1,295 research outputs found
Reading: Amit Majmudar
No full textBecause of COVID-19 this event is canceled.
Amit Majmudar, a multi-genre author and translator, offers a Sacred Arts Festival reading that explores the concept of Building Bridges.
Co-sponsored by the Department of English and the Sacred Arts Festival
Laccase-assisted surface functionalization of lignocellulosics
No full textUse of lignocellulosics has increased enormously in food packaging, composites and textile industries due to their advantages over other traditional materials which include renewability, biodegradability and low cost etc. Lignocellulosic biomass, a major raw material in such industries usually displays a very poor microbial and moisture resistance. Biografting provides innovative solutions to increase the performance of lignocellulosics with new properties including strength and stiffness, resistance to moisture and microbial attack. Biografting of antibacterial and other organic molecules on lignocellulosic biomass is an environmentally friendly and best approach to incorporate desired functionalities for successful industrial applications. Laccase, lipases, peroxidases are among the enzymes being investigated for biografting of organic molecules onto lignin for improved properties of lignocellulosic biomass. Lack of availability of suitable antibacterial molecules in large amounts and cost-effectiveness are the major problems for the commercialization of this method
Exploring young students creativity: The effect of model eliciting activities
Get PDFThe aim of this paper is to show how engaging students in real-life mathematical situations can stimulate their mathematical creative thinking. We analyzed the mathematical modeling of two girls, aged 10 and 13 years, as they worked on an authentic task involving the selection of a track team. The girls displayed several modeling cycles that revealed their thinking processes, as well as cognitive and affective features that may serve as the foundation for a methodology that uses model-eliciting activities to promote the mathematical creative process
Advancements in water footprints research for achieving sustainable development goals: an overview
No full textThe water footprint (WF) is a comprehensive metric that measures the total amount of water consumption involved in the production of goods and services. It encompasses both direct and indirect water use, including blue water from fresh surface and groundwater, green water from rainfall, and gray water associated with wastewater and runoff. By providing insights into the impact of their activities on freshwater resources, the WF helps businesses, policymakers, and consumers understand and manage water use more effectively. The WF can be calculated for products, consumers, businesses, and geographic regions, providing a detailed view of water usage across the entire supply chain. Understanding the WF is crucial for promoting sustainable development and responsible resource management. It raises awareness of consumption patterns and encourages the adoption of more sustainable practices. For businesses, the WF can identify opportunities for water conservation and efficiency, leading to cost savings and improved reputation. Governments can leverage WF data to develop policies that support sustainable water management and ecosystem protection. Additionally, consumers can use WF information to make informed choices, fostering a shift toward more sustainable consumption patterns. The WF has grown into an established idea for investigating water use and its local consequences in agricultural and industrial output. Leveraging on recent advances, the WF concept is poised to be a useful tool for achieving all 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs). This chapter intends to illustrate the WF concept’s potential to guide decision-making in both the public and business domains, ultimately leading to better water management and the achievement of the SDGs
Evaluation of water footprint under Dalbergia sissoo + Emblica offcinalis-based agroforestry model
No full textPower Generation from Forest Residues
Get PDFThe overall objective of this study is to develop techno-economic models for the assessment of power generation cost and optimum power plant size using forest residues as feedstock in Alberta. At the optimum size of the plant, the cost of generation of power is minimum. In this research two supply chains for utilization of forest residues in a centralized power plant were investigated. In the first option, the residues are collected, piled and chipped along the roadside in the forest. In the second option, collected and piled forest residues are compressed and bundled. These bundles are transported to the plant using a standard log haul truck. The theoretical optimal size without the constraint of the unit size of the boiler is 524 MW with a power generation cost of 87.30 /MWh. At an unit of boiler of 300 MW, the optimum size of the power plant is same as the unit size of the boiler. The power generation costs at this size are 88.50 /MWh for in-wood chipping and chipping at plant option, respectively. Total life cycle emissions in power generation through the two supply options are: 17.56 gCO2/kWh (in-wood chipping) and 15.8 gCO2/kWh (chipping at plant) at the optimal size. Biomass based power is currently not economical compared to coal based power in Alberta. At an average price of 28.20 /tCO2 and 41.50/tCO2 and $42.90/tCO2 for chipping at plant respectively
Reviewing the Author-Function in the Age of Wikipedia
Get PDFIn Reviewing the Author-Function in the Age of Wikipedia, Amit Ray and Erhardt Graeff examine how wiki technology challenges traditional concepts of authorship and authority in knowledge production. The authors build on poststructuralist theory, particularly Roland Barthes\u27s Death of the Author and Michel Foucault\u27s concept of the author-function, to analyze how wikis destabilize individual authorship in favor of collaborative, community-driven content creation.
The essay argues that wikis represent a fundamental shift from the Romantic notion of the solitary author-genius to what they term the wiki writing process —a dynamic system where traditional roles of reader, writer, and editor blur into a unified community of users. Using Wikipedia as a primary case study, the authors demonstrate how the platform\u27s structure (article, discussion, and history pages) creates a digital palimpsest that archives all contributions while enabling continuous revision.
Through analysis of Wikipedia\u27s editing patterns and community oversight mechanisms, Ray and Graeff show how wikis embody poststructuralist principles in practice, creating what they call serial collaborations that exist in perpetual flux. The authors conclude that wikis represent an evolved form of textual production that realizes Foucault\u27s vision of discourse freed from traditional authorial constraints, offering new possibilities for collaborative knowledge creation while challenging established notions of intellectual authority and ownership
The development of antibacterial and hydrophobic functionalities in natural fibers for fiber-reinforced composite materials
No full textGreen surface modification of coconut fibers was performed using laccase biografting of eugenol for the development of antibacterial functionalities and fiber-reinforced polymer composites. Fourier transform infrared analysis, X-ray diffraction and surface morphology of grafted fibers were utilized to confirm the biografting of eugenol. Antibacterial, hydrophobicity and thermal properties were evaluated by colony forming unit (CFU) method, moisture absorption and thermogravimetric analysis, respectively. The grafted surfaces were found to be antibacterial, hydrophobic and thermally more stable. Grafted fibers were reinforced in a poly(butylene succinate) matrix to improve the mechanical properties of the biocomposites. The mechanical properties were improved even with a low content of biografted coconut fibers
The Architecture of India
Get PDFBook review of "India: Modern Architecture in History" and author interview with Peter Scriver and Amit Srivastav
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