Democracy in South Africa Today : A Feminist Perspective

Kusum Datta Research Institute of Asian Women Sookmyung Women' 2005 Asian Women Vol.20 No.-

The new democratic constitution and the three general elections in South Africa since 1994 have redrawn the political map of the country. South Africa has one of the most women friendly governments led by the African National Congress. Nearly thirty three percent of the members of its Parliament are woman, and a large number of its power cabinet ministries are headed by black women. Yet, women remain the most deprived and the poorest section of its population with minimal recourse to resources and employment despite many legal reforms and gendered policies. This paper argues that South Africa's elaborate national machinery for gender equity has failed to improve women's situation primarily for two reasons. The first is the weakening political will of the government partly because of the growing influence of international financial institutions that prioritize fiscal balance at the expense of social justice. Secondly, there is a growing disjuncture between the feminists within the government and the bureaucracy on the one hand and the fractured women's movement in civil society on the other. The paper underscores the imperative need for strengthening the new type of civil society organisations and their pressure group capacity to support women within the government and to hold them accountable to the feminist project.

Synthesis of Ideal AM-6 and Elucidation of V⁴⁺-to-O Charge Transfer in Vanadate Quantum Wires

Datta, Shuvo Jit,Yoon, Kyung Byung WILEY-VCH Verlag 2010 Angewandte Chemie Vol.49 No.29

<B>Graphic Abstract</B> <P>Vanadosilicate zeolite AM-6, which contains a 3D array of vanadate (V<SUP>IV</SUP>O<SUB>3</SUB><SUP>2−</SUP>) quantum wires (see picture), was prepared as high-quality crystals (free from V<SUP>V</SUP>, titanosilicate seeds, and pore-blocking organic template cations) from inexpensive V<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>5</SUB>. The linear dependence of λ<SUB>max</SUB> and band-gap energy E<SUB>g</SUB> on the partial charge on the framework O atoms reveal that the UV band of AM-6 is due to V<SUP>IV</SUP>-to-O metal-to-ligand charge transfer. <img src='wiley_img_2010/14337851-2010-49-29-ANIE200907088-content.gif' alt='wiley_img_2010/14337851-2010-49-29-ANIE200907088-content'> </P>

Breeding of New Productive Bivoltine Hybrid, CSR12 $\times$ CSR6 of Silkworm Bombyx mori L.

Datta, R.K.,Basavaraja, H.K.,Reddy, N.Mal,Kumar, S.Nirmal,Kumar, N.Suresh,Babu, M.Ramesh,Ahsan, M.M.,Jayaswal, K.P. Korean Society of Sericultural Science 2001 International Journal of Industrial Entomology Vol.3 No.2

With an objective of evolving quantitatively and qualitatively superior bivoltine breeds/hybrids of silkworm Bombyx mori L. for tropical conditions, breeding work was initiated in Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute, Mysore during 1992 by utilizing two Japanese hybrids namely BNl8$\times$BCS25 and Shunrei$\times$Shogetsu along with Indian evolved breed, KA. The breed CSR12 which is characterized with sex-limited larval marking and white oval cocoons was evolved from the Japanese hybrid BNl8 ${\times}$ BCS25 by crossing with KA, while the breed CSR6 which is characterized with normal marking (marked larvae) and white dumbbell cocoons was extracted from the Japanese commercial hybrid Shunrei${\times}$Shogetsu through continuous inbreeding coupled with selection. After fixation, these breeds along with other newly evolved breeds were subjected to hybrid study under optimum environmental conditions in the laboratory for expression of full potential of the genotypes. These hybrids were evaluated by Multiple Trait Evaluation Index (Mano et al., 1993). The hybrid CSR12${\times}$CSR6 was selected based multiple trait evaluation index value. The hybrid CSR12$\times$CSR6 recorded survival of 96.0%, shell weight of 50.0 cg, shell ratio of 24.3%, raw silk percentage of 19.6, filament length of 1,216 m, boil off loss of 22.4% and renditta of 5.1. On the other hand, the control hybrid (KA ${\times}$ NB4D2) has recorded survival of 90.6%, shell weight of 42.1 cg, shell ratio of 20.4%, raw silk percentage of 15.9, filament length of 999 m, boil off loss of 24.8% and renditta of 6.3. The hybrid CSR12$\times$CSR6 was authorized during 1997 by Central Silk Board, Government of India for commercial exploitation during favourable months based on national level race authorization test.

A Coordinated Control Method for Leveling PV Output Power Fluctuations of PV–Diesel Hybrid Systems Connected to Isolated Power Utility

Datta, M.,Senjyu, T.,Yona, A.,Funabashi, T.,Chul-Hwan Kim IEEE 2009 IEEE transactions on energy conversion Vol.24 No.1

<P>A photovoltaic (PV) system's power output is not constant and fluctuates depending on weather conditions. Fluctuating power causes frequency deviations and reduction in reliability of the isolated power utility or microgrid when large output power from several PV systems is penetrated in the utility. In this paper, to overcome these problems, a simple coordinated control method for leveling the fluctuations of combined power output from multiple PV systems is proposed. The conflicting objective of output power leveling and acquisition power increase is achieved by means of the proposed method. Here, output power command is generated in two steps: central and local. Fuzzy reasoning is used to generate the central leveling output power command considering insolation, variance of insolation, and absolute average of frequency deviation. In local step, a simple coordination is maintained between central power command and local power commands by producing a common tuning factor. Power converters are used to achieve the same output power as local command power employing PI control law for each of the PV generation systems. The proposed method is compared with the method where a modified maximum power point tracking control is used for smoothing the short-term change in each of the PV system's output. Simulation results show that the proposed method is effective for leveling output power fluctuations and feasible to reduce the frequency deviations of the isolated power utility to maintain reliability.</P>

Synthesis of Ideal AM-6 and Elucidation of V⁴⁺-to-O Charge Transfer in Vanadate Quantum Wires

Datta, Shuvo Jit,Yoon, Kyung Byung WILEY-VCH Verlag 2010 Angewandte Chemie Vol.122 No.29

<B>Graphic Abstract</B> <P>Der Vanadosilicat-Zeolith AM-6 mit einer dreidimensionalen Anordnung von Vanadat(V<SUP>IV</SUP>O<SUB>3</SUB><SUP>2−</SUP>)-Quantendrähten (siehe Bild) wurde in Form hochwertiger Kristalle (frei von V<SUP>V</SUP>, Titanosilicat-Kristallkeimen und organischen Templatkationen in den Poren) aus preiswertem V<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>5</SUB> hergestellt. Die lineare Abhängigkeit von λ<SUB>max</SUB> und der Bandlückenenergie E<SUB>g</SUB> von der Partialladung der O-Atome zeigt, dass die UV-Bande von AM-6 auf einen Metall-Ligand-Ladungstransfer von V<SUP>IV</SUP> zu O zurückgeht. <img src='wiley_img_2010/00448249-2010-122-29-ANGE200907088-content.gif' alt='wiley_img_2010/00448249-2010-122-29-ANGE200907088-content'> </P>

Research Advances on Tension Buckling Behaviour of Aerospace Structures: A Review

Datta, Prosun Kumar,Biswas, Sauvik The Korean Society for Aeronautical and Space Scie 2011 International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sc Vol.12 No.1

This paper reviews most of the research done in the field of tensile buckling characteristics pertaining to aerospace structural elements with special attention to local buckling and parametric excitation due to periodic loading on plate and shell elements. The concepts of buckling in aerospace structures appear as the result of the application of a global compressive applied load or shear load. A less usual situation is the case, in which a global tensile stress creates buckling instability and the formation of complex spatial buckling pattern. In contrast to the case of a pure compression or shear load, here the applied macroscopic load has no compressive component and is thus globally stabilizing. The instability stems from a local compressive stress induced by the presence of a defect, such as a crack or a hole, due to partial or non-uniform applied load at the far end. This is referred to as tensile buckling. This paper discusses all aspects of tensile buckling, theoretical and experimental. Its far reaching applications causing local instability in aerospace structural components are discussed. The important effects on dynamic stability behaviour under locally induced periodic compression have been identified and influences of various parameters are discussed. Experimental results on simple and combination resonance characteristics on plate structures due to tensile buckling effects are elaborated.

Smoothing Output Power Variations of Isolated Utility Connected Multiple PV Systems by Coordinated Control

Datta, Manoj,Senjyu, Tomonobu,Yona, Atsushi,Sekine, Hideomi,Funabashi, Toshihisa The Korean Institute of Power Electronics 2009 JOURNAL OF POWER ELECTRONICS Vol.9 No.2

A Photovoltaic (PV) system's power output varies with the change of climate. Frequency deviations, tie line voltage swings are caused by the varying PV power when large PV power from several PV systems is fed in the utility. In this paper, to overcome these problems, a simple coordinated control method for smoothing the variations of combined PV power from multiple PV systems is proposed. Here, output power command is formed in two steps: central and local. Fuzzy control is used to produce the central smoothing output power command considering insolation, variance of insolation and absolute average of frequency deviation. In local step, a simple coordination is kept between the central power command and the local power commands by producing a common tuning factor. Power converters are used to achieve the same output power as local command power employing PI control law for each of the PV generation systems. The proposed method is compared with the method where conventional Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) control is used for each of the PV systems. Simulation results show that the proposed method is effective for smoothing the output power variations and feasible to reduce the frequency deviations of the power utility.

Silica Chloride-Catalyzed Microwave-Assisted Efficient and Selective One-Pot Synthesis of Amides from Aldehydes

Datta, Bandita,Pasha, M.A. Korean Chemical Society 2012 Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society Vol.33 No.7

Embryo Culture of Taxus wallichiana (Zucc.)

Datta Mukul Manjari,Jha Sumita The Korean Society of Plant Biotechnology 2004 Plant molecular biology and biotechnology research Vol.6 No.4

Zygotic embryos were excised from immature and mature seeds of the Himalayan yew, Taxus wallichiana. The embryos germinated precociously when kept in darkness for 5 weeks and developed into full seedlings within 10-12 weeks. The highest rate of embryo germination ($81\%$) was obtained in modified Lloyd & McCown' s woody plant medium containing macro and micronutrients at half strength supplemented with $1\%$ activated charcoal, which supported both the best embryonic growth ($43\%$) and seedling development ($32\%$). However, the supplementation of basal media with kinetin, thidiazuron, 6-benzyl aminopurine or $GA_3$ had no effect on the germination of the embryos. The embryos derived from immature seeds germinated but the frequency of embryonic growth was better in mature seeds. Stratification of seeds effected precocious germination of embryos. Seeds kept at $4^{\circ}C$ for 1 week germinated earlier and at a higher frequency irrespective of the stage of seed maturity, while the germination rate declined with prolonged cold treatment for 1 month at that same temperature. Analysis of taxanes in germinating seedlings revealed that root tissues contained high levels of taxol, 10-deacetyl-baccatin ill and baccatin ill as compared to shoots. Thus embryo culture technique appears to overcome the lengthy dormancy requirement of T. wallichiana seeds.

The Bacteriophage λ DNA Replication Protein P Inhibits the oriC DNA- and ATP-binding Functions of the DNA Replication Initiator Protein DnaA of Escherichia coli

Datta, Indrani,Sau, Subrata,Sil, Alok Kumar,Mandal, Mitai C. Korean Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biol 2005 Journal of biochemistry and molecular biology Vol.38 No.1

Under the condition of expression of $\lambda$ P protein at lethal level, the oriC DNA-binding activity is significantly affected in wild-type E. coli but not in the rpl mutant. In purified system, the $\lambda$ P protein inhibits the binding of both oriC DNA and ATP to the wild-type DnaA protein but not to the rpl DnaA protein. We conclude that the $\lambda$ P protein inhibits the binding of oriC DNA and ATP to the wild-type DnaA protein, which causes the inhibition of host DNA synthesis initiation that ultimately leads to bacterial death. A possible beneficial effect of this interaction of $\lambda$ P protein with E. coli DNA initiator protein DnaA for phage DNA replication has been proposed.