Archives-August 2013

The organo-metallic nonlinear optical material urea doped thiourea zinc sulphate (UTZS) has been successfully grown by slow evaporation method at constant temperature 30?C from its aqueous solutions. The grown crystals were subjected to powder x-ray diffraction to determine the unit cell parameters. The UV-Vis transmittance spectrum shows that the crystal has a good optical transmittance in the entire visible region with lower cutoff wavelength. The second harmonic generation efficiency was measured in comparison with KDP by employing powder Kurtz method. The vibrational frequencies of various functional groups in the crystals have been derived from FI-IR analysis. The thermal stability of the grown crystal was analysed by thermogravimetric (TGA) and differential thermal (DTA )analyses. The vicker’s hardness was carried out to test even distribution of load and to study the mechanical strength of the crystal. The dielectric response of the crystals was studied in the frequency range 100HZ-5MHZ at different temperatures and the results are discussed.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of nitrite in urine, protein concentration and nitrite level in the microsomal plus soluble fraction of liver in wistar rats administered with sodium nitrite and dimethylamine hydrochloride. Wistar rats were divided into three groups, the first group was given a single concurrent dose of 50mg/kg of dimethylamine hydrochloride and 62.05mg/kg of sodium nitrite, the second group was given 62.05mg/kg of sodium nitrite and control group was given water and food only ad libitum. The methods used were cell fractionation, homogenization, centrifugation and spectrophotometry. There was a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the concentration of nitrite in urine of rat, in the protein concentration and nitrite level in the microsomal plus soluble fraction of liver in all the experimental groups compared to the control. After exposure to UV-light there was a decrease in the level of nitrite in all the groups, which indicates that nitrite may form nitroso compounds by reacting with a nitrosatable compound. This study shows the level of nitrite in urine of wistar rat, the level of protein and nitrite in microsomal plus soluble fraction of rats and the UV degradation of precursors of N-nitrosamine.

Disbursement involves approval, allocation, release and transmission of funds or grants to projects for implementation. Funds are always disbursed according to funding and implementation schedules agreed upon by the parties and based on the submitted budget and work plan. The developed schedule with each grant recipient is necessary to ensure proper funding accounting, reporting and timely disbursement of funds during the implementation phase to the devolved units. Implementation is the carrying out, execution, or practice of a plan, a method, or any design for doing something. The government of Kenya has made deliberate efforts to decentralize most of its development projects over the past few years, through the use of decentralized funds key among them are, Local Authority Transfer Fund (LATF), Constituency Bursary Fund (CBF), Women and Youth Enterprise Fund and Constituency Development Funds (CDF). This was made possible through Constituency Development Act of Kenya, (2003) which was enacted in order to re-distribute resources to every corner of the country so that poverty levels can be alleviated. Devolved funds have been taunted as the most effective way of fighting poverty on the strength of their ability to bring governance closer to the people thereby addressing their priorities. In a perfect world every project would be "on time and within budget." But reality tells a very different story. Even if the budget and schedules are met, one must ask if the project delivered the results and quality expected. True project success must be evaluated on all the three components otherwise a project could be considered a failure. Delays in disbursement of funds lead to delay in land acquisition among other factors which eventually has a serious impact on the overall performance in the implementation of the development project. The impact of delays in acquisition resulted into cost overruns due to price variations and time overruns and had an impact also on the successful completion of the development project.

The key factor in video processing is the Video Compression (VC) which makes video signal to be processed and stored efficiently. Video compression involves complex algorithms such as Motion Estimation (ME). The hardware implementation of motion estimation has a trade-off between area, speed and Power Dissipation (PD). This paper implements high speed low complexity Variable Block Size Motion Estimation (VBSME) for H.264 standard using verilog coding on Altera Stratix – IV Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) (EP4SGX70DF29C2X) device, using parallel and pipeline timing approach to achieve high speed and the low complexity for High Definition Television (HDTV) system. The proposed work computes all 41 vectors of various block sizes during 180 clock cycles with less complexity using only 46 Processing unit Elements (PEs) and achieves a maximum operating frequency of 486.62 MHz.

An electrochemical pulse technique have been used to make micro holes on conducting stainless steel substrate. The method is based on the application of ultra short nanosecond voltage pulses where electrochemical reactions are locally confined with sub micrometer precision. Due to gentle removal of the material the grain structure of the material is revealed without any chemical and mechanical modifications. Electrochemical micro machining is based on the finite charging time of the electrochemical double layer capacity on the electrode surfaces due to the finite electrolyte resistance. The machining precision depends upon the electrochemical reactions and related to the pulse length. The design and fabrication of a unique electrochemical machining production system capable of micro and nano scale drilling have been presented for conducting stainless surface. Benchmarking prototype tool against existing micro and nano fabrication tool have been designed. The optimization of the process parameters, electrolyte concentration and solution conductivity have been presented.

Conducive organizational culture has been proved to be imperative for an efficient organizational performance. Organizations that ensure a favorable work environment for their employees are able to achieve a higher level of professionalism than others. Literature also reveals that a diverse workforce has advantages of more dynamic knowledge, variety of experiences from different backgrounds and multicultural pool of human capital that help create an improved organizational climate through better work involvement, supervisory support, innovation & flexibility, clarity of goals and welfare. Thus if ethnic diversity is integrated with organizational culture of an organization, then it creates a better work environment that leads to an enhanced employees’ productivity. The study was conducted on two higher level educational institutions in two different countries: a university in Pakistan having a homogeneous workforce and a college in the Sultanate of Oman carrying a heterogeneous workforce where diversity is integrated with organizational culture as a diverse work force from many different cultural backgrounds and nationalities is working in Omani educational institutions. After data analysis, it was found that faculty members working in a diversity integrated culture have a better perception about their organization than those serving in a culture without diversity. It was concluded that Employees perceive an organizational culture as more attractive and better in which workforce in ethnically diverse, which also means a favorable organizational climate.

Whether Oil price changes have an impact on the Stocks of KSE (Karachi Stock Exchange) or not? This study examines impact or relationship of Oil prices on stock returns with reference to KSE (Karachi Stock Exchange) Pakistan. Weekly data ranging from January 1998 to October 2010 is included and tested in this paper. This relationship is tested by using Descriptive Statistics and Correlation Matrix. Data Stationary is ensured by Unit Root Test. Evidence from Granger Causality and Impulse Response Test. The Results shows that Oil prices and shares prices in Pakistan has no long term relationship or impact on each other focusing on the data of KSE (Karachi Stock Exchange).

Swine flu (swine influenza) is a respiratory disease caused by viruses (influenza viruses) that infect the respiratory tract of pigs and result in nasal secretions. Swine flu produces most of the same symptoms in pigs as human flu produces in people. The 2009 swine flu strain, first seen in Mexico, is termed novel H1N1 flu since it is mainly found infecting people and exhibits two main surface antigens, H1 (hemagglutinin type 1) and N1 (neuraminidase type1).This study deals with the structure prediction and computer aided drug interaction studies for the neuraminidase protein from H1N1 virus. Selection of neuraminidase was done since its function is to move the virus out of host cell and hence spread more disease. Targeting this protein with potential drug compounds will stop further spread. Accelrys Discovery studio 2.5 was the software employed in this work. Target sequence selection was done from PIR database and homology modeling was carried out using in-build modeler in DS. Quality of the model has been analyzed and binding sites were predicted. Drugs suitable for swine flu were retrieved from drug bank and through a 3D database search in DS, different conformations has been developed. Molecular docking was performed using Ligandfit in DS. Selection of best drug was done based on highest dock score which was further studied for ADMET (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Elimination and Toxicity) properties. TOPKAT predictions, which give results for carcinogenicity, ocular irritation, skin irritation was also carried out. The results of this study can be useful further for QSAR studies and various in-vitro analysis later.

Nutrients are considered as one of the most important parameters in the estuarine environment influencing growth, reproduction and metabolic activities of living beings. The results of an investigation carried out during March 2010 to August 2010 on physico-chemical and diversity of phytoplankton and zooplankton at the Manakkudy estuary (Southwest coast of India) were reported. Presence of Mangrove forest gives a helping hand in the maintenance of biodiversity and increase in fauna and flora of Manakkudy estuary (Brackishwater). Presently, 66 phytoplankton species representing different classes, viz., Bacillariophyceae (25); Chlorophyceae (18); Cyanophyceae (10); Dinophyceae (8) and Euglenophyceae (5) were recorded. Totally 93 species of zooplankton viz., Rotifera (42); Protozoa (24); Arthropoda (12); Cnidaria (11) and Annelida (4) were identified.

The validity of equation-of-state EOS of relevant materials is very important for various researchers in the scientific fields including geophysics, material science and high-pressure physics. In the present work we have calculated pressure , isothermal bulk modulas , first pressure derivative of isothermal bulk modulus and second order pressure derivative of isothermal bulk modulus in terms of for geophysical Olivine mineral, using different equation of state. Using the values of these parameters, we have computed the values of Gruneisen parameter ( ) and the graphs are plotted between V/V0 and Gruneisen parameter corresponding to different values of V/V0 for Olivine. From graph we observe that as V/V0 , goes to infinity. Isothermal bulk modulus increases continuously with increase in pressure. Pressure derivative of isothermal bulk modulus KT i.e. decreases progressively with the increase in pressure and is always negative. The result analysis conclude that the Brennan-Stacey and Shanker EOS is compatible both low and high compression ranges for calculating Gruniesen parameter where as Vinet EOS is not compatible for calculating the Gruniesen parameter at low compression ranges.