Archives-March 2015

We have studied the impact of CMEs on the ionospheric critical frequency foF2 during the period 1996-2013. We have correlated the monthly maximum values of foF2 with monthly averages of CME’s energy, mass and speed; we found that the correlation coefficient R is 74%, 52% and 65% respectively. This indicates that the energetic, massive and fast CMEs can affect the ionospheric critical frequency foF2 more efficiently. In addition, the monthly average CME’s width correlates with the monthly maximum foF2 with R~57%. This implies that as the width of the CME increases, the possibility of this event to hit the Earth increases and the ionospheric-targeted area increases, thus the foF2 values; as an implication of increasing the ionization of the ionosphere; subsequently increases.

This paper focused on a content analysis of the translated tamil fiction, “KARUKKU” by Bama, “Karukku” structured like a novel besides being an “autobiographical intervention as a speech act”. Most of her novels are autobiographical works. “Karukku” besides being a projection of the intersection of gender, caste and class. Bama has suffered multiple hegemonies as a dalit woman, and therefore poor and as a Christian Indian. The autobiography has several stories embedded in the narrative as a pointer to the patriarchal oppression of women.

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.

A 222Rn survey was carried out in order to explore the pattern of geographical and seasonal changes of 222Rn activity in soil-gas at different locations in Chitradurga district of Karnataka State using RAD7 radon detector coupled with special accessories, without dilution by outside air technique. Radon activity in the soil gas varied from 0.5 to 812.9 (mean: 93.78 Bq/m3) and 0.8 to 810.4 Bq/m3 (mean: 92.84 Bq/m3) during pre- and post-monsoon seasons respectively, with an annual mean of 0.65 to 811.65 Bq/m3 (mean: 93.31 Bq/m3). A significant spatial and insignificant temporal variation in soil radon activity has been observed in the study area, which is in the order of Hosadurga taluk (346.56 Bq/m3)> Hiriyur taluk (95.10 Bq/m3) > Challakere taluk (36.45 Bq/m3) > Chitradurga taluk (20.40 Bq/m3) > Holalkere taluk (2.87 Bq/m3). The results showed the radon values in the soil-gas of Chitradurga district are low (< 0.8 kBq/m3) enough to categorize them under low radon risk areas (viz., 10 kBq/m3).

The continuing evolution of business needs and technology makes Web applications more demanding in terms of development, usability and interactivity of their user interfaces. To cope with this complexity, several frameworks have emerged and a new type of Web applications called RIA (Rich Internet Applications) has recently appeared providing richer and more efficient graphical components similar to desktop applications. Given this diversity of solutions, the generation of a code based on UML models has become important. This paper presents the application of the MDA (Model Driven Architecture) to generate, from the UML model, the Code following the MVP pattern (Model-View-Presenter) for a RIA. We adopt GWT (Google web Toolkit) for creating a target meta-model to generate an entire GWT-based web application.

An adequate blood supply is required for the normal functioning of all organs in the body. However this flow can be impeded due to several reasons, thrombus or clot being a major one. Detection of such clots is done with the help of an imaging technique called “DOPPLER ULTRASONOGRAPHY” by transmitting an ultrasound pulse and calculating the frequency of the received signal. If there is no clot the reception is always a homogenous signal, whereas if a certain part being sonographed has a clot the received signal shows a variance in frequency which depends upon the distance from the receiver. Hence blood clot detection in ultrasonography is based on obtaining the frequency variance and applying adaptive thresholding. In this work we propose a ZOOM FFT based technique followed by automated adaptive thresholding to detect the clot. Data files are synthesized by simulation in MATLAB. Also the entire system is developed in a Matlab environment for the system to be both simple and cost-effective. Experimental results show that the accuracy of the system is very high even under noisy conditions.

The present investigation was carried out to determine the possible bioactive components of the several medicinal plants for their Antimycobactrial activity and GC-MS. The chemical compositions of the ethanol and methanol extracts of the five plants and five essential oil plants were investigated using Hewlett-Packard Gas chromatography–Mass spectrometry, while the mass spectra of the compounds found in the extract was matched with the Wiley and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) library or with the published mass spectra. Maximum activity was observed in alcoholic extracts of Tinospora cordifolia, Sida rhombifolia, Morinda citrifolia, Pithecellobium dulce, Allium sativum,, Pinus roxburghii against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and minimum Nardostachys jatamansi, ,Trachyspermum ammi, Lantana camara against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Most people see the telescope as the things for the movies, the science geeks and the rich and affluent, but are these feelings for real? This paper on the design and construction of an optical refracting telescope which is aimed at producing a low cost and portable telescope with less or no aberration effects using the materials we see around us every day goes a long way to answer the question that the telescope is for everybody that loves astronomy. Overall implementation of this work involves knowledge of the physics of optics; lenses to be precise. As a case study I used a double convex lens and the eyepiece of a microscope for the construction of the mini refractor telescope, my hypothesis is that using a double convex is better than using a Plano-convex because the two curved surfaces will cancel out the aberration effect of the individual sides. The resultant telescope was tested during the night and during the day and was used to focus objects at a distance of about 50m from the person with less aberration effect.

Machining is the most important of the manufacturing processes which involves the process of removing material from a workpiece in the form of chips. Machining is necessary where tight tolerances on dimensions and finishes are required. Being such an important process in manufacturing industry, a machining process is considered for investigation in the present work. This paper presents the experimental investigations on the effects of cutting variables like Spindle speed, Feed and Depth of cut on the Material removal rate and tool wear. The experiments were conducted on AISI SI steel grade on a CNC turning machine using ceramic insert. The experiments were conducted as per the design of experiments. Initial trial experiments were conducted to fix the ranges for the control parameters. After conducting the experiments the MRR and Tool wear were measured and recorded. The effects were studied after plotting the graphs between the Input process parameters versus the responses using Design expert software. The results obtained in this study can by further used for optimizing the process parameters there by the optimized results help the operator to enhance the quality as well as machining rate

Construction industry is under constant pressure to increase the quality and speed of its construction delivery processes. Construction planning plays vital role in the development of construction industry. There is still a huge discrepancy between execution and plan. Therefore, an efficient and effective planning method is intensively needed to enhance the project performance and to minimize the risk of cost overrun and delays. In Engineering and Construction, building construction schedule is prepared by visualizing 2D design documents of a building project. This process is difficult to associate components in the 2D documents with their related construction activities, and then visualize the construction sequence. 4D Planning technologies, visually representing the construction schedule along with the 3D model components, has the potential to aid this process by providing a common visual language for Planners. The research presented an assessment based survey to identify knowledge, features, benefits & barriers in implementation of 4D planning in construction project. Better visualization of works, reducing the conflicts between the design/execution were the key benefits in 4D planning as observed from an assessment.