Land use change modelling using a Markov model and remote sensing

Land-use/land-cover (LU/LC) change is an important component of global environmental change. The need to understand LU/LC change is essential for regional development and land use management towards sustainable development. To understand LU/LC change, the different LU/LC categories and their spatial as well as temporal variability in Tiruchirappalli city has been studied over a period of eight years (1998–2006), using the analysis of Indian Remote Sensing Satellite (IRS) images. In this, an attempt was made to adopt Markov model for obtaining and understanding LU/LC dynamics. Model performance was evaluated between the empirical LU/LC map extracted from CARTOSAT-1 PAN image and the simulated LU/LC map obtained from the Markov model. The future landscape distribution in the year 2014 and 2022 was derived using a Markov model. This result shows that Markov model and geospatial technology together are able to effectively capture the spatio-temporal trend in the landscape pattern associated with urbanization in this region

Accessibility Analysis for Healthcare Centers using Gravity Model and Geospatial Techniques

India’s healthcare facilities continue to be limited and the current number of hospitals is not sufficient to meet the demands of the increasing population. In this study the multi-specialty hospitals handling sudden trauma such as cardiac arrests, strokes, burns, accidents, and major illnesses that were considered and analyzed for the ease of access within the city. The spatial accessibility index is measured using the Modified Three-step Floating Catchment Area which incorporates emergency factors in addition to travel time in travel impedance function. The findings shows that all hospitals are currently found to be collectively located near to the city center and wards located in the periphery of the city having very low spatial access to healthcare facilities. The index also aids in delineating the healthcare deprived areas and over-served areas within the city. This identification is essential for the future planning of new healthcare services, to improve the capacity and ease of access to the existing healthcare facilities. The model of this investigative study can be extended further to all cities to assist in the pre-planning for provision of adequate healthcare facilities. Such information will be advantageous, to public health officials and policy/decision makers involved in urban expansion planning, for ensuring better and quicker access to health services with minimum delay in the event of emergencies

UV-irradiation studies on C<SUB>70</SUB> clusters in mixed solvents

We report polymerization of fullerene C<SUB>70</SUB> through a solution route by UV irradiation of C<SUB>70</SUB> clusters in an acetonitrile(75%)-toluene mixture. The XRD of the photoproduct indicated the amorphous nature of the product. Our FTIR study of the photoproduct did not reveal reversion to the monomeric state even on heating up to 500 &#176;C, which is expected of a fullerene polymer. Also, the strong absorption band around 1050 and 1400 cm<SUP>&#8722;1</SUP> seen in FTIR spectrum indicated the presence of a C---N bond in the photoproduct. The presence of nitrogen in the photoproduct is due to the facile photochemical reaction of nitrogen of the acetonitrile solvent with C<SUB>70</SUB>. Hence we infer that the photoproduct is not an all carbon polymer but only a copolymer of C<SUB>70</SUB> with monomer units bridged by nitrogen atoms

Studies of C<SUB>60</SUB> oxidation and products

The oxidation of C<SUB>60</SUB> solid was investigated using TGA, DTA, X-ray diffraction, FTIR, and optical microscopy. oxidation reaction of solid C<SUB>60 </SUB>commences at a temperature below 220&#176;C, resulting in the formation of a polycondensate (PCS) with C:O=5:1. The associated heat of formation &#916;H<SUB>f</SUB> is determined to be 9.2 kJ/g. From the Isothermal investigations carried out between 220 and 240&#176;C, the reaction mechanism is identified to be a two-dimensional nucleation and growth process. The PCS is found to undergo a structural modification without weight change beyond 220&#176;C with an enthalpy change of 4.6 kJ/g. The PCS itself is found to consist of (1) a glassy carbon with an inter-microfibril distance of 3.78 &#197; obtained with the destruction of the C<SUB>60</SUB> cage, (2) an amorphous C<SUB>60</SUB>-O-C<SUB>60</SUB> complex characterized by the intermolecular distance of 15.04 &#197; with an oxygen atom forming a bridge between two C<SUB>60</SUB> molecules, and (3) an unidentified crystalline phase with carbonyl bonds

Longitudinal Changes in Health-Related Quality of Life in Primary Glomerular Disease: Results From the CureGN Study

Prior cross-sectional studies suggest that health-related quality of life (HRQOL) worsens with more severe glomerular disease. This longitudinal analysis was conducted to assess changes in HRQOL with changing disease status. Cure Glomerulonephropathy (CureGN) is a cohort of patients with minimal change disease, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, membranous nephropathy, IgA vasculitis, or IgA nephropathy. HRQOL was assessed at enrollment and follow-up visits 1 to 3 times annually for up to 5 years with the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS). Global health, anxiety, and fatigue domains were measured in all; mobility was measured in children; and sleep-related impairment was measured in adults. Linear mixed effects models were used to evaluate HRQOL responsiveness to changes in disease status. A total of 469 children and 1146 adults with PROMIS scores were included in the analysis. HRQOL improved over time in nearly all domains, though group-level changes were modest. Edema was most consistently associated with worse HRQOL across domains among children and adults. A greater number of symptoms also predicted worse HRQOL in all domains. Sex, age, obesity, and serum albumin were associated with some HRQOL domains. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was only associated with fatigue and adult physical health; proteinuria was not associated with any HRQOL domain in adjusted models. HRQOL measures were responsive to changes in disease activity, as indicated by edema. HRQOL over time was not predicted by laboratory-based markers of disease. Patient-reported edema and number of symptoms were the strongest predictors of HRQOL, highlighting the importance of the patient experience in glomerular disease. HRQOL outcomes inform understanding of the patient experience for children and adults with glomerular diseases