producción de carne y leche por hectárea se incrementa ostensiblemente sin aumentos en las emisiones de metano entérico ni  aumentos en las emisiones de óxido nitroso. De esta manera, la implementación de SSPi permite intensificar sosteniblemente la producción de carne y leche bovina en el trópico y subtrópico.