Browse Items (5293 total)
Sort by:
-
Unique synergism in flame retardancy in ABS based composites through blending PVDF and halloysite nanotubes
This study demonstrates flame retardant materials designed using bi-phasic polymer blends of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) containing halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) and Cloisite 30B nanoclay. The prepared blends with and without nanoparticles were extensively characterized. The nanoparticles were added in different weight concentrations to improve the flame retardancy. It was observed that prepared ABS/PVDF blends showed better flame retardancy than ABS based composites. The flame resistance was further improved by the addition of nanoparticles in the blends. The microscale combustion calorimetry (MCC) test showed better flame resistance in ABS/PVDF blends filled with 5 wt% HNTs than other composites. The total heat release of ABS/PVDF blend filled with 5 wt% HNTs decreased by 31% and also the heat of combustion decreased by 26% as compared to neat ABS. When compared with nanoparticles, the addition of PVDF reduced the peak heat release rate (PHRR) and increased the char residue more effectively. A synergistic improvement was observed from both PVDF and HNTs on the flame resistance properties. 2017 IOP Publishing Ltd. -
Impact of Social Networking Sites on Academic Performance and Career through Collaborative Learning (with Reference to Students of Self-financing Engineering Colleges in Tiruchirappalli)
Use of Social Networking Sites (SNSs) is having a growing importance among students in their everyday life. It acts as an essential tool for them in higher level education. Among the social networking sites Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, LinkedIn is gaining more support from the student community. It helps the students to communicate each other directly like face to face interaction. SNSs are having an ability to induce students decision making capability. Based on this, the study tries to emphasize the ability of the SNSs to induce the students academic performance using collaborative learning among various groups in which they belong. The result reveals that collaborative learning will have a major impact on academic performance, i.e. 49.6% of the respondents stated that they are using SNSs for academic purpose. They use SNSs for sharing of information and study materials with their peers. SNSs help them to be interacting with their peers and teachers. Serials Publications Pvt. Ltd. -
Re-evaluating Emperor Asoka a relational contract theory explanation for economic transformation
Emperor Asoka's rein is considered an important era in ancient Indian history because of the vastness of his empire and the Buddhist elements in his administration. We propose that in addition to these reasons for highlighting Asoka's rein, there is an important economic argument as well. It was during the century or two around Asoka's rule that the subcontinent's economy underwent a transformation from a simple pastoralagricultural economy to a more mature economy with large scale production, specialisation and trade. The element that Asoka introduced into the social relations in his empire is Buddha's Dhamma, which formed and strengthened relational contracts. A key feature of relational contracts is incompleteness of arrangements that is managed by social iterations and formal and informal enforcement mechanisms. Each of these is reflected in Asoka's edicts, the earliest surviving writing samples from the subcontinent. Asoka planned for these measures to ensure political and economic stability. In addition, he also laid the most important foundational material in a rather unique way for all future economic transformations. 2017 Journal of Dharma: Dharmaram Journal of Religions and Philosophies (DVK, Bangalore). -
Architecture of monophase InSe thin film structures for solar cell applications
Control of microstructural evolution during the crystallization of InSe thin films is an inevitable strategy to mold their fundamental properties and potential for the fabrication of solar cells. Impact of annealing as well as substrate temperature on the crystallization progress and physical characteristics of thermally evaporated InSe was examined systematically, which eventually dictates the overall performance of resulting device. Structural and compositional characterizations have been thoroughly investigated by X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray analyses. InSe films form hexagonal structure with a preferred orientation of crystallites along the (004) direction upon crystallization. The layer of InSe is formed by two concomitant processes, deposition and recrystallization. Application of heat treatment resulted in topographical modification, which was probed by an atomic force microscope. Surface roughness was enhanced due to the influence of temperature and thereby the growth of grains. Investigations of electrical and optical properties, thus provided ample evidence for the use of crystallized monophase InSe as an absorber layer in photovoltaic conversion devices. Carrier concentration and mobility of charge carriers estimated from the Hall measurements were found to be 19.43020cm?3 and 2.01cm2V?1s?1 respectively. Moreover, this research work explores power conversion efficiency of p-InSe/n-CdS heterojunction solar cells. 2017 Elsevier B.V. -
Nonlinear three-dimensional stretched flow of an Oldroyd-B fluid with convective condition, thermal radiation, and mixed convection
The effect of non-linear convection in a laminar three-dimensional Oldroyd-B fluid flow is addressed. The heat transfer phenomenon is explored by considering the non-linear thermal radiation and heat generation/absorption. The boundary layer assumptions are taken into account to govern the mathematical model of the flow analysis. Some suitable similarity variables are introduced to transform the partial differential equations into ordinary differential systems. The Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg fourth- and fifth-order techniques with the shooting method are used to obtain the solutions of the dimensionless velocities and temperature. The effects of various physical parameters on the fluid velocities and temperature are plotted and examined. A comparison with the exact and homotopy perturbation solutions is made for the viscous fluid case, and an excellent match is noted. The numerical values of the wall shear stresses and the heat transfer rate at the wall are tabulated and investigated. The enhancement in the values of the Deborah number shows a reverse behavior on the liquid velocities. The results show that the temperature and the thermal boundary layer are reduced when the non-linear convection parameter increases. The values of the Nusselt number are higher in the non-linear radiation situation than those in the linear radiation situation. 2017, Shanghai University and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. -
Radiative heat transfers of Carreau fluid flow over a stretching sheet with fluid particle suspension and temperature jump
The current study is to deliberate the flow and heat transfer of a Carreau fluid over a stretching sheet with fluid particle suspension. The temperature jump is also taken into account. The standard nonlinear system is resolved numerically via Runge-Kutta based shooting scheme. Role of substantial parameters on flow fields as well as on the fiction factor and heat transportation rates are determined and conferred in depth through graphs. It's found that the velocity profile decreases and temperature profile increases, with an increasing the values of Weissenberg parameter. Further, the higher thermal slip parameter reduces the thermal boundary layer thickness. The thermal boundary layer thickness of fluid and dust particles decreases with the rise in Prandtl number. 2017 The Authors -
Spectral and power efficiency investigation in single- and multi-line-rate optical wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) networks
In order to tackle the increasing heterogeneous global Internet traffic, mixed-line-rate (MLR) optical wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) networks have emerged as the cost- and power-efficient solution. In MLR WDM networks, channels are structured as sub-bands, each of which consists of wavelengths operating at a similar data rate. By reducing the (1) spacing within a sub-band, or (2) spacing between sub-bands operating at different data rates, spectral efficiency can be improved. However, owing to high physical layer impairment levels, decrease in sub-band spacing adversely affects transmission reach of the channels, which results in higher power consumption due to requirement of increased signal regeneration. In this work, we compare power efficiency of various MLR and single-line-rate (SLR) solutions, and also investigate the trade-off that exists between spectral and power efficiency in a WDM network. Simulation results indicate that (1) for high transmission capacities, a combination of 100Gbps transponders and 40Gbps regenerators will obtain the highest power efficiency; (2) for long connection distances, a point ofmerging occurs for various SLR and MLR designs, where power consumption is independent of the frequency band distribution; and (3) for MLR systems, both spectral and power efficiency can be improved by using either shorter links with higher bandwidth assignment to 100Gbps wavelengths, or longer links with higher bandwidth assignment to 40Gbps wavelengths. Finally, the results indicate that focusing on spectral efficiency alone results in extra power consumption, since high quality of transmission and spectral efficiency leads to increased regeneration. 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York. -
A catalytic, one-pot and green synthesis of a-amino nitriles: Cu(BF4)2.x H2O an efficient catalyst
The Strecker reaction is a first reported multicomponent reaction for the preparation of a-aminonitriles. The a-aminonitriles are important intermediates for various aminoacids, 1,2-diazines, heterocycles and biologically active compounds like Saframycin A and Ecteinascidin 746. The preparation of a-aminonitriles by Strecker approach using MCR attracted many research groups owing atom economy to avoid multistep synthesis and to follow Green chemistry principles. Methods: A-aminonitriles have been synthesized using Strecker reaction by treatment of aldehydes, amines, with TMSCN in the presence of Cu(BF4)2.xH2O as a catalyst in one pot under neat conditions. Various aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes have been studied with different primary and secondary amines. Results: The reaction condition has been optimized by choosing a model reaction under various solvents and found good yields under neat conditions. Moreover, various catalytic amounts of Cu(BF4)2.xH2O has also been studied and found 3 mole% providing better yields. The reaction has been studied with different substrates of aldehydes and amines. Some of the products were characterized by comparison of their spectral data (1H NMR, 13C NMR, IR and MS) and physical properties with those of authentic samples reported in the literature. Conclusion: Afacile and efficient one-pot synthesis of a-amino nitriles at ambient temperature using copper(II)tetrafluoroborate as a novel catalyst under solvent-free conditions via Strecker reaction is reported. The process is simple and environmentally benign using the commercially available and inexpensive catalyst. 2017 Bentham Science Publishers. -
Power and Area Efficient Decimation Filter Architectures of Wireless Receivers
This paper reports on the synthesis and implementation of a digital decimation filter suitable for multi-standard transceivers. Decimation filter architectures used in transceivers must be capable of providing low power and less area. In this paper, three different architecture designs namely Decimation Filter with Conventional MAC Unit, Cascaded Multi-Standard decimation Chain and Hybrid structure are proposed to meet the demand of low power and area efficient digital decimation filter. The filter architectures are implemented using FPGA and its performances are tested. The architectures are tested using conventional number system and with two different encoding schemes of filter coefficients called canonic signed digit and minimum signed digit. The implementation results reflect that considerable reduction in area of 47.9% and power reduction of 28.6% are achieved using hybrid architecture, when compared with conventional MAC and cascaded chain architectures. 2016, The National Academy of Sciences, India. -
Dark matter, dark energy, and alternate models: A review
The nature of dark matter (DM) and dark energy (DE) which is supposed to constitute about 95% of the energy density of the universe is still a mystery. There is no shortage of ideas regarding the nature of both. While some candidates for DM are clearly ruled out, there is still a plethora of viable particles that fit the bill. In the context of DE, while current observations favour a cosmological constant picture, there are other competing models that are equally likely. This paper reviews the different possible candidates for DM including exotic candidates and their possible detection. This review also covers the different models for DE and the possibility of unified models for DM and DE. Keeping in mind the negative results in some of the ongoing DM detection experiments, here we also review the possible alternatives to both DM and DE (such as MOND and modifications of general relativity) and possible means of observationally distinguishing between the alternatives. 2017 COSPAR -
Gender diversity and organizational performance: A study of IT industries in Bangalore
Humans are considered to be different from each other with their acumen and intelligence. The working condition in IT sector has changed over the past few decades. There has been a drastic increase in the number of female employees towards the development of IT sector over the past few years. Gender diversity is creating a wide range of awareness and helps understand the importance of gender identity. IT industry which is a dominant industry in India has reckoned gender diversity as a major tool to ensure it stands on criteria of being competent and innovative in the ever changing dynamic business environment. The main objective of this paper is to analyze the relationship between acceptance of gender diversity among the employees, diversity practices and programs adopted by the IT industries and barriers to the same. Limited Liability Company Consulting Publishing Company Business Perspectives, 2017. -
Gender Issues and Related Social Stigma Affecting Patients with a Disorder of Sex Development in India
Children with disorders of sex development (DSD) manifest at birth with malformed genitalia or later with atypical pubertal development. Those born with malformed genitalia are often diagnosed at birth. However, in resource-poor countries like India, where not all births are supervised by healthcare workers, some of these children remain undiagnosed until puberty or even later. The aim of this study was to assess the gender issues and psychosocial problems of children with DSD. Participants included 205 children with DSD (103 with 46,XX DSD and 102 with 46,XY DSD). Both the children with DSD and their parents underwent semistructured interviews by a clinical psychologist. The birth of a child with DSD was perceived as a major medical and social problem by parents from all socioeconomic strata. Mothers were distressed as many believed the DSD condition was transmitted through the mother. Children who were not diagnosed and treated during infancy or early childhood experienced considerable social discrimination not only from relatives and friends but also from medical and paramedical staff in hospitals. Several patients had been operated during infancy without an etiological diagnosis and without provision of adequate information to the parents. Some children had problems related to complications of surgery. Most teenage patients with 5?-reductase-2 deficiency reared as females presented with gender dysphoria, while children with androgen insensitivity (except for one) or with gonadal dysgenesis developed a gender identity concordant with their gender of rearing. Parents of children with DSD preferred a male gender assignment for their children (if that was possible) because of the social advantages of growing up male in a patriarchal society. 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York. -
Detection of tuberculosis using convolutional neural network with transfer learning
Tuberculosis is sighted as the one of the life causing disease in the recent time. The current research work focus on detection of Tuberculosis using Convolutional Neural Network with Transfer Learning for chest X-ray images. The proposed research work uses two different datasets for detecting Tuberculosis from Chest X-ray images, which is taken from National Institutes of Heaths. During the experimental work, the total sample size used for detecting Tuberculosis is 800 instances. Initially, the image processing techniques were applied to increase the quality of Chest X-ray images. The proposed model uses Convolution Neural Network with transfer learning for the detection of Tuberculosis with 98.7% as accuracy. The proposed model is checked with convolutional neural network without transfer learning. From the experimental evaluation, it is found that the proposed model works better than the Convolution Neural Network without using the transfer learning. 2017, Institute of Advanced Scientific Research, Inc. All rights reserved. -
Relevance for demographic factor: Level of financial literacy
The study assesses the level of Financial Literacy of residents of Puducherry and investigates the impact of demographic characteristics on their Financial Literacy. A total of 637 residents residing in seven different blocks of Puducherry constituted the sample of the study. Multinomial regression model was used to see the impact of demographic variables on the levels of Financial Literacy. The results indicated that the level of Financial Literacy was affected by factors including gender, marital status, work status, level of education and number of financial dependents in a family. These statistically significant results suggested that male respondents who are married and have 3 financial dependents having self employment or salaried job living in rural areas tend to have high level of financial literacy. 2018 SCMS Group of Educational Institutions. All rights reserved. -
Amberlite-15 promoted an unprecedented aza Michael rearrangement for one pot synthesis of dihydroquinazolinone compounds
A new one pot multicomponent annulation strategy for the synthesis of various dihydroquinazolinone compounds has been developed using Amberlite-15 as a catalyst, giving good to moderate yields. In this reaction the substrate scope for amines and aldehydes was also investigated. The reaction has been checked on a large scale and the possible reaction mechanism has also been proposed. The Royal Society of Chemistry 2018. -
Academic stress and its sources among university students
Stress has become part of students' academic life due to the various internal and external expectations placed upon their shoulders. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the problems associated with academic stress as transitions occur at an individual and social level. It therefore, becomes imperative to understand the sources and impact of academic stress in order to derive adequate and efficient intervention strategies. The study employed a quantitative research design where participants were screened using Academic Stress Scale (Rajendran& Kaliappan,1991 from four streams namely, commerce, management, humanities, and basic sciences. The five dimensions of sources such as personal inadequacy, fear of failure, interpersonal difficulties with teachers, teacher pupil relationship and inadequate study facilities were further analysed and gender differences were also obtained. Understanding the sources of stress would facilitate the development of effective counselling modules and intervention strategies by school psychologists and counsellors in order to help students alleviate stress. Published by Oriental Scientific Publishing Company 2018. -
Similarity analysis of court judgements using association rule mining on case citation data-a case study
Information Retrieval System (IRS) is an automated mechanism of retrieving required information from a collection of unstructured or semi-structured data. IRS reduces the efforts of identifying the required information from an enormous database. Legal domain is one of the major producers of complex information which consist of semi-structured and unstructured data. Knowledge based legal information systems are revolutionizing all processes involved in this domain and hence need for more effective legal knowledge management approaches are increasing. This paper proposes association rule mining as knowledge extraction technique that can be used effectively for analyzing relatedness of documents in legal domain. Through this work, authors present their efforts in analyzing similarity in legal documents from the citations done in court judgement by applying Association rule mining. International Research Publication House. -
The QSPR study of butane derivatives: (A mathematical approach)
The QSPR analysis provides a significant structural insight into the physiochemical properties of butane derivatives. We study some physiochemical properties of fourteen butane derivatives and develop a QSPR model using four topological indices and butane derivatives. Here we analyze how closely the topological indices are related to the physiochemical properties of butane derivatives. For this we compute analytically the topological indices of butane derivatives and plot the graphs between each of these topological indices to the properties of butane derivatives using Origin. This QSPR model exhibits a close correlation between Heavy atomic count, Complexity, Hydrogen bond acceptor count, and Surface tension of butane derivatives with the Redefined first Zagreb index, the Redefined third Zagreb index, the Sum connectivity index and the Reformulated first Zagreb index, respectively. 2018 Oriental Scientific Publishing Company. All Rights Reserved. -
An augmented artificial bee colony algorithm for data aggregation in wireless sensor networks
As wireless sensor networks comprise of a vast number of resource constrained tiny sensor nodes which are designed to operate for a long period of time, it is inevitable to efficiently utilize the available resources. Even though energy harvesting approaches exist, energy efficiency in these networks remains the primary concern. Innovative data collection methods help in the optimal utilization of the confined resources like energy, memory and processing capabilities. Majority of the energy is consumed for data transmission in contrast to sensing and processing. Adopting self-organizing system intelligence of the nature for modern advancements is effective and efficient. This paper provides a gist of the existing bio-inspired routing algorithms and describes a new energy efficient data collection strategy with mobile sinks in wireless sensor networks. IAEME Publication. -
Causal relationship between leverage and performance: Exploring Dhaka Stock Exchange
To magnify shareholders' returns, managers employ the use of debt in the firms' capital structure. However, excessive debt financing can often cause financial distress for the firms. In fact, various debt equity ratio levels may lead to different financial performance when compared for high levered and low levered firms. Thus, the aim of this paper is to examine the cause and effect relationship between financial leverage and financial performance of firms. To pursue the purpose, a purposive sample of 163 non-financial firms listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) was selected to conduct this study. Findings indicate that there was no significant difference in the financial performance between high levered and low levered firms, neither in terms of their size nor growth rates. A negative relationship therefore persists between leverage and performance of such firms. Implications of these findings can provide policy guidelines for managers and directions for any further work in this context. Copyright 2018 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.