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Inverting electroheat problems involves synthesizing the electromagnetic arrangement of coils and geometries to realize a desired heat distribution. To this end two finite element problems need to be solved, first for the magnetic fields and the joule heat that the associated eddy currents generate and then, based on these heat sources, the second problem for heat distribution. This two-part problem needs to be iterated on to obtain the desired thermal distribution by optimization. Being a time consuming process, the purpose of this paper is to parallelize the process using the graphics processing unit (GPU) and the real-coded genetic algorithm, each for both speed and accuracy.

This coupled problem represents a heavy computational load with long wait-times for results. The GPU has recently been demonstrated to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of the finite element computations and cut down solution times. It has also been used to speedup the naturally parallel genetic algorithm. The authors use the GPU to perform coupled electroheat finite element optimization by the genetic algorithm to achieve computational efficiencies far better than those reported for a single finite element problem. In the genetic algorithm, coding objective functions in real numbers rather than binary arithmetic gives added speed and accuracy.

The feasibility of the method proposed to reduce computational time and increase accuracy is established through the simple problem of shaping a current carrying conductor so as to yield a constant temperature along a line. The authors obtained a speedup (CPU time to GPU time ratio) saturating to about 28 at a population size of 500 because of increasing communications between threads. But this far better than what is possible on a workstation.

By using the intrinsically parallel genetic algorithm on a GPU, large complex coupled problems may be solved very quickly. The method demonstrated here without accounting for radiation and convection, may be trivially extended to more completely modeled electroheat systems. Since the primary purpose here is to establish methodology and feasibility, the thermal problem is simplified by neglecting convection and radiation. While that introduces some error, the computational procedure is still validated.

The methodology established has direct applications in electrical machine design, metallurgical mixing processes, and hyperthermia treatment in oncology. In these three practical application areas, the authors need to compute the exciting coil (or antenna) arrangement (current magnitude and phase) and device geometry that would accomplish a desired heat distribution to achieve mixing, reduce machine heat or burn cancerous tissue. This process presented does it more accurately and speedily.

Particularly the above-mentioned application in oncology will alleviate human suffering through use in hyperthermia treatment planning in cancer treatment. The method presented provides scope for new commercial software development and employment.

Previous finite element shape optimization of coupled electroheat problems by this group used gradient methods whose difficulties are explained. Others have used analytical and circuit models in place of finite elements. This paper applies the massive parallelization possible with GPUs to the inherently parallel genetic algorithm, and extends it from single field system problems to coupled problems, and thereby realizes practicable solution times for such a computationally complex problem. Further, by using GPU computations rather than CPU, accuracy is enhanced. And then by using real number rather than binary coding for object functions, further accuracy and speed gains are realized.

This research paper aims to explore the relationship of financial performance and capital structure of Indian pharma firms of BSE 500, the impact of research and development (R&D) expenditure on financial performance and also explore the moderating role of competitive intensity between the existing relationship of capital structure and firm performance.

The balanced panel data of listed pharma firms of BSE 500 are used for the research study, and the present study adopts both the panel and ordinary least square (OLS) estimation techniques to draw the results.

The results exhibit that the high debt ratio is harmful for the accounting performance of the selected sample of pharma firms of BSE 500. Besides, market competition negatively moderates the relationship between capital structure and firm performance.

The research findings provide evidence for the policymakers/regulators that the sample firms should discourage the high debt financing in the presence of competitive intensity in the product marketplace.

The core contribution of the current research is to examine impact of R&D expenditure on financial performance and the moderating role of market competition on the relationship of capital structure and firm performance to the best of the authors' knowledge, and no single study has previously explored this relationship in the context of BSE 500 pharma firms.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the potential barriers of telecom services and develop relationships among them using interpretive structural modeling (ISM) in the Indian telecom sector. Further, this paper intends to find the driving and dependence powers of telecom barriers, using MICMAC (Matriced' Impacts Croise′s Multiplication Applique′ea′un Classement) analysis.

A group of experts from telecom sector and academia was consulted and the ISM was used to develop the contextual relationship among identified barriers of telecom services. The results of ISM are used as an input to MICMAC analysis, to further classify identified barriers based on their driving and dependence powers.

This paper has identified 11 barriers of telecom services from the literature review and opinion of experts, and a contextual relationship model was developed using the ISM technique. The paper further studied barriers based on their driving and dependence powers using MICMAC analysis that classifies them into four clusters. The results identified the barriers such as “lack of adequate investment in infrastructure expansion”, “interference of private operators”, “legal and regulatory issues”, “lack of maintenance culture” and “lack of financial resources and high cost” as strategic-level barriers that, if dealt with carefully, can help overcome the effect of other barriers preventing the effective performance of the Indian telecom sector.

Although, there are a number of barriers that affect the performance of telecom services, existing theories, models and frameworks have focused on identification of factors, their implementation and benefits, and thus, these theories lack a holistic view in understanding those barriers which hinder the performance of the telecom sector. Top-managers and policymakers need to be more concerned about these barriers so that the performance of the Indian telecom sector could be improved.

A thorough literature review has revealed that no such study has been undertaken that provides any clear understanding of the barriers of telecom services, linkages between them and hierarchical relationships among the barriers.

The purpose of this study is to examine the growing energy consumption pattern and emissions due to increasing vehicular density in the Vellore district. The transport demand in Indian cities has increased substantially over the past few years. Increasing household incomes and economic development in cities have added to this growing demand.

The growth of Vellore town currently is such that in a short period of time, the development is likely to engulf the entire district as one big city, as it happened for Chennai. It is at a transitional stage where it is possible to bring about certain policy changes to prevent the catastrophic effects of urbanization. To test the objectives of the study, statistical and mathematical tools such as mean, coefficient of variation, correlation and regression models are used. Growth of vehicle population in Tamil Nadu in general and Vellore in particular are analyzed by computing the percentage rate of change and trend rate of growth.

A study of the past four years shows a tremendous growth in the number of two-wheelers, while the number of buses has declined. The study also shows that public transport fuel consumption is < 20 per cent of the overall fuel consumption. The emission of all greenhouse gases is rising and it shows a linear growth. The increase in emission of CO₂ is most alarming.

The diversity of sources that have been combined together implies a consequent reduction in accuracy. Data from different sources had different geographical boundaries (state, district, region and country). Thus, the data had to be translated to the relevant geographical area by using proportionality ratio. This manipulation does impact on the accuracy of the used data.

This article provides a framework that can inform decisions makers on consequences in the absence of timely intervention and policy changes.

Road transport is an inherently complex sector as it deals with a very large number of individual vehicles and factors of influence. The findings have implications for government in general and policy-makers in particular. This article puts together data of a particularly vulnerable region at a time when policy changes could bring about lasting beneficial effects. This region has not been included in any previous research.