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Deteriorating ambient air quality is a substantial problem of concern for many urban agglomerations throughout the world. Particulate matter (PM) is a criteria pollutant that is of high interest in urban locations. The precise characteristics of PM in a given locale depend on the source origin, which in turn is a function of economic, social and technological factors. In order to effectively manage PM and thereby, the exposure risk to humans, it is very essential to identify the main sources and their contributions from source emissions. Receptor modelling plays a major role in identifying and apportioning sources of airborne PM across the world. Unmix model is a multivariate receptor model developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S.EPA) based on factor analysis, which estimates the number of sources using a singular value decomposition method to reduce the dimensionality of data. In this study, Unmix receptor model version 6.0 is used to identify and quantify the sources of PM at Chennai; a metropolis in southern India. A total of 29 elements (Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Pb, Rb, Se, Sr, Te, Tl, V and Zn) and ten ions (Na+, NH4 +, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, F–, Cl–, NO2 –, NO3 – and SO4 2–) were analysed to find the chemical characteristics of PM10 and PM2.5. Four sources were identified for both PM10 and PM2.5. Vehicular pollution (11%), crustal source (27%), marine aerosol (40%) and industrial source (22%) are the sources identified for PM10. Vehicular emissions (32%), secondary aerosol (13%), marine aerosol (33%) and industrial source (22%) are the sources identified for PM2.5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present investigation, the low rank coal samples from North Eastern Region (NER) of India are nodulized and then carbonized in a beehive-type coke oven for their gainful utilization. Different types of binders (e.g. carboxymethyl cellulose and molasses) and an additive (lime) are used to prepare the nodules for increasing their strength and to reduce the emission of sulfur containing gases, respectively. The physico-chemical properties and the gross calorific values of the coal samples and carbonized nodules are determined. Physical strength of the carbonized nodules are within the range of 376.81–448.84 N, which are found to be suitable for their transportation and handling purposes. The thermal analysis (Thermogravimetric analysis–Differential thermal analysis; TGA–DTA), Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopic analysis and Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM) analysis of the carbonized nodules are also performed, which indicate the lower reactivity of the carbonized nodules on combustion, transformation of functional groups and their structural changes during nodulization and carbonization processes. The carbonized nodules are suitable for using as a coke-breeze in cement manufacturing and other domestic purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an approach to qualitative and spatial assessment of slum population numbers in Hyderabad, India using circle-based population data from the Census of India and results of the analysis of high resolution QuickBird satellite image data (2003) derived from automatic line detection and lacunarity algorithm. This approach provides plausible and spatially explicit aggregate statistics of slum population numbers within the city. This work suggests that both over- and underreporting of slum population numbers does occur in Hyderabad, and provides an improved view on the slum distribution patterns within this urban agglomeration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Impregnated Agglomerate Pelletization (IAP) technique has been developed at Advanced Fuel Fabrication Facility (AFFF), BARC, Tarapur, for manufacturing (Th,233U)O2 mixed oxide fuel pellets, which are remotely fabricated in hot cell or shielded glove box facilities to reduce man-rem problem associated with 232U daughter radionuclides. This technique is being investigated to fabricate the fuel for Indian Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR). In the IAP process, ThO2 is converted to free flowing spheroids by powder extrusion route in an unshielded facility which are then coated with uranyl nitrate solution in a shielded facility. The dried coated agglomerate is finally compacted and then sintered in oxidizing/reducing atmosphere to obtain high density (Th,U)O2 pellets. In this study, fabrication of (Th,U)O2 mixed oxide pellets containing 3–5wt.% UO2 was carried out by IAP process. The pellets obtained were characterized using optical microscopy, XRD and alpha autoradiography. The results obtained were compared with the results for the pellets fabricated by other routes such as Coated Agglomerate Pelletization (CAP) and Powder Oxide Pelletization (POP) route. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The patterns of urban sprawl over a 20-year period presented in the study indicate unplanned development in the urban agglomerations of Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Dhanbad. The visual interpretation of Landsat (1986, 1991, 1996 and 2001) and IRS-P6 (2005) was used to map land use/land cover and analyse urban sprawl. The saturation of urban areas within municipal limits, along with pressure from the growing population, resulted in the densification of the core urban areas within Dhanbad and Jamshedpur. Comparatively, Ranchi exhibited a very high rate of built-up growth with a reducing population density, indicating a low density of built-up development. The development of built-up land at the expense of agricultural land in Ranchi Urban Agglomeration indicates poor land-transformation practices. An area of 103.6 km2 (165.66% growth) was transformed to built-up land in these cities during 1986–2005. Any future built-up development of these agglomerations should involve the use of the government city development plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large emerging economies, typically Brazil, India, China and South Africa (BICS), demonstrate a strong upward trend in many aspects of their macroeconomic performance in recent decades. This surge is attributed to 'size effects' whereby economies of scale and scope, and agglomeration impact, create productivity improvements. This paper concentrates on both conceptual and empirical studies about the most important contributions from real and financial sectors towards economic growth in large emerging economies. In particular, the transmission channels from finance to growth are discussed in this paper, to show how size effects can affect these transmission mechanisms from finance to development. The econometric estimations use a structural vector autoregressive (SVAR) model for four specific large emerging economies - BICS - and analyse dynamic shocks from real sectors and financial sectors, together with size-effect variables: education investment, government spending and military expenditures. We conclude that real shocks have much higher impact effects on output and growth compared to financial shocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Stone dust sample collected from a stone crushing industry situated at Muhammad Bazar in Birbhum, India, is studied for its physical characterization using various techniques. Morphology and compositional analysis of the stone dust by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveal that the dust is an agglomeration of many tiny particles (0.32–2.12μm), mostly having sharp edges, as well show microstructure heterogeneity. Elements present in the sample are detected by energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX). The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern analysis shows that the sample mainly contains minerals like anorthite, augite, esseneite and albite. An overall antiferromagnetic interaction in this sample has been indicated by the nature of the thermal dependence of magnetization. The remnant magnetization study apparently indicates two magnetic transitions at low temperatures. 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy has been employed to detect different possible iron sites as well as to estimate the respective site population. In general, Mössbauer spectroscopic results corroborate the observations made through XRD analysis in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 has posed a serious public health challenge world-wide. In absence of reliable information on severity of the disease, the nations are unable to decide on the appropriate response against this disease. Methods: Based on the results of laboratory investigations, attendance in outpatient department, hospital admissions and mortality from the cases of influenza like illness from 1 August to 31 October 2009 in Pune urban agglomeration, risk of hospitalization and case fatality ratio were assessed to determine the severity of pandemic H1N1 and seasonal influenza-A infections. Results: Prevalence of pandemic H1N1 as well as seasonal-A cases were high in Pune urban agglomeration during the study period. The cases positive for pandemic H1N1 virus had significantly higher risk of hospitalization than those positive for seasonal influenza-A viruses (OR: 1.7). Of 93 influenza related deaths, 57 and 8 deaths from Pune (urban) and 27 and 1 death from Pune (rural) were from pandemic H1N1 positive and seasonal-A positive cases respectively. The case fatality ratio 0.86% for pandemic H1N1 was significantly higher than that of seasonal-A (0.13%) and it was in category 3 of the pandemic severity index of CDC, USA. The data on the cumulative fatality of rural and urban Pune revealed that with time the epidemic is spreading to rural areas. Conclusions: The severity of the H1N1 influenza pandemic is less than that reported for 'Spanish flu 1918' but higher than other pandemics of the 20th century. Thus, pandemic influenza should be considered as serious health threat and unprecedented global response seems justified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper an experience, environmental assessment, a model for exit gas composition, agglomeration problem and a model for solid population balance of 10MW power plant at Jalkheri, Distt. Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab, India based on rice husk has been discussed. Three phase multistage mathematical model for exit gas composition of rice husk in fluidized bed has been derived. The model is based on three-phase theory of fluidization and material balance for shrinking rice husk particles and it is similar to model developed by Kunii and Levenspiel. The burning of rice husk is assumed to take place according to single film theory. The model has been used to predict the exit gas composition particularly O2, CO2 and N2. The agglomeration problem of above plant which is main reason for defluidization of bed has also been discussed. SEM of ash agglomerates has been done. Ash samples taken from the above 10MW power plant at Jalkheri has been quantitatively analyzed. Finally solid population model has been formed to calculate bed carbon load and carbon utilization efficiency. Above two models are experimentally correlated with the data collected from the above 10MW power plant at Jalkheri, Distt. Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab, India which uses rice husk as a fuel input (at the time of study). All the results from the model for rice husk are coming with in permissible limits. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A defining characteristic of developing countries is the inadequacy of basic services normally required to support organized economic activity. One way in which the private sector acts to facilitate development is through investments orchestrated by agglomerations of firms called business groups. Such groups dominate the landscape of virtually all developing countries. Our study of plant location decisions in India shows that group-affiliates are more likely to (profitably) locate in less-developed states than unaffiliated firms; the magnitude of this “group effect” is large and significant. Furthermore, this result is stronger for more recent location decisions that are less likely to have been driven by political economy considerations. We suggest that this is because the scale and scope of groups, and the de facto property rights enforcement within groups in environments where legal enforcement is lacking, permit them to overcome some of the difficulties that impair production in underdeveloped regions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Presents the patterns of rural settlement in the Uttar Pradesh, India. Types and distributions of rural settlements; Factors contributed to the agglomeration of rural settlements; Fragmentation of settlements.