This study attempts to assess the influence of changing land-use patterns on the groundwater quality of the hard rock aquifer system in the Maheshwaram watershed, near Hyderabad, India. The study area is a rapidly urbanizing region with land development progressing at a fast pace. To study the impact of this rapid urbanization and overall land-use transition, a groundwater quality index (GQI) was prepared within a geographical information system (GIS). The GQI integrates the different water quality parameters to give a final index value that can be used for spatio-temporal comparisons. The land-use transitions were closely monitored from 2003 to 2008 using multispectral satellite images. The land-use pattern has changed drastically with an increase in the built-up area at the expense of other land uses. The analysis reveals a rapid deterioration of groundwater quality related mainly to the increase in built-up land with unsewered sanitation and poultry farms. Seasonal variability of the groundwater quality was also assessed. Mean GQI decreased from 84.16 to 83.26 over a period of 5 years from 2003 to 2008, while seasonal variability of water quality increased. GQI and Seasonal Variability of water quality were integrated in GIS to yield a groundwater sustainability map, in terms of water quality. Zones of sustainable and unsustainable groundwater use were demarcated for better decision making related to municipal land allotment in this rapidly urbanizing region.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of a motor-based, social skills intervention for two adolescents with high-functioning autism (HFA) using single-subject design. A description of the intervention is provided as a first step in the manualization process. The intervention was provided as a 7-week after-school program, once weekly to the paired participants. Intervention consisted of role-play methods in which motor behaviours were linked with their cognitive and emotional meanings. Baseline, intervention and 3-month probe data collection periods were carried out and then compared using visual inspection of graphed data, paired t-tests and a three-standard-deviation-band approach. Both participants displayed a statistically significant increase in targeted social skills behaviours from baseline to intervention and maintained this level at a 3-month post-intervention probe. These single-subject design cases illustrate that motor-based, social skills interventions may be effective for adolescents with HFA and warrant further testing.

In this study, groundwater quality of an alluvial aquifer in the western Ganges basin is assessed using a GIS-based groundwater quality index (GQI) concept that uses groundwater quality data from field survey and laboratory analysis. Groundwater samples were collected from 42 wells during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon periods of 2012 and analysed for pH, EC, TDS, Anions (Cl, SO 4 , NO 3 ), and Cations (Ca, Mg, Na). To generate the index, several parameters were selected based on WHO recommendations. The spatially variable grids of each parameter were modified by normalizing with the WHO standards and finally integrated into a GQI grid. The mean GQI values for both the season suggest good groundwater quality. However, spatial variations exist and are represented by GQI map of both seasons. This spatial variability was compared with the existing land-use, prepared using high-resolution satellite imagery available in Google earth. The GQI grids were compared to the land-use map using an innovative GIS-based method. Results indicate that the spatial variability of groundwater quality in the region is not fully controlled by the land-use pattern. This probably reflects the diffuse nature of land-use classes, especially settlements and plantations.

In this work, a compact, light-weight, low-cost, and easy install and incorporate mmwave printed square loop antenna with a perturbed ground plane is proposed. The antenna is fabricated on an ultra-thin 0.254 mm Rogers RT/Duroid 5880 substrate. The antenna resonates between 26 GHz and 40 GHz providing the broad bandwidth of 13 GHz (~47%). First, a single element consisting of three rectangular square loops and a transmission line with total dimensions of 9 mm x 11 mm (0.84 λ0 x 1 λ0) is designed. The loop elements are arranged on top of each other and with the further insertion of square slot in ground plane, wideband resonance response has been achieved. The antenna demonstrates gain of more than 3.3 dBi, and radiation and a total efficiency of 98% at 28 GHz. The proposed design enables spatial diversity and minimize the effects of interference between adjacent channels by providing dual-beam within desired frequency band. In addition, a linear array (18.5 x 22.5 mm 2 ) of four elements with a traditional feeding network is also designed, simulated, and measured. The gain of the array is 10.1 dBi, while the radiation and the total efficiency is more than 92 % at 28 GHz. A brief literature review and comparison of this work with other published works is also presented. To validate the proposed design and concept, a prototype is fabricated for both, a single element, and an array. It is found that the measured results and the computed results are in good agreement. Therefore, we believe that this system will find its applications within modern mmwave communication cellular devices.

Chemical geothermometry using silica was employed in the present study to estimate the sub-surface groundwater temperature and the corresponding depth of the groundwater in parts of Kali watershed in Bulandshahr and Aligarh district. 42 groundwater samples each were collected from borewells during pre-monsoon and postmonsoon season 2012 and analysed for all major ions and silica. Silica values in the area range from 18.72 to 50.64 mg/l in May 2012 and from 18.89 to 52.23 mg/l in November 2012. Chalcedony temperature [60°C was deduced for five different locations in each season, which corresponds to a depth of more than 1,000 metres. Spatial variation of silica shows high values along a considerable stretch of River Kali, during pre-monsoon season. Relationship of silica with Total Dissolved Solids and Chloride was established to infer the role of geogenic and anthropogenic processes in solute acquisition. It was found that both water-rock interaction and anthropogenic influences are responsible for the observed water chemistry.