scholarly journals Reducing Risk Through Inversion and Self-Strengthening

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Todinov
Keyword(s):  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Feedback Loop ◽  
Pressure Vessels ◽  
Inversion Method ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
New Techniques ◽  
Reliability Improvement ◽  
Invariant Volume ◽  
Design Variables ◽  
First Time

A number of new techniques for reliability improvement and risk reduction based on the inversion method, such as: ‘inverting design variables,' ‘inverting by maintaining an invariant,' ‘inverting resulting in a reinforcing counter-force,' ‘negating basic required functions' and ‘moving backwards to general and specific contributing factors' have been introduced for the first time. By using detailed calculations, it has been demonstrated how the new technique ‘repeated inversion maintaining an invariant' can be applied to reduce the risk of collision for multiple ships travelling at different times and with variable speeds. It has been demonstrated that for pressure vessels, an inversion of the geometric parameters by maintaining an invariant volume could result not only in an increased safety but also in a significantly reduced weight. The method of self-strengthening (self-reinforcement) has been introduced for the first time as a systematic method for improving reliability and reducing risk. The method of self-strengthening by capturing a proportional compensating factor and the method of self-strengthening by creating a positive feedback loop have been proposed for the first time as reliability improvement tools. Finally, classifications have been proposed of methods and techniques for risk reduction based on the methods of inversion and self-strengthening.

Conference report: innovation, interaction … and a lot of data: first time reflections on Internet Librarian International, UK 2018

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 21-22
Author(s):  
Ray Harper
Keyword(s):  
Best Practice ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Conference Report ◽  
Library Services ◽  
New Techniques ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Making A Difference ◽  
Analyse Data ◽  
Physical Spaces ◽  
First Time

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to summarise a number of presentations at Day 1 of the Internet Librarian International conference, London, UK (16 October 2018). This was the 20th conference in the series, and the three key themes included were the next-gen library and librarian; understanding users, usage and user experience; and inclusion and inspiration: libraries making a difference. Design/methodology/approach This paper reports from the viewpoint of a first-time attendee of the conference. This summarises the main issues raised by each presentation and draws out the key learning points for practical situations. Findings The conference covered a variety of practical ways in which libraries can use technology to support users and make decisions about services. These include developing interactive physical spaces which include augmented reality; introducing “chat-bots” to support users; using new techniques to analyse data; and piloting new ways to engage users (such as coding clubs). A key theme was how we use and harness data in a way that is ethical, effective and relevant to library services. Originality/value This conference focussed on practical examples of how library and information services across sectors and countries are innovating in a period of huge change. The conference gave delegates numerous useful ideas and examples of best practice and demonstrated the strength of the profession in adapting to new technologies and developments.

Uprated 501F Gas Turbine, 501FA

1994 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Aoki ◽  
Y. Tsukuda ◽  
E. Akita ◽  
M. Terazaki ◽  
L. D. McIaurin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Operating Experience ◽  
Test Results ◽  
New Techniques ◽  
Reliability Improvement ◽  
Engineering Approach ◽  
Advanced Technologies ◽  
Cooling Air

This paper introduces the engineering approach taken in developing the 501FA gas turbine, which is an uprated version of the existing 501F 150MW class gas turbine. The concepts and procedures which were utilized to uprate this gas turbine are also presented. To achieve better performance, new techniques were incorporated which reflected test results and operating experience. No advanced technologies were introduced. Instead, well experienced techniques are adopted so as not to deteriorate reliability. Improvement of the performance was mainly achieved mainly due to the reduction of cooling air. Tip clearances were also optimized based on shop test and field results.

scholarly journals YAP and TAZ maintain PROX1 expression in the developing lymphatic and lymphovenous valves in response to VEGF-C signaling

Development ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 147 (23) ◽  
pp. dev195453
Author(s):  
Boksik Cha ◽  
Yen-Chun Ho ◽  
Xin Geng ◽  
Md. Riaj Mahamud ◽  
Lijuan Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Feedback Loop ◽  
Lymphatic Vessels ◽  
Vascular Endothelial ◽  
Valve Development ◽  
Prox1 Expression ◽  
Homeobox Transcription Factor ◽  
Lymphatic Vasculature ◽  
Factor C ◽  
Endothelial Growth Factor ◽  
First Time

ABSTRACTLymphatic vasculature is an integral part of digestive, immune and circulatory systems. The homeobox transcription factor PROX1 is necessary for the development of lymphatic vessels, lymphatic valves (LVs) and lymphovenous valves (LVVs). We and others previously reported a feedback loop between PROX1 and vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) signaling. PROX1 promotes the expression of the VEGF-C receptor VEGFR3 in lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs). In turn, VEGF-C signaling maintains PROX1 expression in LECs. However, the mechanisms of PROX1/VEGF-C feedback loop remain poorly understood. Whether VEGF-C signaling is necessary for LV and LVV development is also unknown. Here, we report for the first time that VEGF-C signaling is necessary for valve morphogenesis. We have also discovered that the transcriptional co-activators YAP and TAZ are required to maintain PROX1 expression in LVs and LVVs in response to VEGF-C signaling. Deletion of Yap and Taz in the lymphatic vasculature of mouse embryos did not affect the formation of LVs or LVVs, but resulted in the degeneration of these structures. Our results have identified VEGF-C, YAP and TAZ as a crucial molecular pathway in valve development.

scholarly journals Disaster risk reduction in Iraq

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mustafa T.M. Al-Shamsi
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
International Society ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Positive Attitude ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Multiple Hazards ◽  
The Government ◽  
First Time ◽  
Acute Crisis

Iraq is at risk of multiple hazards including both natural and man-made calamities. Little effort had been made before 2003 to address the disaster risk; even though many legislations enacted to provide a relief in the event of the acute crisis, they were mainly focused on the reactive response to the calamities without taking into consideration the prevention, preparedness and mitigation approach. The recent years have witnessed some positive attitude from the government and international society to develop strategies for disaster risk reduction in Iraq. Iraq for the first time has drafted a law that is distinctive for the disasters. The purpose of this article is to review the possibilities and challenges of disaster risk reduction in Iraq.

scholarly journals The Definition and Scope of Diagnostic Error in the US and How Diagnostic Error is Enabled

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 128-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Laposata
Keyword(s):  
Patient Outcomes ◽  
Healthcare Delivery ◽  
Quality Of Healthcare ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Diagnostic Error ◽  
Cost Of Care ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
The Us ◽  
First Time

Abstract Background The quality of healthcare in the US has been progressively addressed by 3 reports from the National Academy of Medicine, the latest of which, entitled “Improving Diagnosis in Health Care,” was issued in 2015 from a 21-member panel (the author of this report was a member). The report is a review of the longstanding problem of diagnostic error. The infrastructure of healthcare delivery in the US has inadvertently made diagnostic error a major contributor to the high cost of care and preventable poor patient outcomes. Content This review describes the failures in US healthcare delivery that have led to the overwhelming number of deaths attributable to diagnostic error. Each failure is associated with recommendations to eliminate it. The review begins with a description of the scope of the diagnostic error problem and then discusses each of the issues that need to be addressed to reduce the number of misdiagnoses. Summary The problem of diagnostic error in the US is a large one. Some the contributing factors to this large problem can be resolved at a small expense and with modest change; others require a major overhaul of aspects of medical practice. For the first time, Americans have a “to-do list” to reduce our diagnostic error problem and be on par with other developed countries that are recognized as providing less costly care with better patient outcomes.

Development of Abel's inversion method to extract radially resolved optical emission maps from spectral data cubes collected via push-broom hyperspectral imaging with sub-pixel shifting sampling

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Songyue Shi ◽  
Kevin Finch ◽  
Yue She ◽  
Gerardo Gamez
Keyword(s):  
Fourier Transform ◽  
Spectral Data ◽  
Hyperspectral Imaging ◽  
Plasma Diagnostics ◽  
Optical Emission ◽  
Inversion Method ◽  
High Fidelity ◽  
Inversion Algorithm ◽  
Data Cubes ◽  
First Time

The optimization of a Fourier transform-based Abel's inversion algorithm allows the reconstruction of high-fidelity radially resolved OES images from SPS-PbHSI acquisition for plasma diagnostics for the first time.

scholarly journals Characterisation of Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide Receptor Antagonists in Rodent Pancreatic Beta Cells and Mice

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 117955141987545 ◽  
Author(s):  
RA Perry ◽  
SL Craig ◽  
MT Ng ◽  
VA Gault ◽  
PR Flatt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Insulin Secretion ◽  
Pancreatic Beta Cells ◽  
Receptor Activation ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Glucose Lowering ◽  
Incretin Hormone ◽  
Glucose Levels ◽  
First Time ◽  
Gip Receptor

Hypersecretion and alterations in the biological activity of the incretin hormone, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), have been postulated as contributing factors in the development of obesity-related diabetes. However, recent studies also point to weight-reducing effects of GIP receptor activation. Therefore, generating precise experimental tools, such as specific and effective GIP receptor (GIPR) antagonists, is of key significance to better understand GIP physiology. Thus, the primary aim of the current study was to uncover improved GIPR antagonists for use in rodent studies, using human and mouse GIP sequences with N- and C-terminal deletions. Initial in vitro studies revealed that the GIPR agonists, human (h) GIP(1-42), hGIP(1-30) and mouse (m) GIP(1-30), stimulated ( P < 0.01 to P < 0.001) insulin secretion from rat BRIN-BD11 cells. Analysis of insulin secretory effects of the N- and C-terminally cleaved GIP peptides, including hGIP(3-30), mGIP(3-30), h(Pro3)GIP(3-30), hGIP(5-30), hGIP(3-42) and hGIP(5-42), revealed that these peptides did not modulate insulin secretion. More pertinently, only hGIP(3-30), mGIP(3-30) and h(Pro3)GIP(3-30) were able to significantly ( P < 0.01 to P < 0.001) inhibit hGIP(1-42)-stimulated insulin secretion. The human-derived GIPR agonist sequences, hGIP(1-42) and hGIP(1-30), reduced ( P < 0.05) glucose levels in mice following conjoint injection with glucose, but mGIP(1-30) was ineffective. None of the N- and C-terminally cleaved GIP peptides affected glucose homeostasis when injected alone with glucose. However, hGIP(5-30) and mGIP(3-30) significantly ( P < 0.05 to P < 0.01) impaired the glucose-lowering action of hGIP(1-42). Further evaluation of these most effective sequences demonstrated that mGIP(3-30), but not hGIP(5-30), effectively prevented GIP-induced elevations of plasma insulin concentrations. These data highlight, for the first time, that mGIP(3-30) represents an effective molecule to inhibit GIPR activity in mice.

scholarly journals The origin, fate and function of macrophages in the peripheral nervous system—an update

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (11) ◽  
pp. 709-717 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukas Amann ◽  
Marco Prinz
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Rna Sequencing ◽  
Peripheral Nervous System ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Gene Expression Profiles ◽  
New Techniques ◽  
Macrophage Populations ◽  
And Function ◽  
First Time

Abstract The field of macrophage biology has made enormous progress over recent years. This was triggered by the advent of several new techniques such as the establishment of Cre/loxP-based transgenic mouse models that allowed for the first time delineation of the ontogeny and function of specific macrophage populations across many tissues. In addition, the introduction of new high-throughput technologies like bulk RNA sequencing and later single-cell RNA sequencing as well as advances in epigenetic analysis have helped to establish gene expression profiles, enhancer landscapes and local signaling cues that define and shape the identity of diverse macrophage populations. Nonetheless, some macrophage populations, like the ones residing in the peripheral nervous system (PNS), have not been studied in such detail yet. Here, we discuss recent studies that shed new light on the ontogeny, heterogeneity and gene expression profiles of resident macrophages in peripheral nerves and described differential activation of macrophage subsets during and after acute sciatic nerve injury.

NOVEL SOUND PHENOMENA IN IMPURE SUPERFLUIDS

2006 ◽  
Vol 20 (03) ◽  
pp. 355-380
Author(s):  
PETER BRUSOV ◽  
PAVEL BRUSOV
Keyword(s):  
Superfluid Helium ◽  
Acoustic Features ◽  
New Techniques ◽  
New Class ◽  
First Sound ◽  
Sound Modes ◽  
Temperature Waves ◽  
Temperature And Pressure ◽  
First Time ◽  
Cerenkov Emission

In the last decade, new techniques for producing impure superfluids with unique properties have been developed. This new class of systems includes superfluid helium confined to aerogel, HeII with different impurities, superfluids in Vycor glasses, and watergel. These systems exhibit very unusual properties including unexpected acoustic features. We discuss the sound properties of these systems and show that sound phenomena in impure superfluids are modified from those in pure superfluids. We calculate the coupling between temperature and pressure oscillations for impure superfluids and show that this coupling increases significantly. This leads to the existence in impure superfluids of such unusual sound phenomena as slow "pressure" waves and fast "temperature" waves. This also decreases the threshold values for nonlinear processes as compared to pure superfluids. Sound conversion, which has been observed in pure superfluids only by high intensity waves should be observed at moderate sound amplitude in impure superfluids. Cerenkov emission of second sound by first sound (which has never been observed in superfluids) could be observed in impure superfluids. Even the nature of the sound modes in impure superfluids turns out to be changed. We have also derived for the first time the nonlinear hydrodynamic equations for superfluid helium in aerogel.

scholarly journals Indigenous knowledge for disaster risk reduction: An African perspective

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nnamdi G. Iloka
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Indigenous Knowledge ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Local People ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Future Challenges

Indigenous knowledge is valuable knowledge that has helped local communities all over the world survive for generations. This knowledge originates from the interaction between members of the community and the environment in which they live. Although much has been written about indigenous knowledge, its documentation in the area of disaster risk reduction and climate change in Africa has been very limited. The wealth of this knowledge has not been well-recognised in the disaster risk reduction field, as policy-makers still rely on mitigation strategies based on scientific knowledge. Colonialism and lack of proper documentation of indigenous knowledge are some of the contributing factors to this. Ignoring the importance of understanding adaptive strategies of the local people has led to failed projects. Understanding how local people in Africa have managed to survive and adapt for generations, before the arrival of Western education, may be the key to developing sustainable policies to mitigate future challenges. Literature used in this article, obtained from the books, papers and publications of various experts in the fields of disaster risk reduction, climate change, indigenous knowledge and adaptation, highlight the need for more interest to be shown in indigenous knowledge, especially in the developing country context. This would lead to better strategies which originate from the community level but would aim for overall sustainable development in Africa.

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