American scientists have for the first time shown how exposure to diesel fumes causes cancer

American scientists have for the first time shown how exposure to diesel fumes causes cancer.

Qinghua Sun, an assistant professor of Environmental Health Sciences at Ohio State University, says that diesel exhaust has the ability to induce the growth of new blood vessels that serve as a food supply for solid tumours.

The researchers found that in both healthy and diseased animals.

According to them, more new blood vessels sprouted in mice exposed to diesel exhaust than did in mice exposed to clean, filtered air.

They say that this finding indicates that previous illness is not required to make humans susceptible to the damaging effects of the diesel exhaust.

The researchers say that inhaled diesel particles are very tiny in size, which is why they can penetrate the human circulatory system, organs, and tissues.

This suggests that diesel fumes can cause damage just about anywhere in the body, they add.

Diesel exhaust exposure levels in the study were designed to mimic the exposure people might experience while living in urban areas and commuting in heavy traffic.

The levels were lower than or similar to those typically experienced by workers who use diesel-powered equipment, who tend to work in mines, on bridges and tunnels, along railroads, at loading docks, on farms and in vehicle maintenance garages, according to the U.S. Department of Labour.

“The message from our study is that exposure to diesel exhaust for just a short time period of two months could give even normal tissue the potential to develop a tumour,” said Qinghua Sun, senior author of the study.

“We need to raise public awareness so people give more thought to how they drive and how they live so they can pursue ways to protect themselves and improve their health. And we still have a lot of work to do to improve diesel engines so they generate fewer particles and exhaust that can be released into the ambient air,” Sun added.

A research article on the study, supported by Health Effects Institute awards and grants from the National Institutes of Health, has been published in the online edition of the journal Toxicology Letters. (ANI)

GSMR mobile communication betn drivers, guards & controllers in the control room 4 safety of passengers in NCRly

 

In order to ensure safety for passengers, the North Central Railway has started mobile train radio communication (MTRC) project. It would result in better communication between the drivers, guards and controllers in the control room.
The work on the project is going on in the New Delhi-Mughalsarai section of New Delhi-Howrah route. It is also being implemented in the Lucknow-Kanpur section of Northern Railway. The project is being handled by IRPMU (Indian railway project implementation unit).
MTRC would help in instant communication of train crew with control centre and station master. This will enable the maintenance staff and officers deputed at different locations to communicate instantly with each other, thereby enhancing the efficiency.
GSMR (global system mobile for railways) technology will be used in the system. Mobile towers are being installed across the railway tracks which would help in better communication between the drivers, guards and the section controllers.
GSM is a linear network, so directional antennas can be used to improve propagation characteristics. The important aspects of GSM are priority and pre-empt, voice group call service and voice broadcast service. The calls could be prioritised as per the priority. Any call with less priority will be pre-empt for allowing the more important caller to have access to the network. The voice group calls service (VGCS) provides communication among a group of drivers, guards, station masters and in case of emergencies, the controller or anyone assigned for the purpose.
Each and every point of track will be connected to activity centres. It would handle better post-disaster management. The system would help the maintenance staff working in block sections to seek direction from branch officers. This will ensure efficiency. Further, shunting operation can be better managed with the shunting team leader in contact with the station master. The controller can also monitor such operations directly.
From safety point of view, mobile train radio communication system can be used to forewarn drivers as well as the officials on the track. Besides, in case of any security problem, the security staff on patrol can immediately report to the security controller.
Priority and pre-empt facility will enable the driver, guard, station master to report without blocking the network. Calls with lower priority will be pre-empted.
Dispatchers at control stations will enable controllers to control the movement of trains in a more effective manner. The log of calls can be stored. Emergency calls will be routed faster, taking less than two seconds than other low priority calls which would take about 10 seconds.
The controller and the station master can also initiate group calls in a particular pre-defined area involving any group of drivers, guards or shunting teams. Communication with the controller will be location-based, that is a driver or guard can be connected to the section controller along the journey. This could be done through geographical demarcation of control sections.

“Mission India” Film dedicated to our Nation by the Students. Download Free from www.LTRSNRMU.blogspot.com

A group of 43 enthusiastic students of Xplora Design Skool (XDS) got together from their different campuses across India & decided to express their feeling for our nation on this Independence Day. This has resulted into a remarkable achievement today - “Mission India” a timeless master piece of 2D Animation Film dedicated to our nation.

Download Free:

 Mission India 

The Initiative: Xplora Design Skool wanted to contribute to the national development through a social awareness campaign called “Mission India”. They realized that the best way to do this would be to give an opportunity to their students to make an Animation Film on social cause. This marked the beginning of the first 2D Animation film dedicated to the nation on this Independence Day, and, the rest is history- students’ brain stormed, generated unique ideas, and gradually created a story. They completed the whole scripting with help from the Animation faculty experienced in such film making.

The Film : Mission India, a 7 minute 2D Animation film & 1 ½ minute Animation of National Anthem is an awakening call to today’s youth to fight against modern day evils i.e. corruption, terrorism, mediocrity, a call to lead our country on the road to progress and prosperity. Today everyone in our country gives their acquaintance as “I am a Hindu”, “I am a Muslim”, “I am a Sikh”, “I am a Christian”, “I am a Gujarati”, “I am a Maharastrian”, “I am a Punjabi”, “I am a Keralite” but it’s really sad that no one says with pride that “I am an Indian”. It’s time we get united and stand as one.

Purely a Students Film: The conceptualizing, scripting, sketching, story boarding, Art work, drawing, colour filling, shading, production, lip sync, editing of the film- all has been done purely through the TEAM work of young, energetic, creative and highly imaginative students of Xplora Design Skool. These students both boys and girls came together from different parts of our country (different XDS Campuses) - Coming from different States, Caste, Communities , Regions and walks of life, these students, who are Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Christian are a true example of the spirit of unity in diversity of our Nation. They have come together to give a powerful message to the Youth of India by this Song and Animation – “Mission India”.

The Effort & Appreciation: These students had determined to work day & night to complete the project within the deadlines. They worked in two shifts from 9 am to 8 pm and then the other team from 8 pm to 6 am. Today we see that these students (who worked tirelessly 24X7) have bagged a great achievement in their career. Their efforts have made them more confident because their 1st 2D animation Film made on India, a result of their hard work and passion, is being screened, appreciated & applauded across the Nation over news channels, newspapers, prominent personalities, state leaders, colleges, schools, cinema halls, malls, etc.

The Film in just 20 days: The movie is produced by Xplora Design Skool and directed by Mr. Shreyansh Shah with XDS Students as the real Hero - because the whole Creation (Pre-Production, Production, Post production) is done by students in just 20 days, imagine, a 8 ½ minute animation done from a scratch in 20 days. All these became possible with the constant encouragement & motivation from their institute under the guidance of the XDS faculties.

This film is a part of Xplora Design Skool’s national internship program to give a feel of how students are required to work in the Industry - how real studios work. This internship forms a part of the newly launched education model SPLL (Studio based Production Level Learning), where students are given a group project to work with industry experts, mentoring them & there by giving the students the required skill & knowledge as desired by the industry.

“This is Just a Beginning… Yes Xplora Design Skool when asked about Mission India film proudly announced and Promised to its students that now onwards they will be producing such 2D & 3D movies every 3 months on a regular basis, with an objective that gradually all its students get a taste of Industry working style as well as become responsible citizens of our country.” – Monika Jain (Kota Xplora Student)

- End -

About Xplora:

Xplora Design Skool pioneered the multimedia & animation career drive in India using the unique Reverse Education Model, combining Technology and one of the pressing requirements of our country “ Unemployment” through which they have been able to create a 100% Placement Record for their students since the last 8 years.

At XDS annually 7000+ students study under the Reverse education model to get trained and placed with XDS’s 1250+ Associate companies, thus, making XDS the only Multimedia & Animation Education Company present at 125+ Campuses across 21 states in India to have a Vocational Status. Xplora Design Skool received the prestigious “Shiksha Bharti Puraskar” for generating employment through education.

CBI registers case against senior railway official

CBI registers case against senior railway official - Chennai City NEWS
- The Times of India

CHENNAI: The anti-corruption wing of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against a senior railway official for
allegedly allowing shops in railway stations to function after their contract had expired.

According to sources, the CBI found prima facie evidence that Yesuratnam, senior divisional commercial manager (SDCM), asked the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and station managers not to book cases against 54 vendors at Chennai Central and Egmore railway stations, whose contract had expired. He also did not to allow Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to take over the stalls, causing Rs 3 crore in losses to Southern Railway.

The CBI raided Central and Egmore railway stations but the raids did not reveal anything substantial. The agency has registered a case against the officer for misuse of official authority to cause revenue loss to railways.

A senior railway official said that the stalls were located at different points on the platforms and were auctioned to traders by the commercial department of Chennai division. Southern Railway was in the process of handing over the stalls to IRCTC, which has been entrusted with managing these stalls, following a change in policy.

"The stalls were being handed over to IRCTC one by one as the contracts expired. Once the contract expires, railways takes stock of the condition of the stalls before passing it to IRCTC," said an official.

Southern Railway has been on the CBI radar for quite sometime. It busted misuse of emergency quota tickets last year; arrested a railway deputy chief engineer from a running train and seized Rs 6.75 lakh of unaccounted money from him; unearthed a scam in procuring and servicing escalators and lifts at Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) railway stations in the city.

Public opinion about the Cab ergonomics

Public opinion about the Cab ergonomics
IRFCA Guidelines: http://www.irfca.org/misc/irfca-help.html#guide

Some letters posted in Indian Railway Fans Club Association is given below.

Hello all,


While we marvel at the MPS piloting by our IR LP brothers, we should also try to sympathize with them for the discomfort that they experience at these high speeds.

The other day, I was driving in our car at about 80 mph which is about 128 kmph - easily comparable to the MPS of many of our trains.

I rolled down the windows and immediately rolled them up as the wind was making things really uncomfortable on that hot summer's afternoon.

The thought then occurred to me then that our LPs when they drive our trains at 130 kmph in all kinds of weather - 10 Celsius or 45 Celsius, sunny or the worst of storms - they are required to exchange signals with each SM and cabin of the stations they pass.


What discomfort they must be experiencing then?


Thanks guys, for giving us hours and hours of enjoyment while doing your duties rain or shine.


Cheers!

Uttam


Dear Mr Uttam,

Your note. The sympathy is well placed.


At the same time, both in passenger/freight/express hauled
by WDM and WAP, WAG, let assure that the cabin temperature is not all that bad despite the outside weather conditions. And I have done this in the peak of summer and Winter in North, and also in temperate (humid) conditions in South.

The LPs and ALPs are quite at home, and very relaxed. When I did enquire about temperatures, they said you get used to it. And believe me, unlike the metalled roads, the weather on the *rail roads* are better. The windows on the locos do not push air in from outside, and the speed of the train rather, to my surprise, cools the air, when it comes in towards the rear end of the LP and the back of the ALP.

On long runs, they remind each other to drink water... and when halted at signals, they don't even get down, except to stretch, and sometimes to pee.(at stations).

Their comfort level in terms of temperature is better than SL coaches, despite the multiple fans in each bay !! :) They too now have fans directed at them, but I have not seen them switching them on. (I should be corrected).

BTW, they enjoy driving, and they are envious if someone crosses them at higher speed! Not because of higher grades or higher allowances.

I did hear some locos now have air-conditioning. Trying to locate them.