Impact of renewed solar dimming on streamflow generation in monsoon dominated tropical river basins

From 1950s to 1980s, various observational studies around the globe found a significant decrease in surface solar radiation (SSR), which reversed in late 1980s for most of the countries including India. SSR observations at 12 stations located across India revealed that a much stronger dimming has reappeared during the last decade (2006–2015) after a brightening during 1996–2005. In the present study, effects of renewed solar dimming on actual evapotranspiration and runoff were analyzed using a semi-distributed hydrological model, Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) in 24 river basins (ranging from 1260 to 40000 km²) located in peninsular India. For these river basins, calibration (2003–2009) and validation (2010–2014) were performed using the observed daily discharge data, obtained from water resources information system (WRIS) of India, with a 3 year warm up period (2000–2002). The sequential uncertainty domain parameter fitting algorithm (SUFI-2) of SWAT-CUP (calibration and uncertainty program) was used with modified Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (MNS) as the objective function to calibrate 13 model parameters, which can potentially affect streamflow. In nearly all the river basins, the p- and r-factor of 95 percentage prediction uncertainty (PPU) were more than 0.7 and less than 1, respectively. At daily timescale, MNS values were more than 0.5 in most of the river basins, reaching up to 0.66 and 0.71 during calibration and validation periods, respectively. Calibrated model was used to analyze the water balance of these river basins and different sets of experiments (with observed SSR trends) were performed to find SSR impacts on it. The model was simulated with and without the observed declines in SSR trends. The average change in SSR (in terms of evaporation equivalent) was −267.93 ± 100.92 mm/day/year (−5.62 ± 2.12%) with maximum reaching up to −417.12 mm/day/year (−8.99%). Due to this SSR change, actual evaporation was reduced resulting in 18.97 ± 9.78 mm/day/year (4.13 ± 2.50%) change in percolation. The percolation changes were higher for river basins having areas covered by forests and cropland/woodland, and having loam and sandy-clay soils. The increase in runoff generated was 6.90 ± 3.42 mm/day/year (2.14 ± 1.58%) with a maximum of 15.25 mm/day/year (7.56%) whereas corresponding increase in streamflow was found to be 9.93 ± 5.27 mm/day/year(4.21 ± 2.38%) with a maximum of 26.71 mm/day/year (11.86 %). The study reveals that the recent observed SSR changes are significant enough to have resulted in increased streamflow in the monsoon dominated tropical river basins of India.     

India's trade-related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights compliant pharmaceutical patent laws: what lessons for India and other developing countries?

India's trade-related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) compliant Patent (Amendment) Act 2005 saw the transformation of its laws from a process patent regime to a product patent regime. The amendments have had a direct impact on India's generic drugs manufacturing sector, which was developed through the process patent regime introduced under the 1970 Act. The knock-on effect will soon be felt both domestically and globally, as a number of developing countries have come to rely strongly on Indian generics. This article seeks to study the effectiveness of the Act of 2005, and if it can be seen as an instance of success of the TRIPS provisions in Articles 7 and 8 read along with the Doha Declaration. It will be queried if developing countries in the World Trade Organization can possibly benefit from the model set-up by India for the issuance of compulsory licenses, and to check the practice of ‘evergreening’ by pharmaceutical patent holders. Recent decisions from the Indian judiciary and the quasi-judicial authorities, along with the procedures and policies put in place will be used to carry out the study.     

Life forecasting of Getalsud Reservoir in India based on its sedimentation behaviour

The sedimentation behaviour of Getalsud Reservoir in the Jharkhand State of India was studied, and its useful life and performance forecasted. The quantity of sediment and its vertical distribution over different reservoir elevations have been estimated using standard methods. The study results indicate the provisions made for sediment deposit in the reservoir are sufficient, and the useful life of the reservoir will be longer than its design life of 100 years. The trap‐efficiency of the reservoir is not anticipated to vary much until the year 2250, after which it is expected to rapidly decrease. In the first 100 years of impoundment, the reservoir loses 60% of its dead storage, 13% of its live storage and 24% of its gross storage. At its present sedimentation rate, Getalsud Reservoir may become fully obsolete by the year 2500.     

Development and application of a multi-scalar,participant-driven water poverty index in post-tsunami India

This article presents a modified water poverty index that captures several waterscape attributes to better understand complex issues surrounding water. Household surveys (n = 300), water quality tests (n = 375) and qualitative methods were deployed to examine 14 post-tsunami settlements in Nagapattinam and Karaikal Districts (India) through the lens of water. Data were used to develop a contextualized, participant-driven water poverty index to measure water poverty at several scales. Statistical tests revealed significant differences between the two districts (p ≤ .0001) and between rural and urban areas within each district (p ≤ .0001). Three weight schemes (one dictated entirely by research participants) produced analogous outcomes though predicated on different indicator arrangements.     

An Illuminating Look at Fiber-Optic Transmission Systems

Fiber-optic technology can be applied to many corporate networks and is well suited for many specialized applications involving high-speed data transmission between terminals and a computer or between computers located in the same building. This article describes the components of fiberoptic transmission systems and examines the advantages and disadvantages of these systems.     

Qualitative approach to determine user experience of e-government services

E-government (E-Gov¹) services provide new opportunities to citizens by allowing them to use government services (paying electricity bill, e-filing, e-ticketing, get information about government policies & schemes etc.) anytime from anywhere irrespective of geographical location and releases citizens bound by government official hours. Experience plays an important role to change users' intention to adopt, that impacts their behavior and attitude too. The aim of this study was to investigate how citizens experience e-Gov services and how that experience influences their behavior. The study also investigates how users value e-Gov services. The study has used a qualitative approach involving 31 citizens of India, where e-Gov services are still at an early stage. The findings highlight the extent to which citizens are moving from traditional ways of using government services to using it electronically. The study also takes into account the effect of these technological innovations in government settings from a participant's perspective. The implications for researchers and practitioners are then discussed, with emphasis on government need to develop competent e-Gov services.     

Regulating in developing countries: Multiple roles for medical research and products regulation in Argentina and India

This paper engages with the complex relationship between innovation and human health and the role of regulation in bringing the two together, and, in doing so, facilitating inclusive innovation in emerging economies. After outlining the contested role of regulation, we provide two case studies: regenerative medicine regulation in Argentina, and medical devices regulation in India. While these empirically-based case studies examine different scientific sectors in different jurisdictions and therefore have different contextual foundations, they demonstrate the important link between regulatory policies and the successful promotion of innovation. Through them we challenge the oft-repeated complaint that regulation stifles innovation, demonstrating that both a lack of regulation (Argentina) and poorly conceived regulation (India) are equally damaging to innovation, to actor wellbeing, and, ultimately, to human health. We argue that devising new forms of regulation can facilitate increased innovation and thus improved technological (and economic) competitiveness (ie: social/regulatory innovation can lead to improved technological/scientific innovation).     

HPLC and GC‐MS analyses of organic acids,carbohydrates, amino acids and volatile aromatic compounds in some varieties of rice beer from northeast India

Rice beer samples of nine different varieties from four states of northeast India were studied for the content of organic acids, carbohydrates and amino acids by high‐performance liquid chromatography. The aromatic compounds were detected by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry method. The analysis evinced a wide variation in content of the major organic acids. Lactic acid was found in high concentration in all of the samples, while the other organic acids were present in variable amounts. Among the carbohydrates, glucose was predominant and some other monosaccharides were also detected. Most of the essential amino acids were found to be present and among them aspartic acid was the most abundant. All of the samples contained volatile or semi‐volatile aromatic compounds, with phenylethyl alcohol being the most abundant compound. The overall study revealed that this form of drink has important nutritional values for dietary requirements. Copyright © 2014 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling     

医药开发新动向及印度公司面临的挑战

许多医药公司在采用生物信息技术、计算机技术和组合化学方法开发新品种医药,但重要的是首先要找到主要化合物,研究的重点应更多地放在示构药物设计方面。近几年,印度公司在开发新医药品方面作了大量的工作,但也存在资金和人员不足的问题。在印度,每1分钟就有1人死于结核病,急需开发治疗结核病的新药。目前,基因技术的应用将引起新药物开发的进一步变革。