Portfolio Optimization of Commercial Banks- An Application of Genetic Algorithm

Portfolio optimization, in case of finance, is the trade- off between risk and return to maximize profit or return from the portfolio. Financial regulations are country specific and it depends upon the economic conditions prevailing in the country. The portfolio of a commercial bank can be constrained by regulatory prescription of exposure limits, risk weights and returns from each category of assets. Hence, optimization of return, in case of the loan portfolio, presents a challenging problem due to its large set of local extremes. In this context, Genetic Algorithm is used as a possible solution to optimize the risk-return trade-off and achieve an ideal solution for portfolio optimization. Keywords: Portfolio Management, Risk-Return Trade Off, Commercial Bankin

Modeling the effects of insecticides and external efforts on crop production

In this paper a nonlinear mathematical model is proposed and analyzed to understand the effects of insects, insecticides and external efforts on the agricultural crop productions. In the modeling process, we have assumed that crops grow logistically and decrease due to insects, which are wholly dependent on crops. Insecticides and external efforts are applied to control the insect population and enhance the crop production, respectively. The external efforts affect the intrinsic growth rate and carrying capacity of crop production. The feasibility of equilibria and their stability properties are discussed. We have identified the key parameters for the formulation of effective control strategies necessary to combat the insect population and increase the crop production using the approach of global sensitivity analysis. Numerical simulation is performed, which supports the analytical findings. It is shown that periodic oscillations arise through Hopf bifurcation as spraying rate of insecticides decreases. Our findings suggest that to gain the desired crop production, the rate of spraying and the quality of insecticides with proper use of external efforts are much important

Razvoj zdravog napitka sirutke sa Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium bifidum i Propionibacterium freudenreichii subsp. shermanii

Whey beverage was prepared by utilizing Lactobacillus rhamnosus NCDO 243, Bifidobacterium bifidum NCDO 2715 and Propionibacterium freudenreichii subsp. shermanii MTCC 1371 in order to make a fermented probiotic healthy drink. The product made with 4 % mixed culture (1:1:1) inoculated (initial count - lactobacilli 6.2 x 107 CFU/mL, bifidobacteria 5.4 x 107 CFU/mL, propionibacteria 3.9 x 107 CFU/mL) in deprotienized whey (4.6 % lactose, 0.62 % ash, 0.48 % fat and 0.5 % protein) adjusted to pH 6.4 and incubated at 37 °C for 8 h has a good technological and dietetic criteria required for a probiotic product. Total bacterial count, lactobacilli count, bifidobacteria count, propionibacteria count, titratable acidity, β-D galactosidase activity, concentration of lactic acid and sensory properties were monitored during storage period. The whey beverage fermented for 8 h and prepared with 4 % inoculum of mixed culture (1:1:1) met the probiotic criterion by maintaining each type of bacterial population at counts greater than 108 CFU/mL up to 10 days of storage period. The titratable acidity as well as sensory properties did not change appreciably during first 7 days of storage. At the end of 15 days of storage, slight acidification was detected, although the beverage still retained an acceptable flavour.Napitak sirutke je pripremljen korištenjem Lactobacillus rhamnosus NCDO 243, Bifidobacterium bifidum NCDO 2715 i Propionibacterium freudenreichii subsp. shermanii MTCC 1371 u svrhu pripravljanja probiotskog zdravog napitka. Proizvod je pripravljen s 4 % inokuluma mješovite kulture (1:1:1, početni broj - laktobacili 6,2 x 107 CFU/mL, bifidobacteria 5,4 x 107 CFU/mL, propionibacteria 3,9 x 107 CFU/mL) u deproteiniziranoj sirutki (4,6 % laktoze, 0,62 % pepela, 0,48 % masti i 0,5 % proteina) prilagođenog pH (6,4) i inkubiranog na 37 °C kroz 8 h radi postizanja dobrih tehnoloških i dijetetskih kriterija za dobivanje probiotičkog proizvoda. Tijekom skladištenja promatrani su ukupni broj bakterija, broj laktobacila, broj bifidobakterija, koncentracija mliječne kiseline te senzorska svojstva. Sirutka fermentirana s 4 % inokuluma mješovite kulture tijekom 8 sati postigla je kriterije zadane za probiotičke napitke, s brojem svakog pojedinog soja većim od 108 CFU/mL tijekom 10 dana skladištenja. Titracijska kiselost i senzorska svojstva nisu se značajno mijenjala tijekom 7 dana skladištenja. Na kraju 15-tog dana skladištenja, pojavila se blaga kiselost iako je napitak još uvijek bio ocijenjen kao prihvatljiv obzirom na okus

Razvoj zdravog napitka sirutke sa Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium bifidum i Propionibacterium freudenreichii subsp. shermanii

Whey beverage was prepared by utilizing Lactobacillus rhamnosus NCDO 243, Bifidobacterium bifidum NCDO 2715 and Propionibacterium freudenreichii subsp. shermanii MTCC 1371 in order to make a fermented probiotic healthy drink. The product made with 4 % mixed culture (1:1:1) inoculated (initial count - lactobacilli 6.2 x 107 CFU/mL, bifidobacteria 5.4 x 107 CFU/mL, propionibacteria 3.9 x 107 CFU/mL) in deprotienized whey (4.6 % lactose, 0.62 % ash, 0.48 % fat and 0.5 % protein) adjusted to pH 6.4 and incubated at 37 °C for 8 h has a good technological and dietetic criteria required for a probiotic product. Total bacterial count, lactobacilli count, bifidobacteria count, propionibacteria count, titratable acidity, β-D galactosidase activity, concentration of lactic acid and sensory properties were monitored during storage period. The whey beverage fermented for 8 h and prepared with 4 % inoculum of mixed culture (1:1:1) met the probiotic criterion by maintaining each type of bacterial population at counts greater than 108 CFU/mL up to 10 days of storage period. The titratable acidity as well as sensory properties did not change appreciably during first 7 days of storage. At the end of 15 days of storage, slight acidification was detected, although the beverage still retained an acceptable flavour.Napitak sirutke je pripremljen korištenjem Lactobacillus rhamnosus NCDO 243, Bifidobacterium bifidum NCDO 2715 i Propionibacterium freudenreichii subsp. shermanii MTCC 1371 u svrhu pripravljanja probiotskog zdravog napitka. Proizvod je pripravljen s 4 % inokuluma mješovite kulture (1:1:1, početni broj - laktobacili 6,2 x 107 CFU/mL, bifidobacteria 5,4 x 107 CFU/mL, propionibacteria 3,9 x 107 CFU/mL) u deproteiniziranoj sirutki (4,6 % laktoze, 0,62 % pepela, 0,48 % masti i 0,5 % proteina) prilagođenog pH (6,4) i inkubiranog na 37 °C kroz 8 h radi postizanja dobrih tehnoloških i dijetetskih kriterija za dobivanje probiotičkog proizvoda. Tijekom skladištenja promatrani su ukupni broj bakterija, broj laktobacila, broj bifidobakterija, koncentracija mliječne kiseline te senzorska svojstva. Sirutka fermentirana s 4 % inokuluma mješovite kulture tijekom 8 sati postigla je kriterije zadane za probiotičke napitke, s brojem svakog pojedinog soja većim od 108 CFU/mL tijekom 10 dana skladištenja. Titracijska kiselost i senzorska svojstva nisu se značajno mijenjala tijekom 7 dana skladištenja. Na kraju 15-tog dana skladištenja, pojavila se blaga kiselost iako je napitak još uvijek bio ocijenjen kao prihvatljiv obzirom na okus

Excitation energy dependence of electron-phonon interaction in ZnO nanoparticles

Raman spectroscopic investigations are carried out on ZnO nanoparticles for various photon energies. Intensities of E1-LO and E2 modes exhibit large changes as the excitation energy varied from 2.41 to 3.815 eV, signifying substantially large contribution of Frohlich interaction to the Raman polarizability as compared to deformation potential close to the resonance. Relative strength of these two mechanisms is estimated for the first time in nanoparticles and compared with those in the bulk.Comment: 13 pages. 3 figures Journa

Influence of Fabrication Technique on the Fiber Pushout Behavior in a Sapphire-Reinforced Nial Matrix Composite

Directional solidification (DS) of \u27\u27powder-cloth\u27\u27 (PC) processed sapphire-NiAl composites was carried out to examine the influence of fabrication technique on the fiber-matrix interfacial shear strength, measured using a fiber-pushout technique. The DS process replaced the fine, equiaxed NiAl grain structure of the PC composites with an oriented grain structure comprised of large columnar NiAl grains aligned parallel to the fiber axis, with fibers either completely engulfed within the NiAl grains or anchored at one to three grain boundaries. The load-displacement behavior during the pushout test exhibited an initial \u27\u27pseudoelastic\u27\u27 response, followed by an \u27\u27inelastic\u27\u27 response, and finally a \u27\u27frictional\u27\u27 sliding response. The fiber-matrix interfacial shear strength and the fracture behavior during fiber pushout were investigated using an interrupted pushout test and fractography, as functions of specimen thickness (240 to 730 mu m) and fabrication technique. The composites fabricated using the PC and the DS techniques had different matrix and interface structures and appreciably different interfacial shear strengths. In the DS composites, where the fiber-matrix interfaces were identical for all the fibers, the interfacial debond shear stresses were larger for the fibers embedded completely within the NiAl grains and smaller for the fibers anchored at a few grain boundaries. The matrix grain boundaries coincident on sapphire fibers were observed to be the preferred sites for crack formation and propagation. While the frictional sliding stress appeared to be independent of the fabrication technique, the interfacial debond shear stresses were larger for the DS composites compared to the PC composites. The study highlights the potential of the DS technique to grow single-crystal NiAl matrix composites reinforced with sapphire fibers, with fiber-matrix interfacial shear strength appreciably greater than that attainable by the current solid-state fabrication techniques

Influence of the detector's temperature on the quantum Zeno effect

In this paper we study the quantum Zeno effect using the irreversible model of the measurement. The detector is modeled as a harmonic oscillator interacting with the environment. The oscillator is subjected to the force, proportional to the energy of the measured system. We use the Lindblad-type master equation to model the interaction with the environment. The influence of the detector's temperature on the quantum Zeno effect is obtained. It is shown that the quantum Zeno effect becomes stronger (the jump probability decreases) when the detector's temperature increases

Tuning the valley and chiral quantum state of Dirac electrons in van der Waals heterostructures

Chirality is a fundamental property of electrons with the relativistic spectrum found in graphene and topological insulators. It plays a crucial role in relativistic phenomena, such as Klein tunneling, but it is difficult to visualize directly. Here we report the direct observation and manipulation of chirality and pseudospin polarization in the tunneling of electrons between two almost perfectly aligned graphene crystals. We use a strong in-plane magnetic field as a tool to resolve the contributions of the chiral electronic states that have a phase difference between the two components of their vector wavefunction. Our experiments not only shed light on chirality, but also demonstrate a technique for preparing graphene’s Dirac electrons in a particular quantum chiral state in a selected valley