Perfluoroalkylporphyrin complexes as active catalysts for the reaction of isobutane with oxygen and the decomposition of tert-butyl hydroperoxide

A new family of metalloporphyrin complexes having perfluoroalkyl groups in the meso-positions of the ring are active catalysts for the oxidation of isobutane to tert-butyl alcohol, TBA, and for the decomposition of tert-butyl hydroperoxide to TBA. This discovery extends the limited number of meso-substituents that can be used to enhance catalytic activity and fits the postulate that groups that withdraw electrons from the porphyrin periphery give rise to active catalysts for alkane oxidation. The perfluoroalkyl groups also confer oxidative stability, hydrophobicity and lower cost to the catalyst.     

Roanu台风中突然天气变化的自动气象站资料评估

以斯里兰卡南部5.936 108°N、80.574 900°E处的自动气象站（AWS）的气象时间序列观测数据为依据,对2015年12月至2016年10月大气边界层的变化进行了定量分析.结果表明,印度洋北部的季风、气温、气压、相对湿度、降水和向下短波辐射的扰动随着季风的逆转而变化.2016年5月台风Roanu经过时,气压降低、相对湿度增大、降水增强和向下短波辐射减小,其特征是温度、相对湿度、降水和风速均迅速增加,之后气温和降水下降,而气压、向下短波辐射在急剧减小之后又急剧增大.自动气象站记录了台风到达前的气象条件,并自2016年5月13日起各个参数开始响应台风变化.从2016年5月28日开始,自动气象站记录台风通过后的气象条件,此时降水和向下辐射均减少.这些信号说明应用自动气象站可以持续观测台风条件.这项研究表明,斯里兰卡南部地区的气象数据可以用来进行天气评估,并可以对南部沿海地区的海气关系现象进行分析.此外,自动气象站的现场数据可以用作模型验证和参数化.     

A review of some issues and identification of some barriers in the implementation of FMS

Global competition, advancements in technology and ever changing customers’ demand have made the manufacturing companies to realize the importance of flexible manufacturing systems (FMS). These organizations are looking at FMS as a viable alternative to enhance their competitive edge. But, implementation of this universally accepted and challenging technology is not an easy task. A large number of articles have been reviewed and it is found that the existing literature lacks in providing a clear picture about the implementation of FMS. In this paper, work of various researchers has been studied and it is found that it is really a very difficult task for any organization to transform into FMS on the basis of existing research results. A wide gap exists between the proposed approaches/algorithms for the design of different components of FMS and the real-life complexities. Besides describing the gap in various issues related to FMS, some barriers, which inhibit the adaptation and implementation of FMS, have also been identified in this paper.     

A biomechanical assessment of floor and overhead lifts using one or two caregivers for patient transfers

This study investigated the differences in peak external hand forces and external moments generated at the L5/S1 joint of the low back due to maneuvering loaded floor-based and overhead-mounted patient lifting devices using one and two caregivers. Hand forces and external moments at the L5/S1 joint were estimated from ground reaction forces and motion capture data. Caregivers gave ratings of perceived exertion as well as their opinions regarding overhead vs. floor lifts. Use of overhead lifts resulted in significantly lower back loads than floor lifts. Two caregivers working together with a floor lift did not reduce loads on the primary caregiver compared to the single-caregiver case. In contrast, two-caregiver operation of an overhead lift did result in reduced loads compared to the single-caregiver case. Therefore, overhead lifts should be used whenever possible to reduce the risk of back injury to caregivers. The use of two caregivers does not compensate for the poorer performance of floor lifts.