Hydrologic Response to Land Use Change and Climate Variability in an Ungauged Basin, North-Western Himalaya, India

Hydrological models are overwhelmingly used for gauged basins to simulate variations in water balance components from environmental changes. In the present study, we used Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to investigate the impacts of land use land cover (LULC) change and climate variability on hydrological regime of an ungauged river basin (Sirsa river) in north-western Himalaya, India for the period 1983–2008.  The model was calibrated and validated (2004–2008) using MODIS actual evapotranspiration data (MOD16A2) with high monthly concordance (R2=0.81). The results showed that remotely sensed evapotranspiration data could be used as a proxy of gauge discharge data to calibrate the physically-based model. The substantial increase in built-up area (6.5%) and cropland (9.8%) over forest cover and barren land caused a corresponding increase in average annual surface runoff (12%) and a decrease in lateral flow (6.7%) from base level LULC of 1989 to 2009. The climate variability alone was found significant to reduce average annual streamflow (26.5%) in monsoon season (wet), baseflow (6.5%) and lateral flow (4.6%) in the dry period.  As the water resources of the study area are expected to be adversely effected in the near future, this study will effectively benefit stakeholders and administrators for the management of water resources

An End To End V.M.T Framework With Controlled V.M.T Tax Rate Using Optimal Feedback Control Technique

Vehicle Mile Travel (VMT) is a study related to available alternatives for the road revenue collection system. As per the demand, the existing Gas/Fuel tax based revenue collection system is not found an appropriate option in the longer run. Due to existing system constraints like: no eective tax process for vehicles based on alternative fuel (e.g. electric vehicles), no eective changes in tax due to economical ination, and more highway expenditure than generated revenue, an alternative revenue collection mechanism is required. Hence, the objective is to study an alternative option in detail, which can address the gaps between required revenue and generated revenue in existing collection system. In Nevada, Phase1 of the study was completed in 2010, which included: 1) Design of a GPS based mileage fee system, 2) To conduct comprehensive public outreach, identify concerns, educate the public about the shortfalls and limitations of the current fuel tax, 3) Assessment and evaluation of potential privacy impacts, 4) Analyses of institutional, policy, legislative, and legal aspects, and 5) Developing economic models to assess and recommend equitable VMT fee. As part of this work, the main objective is to study the Vehicle Mile Traveled (VMT) tax based revenue collection system solution over existing gas tax based revenue collection system. Objective also consists of small-scale eld test that needs to be conducted with 25 participants to assess the feasibility of the VMT system. Other components of thesis include: identifying the technical details in order to have complete VMT infrastructure, data analysis, qualitative analysis of reviews collected during phase 1 and phase 2 in order to compare the privacy concern in both the phases, analyzing the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) database to assess the approximate VMT tax rate. An optimal control model has also been developed to control rate per mile to optimize the generated revenue based on VMT tax

Estimation of the Tax Rates Based on Vehicle Miles Traveled Using Stochastic Models

In this thesis, we shall study the alternative revenue collection system which is based on the vehicle miles traveled (VMT). In various studies, it has been found that the existing revenue collection system based on gas/fuel tax is not an appropriate option in the longer run. The main reasons include no effective tax process for vehicles based on alternative fuel vehicle, no effective changes in tax due to economical inflation, and more highway expenditure than generated revenue. Our main objective is to estimate the VMT tax rates that should be charged in order to generate same amount of revenue generated by gas tax. It is apparent that the amount of gas consumed is dependent on the behavior of gas prices which fluctuate daily. Also, VMT is dependent upon the amount of gas consumed and thus it is also dependent on the gas prices. Different mathematical models based on stochastic deferential equations shall be developed for gas prices, the amount of gas consumed, and VMT. Parameters for all the proposed models shall be estimated by using maximum likelihood principle technique and the historical data. As result of our simulation, we have found that VMT tax rate should be approximately 2.5 cents per mile in order to generate same amount of revenue as generated by current system. This VMT tax rate is close enough to the estimated value of 2 cents per mile by Nevada Department of Transportatio

SUBLINGUAL DRUG DELIVERY: AN INDICATION OF POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE ROUTE

Sublingual literally meaning is under the tongueâ€, refers to a method of administrating substance via mouth in such a way that the substance is rapidly absorbed via blood vessels under tongue. Sublingual route is a useful when rapid onset of action is desired with better patient compliance than orally ingested tablets. Drugs that are given sublingually reach directly in to the systemic circulation through the ventral surface of the tongue and floor of the mouth. The portion of drug absorbed through the sublingual blood vessels bypasses the hepatic firstâ€pass metabolic processes giving acceptable bioavailability. As nowadays most of the people need effective relief within a short period of time so sublingual is the most suitable form of administration. New sublingual technologies address many pharmaceutical and patient needs, ranging from enhanced lifeâ€cycle management to convenient dosing for paediatric, geriatric, and psychiatric patients with dysphagia

FAST DISSOLVING TABLET USING SOLID DISPERSION TECHNIQUE: A REVIEW

Fast dissolving tablets are also called as mouth-dissolving tablets, melt-in mouth tablets, orodispersible tablets, quick dissolving etc. Fast dissolving tablets are those when put on tongue disintegrate instantaneously releasing the drug, which dissolve or disperses in the saliva. The faster the drug dissolved into solution, quicker the absorption and onset of clinical effect. Oral routes of drug administration have wide acceptance up to 50-60% of total dosage forms. Fast dissolving tablet containing solid dispersion was developed to improve the dissolution of drug and stability of solid dispersion. They are disintegrating and/or dissolve rapidly in the saliva without the need for water. Thus it is regarded as the safest, most convenient and most economical method of drug delivery having the highest patient compliance. The later part of the article focus on the progress in methods of manufacturing, evaluation and various latest technologies involved in the development of Fast dissolving tablets. Solid dispersion is basically a drug–polymer two-component system; the drug–polymer interaction is the determining factor in its design and performance. It also discusses about modern characterization technique to characterize solid dispersion. In this review, it is intended to discuss the recent advances related on the area of solid dispersion technology. Different methods are also been used for preparation of solid dispersions such as Melting method, Solvent method, Melting solvent method, Melt extrusion method, lyophilisation Technique, Melt Agglomeration Process, The Use Of Surfactant, Electro spinning and Super Critical Fluid Technology. The introduction of fast dissolving dosage forms has solved some of the problems encountered in administration of drugs to the pediatric and elderly patient, which constitutes a large proportion of the world's population. Solid dispersions have attracted considerable interest as an efficient means of improving the dissolution rate and hence the bio availability of a range of poorly water-soluble drugs. The focus of one part of the review article is based on solid dispersion mainly advantages, disadvantages, types, the method of preparation, and characterization of the solid dispersion at laboratory and industrial level

Association between maxillary and mandibular apical base lengths and severity of dental crowding or spacing in Class II malocclusion subjects : an in-vitro study

Anterior crowding/ spacing are one of the major problems that inspire patients to undergo orthodontic treatment. Several factors associated with anterior crowding/ spacing includes arch width and length, mesio-distal tooth diameter and proportions. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship of maxillary and mandibular base lengths to the amount of anterior dental crowding/ spacing in patients with complete class II malocclusions. A retrospective study was done with 152 patients who were divided into four groups according to the severity of pre-treatment dental crowding/spacing present in the mandibular arch. Measurements were performed on the pre-treatment dental casts and lateral cephalograms. Statistical analysis was done using t-test and chi-square test. Subjects with complete class II malocclusion and moderate to severe mandibular crowding [?3mm] have significantly smaller base lengths as compared to the subjects with slight crowding or spacing [<3mm]. There exists an inverse correlation between maxillary and mandibular base lengths and the severity of dental crowding and direct correlation with spacing

Cold atoms in space: community workshop summary and proposed road-map

We summarise the discussions at a virtual Community Workshop on Cold Atoms in Space concerning the status of cold atom technologies, the prospective scientific and societal opportunities offered by their deployment in space, and the developments needed before cold atoms could be operated in space. The cold atom technologies discussed include atomic clocks, quantum gravimeters and accelerometers, and atom interferometers. Prospective applications include metrology, geodesy and measurement of terrestrial mass change due to, e.g., climate change, and fundamental science experiments such as tests of the equivalence principle, searches for dark matter, measurements of gravitational waves and tests of quantum mechanics. We review the current status of cold atom technologies and outline the requirements for their space qualification, including the development paths and the corresponding technical milestones, and identifying possible pathfinder missions to pave the way for missions to exploit the full potential of cold atoms in space. Finally, we present a first draft of a possible road-map for achieving these goals, that we propose for discussion by the interested cold atom, Earth Observation, fundamental physics and other prospective scientific user communities, together with the European Space Agency (ESA) and national space and research funding agencies.publishedVersio

Cold atoms in space: community workshop summary and proposed road-map

We summarise the discussions at a virtual Community Workshop on Cold Atoms in Space concerning the status of cold atom technologies, the prospective scientific and societal opportunities offered by their deployment in space, and the developments needed before cold atoms could be operated in space. The cold atom technologies discussed include atomic clocks, quantum gravimeters and accelerometers, and atom interferometers. Prospective applications include metrology, geodesy and measurement of terrestrial mass change due to, e.g., climate change, and fundamental science experiments such as tests of the equivalence principle, searches for dark matter, measurements of gravitational waves and tests of quantum mechanics. We review the current status of cold atom technologies and outline the requirements for their space qualification, including the development paths and the corresponding technical milestones, and identifying possible pathfinder missions to pave the way for missions to exploit the full potential of cold atoms in space. Finally, we present a first draft of a possible road-map for achieving these goals, that we propose for discussion by the interested cold atom, Earth Observation, fundamental physics and other prospective scientific user communities, together with the European Space Agency (ESA) and national space and research funding agencies