Archives-August 2016

A two dimensional unsteady MHD free convection and mass transfer flow of an incompressible, viscous and electrically conducting fluid past an accelerated vertical flat plate through porous medium with chemical reaction, heat source, thermal diffusion and the influence of uniform magnetic field applied normal to the plate has been studied. The solution would be based mainly on finite difference methods. The system of equations has been transformed into a dimensionless form by using well known transformations. The dimensionless continuity, momentum, energy and concentration equations are solved numerically by explicit finite difference technique. The results for velocity, temperature, concentration, streamlines, isotherm lines are discussed graphically and the skin friction, Nusselt number are described in tables with different time steps as well as for different values of flow parameters of physical and engineering interest.

The potential use of Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Mill.), a lignocellulosic-based fiber found in discontinuous bands along the Mediterranean Basin, for the removal of a basic cationic dye: Methylene blue (MB) was investigated by adsorption in batch mode. In order to investigate the mechanism of dye sorption and potential rate controlling steps, pseudo first-order, pseudo second-order and intra-particle diffusion models equations have been used to test experimental data. Kinetic analysis of models has been carried out for initial MB dye concentration in the range of 20-100 mg/L. The rate constants models have been determined and the correlation coefficients have been calculated in order to assess which model provides the best fit predicted data with experimental results. The results showed that pseudo second-order equations model provide the best fit to experimental data for different initial MB dye concentrations implying that chemisorption mechanism may play an important role for the adsorption of dye onto Aleppo pine fibers. The results indicate also that Aleppo pine fibers adsorb Methylene blue efficiently and could be employed as a low-cost alternative in textile wastewater treatment for the removal of cationic dyes.

The banking sector is one of the biggest service sectors in India and now days is in a way to attract the biggest market of Asia in investment. The banking sector today is focusing on how to provide efficient services to its customers. The Indian Banking System consisting of various public and private sector financial institutions whose objective is serving the people for their financial and economic needs. This century has been full of innovations: new technologies, new products, new services and a plethora of new industries have emerged. Yet the call for innovation in business, especially in financial services, has never been more intense. Although research on this topic exists, there is no empirical evidence regarding the critical factors influencing customer adoption of electronic banking innovation in Ghana’s banking industry. The aim of this article is therefore to investigate the factors influencing the adoption of financial innovation in Ghana’s banking industry. Surveys were conducted involving clients of the banks in the country. This study focuses on banking service quality and identified various factors of banking service quality, i.e., access, communication, competence, credibility, reliability, responsiveness, security, tangibility, Courtesy and understanding. Main objective of the study is to understood and analyze the service quality dimensions and customer satisfaction level with banking services on banking sectors.

The effect of compost and earthworm production on soil properties, growth and dry-matter yield of maize in crude oil degraded soil was studied. The treatment consisted of 250g crude oil degraded soil (DS) and 50g each of four different compost materials mixed differently with 250g of degraded soil, and the compost were cassava peels (CP), cassava peels + poultry manure (PC), cassava peels + pig manure (GC) and cassava peels + pig manure + poultry manure (PGC) and 10 pieces of sub-adult earthworms (Eudrilus eugenae) were inoculated to each of the experimental pot after 11 days. The five treatments were replicated four times, data generated were subjected to analysis of variance test and treatment means were separated using least significant difference (LSD=0.05). The results of the study indicated significant differences between the treatments in soil and agronomic parameters assessed. The application of compost and earthworm activities increased the plant height, leaf area, and number of leaves at 4 weeks after planting (WAP) and 6 WAP, and dry matter yield of maize. The shoot and root dry matter yield was observed to increase in the order PC>PGC>GC>CP>DS. Earthworm activities in the study measured by the number survived and biomass weight showed CP and GC as the best culture for earthworm production in oil degraded soil. The degraded soil (DS) did not record any earthworm survival at harvest. The result of the soil analysis indicated less change in the textural class of the soil, and all the chemical parameters tested were enhanced by the compost and earthworm activities. Based on the results of growth rate and yield components of maize as well as soil chemical properties, the PC and PGC cultures having performed competitively better than the other treatments can be considered useful and adequate with the help of earthworm in reclaiming an oil degraded soil for crop production in a tropical environment.

This paper empirically illustrates the extent of Job involvement of women employees working the banking sector of India. A sample of 267 women employees from diverse cadres of hierarchy of public and private banking sectors was used for the study. The study classifies the degree of involvement of women employees based on the four sub dimension of Job involvement viz. Response towards work, Expressions of being job involved, Sense of duty towards work and feelings about unfinished task and absenteeism. Regression analysis is used to comparatively highlight the difference that exists between the four sub dimensions of job involvement of the employees.

Psychologists have identified personality variables as one of the most important factors related to physical illness. The period since 1950s till date, research has continued to show positive results relating illness to psychological factors and personality. Research in this area suggests that stress seems to affect some people more than it does to others, and researchers have looked for personality variables that might account for differential effects of stress. This study attempts to compare the neuroticism versus emotional stability scores of hypertensive and normotensive as well as male and female participants. The study adopted a 2 (hypertensives and normotensives) x 2 (males and females) factorial design. Two hundred and forty participants (120 chronic hypertensives and 120 normotensives) are selected from Gurgaon, Delhi. Out of 120 hypertensives, there were 60 males and 60 females. Similarly 60 healthy males and 60 healthy females not suffering from hypertension or any other disease were selected. The participants of all the four groups compared with respect to their scores on neuroticism versus emotional stability. The results indicate that hypertensives showed more score in all the dimensions of neuroticism compared to normotensives. It is also found that females have more depression and anxiety than males. They are more self-conscious and more vulnerable to stress compared to males. Males score high on anger, hostility and impulsive dimensions of the personality.

The environment friendly natural fibers used in this study are taken from leaf stalk portion of palm tree. Portions of these fibers are alkali treated while the remaining kept raw. Both these fibers are sandwiched separately with glass fibers to form two set of plates by reinforcing into polyester resin matrix blend with coconut shell powder using hand lay-up method. Specimens are tested as per ASTM standards. The results reveal that alkali treatment improved fiber quality and a novel composite was developed to producing automobile parts.

This article tried to identify the role of internet in shaping the youth’s national identity and determine factors affecting the identity of the youth who use the Internet. The population included all the youth users of Internet. In this research, quantitative survey method was applied and the research tool is questionnaire which is prepared by the researcher. It can be concluded that using Internet affects the youth’s identity in terms of their cognitive, feeling and value identity, and in general, the research showed that using internet has a great and undeniable role on shaping or even changing the youth’s national identity.

A field experiment was conducted at Gwalior in M.P. during the Rabi season of 2010 to study the Growth, Productivity and Economics of Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. Capitata L.)in Gird Zone as influenced by different levels of Zinc and Sulphur levels. Results revealed that growth parameters like plant height, plant spread and number of leaves per plant at all crop growth stages (except 20 DAT), yield attributing characters, length and diameter of head and weight per head, cabbage yield per hectare net return and benefit cost ratio increased with increasing levels of sulphur from 20 to 80 kg/ha and zinc from 2 to 8 kg/ha. The crop responded only upto 60 kg S/ha and 6 kg Zn/ha.

This paper presents the rehabilitation of a bridge (Zero bridge) which is constructed of old traditional construction material i.e. Wood (Timber). It includes the design considerations of substructure and superstructure of the bridge, Need for rehabilitation of bridge, difference between old and new design of bridge. Apart from the modern construction materials which are well documented in the codes of practice, Wood is an old traditional construction material which has proved to be durable, easy constructable , and effective for resisting earthquake loading as well.