Energy generation in the canal irrigation network in India : a case for integrated spatial planning

Thesis: M.C.P., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, 2018.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (pages 108-112).There is an extensive canal irrigation network in India, consisting of thousands of kilometers of constructed channels and distributaries that divert water from rivers to farms for irrigation purposes. These canals cut across district and state boundaries, crossing many energy-poor regions along their paths. In India, this large-scale canal network provide a unique opportunity for renewable energy generation that is yet to be realised, while simultaneously delivering a number of secondary benefits. Existing technologies for energy generation on canals include small hydropower (that uses canal falls) and, more recently, canal-top solar (mounted solar panels above the canal surface). The potential for hydrokinetic generation in irrigation canals, which uses the energy captured from flowing water, has not been rigorously investigated. Indeed, there are currently no canal-network level methods for energy planning that integrate generation and local energy needs of canal contiguous regions (i.e., canal corridors). This makes the potential for an integrated spatial assessment of renewable energy systems for irrigation canals an opportune research frontier. This thesis provides a framework for an integrated spatial assessment of the Supply (the renewable energy generation potential of the canal) and Demand (the unmet energy needs in the canal-corridor region) using the Upper Ganga Canal in Uttar Pradesh as a case study. For this analysis, I consider the theoretical (ideal maximum) and technological potential of hydropower and solar power on the Upper Ganga Canal. The energy planning framework presented in this thesis promotes more efficient resource allocation for energy-planning on irrigation canals. It facilitates the selection of electricity service (on-grid/off-grid) through a prioritization of canal reaches based on the spatial distribution of generation potential and canal-corridor village energy needs. While this thesis focuses on the specific case of the Upper Ganga Canal in Uttar Pradesh, the framework presented here is generalizable for canal corridors across South Asia.by Sabah Usmani.M.C.P

Development of a community severance index for urban areas in the United States: A case study in New York City

Background and aims: Traffic-related exposures, such as air pollution and noise, have a detrimental impact on human health, especially in urban areas. However, there remains a critical research and knowledge gap in understanding the impact of community severance, a measure of the physical separation imposed by road infrastructure and motorized road traffic, limiting access to goods, services, or social connections, breaking down the social fabric and potentially also adversely impacting health. We aimed to robustly quantify a community severance metric in urban settings exemplified by its characterization in New York City (NYC). Methods: We used geospatial location data and dimensionality reduction techniques to capture NYC community severance variation. We employed principal component pursuit, a pattern recognition algorithm, combined with factor analysis as a novel method to estimate the Community Severance Index. We used public data for the year 2019 at census block group (CBG) level on road infrastructure, road traffic activity, and pedestrian infrastructure. As a demonstrative application of the Community Severance Index, we investigated the association between community severance and traffic collisions, as a proxy for road safety, in 2019 in NYC at CBG level. Results: Our data revealed one multidimensional factor related to community severance explaining 74% of the data variation. In adjusted analyses, traffic collisions in general, and specifically those involving pedestrians or cyclists, were nonlinearly associated with an increasing level of Community Severance Index in NYC. Conclusion: We developed a high spatial-resolution Community Severance Index for NYC using data available nationwide, making it feasible for replication in other cities across the United States. Our findings suggest that increases in the Community Severance Index across CBG may be linked to increases in traffic collisions in NYC. The Community Severance Index, which provides a novel traffic-related exposure, may be used to inform equitable urban policies that mitigate health risks and enhance well-being

Oxytocin is an anabolic bone hormone

We report that oxytocin (OT), a primitive neurohypophyseal hormone, hitherto thought solely to modulate lactation and social bonding, is a direct regulator of bone mass. Deletion of OT or the OT receptor (Oxtr) in male or female mice causes osteoporosis resulting from reduced bone formation. Consistent with low bone formation, OT stimulates the differentiation of osteoblasts to a mineralizing phenotype by causing the up-regulation of BMP-2, which in turn controls Schnurri-2 and 3, Osterix, and ATF-4 expression. In contrast, OT has dual effects on the osteoclast. It stimulates osteoclast formation both directly, by activating NF-κB and MAP kinase signaling, and indirectly through the up-regulation of RANK-L. On the other hand, OT inhibits bone resorption by mature osteoclasts by triggering cytosolic Ca2+ release and NO synthesis. Together, the complementary genetic and pharmacologic approaches reveal OT as a novel anabolic regulator of bone mass, with potential implications for osteoporosis therapy