Feature-Oriented Principal Component Selection (FPCS) for Delineation of the Geological Units Using the Integration of SWIR and TIR ASTER Data

Geological studies have been performed using the Band Ratios (BR), Relative Band Depth (RBD), Mineral Indices (MI), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Independent Component Analysis (ICA), lithological and mineral classification techniques from Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR) and Thermal Infrared (TIR) data. The chapter aims to delineate various geological units present in the area using the combination of SWIR and TIR ASTER bands through the Feature-Oriented Principal Component Selection (FPCS) technique. Different BRs and RBDs were applied to map the minerals having Al-OH and Mg-OH compounds with the chemical composition of clay (kaolinite, smectite), mica (sericite, muscovite, illite), ultramafic (lizardite, antigorite, chrysotile), talc, and carbonate (dolomite) from SWIR bands. The MI was used to map quartz-rich, mafic/ultramafic, and carbonate rocks using TIR bands. The BRs, RBDs, and MIs mapped the geological units but every single greyscale image showed a variety of features. To compile these features False Color Composite (FCC) was prepared by the combination of RBDs and MIs in the R:G:B channels which demarked various geological units to a larger extent present in the region. To overcome the limitation, the FPCS technique was applied with the integration of all BRs, RBDs, and MIs. The FPCS technique extracts valuable information from different input bands and shifts the information in the first few bands. The generated eigenvalues and eigenvectors represented the retrieved information in the specific band. The loadings of the eigenvector were used for the selection of the different brands to create the FCC for the delineation of geological strata. The best discrimination was made by the selection of FPCS1, FPCS3, and FPCS6 which differentiated all the geological units like ultramafics, dolomites, thin bands of talc, and muscovite and illite (as phyllite and mica-schist), silica-rich rocks (as quartzite), and granite outcrops

The labour market and poverty impacts of COVID-19 in South Africa

We estimate COVID-19-related employment and poverty impacts in South Africa. We observe a 40% decline in active employment between February and April 2020, half of which was composed of job terminations rather than furloughs. Initially, vulnerable groups were disproportionately affected by the labour market shock. Exploiting the dataset\u27s panel dimension and comparing lockdown incomes of job losers to reweighted job retainers, we estimate that approximately 15%–35% of job losers fell into poverty in April. We find evidence of a limited recovery in the labour market and a decrease in poverty by June, in part attributable to expanded emergency social assistance

Bioadhesive Buccal Tablets of Aminophylline by Direct Compression Method

Buccal administration of drugs which exhibit a low oral bioavailability is a useful method to achieve higher bioavailability. The objective of present research work is to design and evaluate the prolong release bioadhesive buccal tablet of Aminophylline with goal to increase the bioavalability, reduce dosing frequency and improve patient compliance. Aminophylline is ethylenediamine salt of theophylline. Buccal tablets of aminophylline were prepared by direct compression using different  bioadhesive polymers such as HPMC K4M and Carbopol 934-P. The prepared tablets were subjected to post friability, Hardness thickness, weight variation, drug content and swelling index, bioadhesive strength, In-vitro drug release. Keywords: Aminophylline, HPMC, direct compression method, Swelling index, in-vitro drug release

Role of fiberoptic bronchoscopy in sputum smear negative suspected cases of pulmonary tuberculosis: a study conducted in Southern part of Rajasthan

Background: Sputum smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis is a common problem faced by clinicians. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy may be very useful in diagnosing these cases which have no sputum or whose sputum smear is negative for acid fast bacilli. Objective of the current study was to assess the role of fiberoptic bronchoscopy in sputum smear negative under NTEP and radiologically suspected cases of pulmonary tuberculosis.Methods: Clinico-radiological suspected cases of pulmonary tuberculosis patients in whom two sputum smear for acid fast bacilli by Ziehl Neelsen stain under NTEP was negative were included in the study. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy was performed in all these patients and samples taken were sent for investigations.Results: Fiberoptic bronchoscopy was performed in 250 patients of suspected pulmonary tuberculosis whose sputum for AFB smear was negative. Cough was the most predominant symptom. Radiologically, right side disease was more common and upper zone was most commonly involved and infiltrates were common radiological finding. During bronchoscopy, congestion and hyperaemia (36%) and mucopurulent/mucoid secretions (32%) was seen in maximum number of cases. BAL was positive in 200 patients (80%), post bronchoscopy sputum was positive in 70 cases (28%) and biopsy was positive in 12 patients out of 16 performed biopsies (75%). The total TB positive cases after combining all the methods were 215 making the overall diagnostic yield of 86%.Conclusions: Fiberoptic bronchoscopy and post bronchoscopy sputum can be very useful for diagnosing sputum for AFB smear negative but clinico-radiological suspected cases of pulmonary tuberculosis patients

A study of bronchial asthma in school going children in Southern part of Rajasthan

Background: Asthma is a chronic and common inflammatory disease involving mainly large airways of lungs. Childhood asthma is common chronic illness among school going children and is usually underdiagnosed and undertreated. The aim of the present study was to find out of the prevalence of Bronchial asthma in school going children of age group 6-12 years in southern part of Rajasthan (India), and its relation with gender, socio-economic status and heredity.Methods: A questionnaire-based study has been carried out in 1500 children of 6 to 12 years age group in four schools of Udaipur city (Rajasthan, India) with a response rate of 60.23% (904/1500).Results: The overall prevalence of asthma observed is 4.75% (43/904). The prevalence is higher among boys (5.55%) as compared to girls (3.75%). Further the prevalence is higher in upper (7.18%) and upper middle class (7.14%) children as compared to lower middle (4.84%) and upper lower class (2.01%) socioeconomic status. The children with positive family history of asthma also have higher prevalence (26.31%) of asthma.Conclusions: The prevalence of childhood asthma in Udaipur city is relatively lower and supports the already reported relation with gender, socioeconomic status and heredity.

Incentives for teachers: a theoretical framework and a structural model

This study provides structural analysis of teacher behaviour under the provision of individual and group monetary incentive schemes using data from a randomised control trial conducted in India (Muralidharan and Sundaraman, 2011). I develop a theoretical principal-agent model explicitly allowing for both intrinsic motivation and a crowding out effect of explicit performance pay on intrinsic incentives. Theoretically, I show that intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation through performance pay are substitutes under the optimal incentive scheme in the presence of motivation crowding out. Applying the theoretical framework for structural analysis, I identify the sets of teacher heterogeneity consistent with each effort choice in the treatment and control group schools. Using the barycenters of these sets, I calculate that increasing the effort of the average teacher who did not change his/her effort under the experimental incentive payment of Rs. 500, would require increasing the incentive bonus to Rs. 730 under the individual incentive scheme. The corresponding figure lies between Rs. 720 - Rs. 1020 depending on the reported group cooperation level under the group incentive scheme.</p

Incentives for teachers: a theoretical framework and a structural model

This study provides structural analysis of teacher behaviour under the provision of individual and group monetary incentive schemes using data from a randomised control trial conducted in India (Muralidharan and Sundaraman, 2011). I develop a theoretical principal-agent model explicitly allowing for both intrinsic motivation and a crowding out effect of explicit performance pay on intrinsic incentives. Theoretically, I show that intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation through performance pay are substitutes under the optimal incentive scheme in the presence of motivation crowding out. Applying the theoretical framework for structural analysis, I identify the sets of teacher heterogeneity consistent with each effort choice in the treatment and control group schools. Using the barycenters of these sets, I calculate that increasing the effort of the average teacher who did not change his/her effort under the experimental incentive payment of Rs. 500, would require increasing the incentive bonus to Rs. 730 under the individual incentive scheme. The corresponding figure lies between Rs. 720 - Rs. 1020 depending on the reported group cooperation level under the group incentive scheme.</p