Journal of Scientific & Industrial Research

VOLUME 61

                                NUMBER 12

DECEMBER 2002

   CONTENTS

Papers

1027

Strategic alliances and entrepreneurship in innovation diffusion and technology
management — the emergent paradigm







S Suresh Kumar

The paper dwells on aspects of innovation diffusion in the context of technology management. The linear model of innovation diffusion has been replaced by two-way models. This calls for diffusion mechanisms based on cooperative or consortia type alliances for strategic advantages. It also calls for science based entrepreneurship even in public funded research agencies. The linkages with potential client have to be forged through specific policy initiatives and diffusion mechanisms like those found in OECD countries. The new science and technology (S&T) policy should facilitate proactive networking among research labs, private enterprise, and public agencies including financial institutions. The concurrent developments in research management practices are also highlighted.

1033

R&D project prioritisation and model for public research institutes


S Rama Mohan & A Ramakrishna Rao

An attempt is made to develop a simple and logical model for a public research institute that assists its decision makers in prioritizing the projects and allocating resources effectively. Public research institutes can use the suggested model by changing the assessment criteria and weighing coefficients as per their objectives, goals, and policies.

1039

Fluoride uptake characteristics of activated carbon from agricultural-waste



























R Sivabalan, S Rengaraj,
Banumathi Arabindoo & V Murugesan

The paper describes preparation of activated carbon from agricultural wastes, particularly the palm seed coat (PSCC) waste and its effectiveness in the uptake and removal of fluorides from ground water has been compared with the commercially available carbon. The study was conducted both in batches and as continuous reactors for the removal of fluoride from water with graded levels of fluoride to reduce the contents to 1-1.5 mg/L, the permissible limits for fluoride in portable water. The fluoride adsorption was pH dependent and with more adsorption in 4-8 pH. It also increased with carbon dosage. Aluminium sulphate solution (2 per cent) effectively regenerated the exhausted carbon bed. The performance of PSCC in fluoride removal was studied as a function of flow rate, fluoride level and particle size of the adsorbent. The fluoride removal increased with decreasing particle size of carbon and the defluoridation capacity increased with initial fluoride levels. The pH, total alkalinity, total hardness, total dissolved solids of the treated water did not change appreciably which indicated success of the continuous process for field application.

Papers

1046

Development of specialty papers is an art: wax match tissue paper from indigenous raw
materials — Part I


Dharm Dutt, J S Upadhyaya, A K Ray,
R S Malik & M K Upadhyay

Attempts are made to manufacture wax match paper from locally available hardwoods, like Eucalyptus tereticornis with some proportions of Dendrocalamus strictus (Bamboo) and Pinus rosburghii.

1051

Treatment of tannery effluent by
pentachlorophenol-degrading bacterial
community from the chemostat


















Shachi Shah & Indu Shekhar Thakur

A mixed microbial community enriched in a chemostat in the presence of penthachlorophenol (PCP) as sole source of carbon and energy comprises four bacterial strains, identified as Pseudomonas sp. (one strain) and Serratia marcescens (three strains). The bacterial community applied for the treatment of tannery effluent in a suspended culture and sequential bioreactor indicates the reduction of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) (68 per cent), sulphide (50 per cent), total phenol (78 per cent), and pentachlorophenol (65 per cent) in sequential bioreactor.

1056

Prediction and enhancement of performance of wind farms in India





















M Siddhartha Bhatt & S Jothibasu

Reports the formulae for prediction of year round performance of wind farms based on experimental data for machines of capacities ranging from 20 to 1650 kW. The effect of machine size on the annual energy yield is studied and shown that it is possible to develop performance prediction equations, which are independent of the size of the machine. These equations are useful for a priori evaluation of wind turbine performance before their installation purely based on wind data. It is concluded that there is scope for improvement in the annual plant load factor by 1.0 to 3.0 percentage points by improving the grid and machine availability.

Papers

1063

Electrochemical reduction behaviour of
a-methylbenzylchloride


















J Damodar, S K Lateef, S Krishna Mohan &
S Jayarama Reddy

Cyclic voltammetry at hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) and differential pulse polarography at dropping mercury electrode (DME) are used for two-electron cleavage of carbon-halogen bond in a-methylbenzylchloride in the presence of tetramethylammonium hexaflurorophosphate (TMAHP), tetraethylammonium bromide (TEAB), tetrapropylammonium perchlorate (TPAP), and tetrabutylammonium iodide (TBAI) as the supporting electrolytes. The analytical procedure is developed by differential pulse polarography for the determination of a-methylbenzylchloride during the electrolsynthesis of 2-arylpropionic acids.

1068

Interactive effect of botanicals and Bacillus thuringiensis subsp Israelensis on Culex
quinquefasciatus Say





K Murugan, P Thangamathi & D Jeyabalan

The paper describes possible biological controls of mosquito vectors responsible for several specific viral diseases. For the purpose, Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis Berliner, Neel oil (Azadirachta indica) and Pongamia oil (Pongamia pinnata) were tested  at several levels. They were deployed signally or in combination of two or all the three, at different levels. Their effect on larval, pupal and adult mortality, emergence of adults, and fecundity were studied. Favourable results have been obtained and various combinations exhibited synergistic effects against Culex quinquefasciatus.

1077

Spatial variability of ambient particulate matter around a phosphatic fertilizer plant in India



















Rajnikant Sharma & Shamsh Pervej

Monitoring ambient PM10  and SPM levels in the vicinity of a phosphatic fertilizer plant located at Kumhari, Chattisgarh is carried out using two sets of Respirable Dust Sampler (RDS) and High Volume Sampler (HVS). The specific objectives are the determination of spatial and seasonal variability in levels of ambient particulates, and their relationship with the phosphatic fertilizer plant emissions.

Book Review

1084

Towards personal excellence: psychometric tests and self-improvement technique for managers

         Reviewer: Sunil K Dhawan

Sci-Tech Update

1086

·         Race to fill void in menopause-drug market

 

·         Climate prediction gets a boost

 

·         Be all that DNA can be

 

·         Hydrogen powered BMW turns heads at world summit

 

·         Free software predicts how and when steel beams will buckle

 

·         New way to make dense complex shaped ceramics at lower cost

 

·         Technique to induce cancer cells to commit suicide developed

 

·         Satellites to profile weather, and improve forecasts through GPS

 

·         Mother nature knows best

 

·         Whole grains reduce long-term risk of type 2 diabetes in men

 

·         Honey fights cholesterol as well as some fruits and vegetables

 

·         A new super steel

 

·         Mushrooms may work wonders in prevention and treatment of cancer

 

·         USPTO establishes database of official insignia of native American tribes

 

·         Absurd patent laws

 

·         IBM repeats at top of PTO’s annual list of ten organizations receiving most patents

 

·         IPR in Europe’s safe keeping

 

·         Searching a technical treasure chart

 

·         Chine now set to make copies of AIDS drugs

 

·         An alternative to Microsoft grains support in high places

 

·         Firewall follies

 

·         Nitrogen in crop production — tough to curb liability

 

·         Biggest environmental cleanup project begins at nuclear site in the US

 

·         The unexamined — science slow to ponder ills that linger in anthrax victims

 

·         Stem cells — key to diabetes cure

 

·         Panel says Bell Labs scientist faked discoveries

 

·         Science’s ten most beautiful experiments

 

·         Speed of light broken with basic lab kit

 

·         As security cameras sprout in the US, someone is always watching

 

·         Contradictions of a superpower

 

·         New software quietly diverts sales commissions

 

·         Sensitive atom interferometer using Bose-Einstein condensates

 

·         Nobel peace prize awarded to Carter, with jab at Bush

 

·         Sulphur-free fuels encourage automotive technology research

 

·         Nanotechnology — a new wealth generator

 

·         New methodology for treatment of diabetes mellitus

 

·         Software library for combinatorial and geometric algorithms developed

 

·         Nobel Prizes 2002

 

·         Announcements

1135

Annual Index