A stochastic manpower planning model under varying class sizes

Solution related to different types of manpower planning problems arising in different industries and organizations are very much helpful for proper planning and implementation of different objectives. Previously those type of problems are mostly solved under the deterministic set up. Gradually several scientists have developed different types of stochastic models appropriate for solving such types of problems. The present study is an attempt to develop a stochastic manpower planning model under the set up where the classes are of varying sizes and promotion occurs only on the basis of seniority. The work of second author was supported by a research fellowship from Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (Sanction No. 9/28(611)/2003-EMR-I), India.     

Possible role of Lewis acid catalysis in the oxidation of alkenes and α,β-unsaturated ketones using bleomycin-zn(ii) and bleomycin-fe(iii)-iodosylbenzene in aqueous methanol

C₆H₅IO in CH₃OH-H₂0 is activated towards electrophilic attack upon various alkenes by Fe(ClO₄).9H₂O, FE(III) bleomycin and ZN(II) bleomycin. The results imply that direct transfer of oxygen from an Fe(V)=0 intermediate is not required in the mechanism of oxygenation by iron-containing species, and that much earlier work is questionable as models for biological oxygenation.     

Some polishing experiments on copper in a hyperbolic cell

Some polishing experiments have been carried out on copper anodes in a hyperbolic cell designed by Gilmont and Walton, using orthophosphoric acid as the electrolyte. The results obtained have been compared to those obtained in similar experiments in a Hull cell. It has been found that very similar bands of different reflectivity and polishes are found to form in both the cells. These bands shift with time and a study of such displacements has been made. The results are briefly discussed.     

Regioselective synthesis of N-beta-hydroxyethylaziridines by the ring-opening reaction of epoxides with aziridine generated in situ

[reaction: see text] Biologically important N-beta-hydroxyethylaziridine intermediates were conveniently prepared by regioselective ring-opening reactions of diversely substituted epoxides. Ethyleneimine generated in situ under basic conditions from beta-chloroethylamine was used as a nucleophile to open the epoxides in an aqueous environment.     

Degradation Studies of Polycaprolactone in Banana Fibers Reinforced Thermoplastics Composites

In this paper we report the fabrication, properties and degradation studies of banana fibers–reinforced thermoplastic polymers. In order to impart hydrophobicity to the fibers and also to concomitantly increase interfacial bond strength, which is a critical factor for obtaining better mechanical properties of composites, banana fibers were treated with sodium hydroxide (5% and 10% for 4 h), sebacoyl chloride (SC) (0.5 g, 4 h), or toluene diisocyanate (TDl) (1.5 mL, 4 h). Mechanical properties of banana fibers treated with TDl were not affected to any significant extent, but there was an increase in tensile strength of fibers treated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Deterioration in mechanical properties was observed upon SC treatment. In thermograssimetre analogue (TGA) studies fibers showed initial mass loss (6.5%–9.5%) in the 50–150°C temperature region. Major weight loss occurred above 200°C. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies revealed an increase in surface roughness after alkali treatment. High density polyethylene (HDPE) modified by blending with poly (ε‐caprolactone) (80:20 w/w) was used as a thermoplastic matrix. Composites were fabricated by using 1 cm long banana fibers; the weight fraction of fibers was varied from 0.05–0.13. An increase in weight fraction of fibers resulted in an increase in tensile strength and modulus and decrease in elongation at break. Thin sheets and dumbbells were used for enzymatic and chemical hydrolysis degradation tests. The degradation of the material was monitored by weight change and loss of mechanical properties. The enzymatic degradation in (PCL) presence of Pseudomonas cepacia lipase (PCL) gave appreciable weight loss in PCL and blended materials.     

Thermal Effect on Positive Patterned Self-Assembled Monolayer Grown from a Droplet of Alkanethiol

Atomic force microscope technique is widely used for the spatial narrow deposition of molecules inside the bare space of preexisting self-assembled monolayer (SAM) matrix. Using molecular dynamics simulation, we studied the formation of positively patterned SAM from a globule of 1-octadecanethiol (ODT) on predesigned SAM matrix of 1-dodecanethiol (DDT) and effect of temperature on it. The alkyl chains of ODT SAM were densely packed and ordered by means of chemisorption through sulfur atoms. The circular SAM of ODT contained defects due to the molecules those were standing upside down or trapped inside ODT SAM. We found that with the increase of temperature, these defects moved out by flipping of inverted ODT molecules or building spaces to be adsorbed on Au surface. The ODT molecules on the top of the pile of stable circular SAM or those are upside down and trapped disperse in a unique fashion namely serial pushing through which molecules firstly make a free space to enter inside the adsorbed thiol molecules and then push neighboring molecules to get enough space to be adsorbed on the gold surface. The stability of ODT SAM was confirmed by analyzing different structural properties such as tilt angle, tilt orientation. and backbone orientation. We also calculated the diffusion coefficient of the ODT molecules which were on the top of SAM island. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Formulation and characterization of a biocompatible microemulsion composed of mixed surfactants: lecithin and Triton X-100

We report on the formation and characterization of a biocompatible microemulsion (ME) system composed of lecithin (L), Triton X-100 (T) as the surfactant(s), butyl lactate (BL) as the cosurfactant, and isopropyl myristate (IPM) as the oil phase and water. Detailed phase construction reveals that mixing of surfactants (L and T) produces larger single-phase ME region compared to L. In the mixed surfactant systems, a three-phase body appears which is otherwise not obtained in the single surfactant counterparts signifying the synergistic solubilization behaviour upon mixing. The maximum solubilization capacity decreases as the content of T increases in the mixture. Viscosity, conductance and adiabatic compressibility measurements of the single-phase ME systems at a constant amphiphile concentration (80 % w/w) show a linear trend with increasing water content revealing a droplet-type structure of all the studied formulations. FTIR studies in the water-in-oil (w/o) region identify the presence of three distinct types of water molecules in these systems and their relative content changes with the interfacial composition as well as the total water content in the system. Our study offers a biocompatible mixed ME system in which the physical properties do not differ much from those of the lecithin-based systems with the additional advantage of having higher solubilization capacity, low pH dependency and low viscosity, which renders its potential to be used for specific pharmaceutical applications.     

Estimation of underground water radon danger in Bakreswar and Tantloi Geothermal Region,India

The main aim of the study is to present an evaluation of radon concentration in underground water of Bakreswar and Tantloi geothermal region which is mainly used for drinking purposes of the local people. Water samples were collected from tube-wells at 173 different locations. The radon (²²²Rn) concentration level was observed to fluctuate widely between 3.3 and 803.8 Bq/l with an average of 106.8 Bq/l. Nearly 42% of the samples had radon concentration above the safe limit of 100 Bq/l recommended by World Health Organisation (WHO) and European Union Commission (EU). Considering the WHO and International Commission on Radiological Protection recommended water consumption rate for adults (730 l/year) the corresponding total annual effective dose of the samples were estimated to assess the probable health risk. Total annual effective dose of the samples were varied between 16.72 and 4079.47 µSv/year with an average value of 541.92 µSv/year. About 95% samples exceed the WHO and EU Commission proposed safe limit of 100 µSv/year.     

Modulated photophysics of 3-pyrazolyl-2-pyrazoline derivative entrapped in micellar assembly

The photophysical behavior of 3-pyrazolyl-2-pyrazoline derivative (PZ), a newly synthesized biologically active compound has been studied in micellar solutions of anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), cationic cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and nonionic p- tert-octylphenoxy polyoxyethanol (Triton X-100, TX-100) micelle using steady state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy technique. Influence of the micelles on the photophysics of PZ has also been investigated using different approaches. The location of the fluorophore PZ in the micelle has been identified by cetyl pyridinium chloride (CpCl) induced fluorescence quenching and micropolarity surrounding that fluorophore in micellar solution. The effect of urea on the steady state fluorescence and relaxation dynamics of the micelle bound probe has also been observed. The results have been interpreted in terms of the model that urea displaces water molecules from the micellar interface and the consequent destabilization leads to the expulsion of the probe molecules from the interfacial region. An attempt has been made to determine probe sensing microviscosities for these micellar microenvironments in the light of average reorientation times of the probe PZ.     

Localization of spin and charge in phenalenyl-based neutral radical conductors

We report the development of an experimentally based structural analysis to examine the degree of localization of the spin and charge in the phenalenyl-based neutral radical molecular conductors--the results motivate a reinterpretation of the electronic structure of a number of the radicals that we have reported over the past 10 years. The analysis is based on the well-known relationship between bond order and bond length and makes use of the experimental bond distance deviations between the molecular structure of the radical and its corresponding cation. We determined the single crystal X-ray structure of the ethyl radical (1) at 11 temperatures between 90 K and room temperature so that we could follow the evolution of the structure and the electron density distribution through the magnetic phase transition that occurs in the vicinity of 140 K. We show that the enhanced conductivity in the dimeric ethyl (1) and butyl (3) radicals at the magnetic phase transition results from the development of a complex, but highly delocalized electronic structure and not to the formation of a diamagnetic pi-dimer. We find that the monomeric radicals 4, 12, and 13 have an asymmetric electron density distribution in the crystal lattice whereas radical 11 is the only monomeric radical which remains fully delocalized. The pi-chain radicals (7, 8, 14, and 15) retain the strongly delocalized electronic structures expected for a resonating valence bond ground-state structure.