An investigation into the impact of reservoir management Kerala floods 2018: A case study of the Kakki reservoir

The coastal state of Kerala, India experienced unprecedented levels of rainfall and flooding in August 2018, resulting in huge life and property loss. Since then the impact reservoir management may have had on the severity of the 2018 Kerala floods has been in question. This study presents a novel approach to developing a reservoir model using HECHMS and HEC-ResSim models, combined with satellite remote sensing data. In order to establish a link between flood severity and reservoir management, a model of the Kakki reservoir in southern Kerala was created. Simulations were carried out for six long term, two short term, and two immediate run cases. It was found that all cases except the immediate simulation run resulted in a reduced peak flow. The long simulation run, which altered the guide curve after the heavy rainfall occurring on 14th August 2018, while constraining the outflow, was found to produce the greatest reduction in peak outflow. The significant peak outflow reduction achieved suggests that improved reservoir management could have reduced the severity of the 2018 floods

Best Practices for managing the fuzzy front-end of software development (SD): Insights from a systematic review of new product development (NPD) literature

Although they have followed independent paths of development, the two fields of software development (SD) and new product development (NPD) face common problems (Buyukozkan and Feyzioglu, 2004; Shane and Ulrich, 2004) and share many similarities (Nambisan and Wilemon, 2000). The research findings in the NPD domain are therefore relevant to SD (Nambisan and Wilemon, 2000). In this article we conduct a systematic literature review to identify the empirically validated best practices in the fuzzy front end (FFE) phase of NPD. The findings presented in this article will be useful as any improvement in the upstream front end phase of SD can result in the most positive impact on downstream SD activities (Hannola, Oinonen and Nikula, 2011)

Bone marrow transplantation alters the tremor phenotype in the murine model of globoid-cell leukodystrophy

Tremor is a prominent phenotype of the twitcher mouse, an authentic genetic model of Globoid-Cell Leukodystrophy (GLD, Krabbe’s disease). In the current study, the tremor was quantified using a force-plate actometer designed to accommodate low-weight mice. The actometer records the force oscillations caused by a mouse’s movements, and the rhythmic structure of the force variations can be revealed. Results showed that twitcher mice had significantly increased power across a broad band of higher frequencies compared to wildtype mice. Bone marrow transplantation (BMT), the only available therapy for GLD, worsened the tremor in the twitcher mice and induced a measureable alteration of movement phenotype in the wildtype mice. These data highlight the damaging effects of conditioning radiation and BMT in the neonatal period. The behavioral methodology used herein provides a quantitative approach for assessing the efficacy of potential therapeutic interventions for Krabbe’s disease

Asymptomatic cardiac manifestations in CKD

Background: Chronic kidney disease is recognised as health concern globally with more than 40 percent of morbididty and mortality. CKD is one of the independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and its unfavourable health outcomes. The risk factors like smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes which are highly prevalent in CKD. The therapeutic interventions in CKD patients to reduce CVD events does not hold a desired effect and has bad prognosis in end stage renal disease. The initial evidence indicating a relationship between CKD and CVD is more apparent in patient with dialysis. The aim of the study was to evaluate the asymptomatic cardiac manifestations in 2-4 stages of CKD through non-invasive methods like ECG and Echocardiography.Methods: It is a cross sectional study investigated on 250 CKD patients receiving care in JSS hospital, Mysore. For the primary objective, correlational analysis were performed to evaluate the association of renalfunctional parameters like serum creatinine, urine albumin, eGFR with cardiac parameters through ECG and Echocardiographic changes.Results: ECG revealed LVH with pressure overload pattern in 36%. 25% patients had ST-T changes. Echocardiography revealed LVH and diastolic dysfunction as abnormalities. LVH has significant p value.Conclusions: CVD is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients of CKD who succumb to Cardio vascular deaths before reaching the end stage renal disease. Thus, focus of patient care in early CKD stages should be directed to prevention of cardiovascular complications through early ECG and Echocardiography