Examining the Feasibility of Tea Futures in India

The commodity derivative market in India has gained an important place in the last few decades. However, the entry of ‘tea futures’ in the derivative market is yet to come. Tea is a substitute for coffee and has a good market worldwide. India’s contribution to world production of tea is significant, but the presence of tea futures in Indian derivative market is yet to be seen whereas coffee, being a similar commodity, has a good place in the derivatives market. This study makes an attempt to examine the feasibility of tea futures in India by studying two leading conditions for tea in comparison with coffee. The study examines the market conditions by studying the export potentiality that signifies the demand and supply; and price volatility of tea price. The observations and analysis find favourable grounds for the introduction of tea futures in the commodity derivative market to extend the benefits to various groups like tea growers and manufacturers

Fast response and low temperature sensing of acetone and ethanol using Al-doped ZnO microrods

We report low temperature acetone and ethanol sensing properties of Al-doped ZnO microrods synthesized using hydrothermal technique. We observe the acetone detection at room temperature as well as ethanol and acetone detection at low temperature of 150 °C using Al-doped ZnO microrods. 3 wt% Al-doped ZnO microrods sensor exhibits the highest response of 231 toward 8100 parts per million (ppm) of ethanol at 150 °C. The response & recovery time are found to be ultrafast of 60 ms & 870 ms for ethanol and 110 ms & 330 ms for acetone of the Al-doped ZnO microrods at an operating temperature of 150 °C, respectively. In addition, sensing mechanism has explained to illuminate the improved sensing performances of Al-doped ZnO microrods. Thus it is revealed that Al-doped ZnO microrods are promising as an ultrafast gas sensor

Relativistic coupled-cluster-based linear response theory for ionization potentials of alkali-metal and alkaline-earth-metal atoms

We have developed and applied the relativistic coupled-cluster-based linear response theory (RCCLRT) for computing the principal as well as the shake-up ionization potentials (IP's) of Li, Be, Na, and Mg where the single-particle orbitals are generated by solving the relativistic Hartree-Fock-Roothaan equations using the Gaussian basis functions on a grid. The computed principal and shake-up ionization energies by the RCCLRT approach are in favorable agreement with the experimental results. Since for the (one-valence) IP problem, there is a formal equivalence between the principal IP values as obtained from the CCLRT and those obtained as eigenvalues of the multireference coupled-cluster theory, the computed quantities are fully size extensive. The approach via the RCCLRT has the additional advantage of providing the shake-up IP's as well. These are, however, not fully size extensive, but the error scales as the number of valence excitations (2h-1p), so the inextensivity error is rather small

Core effects on ionization potentials in thallium

Ionization potentials (IP's) are evaluated for various excited states of Tl using the relativistic coupled cluster (CCCD) theory in the even-parity pair channel approximation (CCSD-EPC). An average accuracy below half a percent is reached. The effect of deep core electrons on the core-valence correlations is investigated. It is found that electrons in the third subshell (n=3) modify the IP's of the 6p orbitals by 100 cm-1. By comparison with calculations made in the linearized CCSD (LCCSD) approximation it is demonstrated that nonlinear contributions are mandatory to reach an accuracy below half a percent for the 6p½ orbital

Relativistic coupled cluster calculations of the energies for rubidium and cesium atoms

Ionization potentials and excitation energies of rubidium and cesium atoms are computed using the relativistic coupled cluster (CC) method. The effect of electron correlations on the ground and excited state properties is investigated using different levels of CC approximations and truncation schemes. The present work demonstrates that the even-parity channel truncation scheme produces results almost as accurate as obtained from the all-parity channel approximation scheme at a reduced computational cost. The present study also indicates that for a given basis the linearized CC method tends to overestimate the ground and excited state properties compared to the full CC method

(Invited) Band Line-up of High-k Oxides on GaN

We present comprehensive experimental work on TixAl1-xOy (with x = 9%, 16%, 25%, 36%, 100%) and GaxAl1-xOy (x = 5%, 20%, 80% and 95%) fabricated using atomic layer deposition with the aim of achieving favorable band alignment with GaN for device applications. The permittivity, k, has been found to be enhanced from ~10 for 9% Ti to 76 for TiO2, but brings unfavorable band line-up and a small conduction band offset (&lt; 0.1 eV) with GaN for all Ti% studied. On the other hand, GaxAl1-xOy (x = 5%, 20%) films show substantial increase of the band gap from 4.5 eV for Ga2O3 to 5.5 eV for x = 5% Ga and 6.0 eV for x = 20% Ga in mixed oxides and a strong suppression of leakage current in associated metal insulator semiconductor (MIS) capacitors.</jats:p

Band line-up investigation of atomic layer deposited TiAlO and GaAlO on GaN

A comprehensive study of the band alignments of TixAl1−xOy (with x = 9%, 16%, 25%, 36%, 100%) and GaxAl1−xOy (x = 5%, 20%, 80% and 95%) fabricated using atomic layer deposition on GaN has been presented using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry. The permittivity, k, has been found to be enhanced from ~10 for 9% Ti in TixAl1−xOy to 76 for TiO2, however TiO2 brings an unfavorable band alignment and a small conduction band offset (&lt;0.1 eV) with GaN. The latter has been observed for all studied TixAl1−xOy films deposited on GaN. On the other hand, GaxAl1−xOy films show a substantial increase of the band gap from 4.5 eV for Ga2O3 to 5.5 eV for x = 20% Ga and 6.0 eV for x = 5% Ga. A strong suppression of leakage current in associated GaxAl1−xOy-based metal insulator semiconductor capacitors has also been observed, showing promise for device applications

Prevalence of chronic kidney disease in South Asia: a systematic review

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is becoming a major public health problem around the world. But the prevalence has not been reported in South Asian region as a whole. This study aimed to systematically review the existing data from population based studies in this region to bridge this gap. Methods Articles published and reported prevalence of CKD according to K/DOQI practice guideline in eight South Asian countries between December 1955 and April 2017 were searched, screened and evaluated from seven electronic databases using the PRISMA checklist. CKD was defined as creatinine clearance (CrCl) or GFR less than 60 ml/min/1.73 m2. Results Sixteen population-based studies were found from four South Asian countries (India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal) that used eGFR to measure CKD. No study was available from Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bhutan and Afghanistan. Number of participants ranged from 301 in Pakistan to 12,271 in India. Majority of the studies focused solely on urban population. Different studies used different equations for measuring eGFR. The prevalence of CKD ranged from 10.6% in Nepal to 23.3% in Pakistan using MDRD equation. This prevalence was higher among older age group people. Equal number of studies reported high prevalence among male and female each. Conclusions This systematic review reported high prevalence of CKD in South Asian countries. The findings of this study will help pertinent stakeholders to prepare suitable policy and effective public health intervention in order to reduce the burden of this deadly disease in the most densely populated share of the globe