Indian plan for Satellite-Based Navigation Systems for Civil Aviation

The Airports Authority of India and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to implement a satellite based navigation system as part of the satellite based Communication, Navigation, Surveillance (CNS) and Air Traffic Management (ATM) plan for Civil Aviation in India. For satellite based navigation in India two core constellations--Global Positioning System (GPS) of the United States and GLONASS of the Russian Federation--are available. The position accuracies achievable with these core constellations are not good enough for precision approach and landing requirements of Civil Aviation. These constellations need to be augmented. Three types of augmentation systems are possible - Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS), Aircraft Based Augmentation Systems (ABAS) and Space Based Augmentation System (SBAS). ISRO will implement SBAS as a proof of concept. Named GAGAN, it will incorporate GPS augmented by a geosynchronous segment. This paper describes the Indian Plan for a Satellite Based Navigation System for Civil Aviation. A brief outline of the three segments - User Segment, Space Segment and Ground Segment necessary for implementation of an SBAS system over the Indian airspace is described. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The assistance rendered by Smt. Nalini R. Naik in preparing and typing the manuscript is gratefully acknowledged

Risk Factors for Non-communicable Diseases Among Adults of 25-65 Years at Kakamega County General Hospital, Kenya

In Kenya the growing number of premature deaths with half of all hospital admissions and 33% of all deaths are associated with Non-communicable diseases. The study determined the physical measurements and lipid parameters of adults 25-65 years at Kakamega County General Hospital. Data was collected using the WHO STEPs Instrument: Physical measurements assessed were Mid Upper Arm Circumference, Waist Hip measurements, Body mass Index and blood pressure. The study significance level was 0.05. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20. Descriptive statistics was used. χ2 test of independence was used to find out the relationship between anthropometric measurements and lipid parameters. Data was presented in form of tables, figures and texts. There was a significant relationship between BMI and Triglycerideχ2 (12, N=60)= 25.752 P=0.012, BMI and LDLχ2(8,N=60)=19.312 p=0.013, BMI and Total Cholesterol χ2(8, N=60)=18.694 p=0.017, MUAC and HDL χ2(4, N=60) =14.446 p=0.006, WHR and Total Cholesterol χ2(2, N=60)=17.985 p=0.000, WHR and LDL χ2(2, N=60)=15.246p=0.000. The study advocated for policies to reduce the incidences of risk factors for NCDs which will assist in achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. Kenyan population are in need of screening for risks associated with NCDs

A practical guide for collecting farmers socio-economic and agronomic data: an AfSIS Project field protocol

One of the aims of the AfSIS (Africa Soil Information Service) project is to document farmers’ characteristics and practices to determine their ability to engage in effective soil and crop management. This document outlines how agronomic surveys are integrated with knowledge of farmers’ condition, wealth, status, access to knowledge, and access to markets, using pre-designed questionnaires and field surveys, and including the use of Global Positioning System-based field surveys and Geographic Information Systems

A Comparative Evaluation Of Decalcified Freeze Dried Bone Allograft And Its Combination With Hydroxyapatite In Osseous Defects Of Maxillofacial Surgery

Background: The development of bone graft material to replace bone remains a formidable challenge in maxillofacial surgery. Although autogenous bone is the best material, however, the advantage of an autograft is offset by the limited supply of such bone and morbidity associated with surgery to harvest the graft. The thesis aims to study and compare the efficacy of two such bone substitutes in the healing of osseous defects of the maxillofacial surgery. Method: 20 patients reporting to DEPARTMENT OF ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY, AL-AMEEN DENTAL COLLEGE AND HOSPITAL, BIJAPUR, requirin Treatment for osseous defects were selected for the study. They were categorized in two groups of 10 each. GROUP A were treated by DFDBA and GROUP B were using DFDBA and HYDROXYAPATITE in combination. Treatment outcome was evaluated using many parameters like pain, swelling clinically and bone density radiographically pre operative, 1st day ,1st week, 4th week and 12th week post operative. Results: Analysis of the two groups did not reveal high statistically significant differences at any of the follow up periods except for radiological evidence at four weeks. All the patients had mild to moderate pain on GROUP A on first post-operative day. Pain was maximum on 2nd post-operative day and decreased gradually and almost nil by the end of 4th post-operative day. In case of GROUP B, all patients had moderate to severe pain on first post- operative day. Pain was maximum from 2nd to 4th post operative day and then gradually decreased but slight pain was there at the end of first post-operative week All the patients had mild to moderate swelling in GROUP A on first post-operative day. Swelling decreased gradually towards normal. By the end of first week post-operative, swelling was nil. In case of GROUP B, all patients had moderate to severe swelling on first post-operative day. Swelling was maximum from 1st post-operative week and then started decreasing towards normal. By the end of first week post-operative, slight swelling was still present. GROUP A No signs of infection (persistent post operative swelling, pain or pus discharge) were seen in any patient of GROUP A. No signs of implant (graft material) rejection (discharge, extrusion, tissue dehiscence) were seen in any patient of GROUP A. In GROUP B, however, all these three signs of implant (graft material) rejection were seen in one patient at fourth week. The graft material was surgically removed at fourth week. Radiological evidence of calcification, bone formation and bridging of the gap with new bone as evident by formation of irregular trabeculae of bone and appearance of radio-opaque areas in the defect was evident from fourth week onwards. It was seen 70 % cases of GROUP A, in 30% cases of GROUP B. The difference between GROUP A and GROUP B was statistically significant (P\0.01) at this point of time. Bone density was assessed by grey scale histogram. Conclusion: DFDBA when used for the obliteration of osseous defects bypasses the phase of obligatory resorption and shows early evidence of new bone formation. HA when used for Obliteration of osseous defects shows delayed first evidence of bone formation as compared to the decalcified freeze-dried bone matrix allograft and it undergoes resorption but takes a long period to resorbed completely and be replaced by bone. The radiograph assessment score over grey scale histogram indicates early bone formation with DFDB and the combination of DFDBA and HA

Measurement of the 8B Solar Neutrino Flux with the KamLAND Liquid Scintillator Detector

We report a measurement of the neutrino-electron elastic scattering rate from 8B solar neutrinos based on a 123 kton-day exposure of KamLAND. The background-subtracted electron recoil rate, above a 5.5 MeV analysis threshold is 1.49+/-0.14(stat)+/-0.17(syst) events per kton-day. Interpreted as due to a pure electron flavor flux with a 8B neutrino spectrum, this corresponds to a spectrum integrated flux of 2.77+/-0.26(stat)+/-0.32(syst) x 10^6 cm^-2s^-1. The analysis threshold is driven by 208Tl present in the liquid scintillator, and the main source of systematic uncertainty is due to background from cosmogenic 11Be. The measured rate is consistent with existing measurements and with Standard Solar Model predictions which include matter enhanced neutrino oscillation.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure

Production of Radioactive Isotopes through Cosmic Muon Spallation in KamLAND

Radioactive isotopes produced through cosmic muon spallation are a background for rare-event detection in $\nu$ detectors, double-$\beta$-decay experiments, and dark-matter searches. Understanding the nature of cosmogenic backgrounds is particularly important for future experiments aiming to determine the pep and CNO solar neutrino fluxes, for which the background is dominated by the spallation production of $^{11}$C. Data from the Kamioka liquid-scintillator antineutrino detector (KamLAND) provides valuable information for better understanding these backgrounds, especially in liquid scintillators, and for checking estimates from current simulations based upon MUSIC, FLUKA, and GEANT4. Using the time correlation between detected muons and neutron captures, the neutron production yield in the KamLAND liquid scintillator is measured to be $(2.8 \pm 0.3) \times 10^{-4} \mu^{-1} g^{-1} cm^{2}$. For other isotopes, the production yield is determined from the observed time correlation related to known isotope lifetimes. We find some yields are inconsistent with extrapolations based on an accelerator muon beam experiment.Comment: 16 pages, 20 figure

Search for extraterrestrial antineutrino sources with the KamLAND detector

We present the results of a search for extraterrestrial electron antineutrinos ($\bar{\nu}_{e}$'s) in the energy range $8.3 MeV < E_{\bar{\nu}_{e}} < 31.8 MeV$ using the KamLAND detector. In an exposure of 4.53 kton-year, we identify 25 candidate events. All of the candidate events can be attributed to background, most importantly neutral current atmospheric neutrino interactions, setting an upper limit on the probability of $^{8}$B solar $\nu_{e}$'s converting into $\bar{\nu}_{e}$'s at $5.3 \times 10^{-5}$ (90% C.L.), if we assume an undistorted $\bar{\nu}_{e}$ shape. This limit corresponds to a solar $\bar{\nu}_{e}$ flux of $93 cm^{-2} s^{-1}$ or an event rate of $1.6 events (kton-year)^{-1}$ above the energy threshold $(E_{\bar{\nu}_{e}} > 8.3 MeV)$. The present data also allows us to set more stringent limits on the diffuse supernova neutrino flux and on the annihilation rates for light dark matter particles.Comment: 22 pages, 6 figure