Dynamics and complex formation in charged and uncharged Ficoll70 solutions

We apply pulsed-field-gradient NMR (PFG NMR) technique to measure the translational diffusion for both uncharged and charged polysaccharide (Ficoll70) in water. Analysis of the data indicate that NMR signal attenuation above a certain packing fraction can be adequately fitted with a bi-exponential function. The self-diffusion measurements show also that the Ficoll70, an often-used compact, spherical polysucrose molecule, is itself non-ideal, exhibiting signs of both softness and attractive interactions in the form of a stable suspension consisting of monomers and clusters. Further, we can quantify the fraction of monomer and cluster. This work strengthens the picture of the existence of a bound water layer within and around a porous Ficoll70 particle.Comment: 6 page

Wood pyrolisys using aspen plus simulation and industrially applicable model

Over the past decades, a great deal of experimental work has been carried out on the development of pyrolysis processes for wood and waste materials. Pyrolysis is an important phenomenon in thermal treatment of wood, therefore, the successful modelling of pyrolysis to predict the rate of volatile evolution is also of great importance. Pyrolysis experiments of waste spruce sawdust were carried out. During the experiment, gaseous products were analysed to determine a change in the gas composition with increasing temperature. Furthermore, the model of pyrolysis was created using Aspen Plus software. Aspects of pyrolysis are discussed with a description of how various temperatures affect the overall reaction rate and the yield of volatile components. The pyrolysis Aspen plus model was compared with the experimental data. It was discovered that the Aspen Plus model, being used by several authors, is not good enough for pyrolysis process description, but it can be used for gasification modelling

Technological Capability as a Determinant of FDI Inflows: Evidence from Developing Asia & India

This paper contributes to the empirical literature on determinants of FDI by addressing the question: Why do some developing countries from Asia continue to receive more FDI, while others from the region have fallen behind? It finds R&D-based innovative capacities, and the ability to apply such capacities through modern IT-based techniques, as the two key determinants explaining FDI inflows to developing Asian economies. These traits are found significant for inward FDI in India too with more technology intensive sectors receiving greater FDI. The findings of the paper suggest that in the absence of strong technological foundations and well-developed communications infrastructure, liberal policies alone are not enough for drawing FDI, once initial advantages, like cheap labour, fizzle out. For developing countries like India, strong thrust on R&D and innovative skills is needed for attracting FDI in technology-intensive exports. Therefore, policy actions would have to go further than a broad-based opening up of sectors to FDI, and increasing the limit of such investment in these sectors, for sustained inflows of FDI.FDI inflows, technology and technological capabilities, locational advantages, IT-based communication facilities

Inverse problem in Ionospheric Science: Prediction of solar soft-X-ray spectrum from Very Low Frequency Radiosonde results

X-rays and gamma-rays from astronomical sources such as solar flares are mostly absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere. Resulting electron-ion production rate as a function of height depends on the intensity and wavelength of the injected spectrum and therefore the effects vary from one source to another. In other words, the ion density vs. altitude profile has the imprint of the incident photon spectrum. In this paper, we investigate whether we can invert the problem uniquely by deconvolution of the VLF amplitude signal to obtain the details of the injected spectrum. We find that it is possible to do this up to a certain accuracy. Our method is useful to carry out a similar exercise to infer the spectra of more energetic events such as the Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs), Soft Gamma Ray Repeaters (SGRs) etc. by probing even the lower part of the atmosphere. We thus show that to certain extent, the Earth's atmosphere could be used as a gigantic detector of relatively strong events.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figure