Search

Passive transmission lines (PTLs) provide an energy-efficient means of transporting pulsed single flux quantum (SFQ) signals between logic gates and blocks on a chip, or even between chips through a multi-chip module carrier. Although functional up to 70 GHz, our previous designs manifested sharp, length-dependent resonances resulting in diminished operating margins. These are particularly inconvenient since the resonant length is about 1 mm at 40–50 GHz, where most SFQ circuits currently function. To avoid the need to keep the PTLs

The incidence of cases presenting with foreign bodies in the rectum is increasing. Most of the time, foreign bodies found in the rectum are a conventional object which is self-inserted for sexual activities or to hide it for some illegal trade. But it becomes challenging for the treating surgeons when they come across rare cases who present with an unusual foreign body in the rectum. The management of such unusual and large foreign bodies in the rectum is challenging due to the different nature of objects inserted, the time of insertion, pelvic anatomy, the amount of local contamination, and associated injuries. Apart from few anecdotal case reports, there is little evidence available in the current literature which deals with such unusual and large foreign bodies in the rectum. This study aims to acknowledge the surgeons about challenging situations posed by these unusually large foreign bodies in the rectum and helps them in dealing with it. Here, we are sharing the series of rare cases with unconventional and large foreign bodies in the rectum which have been managed successfully at our tertiary care institute. We find that even the larger rectal foreign body with blunt surfaces may be retrieved transanally without the need of laparotomy while a sharp and pointed foreign body will need surgical retrieval. Reluctance to seek medical help and multiple attempts of self-removal by the patients leads to the delay in the management. With proper evaluation and a diligent approach, laparotomy is rarely required.

In the present study, landslide susceptibility mapping in the Goriganga valley, Kumaun Himalaya has been carried out using bivariate and multivariate approaches. Bivariate analysis includes Yule’s Coefficient, Frequency Ratio, Information Value, and Weight of Evidence, whereas multivariate analysis used is Artificial Neural Network. The input data used for this purpose include an inventory of 421 active landslides and twelve possible causative factors of landslides like lithology, slope angle, slope aspect, elevation, curvature-plan, curvature-profile, distance to drainage, road & thrusts, land use and land cover. Rainfall pattern and the peak ground acceleration (PGA) of area were also considered for the analysis. Using both the bivariate and multivariate methods, it has been observed that ~20–25% of the study area lies in the high and very high landslide susceptible zones, whereas ~50–63% of the study area lies in the low and very low susceptible zone. The high and very high landlslide susceptible zones are mainly confined in the Lesser Himalaya and along the Goriganga River, whereas low and very low susceptible zones are mainly located in the Higher Himalaya, Tethys Himalaya, and the higher elevation of the Lesser Himalaya. Further all the four bivariate methods indicate success rate between 84 and 86%, and the prediction rate between 80 and 86%, and increase with the application of the ANN.

The coseismic landslide is one of the important hazard phenomena in the hilly and seismically active mountainous region. It is, therefore, essential to map the areas susceptible to coseismic landslides, especially for the seismically active region. In the present work, the probabilistic assessment of coseismic landslides has been carried out for Goriganga valley located in the Kumaun Himalaya, India, which lies in the highest seismically active zone of the seismic zoning map of India. Several studies suggest that this region is prone to a great future earthquake of Mw ≥8.0. In this context, mapping of the coseismic landslide has been made for the future scenario earthquakes of 7.0, 8.0, and 8.6 Mw using modified Newmark’s analysis. The modified Newmark’s analysis provides the permanent displacement of the potential landslide, by integrating (1) joint strength of rock mass, (2) critical acceleration of the slope, and (3) peak ground acceleration of the region. Newmark permanent displacement has been estimated, which provides the distribution of predicted slope failure in the area. It has been observed that 41% of the area exhibits ˃40 cm Newmark’s permanent displacement corresponding to Mw 8.6 earthquake and thus susceptible to failure, followed by 8.0 and 7.0 Mw earthquake with 36 and 14% of the area susceptible to the coseismic landslide, respectively. Further, the maximum permanent displacements for the simulated earthquakes of Mw 7.0, 8.0, and 8.6 are 76, 279, and 502 cm, respectively.

In the present study, landslide hazard, vulnerability and the risk assessment of the Himalayan township Mussoorie, located in the lower part of the Lesser Himalaya has been undertaken. The area famous for tourism constitutes > 7000 buildings with ~ 30,000 habitations. Four bivariate statistical approaches viz. Weight of evidence (WoE), Frequency ratio (FR), Yule Coefficient (YC), and Information Value (InV) were used for landslide hazard assessment, and all these approaches with 75%—80% success and predication rate are found to be acceptable for landslide hazard mapping. The analyses indicate that the Nagar Palika Parisad ward, Library ward, Happy valley ward and Bhadraj ward exhibit the maximum area falling under the high and very high landslide hazard zones, whereas Landaur ward, Jalkii ward and Indra Colony ward exhibit a greater part of the area in the low and very low hazard zones. On the basis of the six elements at risk present in the study area viz. settlement, crop land, water body, roads, barren and degraded land, and dense forest, the ~ 40% of the area is very high and high vulnerable, ~ 11% moderate, and ~ 49% is low and very low vulnerable. High and very high vulnerable zones are located in the west and central portion mainly because of higher habitation and more anthropogenic activities. Finally, risk map prepared intersecting hazard and vulnerability maps exhibits that Nagar Palika Parisad ward has the largest part (~ 41%) of the area with 37% buildings falling in the high and very high risk zones, whereas the Landour ward is the safest ward having ~ 83% area in the low and very low risk. Overall ~ 1604 buildings with habitation of ~ 8,000 persons in the township, are prone to high and very high landslide risk. The results of this study may be utilized for further development and planning in the area.

The Himalayan Mountain range is infested by natural disasters annually. Mass movement and hillslope instability are among the most common phenomenon witnessed in those regions. The propensity to such activities is perplexing since it is not attributed to a definitive factor. The reason being the complex geological condition of this mountain range, topography, aided by anthropogenic intervention. A number of landslides reported in these regions are often rainfall induced landslides. However, there is always an interplay of geomorphology and tectonics which contribute to such mass movement.On September, 2017, a colossal landslide occurred along the char Dham (Hindu pilgrimage) corridor, located near Wazri (locally called Ojari) village in Uttarakhand (India). Resulting in the blockade of road for four consecutive days and stranding ~1313 pilgrims of the Char Dham Yatra, and as many as 14 villages were cut-off from the main district headquarters. In order to evaluate the landslide, slope stability, runout, structural, and precipitation analysis were carried out for both the pre- and post- failure event. In the pre-failure analysis, results showed that the maximum shear strain of about 0.16-0.26 was developed parallel to the slope and a total displacement of about 1.8-8 m was likely to take place, parallel to the slope. In the post-failure analysis, results indicated that the maximum shear strain had decreased to 0.14, with a decrease in total displacement to 4.4m. Indicating that much strain was still accumulated in the existing slope. This still implied that the slope was unstable and had accumulated much load on the slope, with high chance of further failure. This model was testified by the incident in the consecutive year of July 11, 2018, where the landslide was triggered due to incessant rainfall. Resulting in the disruption of the daily traffic and stranding ~90 pilgrims of the Char Dham Yatra. The debris flow simulation of the loose unconsolidated material, in case of excessive rainfall effect, revealed a flow accommodating 7-24 m height, 3-4 m/sec velocity, and 100-800 kPa pressure along the Yamuna River. To analyze the role of deformation in the landslide, the study area was subdivided into three distinct zones; (i) fault core, (ii) fault damage zone, and (iii) the intact zone (undeformed host rock), following the evidence from fields. From the visual observations, it was evident that the landslide was confined to the Main Central Thrust (MCT) damage zone.

We have mapped more than 400 major landslides (debris slides, rockfalls, and rock avalanches) in 5 fluvial valleys in Himalaya (India) between 77.3° E - 80.5° E longitudes. Field/high- resolution satellite imagery based landslide area mapping and field based landslide thickness approximation were used to determine landslide area and volume. Area-volume scaling exponents of these landslides revealed a lateral variation in the study area implying that landslide slopes in the eastern part of the study area retain relatively less volume that increases towards western part of the study area. We have hypothesized that such lateral variation is possibly caused by lateral variation in the landslide occurrence that in turn is mostly caused by lateral variation in the seismic-climatic regimes. Following the hypothesis, we noted that rainfall, surface runoff, soil moisture, and air moisture (climatic variables) data of years 1982-2020 represent a general decrease laterally from east to west in the study area. Further, the role of topography on the climate variables is also noted as it increases from east to west. Earthquake (Mw=>4) distribution (1960-2020), Arc Parallel Gravity Anomaly (APGA), cumulative seismic moment, shear stress accumulation rate, and convergence (India-Eurasia) rate (Seismic variables) also represent a general decrease laterally from east to west in the study area. The climatic variability is attributed to the spatial variability of the Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM), whereas seismic variability is referred to the spatial variability in the subsurface pattern of the Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT). Thus, such variability in the seismic-climatic regimes is noted to support our hypothesis.

In this paper, we present a novel, one-step synthesis of SnO