Towards a Settlement Structure for Kerala, Part II

PART – II : THE SETTLEMENT STRUCTURE OF KERALA CHAPTER V : THE EVOLUTION OF THE SCATTERED PATTERN OF SETTLEMENTS CHAPTER VI : INFLUENCE OF NATURAL FEATURES ON THE SETTLEMENT STRUCTURE OF KERALA CHAPTER VII : THE URBAN SETTLEMENT STRUCTURE General characteristics of urban population • The process of urbanisation • The concept of urban centre • Classification of towns by states • Classification of towns by population size •Functional classification of towns • Town groups • Growth of urban centres • Urban clusters and concentration complexes • Growth of urban population • Demographic characteristics of the urban population • Features of functional classification of towns • General characteristics of the structure of workers in urban areas • Certain trends in the working population in the cities of above 1 lakh population • Trends in immigration to cities and urban areas CHAPTER VIII : THE STUDIESA study of cities • The study of towns CHAPTER IX : THE STRUCTURE OF RURAL SETTLEMENTS The concept of a village in Kerala • Demographic struCtURe of rural areas • Distribution of population in rural areas • Distribution of villages of different population sizes • Concentration of villages of large population size and small towns in districts and ta1uks • Density of roads in rural areas •The occupational structure • The rural settlement patterns • Physical factors • Historical factors • Economic factors • Social factors • The unit of a rural settlement in Kerala • Trends of change in rural areas CHAPTER X : THE RURAL URBAN PHENOMENA Rural urban knots • An insight to spatial content of settlements •Physical formation of rural-urban knots • Economic characteristics • Social characteristics • Pattern of land use development • Classification of rural-urban knots • Area of influence • General conclusions • Functions of rural-urban knots • The form of rural-urban knots • Criteria for locating the rural urban knots of Kerala • Linear development • General classification of linear development in Kerala along transportation routes • Characteristics of linear development in Kerala CHAPTER XI : THE RURAL-URBAN RELATIONSHIPSRural Urban dichotomy or continuum? • The functional hierarchy of settlements • Role of Services and facilities in rural urban relationships CHAPTER XII : THE MOVEMENT CHANNELS – INTER LINKAGES Transport in Kerala • The transport system • Railways • The road net work •The inland water ways • The air ways and air strips • The ports CHAPTER XIII: THE STRUCTURE OF INDUSTRIES IN KERALA AND THEIR SPATIAL DISTRIBUTIONFactors that impede rapid industrialisation • Size of factor sector • Composition of factory sector • Characteristics of industrial structure • Size of factories • Location pattern of industrie

Towards a Settlement Structure for Kerala, Part III

PART – III : TOWARDS A SETTLEMENT STRUCTURE FOR KEARALA CHAPTER XIV :I SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND OBSERVATIONS CONCLUSIONS DRAWN FOR PLANNING PURPOSES CHAPTER XV : AN ATTEMPT TO CONCEPTUALISE THE EXISTING SETTLEMENT STRUCTURE IN KERALA • Case studies for establishing the concept • Basis for the concept • Flexibility of the concept CHAPTER XVI : AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 0F THE PROPOSED SETTLEMENT STRUCTURE FOR KERALA CHAPTER XVII : METHODOLOGY IN ARRIVING AT THE SETTLEMENT STRUCTURES; AND ANALYSIS • Saturation level of urbanization • Population projection for 2000 A.D. • Life Tables for the estimated population • Labour force • Analyses of occupational pattern CHAPTER XVIII : THE SETTLEMENT STRUCTURE FOR KERALA BY 2000 A.D. • Urban population distribution • Size of urban settlements • The urban focus • The other urban units • The hierarchy of settlements • Hierarchy of functions • Industrial structure and flow of economy • The social structure and rural-urban relationships • Why the major urban centres should be along the sea-coast • The movement channels and their relationship with the settlement structure APPENDIX A BIBLIOGRAPH

Cephalosporin-NO-donor prodrug PYRRO-C3D shows β-lactam-mediated activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae biofilms

Bacterial biofilms show high tolerance towards antibiotics and are a significant problem in clinical settings where they are a primary cause of chronic infections. Novel therapeutic strategies are needed to improve anti-biofilm efficacy and support reduction in antibiotic use. Treatment with exogenous nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to modulate bacterial signaling and metabolic processes that render biofilms more susceptible to antibiotics. We previously reported on cephalosporin-3\u27-diazeniumdiolates (C3Ds) as NO-donor prodrugs designed to selectively deliver NO to bacterial infection sites following reaction with β-lactamases. With structures based on cephalosporins, C3Ds could, in principal, also be triggered to release NO following β-lactam cleavage mediated by transpeptidases/penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs), the antibacterial target of cephalosporin antibiotics. Transpeptidase-reactive C3Ds could potentially show both NO-mediated anti-biofilm properties and intrinsic (β-lactam-mediated) antibacterial effects. This dual-activity concept was explored using Streptococcus pneumoniae, a species that lacks β-lactamases but relies on transpeptidases for cell-wall synthesis. Treatment with PYRRO-C3D (a representative C3D containing the diazeniumdiolate NO donor PYRRO-NO) was found to significantly reduce viability of planktonic and biofilm pneumococci, demonstrating that C3Ds can elicit direct, cephalosporin-like antibacterial activity in the absence of β-lactamases. While NO release from PYRRO-C3D in the presence of pneumococci was confirmed, the anti-pneumococcal action of the compound was shown to arise exclusively from the β-lactam component and not through NO-mediated effects. The compound showed similar potency to amoxicillin against S. pneumoniae biofilms and greater efficacy than azithromycin, highlighting the potential of C3Ds as new agents for treating pneumococcal infections

Low concentrations of nitric oxide modulate Streptococcus pneumoniae biofilm metabolism and antibiotic tolerance

Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the key pathogens responsible for otitis media (OM), the most common infection in children and the largest cause of childhood antibiotic prescription. Novel therapeutic strategies that reduce the overall antibiotic consumption due to OM are required because although widespread pneumococcal conjugate immunization has controlled invasive pneumococcal disease, overall OM incidence has not decreased. Biofilm formation represents an important phenotype contributing to the antibiotic tolerance and persistence of S. pneumoniae in chronic or recurrent OM. We investigated the treatment of pneumococcal biofilms with nitric oxide (NO), an endogenous signaling molecule and therapeutic agent that has been demonstrated to trigger biofilm dispersal in other bacterial species. We hypothesised that addition of low concentrations of NO to pneumococcal biofilms would improve antibiotic efficacy and higher concentrations exert direct antibacterial effects. Unlike in many other bacterial species, low concentrations of NO, did not result in S. pneumoniae biofilm dispersal. Instead, treatment of both in vitro biofilms and ex vivo adenoid tissue samples (a reservoir for S. pneumoniae biofilms) with low concentrations of NO enhanced pneumococcal killing when combined with amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, an antibiotic commonly used to treat chronic OM. Quantitative proteomic analysis using iTRAQ (isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation) identified 13 proteins that were differentially expressed following low-concentration NO treatment, 85% of which function in metabolism or translation. Treatment with low-concentration NO therefore appears to modulate pneumococcal metabolism and may represent a novel therapeutic approach to reduce antibiotic tolerance in pneumococcal biofilms

SmokeHaz: systematic reviews and meta-analyses of the effects of smoking on respiratory health

Background: Smoking tobacco increases the risk of respiratory disease in adults and children, but communicating the magnitude of these effects in a scientific manner that is accessible and usable by public and policymakers presents a challenge. We have therefore summarised scientific data on the impact of smoking on respiratory diseases to provide the content for a unique resource, SmokeHaz. Methods: We conducted systematic reviews and meta-analyses of longitudinal studies (published to 2013) identified from electronic databases, grey literature, and experts. Random effect meta-analyses were used to pool the findings. Results: We included 216 papers. Among adult smokers, we confirmed substantially increased risks of lung cancer (Risk Ratio (RR) 10.92, 95% CI 8.28-14.40; 34 studies), COPD (RR 4.01, 95% CI 3.18-5.05; 22 studies) and asthma (RR 1.61, 95% CI 1.07-2.42; 8 studies). Exposure to passive smoke significantly increased the risk of lung cancer in adult non-smokers; and increased the risks of asthma, wheeze, lower respiratory infections, and reduced lung function in children. Smoking significantly increased the risk of sleep apnoea, and asthma exacerbations in adult and pregnant populations; and active and passive smoking increased the risk of tuberculosis. Conclusions: These findings have been translated into easily digestible content and published on the SmokeHaz website (www.smokehaz.eu)

Towards Principles for the Control of Squatter Settlements in Bangkok, Thailand

The squatter problem is one of complexity and diversity, and lasting solutions to the problem have been elusive, despite the numerous techniques and approaches that have been tried out. This is primarily because the squatter problem has. not been comprehensively understood or defined. The objective of this study is therefore to find a comprehensive definition of the squatter problem, with specific reference to Bangkok, in Thailand, and to recommend workable principles as a basis for their control and progressive elimination. Proper reorganization of squatter control mechanisms can contribute to the orderly spatial growth in the city; and will promote the general well being of low income people, while preserving the legal rights of private property ownership. The major contributions of this study are in its providing: 1. a rationale for the proper identification of, and distinction between slums and squatter settlements; 2. an identification of the squatter problem in Bangkok with its entire ramifications; 3. guidelines for the comprehensive policy for the control of squatter settlements in Bangkok; and 4. recorrnnendation of outline programs for the successful implementation of such policy

An Outline Development Plan for the CNGLA Region

The CNGLA is an organization of citizens from central Nebraska representing Loup, Garfield, Wheeler, Greeley, Valley, Ouster, Howard, and Sherman counties concerned with the future of their region. The mission of the CNGLA is to initiate and promote the development of the region and to stimulate the economy and quality of life of all of its residents. It is a key objective of the CNGLA to develop a plan for accomplishing its mission. In the summer of 1990, the CNGLA engaged the Department of Community and Regional Planning of the College of Architecture at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln to assist in the development of the plan. This study was undertaken by a group of second year graduate planning students in the Principles and Practices of Regional Planning and Development (CRP 911) class. While providing an important public service to the CNGLA region and the State of Nebraska, this project also partly fulfills the requirements of a Masters Degree in Community and Regional Planning at the University. Study Description This study is organized into two distinct phases: (1) the Assessment and Analysis Phase, and (2) the Planning and Programming Phase. In the Assessment and Analysis Phase the systems approach was employed. The systems approach involves the identification and study of four sub-systems as follows: 1. Physical/Environmental Subsystem 2. Social/Demographic Subsystem 3. Economic/Financial Subsystem 4. Political/Jurisdictional Subsystem. Relevant data was collected and analyzed relating to each of these four subsystems. Data came from many sources including active participation by citizens in the region at town meetings and site visits, library research, as well as information provided by various public agencies and organizations. The objective of the Assessment and Analysis Phase was to determine the problems and prospects for development in the region. The identification of problems and prospects led to the development of goals and objectives for the region. The problems and prospects along with goals and objectives identified in the Assessment and Analysis Phase were verified and amended by a delegation representing the CNGLA. A revised goals and objectives statement was drafted which became the agenda for the Planning and Programming Phase. The Planning and Programming Phase involved the formulation of development strategies to meet the goals and objectives defined in the previous phase. Upon developing goals and sub-goals five key subject areas were identified: 1. Economic Development 2. Health, Human Services, and Housing 3. Tourism Development 4. Solid Waste Management 5. Implementation. Each of these subject areas are addressed in the form of projects and programs that may be implemented by the CNGLA along with other public and private entities. The final result of this phase is an outline development plan for the CNGLA region. This plan was presented at a town meeting by the planning team. This report chronicles both phases of this undertaking and is the final product of this study. This study was a professional planning project undertaken by graduate students and faculty in an academic setting over a duration of 15 weeks. Some recommendations of this study may require additional research and analysis. This study is intended to act as an agenda for action by the CNGLA. It offers a vast array of ideas, strategies, programs, and projects that my be implemented by the CNGLA or other agencies or organizations within the region. It is hoped that the recommendations of this study will be utilized to provide for further enhancement of the quality of life in the CNGLA region

Towards a Settlement Structure for Kerala, Part I

Preamble: The Ekistics of today – The Ekistics of Tomorrow Introduction: What is settlement structure? Kerala - The study area Why this thesis? Soope and limitations of the Thesis The philosophy of balanced development CHAPTER I THE LAND - Can-vas for Planning Location Area and Dimensions Physical features Natural divisions Administrative divisions The soils Geology Climate and rainfall The rivers, lakes and backwaters The mountains, passes, plains and coast line Land utilisation and crop patterns CHAPTER II: THE PEOPLE Population density Sex Ratio Age structure Literacy Language Religion Growth of population Rural and urban population Distribution of population in rural and urban areas Migration CHAPTER III RESOURCES - Prospects and Problems Water Forests Fisheries Minerals CHAPTER IV - ACTIVITIES Occupational structure – the economic scen