Development of Livelihood Index for Different Agro-Climatic Zones of India

A livelihood index has been developed for different agro-climatic zones of India, based on the secondary data for TE 2003. Six different sub-indices obtained are indicators of Infrastructure Status, Agricultural Status, Nutritional Status, Economic Status, Health and Sanitation Status and Food Availability Status in respective zones. A total of 57 variables have been considered for this study. Finally, a composite integrated livelihood index has been developed which indicates the livelihood status of different agro-climatic zones in the country. Also, 103 districts of low agricultural productivity have been identified within low livelihood regions. The results of this study have been compared with those of backward districts identified under Wage Employment Program by the Task Force of Planning Commission of India. It is found that about 60 per cent districts identified in this study are the same as identified by the Task Force. Further, the spatial distributions of the identified districts under the study have been mapped using GIS maps and it has been observed that almost same region of the country has been found to be most backward in both the studies. The study has revealed regional disparity in the development process and has suggested to formulate appropriate policies to bridge this disparity gap.Productivity Analysis, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Transverse momentum spectra of dimuons produced in hadronic interactions and comparison with QCD

We have reviewed comprehensively the data on the transverse momentum spectra (p/sub T/) of high mass lepton pairs produced in hadronic interations. The data are extensively compared with the predictions of Quantum Chromo Dynamics to O(..cap alpha../sub s/), including some O(..cap alpha../sub s//sup 2/) effects through the use of a p/sub T/ independent K factor. Sensitivity of the calculations to variations in the parameters used is discussed. A compilation of the K factor is given. Possible nuclear effects which can contribute to cross section or alter differential distributions in p/sub T/, x/sub F/ or mass for the dimuon production in nuclear targets are discussed. Linear fits to the data on vs s and vs ..sqrt..s for ..pi../sup -/N and pN reations are presented. Using the average value of the intrinsic transverse momentum squared deduced from fits to vs s, predictions of the QCD are calculated and compared with the data. An important conclusion arrived at is that QCD to O(..cap alpha../sub s/) is not able to account for the observed features of the p/sub T/ distributions in a satisfactory manner

Effect of nano and micro-silica on bond behaviour of steel and polypropylene fibres in high volume fly ash mortar

This paper presents the effects of nano silica (NS), micro silica (MS) and combined NS and MS on bond behaviour of steel and polypropylene (PP) fibres in high volume fly ash (HVFA) mortar. Three types of bend configuration of hook-end steel fibre commercially available are considered, while the PP fibre was crimped shape. Three different fly ash contents of 40%, 50% and 60% (by wt) as partial replacement of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) are considered in HVFA mortar, while a control mortar containing 100% OPC was also considered. The NS and the MS was added as 2% and 10% (by wt), respectively as partial replacement of OPC in HVFA mortar containing 40% fly ash. In the case of combined NS and MS, 2% NS and 10% MS was used as partial replacement of OPC in HVFA mortar. However, in the case of HVFA mortars containing 40% fly ash and different NS and MS, total OPC content of 60% was kept constant in all HVFA mixes containing NS, MS and NS + MS. This was considered to compare these mixes with HVFA mortar containing 40% fly ash. Results indicate that maximum pull-out force of both steel and PP fibres decreases with increase in fly ash contents in HVFA mortars at both 7 and 28 days.The addition of 2% NS and 10% MS showed almost similar improvement in the maximum pull-out force of steel and PP fibres at both ages in HVFA mortar containing 40% fly ash. The combined use of 2%NS + 10%MS also improved the maximum pull-out force and higher than 2% NS and 10% MS. The reduction in large capillary pores in HVFA mortars containing nano and micro silica observed in Mercury Intrusion Porosity test improved the bond of steel and PP fibres in those mortar due to formation of additional calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gel is believed to be the reason behind this improvement. The maximum pull-out force also increased with increase in number of bends in the hook-end of steel fibre in all mortars in this study at both 7 and 28 days. Extra energy absorbed by the higher number of bends is the reason of such improvement in maximum pull-out force. However, in the case of absorbed energy mixed results are observed in the case of different number of bends in steel fibre ends. Good correlations also exist between the maximum pull-out forces of all three types of steel fibres with compressive strength of mortars showing strong influence on the bond behaviour

The Challenges of Creativity in Software Organizations

Part 1: Creating ValueInternational audienceManaging creativity has proven to be one of the most important drivers in software development and use. The continuous changing market environment drives companies like Google, SAS Institute and LEGO to focus on creativity as an increasing necessity when competing through sustained innovations. However, creativity in the information systems (IS) environment is a challenge for most organizations that is primarily caused by not knowing how to strategize creative processes in relation to IS strategies, thus, causing companies to act ad hoc in their creative endeavors. In this paper, we address the organizational challenges of creativity in software organizations. Grounded in a previous literature review and a rigorous selection process, we identify and present a model of seven important factors for creativity in software organizations. From these factors, we identify 21 challenges that software organizations experience when embarking on creative endeavors and transfer them into a comprehensive framework. Using an interpretive research study, we further study the framework by analyzing how the challenges are integrated in 27 software organizations. Practitioners can use this study to gain a deeper understanding of creativity in their own business while researchers can use the framework to gain insight while conducting interpretive field studies of managing creativity

Age at first birth in women is genetically associated with increased risk of schizophrenia

Prof. Paunio on PGC:n jäsenPrevious studies have shown an increased risk for mental health problems in children born to both younger and older parents compared to children of average-aged parents. We previously used a novel design to reveal a latent mechanism of genetic association between schizophrenia and age at first birth in women (AFB). Here, we use independent data from the UK Biobank (N = 38,892) to replicate the finding of an association between predicted genetic risk of schizophrenia and AFB in women, and to estimate the genetic correlation between schizophrenia and AFB in women stratified into younger and older groups. We find evidence for an association between predicted genetic risk of schizophrenia and AFB in women (P-value = 1.12E-05), and we show genetic heterogeneity between younger and older AFB groups (P-value = 3.45E-03). The genetic correlation between schizophrenia and AFB in the younger AFB group is -0.16 (SE = 0.04) while that between schizophrenia and AFB in the older AFB group is 0.14 (SE = 0.08). Our results suggest that early, and perhaps also late, age at first birth in women is associated with increased genetic risk for schizophrenia in the UK Biobank sample. These findings contribute new insights into factors contributing to the complex bio-social risk architecture underpinning the association between parental age and offspring mental health.Peer reviewe

Galaxy Clusters Associated with Short GRBs. II. Predictions for the Rate of Short GRBs in Field and Cluster Early-Type Galaxies

We determine the relative rates of short GRBs in cluster and field early-type galaxies as a function of the age probability distribution of their progenitors, P(\tau) \propto \tau^n. This analysis takes advantage of the difference in the growth of stellar mass in clusters and in the field, which arises from the combined effects of the galaxy stellar mass function, the early-type fraction, and the dependence of star formation history on mass and environment. This approach complements the use of the early- to late-type host galaxy ratio, with the added benefit that the star formation histories of early-type galaxies are simpler than those of late-type galaxies, and any systematic differences between progenitors in early- and late-type galaxies are removed. We find that the ratio varies from R(cluster)/R(field) ~ 0.5 for n = -2 to ~ 3 for n = 2. Current observations indicate a ratio of about 2, corresponding to n ~ 0 - 1. This is similar to the value inferred from the ratio of short GRBs in early- and late-type hosts, but it differs from the value of n ~ -1 for NS binaries in the Milky Way. We stress that this general approach can be easily modified with improved knowledge of the effects of environment and mass on the build-up of stellar mass, as well as the effect of globular clusters on the short GRB rate. It can also be used to assess the age distribution of Type Ia supernova progenitors.Comment: ApJ accepted versio

Search for leptophobic Z ' bosons decaying into four-lepton final states in proton-proton collisions at root s=8 TeV

Peer reviewe