Archives-December 

Co-precipitation method was employed to synthesize the ZnO-ZnS nanocomposites with different ZnO:ZnS ratios. These prepared nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The characterization results reveal that particles in all nanocomposites have similar size of about 30 nm. Zinc oxide may exist in the form of composite with ZnS and free from which can be seen in the XRD patterns. Though zinc oxide may exist in the different form, particles in all samples are relatively similar in size. The presence of ZnS in the composites can be seen clearly in the TGA curves.

In the present study, an attempt was made to evaluate and identify hydrogeochemistry of water and the involved chemical processes using Durov and Piper diagrams. The prominent hydrochemical facies was Ca2+-Mg2+-Cl--SO42- in both methods although slight variation in terms of Ca2+-Mg2+-HCO3- was also observed in few water samples. Piper diagrams indicated the dominance of mixed water type (70.84%) having no one cation-anion pair exceeds 50%, while Durov specified the dominance of simple dissolution or mixing (83.34 %) with no dominant major anion or cation. Thus, both the diagrams signify non-identification of the water types with neither anions dominant nor cations dominant. Piper diagram, Durov plot and chloroalkaline indices indicated the abundance and dominance of alkaline earth elements were over alkalies in majority of samples due to direct exchange of Ca2+ and Mg2+ from the Aquifer matrix with Na+ and K+ from the groundwater. Further, SAR (0.41>SAR< 2.78), percent sodium (7.3 > %Na < 42.4) and WQI (13.56 >WQI < 112.99) values recommended the suitability of 100, 91.67 and 62.5% of samples for domestic and irrigation purposes.

In this paper, two different components and one repairman of with warm standby system priority is studied. Assume that two components of working time, standby time, the repair time after fault and the repair time after standby fault are subject to the different exponential distribution and the repair of the component 1 is geometry repair and the repair of the component 2 is as good as new. The component 1 has priority in use and repair. By using geometric process theory, the supplementary variable method and the Laplace transform, the reliability indices of the system are obtained.

A novel phase-shift plus pulse width modulation (PSP) control ZVS bidirectional dc–dc converter is proposed in this paper. By adopting active clamping branch ZVS condition is realized for all switches. The proposed converter has the advantage of wide range of input, output control and reduced switching losses. The performance of proposed converter is compared with the same power rated conventional topology and the results are presented.

The present study investigates the oxidative-conversion of propane-butane (C3–C4) fraction to methanol via a proposed vapor–gas system: C3–C4 + O2 + h?/HN?3 ? 2??3?? + C2H4 + C3H6. Experiments were performed by feeding propane-butane fraction, oxygen, and nitric-acid into a photo-chemical reactor under mild conditions at a temperature of 100oC, an atmospheric pressure (P = 1 atm.), and under the influence of electromagnetic radiation using visible-light excitation at a wavelength ? = 420 nm, and at reaction-times (tr) between 2 – 120 minutes. The major oxidation-products are methanol, ethylene, and propylene. From this approach, methanol with 90 % selectivity can be achieved at a single-pass C3–C4 conversion level of 10 %. Quantum-chemical calculations for the oxidation reaction of C3–C4 by hydroxyl radical (via HN?3 photo-dissociation) were performed using the density functional theory (DFT) method at the B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,3pd) level, and the calculation-results are broadly consistent with the experimental data. In a strict sense, the applied technique herein for the oxidation of C3–C4 to methanol, and the valuable semi-products (alkene), as well as to enhances the regeneration of nitric-acid, apparently finds physico-chemical justification.

A comparative indoor radon measurement by nuclear track detectors was undertaken in both Sakumono and Kassena Nankana area in sandcrete and Adobe houses respectively. In all, about seventy seven (77) detectors (type LR 115) were deployed for a period of three (3) months. The study was undertaken for the purpose of health risk assessments. The average indoor radon concentration in dwellings of Sakumono and its environs varied from 5.29 – 18.6 Bq/m³ but that of the Kassena Nankana Area varied from 35.3 and 244.2 Bq/m³.  About 38% of the Adobe dwellings found in the Kassena Nankana Area had indoor radon concentration values that were above the action level of 150 Bqm³ recommended by the US EPA. The annual effective dose for the whole study varied from 0.15 to 3.05 mSv/y.

The world of business technological advances and the speed with which new technologies are created and copied, the loss of geographical advantage resulting from globalization, the shake-up of traditional stable industries as a result of deregulation and the rising power of the consumer and their ability to get what they want, when they want it, from whomever they want. With this in mind, the relationshi8p experience becomes one of the greatest competitive aspects for a business’s survival. Now, that its customers are connecting to the Internet via personal computers, banks envision similar economic advantages by adapting those same internal electronic processes to home use. Today, most large national banks, many regional banks and even smaller banks offer some form of online banking, variously known as PC banking, home banking, electronic banking or Internet banking. Online banking or Internet banking is a term used for performing transactions, payments etc. over the Internet through a bank, credit union or building society's secure website. This allows customers to do their banking outside of bank hours and from anywhere where Internet access is available. This study deals with the E-Banking products and usages for the customers of SBI and their personal profile.

Asthma is one of the major health problem in the developed countries, 15 million of the affected asthmatics. Hence a study was conducted to determine the breath holding time, forced vital capacity (FVC), and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) among patients with bronchial asthma. A Qualitative study design was adopted and the study was conducted in Chest OPD, Sri Ramachandra Hospital. The result suggest that Breath holding time may be thought of as being relatively constant inspite of the large standard deviation. Hence the Nurses play an vital role in imparting the knowledge of complementary and alternative therapy ( Yoga etc., ) to them.

Software Reliability Growth Model (SRGM) is a mathematical model of how the software reliability improves as faults are detected and repaired. The performance of SRGM is judged by its ability to fit the software failure data. How good does a mathematical model fit to the data and reliability of software is presented in the current paper. The model under consideration is the, G-O model. A two step approach is used to estimate the model parameters by combination of Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) and Least Square Estimation (LSE) methods. To assess the performance of the considered SRGM, we have carried out the parameter estimation on the real software failure data sets.

This study was carried out to assess the elemental content in the clam (Galatea Paradoxa) and sediment from the lower volta basin in relation to pollution. The concentrations of eighteen elements ( Al, As, Ca, Cd, Cl, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Sc, V and Zn) were determined in sediment and whole body tissues of the clam, Galatea paradoxa, by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) without any chemical treatment. From the relatively high levels of metals in the sedimentary habitat of Galatea pardoxa, the detrital sediment was likely to be the main source of analyzed elements to the clams, either directly, or indirectly following desorption. The elements in the detrital sediments of the river had average concentrations ( in µg/g unless otherwise stated), in decreasing order of 2.25±0.21 %(Fe), 1.67±0.04 %(Mn), 0.84±0.29 %(Ca), 0.44±0.07 %(Na), 0.30±0.03 %(K), 0.24±0.04 %(Mg), 0.18±0.01 %(Al), 37.19±5.58(Cr), 36.51±6.22(V), 29.82±4.48(Ni), 12.67±1.35(Cu), 12.27±1.84(Zn), 10.25±2.22(Co), 2.48±0.16(Sc) and 1.16±0.27(As) while Cd and Hg were below detection limit. Enrichment factor (EF) values indicated moderate enrichment for As, Co and Cr. Apart from As, Co and Cr all the other elements were not enriched in the sediment. Based on geoaccumulation index values, the sediment was considered moderately to strongly contaminated with K but moderately contaminated with Mg. The pollution load index value (0.09) indicated that the sediment was generally not contaminated. In the clams, with the exception of Cd, Hg and Ni which were below detection limits, the levels of elements analyzed in decreasing order were; Fe(0.94±0.26 %) > Ca(0.44±0.04 %) > K(0.27±0.04 %) > Mg(0.16±0.03 %) > Cl(0.13±0.02 %) > Na(0.12±0.001 %) > Mn(491.18±7.53 µg/g) > Zn(92.29±13.84 µg/g) > Cu(56.42±11.20 µg/g) > Al(54.93±2.69 µg/g) > As(3.67±0.54 µg/g) > V(2.87±0.52 µg/g) > Cr(1.62±0.25 µg/g) > Sc(0.72±0.16 µg/g. Biosediment accumulation factors (BSAF) show that As, Cu and Zn were bioaccumulated and biomagnified (BSAF > 1.00) in the clams.