Stress tensor and energy flux in slow steady-state flow of a monatomic gas

On the basis of the linearized kinetic Choh-Uhlenbeck equation the stress tensor and energy flux are found in the gasdynamic approximation for steady states of a monatomic gas with allowance for the first virial correction to the transport coefficients. Moscow. Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 1, pp. 155–164, January–February, 1997.     

Resource,service quality and performance triad: a framework for measuring efficiency of banking services

In this paper, we present the development of a theoretical framework for measuring the efficiency of banking services taking into account physical and human resources, service quality and performance. Expenditures on quality improvement efforts and the impact of service quality on financial outcomes have long intrigued researchers. Banks have traditionally focused on how to transform their physical resources to generate financial performance, and they inadvertently ignored the mediating intangible factor of service quality. A theoretical framework on the optimization triad of resource, service quality and performance is proposed here, thereby linking the marketing variables to the financial metrics. A measure for the return on quality is developed as the ratio of the potential improvements in financial performance by enhancement of service quality to the observed performance figures. Empirical results obtained from a study of 27 Indian public sector banks and their customers allow us to measure the impact of service quality on financial performance, optimal level of service quality that can be generated using existing resources and the opportunity cost for sub-optimal service delivery. Banks delivering better service are shown to have better transformation of resource to performance using superior service delivery as the medium. Our results confirm the linkage between resource, service quality and performance for services.     

Phototoxicity of Some Bromine-Substituted Rhodamine Dyes: Synthesis, Photophysical Properties and Application as Photosensitizers

Abstract— The synthesis of some bromine-substituted rhodamine derivatives viz. , 4,5-dibromorhodamine methyl ester (dye 2) and 4,5-dibromorhodamine n -butyl ester (dye 3) are reported. These dyes were synthesized to promote a more efficient cancer cell photosensitizer for potential use in in vitro bone marrow purging in preparation for autologous bone marrow transplantation. Spectroscopic and photo-physical characterization of these dyes together with rhodamine 123 (dye 1) are reported in water, methanol, eth-anol and also in a microheterogeneous system, sodium dodecyl sulfate. The possible mechanism of photosensi-tization is characterized in terms of singlet oxygen efficiency of these dyes. Singlet oxygen quantum yields for bromine-substituted dyes are in the range of 0.3-0.5 depending on the solvent. For dye 1 no singlet oxygen production is found. The photodynamic actions of these dyes in different cell lines are tested. It was found that dye 2 and dye 3 are efficient photosensitizers and mediate eradication of K562, EM2, myeloid cell lines (CML) and the SMF-AI rhabdomyosarcoma line.     

A sequence of improvements over the James-Stein estimator

In this article, we consider the problem of estimating a p-variate (p ≥ 3) normal mean vector in a decision-theoretic setup. Using a simple property of the noncentral chi-square distribution, we have produced a sequence of smooth estimators dominating the James-Stein estimator and each improved estimator is better than the previous one. It is also shown by using a technique of [5]. J. Multivariate Anal.36 121–126) that our smooth estimators can be dominated by non-smooth estimators.     

Axions from chiral family symmetry

We investigate the possibility that family symmetry, G_F, is spontaneously broken chiral global symmetry. We classify the interesting cases when family symmetry can result in an automatic Peccei-Quinn symmetry U(1)_PQ and thus provide a solution to the strong CP problem. The result disfavors having two or four families. For more than four families, U(1)_PQ is in general automatic. In the case of three families, a unique Higgs sector allows U(1)_PQ in the simplest case of G_F = [SU(3)]³. Cosmological consideration also puts strong constraint on the number of families. For G_F = [SU(N)]³ cosmology singles out the three-family (N = 3) case as a unique solution if there are three light neutrinos. Possible implication of decoupling theorem as applied to family symmetry breaking is also discussed.     

Spectrophotometric study of the interaction of some hydroxyanthraquinones (HAQs) with magnesium(II) in a cationic micelle

Six different hydroxyanthraquinones (HAQs) in aqueous micellar (cationic, anionic and non-ionic) media were tested as effective and selective chelators for the MgII ion in alkaline conditions. Of these 1,4 and 1,8-dihydroxyanthraquinones were found to effectively bind to MgII ions and were useful for the ppm level spectral determination of MgII ion. The MgII ion forms 1 : 1 and 1 : 2 chelates with 1,4-and 1,8-dihydroxyanthraquinones, respectively, which have maximum absorption at 610 and 575 nm, respectively. MgII can be determined in the presence of a large excess of foreign ions including the CaII ion. The statistical analysis of the results, apparent pK(a), expected bathchromic shift of the reagent absorption, molar absorptivity change and electronic spectra in various organized media are discussed.