774 research outputs found
How do variations in Urban Heat Islands in space and time influence household water use? The case of Phoenix, Arizona
No full textabstract: This paper explores how urbanization, through its role in the evolution of Urban Heat Island (UHI), affects residential water consumption. Using longitudinal data and drawing on a mesoscale atmospheric model, we examine how variations in surface temperature at the census tract level have affected water use in single family residences in Phoenix, Arizona. Results show that each Fahrenheit rise in nighttime temperature increases water consumption by 1.4%. This temperature effect is found to vary significantly with lot size and pool size. The study provides insights into the links between urban form and water use, through the dynamics of UHI.Corresponding Author:
Rimjhim M. Aggarwal
Arizona State University
[email protected]
Effect of Molecular Composition of Heparin and Cellulose Sulfate on Multilayer Formation and Cell Response
No full textHere, the layer-by-layer method was applied to assemble films from chitosan paired with either heparin or a semisynthetic cellulose sulfate (CS) that possessed a higher sulfation degree than heparin. Ion pairing was exploited during multilayer formation at pH 4, while hydrogen bonding is likely to occur at pH 9. Effects of polyanions and pH value during layer formation on multilayers properties were studied by surface plasmon resonance ("dry layer mass"), quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring ("wet layer mass"), water contact angle, and zeta potential measurements. Bioactivity of multilayers was studied regarding fibronectin adsorption and adhesion/proliferation of C2C12 myoblast cells. Layer growth and dry mass were higher for both polyanions at pH 4 when ion pairing occurred, while it decreased significantly with heparin at pH 9. By contrast, CS as polyanion resulted also in high layer growth and mass at pH 9, indicating a much stronger effect of hydrogen bonding between chitosan and CS. Water contact angle and zeta potential measurements indicated a more separated structure of multilayers from chitosan and heparin at pH 4, while CS led to a more fuzzy intermingled structure at both pH values. Cell behavior was highly dependent on pH during multilayer formation with heparin as polyanion and was closely related to fibronectin adsorption. By contrast, CS and chitosan did not show such dependency on pH value, where adhesion and growth of cells was high. Results of this study show that CS is an attractive candidate for multilayer formation that does not depend so strongly on pH during multilayer formation. In addition, such multilayer system also represents a good substrate for cell interactions despite the rather soft structure. As previous studies have shown specific interaction of CS with growth factors, multilayers from chitosan and CS may be of great interest for different biomedical applications
Study on multilayer structures prepared from heparin and semi-synthetic cellulose sulfates as polyanions and their influence on cellular response
No full textMultilayer coatings of polycationic chitosan paired with polyanionic semi-synthetic cellulose sulfates or heparin were prepared by the layer-by-layer method. Two different cellulose sulfates (CS) with high (CS2.6) and intermediate (CS1.6) sulfation degree were prepared by sulfation of cellulose. Multilayers were fabricated at pH 4 and the resulting films were characterized by several methods. The multilayer 'optical' mass, measured by surface plasmon resonance, showed little differences in the total mass adsorbed irrespective of which polyanion was used. In contrast, 'acoustic' mass, calculated from quartz crystal micro balance with dissipation monitoring, showed the lowest mass and dissipation values for CS2.6 (highest sulfation degree) multilayers indicating formation of stiffer layers compared to heparin and CS1.6 layers which led to higher mass and dissipation values. Water contact angle and zeta potential measurements indicated formation of more distinct layers with using heparin as polyanion, while use of CS1.6 and CS2.6 resulted into more fuzzy intermingled multilayers. CS1.6 multilayers significantly supported adhesion and growth of C2C12 cells where as only few cells attached and started to spread initially on CS2.6 layers but favoured long term cell growth. Contrastingly cells adhered and grew poorly on to the layers of heparin. This present study shows that cellulose sulfates are attractive candidates for multilayer formation as potential substratum for controlled cell adhesion. Since a peculiar interaction of cellulose sulfates with growth factors was found during previous studies, immobilization of cellulose sulfate in multilayer systems might be of great interest for tissue engineering applications
Modulating cell behaviour through biomimetic multilayers of natural and semi-synthetic glycosaminoglycans
No full textDie Dissertation soll den Einfluss der Zusammensetzung von Polyanionen und pH Wert Änderungen während der Bildung von Polyelektrolytmultischichten (PEM) auf das Zellverhalten untersuchen. PEM aus Heparin und halbsynthetischen Zellulosesulfaten (CS) mit unterschiedlichen Sulfatierungsgraden als Polyanionen und Chitosan als Polykation wurden mittels Layer-by-Layer-Methode bei verschiedenen pH Werten hergestellt. CS wurden verwendet, da diese bioaktive, mitogene und osteogene Eigenschaften besitzen. Zur Änderung der PEM Eigenschaften wurde der pH Wert der einzelnen Schichten variiert. PEM wurden durch unterschiedliche Methoden charakterisiert, welche zeigten, dass Schichtaufbau und Eigenschaften vom pH Wert und der Art der Polyanion abhängig sind. Zellstudien belegten die Fähigkeit der PEM, die Adhäsion und das Wachstum von C2C12 Zellen steuern zu können. Es konnte bestätigt werden, dass analog zu Heparin auch CS attraktive Alternativen für die Ausbildung von bioaktiven PEM darstellen, welche von großem Interesse für verschiedene biomedizinische Anwendungen sind.This thesis is aimed to investigate the effect of molecular composition of polyanions and pH variation during polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEM) formation to control cellular behaviour on multilayer coated substrates. PEM of heparin and semi-synthetic cellulose sulfates (CS) with varying sulfation degree as polyanions and chitosan as polycation were prepared using layer-by-layer method at different pH values. CS were applied as they are highly bioactive with mitogenic and osteogenic activity. pH variation was used to control the properties of layers. PEM were characterized by several physico-chemical methods which showed that multilayer growth and surface features were dependent on pH value and type of polyanion. Cell studies proved the ability of these layers to modulate adhesion and growth of C2C12 cells. It was shown that along with heparin, CS are also attractive candidates for PEM formation with high bioactivity that could be of great interest for different biomedical applications.von Neha Aggarwa
Caste, religion and power: an Indian case study
No full textReviews the book "Caste, Religion and Power: An Indian Case Study," by Pratap C. Aggarwal.; Reviews the book "Caste, Religion and Power: An Indian Case Study," by Pratap C. Aggarwal
Data mining : the textbook / Charu C. Aggarwal.
No full textcomputer bookfair2016Includes bibliographical references and index.xxix, 734 pages
Decoding "Public authority" under the RTI act: a comment on Subhash Chandra Aggarwal v. Indian national congress
No full textThe June, 2013 order of the Central Information Commission ("CIC") in Subhash Chandra Aggarwal v. Indian National Congress which brought political parties within the scope of the Right to Information ("RTI") Act, has highlighted some issues regarding the drafting and interpretation of the RTI Act. The CIC held that the six national political parties which were respondents
in the case, have the ingredients that qualify them as "public authorities" within the meaning of section 2(h) of the RTI Act. In this comment the author argues that the reasoning for holding what constitutes substantial financing that makes a body a "public authority" is not clear and the interpretation of the definition of "public authority" is inconsisten
Impact of tariff reduction on exports: A quantitative assessment of Indian exports to US
No full textThis paper quantitatively assesses likely changes in market access opportunities for Indian exports owing to tariff reductions by the USA. The study identifies particular products for India at the ISIC 4-digit level of disaggregation, which could be considered tariff sensitive. Regression analysis of the relationship between MFN tariff rates and India's exports to the US was used to assess in quantitative terms the likely impact of tariff reduction that may be agreed in the Doha Round. This analysis suggests that tariff cuts are not expected to benefit India's exports to the US in a major way. With the full implementation of the Chairman's formula for tariff cuts, increase in India's exports to the US would amount to 1.2 or 0.6 depending on the value of the B coefficient in theChairman's formula. These findings are in all likelihood substantially due to the tariff diversion effect of NAFTA preferences in favour of suppliers in Mexico, which is a competing country in many traditional items. It is expected that reduction of MFN tariff would alleviate the trade diversion effect of the NAFTA.The study has also attempted to decompose changes in India's total exports due to tariff reductions in the US into the competitive and market effects. The analysis suggests that the increase in India's exports would be mainly due to the competitive effect. This leads the author to conclude that it is crucial for India to improve its competitiveness vis-a-vis its competitors in different markets.
Keeping PACE with the Pandemic: Experiences from and Impacts of COVID-19 on Care Provision Among North Carolina’s Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, a Qualitative Study
No full textBackground: The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has deeply affected long-term care (LTC) for older adults, particularly in Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Older adults are more susceptible to serious illness and/or death from COVID-19, so studying care for this population is important. The pandemic arose in the midst of a larger LTC crisis in the United States centered on an aging population, unsustainability of current financing methods, and provider and staff shortages, among other challenges. COVID-19 is an opportunity to reform LTC, and this study may help shape the future of LTC by examining the resilience of the PACE model against the health system pressures of COVID-19.
Objective: This study investigates the immediate and long-term effects of COVID-19 on care provision in North Carolina’s PACE (NC PACE) programs. Since PACE is organized by state, the research team chose to investigate sites in North Carolina.
Methods: NC PACE administrators were recruited and interviewed through online audio conferencing with a structured interview designed by the research team. The totality of NC PACE (N=12) was represented in the study. The interviews were transcribed, coded, and qualitatively analyzed using thematic analysis.
Results: Five themes emerged from thematic analysis, each with 2-3 subthemes: insufficient access to and integration with LTC providers and medical and mental healthcare specialists, reevaluation of the core PACE model with the transition to home-based care, that the provision of high-touch care promoted participants’ psychosocial wellbeing, reorientation to pivot toward family-oriented care delivery, and that a culture of caring enabled a successful COVID-19 response.
Conclusion: PACE was overall successful in mounting a COVID-19 response that upheld safety of its participants, promoted the physical and mental wellbeing of its participants, and responded to the needs of informal/family caregivers. Administrators project that PACE’s service model has permanently changed after the pandemic toward increased home-based care. Results from this study also have implications for the provision of mental health care in the PACE service population and for the federal government’s financial relationship with PACE. PACE’s success during a period in which it was difficult to uphold care quality presents a learning opportunity for LTC in the future.Bachelor of Science in Public Healt
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