Effect of Hedging on Over-Year Reservoir Performance

Based on a detailed Monte-Carlo simulation, the effects of hedging parameters namely, starting water availability (SWA), ending water availability (EWA) and hedging factor (HF) on reservoir storage performance indicators have been investigated within the storage-yield plane of over-year reservoirs. Also, trade-off relationships between the various storage performance indicators are developed and selection of reasonable compromising hedging policies based on performance criteria is attempted for over-year reservoirs. Regions within the storage-yield plane of over-year reservoirs where hedging would be effective are identified. This would help the reservoir managers in mitigating the severity during long stretched critical drought periods.     

Domestic energy consumption in India (Pondicherry region)

Surveys have been conducted in 200 households in and around Pondicherry, in 45 households of each of two rural and two semi-urban areas, and in 20 households in an urban area. The families surveyed cover the Economically Weaker Section, the Low Income Group, the Middle Income Group, and the High Income Group; there were 60 families in each of the first three categories in rural and semi-urban areas and 20 of the fourth category in the urban area. The objective of this empirical study was to determine the daily household energy consumption for cooking, lighting, heating water, and for household electrical appliances.

The average energy content of the commercial and non-commercial fuels used for cooking, heating water and lighting has been determined on a per capita daily basis. The seasonal and hourly variations have also been determined for cooking and lighting loads. The baseline data, which give the caloric values and costs for various kinds of fuels are presented in the Appendix. This survey contains previously unavailable data on village level domestic energy needs, their magnitudes and diurnal profiles.     

Controlled drug release of 5-amino salicylic acid by poly(2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate) grafted agar

The utilization of poly (2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate) grafted agar (Ag-g-P(HEMA)) as a matrix for the controlled release of 5-aminosalicylic acid was investigated. Grafted copolymers of 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) monomers on agar were synthesized by microwave assisted method. In vitro drug release studies were performed at pH values of 2 and 7 in order to investigate the possibility of pH triggered release for colon targeted drug delivery. Further, the percent grafting vs. t₅₀ (the time taken for release of 50% of the enclosed drug) value was studied and the results indicate that it may be possible to develop a programmable drug release matrix based on grafted polysaccharide. Ag-g-P(HEMA) appears to be a useful matrix for controlled release.     

Controlled release of 5-aminosalicylic acid from a new pH responsive polymer derived from tamarind seed polysaccharide,acrylic acid,and polyamidoamine

A new pH-responsive polymer (TKP–AA–PAA) was synthesized from the combination of tamarind kernel powder (TKP), acrylic acid (AA), and polyamidoamine (PAA) which was utilized for controlled release of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) in buffer medium. The network structure of TKP–AA–PAA was obtained by irradiating the mixture of TKP, AA, and PAA in different proportion in presence of 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenyl acetophenone as a photoinitiator. The dynamic and equilibrium swelling properties of the polymeric materials were studied as a function of pH and time in different buffer solutions similar to that of gastric and intestinal fluids. The controlled release kinetics of 5-ASA in simulated body fluid showed a Fickian diffusion behavior.     

Adenosine deaminase activity in protein-energy malnutrition

Cell-mediated immunity (CMI) was evaluated in 69 children with protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) and 20 healthy controls. Significantly decreased responses to purified protein derivative (PPD) (p < 0.02) and absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) (p < 0.01) and increased serum adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity (p < 0.001) were observed in PEM cases compared with the controls. The mean values of ALC and ADA activity in PEM patients were 85.9% and 158.7% of the normal mean, respectively. A significant negative correlation was observed between the two parameters (r=- 0.2765, p < 0.01). The CMI tests were abnormal in all three grades of PEM, except for the response to PPD in grade I, when compared with the controls. No significant differences were found between infected and uninfected PEM cases. Thus, impaired CMI was observed not only in grades II and III but also in grade I PEM patients and the concomitant infection did not affect its status. However, ADA activity demonstrated a more pronounced change than the other tests.     

Determination of optimal quick switching system with varying sample size for assuring mean life under Weibull distribution

Conventional sampling plans are applied to dispose an individual lot or isolated lot that requires a large sample size. Consequently, the inspection time and cost needed to make a decision under conventional plans are high. In order to reduce the sample size and to inspect the series of lots with minimum cost and time, special purpose plans are utilized. In this article, we propose one of the special purpose plans, namely, a quick switching sampling system that is also known as a two-plan sampling system. Through this sampling system, the Weibull-distributed mean life of the product is ensured based on time-truncated life tests. The proposed system is designed with the intention of minimizing the average sample number using two points on the operating characteristic curve approach. The optimal parameters of the proposed system are determined for different combinations of producer’s risk and consumer’s risk. Implementation of the proposed system is also explained and the performance of the proposed system is compared with other existing plans. In addition, the effects of misspecification of shape parameters on optimal parameters and the probability of acceptance are discussed.     

Modeling of Source Pocket Engineered PNPN Tunnel FET on High-K Buried Oxide (H-BOX) Substrate for Improved ON Current

Silicon - In this paper, an analytical model has been developed for a single gate tunnel FET, introduced with a highly doped pocket in the vicinity of the source-channel junction and the bottom...