Applying Machine Based Decomposition in 2-Machine Flow Shops

The Shifting Bottleneck (SB) heuristic is among the most successful approximation methods for solving the Job Shop problem. It is essentially a machine based decomposition procedure where a series of One Machine Sequencing Problems (OMSPs) are solved. However, such a procedure has been reported to be highly ineffective for the Flow Shop problems (Jain and Meeran 2002). In particular, we show that for the 2-machine Flow Shop problem, the SB heurisitc will deliver the optimal solution in only a small number of instances. We examine the reason behind the failure of the machine based decomposition method for the Flow Shop. An optimal machine based decomposition procedure is formulated for the 2-machine Flow Shop, the time complexity of which is worse than that of the celebrated Johnsons Rule. The contribution of the present study lies in showing that the same machine based decomposition procedures which are so successful in solving complex Job Shops can also be suitably modified to optimally solve the simpler Flow Shops.

Second-order topological superconductor via noncollinear magnetic texture

We put forth a theoretical framework for engineering a two-dimensional (2D) second-order topological superconductor (SOTSC) by utilizing a heterostructure: incorporating noncollinear magnetic textures between an s-wave superconductor and a 2D quantum spin Hall insulator. It stabilizes the higher order topological superconducting phase, resulting in Majorana corner modes (MCMs) at four corners of a 2D domain. The calculated non-zero quadrupole moment characterizes the bulk topology. Subsequently, through a unitary transformation, an effective low-energy Hamiltonian reveals the effects of magnetic textures, resulting in an effective in-plane Zeeman field and spin-orbit coupling. This approach provides a qualitative depiction of the topological phase, substantiated by numerical validation within exact real-space model. Analytically calculated effective pairings in the bulk illuminate the microscopic behavior of the SOTSC. The comprehension of MCM emergence is aided by a low-energy edge theory, which is attributed to the interplay between effective pairings of (px + py )-type and (px + ipy )-type. Our extensive study paves the way for practically attaining the SOTSC phase by integrating noncollinear magnetic textures

Evaluation of an organic package of practice towards integrated management of Solanum tuberosum and its comparison with conventional farming in terms of yield, quality, energy efficiency and economics

A study was taken up during 2014-16 for evaluating the potential of an organic package of practice towards integrated crop production (green farming) in comparison to conventional farmers’ practice in West Bengal, India. Under green farming, compost was integrated with chemical fertilizer for soil management while organic plant/ pest management was undertaken utilizing Inhana Rational Farming (IRF) Technology. The study indicated higher yield (9.7 %), higher nutrient use efficiency and economic sustainability under green farming irrespective of study area or potato variety. Higher qualitative expression in terms of starch content, pulp pH, vitamin C etc. under green farming might be due to the organic plant management aimed at energization of plant biochemical functions. Soil quality development as noted under green farming might have been influenced by the on-farm produced compost containing rich self- generated micro flora (in order of 1016 per colony forming unit.). The study indicated that green farming may serve as an efficient substitute of conventional farming towards yield sustenance, abatement of food toxicity and quality end product; through higher use of renewable energy and activation of plant physiological functions

"The fruits of independence": Satyajit Ray, Indian nationhood and the spectre of empire

Challenging the longstanding consensus that Satyajit Ray's work is largely free of ideological concerns and notable only for its humanistic richness, this article shows with reference to representations of British colonialism and Indian nationhood that Ray's films and stories are marked deeply and consistently by a distinctively Bengali variety of liberalism. Drawn from an ongoing biographical project, it commences with an overview of the nationalist milieu in which Ray grew up and emphasizes the preoccupation with colonialism and nationalism that marked his earliest unfilmed scripts. It then shows with case studies of Kanchanjangha (1962), Charulata (1964), First Class Kamra (First-Class Compartment, 1981), Pratidwandi (The Adversary, 1970), Shatranj ke Khilari (The Chess Players, 1977), Agantuk (The Stranger, 1991) and Robertsoner Ruby (Robertson's Ruby, 1992) how Ray's mature work continued to combine a strongly anti-colonial viewpoint with a shifting perspective on Indian nationhood and an unequivocal commitment to cultural cosmopolitanism. Analysing how Ray articulated his ideological positions through the quintessentially liberal device of complexly staged debates that were apparently free, but in fact closed by the scenarist/director on ideologically specific notes, this article concludes that Ray's reputation as an all-forgiving, ‘everybody-has-his-reasons’ humanist is based on simplistic or even tendentious readings of his work

Effect of annealing treatment on magnetic texture of cold rolled ULC steel

Anisotropic behaviors of cold rolled and annealed ULC steels are evaluated by orientation imaging microscopy (OIM) and magnetic Barkhausen emission (MBE) techniques. The MBE voltage is found higher along RD than TD, indicating the presence of favorable magnetic easy axis along RD for both 50 and 80% cold rolled steels. The recovery occurred at low temperature (T 500 degree C) annealing leads to an abrupt drop of ‘k’ value for both cold rolled steels. Furthermore, the kernel average misorientation map, obtained from OIM, decreases with increasing annealing temperatures

Tailoring phase transition from topological superconductor to trivial superconductor induced by magnetic textures of a spin-chain on a pp-wave superconductor

We theoretically investigate the phase transition from a non-trivial topological $p$-wave superconductor to a trivial $s$-wave like superconducting phase through a gapless phase, driven by different magnetic textures as an one-dimensional spin-chain impurity, $e.g.$ Bloch-type, in-plane and out-of-plane N\'eel-type spin-chains etc. In our proposal, the chain of magnetic impurities is placed on a spin-triplet $p$-wave superconductor where we obtain numerically as well as analytically an effective $s$-wave like pairing due to spin rotation, resulting in gradual destruction of the Majorana zero modes present in the topological superconducting phase. In particular, when the impurity spins are antiferromagnetically aligned $i.e.$ spiral wave vector $G_{s}=\pi$, the system becomes an effective $s$-wave superconductor without Majorana zero modes in the local density of states. The Shiba bands, on the other hand, formed due to the overlapping of Yu-Shiba-Rusinov states play a crucial role in this topological to trivial superconductor phase transition, confirmed by the sign change in the minigap within the Shiba bands. Moreover, interference of the Shiba bands exhibiting oscillatory behavior within the superconducting gap, $-\Delta_{p}$ to $\Delta_{p}$, as a function of $G_{s}$, also reflects an important evidence for the formation of an effective $s$-wave pairing. Such oscillation is absent in the $p$-wave regime. Our study paves the way to foresee the stability and tunability of topological superconducting phase via controlled manipulation of the spin spiral configurations of the magnetic impurity chain.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figure

Spatial, vertical and temporal variation of arsenic in shallow aquifers of the Bengal Basin: controlling geochemical processes

A detailed understanding of the geochemical processes that regulate the spatial, temporal and vertical variation of dissolved arsenic (As) in shallow aquifers (<50m) is a prerequisite for sustainable drinking water management in the Bengal Basin. The present study conducted at Chakdaha Block of the Nadia District, West Bengal, India, combined a high resolution hydrogeochemical monitoring study over 20months from two sets of piezometers (2×5) to the sediment geochemistry at areas with high (average: 146μg/L, n=5) and relatively low (average: 53.3μg/L, n=10) dissolved As concentrations in groundwater. The determination of the isotopic composition of δ2H and δ18O in groundwater of the two sites indicated the recharge of evaporative surface water to the aquifer. The concentrations of major aqueous solutes (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, HCO3 - and Cl-) and electrical conductivity were considerably higher in wells at the high As site compared to the low As site. Additionally, at the high As site, the major ions, Fe, SO4 2-, electrical conductivity, δ2H and δ18O showed markedly greater enrichment in the shallowest part (<24m) of the aquifer compared to the deeper part, reflecting vertical layering of groundwater composition within the aquifer. The oxidation of pyrites has been attributed to the high rate of mineral dissolution resulting in such greater enrichments in this part of the aquifer. In addition, the anthropogenic input with recharge water possibly increased the concentrations of Cl- in this part of the aquifer. The vertical layering of groundwater was absent in the aquifer at the low As site. The absence of such layering and relatively low major ion concentrations and electrical conductivity could be linked to the enhanced aquifer flushing and decreased water-sediment interactions influenced by local-scale groundwater abstraction. The seasonal variations of As concentrations in groundwater were observed only in the shallowest part of the aquifers (<30m). Furthermore, the As concentrations in groundwater at the uppermost part of the shallow aquifers (<21m) increased continuously over the monitoring period at both sites. This study supports the view that the reductive dissolution of Fe oxyhydroxides coupled with competitive PO4 3- sorption reactions in the aquifer sediment enriches As in groundwater of the Bengal Basin. However, the additional Fe released by the weathering of silicate minerals, especially biotite, or the precipitation of Fe as secondary mineral phases such as siderite, vivianite and acid volatile sulfides may result in the decoupling of As and Fe enrichment in groundwater. The redox zonation within the aquifer possibly regulates the vertical distribution of As in the groundwater

Role of competing ions in the mobilization of arsenic in groundwater of Bengal Basin : Insight from surface complexation modeling

This study assesses the role of competing ions in the mobilization of arsenic (As) by surface complexation modeling of the temporal variability of As in groundwater. The potential use of two different surface complexation models (SCMs), developed for ferrihydrite and goethite, has been explored to account for the temporal variation of As(III) and As(V) concentration, monitored in shallow groundwater of Bengal Basin over a period of 20 months. The SCM for ferrihydrite appears as the better predictor of the observed variation in both As(III) and As(V) concentrations in the study sites. It is estimated that among the competing ions, PO43- is the major competitor of As(III) and As(V) adsorption onto Fe oxyhydroxide, and the competition ability decreases in the order PO43- &gt;&gt; Fe(II) &gt; H4SiO4 = HCO- (3.) It is further revealed that a small change in pH can also have a significant effect on the mobility of As(III) and As(V) in the aquifers. A decrease in pH increases the concentration of As(III), whereas it decreases the As(V) concentration and vice versa. The present study suggests that the reductive dissolution of Fe oxyhydroxide alone cannot explain the observed high As concentration in groundwater of the Bengal Basin. This study supports the view that the reductive dissolution of Fe oxyhydroxide followed by competitive sorption reactions with the aquifer sediment is the processes responsible for As enrichment in groundwater.QC 20140604</p