THE EQUITY CONSEQUENCES OF PUBLIC IRRIGATION INVESTMENTS: THE CASE OF SURFACE IRRIGATION SUBSIDIES IN INDIA

This paper is organized as follows. Section 1 reviews the structure of surface irrigation charges and the trends in irrigation expenditures and revenues in India. Section 2 discusses the measurement of irrigation subsidies and the data. Section 3 examines the incidence of surface irrigation subsidies and section 4 summarizes the magnitude of these sudsidies. Section 5 elaborates the policy implications of the findings of the study.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Resolution of a Reflector Shroud Fatigue Failure

Two cracks were observed on a reflector shroud for a space program after previously being subjected to the protoflight test campaign and several regression tests. After extensive analysis and investigations, the failure mechanism was identified to be fatigue as a result of the numerous vibration tests imposed on the unit. Two feasible corrective actions were proposed: first, a notched vibration profile which possesses sufficient margin from the anticipated acoustic and launch loads, while maintaining adequate fatigue life through launch and on-orbit operations, and second, a re-design of the shroud to strengthen the fatigue-susceptible areas. In this paper, we present the inspections, testing, and analysis performed to establish that the cracks were a result of fatigue failure. We discuss the conservative fatigue analysis methodology used in the development of both corrective action options. Finally, we review the lessons learned and the actions incorporated into the rework, subsequent regression testing, and the test plans to minimize the risk of recurrence in future units

IMPACT OF ELECTRIC POWER SECTOR REFORMS ON FARM INCOMES IN INDIA

The supply of electricity to the agricultural sector (largely for pumping groundwater) is heavily subsidized in India. Using data from a household survey in the state of Haryana, a profit function estimated to analyze the impact of increase in tariffs accompanied by improvement in conditions of supply on farm incomes.Agricultural Finance, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Two new species of Diplococcium from the tropics

Two new species of Diplococcium are described and illustrated. Diplococcium aquaticum sp. nov., from submerged wood in Australia, is distinct in the genus in having slender conidiophores and pyriform, uniseptate, bicolored conidia. Diplococcium dendrocalami sp. nov., from senescent culms of Dendrocalamus sp. in the Philippines, differs from other species in the genus in having robust, unbranched, attenuated conidiophores and oblong to ellipsoidal, thick-walled, 1-2-septate, large conidia.published_or_final_versio

Vibration Response of Ultralight Coilable Spacecraft Structures

Dynamic assessment of ultralight wrapped spacecraft structures subject to the launch vibration environment is difficult, and has been foregone in many space programs in favor of purely experimental test campaigns. We present a numerical methodology to better understand the wrapped state of a structure and the dynamic behavior during launch vibration, enabling higher confidence in its survivability and greater understanding of the dynamic behavior at different scales, which vibration test approaches alone cannot achieve

New records and species of Canalisporium (Hyphomycetes), with a revision of the genus

Three new species of Canalisporium, namely Canalisporium exiguum Goh & K.D. Hyde, Canalisporium kenyense Goh, W.H. Ho & K.D. Hyde, and Canalisporium pallidum Goh, W.H. Ho & K.D. Hyde, are described and illustrated. New records of Canalisporium caribense, Canalisporium pulchrum, and Canalisporium elegans, are given. They are also illustrated from fresh material and briefly discussed. Comparisons of conidial morphology of all species from different localities are made and a key to the species of the genus is provided.published_or_final_versio

Predicting the composition of red wine blends using an array of Multicomponent peptide-based sensors

Differential sensing using synthetic receptors as mimics of the mammalian senses of taste and smell is a powerful approach for the analysis of complex mixtures. Herein, we report on the effectiveness of a cross-reactive, supramolecular, peptide-based sensing array in differentiating and predicting the composition of red wine blends. Fifteen blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, in addition to the mono varietals, were used in this investigation. Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) showed a clear differentiation of blends based on tannin concentration and composition where certain mono varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon seemed to contribute less to the overall characteristics of the blend. Partial Least Squares (PLS) Regression and cross validation were used to build a predictive model for the responses of the receptors to eleven binary blends and the three mono varietals. The optimized model was later used to predict the percentage of each mono varietal in an independent test set composted of four tri-blends with a 15% average error. A partial least square regression model using the mouth-feel and taste descriptive sensory attributes of the wine blends revealed a strong correlation of the receptors to perceived astringency, which is indicative of selective binding to polyphenols in wine

Biodiversity studies of fungi on monocotyledonous plants in the tropics

Abstractpublished_or_final_versionThe Joint Annual Meeting of the Mycological Society of America and the American Bryological and Lichenological Society, San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA, 11-16 June 1998, In Inoculum, 1998, v. 49 n. 2, p. 2

The Effects of News Framing on Hope and Optimism for the Future

This study investigates the way in which climate news framing impacts people’s hope and optimism for their future. Via an experimental design, participants read a news article that contained hopeless language (experimental condition) or neutral language (control condition) regarding climate change. They then completed a brief timed task capturing their conceptualizations of the future, where participants named events they were or were not looking forward to at various points in the future. Participants also completed some measures regarding their feelings of hopelessness and optimism. The results showed that news framing did not have a significant effect on participants feelings of hopelessness or optimism. However, the news framing had a marginal impact on the number of events that participants were not looking forward to 24 hours into the future. The results of this study contribute to the overall understanding of the role that the news plays in climate anxiety and climate hopelessness