Dielectric and electro-optical study of ZnO nano rods doped ferroelectric liquid crystals

Addition of Nano rods results change in the dielectric and electro-optical properties of pure Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal (FLC) considerably. The present study is devoted to characterize the dielectric and electro-optical parameters of the FLC nano rods composite system. The size of nano rods is usually much bigger than that of FLC molecules, therefore, when they are doped in different concentrations, in pure FLC, their volume fraction plays considerable role in deciding the molecular dynamics of the resultant composite system. For the lesser concentrations, the nano rods offer mechanical strength to system geometry while at higher concentration of nano rods, they offer additional constraints on the system. In present report both of these aspects have been analyzed and explained.     

Phytofiltration of cadmium from water by Limnocharis flava (L.) Buchenau grown in free-floating culture system

A hydroponics experiment was conducted to examine the phytofiltration of Cd by Limnocharis flava (L.) Buchenau grown in low-level Cd-contaminated water. For this, 45 d old seedlings of L .flava were transferred to a floating-support culture system containing nutrient solution spiked with four levels of Cd (0.5, 1, 2 and 4 mg l⁻¹) and were separately harvested after 3, 7, 21 and 30 d. After 30 d harvesting, the percentage removal of Cd from the above four treatments reached up to 98, 96, 95 and 93%, respectively. Interestingly, all treatments had higher growth rate than control at 95% confidence level and plants still remained healthy at 4 mg l⁻¹ Cd exposure. The bioaccumulation study showed a linear relationship of Cd (R² = 0.896–0.999) in all plant parts with the exposure time (3–30 d) and Cd concentrations in hydroponics system (0.5–4 mg l⁻¹). Although, the root of L. flava had higher Cd concentration than leaf and peduncles, the total Cd concentrations in aerial plant parts were higher than the roots. The maximum bioconcentration factor (BCF) and translocation factor (TF) value of L. flava were calculated as 984.42 and 1.43, respectively. Estimated Cd accumulation capacity of L. flava per unit area (m²) was found to be in the range of 218. 35–1698.92 mg m⁻².The experimental results demonstrated that L. flava is a suitable candidate for the phytofiltartion (>93%) of Cd from low-level Cd-contaminated water.     

烧结工序中转炉渣的优化利用

钢铁厂产生的矿渣中很大一部分来自氧气顶吹转炉(LD转炉)和吹氧转炉工序.LD工序的主要目的是将熔融的铁水和废钢转化为优质钢.在印度,每年产生的熔融钢渣超过400～450万t.总体看来,生产每吨钢会产生150～200 kg的钢渣,对这些钢渣的处理已经成为了严重的环境问题.金达尔钢公司是年产700万t的联合钢厂,每天产生钢渣3 200 t,其中2 000～2 500 t来自LD转炉.LD转炉渣中含有47.75%的CaO,22.0%的Fe以及8.22%MgO,由于CaO含量很高,LD转炉渣可直接替代烧结工序中的生石灰.目前在实验室范围已进行了一些研究,以确定烧结工序中所允许的LD转炉渣的最大投加量以及转炉渣的投加对烧结产率和性能的影响.实验中,LD转炉渣在烧结矿里的添加量从0依次到60 kg/t.随着添加率的增大,烧结料层温度的降低致使FeO含量降低,而烧结配矿中烧损的降低以及由于避免了石灰石煅烧过程带来的的重量损失,使得烧结产率上升.与此同时,LD转炉渣中缺少自由的CaO,使烧结矿强度及还原粉化指数变差,可参加反应的CaO的减少也导致了铁酸钙相减少,及残存Fe2O3自由相增加.试验结果最终得出:烧结矿中LD转炉渣的投加量为30～35 kg/t时,可获得预期的烧结矿性能.     

An interactive method for extracting grammar from programs

The grammar of the language in which some given code is written is essential for developing automated tools for maintenance, reengineering, and program analysis. Frequently grammar is available for a language but not for its variants that are implemented by various vendors and in which the given code may be written. In this work we address the problem of obtaining the grammar from source code, which can then be used for generating tools for the programs. We propose an incremental method for obtaining grammar for a particular language variant, from a set of programs written in the language variant and an approximate grammar (presumably of the standard language) with some user interaction. We also present the design of a tool for implementing this approach and our experience in working with grammars of C, C++ and COBOL. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A standard deviation based firefly algorithm for multi-objective optimization of WEDM process during machining of Indian RAFM steel

Non-conventional machining processes always suffer due to their low productivity and high cost. However, a suitable machining process should improve its productivity without compromising product quality. This implies the necessity to use efficient multi-objective optimization algorithm in non-conventional machining processes. In this present paper, an effective standard deviation based multi-objective fire-fly algorithm is proposed to predict various process parameters for maximum productivity (without affecting product quality) during WEDM of Indian RAFM steel. The process parameters of WEDM considered for this study are: pulse current (I), pulse-on time (T _on), pulse-off time (T _off) and wire tension (WT).While, cutting speed (CS) and surface roughness (SR) were considered as machining performance parameters. Mathematical models relating the process and response parameters had been developed by linear regression analysis and standard deviation method was used to convert this multi objective into single objective by unifying the responses. The model was then implemented in firefly algorithm in order to optimize the process parameters. The computational results depict that the proposed method is well capable of giving optimal results in WEDM process and is fairly superior to the two most popular evolutionary algorithms (particle swarm optimization algorithm and differential evolution algorithm) available in the literature.

     

Groundwater assessment through an integrated approach using remote sensing,GIS and resistivity techniques: a case study from a hard rock terrain

Satellite data have been widely used in conjunction with Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques in groundwater resource management. Satellite data are useful for extracting various thematic maps required for groundwater assessment. In this study, Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) 1D LISS III and Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM)/Enhanced TM (ETM+) digital data, and digital elevation models (DEMs) from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) along with other collateral data were analysed to create various thematic maps (geomorphology, landuse, lithology, lineament, soil, drainage density, river gradient and slope maps) required for groundwater modelling in a hard rock terrain of Bargarh district, Orissa, India. These thematic maps were assigned suitable weights and different rankings to the individual classes within each thematic map using Saaty's Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). A raster‐based empirical GIS model was developed for integrating the thematic maps to locate suitable groundwater prospective zones. The integrated thematic maps were in turn used to compute the Groundwater Potential Index (GWPI). GWPI values calculated in the study area were found to vary from 0.175 to 0.940. These GWPI values have been classified into various classes: very poor (<0.4), poor (0.4–0.5), moderate (0.5–0.6), good (0.6–0.7), very good (0.7–0.8) and excellent (>0.8). A final map showing very poor to excellent groundwater prospective zones was prepared. The results thus obtained were subsequently cross‐checked with resistivity survey and pumping test data. Very poor GWPI zones show low yields of 0.5 lps from weathered granite of resistivity 20–100 Ω m and thickness 0.5–6 m, while excellent GWPI zones show high yields of 5–7 lps from highly fractured granite of resistivity 100–300 Ω m and thickness 14–31 m. The results obtained from integration of the various thematic maps on the GIS platform produced a good match with the resistivity and pumping test data.     

The relationship between bioelectrical impedance phase angle and subjective global assessment in advanced colorectal cancer

Background  

Bioelectrical Impedance (BIA) derived phase angle is increasingly being used as an objective indicator of nutritional status in advanced cancer. Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) is a subjective method of nutritional status. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between BIA derived phase angle and SGA in advanced colorectal cancer.     

Distributed optimistic concurrency control with reduced rollback

Concurrency control algorithms have traditionally been based on locking and timestamp ordering mechanisms. Recently optimistic schemes have been proposed. In this paper a distributed, multi-version, optimistic concurrency control scheme is described which is particularly advantageous in a query-dominant environment. The drawbacks of the original optimistic concurrency control scheme, namely that inconsistent views may be seen by transactions (potentially causing unpredictable behavior) and that read-only transactions must be validated and may be rolled back, have been eliminated in the proposed algorithm. Read-only transactions execute in a completely asynchronous fashion and are therefore processed with very little overhead. Furthermore, the probability that read-write transactions are rolled back has been reduced by generalizing the validation algorithm. The effects of global transactions on local transaction processing are minimized. The algorithm is also free from dedlock and cascading rollback problems. Divyakant Agrawal is currently a graduate student in the Department of Computer Science at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He received his B.E. degree from Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, India in 1980. He worked with Tata Burroughs Limited, from 1980 to 1982. He completed his M.S. degree in Computer Science from SUNY at Stony Brook in 1984. His research interests include design of algorithms for concurrent systems, optimistic protocols and distributed systems. Arthur Bernstein is a Professor of Computer Science at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. His research is concerned with the design and verification of algorithms involving asynchronous activity and with languages for expressing such algorithms. Pankaj Gupta is currently a graduate student in the Department of Computer Science at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He received M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from SUNY at Stony Brook in 1982 and M.S. degree in Computer Science from SUNY at Stony Brook in 1985. His research interests include distributed systems, concurrency control, and databases. Soumitra Sengupta is currently a graduate student in the Department of Computer Science at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He received his B.E. degree from Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, India in 1980. He worked with Tata Consultancy Services, from 1980 to 1982. He completed his M.S. degree in Computer Science from SUNY at Stony Brook in 1984. His research interests include distributed algorithms, logic databases and concurrency control.This work was supported by the National Science Foundation under grant, DCR-8502161 and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research under grant AFOSR 810197     

Design and experimental evaluation of OnDemand inter-domain mobility in SDN supported PMIPv6

Wireless Networks - The soaring number of mobile devices and their demands for enhanced services have forced operators to adopt locally software defined and globally distributed multi-domain...