The Communications Scene in India (2001 A.D.): Prospects and Policy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seth, Satish C.

1984-01-01

The special communications needs of India by the year 2000 must include mechanisms for dealing with a remarkably diverse community of languages and values. Some possible directions for future change in communications technologies as they affect education, entertainment, and social reform are examined. (Author/RM)

The Global Rise of Zero Liquid Discharge for Wastewater Management: Drivers, Technologies, and Future Directions.

PubMed

Tong, Tiezheng; Elimelech, Menachem

2016-07-05

Zero liquid discharge (ZLD)-a wastewater management strategy that eliminates liquid waste and maximizes water usage efficiency - has attracted renewed interest worldwide in recent years. Although implementation of ZLD reduces water pollution and augments water supply, the technology is constrained by high cost and intensive energy consumption. In this critical review, we discuss the drivers, incentives, technologies, and environmental impacts of ZLD. Within this framework, the global applications of ZLD in the United States and emerging economies such as China and India are examined. We highlight the evolution of ZLD from thermal- to membrane-based processes, and analyze the advantages and limitations of existing and emerging ZLD technologies. The potential environmental impacts of ZLD, notably greenhouse gas emission and generation of solid waste, are discussed and the prospects of ZLD technologies and research needs are highlighted.

Choice-Based Credit System in India: Pros and Cons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hasan, Mohammad; Parvez, Mohammad

2015-01-01

Education system of India is full of intricacies of different nature. Every ladder of education has its own problems and prospects. However, attempts have been taken to lessen complexities. From ages, time to time commissions have been constituted to improve and remove the anomalies of Indian education system especially, ensuring quality and…

Tectonic evolution of the Archaean high-grade terrain of South India

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramakrishnan, M.

1988-01-01

The southern Indian shield consists of three major tectonic provinces viz., (1) Dharwar Craton, (2) Eastern Ghat Mobile Belt, and (3) Pandyan Mobile Belt. An understanding of their mutual relations is crucial for formulating crustal evolution models. The tectonic evolution of these provinces is summarized.

The ethics of medical tourism: from the United Kingdom to India seeking medical care.

PubMed

Meghani, Zahra

2013-01-01

Is the practice of UK patients traveling to India as medical tourists morally justified? This article addresses that question by examining three ethically relevant issues. First, the key factor motivating citizens of the United Kingdom to seek medical treatment in India is identified and analyzed. Second, the life prospects of the majority of the citizens of the two nations are compared to determine whether the United Kingdom is morally warranted in relying on India to meet the medical needs of its citizens. Third, as neoliberal reforms are justified on the grounds that they will help the indigent populations affected by them, the impact of medical tourism--a neoliberal initiative--on India's socially and economically marginalized groups is scrutinized.

The Management of Examinations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singh, Amrik; Singha, H. S.

This group of readings describes the university examination system in India, and suggests improvements which can be implemented within the current framework of the system. The papers are grouped into six sections: (1) descriptions of the evolution of the undergraduate examinations in India and their present status; (2) discussions of the…

India's Computational Biology Growth and Challenges.

PubMed

Chakraborty, Chiranjib; Bandyopadhyay, Sanghamitra; Agoramoorthy, Govindasamy

2016-09-01

India's computational science is growing swiftly due to the outburst of internet and information technology services. The bioinformatics sector of India has been transforming rapidly by creating a competitive position in global bioinformatics market. Bioinformatics is widely used across India to address a wide range of biological issues. Recently, computational researchers and biologists are collaborating in projects such as database development, sequence analysis, genomic prospects and algorithm generations. In this paper, we have presented the Indian computational biology scenario highlighting bioinformatics-related educational activities, manpower development, internet boom, service industry, research activities, conferences and trainings undertaken by the corporate and government sectors. Nonetheless, this new field of science faces lots of challenges.

U.S.-India Security Burden-Sharing? The Potential for Coordinated Capacity-Building in the Indian Ocean

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-01

their country’s eco - nomic image and prospects. Regardless of terminology, many Bang- ladeshi officers and experts express a desire to coordinate on...put on the back burner for short-term considerations. 2014 Indian central elections – A new Prime Minister in India could inject a very different tone

Comparing the Open University Systems of China and India: Origins, Developments and Prospects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perris, Kirk

2015-01-01

The national open universities of China and India are unique adaptations of the open university model that emanated from the UK. These institutions have expanded to become the largest universities in the world as measured by current enrollment of approximately four million each. This article comparatively analyzes how these open universities have…

A prospective, multicenter, post marketing surveillance study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Superia-Sirolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System (SSECSS) implanted during routine clinical practice in India.

PubMed

Chandra, Praveen; Kumar, Tarun

2014-01-01

A prospective, multicenter, post marketing surveillance study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Superia-Sirolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System (SSECSS) implanted during routine clinical practice in India. 1. To study the MACE and in stent and In-segment Loss at Six Months (in a pre selected group of 50 patients). 1. Clinical and procedural success. This is a prospective, open label, single-arm, multicenter (16 sites), post marketing observational study enrolling patients implanted with Superia-Sirolimus Eluting Coronary Stent (SSECS) in routine clinical practice in India. A total of 200 Patients of coronary Artery Disease (CAD) implanted with Superia-Sirolimus Eluting Coronary Stent (SSECS) were enrolled. Clinical assessments were done at 30 days, 180 days and at 1, 2 years either telephonically or office visit. A cohort of 50 pre-selected patients were followed up for angiographic evaluation at 180 days. MACE at 12 month of follow up was 1.71%.Late lumen loss, in segment was 0.14 and in stent was 0.10 mm at 6 month of follow-up. TLR was required only in 2 patients. Superia stent is as safe as other biodegradable polymer stent in the market and time has come for biodegradable polymer stent with thin struts. Copyright © 2014 Cardiological Society of India. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Trends, prospects and deprivation index of disability in India: Evidences from census 2001 and 2011.

PubMed

Awasthi, Ashish; Pandey, C M; Dubey, Manisha; Rastogi, Sanjay

2017-04-01

Since the dawn of civilization, disabilities have existed in various dimensions of human life. World Health Organization (WHO) defines disability as an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. Globally, approximately 1 billion people have some form of disability, and approximately 20% have significant functioning impairments. This study aims to estimate the level, trends and prospects of disability in 640 districts of India. Data for the present study has been taken from Census of India, 2001 and 2011. A Disability Index was calculated at the district level, and state level indexing was done using the Disability Deprivation Index. The population for the year 2021 was projected using the exponential growth rate method. The Disability Deprivation Index was calculated using child labor, adult unemployment, illiteracy, and the ratio of beggars in the disabled population. The study reveals that the proportion of the disabled population in India was 2.10% in 2001, which increased to 2.21% in 2011. According to the Disability Deprivation Index, Maharashtra was the best-performing state in 2011. There were 4.90 million new cases of disability in India during 2001-11, out of which 1.52 million cases belonged to non-congenital disability. There is a rise in the disabled population in India, which needs special attention. The working status of the disabled is gloomy. The majority of the disabled people are non-working and need adequate rehabilitation measures that would facilitate employment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evolution of medical education in India: The impact of colonialism

PubMed Central

Anshu; Supe, A

2016-01-01

The cross-cultural exchanges between the people of India and their colonial rulers provides a fascinating insight into how these encounters shaped medicine and medical education in India. This article traces the history of how Indian medicine was transformed in the backdrop of colonialism and hegemony. It goes on to show how six decades after independence, we have have still been unable to convincingly shrug off the colonial yoke. India needs to work out a national medical curriculum which caters to our country's needs. A symbiotic relationship needs to be developed between the indigenous and allopathic systems of medicine. PMID:27763484

The Role of Training in Reducing Poverty: The Case of Microenterprise Development in India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bharti, Nisha

2014-01-01

Self-employment in general and microenterprise in particular is evolving as a prospective option for income generation and the reduction of poverty in developing economies such as India. However, a lack of skills among the poor has been identified as one of the key hindrances in promoting microenterprises and, therefore, in reducing poverty.…

Teaching in Two Tongues: Rethinking the Role of Language(s) in Teacher Education in India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Menon, Shailaja; Viswanatha, Vanamala; Sahi, Jane

2014-01-01

This article is a sharing of emergent ideas about the potential role of languages in teacher education (TE) programmes in multilingual contexts in India. Languages play a critical role in TE programmes where they shape both the learning as well as the future teaching of prospective teachers. This role acquires particular significance in…

Science Education in India under Colonial Constraints, 1792-1857.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sangwan, Satpal

1990-01-01

Traces the imprints of colonial constraints on the evolution of science education in India against the backdrop of the British colonial legacy. Divides the British Educational Policy into three phases: 1792-1813, 1814-35, and 1836-57. Assesses British education policy with regard to the teaching of science following the descriptive analysis. (DB)

Elements of an Alternative to Nuclear Power as a Response to the Energy-Environment Crisis in India: Development as Freedom and a Sustainable Energy Utility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathai, Manu V.

2009-01-01

Even as the conventional energy system is fundamentally challenged by the "energy-environment crisis," its adherents have presented the prospect of "abundant" and purportedly "green" nuclear power as part of a strategy to address the crisis. Surveying the development of nuclear power in India, this article finds that…

Social marketing of condoms in India.

PubMed

Thapa, S; Prasad, C V; Rao, P H; Severy, L J; Rao, S R

1994-01-01

Contraceptive social marketing is a way of supplying contraceptives to consumers who cannot afford to buy them at full market price, yet are not reached by the free public distribution program. The process involves supplying a subsidized product through existing commercial distribution networks, using the mass media and other retail marketing techniques to commercially advertise the products. India was the first country to introduce this concept to its family planning program. India's social marketing program is also the largest in the world. Over the past 25 years, total condom sales in India have expanded under the program from less than 10 million per year to more than one billion. The authors present an overview of India's social marketing initiative, describe the firms participating in the program, and summarize the lessons learned from the social marketing experience. Problems and prospects, and experiences and implications are discussed.

Open Learning in India: Evolution, Diversification and Reaching Out

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharma, Ramesh C.

2005-01-01

Distance education has a history of over four decades in India. There has been a vast growth in the number of learners who need education and thus also the corresponding channels of providing education. Due to the constraints of the traditional educational sector, open and distance learning has been found to be a workable alternative strategy in…

A Smart Partnership: Integrating Educational Technology for Underserved Children in India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charania, Amina; Davis, Niki

2016-01-01

This paper explores the evolution of a large multi-stakeholder partnership that has grown since 2011 to scale deep engagement with learning through technology and decrease the digital divide for thousands of underserved school children in India. Using as its basis a case study of an initiative called integrated approach to technology in education…

Teaching of evolution in public schools: A cross-cultural examination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, Joshua M.

The current study sought to examine how the cultural settings of Colorado, United States, and Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, influenced perspectives, understandings, and acceptance of college students who want to become teachers (i.e., prospective teachers) in regard to the theory of evolution, creationism, and intelligent design with both quantitative and qualitative components. The quantitative sample for the study consisted of 221 German prospective teachers from Baden-Wurttemberg and 231 United States prospective teachers from Colorado. The quantitative component consisted of a 42-item survey with both Likert and true/false items to examine how (1) country of origin, (2) religious participation, and (3) educational background influence students' views and understandings of the theory of evolution and alternative conceptions. Additionally, in a Likert 6-item motivated reasoning task (a theoretical construct), prospective teachers were asked to read and critique arguments supporting and opposing the theory of evolution; differences in how students critiqued arguments were hypothesized to demonstrate biases. For a separate sample from the same locations (8 German and 11 United States students), a qualitative component examined prospective teachers' positions on teaching the theory of evolution in public schools. Prospective teachers were asked to provide support for their position, anticipate opposing arguments, and implications that both positions would have for students. Lastly, prospective teachers were also asked to explain and define the theory of evolution. The current study aided in examining how teachers' perspectives, understandings, and acceptance impacted what was taught in the science classroom. The researcher found that country of origin, religious behavior, and educational background predicted prospective teachers' responses to numerous criterion variables used in the current study. Further, qualitative results expressed major differences between prospective teachers' views regarding the inclusion of evolution or alternative conceptions in public schools, between Colorado and Baden-Wurttemberg. As a potential indicator, findings from the current study may be useful in understanding potential differences between these two countries, in regard to perceptions of the theory of evolution and alternative conceptions. Further, findings from the current study might also inform how these topics might be covered in educational settings with a lowered risk of conflict.

Functional Literacy Project of India 1968-1978--A Decade of Evaluation--Procedures, Problems, and Prospects. The Fundamentals of Educational Planning: Lecture-Discussion Series No. 67.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saraf, S. N.

The Functional Literacy Project of India was initiated in 1967 as part of a joint program, involving several Indian government ministries and United Nations agencies, to train some five million farm families in both literacy and modern agricultural skills at the same time. This report first describes the beginnings of the project and its…

Report to the U.S. Agency for International Development on the Activities of Literacy House, Lucknow, India, July 1, 1964 - June 30, 1969.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

World Education, Inc., New York, NY.

The program of Literacy House in Lucknow, India includes training of personnel, preparation of materials, and sponsorship of a wide variety of programs. This report on their work, prepared to document the need for a budget request from the U.S. Agency for International Development, describes the achievement and prospects in programs relating to…

Donor Outcomes in Living Donor Liver Transplantation-Analysis of 275 Donors From a Single Centre in India.

PubMed

Narasimhan, Gomathy; Safwan, Mohamed; Kota, Venugopal; Reddy, Mettu S; Bharathan, Anand; Dabora, Abderrhaim; Kaliamoorthy, Ilankumaran; Kanagavelu, Rathnavel G; Srinivasan, Vijaya; Rela, Mohamed

2016-06-01

Live donor liver transplantation is the predominant form of liver transplantation in India and in most Asian countries. Donor outcome reports are an important source of information to be shared with prospective donors at the time of informed consent. This is the first donor outcome series from India. Analysis of donor characteristics and morbidity of 275 live donors from a single large volume center is documented. Two hundred seventy-five patients donated from November 2009 to October 2014, 144 were women and 131 were men, 180 donated to adults and 95 donated to children. Right lobe donors were majority at 62.2% followed by left lateral segment 28%. Two thirds of the live donors did not have any morbidity; 114 complications were encountered in 85 patients. The complications were graded as per Clavien 5 tier grading and major morbidity (grade III b, grade IV grade V) was 4.36%. Postoperative biliary complication was seen in 3 donors. This large single-center study is the first donor outcome report from India, and the results are comparable to other published donor series. Documentation and regular audit of donor outcomes is important to help improve the safety of donor hepatectomy and to provide a database for informed consent of prospective donors.

India-US Relations: A Road Map for the 21st Century

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-30

process. 7 VP Mallik , “Indo-US Defence and Military Relations: From “estrangement” to “Strategic Partnership,” “in US- India Strategic Co-operation into...http://www.indianembassy.org/indusrel/2001/vajpayee_bush_nov_ 9_01.htm; Internet; accessed 17 October 2006. 17 Mallik , 91. 18 Robert M. Hathaway...Internet; accessed 17 October 2006. 23 Mallik , 109. 24 Kanwal Sibal, “Indian Foreign Policy: Challenges and Prospects,” Presentation at

South Asia and the Indian Ocean: The Strategic Environment, 1995-2010.

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-03-01

chance of much more before 2010. India regards China as its principal long-term rival. Although the Chi- nese watch India’s nuclear development...and the pros- pects for nuclear war are low. Yet prospects for rolling back ongoing nuclear or missile programs in the region are slim, except in the...con- text of new global arrangements involving firm and time-bound com- mitments by all the nuclear powers. Conflict on the subcontinent is more

Determining the vertical evolution of hydrodynamic parameters in weathered and fractured south Indian crystalline-rock aquifers: insights from a study on an instrumented site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boisson, A.; Guihéneuf, N.; Perrin, J.; Bour, O.; Dewandel, B.; Dausse, A.; Viossanges, M.; Ahmed, S.; Maréchal, J. C.

2015-02-01

Due to extensive irrigation, most crystalline aquifers of south India are overexploited. Aquifer structure consists of an upper weathered saprolite followed by a fractured zone whose fracture density decreases with depth. To achieve sustainable management, the evolution of hydrodynamic parameters (transmissivity and storage coefficient) by depth in the south Indian context should be quantified. Falling-head borehole permeameter tests, injection tests, flowmeter profiles, single-packer tests and pumping tests were carried out in the unsaturated saprolite and saturated fractured granite. Results show that the saprolite is poorly transmissive (T fs = 3 × 10-7 to 8.5 × 10-8 m2 s-1) and that the most conductive part of the aquifer corresponds to the bottom of the saprolite and the upper part of the fractured rock (T = 1.0 × 10-3 to 7.0 × 10-4 m2 s-1). The transmissivity along the profile is mostly controlled by two distinct conductive zones without apparent vertical hydraulic connection. The transmissivity and storage coefficient both decrease with depth depending on the saturation of the main fracture zones, and boreholes are not exploitable after a certain depth (27.5 m on the investigated section). The numerous investigations performed allow a complete quantification with depth of the hydrodynamic parameters along the weathering profile, and a conceptual model is presented. Hydrograph observations (4 years) are shown to be relevant as a first-order characterization of the media and diffusivity evolution with depth. The evolution of these hydrodynamic parameters along the profile has a great impact on groundwater prospecting, exploitation and transport properties in such crystalline rock aquifers.

Geological and Rock Mechanics Perspectives for Underground Coal Gasification in India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Ajay K.; Singh, Rajendra

2017-07-01

The geological resources of coal in India are more than 308 billion tonnes upto a depth of 1200 m, out of which proved reserve has been reported at around 130 billion tonnes. There is an increasing requirement to increase the energy extraction efficiency from coal as the developmental prospects of India increase. Underground coal gasification (UCG) is a potential mechanism which may be utilized for extraction of deep-seated coal reserves. Some previous studies suggest that lignites from Gujarat and Rajasthan, along with tertiary coals from northeastern India can be useful from the point of view of UCG. We discuss some geological literature available for these areas. Coming to the rock mechanics perspectives, during UCG the rock temperature is considerable high. At this temperature, most empirical models of rock mechanics may not be applied. In this situation, the challenges for numerical modelling of UCG sites increases manifold. We discuss some of the important modelling geomechanical issues related to UCG in India.

Travel style is a major risk factor for diarrhoea in India: a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Schindler, V M; Jaeger, V K; Held, L; Hatz, C; Bühler, S

2015-07-01

Although some studies suggested specific foods/beverages as risk factors for travellers' diarrhoea (TD), details of transmission remain unclear. We assessed the influence of travel style (luxury/middle-class versus backpacking) on TD risk. TD attack rates were compared in a prospective study among travellers to India at the University of Zurich's Travel Clinic. Information on consumption of foods/beverages was collected. Seventy-one luxury/middle-class travellers and 21 backpackers completed the study; overall 37% suffered from TD (62% backpackers, 30% luxury/middle-class travellers, OR 4.43, p 0.022). Travel style rather than the consumption of specific foods/beverages appears to be a risk factor for TD development. Copyright © 2015 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Do changes in spousal employment status lead to domestic violence? Insights from a prospective study in Bangalore, India.

PubMed

Krishnan, Suneeta; Rocca, Corinne H; Hubbard, Alan E; Subbiah, Kalyani; Edmeades, Jeffrey; Padian, Nancy S

2010-01-01

The prevalence of physical domestic violence--violence against women perpetrated by husbands--is staggeringly high across the Indian subcontinent. Although gender-based power dynamics are thought to underlie women's vulnerability, relatively little is known about risk and protective factors. This prospective study in southern India examined the association between key economic aspects of gender-based power, namely spousal employment status, and physical domestic violence. In 2005-2006, 744 married women, aged 16-25, residing in low-income communities in Bangalore, India were enrolled in the study. Data were collected at enrollment, 12 and 24 months. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the prospective association between women's employment status, their perceptions of their husband's employment stability, and domestic violence. Women who were unemployed at one visit and began employment by the next visit had an 80% higher odds of violence, as compared to women who maintained their unemployed status. Similarly, women whose husbands had stable employment at one visit and newly had difficulty with employment had 1.7 times the odds of violence, as compared to women whose husbands maintained their stable employment. To our knowledge, this study is the first from a developing country to confirm that changes in spousal employment status are associated with subsequent changes in violence risk. It points to the complex challenges of violence prevention, including the need for interventions among men and gender-transformative approaches to promote gender-equitable attitudes, practices and norms among men and women.

Historical perspective of Indian neurology.

PubMed

Mishra, Shrikant; Trikamji, Bhavesh; Singh, Sandeep; Singh, Parampreet; Nair, Rajasekharan

2013-10-01

To chronicle the history of medicine and neurology in India with a focus on its establishment and evolution. THE HISTORY OF NEUROLOGY IN INDIA IS DIVIDED INTO TWO PERIODS: ancient and modern. The ancient period dates back to the mid-second millennium Before Christ (B.C.) during the creation of the Ayurvedic Indian system of Medicine, which detailed descriptions of neurological disorders called Vata Vyadhi. The early 20(th) century witnessed the birth of modern Indian medicine with the onset of formal physician training at the nation's first allopathic medical colleges located in Madras (1835), Calcutta (1835) and Mumbai (1848). Prior to India's independence from Britain in 1947, only 25 medical schools existed in the entire country. Today, there are over 355. In 1951, physicians across the field of neurology and neurosurgery united to create the Neurological Society of India (NSI). Four decades later in 1991, neurologists branched out to establish a separate organization called the Indian Academy of Neurology (IAN). Information was gathered through literature review using PubMed, MD Consult, OVID, primary texts and research at various academic institutions in India. Neurological disorders were first described in ancient India under Ayurveda. The transition to modern medicine occurred more recently through formal training at medical schools beginning in the 1930's. Early pioneers and founders of the NSI (1951) include Dr. Jacob Chandy, Dr. B Ramamurthi, Dr. S. T. Narasimhan and Dr. Baldev Singh. Later, Dr. J. S. Chopra, a prominent neurologist and visionary, recognized the need for primary centers of collaboration and subsequently established the IAN (1991). The future of Neurology in India is growing rapidly. Currently, there are 1100 practicing neurologists and more than 150 post-graduate trainees who join the ranks every year. As the number of neurologists rises across India, there is an increase in the amount of basic, clinical and epidemiological research being conducted across the country every day. The history of neurology in India roots back to its rich culture and tradition. Over time, there has been great structural and organizational evolution and the future of neurology in India appears to be bright. However, the number of neurologists and research in neurology needs to experience a significant growth in the future to ensure the best patient care.

Mapping the Global Future: Report of the National Intelligence Council’s 2020 Project

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-12-01

Oxford, England (July 2004) Women in 2020—Washington, DC (August 2004) Business Leader Roundtable Discussion—CIA Headquarters (September 2004) India...a short period of time. • Increased flexibility in the workplace , such as encouraging young women to take a few years off to start families in return...Status of Women in 2020 38 Risks to Chinese Economic Growth 52 India vs. China: Long-Term Prospects 53 Asia: The Cockpit for Global Change? 55 Global

The Indian Air Force. Trends and Prospects

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-01-01

develops its own armed helicopters, which are likely to be more cost- effective . See Air Marshal R. D, Sahni, "India’s Air Power Strategy for the 1990’s...War, in which air power played a more dominant, effective , and visible role than in the past, many nations may attempt to increase their own emphasis on...with retired IAF officers, civilian officials, journalists, and academics, Evaluations of the IAF’s role in India’s wars, IAF strategy , training

Syn-Rift Systems of East Godavari Sub Basin: Its Evolution and Hydrocarbon Prospectivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dash, J., Jr.; Zaman, B.

2014-12-01

Krishna Godavari (K.G.) basin is a passive margin basin developed along the Eastern coast of India. This basin has a polyhistoric evolution with multiple rift systems. Rift basin exploration has provided the oil and gas industry with almost one third of discovered global hydrocarbon resources. Understanding synrift sequences, their evolution, depositional styles and hydrocarbon prospectivity has become important with recent discovery of the wells, G-4-6,YS-AF and KG-8 in the K.G. offshore basin. The East Godavari subbasin is a hydrocarbon producing basin from synrift and pre-rift sediments, and hence this was selected as the study area for this research. The study has been carried out by utilizing data of around 58 wells (w1-w58) drilled in the study area 25 of which are hydrocarbon bearing with organic thickness varying from 200 m to 600 m. Age data generated by palaentology and palynology studies have been utilized for calibration of key well logs to differentiate between formations within prerift and synrift sediments. The electrologs of wells like resistivity, gamma ray, neutron, density and sonic logs have been utilized for correlation of different formations in all the drilled wells. The individual thicknesses of sand, shale and coal in the formations have been calculated and tabulated. For Golapalli formation, the isopach and isolith maps were generated which revealed that there were four depocentres with input from the north direction. Schematic geological cross sections were prepared using the well data and seismic data to understand the facies variation across the basin. The sedimentological and petrophysical analysis reports and electro log suites were referred to decipher the environment of deposition, the reservoir characteristics, and play types. The geochemical reports [w4 (Tmax)= 455-468 °C; w1 (Tmax) = 467-514 °C; w4(VRO)= 0.65-0.85; w1(VRO)= 0.83-1.13] revealed the source facies, its maturation and migration timings i.e. the petroleum systems. It was concluded these fluvial channel systems constitute the main hydrocarbon play for the Mandapeta and Gollapalli formations and these channel systems if found at a structurally advantageous positions should prove to be good hydrocarbon targets.

Invasive pneumococcal disease in children aged younger than 5 years in India: a surveillance study.

PubMed

Manoharan, Anand; Manchanda, Vikas; Balasubramanian, Sundaram; Lalwani, Sanjay; Modak, Meera; Bai, Sushama; Vijayan, Ajith; Shet, Anita; Nagaraj, Savitha; Karande, Sunil; Nataraj, Gita; Yewale, Vijay N; Joshi, Shrikrishna A; Iyer, Ranganathan N; Santosham, Mathuram; Kahn, Geoffrey D; Knoll, Maria Deloria

2017-03-01

Invasive pneumococcal disease continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality among children younger than 5 years of age in India. We aimed to provide nationally representative data for the pattern of disease due to Streptococcus pneumoniae, trends in the serotype of invasive pneumococci, and invasive pneumococci antimicrobial resistance patterns, in India. In this prospective hospital-based and retrospective laboratory-based surveillance study, we prospectively enrolled children aged younger than 5 years with suspected or proven invasive pneumococcal disease from 18 hospitals or institutional centres and retrospectively included laboratory-confirmed pneumococcal isolates from ten sentinel laboratories, together representing 11 states in India. Eligibility criteria were fever higher than 38°C without localising symptoms, clinical presentation of suspected meningitis or pneumonia, and evidence of radiographic pneumonia. We cultured blood and other normally sterile body fluids, reconfirmed and serotyped pneumococcal isolates, and established antimicrobial susceptibility using standard study protocols. Between Jan 1, 2011, and June 30, 2015, we enrolled 4377 patients. Among 361 (8%) patients with culture-proven pneumococcal disease, all clinical data were known for 226 (63%); among these patients, 132 (58%) presented with pneumonia, 78 (35%) presented with meningitis, and 16 (7%) had other clinical conditions. 131 (3%) died overall and 29 (8%) patients with invasive pneumococcal disease died. Serotypes 14 (52 [14%] of 361), 1 (49 [14%]), 5 (37 [10%]), and 19F (33 [9%]) were the most common. Penicillin non-susceptibility occurred in isolates from 29 (8%) patients, co-trimoxazole resistance occurred in 239 (66%), erythromycin resistance occurred in 132 (37%), and chloramphenicol resistance occurred in 33 (9%). We found multidrug resistance in 33 (9%) of 361 patients. The proportion of positive blood cultures, number of isolates, geographical representation, and data generated over the 4·5 years of the study are representative of data for most of India. Continued surveillance is warranted as the decision to introduce protein conjugated vaccine in India is made. GlaxoSmithKline India. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Women's autonomy and experience of physical violence within marriage in rural India: evidence from a prospective study.

PubMed

Sabarwal, Shagun; Santhya, K G; Jejeebhoy, Shireen J

2014-01-01

Evidence regarding the relationship between married women's autonomy and risk of marital violence remains mixed. Moreover, studies examining the contribution of specific aspects of women's autonomy in influencing the risk of marital violence using measures of autonomy that incorporate its dynamic nature are rare. We investigated the relationship between women's autonomy and their experience of marital violence in rural India using prospective data. We used data on 4,904 rural women drawn from two linked studies: the NFHS-2, conducted during 1998-1999 and a follow-up study for a subgroup of women carried out during 2002-2003. Three dimensions of autonomy were used: financial autonomy, freedom of movement, and household decision-making. Marital violence was measured as experience of physical violence in the year prior to the follow-up survey. Findings indicate the protective effects of financial autonomy and freedom of movement in reducing the risk of marital violence in the overall model. Furthermore, region-wise analysis revealed that in the more gender equitable settings of south India, financial autonomy exerted a protective influence on risk of marital violence. However, in the more gender-stratified settings of north India, none of the dimensions of autonomy were found to have any protective effect on women's risk of marital violence. Results argue for an increased focus on strategies aimed at improving women's financial status through livelihood skill-building opportunities, development of a strong savings orientation, and asset-building options.

Spatiotemporal evolution of water storage changes in India from the updated GRACE-derived gravity records

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panda, Dileep K.; Wahr, John

2016-01-01

Investigating changes in terrestrial water storage (TWS) is important for understanding response of the hydrological cycle to recent climate variability worldwide. This is particularly critical in India where the current economic development and food security greatly depend on its water resources. We use 129 monthly gravity solutions from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites for the period of January 2003 to May 2014 to characterize spatiotemporal variations of TWS and groundwater storage (GWS). The spatiotemporal evolution of GRACE data reflects consistent patterns with that of several hydroclimatic variables and also shows that most of the water loss has occurred in the northern parts of India. Substantial GWS depletion at the rate of 1.25 and 2.1 cm yr-1 has taken place, respectively in the Ganges Basin and Punjab state, which are known as the India's grain bowl. Of particular concern is the Ganges Basin's storage loss in drought years, primarily due to anthropogenic groundwater withdrawals that sustain rice and wheat cultivation. We estimate these losses to be approximately 41, 44, and 42 km3 in 2004, 2009, and 2012, respectively. The GWS depletions that constitute about 90% of the observed TWS loss are also influenced by a marked rise in temperatures since 2008. A high degree of correspondence between GRACE-derived GWS and in situ groundwater levels from observation well validates the results. This validation increases confidence level in the application of GRACE observations in monitoring large-scale storage changes in intensely irrigated areas in India and other regions around the world.

Gender Disparity in Late-life Cognitive Functioning in India: Findings From the Longitudinal Aging Study in India

PubMed Central

Shih, Regina; Feeney, Kevin; Langa, Kenneth M.

2014-01-01

Objectives. To examine gender disparities in cognitive functioning in India and the extent to which education explains this disparity in later life. Methods. This study uses baseline interviews of a prospective cohort study of 1,451 community-residing adults 45 years of age or older in four geographically diverse states of India (Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan). Data collected during home visits includes cognitive performance tests, and rich sociodemographic, health, and psychosocial variables. The cognitive performance tests include episodic memory, numeracy, and a modified version of the Mini-Mental State Examination. Results. We find gender disparity in cognitive function in India, and this disparity is greater in the north than the south. We also find that gender disparities in educational attainment, health, and social and economic activity explain the female cognitive disadvantage in later life. Discussion. We report significant gender disparities in cognitive functioning among older Indian adults, which differ from gender disparities in cognition encountered in developed countries. Our models controlling for education, health status, and social and economic activity explain the disparity in southern India but not the region-specific disparity in the northern India. North Indian women may face additional sources of stress associated with discrimination against women that contribute to persistent disadvantages in cognitive functioning at older ages. PMID:24622150

Air and Space Power Journal. Volume 22, Number 4, Winter 2008

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

otherwise be illegal. en- sign Florencio J. Yuzon, “Deliberate environmental Modi- fication through the Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons ...of war. His land- mark book Ideas and Weapons , published in 1953, analyzes the evolution of weaponry be- tween World War I and World War II, notably...it could opt to use nuclear weapons against India? How can a government prove that a foreign government (India) is the cause of internal problems

The Evolution of India’s Nuclear Program: Implications for the United States

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-22

be a part of the global nuclear regime: “On the one hand, nuclear weapons were considered a shameful badge worn by the great powers of the cold war ...Asian region, balancing their policies between the needed Pakistani support for the Global War on Terror (GWOT) with the desire to maintain India as an...1990s: On the Brink of Nuclear War in South Asia .................................................... 25 Section 3: Indian Military Capability

Liberalising trade in health services: constraints and prospects for South Asian countries.

PubMed

Khatun, Fahmida; Ahamad, Mazbahul

2015-01-01

This paper attempts to examine the prospects and challenges associated with liberalising trade in health services in five South Asian countries, namely Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Country-specific secondary information, a brief literature review of empirical studies and debriefing sessions with key stakeholders are employed to explore the issues related to liberalising health services trade. The health sectors in India, Nepal and Pakistan are scheduled under General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) classification, whereas those in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are not. In Bangladesh, there is opportunity for investment in joint venture hospitals under Mode 3. Nonetheless, India is the largest trader in health services under all four modes. In Sri Lanka, cross-border trade in healthcare services is found to be insignificant. Moreover, expertise in eye treatment in Nepal could also attract foreign investment in medical services under Mode 3. In contrast, Pakistan exhibits no potential under Mode 4, because of a lack of healthcare professionals. In this view, the prospects of trade in health services within the South Asian region under the four GATS modes are constrained by infrastructural, regulatory, perception-related, logistical and cultural problems. Considering the level of development and commercial opportunities, regional integration in the health sector could be explored in such areas as telemedicine, medical tourism, cross-border investment and capacity building of health personnel. These developments call for stronger and pro-active government-to-government collaboration in the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) region in a transparent and accountable manner. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Current Impact, Future Prospects and Implications of Mobile Healthcare in India

PubMed Central

Kappal, Rishi; Mehndiratta, Amit; Anandaraj, Prabu; Tsanas, Athanasios

2014-01-01

India has a diverse geographical landscape and predominately rural population. Telemedicine is identified as one of the technological pillars to support healthcare services in this region, but is associated with high cost and complex infrastructure, thus restricting its wider use. Mobile-based healthcare (m-Health) services may provide a practical, promising alternative approach to support healthcare facilities. India has a high mobile user base, both in cities and in rural regions. The appropriate identification of mobile data transmission technology for healthcare services is vital to optimally use the available technology. In this article, we review current telecommunication systemsin India, specifically the evolving consensus on the need for CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access - a wireless technology used by leading international and national operators. This technology is deployed in 800MHz band making it economically viable and far reaching with high quality of services) to continue its operations in India along with mobile healthcare services. We also discuss how healthcare services may be extended using m-Health technologies, given the availability of telecommunications and related services. PMID:29755887

Assessment of follow-up, and the completeness and accuracy of cancer case ascertainment in three areas of India

PubMed Central

Mathew, Aleyamma; Daniel, Carrie R.; Ferrucci, Leah M.; Seth, Tulika; Devesa, Susan S.; George, Preethi S.; Shetty, Hemali; Devasenapathy, Niveditha; Yurgalevitch, Susan; Rastogi, Tanuja; Prabhakaran, Dorairaj; Gupta, Prakash C.; Chatterjee, Nilanjan; Sinha, Rashmi

2012-01-01

Background A prospective study of diet and cancer has not been conducted in India; consequently, little is known regarding follow-up rates or the completeness and accuracy of cancer case ascertainment. Methods We assessed follow-up in the India Health Study (IHS; 4,671 participants aged 35–69 residing in New Delhi, Mumbai, or Trivandrum). We evaluated the impact of medical care access and relocation, re-contacted the IHS participants to estimate follow-up rates, and conducted separate studies of cancer cases to evaluate registry coverage (604 cases in Trivandrum) and the accuracy of self- and proxy-reporting (1600 cases in New Delhi and Trivandrum). Results Over 97% of people reported seeing a doctor and 85% had lived in their current residence for over six years. The 2-year follow-up rate was 91% for Trivandrum and 53% for New Delhi. No cancer cases were missed among public institutions participating in the surveillance program in Trivandrum during 2003–04; but there are likely to be unmatched cases (ranging from 5 to13% of total cases) from private hospitals in the Trivandrum registry, as there are no mandatory reporting requirements. Vital status was obtained for 36% of cancer cases in New Delhi as compared to 78% in Trivandrum after a period of 4 years. Conclusions A prospective cohort study of cancer may be feasible in some centers in India with active follow-up to supplement registry data. Inclusion of cancers diagnosed at private institutions, unique identifiers for individuals, and computerized medical information would likely improve cancer registries. PMID:21621499

Space Weather Research: Indian perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhardwaj, Anil; Pant, Tarun Kumar; Choudhary, R. K.; Nandy, Dibyendu; Manoharan, P. K.

2016-12-01

Space weather, just like its meteorological counterpart, is of extreme importance when it comes to its impact on terrestrial near- and far-space environments. In recent years, space weather research has acquired an important place as a thrust area of research having implications both in space science and technology. The presence of satellites and other technological systems from different nations in near-Earth space necessitates that one must have a comprehensive understanding not only of the origin and evolution of space weather processes but also of their impact on technology and terrestrial upper atmosphere. To address this aspect, nations across the globe including India have been investing in research concerning Sun, solar processes and their evolution from solar interior into the interplanetary space, and their impact on Earth's magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere system. In India, over the years, a substantial amount of work has been done in each of these areas by various agencies/institutions. In fact, India has been, and continues to be, at the forefront of space research and has ambitious future programs concerning these areas encompassing space weather. This review aims at providing a glimpse of this Indian perspective on space weather research to the reader and presenting an up-to-date status of the same.

Cretaceous evolution of the Indian Plate and consequences for the formation, deformation and obduction of adjacent oceanic crust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaina, C.; Van Hinsbergen, D. J.; Spakman, W.

2012-12-01

As part of the gradual Gondwana dispersion that started in the Jurassic, the Indian tectonic block was rifted away from the Antarctica-Australian margins, probably in the Early-Mid Cretaceous and started its long journey to the north until it collided with Eurasia in the Tertiary. In this contribution first we will revise geophysical and geological evidences for the formation of oceanic crust between India and Antarctica, India and Madagascar, and India and Somali/Arabian margins. This information and possible oceanic basin age interpretation are placed into regional kinematic models. Three important compressional events NW and W of the Indian plate are the result of the opening of the Enderby Basin from 132 to 124 Ma, the first phase of seafloor spreading in the Mascarene basin approximately from 84 to 80 Ma, and the incipient opening of the Arabian Sea and the Seychelles microplate formation around 65 to 60 Ma. Based on retrodeformation of the Afghan-Pakistan part of the India-Asia collision zone and the eastern Oman margin, the ages of regional ophiolite emplacement and crystallization of its oceanic crust, as well as the plate tectonic setting of these ophiolites inferred from its geochemistry, we evaluate possible scenarios for the formation of intra-oceanic subduction zones and their evolution until ophiolite emplacement time. Our kinematic scenarios are constructed for several regional models and are discussed in the light of global tomographic models that may image some of the subducted Cretaceous oceanic lithosphere.

Early Precambrian crustal evolution of south India

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srinivasan, R.

1986-01-01

The Early Precambrian sequence in Karnataka, South India provides evidences for a distinct trend of evolution which differs from trends exhibited in many other Early Precambrian regions of the world. The supracrustal rock associations preserved in greenstone belts and as inclusions in gneisses and granulites suggest the evolution of the terrain from a stable to a mobile regime. The stable regime is represented by (1) layered ultramafic-mafic complexes, (2) orthoquartzite-basalt-rhyodacite-iron formation, and (30 ortho-quartzite-carbonate-Mn-Fe formation. The mobile regime, which can be shown on sedimentological grounds to have succeeded the stable regime, witnessed the accumulation of a greywacke-pillow basalt-dacite-rhyolite-iron formation association. Detrital sediments of the stable zone accumulated dominantly in fluvial environment and the associated volcanics are ubaerial. The volcanics of the stable regime are tholeiites derived from a zirconium and LREE-enriched sources. The greywackes of the mobile regime are turbidities, and the volcanic rocks possess continental margin (island-arc or back-arc) affinity; they show a LREE depleted to slightly LREE-enriched pattern. The evolution from a stable to a mobile regime is in contrast to the trend seen in most other regions of the world, where an early dominantly volcanic association of a mobile regime gives way upward in the sequence to sediments characteristic of a stable regime.

A multidisciplinary study on the crustal architecture and tectonic evolution of the Biligiri Rangan Block, southern India: Implications for Neoarchean plate tectonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raveendran Thankamoni, Ratheesh Kumar

2017-04-01

Southern India is comprised of a collage of crustal blocks ranging in age from Archean to Neoproterozoic. Previous studies considered the Archean high-grade granulite terrain to the north of the Southern Granuilte Terrain (SGT) of southern India as the part of the Dharwar Craton and hence subdivided this craton into western, central and eastern provinces. This contribution presents my detailed examinations on the least studied Central Dharwar Province, comprising the Biligiri Rangan (BR) - Male Mahadeshwara (MM) Hills domain composed predominantly of charnockites. One of my recent study (Ratheesh-Kumar et al., 2016) for the first time provided necessary evidence for Neoarchean subduction-accretion-collision tectonic evolution of this domain as a separate crustal block which has been named as Biligiri Rangan Block (BRB) by using a multidisciplinary approach involving field investigation, petrography, mineral chemistry, thermodynamic modeling of metamorphic P-T evolution, and LA-ICPMS U-Pb and Lu-Hf analyses of zircons on representative rocks together with regional-scale crustal thickness model derived using isostatic gravimetric geophysical method. The important findings of this study are: (1) The BRB preserves the vestiges of a Mesoarchean primitive continental crust as indicated by the age (ca. 3207) and positive ɛHf value (+2.7) of quartzofeldspathic gneiss occurred in the central part of the block (2) The charnockites and associated mafic granulites and granites provide ages between ca. 2650 Ma and ca. 2498 Ma with large negative ɛHf values are suggestive of Neoarchean charnockitization and crustal remelting (3) New geochemical data of charnockites and mafic granulites from BRB are consistent with arc magmatic rocks generated through oceanic plate subduction (4) Delineation of a suture zone along the Kollegal structural lineament bounding the BRB and the Western Dharwar Craton surmised from the occurrences of quartzite-iron formation intercalations and also mafic-ultramafic lenses along this lineament with their evolution through a clockwise prograde and retrograde metamorphism in a subduction zone setting at a high-pressure of 18-19 kbar and temperature of ˜840°C (5) Spatial variation of crustal thickness data reveal high crustal thickness in the Biligiri Rangan and the Nilgiri Blocks, and are attributed to a more competently thickened crust resulted by the subduction and collision processes. Based on these results, this study proposes a new tectonic model for the evolution of the BRB that envisages eastward subduction of the Western Dharwar oceanic crust beneath the BRB along the Kollegal suture zone resulted in the arc magmatism during the Neoarchean. The relevance of this study relies on the fact that the proposed evolutionary model revises the existing debates on the tectonic framework and evolution of the Archean terranes of southern India.

Implications of new ^{40}Ar/^{39}Ar age of Mallapur Intrusives on the chronology and evolution of the Kaladgi Basin, Dharwar Craton, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pillai, Shilpa Patil; Pande, Kanchan; Kale, Vivek S.

2018-04-01

The Kaladgi Basin on the northern edge of the Dharwar craton has characters diverse from the other epicratonic Purana basins of Peninsular India. Sedimentological studies in the basin have established the presence of three cycles of flooding separated by an event of intra-basinal deformation accompanied by low grade incipient metamorphism. The overall structural configuration of the basin indicates its development by supracrustal extension accompanied by shearing in a trans-tensional regime during the Mesoproterozoic. This was followed by sagging that yielded Neoproterozoic sedimentation in a successor nested basin. ^{40}Ar/^{39}Ar dating of an intrusive mafic dyke along the axial plane of a fold has yielded a plateau age of 1154{± }4 Ma. This helps constraint the age of the various events during the evolution of this basin.

Compositional Variation of Tourmaline from the Paleoproterozoic Bhukia Gold Prospect of Aravalli Supergroup, Western India: Implications for the Provenance and Gold Metallogeny

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukherjee, R.; Venkatesh, A. S.; Fareeduddin, F.

2016-12-01

Bhukia is a unique gold prospect in terms of its host lithologies such as albitite and carbonates with respect to greenstone hosted Archean gold deposits from India. Tourmaline occurs along with apatite, magnetite, graphite, chalcopyrite and gold-sulfide association in Bhukia gold prospect preserve geochemical record of changing physico-chemical conditions during its growth. Tourmalinization is one of the distinct hydrothermal alterations present in the study area. Chemical composition of two varieties of tourmalines presents as significant amounts within albitite and carbonate rocks from Bhukia gold prospect. EPMA analysis of two varieties of tourmalines viz. 1) rounded to sub-rounded, euhedral, green colored tourmalines and 2) elongated, zoned, brown colored tourmalines unlocks their chemical compositions as well as variations from core to rim. In some albitite litho-units, tourmaline occurs as major constituents (>15%), present as layers, termed as tourmalinites. Al-Fe-Mg and Na/ (Na+Ca) vs Fe/ (Fe+Mg) suggests that tourmalines from the Bhukia gold prospect are Mg-rich dravite to Fe-rich schrol in composition. Tourmalines present within the albitite rocks show variations in iron and sodium content from core to rim whereas similarity exist from core to rim in case of carbonate rocks. Presence of albite confirms the role of Na-rich fluids during the formation of tourmalines. Tourmalines present in Bhukia gold prospect is mainly influenced by boron influx and the source may be boron bearing hydrothermal fluid or boron bearing minerals. Dewatering of original un-metamorphosed rock during progressive metamorphism may remove boron from the metasedimentary rocks. Due to the mobile nature of boron, it dispersed and mixed with hydrothermal fluids and alumina that is required for the formation of the tourmaline might have been leached from metasedimentary rocks present in Bhukia gold prospect. Presence of hydrothermal alterations such as tourmalinization and albitization along with Au-Cu-graphite-magnetite association suggest this deposit to be an IOCG (Iron oxide copper gold) type.

The record of India-Asia collision preserved in Tethyan ocean basin sediments.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Najman, Yani; Jenks, Dan; Godin, Laurent; Boudagher-Fadel, Marcelle; Bown, Paul; Horstwood, Matt; Garzanti, Eduardo; Bracialli, Laura; Millar, Ian

2015-04-01

The timing of India-Asia collision is critical to the understanding of crustal deformation processes, since, for example, it impacts on calculations regarding the amount of convergence that needs to be accommodated by various mechanisms. In this research we use sediments originally deposited in the Tethyan ocean basin and now preserved in the Himalayan orogeny to constrain the timing of collision. In the NW Himalaya, a number of workers have proposed a ca 55-50 Ma age for collision along the Indus suture zone which separates India from the Kohistan-Ladakh Intraoceanic Island arc (KLA) to the north. This is based on a number of factors including the age of youngest marine sediments in the Indus suture (e.g. Green et al. 2008), age of eclogites indicative of onset of Indian continental subduction (e.g. de Sigoyer et al. 2000), and first evidence of detritus from north of the suture zone deposited on the Indian plate (e.g. Clift et al. 2002). Such evidence can be interpreted as documenting the age of India-Asia collision if one takes the KLA to have collided with the Asian plate prior to its collision with India (e.g. Petterson 2010 and refs therein). However, an increasing number of workers propose that the KLA collided with Asia subsequent to its earlier collision with India, dated variously at 85 Ma (Chatterjee et al. 2013), 61 Ma (Khan et al. 2009) and 50 Ma (Bouilhol et al. 2013). This, plus the questioning of earlier provenance work (Clift et al. 2002) regarding the validity of their data for constraining timing of earliest arrival of material north of the suture deposited on the Indian plate (Henderson et al. 2011) suggests that the time is right for a reappraisal of this topic. We use a provenance-based approach here, using combined U-Pb and Hf on detrital zircons from Tethyan ocean basin sediments, along with petrography and biostratigraphy, to identify first arrival of material from north of the Indian plate to arrive on the Indian continent, to constrain the time of collision. With the recent discovery that the Indus Group sediments in the suture zone cannot be used for this purpose as previously proposed (Henderson et al. 2011) we turn to the 54 Ma Kong and Chulung La Formation youngest Tethyan sediments on the Indian margin (Garzanti et al. 1987) to investigate whether we can identify such material, and whether it be Spong arc (Fuchs and Willems 1990), KLA or Trans-Himalayan derived, thus determining what collided with India and when. References Bouilhol P, Jagoutz O, Hanchar JM, Dudas FO. 2013. Dating the India-Eurasia collision through arc magmatic records. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 366, 163-175. Chatterjee S, Goswami A, Scotese CR. 2013. The longest voyage: Tectonic, magmatic, and paleoclimatic evolution of the Indian plate during its northward flight from Gondwana to Asia. Gondwana Research 23, 238-267. Clift P, Carter A, Krol M, Kirby E. 2002. Constraints on India-Eurasia collision in the Arabian sea region taken from the Indus Group, Ladakh Himalaya, India. The tectonic and climatic evolution of the Arabian Sea region Geological Society of London Special Publication 195, 97-116. de Sigoyer J, Chavagnac V, Blichert-Toft J, Villa IM, Luais B, Guillot S, Cosca M, Mascle G. 2000. Dating the Indian continental subduction and collisional thickening in the northwest Himalaya: Multichronology of the Tso Morari eclogites. Geology 28, 487-490. Fuchs G, Willems H. 1990. The final stages of sedimentation in the Tethyan zone of Zanskar and their geodynamic significance (Ladakh - Himalaya). Jahrbuche Geologische Bundenstalt 133: 259-273. Garzanti E, Baud A, Mascle G. 1987. Sedimentary Record of the Northward Flight of India and Its Collision with Eurasia (Ladakh Himalaya, India). Geodinamica Acta 1, 297-312. Green OR, Searle MP, Corfield RI, Corfield RM. 2008. Cretaceous-tertiary carbonate platform evolution and the age of the India-Asia collision along the Ladakh Himalaya (northwest India). J Geol 116: 331-353. Henderson AL, Najman Y, Parrish R, Mark D, Foster GL. 2011. Constraints to the timing of India-Eurasia collision; a re-evaluation of evidence from the Indus Basin sedimentary rocks of the Indus-Tsangpo Suture Zone, Ladakh, India. Earth Science Reviews 106, 265-292. Khan SD, Walker DJ, Hall SA, Burke KC, Shah MT, Stockli L. 2009. Did the Kohistan-Ladakh island arc collide first with India? Geological Society of America Bulletin 121, 366-384. Petterson MG. 2010. A review of the geology and tectonics of the Kohistan island arc, north Pakistan. in The Evolving Continents: Understanding Processes of Continental Growth (eds. TM Kusky, M-G Zhai, W Xiao), pp. 287-327. Journal of the Geological society of London Special publication.

Radon exhalation and radiometric prospecting on rocks associated with Cu-U mineralizations in the Singhbhum shear zone, Bihar.

PubMed

Sengupta, D; Kumar, R; Singh, A K; Prasad, R

2001-12-01

The Singhbhum thrust belt is a 200 km long arcuate orogenic belt in Bihar, eastern India. The huge mineral resources, viz. copper, uranium, magnetite, apatite and molybdenite, etc., make it significant from an economic as well as a geological point of view. The belt hosts three types of mineralization: sulphides of copper and other metals, uranium oxides and apatite-magnetite. Several distinct geological episodes are responsible for the evolution of mineralization and the thrust zone itself. Extensive and reliable radiometric prospecting and assaying have been carried out by us for the past 5 years from Dhobani in the east to Turamdih in the west of the Singhbhum shear zone. The present work indicates uranium mineralization in the Pathargora-Rakha area presently being mined for copper and also within areas in the vicinity of Bhatin. Studies on radon emanation have also been undertaken in some parts of the shear zone which indicate reasonably high radon emanation of the soils and rocks studied. This suggests the need for regular monitoring and suitable controls on the mine environment (air quality) and its vicinity. Radon emanation studies coupled with gamma-ray spectrometry and the subsequent modelling of the radiometric and radon measurements will help in the application of radon as a geophysical tracer in exploration of radioactive ore bodies and in radon risk assessment as well as in delineating active and passive faults and even in petroleum exploration.

Efficacy and safety of golimumab in Indian patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Subgroup data from GO-MORE study.

PubMed

Pal, Sarvajeet; Veeravalli, Sarath Chandra Mouli; Das, Siddharth Kumar; Shobha, Vineeta; Uppuluri, Ramakrishna Rao; Dharmanand, B G; Nadkar, Milind; Hsia, Elizabeth; Fei, Kaiyin; Yao, Ruji; Khalifa, Ahmed

2016-11-01

To conduct a subgroup analysis of GO-MORE trial Part 1, comparing efficacy and safety of add-on subcutaneous golimumab therapy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients enrolled from and outside India. GO-MORE was an open-label, multicenter, prospective trial of add-on golimumab in biologic-naïve RA patients, having active disease despite being on conventional DMARD regimen(s). Part 1 of the study was chosen as the focus of this subgroup analysis because a substantial number of Indian patients (106) were enrolled compared to no Indian patients in Part 2. The primary efficacy outcome was proportion of patients achieving good to moderate DAS28-ESR (Disease Activity Score of 28 joints calculated using erythrocyte sedimentation rate) European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) response at month 6. Efficacy evaluable population comprised of 105 and 3175 patients from India and outside India, respectively. Safety analysis included 106 patients enrolled from India and 3251 from outside India. A higher proportion of Indian patients had a high disease activity as measured by DAS28 ESR than outside India patients. At month 6, the proportion of Indian and non-Indian patients achieving DAS28-ESR, DAS28 - C-reactive protein, simplified disease activity index (SDAI) remission, and EuroQoL Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (EQ-5D) scores were comparable. Incidence of all adverse events was lower in Indian patients. There were no deaths, cases of tuberculosis or malignancy reported in the patients from India at month 6. The efficacy and safety results with add-on golimumab were consistent between RA patients from India and outside India, despite high baseline disease activity in the Indian patients. © 2016 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Postgraduate Emergency Medicine Training in India: An Educational Partnership with the Private Sector.

PubMed

Douglass, Katherine; Pousson, Amelia; Gidwani, Shweta; Smith, Jeffrey

2015-11-01

Emergency medicine (EM) is a recently recognized specialty in India, still in its infancy. Local training programs are developing, but remain very limited. Private, for-profit hospitals are an important provider of graduate medical education (GME) in India, and are partnering with United States (US) universities in EM to expand training opportunities. Our aim was to describe current private-sector programs affiliated with a US university providing postgraduate EM training in India, the evolution and structure of these programs, and successes and challenges of program implementation. Programs have been established in seven cities in India in partnership with a US academic institution. Full-time trainees have required didactics, clinical rotations, research, and annual examinations. Faculty members affiliated with the US institution visit each program monthly. Regular evaluations have informed program modifications, and a local faculty development program has been implemented. Currently, 240 trainees are enrolled in the EM postgraduate program, and 141 physicians have graduated. A pilot survey conducted in 2012 revealed that 93% of graduates are currently practicing EM, 82% of those in India; 71% are involved in teaching, and 32% in research. Further investigation into programmatic impacts is necessary. Challenges include issues of formal program recognition both in India and abroad. This unique partnership is playing a major early role in EM GME in India. Future steps include official program recognition, expanded numbers of training sites, and a gradual transition of training and education to local faculty. Similar partnership programs may be effective in other settings outside of India. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gender disparity in late-life cognitive functioning in India: findings from the longitudinal aging study in India.

PubMed

Lee, Jinkook; Shih, Regina; Feeney, Kevin; Langa, Kenneth M

2014-07-01

To examine gender disparities in cognitive functioning in India and the extent to which education explains this disparity in later life. This study uses baseline interviews of a prospective cohort study of 1,451 community-residing adults 45 years of age or older in four geographically diverse states of India (Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan). Data collected during home visits includes cognitive performance tests, and rich sociodemographic, health, and psychosocial variables. The cognitive performance tests include episodic memory, numeracy, and a modified version of the Mini-Mental State Examination. We find gender disparity in cognitive function in India, and this disparity is greater in the north than the south. We also find that gender disparities in educational attainment, health, and social and economic activity explain the female cognitive disadvantage in later life. We report significant gender disparities in cognitive functioning among older Indian adults, which differ from gender disparities in cognition encountered in developed countries. Our models controlling for education, health status, and social and economic activity explain the disparity in southern India but not the region-specific disparity in the northern India. North Indian women may face additional sources of stress associated with discrimination against women that contribute to persistent disadvantages in cognitive functioning at older ages. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effect of Diabetes Mellitus on Tuberculosis Treatment Outcome and Adverse Reactions in Patients Receiving Directly Observed Treatment Strategy in India: A Prospective Study.

PubMed

Siddiqui, Ali Nasir; Khayyam, Khalid Umer; Sharma, Manju

2016-01-01

Despite successful implementation of directly observed treatment, short course (DOTS) in India, the growing number of diabetes mellitus (DM) patients appears to be a cause in the increasing tuberculosis (TB) incidence, affecting their management. In this regard, a prospective study was conducted on DOTS patients in three primary health care centers in urban slum region of South Delhi, India, to evaluate the effect of DM on sputum conversion, treatment outcome, and adverse drug reactions (ADR) due to anti-TB treatment. Eligible TB patients underwent blood glucose screening at treatment initiation. Disease presentation, clinical outcome, and ADRs were compared between patients of TB with and without DM. Out of 316 patients, the prevalence of DM was found to be 15.8%, in which 19.4% and 9.6% were PTB and EPTB patients, respectively. DM patients have observed higher sputum positivity (OR 1.247 95% CI; 0.539-2.886) at the end of 2-month treatment and poor outcome (OR 1.176 95% CI; 0.310-4.457) at the completion of treatment compared with non DM patients. Presence of DM was significantly associated (OR 3.578 95% CI; 1.114-11.494, p = 0.032) with the development of ADRs. DM influences the treatment outcome of PTB patients in our setting and also on the ADR incidence.

Early Cretaceous paleomagnetic and geochronologic results from the Tethyan Himalaya: Insights into the Neotethyan paleogeography and the India-Asia collision.

PubMed

Ma, Yiming; Yang, Tianshui; Bian, Weiwei; Jin, Jingjie; Zhang, Shihong; Wu, Huaichun; Li, Haiyan

2016-02-17

To better understand the Neotethyan paleogeography, a paleomagnetic and geochronological study has been performed on the Early Cretaceous Sangxiu Formation lava flows, which were dated from ~135.1 Ma to ~124.4 Ma, in the Tethyan Himalaya. The tilt-corrected site-mean characteristic remanent magnetization (ChRM) direction for 26 sites is Ds = 296.1°, Is = -65.7°, ks = 51.7, α95 = 4.0°, corresponding to a paleopole at 5.9°S, 308.0°E with A95 = 6.1°. Positive fold and reversal tests prove that the ChRM directions are prefolding primary magnetizations. These results, together with reliable Cretaceous-Paleocene paleomagnetic data observed from the Tethyan Himalaya and the Lhasa terrane, as well as the paleolatitude evolution indicated by the apparent polar wander paths (APWPs) of India, reveal that the Tethyan Himalaya was a part of Greater India during the Early Cretaceous (135.1-124.4 Ma) when the Neotethyan Ocean was up to ~6900 km, it rifted from India sometime after ~130 Ma, and that the India-Asia collision should be a dual-collision process including the first Tethyan Himalaya-Lhasa terrane collision at ~54.9 Ma and the final India-Tethyan Himalaya collision at ~36.7 Ma.

Miscommunication across Cultures: The Case of Marketing in Indian English. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frank, Jane

A study of intercultural business communication problems compared three examples of direct marketing sales letters similar in function, format, content, and targeted recipient but originating in different cultures (India, England, and the United States) and companies. The letters were directed to a single prospective purchaser of "Who's…

Culture, Gender and Growth. Policy Insights, No. 15

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jutting, Johannes; Morrisson, Christian

2005-01-01

While the overall picture for gender equality is still gloomy, recent changes in family institutions in some countries provide an enlightening example. Developing countries are starting to reform cultural barriers to gender equality that limit their growth prospects. Morocco, Algeria, Egypt and some states of India are some examples of countries…

Complete genome sequencing and evolutionary analysis of Indian isolates of Dengue virus type 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dash, Paban Kumar, E-mail: pabandash@rediffmail.com; Sharma, Shashi; Soni, Manisha

Highlights: •Complete genome of Indian DENV-2 was deciphered for the first time in this study. •The recent Indian DENV-2 revealed presence of many unique amino acid residues. •Genotype shift (American to Cosmopolitan) characterizes evolution of DENV-2 in India. •Circulation of a unique clade of DENV-2 in South Asia was identified. -- Abstract: Dengue is the most important arboviral infection of global public health significance. It is now endemic in most parts of the South East Asia including India. Though Dengue virus type 2 (DENV-2) is predominantly associated with major outbreaks in India, complete genome information of Indian DENV-2 is notmore » available. In this study, the full-length genome of five DENV-2 isolates (four from 2001 to 2011 and one from 1960), from different parts of India was determined. The complete genome of the Indian DENV-2 was found to be 10,670 bases long with an open reading frame coding for 3391 amino acids. The recent Indian DENV-2 (2001–2011) revealed a nucleotide sequence identity of around 90% and 97% with an older Indian DENV-2 (1960) and closely related Sri Lankan and Chinese DENV-2 respectively. Presence of unique amino acid residues and non-conservative substitutions in critical amino acid residues of major structural and non-structural proteins was observed in recent Indian DENV-2. Selection pressure analysis revealed positive selection in few amino acid sites of the genes encoding for structural and non-structural proteins. The molecular phylogenetic analysis based on comparison of both complete coding region and envelope protein gene with globally diverse DENV-2 viruses classified the recent Indian isolates into a unique South Asian clade within Cosmopolitan genotype. A shift of genotype from American to Cosmopolitan in 1970s characterized the evolution of DENV-2 in India. Present study is the first report on complete genome characterization of emerging DENV-2 isolates from India and highlights the circulation of a unique clade in South Asia.« less

The Japanese and Indian space programmes : two roads into space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harvey, Brian

The development of the space industry in the Asian and Pacific Rim region provides the context for this book. The two major countries hoping for leadership in the area (apart from China) are Japan and India, both of whom have significant launcher capabilities.There is a general introductory chapter which places the space programmes of the region in the comparative context of the other space-faring nations of the world. The author reviews the main space programmes of Japan and India in turn, concentrating on their origins, the development of launcher and space facilities, scientific and engineering programmes, and future prospects.The book concludes with a chapter comparing how similarly/differently Japan and India are developing their space programmes, how they are likely to proceed in the future, and what impact the programmes have had in their own region and what they have contributed so far to global space research.

Role of surveillance in prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma.

PubMed

Panda, Dipanjan

2014-08-01

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a common malignancy and one of the important public health problems in India. The surveillance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an established approach to detect early cancers in patients with defined risks. However, there are still controversies and issues to be addressed regarding the optimal surveillance methods and interval. The current level of awareness among physicians in India about surveillance is low and the need and most cost effective surveillance strategy in developing country like ours is unclear. This article has tried to discuss these issues in their appropriate perspective. To address this complicated issue, a multicenter randomized prospective study however may be required.

The evolution of alcohol use in India.

PubMed

Sharma, H K; Tripathi, B M; Pelto, Pertti J

2010-08-01

This paper traces the role of alcohol production and use in the daily lives of people in India, from ancient times to the present day. Alcohol use has been an issue of great ambivalence throughout the rich and long history of the Indian subcontinent. The behaviors and attitudes about alcohol use in India are very complex, contradictory and convoluted because of the many different influences in that history. The evolution of alcohol use patterns in India can be divided into four broad historical periods (time of written records), beginning with the Vedic era (ca. 1500-700 BCE). From 700 BCE to 1100 CE, ("Reinterpretation and Synthesis") is the time of emergence of Buddhism and Jainism, with some new anti-alcohol doctrines, as well as post-Vedic developments in the Hindu traditions and scholarly writing. The writings of the renowned medical practitioners, Charaka and Susruta, added new lines of thought, including arguments for "moderate alcohol use." The Period of Islamic Influence (1100-1800 CE), including the Mughal era from the 1520s to 1800, exhibited a complex interplay of widespread alcohol use, competing with the clear Quranic opposition to alcohol consumption. The fourth period (1800 to the present) includes the deep influence of British colonial rule and the recent half century of Indian independence, beginning in 1947. The contradictions and ambiguities-with widespread alcohol use in some sectors of society, including the high status caste of warriors/rulers (Kshatriyas), versus prohibitions and condemnation of alcohol use, especially for the Brahmin (scholar-priest) caste, have produced alcohol use patterns that include frequent high-risk, heavy and hazardous drinking. The recent increases in alcohol consumption in many sectors of the general Indian population, coupled with the strong evidence of the role of alcohol in the spread of HIV/STI infections and other health risks, point to the need for detailed understanding of the complex cross-currents emerging from the past history of alcohol use and abuse in India.

Capsid coding region diversity of re-emerging lineage C foot-and-mouth disease virus serotype Asia1 from India.

PubMed

Subramaniam, Saravanan; Mohapatra, Jajati K; Das, Biswajit; Sharma, Gaurav K; Biswal, Jitendra K; Mahajan, Sonalika; Misri, Jyoti; Dash, Bana B; Pattnaik, Bramhadev

2015-07-01

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotype Asia1 was first reported in India in 1951, where three major genetic lineages (B, C and D) of this serotype have been described until now. In this study, the capsid protein coding region of serotype Asia1 viruses (n = 99) from India were analyzed, giving importance to the viruses circulating since 2007. All of the isolates (n = 50) recovered during 2007-2013 were found to group within the re-emerging cluster of lineage C (designated as sublineage C(R)). The evolutionary rate of sublineage C(R) was estimated to be slightly higher than that of the serotype as a whole, and the time of the most recent common ancestor for this cluster was estimated to be approximately 2001. In comparison to the older isolates of lineage C (1993-2001), the re-emerging viruses showed variation at eight amino acid positions, including substitutions at the antigenically critical residues VP279 and VP2131. However, no direct correlation was found between sequence variations and antigenic relationships. The number of codons under positive selection and the nature of the selection pressure varied widely among the structural proteins, implying a heterogeneous pattern of evolution in serotype Asia1. While episodic diversifying selection appears to play a major role in shaping the evolution of VP1 and VP3, selection pressure acting on codons of VP2 is largely pervasive. Further, episodic positive selection appears to be responsible for the early diversification of lineage C. Recombination events identified in the structural protein coding region indicates its probable role in adaptive evolution of serotype Asia1 viruses.

Proceedings of the 3rd International Workshop on a Research Agenda for Maintenance and Evolution of Service-Oriented Systems (MESOA 2009)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-02-01

through software -as-a- service ( SaaS ) (Nitu 2009, Sedayao 2008). In practice, an organization’s initial SOA implementation almost never attempts to cover...004 Nitu. "Configurability in SaaS ( Software as a Service ) Applications." Proceedings of the 2nd An- nual Conference on India Software Engineering...and evolution of service -oriented systems. In 2007, the Software Engineering Institute started assembling a SOA Research Agenda based on a

Cooperative Mmonitoring Center Occasional Paper/5: Propspects of Conventional Arms Control in South Asia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gupta, Amit; Kamal, Nazir

1998-11-01

The intensely adversarial relationship between India and Pakistan is marked by military rivalry, mutual distrust, and suspicion. The most dividing disagreement has been over the Kashmir region. An inability to discuss the Kashmir issue has prevented discussion on other important issues. Since there is little prospect of detente, at least in the near-term, the question is whether this rivalry can be contained by other means, such as arms control approaches. Conventional arms control has been applied flexibly and successfully in some regions to reduce threat-perceptions and achieve reassuring military stability. Some lessons from other international models might be applied tomore » the India/Pakistan context. This paper discusses the status of conventional arms control in South Asia, the dominant Indian and Pakistani perceptions about arms control, the benefits that could be derived from arms control, as well as the problems and prospects of arms control. It also discusses existing conventional arms control agreements at the regional and global levels as well as the potential role of cooperative monitoring technology.« less

Early Cretaceous paleomagnetic and geochronologic results from the Tethyan Himalaya: Insights into the Neotethyan paleogeography and the India-Asia collision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Yiming; Yang, Tianshui; Bian, Weiwei; Jin, Jingjie; Zhang, Shihong; Wu, Huaichun; Li, Haiyan

2016-02-01

To better understand the Neotethyan paleogeography, a paleomagnetic and geochronological study has been performed on the Early Cretaceous Sangxiu Formation lava flows, which were dated from ~135.1 Ma to ~124.4 Ma, in the Tethyan Himalaya. The tilt-corrected site-mean characteristic remanent magnetization (ChRM) direction for 26 sites is Ds = 296.1°, Is = -65.7°, ks = 51.7, α95 = 4.0°, corresponding to a paleopole at 5.9°S, 308.0°E with A95 = 6.1°. Positive fold and reversal tests prove that the ChRM directions are prefolding primary magnetizations. These results, together with reliable Cretaceous-Paleocene paleomagnetic data observed from the Tethyan Himalaya and the Lhasa terrane, as well as the paleolatitude evolution indicated by the apparent polar wander paths (APWPs) of India, reveal that the Tethyan Himalaya was a part of Greater India during the Early Cretaceous (135.1-124.4 Ma) when the Neotethyan Ocean was up to ~6900 km, it rifted from India sometime after ~130 Ma, and that the India-Asia collision should be a dual-collision process including the first Tethyan Himalaya-Lhasa terrane collision at ~54.9 Ma and the final India-Tethyan Himalaya collision at ~36.7 Ma.

The potential for bi-lateral agreements in medical tourism: A qualitative study of stakeholder perspectives from the UK and India

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Globalisation has prompted countries to evaluate their position on trade in health services. However, this is often done from a multi-lateral, rather than a regional or bi-lateral perspective. In a previous review, we concluded that most of the issues raised could be better addressed from a bi-lateral relationship. We report here the results of a qualitative exercise to assess stakeholders' perceptions on the prospects for such a bi-lateral system, and its ability to address concerns associated with medical tourism. Methods 30 semi-structured interviews were carried out with stakeholders, 20 in India and 10 in the UK, to assess their views on the potential offered by a bi-lateral relationship on medical tourism between both countries. Issues discussed include data availability, origin of medical tourists, quality and continuity of care, regulation and litigation, barriers to medical tourism, policy changes needed, and prospects for such a bi-lateral relationship. Results The majority of stakeholders were concerned about the quality of health services patients would receive abroad, regulation and litigation procedures, lack of continuity of care, and the effect of such trade on the healthcare available to the local population in India. However, when considering trade from a bi-lateral point of view, there was disagreement on how these issues would apply. There was further disagreement on the importance of the Diaspora and the validity of the UK's 'rule' that patients should not fly more than three hours to obtain care. Although the opinion on the prospects for an India-UK bi-lateral relationship was varied, there was no consensus on what policy changes would be needed for such a relationship to take place. Conclusions Whilst the literature review previously carried out suggested that a bi-lateral relationship would be best-placed to address the concerns regarding medical tourism, there was scepticism from the analysis provided in this paper based on the over-riding feeling that the political 'cost' involved was likely to be the major impediment. This makes the need for better evidence even more acute, as much of the current policy process could well be based on entrenched ideological positions, rather than secure evidence of impact. PMID:21539738

The potential for bi-lateral agreements in medical tourism: A qualitative study of stakeholder perspectives from the UK and India.

PubMed

Martínez Álvarez, Melisa; Chanda, Rupa; Smith, Richard D

2011-05-03

Globalisation has prompted countries to evaluate their position on trade in health services. However, this is often done from a multi-lateral, rather than a regional or bi-lateral perspective. In a previous review, we concluded that most of the issues raised could be better addressed from a bi-lateral relationship. We report here the results of a qualitative exercise to assess stakeholders' perceptions on the prospects for such a bi-lateral system, and its ability to address concerns associated with medical tourism. 30 semi-structured interviews were carried out with stakeholders, 20 in India and 10 in the UK, to assess their views on the potential offered by a bi-lateral relationship on medical tourism between both countries. Issues discussed include data availability, origin of medical tourists, quality and continuity of care, regulation and litigation, barriers to medical tourism, policy changes needed, and prospects for such a bi-lateral relationship. The majority of stakeholders were concerned about the quality of health services patients would receive abroad, regulation and litigation procedures, lack of continuity of care, and the effect of such trade on the healthcare available to the local population in India. However, when considering trade from a bi-lateral point of view, there was disagreement on how these issues would apply. There was further disagreement on the importance of the Diaspora and the validity of the UK's 'rule' that patients should not fly more than three hours to obtain care. Although the opinion on the prospects for an India-UK bi-lateral relationship was varied, there was no consensus on what policy changes would be needed for such a relationship to take place. Whilst the literature review previously carried out suggested that a bi-lateral relationship would be best-placed to address the concerns regarding medical tourism, there was scepticism from the analysis provided in this paper based on the over-riding feeling that the political 'cost' involved was likely to be the major impediment. This makes the need for better evidence even more acute, as much of the current policy process could well be based on entrenched ideological positions, rather than secure evidence of impact.

Western Continental Margin of India - Re-look using potential field data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajaram, M.; S P, A.

2008-05-01

The Western Continental Margin of India (WCMI) evolved as a result of rifting between India and Madagascar that took place during mid Cretaceous (~88Ma).The WCMI is equally important in terms of natural resources as well as research point of view. The major tectonic elements in the western offshore includes the Laxmi and Chagos- Laccadive ridge dividing the WCMI and the adjoining Arabian sea into two basins, Pratap Ridge, Alleppey platform etc. Different theories have been proposed for the evolution of each of these tectonic elements. In the current paper we look at geopotential data on the west coast of India and the western off-shore. The data sets utilized include Satellite derived High Resolution Free Air Gravity data over the off-shore, Bouguer data onland, Champ Satellite Magnetic data, published Marine Magnetic data collected by ONGC, NIO, ground magnetic data over west cost collected by IIG and available aeromagnetic data. From the free air gravity anomaly the structural details of the western offshore can be delineated. The Euler depths of FAG depict deep solutions associated with Pratap Ridge, Comorin Ridge, the west coast fault and the Laxmi Ridge. These may be associated with continental margin and continental fragments. From the aeromagnetic and marine magnetic data it is evident that the West Coast Fault is dissected at several places. The shallow circular feature associated with Bombay High is evident both on the FAG and the analytic signal derived from satellite Magnetic data. The crustal magnetic thickness from MF5 lithospheric model of the Champ appears to suggest that the continental crust extends up to the Chagos- Laccadive ridge. Based on the analysis of these geopotential data sets the various theories for the evolution of the WCMI will be evaluated and these results will be presented.

Organizational Learning and the Learning Organization: Reviewing Evolution for Prospecting the Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rebelo, Teresa Manuela; Gomes, Adelino Duarte

2008-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to analyse the evolution of the concepts of organizational learning and the learning organization and propose guidelines for the future. Design/methodology/approach: The evolution of organizational learning and the learning organization is analysed in the light of the three-stage model of the evolution of…

Petrology of blueschist from the Western Himalaya (Ladakh, NW India): Exploring the complex behavior of a lawsonite-bearing system in a paleo-accretionary setting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Groppo, Chiara; Rolfo, Franco; Sachan, Himanshu K.; Rai, Santosh K.

2016-05-01

Although the Himalaya is the archetype of collisional orogens, formed as a consequence of the closure of the Neo-Tethyan ocean separating India from Asia, high-pressure metamorphic rocks are rare. Beside few eclogites, corresponding to the metamorphosed continental Indian crust dragged below Asia or underthrusted beneath southern Tibet, blueschists occur seldom along the Yarlung-Tsangpo Suture zone, i.e. the suture marking the India-Asia collision. These blueschists, mostly interpreted as related to paleo-accretionary prisms formed in response to the subduction of the Neo-Tethyan ocean below the Asian plate, are crucial for constraining the evolution of the India-Asia convergence zone during the closure of the Neo-Tethyan Ocean. In the Western Himalaya, the best occurrence of blueschist is that of the Sapi-Shergol Ophiolitic Mélange in Ladakh. This unit is dominated by volcanoclastic sequences rich in mafic material with subordinate interbedding of metasediments, characterized by very fresh lawsonite blueschist-facies assemblages. In this paper, the lawsonite blueschist-facies metasediments have been petrologically investigated with the aims of (i) constraining the P-T evolution of the Sapi-Shergol Ophiolitic Mélange, (ii) evaluating the influence of Fe2O3 and of H2O on the stability of the high-pressure mineral assemblages, (iii) understanding the processes controlling lawsonite formation and preservation, and (iv) interpreting the P-T evolution of the Sapi-Shergol blueschists in the framework of India-Asia collision. Our results indicate that (i) the Sapi-Shergol blueschists experienced a cold subduction history along a low thermal gradient, up to peak conditions of ca. 470 °C, 19 kbar; furthermore, in order to preserve lawsonite in the studied lithologies, exhumation must have been coupled with significant cooling, i.e. the resulting P-T path is characterized by a clockwise hairpin loop along low thermal gradients (< 8-9 °C/km); (ii) the presence of ferric iron in the investigated system has a non-negligible (lowering) effect on pressure estimates, whereas temperatures estimates are not influenced by the oxidation state of the system; (iii) the observed sequence of mineral growth (i.e. simultaneous growth of lawsonite and garnet) suggests that (a) the system was initially H2O-undersaturated and lawsonite growth was triggered by a protracted H2O influx at high pressure (equilibrium approach), or (b) the system was H2O-saturated since the beginning, but lawsonite growth was delayed due to the predominance of kinetic factors over equilibrium dynamics (nonequilibrium approach); (iv) the inferred P-T evolution is consistent with a cold subduction zone system in an intra-oceanic subduction setting. Moreover, the estimated peak P-T conditions roughly coincide with the maximum P-T estimates predicted by thermo-mechanical models for the metasediments exhumed in accretionary wedges, and with the maximum P-T conditions recorded by natural occurrences of blueschist accretionary complexes worldwide.

Islands as model systems in ecology and evolution: prospects fifty years after MacArthur-Wilson.

PubMed

Warren, Ben H; Simberloff, Daniel; Ricklefs, Robert E; Aguilée, Robin; Condamine, Fabien L; Gravel, Dominique; Morlon, Hélène; Mouquet, Nicolas; Rosindell, James; Casquet, Juliane; Conti, Elena; Cornuault, Josselin; Fernández-Palacios, José María; Hengl, Tomislav; Norder, Sietze J; Rijsdijk, Kenneth F; Sanmartín, Isabel; Strasberg, Dominique; Triantis, Kostas A; Valente, Luis M; Whittaker, Robert J; Gillespie, Rosemary G; Emerson, Brent C; Thébaud, Christophe

2015-02-01

The study of islands as model systems has played an important role in the development of evolutionary and ecological theory. The 50th anniversary of MacArthur and Wilson's (December 1963) article, 'An equilibrium theory of insular zoogeography', was a recent milestone for this theme. Since 1963, island systems have provided new insights into the formation of ecological communities. Here, building on such developments, we highlight prospects for research on islands to improve our understanding of the ecology and evolution of communities in general. Throughout, we emphasise how attributes of islands combine to provide unusual research opportunities, the implications of which stretch far beyond islands. Molecular tools and increasing data acquisition now permit re-assessment of some fundamental issues that interested MacArthur and Wilson. These include the formation of ecological networks, species abundance distributions, and the contribution of evolution to community assembly. We also extend our prospects to other fields of ecology and evolution - understanding ecosystem functioning, speciation and diversification - frequently employing assets of oceanic islands in inferring the geographic area within which evolution has occurred, and potential barriers to gene flow. Although island-based theory is continually being enriched, incorporating non-equilibrium dynamics is identified as a major challenge for the future. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

The Drug Discovery and Development Industry in India-Two Decades of Proprietary Small-Molecule R&D.

PubMed

Differding, Edmond

2017-06-07

This review provides a comprehensive survey of proprietary drug discovery and development efforts performed by Indian companies between 1994 and mid-2016. It is based on the identification and detailed analysis of pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and contract research companies active in proprietary new chemical entity (NCE) research and development (R&D) in India. Information on preclinical and clinical development compounds was collected by company, therapeutic indication, mode of action, target class, and development status. The analysis focuses on the overall pipeline and its evolution over two decades, contributions by type of company, therapeutic focus, attrition rates, and contribution to Western pharmaceutical pipelines through licensing agreements. This comprehensive analysis is the first of its kind, and, in our view, represents a significant contribution to the understanding of the current state of the drug discovery and development industry in India. © 2017 The Author. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

Bioinformatics education in India.

PubMed

Kulkarni-Kale, Urmila; Sawant, Sangeeta; Chavan, Vishwas

2010-11-01

An account of bioinformatics education in India is presented along with future prospects. Establishment of BTIS network by Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India in the 1980s had been a systematic effort in the development of bioinformatics infrastructure in India to provide services to scientific community. Advances in the field of bioinformatics underpinned the need for well-trained professionals with skills in information technology and biotechnology. As a result, programmes for capacity building in terms of human resource development were initiated. Educational programmes gradually evolved from the organisation of short-term workshops to the institution of formal diploma/degree programmes. A case study of the Master's degree course offered at the Bioinformatics Centre, University of Pune is discussed. Currently, many universities and institutes are offering bioinformatics courses at different levels with variations in the course contents and degree of detailing. BioInformatics National Certification (BINC) examination initiated in 2005 by DBT provides a common yardstick to assess the knowledge and skill sets of students passing out of various institutions. The potential for broadening the scope of bioinformatics to transform it into a data intensive discovery discipline is discussed. This necessitates introduction of amendments in the existing curricula to accommodate the upcoming developments.

Vector population manipulation for control of arboviruses--a novel prospect for India.

PubMed

Niranjan Reddy, Bp; Gupta, Bhavna; Rao, B Prasad

2014-04-01

India, the seventh largest country in the world, has diverse geographical and climatic regions with vast rural and peri-urban areas. Many are experiencing an escalation in the spread and intensity of numerous human diseases transmitted by insects. Classically, the management of these vector-borne diseases is underpinned by either chemical insecticides and/or environmental management targeted at the vector. However, these methods or their present implementation do not offer acceptable levels of control, and more effective and sustainable options are now available. Genetic strategies for the prevention of arbovirus transmission are most advanced for dengue and chikungunya, targeting their primary vector, Aedes aegypti. The national burden in terms of morbidity and mortality as a direct consequence of dengue virus in India is considered to be the largest worldwide, over 4 times that of any other country. Presently, new genetic technologies are undergoing field evaluation of their biosafety and efficacy in several countries. This paper discusses the merits of these approaches and argues for fair and transparent appraisal in India as a matter of urgency. Identification of any associated risks and their appropriate mitigation are fundamental to that process. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Group B Streptococcal Colonization Among Pregnant Women in Delhi, India.

PubMed

Chaudhary, Manu; Rench, Marcia A; Baker, Carol J; Singh, Pushpa; Hans, Charoo; Edwards, Morven S

2017-07-01

Little is known regarding maternal group B streptococcal (GBS) colonization prevalence and capsular (CPS) serotype distribution among pregnant women in India. The objective of this prospective cohort study was to determine GBS recto-vaginal colonization prevalence in pregnant women at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi, India. Literature review identified reports from India assessing GBS colonization prevalence in pregnant women. Rectal and vaginal swabs were inoculated into Strep B Carrot Broth (Hardy Diagnostics, Santa Maria, CA) and subcultured onto GBS Detect plates (Hardy Diagnostics, Santa Maria, CA). Isolates were serotyped using ImmuLex Strep-B latex kits (Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark). Thirteen studies were identified citing GBS colonization prevalence during pregnancy as 0.47%-16%. Among 300 pregnant women (mean age: 26.9 years; mean gestation: 34 weeks) enrolled (August 2015 to April 2016), GBS colonization prevalence was 15%. Fifteen percent of women had vaginal only, 29% had rectal only and 56% had both sites colonized. CPS types were Ia (13.3%), Ib (4.4%), II (20%), III (22.2%), V (20%) and VII (6.7%); 13.3% were nontypable. Fetal loss in a prior pregnancy at ≥20-weeks gestation was more common in colonized than noncolonized women (15.6% vs. 3.5%; P = 0.004). Employing recent census data for the birth cohort and estimating that 1%-2% of neonates born to colonized women develop early-onset disease, at least 39,000 cases of early-onset disease may occur yearly in India. Using optimal methods, 15% of third trimester pregnant women in India are GBS colonized. A multivalent vaccine containing 6 CPS types (Ia, Ib, II, III, V and VII) would encompass ~87% of GBS carried by pregnant women in India.

Full-length VP2 gene analysis of canine parvovirus reveals emergence of newer variants in India.

PubMed

Nookala, Mangadevi; Mukhopadhyay, Hirak Kumar; Sivaprakasam, Amsaveni; Balasubramanian, Brindhalakshmi; Antony, Prabhakar Xavier; Thanislass, Jacob; Srinivas, Mouttou Vivek; Pillai, Raghavan Madhusoodanan

2016-12-01

The canine parvovirus (CPV) infection is a highly contagious and serious enteric disease of dogs with high fatality rate. The present study was taken up to characterize the full-length viral polypeptide 2 (VP2) gene of CPV of Indian origin along with the commercially available vaccines. The faecal samples from parvovirus suspected dogs were collected from various states of India for screening by PCR assay and 66.29% of samples were found positive. Six CPV-2a, three CPV-2b, and one CPV-2c types were identified by sequence analysis. Several unique and existing mutations have been noticed in CPV types analyzed indicating emergence of newer variants of CPV in India. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that all the field CPV types were grouped in different subclades within two main clades, but away from the commercial vaccine strains. CPV-2b and CPV-2c types with unique mutations were found to be establishing in India apart from the prevailing CPV-2a type. Mutations and the positive selection of the mutants were found to be the major mechanism of emergence and evolution of parvovirus. Therefore, the incorporation of local strain in the vaccine formulation may be considered for effective control of CPV infections in India.

Term Planning in Oriya: Problems and Prospects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohanty, Panchanan; Pattanayak, Subrat Kalyan

1996-01-01

Discusses the failed attempt to cultivate Oriya as a modern language and to make it the official language of Orissa, India, in the 19th century. The reasons for this failure are a lack of language consciousness among the Oriyas, the pro-English attitude of the Oriya bureaucrats, and an irresolute corpus planning exercise. (eight references)…

Prospect of Electronic Media as Curriculum in Non-Native Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dutta, Juri; Parhi, Asima Ranjan

2014-01-01

In the context of India in general, and places where English language functions as a second language in particular, the prevalent idea that our students have to support their language learning capability through the native accent (pronunciation) structures is a myth. The paper takes up the following hypotheses: 1. Listening to BBC English or…

Justpeace Prospects for Peace-Building and Worldview Tolerance: A South Asian Movement's Social Construction of Justice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rinker, Jeremy A.

2009-01-01

This dissertation is an attempt to understand the meta-narratives of justice operating within the "Trailokya Bauddha Mahasangha, Sahayak Gana" (TBMSG), a dalit Buddhist social movement active in Maharashtra, India. The movement, a vestige of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's 1956 conversion to Buddhism, is actively fighting for dalits rights by…

Role of Open and Distance Education in Integrating Education with Development--Emerging Model of Networked Collaborative Learning and Net-working.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Takwale, Ram

1998-01-01

Discusses the evolution of the educational system in India, developments in new communication technologies, and plans by the open and distance education system to develop educational networks. Policies and programs adopted by the Distance Education Council are outlined. (AEF)

Rationale and design of South Asian Birth Cohort (START): a Canada-India collaborative study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background People who originate from the Indian subcontinent (South Asians) suffer among the highest rates of type 2 diabetes in the world. Prior evidence suggests that metabolic risk factors develop early in life and are influenced by maternal and paternal behaviors, the intrauterine environment, and genetic factors. The South Asian Birth Cohort Study (START) will investigate the environmental and genetic basis of adiposity among 750 South Asian offspring recruited from highly divergent environments, namely, rural and urban India and urban Canada. Methods Detailed information on health behaviors including diet and physical activity, and blood samples for metabolic parameters and DNA are collected from pregnant women of South Asian ancestry who are free of significant chronic disease. They also undergo a provocative test to diagnose impaired glucose tolerance and gestational diabetes. At delivery, cord blood and newborn anthropometric indices (i.e. birth weight, length, head circumference and skin fold thickness) are collected. The mother and growing offspring are followed prospectively and information on the growth trajectory, adiposity and health behaviors will be collected annually up to age 3 years. Our aim is to recruit a minimum of 750 mother-infant pairs equally divided between three divergent environments: rural India, urban India, and Canada. Summary The START cohort will increase our understanding of the environmental and genetic determinants of adiposity and related metabolic abnormalities among South Asians living in India and Canada. PMID:23356884

Rationale and design of South Asian Birth Cohort (START): a Canada-India collaborative study.

PubMed

Anand, Sonia S; Vasudevan, Anil; Gupta, Milan; Morrison, Katherine; Kurpad, Anura; Teo, Koon K; Srinivasan, Krishnamachari

2013-01-28

People who originate from the Indian subcontinent (South Asians) suffer among the highest rates of type 2 diabetes in the world. Prior evidence suggests that metabolic risk factors develop early in life and are influenced by maternal and paternal behaviors, the intrauterine environment, and genetic factors. The South Asian Birth Cohort Study (START) will investigate the environmental and genetic basis of adiposity among 750 South Asian offspring recruited from highly divergent environments, namely, rural and urban India and urban Canada. Detailed information on health behaviors including diet and physical activity, and blood samples for metabolic parameters and DNA are collected from pregnant women of South Asian ancestry who are free of significant chronic disease. They also undergo a provocative test to diagnose impaired glucose tolerance and gestational diabetes. At delivery, cord blood and newborn anthropometric indices (i.e. birth weight, length, head circumference and skin fold thickness) are collected. The mother and growing offspring are followed prospectively and information on the growth trajectory, adiposity and health behaviors will be collected annually up to age 3 years. Our aim is to recruit a minimum of 750 mother-infant pairs equally divided between three divergent environments: rural India, urban India, and Canada. The START cohort will increase our understanding of the environmental and genetic determinants of adiposity and related metabolic abnormalities among South Asians living in India and Canada.

The Progression of Prospective Primary Teachers' Conceptions of the Methodology of Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rivero, Ana; Azcarate, Pilar; Porlan, Rafael; del Pozo, Rosa Martin; Harres, Joao

2011-01-01

This article describes the evolution of prospective primary teachers' conceptions of the methodology of teaching. Three categories were analyzed: the concept of activity, the organization of activities, and the concept of teaching resources. The study was conducted with five teams of prospective teachers, who were participating in teacher…

Co-digestion of rice straw and cow dung to supply cooking fuel and fertilizers in rural India: Impact on human health, resource flows and climate change.

PubMed

Sfez, Sophie; De Meester, Steven; Dewulf, Jo

2017-12-31

Anaerobic digestion of cow dung with new feedstock such as crop residues to increase the biogas potential is an option to help overcoming several issues faced by India. Anaerobic digestion provides biogas that can replace biomass cooking fuels and reduce indoor air pollution. It also provides digestate, a fertilizer that can contribute to compensate nutrient shortage on agricultural land. Moreover, it avoids the burning of rice straw in the fields which contributes to air pollution in India and climate change globally. Not only the technical and economical feasibility but also the environmental sustainability of such systems needs to be assessed. The potential effects of implementing community digesters co-digesting cow dung and rice straw on carbon and nutrients flows, human health, resource efficiency and climate change are analyzed by conducting a Substance Flow Analysis and a Life Cycle Assessment. The implementation of the technology is considered at the level of the state of Chhattisgarh. Implementing this scenario reduces the dependency of the rural community to nitrogen and phosphorus from synthetic fertilizers only by 0.1 and 1.6%, respectively, but the dependency of farmers to potassium from synthetic fertilizers by 31%. The prospective scenario returns more organic carbon to agricultural land and thus has a potential positive effect on soil quality. The implementation of the prospective scenario can reduce the health impact of the local population by 48%, increase the resource efficiency of the system by 60% and lower the impact on climate change by 13%. This study highlights the large potential of anaerobic digestion to overcome the aforementioned issues faced by India. It demonstrates the need to couple local and global assessments and to conduct analyses at the substance level to assess the sustainability of such systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Potential (Mis)match? Marriage Markets Amidst Sociodemographic Change in India, 2005-2050.

PubMed

Kashyap, Ridhi; Esteve, Albert; García-Román, Joan

2015-02-01

We explore the impact of sociodemographic change on marriage patterns in India by examining the hypothetical consequences of applying three sets of marriage pairing propensities-contemporary patterns by age, contemporary patterns by age and education, and changing propensities that allow for greater educational homogamy and reduced educational asymmetries--to future population projections. Future population prospects for India indicate three trends that will impact marriage patterns: (1) female deficit in sex ratios at birth; (2) declining birth cohort size; (3) female educational expansion. Existing literature posits declining marriage rates for men arising from skewed sex ratios at birth (SRBs) in India's population. In addition to skewed SRBs, India's population will experience female educational expansion in the coming decades. Female educational expansion and its impact on marriage patterns must be jointly considered with demographic changes, given educational differences and asymmetries in union formation that exist in India, as across much of the world. We systematize contemporary pairing propensities using data from the 2005-2006 Indian National Family Health Survey and the 2004 Socio-Economic Survey and apply these and the third set of changing propensities to multistate population projections by educational attainment using an iterative longitudinal projection procedure. If today's age patterns of marriage are viewed against age/sex population composition until 2050, men experience declining marriage prevalence. However, when education is included, women--particularly those with higher education--experience a more salient rise in nonmarriage. Significant changes in pairing patterns toward greater levels of educational homogamy and gender symmetry can counteract a marked rise in nonmarriage.

Healthcare associated infections in Paediatric Intensive Care Unit of a tertiary care hospital in India: Hospital stay & extra costs.

PubMed

Sodhi, Jitender; Satpathy, Sidhartha; Sharma, D K; Lodha, Rakesh; Kapil, Arti; Wadhwa, Nitya; Gupta, Shakti Kumar

2016-04-01

Healthcare associated infections (HAIs) increase the length of stay in the hospital and consequently costs as reported from studies done in developed countries. The current study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of HAIs on length of stay and costs of health care in children admitted to Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of a tertiary care hospital in north India. This prospective study was done in the seven bedded PICU of a large multi-specialty tertiary care hospital in New Delhi, India. A total of 20 children with HAI (cases) and 35 children without HAI (controls), admitted to the PICU during the study period (January 2012 to June 2012), were matched for gender, age, and average severity of illness score. Each patient's length of stay was obtained prospectively. Costs of healthcare were estimated according to traditional and time driven activity based costing methods approach. The median extra length of PICU stay for children with HAI (cases), compared with children with no HAI (controls), was seven days (IQR 3-16). The mean total costs of patients with and without HAI were ' 2,04,787 (US$ 3,413) and ' 56,587 (US$ 943), respectively and the mean difference in the total cost between cases and controls was ' 1,48,200 (95% CI 55,716 to 2,40,685, p<0.01). This study highlights the effect of HAI on costs for PICU patients, especially costs due to prolongation of hospital stay, and suggests the need to develop effective strategies for prevention of HAI to reduce costs of health care.

CTRI – Clicking to greater transparency and accountability

PubMed Central

George, Bobby

2012-01-01

A clinical trial registry (CTR) is an official platform for registering a clinical trial (CT) with an objective of providing increased transparency and access to CTs to the public at large. Clinical Trials Registry - India (CTRI) is a free online public record system for registration of CTs being conducted in India. The vision of the CTRI is to ensure that every CT conducted in the region is prospectively registered with full disclosure of the trial data set items. With more number of CTs being conducted in the country, with a large number being global multicentre trials, it is binding on the industry/investigators/sponsor to comply with the requirements laid down. While there are pros and cons, there is enough scope for improvement of CTRI. PMID:23293758

Educators of Prospective Teachers Hesitate to Embrace Evolution Due to Deficient Understanding of Science/Evolution and High Religiosity

PubMed Central

Paz-y-Miño-C, Guillermo

2016-01-01

Acceptance of evolution by educators of prospective teachers remains superficially studied despite their role in having mentored schoolteachers whose weak support of evolution is known. Here, we contrast the views of New England educators of prospective teachers (n=62; 87% Ph. D./doctorate holders in 32 specializations) with those of the general faculty (n=244; 93% Ph.D./doctorate holders in 40 disciplines), both members of 35 colleges and universities, and with college students (n=827; subsample of the 35 institutions) who were polled on: (1) the controversy evolution vs. creationism vs. intelligent design (ID), (2) their understanding of how science/evolution works, and (3) their religiosity. The educators held intermediate positions in respect to the general faculty and the students: 94% of the general faculty, 75% of the educators, and 63% of the students said they accepted evolution openly; and 82% of the general faculty, 71% of the educators, and 58% of the students thought that evolution is definitely true. Only 3% of the general faculty in comparison to 19% of the educators and 24% of the students thought that evolution and creationism are in harmony. Although 93% of the general faculty, educators, and students knew that evolution relies on common ancestry, 26% of the general faculty, 45% of the educators, and 35% of the students did not know that humans are apes. Remarkably, 15% of the general faculty, 32% of the educators, and 35% of the students believed, incorrectly, that the origin of the human mind cannot be explained by evolution; and 30% of the general faculty, 59% of the educators, and 75% of the students were Lamarckian (=believed in inheritance of acquired traits). For science education: 96% of the general faculty, 86% of the educators, and 71% of the students supported the exclusive teaching of evolution, while 4% of the general faculty, 14% of the educators, and 29% of the students favored equal time to evolution, creationism and ID; note that 92% of the general faculty, 82% of the educators, and 50% of the students perceived ID as either not scientific and proposed to counter evolution based on false claims or as religious doctrine consistent with creationism. The general faculty was the most knowledgeable about science/evolution and the least religious (science index, SI=2.49; evolution index, EI= 2.49; and religiosity index, RI=0.49); the educators reached lower science/evolution but higher religiosity indexes than the general faculty (SI=1.96, EI=1.96, and RI=0.83); and the students were the least knowledgeable about science/ evolution and the most religious (SI=1.80, EI=1.60, and RI=0.89). Understanding of science and evolution were inversely correlated with level of religiosity, and understanding of evolution increased with increasing science literacy. Interestingly, ≈36% of the general faculty, educators and students considered religion to be very important in their lives, and 17% of the general faculty, 34% of the educators, and 28% of the students said they prayed daily. Assessing the perception of evolution by educators of prospective teachers vs. the general faculty and the students of New England, one of the historically most progressive regions in the U.S., is crucial for determining the magnitude of the impact of creationism and ID on attitudes toward science, reason, and education in science. PMID:26949442

Emergency and Higher Education: A Study of Impact and Prospects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Job, P. S.; And Others

1976-01-01

The impact of the National Emergency in India on higher education is discussed by a group of educators: P. S. Job, Malcolm Adiseshiah, M. V. Rajagopal, N. A. Karim, I. C. Menon, P. T. Chandy, J. N. Kapur, John Vallamattom, and R. C. Mehrotra. Questions were posed to them concerning improving the quality of education, and the role of the…

Assessment of ambient gamma dose rate around a prospective uranium mining area of South India - A comparative study of dose by direct methods and soil radioactivity measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karunakara, N.; Yashodhara, I.; Sudeep Kumara, K.; Tripathi, R. M.; Menon, S. N.; Kadam, S.; Chougaonkar, M. P.

Indoor and outdoor gamma dose rates were evaluated around a prospective uranium mining region - Gogi, South India through (i) direct measurements using a GM based gamma dose survey meter, (ii) integrated measurement days using CaSO4:Dy based thermo luminescent dosimeters (TLDs), and (iii) analyses of 273 soil samples for 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K activity concentration using HPGe gamma spectrometry. The geometric mean values of indoor and outdoor gamma dose rates were 104 nGy h-1 and 97 nGy h-1, respectively with an indoor to outdoor dose ratio of 1.09. The gamma dose rates and activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K varied significantly within a small area due to the highly localized mineralization of the elements. Correlation study showed that the dose estimated from the soil radioactivity is better correlated with that measured directly using the portable survey meter, when compared to that obtained from TLDs. This study showed that in a region having localized mineralization in situ measurements using dose survey meter provide better representative values of gamma dose rates.

The Myth of the Silver Bullet: Does Technical Superiority Equate to Battlefield Success?

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-30

Victorian period alone, the British army suffered significant defeats in India and Zululand and strategic defeat in Afghanistan, Sudan, and the Transvaal.28...capability of their systems and fought the battle in a fashion that maximized their weapons potential. It was, “Through the evolution of technological

Cenozoic sedimentation in the Mumbai Offshore Basin: Implications for tectonic evolution of the western continental margin of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nair, Nisha; Pandey, Dhananjai K.

2018-02-01

Interpretation of multichannel seismic reflection data along the Mumbai Offshore Basin (MOB) revealed the tectonic processes that led to the development of sedimentary basins during Cenozoic evolution. Structural interpretation along three selected MCS profiles from MOB revealed seven major sedimentary sequences (∼3.0 s TWT, thick) and the associated complex fault patterns. These stratigraphic sequences are interpreted to host detritus of syn- to post rift events during rift-drift process. The acoustic basement appeared to be faulted with interspaced intrusive bodies. The sections also depicted the presence of slumping of sediments, subsidence, marginal basins, rollover anticlines, mud diapirs etc accompanied by normal to thrust faults related to recent tectonics. Presence of upthrusts in the slope region marks the locations of local compression during collision. Forward gravity modeling constrained with results from seismic and drill results, revealed that the crustal structure beneath the MOB has undergone an extensional type tectonics intruded with intrusive bodies. Results from the seismo-gravity modeling in association with litholog data from drilled wells from the western continental margin of India (WCMI) are presented here.

Statistical Analysis of Bus Networks in India

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

In this paper, we model the bus networks of six major Indian cities as graphs in L-space, and evaluate their various statistical properties. While airline and railway networks have been extensively studied, a comprehensive study on the structure and growth of bus networks is lacking. In India, where bus transport plays an important role in day-to-day commutation, it is of significant interest to analyze its topological structure and answer basic questions on its evolution, growth, robustness and resiliency. Although the common feature of small-world property is observed, our analysis reveals a wide spectrum of network topologies arising due to significant variation in the degree-distribution patterns in the networks. We also observe that these networks although, robust and resilient to random attacks are particularly degree-sensitive. Unlike real-world networks, such as Internet, WWW and airline, that are virtual, bus networks are physically constrained. Our findings therefore, throw light on the evolution of such geographically and constrained networks that will help us in designing more efficient bus networks in the future. PMID:27992590

Climatic and evolutionary drivers of phase shifts in the plague epidemics of colonial India.

PubMed

Lewnard, Joseph A; Townsend, Jeffrey P

2016-12-20

Immune heterogeneity in wild host populations indicates that disease-mediated selection is common in nature. However, the underlying dynamic feedbacks involving the ecology of disease transmission, evolutionary processes, and their interaction with environmental drivers have proven challenging to characterize. Plague presents an optimal system for interrogating such couplings: Yersinia pestis transmission exerts intense selective pressure driving the local persistence of disease resistance among its wildlife hosts in endemic areas. Investigations undertaken in colonial India after the introduction of plague in 1896 suggest that, only a decade after plague arrived, a heritable, plague-resistant phenotype had become prevalent among commensal rats of cities undergoing severe plague epidemics. To understand the possible evolutionary basis of these observations, we developed a mathematical model coupling environmentally forced plague dynamics with evolutionary selection of rats, capitalizing on extensive archival data from Indian Plague Commission investigations. Incorporating increased plague resistance among rats as a consequence of intense natural selection permits the model to reproduce observed changes in seasonal epidemic patterns in several cities and capture experimentally observed associations between climate and flea population dynamics in India. Our model results substantiate Victorian era claims of host evolution based on experimental observations of plague resistance and reveal the buffering effect of such evolution against environmental drivers of transmission. Our analysis shows that historical datasets can yield powerful insights into the transmission dynamics of reemerging disease agents with which we have limited contemporary experience to guide quantitative modeling and inference.

Climatic and evolutionary drivers of phase shifts in the plague epidemics of colonial India

PubMed Central

Lewnard, Joseph A.

2016-01-01

Immune heterogeneity in wild host populations indicates that disease-mediated selection is common in nature. However, the underlying dynamic feedbacks involving the ecology of disease transmission, evolutionary processes, and their interaction with environmental drivers have proven challenging to characterize. Plague presents an optimal system for interrogating such couplings: Yersinia pestis transmission exerts intense selective pressure driving the local persistence of disease resistance among its wildlife hosts in endemic areas. Investigations undertaken in colonial India after the introduction of plague in 1896 suggest that, only a decade after plague arrived, a heritable, plague-resistant phenotype had become prevalent among commensal rats of cities undergoing severe plague epidemics. To understand the possible evolutionary basis of these observations, we developed a mathematical model coupling environmentally forced plague dynamics with evolutionary selection of rats, capitalizing on extensive archival data from Indian Plague Commission investigations. Incorporating increased plague resistance among rats as a consequence of intense natural selection permits the model to reproduce observed changes in seasonal epidemic patterns in several cities and capture experimentally observed associations between climate and flea population dynamics in India. Our model results substantiate Victorian era claims of host evolution based on experimental observations of plague resistance and reveal the buffering effect of such evolution against environmental drivers of transmission. Our analysis shows that historical datasets can yield powerful insights into the transmission dynamics of reemerging disease agents with which we have limited contemporary experience to guide quantitative modeling and inference. PMID:27791071

An Historical Summary and Prospects for the Future of Spacecraft Batteries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Halpert, Gerald; Surampudi, S.

1998-01-01

Subjects covered in this report include a historical evolution of batteries in space, evolution and status of nickel-cadmium batteries and nickel-hydrogen batteries, present applications, future applications and advanced batteries for future missions.

Eastern Indian 3800-million-year-old crust and early mantle differentiation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Basu, A.R.; Ray, S.L.; Saha, A.K.; Sarkar, S.N.

1981-01-01

Samarium-neodymium data for nine granitic and tonalite gneisses occurring as remnants within the Singhbhum granite batholith in eastern India define an isochron of age 3775 ?? 89 ?? 106 years with an initial 143Nd/144Nd ratio of 0.50798 ?? 0.00007. This age contrasts with the rubidium-strontium age of 3200 ?? 106 years for the same suite of rocks. On the basis of the new samarium-neodynium data, field data, and petrologic data, a scheme of evolution is proposed for the Archean crust in eastern India. The isotopic data provide evidence that parts of the earth's mantle were already differentiated with respect to the chondritic samarium-neodymium ratio 3800 ?? 106 years ago.

Magnetostratigraphy of the Fenghuoshan Group in the Hoh Xil Basin and its tectonic implications for India-Eurasia collision and Tibetan Plateau deformation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Chunsheng; Liu, Qingsong; Liang, Wentian; Roberts, Andrew P.; Sun, Jimin; Hu, Pengxiang; Zhao, Xiangyu; Su, Youliang; Jiang, Zhaoxia; Liu, Zhifeng; Duan, Zongqi; Yang, Huihui; Yuan, Sihua

2018-03-01

Early Cenozoic plate collision of India and Eurasia was a significant geological event, which resulted in Tibetan Plateau (TP) uplift and altered regional and global atmospheric circulations. However, the timing of initial collision is debated. It also remains unclear whether the TP was deformed either progressively northward, or synchronously as a whole. As the largest basin in the hinterland of the TP, evolution of the Hoh Xil Basin (HXB) and its structural relationship with development of the Tanggula Thrust System (TTS) have important implications for unraveling the formation mechanism and deformation history of the TP. In this study, we present results from a long sedimentary sequence from the HXB that dates the Fenghuoshan Group to ∼72-51 Ma based on magnetostratigraphy and radiometric ages of a volcanic tuff layer within the group. Three depositional phases reflect different stages of tectonic movement on the TTS, which was initialized at 71.9 Ma prior to the India-Eurasia collision. An abrupt sediment accumulation rate increase from 53.9 Ma is a likely response to tectonic deformation in the plateau hinterland, and indicates that initial India-Eurasia collision occurred at no later than that time. This remote HXB tectonosedimentary response implies that compressional deformation caused by India-Eurasia collision likely propagated to the central TP shortly after the collision, which supports the synchronous deformation model for TP.

Financial decision making power is associated with moderate to severe anemia: A prospective cohort study among pregnant women in rural South India.

PubMed

Krupp, Karl; Placek, Caitlyn D; Wilcox, Meredith; Ravi, Kavitha; Srinivas, Vijaya; Arun, Anjali; Madhivanan, Purnima

2018-06-01

According to the World Health Organization, about half of all pregnant women in India suffer from some form of anemia. While poor nutrition is the most common cause, social factors, such as gender and religion, also impact anemia status. This study investigates the relationship between anemia and socioeconomic and health-related factors among pregnant women in Mysore, India. Prospective cohort study conducted between January 2009 and 2012 SETTING: 144 rural villages ten or more kilometers outside of Mysore City received integrated antenatal care and HIV testing services provided by mobile medical clinic in their communities. 1675 pregnant women from the villages were screened. All women and their infants were then followed up for up to a year after childbirth. women who provided informed consent underwent an interviewer-administered questionnaire, physical examination by a doctor, and antenatal laboratory investigations including blood test for anemia. Women were followed through pregnancy and 12 months after childbirth to assess mother-infant health outcomes. Anemia was categorised as normal, mild, moderate, and severe, with moderate/severe anemia defined as a hemoglobin concentration of less than 100 g/l. two out of three pregnant women were anemic at baseline (1107/1654; 66.9%). Of those women, 32.7% (362) had mild anemia, 64.0% (708) had moderate anemia, and 3.3% (37) had severe anemia. Anemia was associated with lower education among spouses (p = 0.021) and lower household income (p = 0.022). Women living in a household where others had control over household decision-making had lower odds of moderate/severe anemia (Adjusted Odds Ratio: 0.602; 95% Confidence Interval: 0.37-0.97) as compared to women who shared decision-making power with others in the household. Interventions to reduce anemia should focus on education among men and other household decision makers on the importance of nutrition during pregnancy in India. To our knowledge, this research is one of the first to examine how control of household resources is related to risk for anemia among pregnant women in India. Our data suggests that interventions aimed at reducing anemia may need to address economic factors beyond nutrition and iron status to reduce the burden of anemia among women in developing countries. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Birth of plant proteomics in India: a new horizon.

PubMed

Narula, Kanika; Pandey, Aarti; Gayali, Saurabh; Chakraborty, Niranjan; Chakraborty, Subhra

2015-09-08

In the post-genomic era, proteomics is acknowledged as the next frontier for biological research. Although India has a long and distinguished tradition in protein research, the initiation of proteomics studies was a new horizon. Protein research witnessed enormous progress in protein separation, high-resolution refinements, biochemical identification of the proteins, protein-protein interaction, and structure-function analysis. Plant proteomics research, in India, began its journey on investigation of the proteome profiling, complexity analysis, protein trafficking, and biochemical modeling. The research article by Bhushan et al. in 2006 marked the birth of the plant proteomics research in India. Since then plant proteomics studies expanded progressively and are now being carried out in various institutions spread across the country. The compilation presented here seeks to trace the history of development in the area during the past decade based on publications till date. In this review, we emphasize on outcomes of the field providing prospects on proteomic pathway analyses. Finally, we discuss the connotation of strategies and the potential that would provide the framework of plant proteome research. The past decades have seen rapidly growing number of sequenced plant genomes and associated genomic resources. To keep pace with this increasing body of data, India is in the provisional phase of proteomics research to develop a comparative hub for plant proteomes and protein families, but it requires a strong impetus from intellectuals, entrepreneurs, and government agencies. Here, we aim to provide an overview of past, present and future of Indian plant proteomics, which would serve as an evaluation platform for those seeking to incorporate proteomics into their research programs. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Proteomics in India. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Female feticide in India.

PubMed

Ahmad, Nehaluddin

2010-01-01

Women are murdered all over the world. But in India a most brutal form of killing females takes place regularly, even before they have the opportunity to be born. Female feticide--the selective abortion of female fetuses--is killing upwards of one million females in India annually with far-ranging and tragic consequences. In some areas, the sex ratio of females to males has dropped to less than 8000:1000. Females not only face inequality in this culture, they are even denied the right to be born. Why do so many families selectively abort baby daughters? In a word: economics. Aborting female fetuses is both practical and socially acceptable in India. Female feticide is driven by many factors, but primarily by the prospect of having to pay a dowry to the future bridegroom of a daughter. While sons offer security to their families in old age and can perform the rites for the souls of deceased parents and ancestors, daughters are perceived as a social and economic burden. Prenatal sex detection technologies have been misused, allowing the selective abortions of female offspring to proliferate. Legally, however, female feticide is a penal offence. Although female infanticide has long been committed in India, feticide is a relatively new practice, emerging concurrently with the advent of technological advancements in prenatal sex determination on a large scale in the 1990s. While abortion is legal in India, it is a crime to abort a pregnancy solely because the fetus is female. Strict laws and penalties are in place for violators. These laws, however, have not stemmed the tide of this abhorrent practice. This article will discuss the socio-legal conundrum female feticide presents, as well as the consequences of having too few women in Indian society.

Etiology and mode of presentation of chronic liver diseases in India: A multi centric study.

PubMed

Mukherjee, Partha S; Vishnubhatla, Sreenivas; Amarapurkar, Deepak N; Das, Kausik; Sood, Ajit; Chawla, Yogesh K; Eapen, Chundamannil E; Boddu, Prabhakar; Thomas, Varghese; Varshney, Subodh; Hidangmayum, Diamond Sharma; Bhaumik, Pradip; Thakur, Bhaskar; Acharya, Subrat K; Chowdhury, Abhijit

2017-01-01

There is a paucity of health policy relevant data for chronic liver disease from India, impeding formulation of an interventional strategy to address the issue. A prospective, multicentric study to delineate the etiology and clinical profile of chronic liver disease in India is reported here. A centrally coordinated and monitored web-based data repository was developed (Feb, 2010 to Jan, 2013) and analyzed. Eleven hospitals from different parts of India participated. Data were uploaded into a web based proforma and monitored by a single centre according to a standardized protocol. 1.28% (n = 266621) of all patients (n = 20701383) attending the eleven participating hospitals of India had liver disease. 65807 (24·68%) were diagnosed for the first time (new cases). Of these, 13014 (19·77%, median age 43 years, 73% males) cases of chronic liver disease were finally analyzed. 33.9% presented with decompensated cirrhosis. Alcoholism (34·3% of 4413) was the commonest cause of cirrhosis while Hepatitis B (33·3%) was predominant cause of chronic liver disease in general and non-cirrhotic chronic liver disease (40·8% out of 8163). There was significant interregional differences (hepatitis C in North, hepatitis B in East and South, alcohol in North-east, Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in West) in the predominant cause of chronic liver disease. Hepatitis B (46·8% of 438 cases) was the commonest cause of hepatocellular Cancer.11·7% had diabetes. Observations of our study will help guide a contextually relevant liver care policy for India and could serve as a framework for similar endeavor in other developing countries as well.

Dengue serotype-specific seroprevalence among 5- to 10-year-old children in India: a community-based cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Garg, Suneela; Chakravarti, Anita; Singh, Ritesh; Masthi, N R Ramesh; Goyal, Ram Chandra; Jammy, Guru Rajesh; Ganguly, Enakshi; Sharma, Nandini; Singh, M M; Ferreira, Germano; Moureau, Annick; Ojha, Sujeet; Nealon, Joshua

2017-01-01

Dengue surveillance data in India are limited and probably substantially underestimate the burden of disease. A community-based study was undertaken to assess the prevalence of dengue-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies in children across India and to examine historical dengue exposure rates. Potential associations between socio-economic factors and dengue seroprevalence were also assessed (registered at ctri.nic.in: CTRI/2011/12/002243). A convenience sample of 2609 healthy children aged 5-10 years was enrolled; these children were registered at or were living in the vicinity of eight centres located at six geographically distinct sites across India. Blood samples were drawn to test for the presence of dengue IgG antibodies using ELISA. Serotype-specific neutralizing antibody titres were measured in dengue IgG-positive children using dengue plaque reduction neutralization tests. Socio-demographic and household information was collected using a questionnaire. Overall, 2558/2609 children had viable samples with laboratory results for dengue IgG. Dengue IgG seroprevalence across all sites was 59.6% (95% confidence interval 57.7-61.5%): the lowest (23.2%) was in Kalyani, West Bengal, and the highest (80.1%) was in Mumbai. Seroprevalence increased with age. Multivariate analysis suggested associations with household water storage/supply and type of housing. Half of the subjects with positive IgG results presented a multitypic profile, indicating previous exposure to more than one serotype. The overall dengue seroprevalence suggests that dengue endemicity in India is comparable to that in highly endemic countries of Southeast Asia. Additional prospective studies are required to fully quantify the disease burden, in order to support evidence-based policies for dengue prevention and control in India. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Clinical research regulation in India-history, development, initiatives, challenges and controversies: Still long way to go.

PubMed

Imran, Mohammed; Najmi, Abul K; Rashid, Mohammad F; Tabrez, Shams; Shah, Mushtaq A

2013-01-01

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation and its chairman Drug Controller general of India are bequeathed to protect the citizens from the marketing of unsafe medication. The startling findings, of the 59(th)report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare, have uncovered the lax standards followed by the regulatory authorities in India. The growing clinical research after the product patents rights for the pharmaceutical industries as per the trade related aspects of intellectual property rights agreement and adverse drug reaction monitoring of the marketed drugs have raised many ethical and regulatory issues regarding the promotion of new drugs in Indian markets. Many controversial group of medicines; unauthorised and irrational FDCs not relevant to India's medical needs, are available which are not sold in any of the countries with matured regulatory bodies. It becomes vital to understand the history, growth and evolution of the regulatory aspects of drugs which are handled by multiple Ministries and Departments of the Government of India. Although amendment to Schedule Y, registration of Contract Research Organisations, registration of Clinical Trials, Speeding up review process, Pharmacovigilance (PhV) programme for India and Inspection of clinical trial sites have been started by the various regulatory agencies. However due to casual approach in marketing approval for sale of the drugs, the unethical steps taken by some pharmaceutical companies and medical practitioners has reiterated the need to get appropriate understanding of present regulation of drugs and clinical research especially regarding the practical rules and regulations.

Malaria in South Asia: Prevalence and control

PubMed Central

Kumar, Ashwani; Chery, Laura; Biswas, Chinmoy; Dubhashi, Nagesh; Dutta, Prafulla; Dua, Virendra Kumar; Kacchap, Mridula; Kakati, Sanjeeb; Khandeparkar, Anar; Kour, Dalip; Mahajanj, Satish N.; Maji, Ardhendu; Majumder, Partha; Mohanta, Jagadish; Mohapatra, Pradyumna K.; Narayanasamy, Krishnamoorthy; Roy, Krishnangshu; Shastri, Jayanthi; Valecha, Neena; Vikash, Rana; Wani, Reena; White, John; Rathod, Pradipsinh K

2013-01-01

The “Malaria Evolution in South Asia” (MESA) program project is an International Center of Excellence for Malaria Research (ICEMR) sponsored by the US National Institutes of Health. This US–India collaborative program will study the origin of genetic diversity of malaria parasites and their selection on the Indian subcontinent. This knowledge should contribute to a better understanding of unexpected disease outbreaks and unpredictable disease presentations from Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax infections. In this first of two reviews, we highlight malaria prevalence in India. In particular, we draw attention to variations in distribution of different human-parasites and different vectors, variation in drug resistance traits, and multiple forms of clinical presentations. Uneven malaria severity in India is often attributed to large discrepancies in health care accessibility as well as human migrations within the country and across neighboring borders. Poor access to health care goes hand in hand with poor reporting from some of the same areas, combining to possibly distort disease prevalence and death from malaria in some parts of India. Corrections are underway in the form of increased resources for disease control, greater engagement of village-level health workers for early diagnosis and treatment, and possibly new public–private partnerships activities accompanying traditional national malaria control programs in the most severely affected areas. A second accompanying review raises the possibility that, beyond uneven health care, evolutionary pressures may alter malaria parasites in ways that contribute to severe disease in India, particularly in the NE corridor of India bordering Myanmar Narayanasamy et al., 2012. PMID:22248528

Malaria in South Asia: prevalence and control.

PubMed

Kumar, Ashwani; Chery, Laura; Biswas, Chinmoy; Dubhashi, Nagesh; Dutta, Prafulla; Dua, Virendra Kumar; Kacchap, Mridula; Kakati, Sanjeeb; Khandeparkar, Anar; Kour, Dalip; Mahajan, Satish N; Maji, Ardhendu; Majumder, Partha; Mohanta, Jagadish; Mohapatra, Pradyumna K; Narayanasamy, Krishnamoorthy; Roy, Krishnangshu; Shastri, Jayanthi; Valecha, Neena; Vikash, Rana; Wani, Reena; White, John; Rathod, Pradipsinh K

2012-03-01

The "Malaria Evolution in South Asia" (MESA) program project is an International Center of Excellence for Malaria Research (ICEMR) sponsored by the US National Institutes of Health. This US-India collaborative program will study the origin of genetic diversity of malaria parasites and their selection on the Indian subcontinent. This knowledge should contribute to a better understanding of unexpected disease outbreaks and unpredictable disease presentations from Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax infections. In this first of two reviews, we highlight malaria prevalence in India. In particular, we draw attention to variations in distribution of different human-parasites and different vectors, variation in drug resistance traits, and multiple forms of clinical presentations. Uneven malaria severity in India is often attributed to large discrepancies in health care accessibility as well as human migrations within the country and across neighboring borders. Poor access to health care goes hand in hand with poor reporting from some of the same areas, combining to possibly distort disease prevalence and death from malaria in some parts of India. Corrections are underway in the form of increased resources for disease control, greater engagement of village-level health workers for early diagnosis and treatment, and possibly new public-private partnerships activities accompanying traditional national malaria control programs in the most severely affected areas. A second accompanying review raises the possibility that, beyond uneven health care, evolutionary pressures may alter malaria parasites in ways that contribute to severe disease in India, particularly in the NE corridor of India bordering Myanmar Narayanasamy et al., 2012. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Clinical research regulation in India-history, development, initiatives, challenges and controversies: Still long way to go

PubMed Central

Imran, Mohammed; Najmi, Abul K.; Rashid, Mohammad F.; Tabrez, Shams; Shah, Mushtaq A.

2013-01-01

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation and its chairman Drug Controller general of India are bequeathed to protect the citizens from the marketing of unsafe medication. The startling findings, of the 59threport of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare, have uncovered the lax standards followed by the regulatory authorities in India. The growing clinical research after the product patents rights for the pharmaceutical industries as per the trade related aspects of intellectual property rights agreement and adverse drug reaction monitoring of the marketed drugs have raised many ethical and regulatory issues regarding the promotion of new drugs in Indian markets. Many controversial group of medicines; unauthorised and irrational FDCs not relevant to India's medical needs, are available which are not sold in any of the countries with matured regulatory bodies. It becomes vital to understand the history, growth and evolution of the regulatory aspects of drugs which are handled by multiple Ministries and Departments of the Government of India. Although amendment to Schedule Y, registration of Contract Research Organisations, registration of Clinical Trials, Speeding up review process, Pharmacovigilance (PhV) programme for India and Inspection of clinical trial sites have been started by the various regulatory agencies. However due to casual approach in marketing approval for sale of the drugs, the unethical steps taken by some pharmaceutical companies and medical practitioners has reiterated the need to get appropriate understanding of present regulation of drugs and clinical research especially regarding the practical rules and regulations. PMID:23559817

Role of Adult Education and Mass Media for Civic Education. Report of the Asian Pacific Seminar (New Delhi, India, September 10-14, 1985).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saxena, J. C., Ed.; Sachdeva, J. L., Ed.

This publication contains six presentations from a seminar that stressed that the problem of adult education should be viewed from the angle of human resource development and all necessary interdepartmental linkages should be developed. The keynote address, "Major Challenges and Prospects of Adult Education for the Year 2000" (T. M.…

The Military and Security Dimensions of Soviet-Indian Relations.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-06-25

New Delhi), June 26, 1978. 7. See Vijay Sen Budhraj, "The Evolution of Russia’s Pakistan Policy." Australian Journal of Politics and History, Vol. XVI...Yearbook 1975, p. 230; Ibid., 1976, p. 264. 27. For data on India’s expenditure on military R&D, see Lieutenant Colonel Gautam Sharma (Ret.). "Defence

A Resource Guide for Teachers of Hindu Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meehan, John L., Ed.; And Others

Focusing on Hinduism, India, and Indian literature, this course guide offers help in organizing a course or units of instruction. The guide contains a historical outline of the evolution of Hinduism over a period of 3,000 years; a glossary listing terms in the guide and in Hindu literature; five courses of different time lengths (the literature of…

Groundwater Depletion and Long term Food Security in India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fishman, R.; Lall, U.; Modi, V.; Siegfried, T. U.; Narula, K. K.

2009-12-01

Unsustainable extraction of groundwater has led water tables to decline in many parts of India - the same parts that tend to produce most of the country’s food. Government policies like procurement and price guarantees for water intensive grains as well as subsidies on energy for pumping, originally intended to ensure national self-sufficiency in grain, are partly responsible for unsustainable groundwater extraction. The resulting groundwater depletion is associated with increasing burdens on state budgets and farmer incomes, and also risks irreversible damages to aquifers as a result of saline intrusion and other forms of pollution, processes that can undermine the prospects of long term food security. We discuss the policies and proposed solutions that might be able to maintain food security in the face of this impending crisis.

Livelihood opportunities amongst adults with and without disabilities in Cameroon and India: A case control study

PubMed Central

Banks, Lena Morgon; Kuper, Hannah; Murthy, G. V. S.; Sagar, Jayanthi; Oye, Joseph; Polack, Sarah

2018-01-01

Proven links between disability and poverty suggest that development programmes and policies that are not disability-inclusive will leave persons with disabilities behind. Despite this, there is limited quantitative evidence on livelihood opportunities amongst adults with disabilities in Low and Middle Income Countries. This study adds to the limited evidence base, contributing data from one African and one Asian Setting. We undertook a population-based case–control study of adults (18+) with and without disabilities in North-West Cameroon and in Telangana State, India. We found that adults with disabilities were five times less likely to be working compared to age-sex matched controls in both settings. Amongst adults with disabilities, current age, marital status and disability type were key predictors of working. Inclusive programmes are therefore needed to provide adequate opportunities to participate in livelihood prospects for adults with disabilities in Cameroon and India, on an equal basis as others. These findings are of crucial importance at this stage of the Sustainable Development Agenda, to ensure that the mandate of inclusive development is achieved. PMID:29630606

Psychiatric epidemiology in India.

PubMed

Math, Suresh Bada; Chandrashekar, C R; Bhugra, Dinesh

2007-09-01

Epidemiological studies report prevalence rates for psychiatric disorders from 9.5 to 370/1000 populations in India. This review critically evaluates the prevalence rate of mental disorders as reported in Indian epidemiological studies. Extensive search of PubMed, NeuroMed and MEDLARS using search terms "psychiatry" and "epidemiology" was done. Manual search of literature was also done. Retrieved articles were systematically selected using inclusion and exclusion criteria. Only sixteen prevalence studies fulfilled the study criteria. Most of the epidemiological studies done in India neglected anxiety disorders, substance dependence disorders, co-morbidity and dual diagnosis. The use of poor sensitive screening instruments, single informant and systematic underreporting has added to the discrepancy in the prevalence rate. The prevalence of mental disorders reported in epidemiological surveys can be considered lower estimates rather than accurate reflections of the true prevalence in the population. Researchers have focused on broad non-specific, non-modifiable risk factors, such as age, gender and social class. Future research focused on the general population, longitudinal (prospective), multi-centre, co-morbid studies, assessment of disability, functioning, family burden and quality of life studies involving a clinical service providing approach, is required.

Note on "History of psychology in India: Problems and prospects".

PubMed

Sinha, Chetan; Fox Lee, Shayna

2017-02-01

Discusses the indigenization movement of psychology in India, which attempts to develop a context sensitive discipline that can understand the concept of mind and human behavior from the cultural perspective. It emphasizes the culturally bound aspects of human nature and uses methods to explore the ways in which culture emerges from history. Given the directions of scientific research, it is not absurd to engage with Western theories. Nevertheless, some Indian psychologists have resisted what they consider the intrusion of modern psychology. They have forwarded premises about human nature in the philosophical roots of traditional Indian thought which look tautological and feed back to our oppressive social structures; for example, the patriarchy and caste systems. The scope of social change is limited under the garb of indigenization, unless the movement of indigenization calls for social change. Several points are made, of which Indian psychological approaches should become cognizant to better understand the relevant contexts for social responsibility. In addition, several recommendations are suggested for a new wave of psychological research in India. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Educational Technology in Australia: Origins, Status, Prospects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Brian N.

1989-01-01

Discusses the field of educational technology and describes the evolution of the field in Australia. Definitions of educational technology are offered, the influence of computers is discussed, student attitudes toward educational technology in Australia are described, and prospects for the future are suggested. (10 references) (LRW)

Variations in cause and management of atrial fibrillation in a prospective registry of 15,400 emergency department patients in 46 countries: the RE-LY Atrial Fibrillation Registry.

PubMed

Oldgren, Jonas; Healey, Jeff S; Ezekowitz, Michael; Commerford, Patrick; Avezum, Alvaro; Pais, Prem; Zhu, Jun; Jansky, Petr; Sigamani, Alben; Morillo, Carlos A; Liu, Lisheng; Damasceno, Albertino; Grinvalds, Alex; Nakamya, Juliet; Reilly, Paul A; Keltai, Katalin; Van Gelder, Isabelle C; Yusufali, Afzal Hussein; Watanabe, Eiichi; Wallentin, Lars; Connolly, Stuart J; Yusuf, Salim

2014-04-15

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia; however, little is known about patients in a primary care setting from high-, middle-, and low-income countries. This prospective registry enrolled patients presenting to an emergency department with AF at 164 sites in 46 countries representing all inhabited continents. Patient characteristics were compared among 9 major geographic regions. Between September 2008 and April 2011, 15,400 patients were enrolled. The average age was 65.9, standard deviation 14.8 years, ranging from 57.2, standard deviation 18.8 years in Africa, to 70.1, standard deviation 13.4 years in North America, P<0.001. Hypertension was globally the most common risk factor for AF, ranging in prevalence from 41.6% in India to 80.7% in Eastern Europe, P<0.001. Rheumatic heart disease was present in only 2.2% of North American patients, in comparison with 21.5% in Africa and 31.5% in India, P<0.001. The use of oral anticoagulation among patients with a CHADS2 score of ≥2 was greatest in North America (65.7%) but was only 11.2% in China, P<0.001. The mean time in the therapeutic range was 62.4% in Western Europe, 50.9% in North America, but only between 32% and 40% in India, China, Southeast Asia, and Africa, P<0.001. There is a large global variation in age, risk factors, concomitant diseases, and treatment of AF among regions. Improving outcomes globally requires an understanding of this variation and the conduct of research focused on AF associated with different underlying conditions and treatment of AF and predisposing conditions in different socioeconomic settings.

Evolving locally appropriate models of care for Indian sickle cell disease

PubMed Central

Serjeant, Graham R.

2016-01-01

The sickle cell gene in India represents a separate occurrence of the HbS mutations from those in Africa. Sickle cell disease in India occurs against different genetic and environmental backgrounds from those seen in African patients and there is evidence of clinical differences between the populations. Knowledge of the clinical features of African disease was drawn from the Jamaican Cohort Study, based on prospective follow up of all cases of sickle cell disease detected by the screening of 100,000 consecutive newborns in Kingston, Jamaica, and supplemented by observations from the Cooperative Study of Sickle Cell Disease in the US. Defining the principal causes of early morbidity in African sickle cell disease led to successful interventions including pneumococcal prophylaxis, parental education in the early diagnosis of acute splenic sequestration, and the early detection by trans-cranial Doppler of cerebral vessel stenosis predictive of stroke but their success depended on early diagnosis, ideally at birth. Although reducing mortality among patients with African forms of SS disease, the question remains whether these interventions are appropriate or justified in Indian patients. This dilemma is approached by comparing the available data in African and Indian forms of SS disease seeking to highlight the similarities and differences and to identify the deficiencies in knowledge of Indian disease. These deficiencies could be most readily addressed by cohort studies based on newborn screening and since much of the morbidity of African disease occurs in the first five years of life, these need not be a daunting prospect for Indian health care personnel. Newborn screening programmes for sickle cell disease are already underway in India and appropriate protocols and therapeutic trials could quickly answer many of these questions. Without this knowledge, Indian physicians may continue to use possibly unnecessary and expensive models of care. PMID:27377495

Direct and indirect cost of myasthenia gravis: A prospective study from a tertiary care teaching hospital in India.

PubMed

Sonkar, Kamlesh Kumar; Bhoi, Sanjeev Kumar; Dubey, Deepanshu; Kalita, Jayantee; Misra, Usha Kant

2017-04-01

Myasthenia gravis (MG) requires lifelong treatment. The cost of management MG is very high in developed countries but there is no information on the cost of management of MG in the developing countries. This study reports the direct and indirect cost and predictors of cost of MG in a tertiary care teaching hospital in India. In a prospective hospital based study, from a tertiary hospital in India 66 consecutive patient during 2014-2015 were included. The age of the patients ranged between 6 and 75years. The severity of MG was assessed by myasthenia gravis foundation association (MGFA) class (MGFA) I-V. The patient data was collected s and their direct cost was calculated from the computerized Hospital information system. The indirect cost was calculated from patient's memory, checking the bills of transportation and wages loss by the patient or the care giver. Total annual cost of MG ranged between INR (4560-532227) with median INR 61390.5 (US$911.64). The median cost of outpatient department (OPD) consultation of 16 patients was INR 20439.9 (US$303.53), of 50 admitted patients was INR 44311.8 (US$658.03) and 21 intensive care unit (ICU) patients was INR 59574.3 (US$ 884.6) and the direct cost of thymectomy was INR 45000 (US$ 668.25). Direct cost was related to indirect cost (r=0.55; p=0.0001). Predictors of patient outcome were severity of MG, ICU admission, and thymectomy. The total median cost for management of myasthenia gravis was INR 61390.5 (4560-532227, US$911.64) per year, and the cost was mainly determined by the severity of MG. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tsutsugamushi Disease (Scrub Typhus) Meningoencephalitis in North Eastern India: A Prospective Study.

PubMed

Sharma, S R; Masaraf, H; Lynrah, K G; Lyngdoh, M

2015-01-01

Scrub typhus is rampant in northern, eastern, and southern India. Central nervous system involvement in the form of meningitis or meningoencephalitis is common in scrub typhus. As specific laboratory methods remain inadequate or inaccessible in developing countries, prompt diagnosis is often difficult. The aim of this study was to characterize neurological complications in scrub typhus from northeastern region of India. We did a prospective study of scrub meningoencephalitis at North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Medical Sciences among patients admitted to hospital between October 2009 and November 2011. The diagnosis was made based on the clinical pictures, presence of an eschar, and a positive Weil-Felix test (WFT) with a titer of >1:160 and if required a positive scrub IgM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Lumbar puncture was performed in patients with headache, nuchal rigidity, altered sensorium or cranial nerve deficits, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain performed if needed. Twenty-three patients of scrub typhus meningitis that were serologically confirmed were included in the study. There were 13 males and 10 females. Fever ≥1 week was the most common manifestation (39.1%). Interestingly, none had an eschar. Median cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cell count, lymphocyte percentage, CSF protein, CSF glucose/blood glucose, CSF ADA were 17 cells/μL, 90%, 86 mg/dL, 0.6605 and 3.6 U/mL, respectively. All patients were treated with doxycycline. There was no mortality in our study. Absence of Eschar does not rule out scrub typhus. Clinical features and CSF findings can mimic tuberculous meningitis so misdiagnosis may lead to unwarranted prolonged empirical antituberculous therapy in cases of lymphocytic meningoencephalitis. Delay in treatment can be potentially fatal. WFT still serves as a useful and affordable diagnostic tool for this disease in resource-poor countries.

Incidence of Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis in India.

PubMed

Minz, S; Balraj, V; Lalitha, M K; Murali, N; Cherian, T; Manoharan, G; Kadirvan, S; Joseph, A; Steinhoff, M C

2008-07-01

Vaccine policy depends on locally relevant disease burden estimates. The incidence of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) disease is not well characterized in the South Asian region, home to 30 per cent of the world's children. There are limited data from prospective population incidence studies of Hib in Asia, and no data available from India. We therefore carried out this study to assess the burden of Hib meningitis in India. A prospective surveillance study was carried out during 1997 and 1999 in hospitals for cases of Hib meningitis from 5 administrative areas of an Indian district (Vellore, Tamil Nadu) with 56,153 children under 5 yr of age, over a 24 month period Ninety seven cases of possible meningitis (> 10 WBC/microl in CSF) were reported, an annual incidence of 86 per 100,000 (95%CI 69 to 109) in 0-4 yr old children, and 357 per 100,000 in 0-11 month infants. Eighteen had proven bacterial meningitis, an annual incidence of 15.9 per 100,000. Eight CSF had Hib by culture or antigen testing, an annual incidence of 7.1 per 100,000 (95%CI 3.1 to 14.0) in children 0-59 months. In infants 0-11 months of age, the incidence of Hib meningitis was 32 per 100,000 (95%CI 16 to 67) and in the 0-23 month group it was 19 (95%CI 8 to 37). Our data are the first minimal estimate of the incidence of Hib meningitis for Indian children. The observed incidence data are similar to European reports before Hib vaccine use, suggest substantial disease before 24 months of age, and provide data useful for policy regarding Hib immunization.

Paradoxical Tuberculosis Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome (TB-IRIS) in HIV Patients with Culture Confirmed Pulmonary Tuberculosis in India and the Potential Role of IL-6 in Prediction

PubMed Central

Porter, Brian O.; Chandrasekhar, Chockalingam; Venkatesan, Perumal; Menon, Pradeep A.; Subramanian, Sudha; Anbalagan, Selvaraj; Bhavani, Kannabiran P.; Sekar, Sathiyavelu; Padmapriyadarshini, Chandrasekaran; Kumar, Satagopan; Ravichandran, Narayanan; Raja, Krishnaraj; Bhanu, Kesavamurthy; Mahilmaran, Ayyamperumal; Sekar, Lakshmanan; Sher, Alan; Sereti, Irini; Swaminathan, Soumya

2013-01-01

Background The incidence, manifestations, outcome and clinical predictors of paradoxical TB-IRIS in patients with HIV and culture confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in India have not been studied prospectively. Methods HIV+ patients with culture confirmed PTB started on anti-tuberculosis therapy (ATT) were followed prospectively after anti-retroviral therapy (ART) initiation. Established criteria for IRIS diagnosis were used including decline in plasma HIV RNA at IRIS event. Pre-ART plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to evaluate associations between baseline variables and IRIS. Results Of 57 patients enrolled, 48 had complete follow up data. Median ATT-ART interval was 28 days (interquartile range, IQR 14–47). IRIS events occurred in 26 patients (54.2%) at a median of 11 days (IQR: 7–16) after ART initiation. Corticosteroids were required for treatment of most IRIS events that resolved within a median of 13 days (IQR: 9–23). Two patients died due to CNS TB-IRIS. Lower CD4+ T-cell counts, higher plasma HIV RNA levels, lower CD4/CD8 ratio, lower hemoglobin, shorter ATT to ART interval, extra-pulmonary or miliary TB and higher plasma IL-6 and CRP levels at baseline were associated with paradoxical TB-IRIS in the univariate analysis. Shorter ATT to ART interval, lower hemoglobin and higher IL-6 and CRP levels remained significant in the multivariate analysis. Conclusion Paradoxical TB–IRIS frequently complicates HIV-TB therapy in India. IL-6 and CRP may assist in predicting IRIS events and serve as potential targets for immune interventions. PMID:23691062

“Do Changes in Spousal Employment Status Lead to Domestic Violence? Insights from a Prospective Study in Bangalore, India”

PubMed Central

Rocca, Corinne H; Hubbard, Alan E; Subbiah, Kalyani; Edmeades, Jeffrey; Padian, Nancy S

2009-01-01

The prevalence of physical domestic violence – violence against women perpetrated by husbands – is staggeringly high across the Indian subcontinent. Although gender-based power dynamics are thought to underlie women's vulnerability, relatively little is known about risk and protective factors. This prospective study in southern India examined the association between key economic aspects of gender-based power, namely spousal employment status, and physical domestic violence. In 2005-2006, 744 married women, aged 16-25, residing in low-income communities in Bangalore, India were enrolled in the study. Data were collected at enrolment, 12 and 24 months. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the prospective association between women's employment status, their perceptions of their husband's employment stability, and domestic violence. Women who were unemployed at one visit and began employment by the next visit had an 80% higher odds of violence, as compared to women who maintained their unemployed status. Similarly, women whose husbands had stable employment at one visit and newly had difficulty with employment had 1.7 times the odds of violence, as compared to women whose husbands maintained their stable employment. To our knowledge, this study is the first from a developing country to confirm that changes in spousal employment status are associated with subsequent changes in violence risk. It points to the complex challenges of violence prevention, including the need for interventions among men and gender transformative approaches to promote gender-equitable attitudes, practices and norms among men and women. PMID:19828220

Outcome Analysis of Day-3 Frozen Embryo Transfer v/s Fresh Embryo Transfer in Infertility: A Prospective Therapeutic Study in Indian Scenario.

PubMed

Chandel, Neha Palo; Bhat, Vidya V; Bhat, B S; Chandel, Sidharth S

2016-10-01

Advanced fertilization techniques like frozen embryo transfer (FET) and assisted reproductive technology have become popular and commonly used methods to treat patients suffering from infertility. Incidences of infertility are on a rise due to increased representation of females in the work place, delay in marriages, stress, and ignorance. We performed this prospective therapeutic study to compare FET and fresh embryo transfer in the treatment of infertility in terms of conception rate, patient acceptance, complications, and patient's compliance. A prospective screening therapeutic study on 108 patients, from September 2013 to September 2014 in Karnataka, India, randomized the patients into 2 groups (n = 54), Group-I treated with day-3 FET while Group-II was treated with fresh embryo transfer, after performing ICSI. In 108 patients, 45 % patients were within 35 years of age, 35 % were in the age group 35-39. Significantly, 22 (40.75 %) patients treated with FET conceived (P = 0.022), whereas 16 (29.63 %) patients treated with fresh embryo transfer conceived (P = 0.59). There is limited published literature from the subcontinent, comparing techniques like FET and embryo transfers in the treatment of infertility. Awareness and economic reforms must be formulated in India to facilitate individuals facing infertility problems to conceive. FET has better and significant conception rates compared to fresh embryo transfers. FET shares an advantage of providing good quality embryos for future and subsequent implantations in cases of failure. Patient counseling and motivation play a pivotal role in the success of therapeutic procedure.

Political economy of the energy-groundwater nexus in India: exploring issues and assessing policy options

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shah, Tushaar; Giordano, Mark; Mukherji, Aditi

2012-08-01

Indian agriculture is trapped in a complex nexus of groundwater depletion and energy subsidies. This nexus is the product of past public policy choices that initially offered opportunities to India's small-holder-based irrigation economy but has now generated in its wake myriad economic, social, and environmental distortions. Conventional `getting-the-price-right' solutions to reduce these distortions have consistently been undermined by the invidious political economy that the nexus has created. The historical evolution of the nexus is outlined, the nature and scale of the distortions it has created are explored, and alternative approaches which Indian policy makers can use to limit, if not eliminate, the damaging impacts of the distortions, are analysed.

Malaria Evolution in South Asia: Knowledge for Control and Elimination

PubMed Central

Narayanasamy, Krishnamoorthy; Chery, Laura; Basu, Analabha; Duraisingh, Manoj T.; Escalante, Ananias; Fowble, Joseph; Guler, Jennifer L.; Herricks, Thurston; Kumar, Ashwani; Majumder, Partha; Maki, Jennifer; Mascarenhas, Anjali; Rodrigues, Janneth; Roy, Bikram; Sen, Somdutta; Shastri, Jayanthi; Smith, Joseph; Valecha, Neena; White, John; Rathod, Pradipsinh K.

2013-01-01

The study of malaria parasites on the Indian subcontinent should help us understand unexpected disease outbreaks and unpredictable disease presentations from Plasmodium falciparum and from Plasmodium vivax infections. The Malaria Evolution in South Asia (MESA) research program is one of ten International Centers of Excellence for Malaria Research (ICEMR) sponsored by the US National Institute of Health. In this second of two reviews, we describe why population structures of Plasmodia in India will be characterized and how we will determine their consequences on disease presentation, outcome and patterns. Specific projects will determine if genetic diversity, possibly driven by parasites with higher genetic plasticity, plays a role in changing epidemiology, pathogenesis, vector competence of parasite populations, and whether innate human genetic traits protect Indians from malaria today. Deep local clinical knowledge of malaria in India will be supplemented by basic scientists who bring new research tools. Such tools will include whole genome sequencing and analysis methods; in vitro assays to measure genome plasticity, RBC cytoadhesion, invasion, and deformability; mosquito infectivity assays to evaluate changing parasite-vector compatibilities; and host genetics to understand protective traits in Indian populations. The MESA-ICEMR study sites span diagonally across India, including a mixture of very urban and rural hospitals, each with very different disease patterns and patient populations. Research partnerships include government-associated research institutes, private medical schools, city and state government hospitals, and hospitals with industry ties. Between 2012-2017, in addition to developing clinical research and basic science infrastructure at new clinical sites, our training workshops will engage new scientists and clinicians throughout South Asia in the malaria research field. PMID:22266213

Without the Light of Evolution: A Case Study of Resistance and Avoidance in Learning to Teach High School Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larkin, Douglas B.; Perry-Ryder, Gail M.

2015-01-01

We present the case of Michael, a prospective high school biology teacher, to explore the implications of teacher resistance and avoidance to the topic of evolution. This case is drawn from a year-long qualitative research study that examined Michael's process of learning to teach high school biology and describes how his avoidance of evolution in…

Two years observations on the diurnal evolution of coastal atmospheric boundary layer features over Thiruvananthapuram (8.5∘ N, 76.9∘ E), India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anurose, T. J.; Subrahamanyam, D. Bala; Sunilkumar, S. V.

2018-01-01

The atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) over a given coastal station is influenced by the presence of mesoscale sea breeze circulation, together with the local and synoptic weather, which directly or indirectly modulate the vertical thickness of ABL ( z ABL). Despite its importance in the characterization of lower tropospheric processes and atmospheric modeling studies, a reliable climatology on the temporal evolution of z ABL is not available over the tropics. Here, we investigate the challenges involved in determination of the ABL heights, and discuss an objective method to define the vertical structure of coastal ABL. The study presents a two year morphology on the diurnal evolution of the vertical thickness of sea breeze flow ( z SBF) and z ABL in association with the altitudes of lifting condensation level ( z LCL) over Thiruvananthapuram (8.5∘ N, 76.9∘ E), a representative coastal station on the western coastline of the Indian sub-continent. We make use of about 516 balloon-borne GPS sonde measurements in the present study, which were carried out as part of the tropical tropopause dynamics field experiment under the climate and weather of the sun-earth system (CAWSES)-India program. Results obtained from the present study reveal major differences in the temporal evolution of the ABL features in relation to the strength of sea breeze circulation and monsoonal wind flow during the winter and summer monsoon respectively. The diurnal evolution in z ABL is very prominent in the winter monsoon as against the summer monsoon, which is attributed to the impact of large-scale monsoonal flow over the surface layer meteorology. For a majority of the database, the z LCL altitudes are found to be higher than that of the z ABL, indicating a possible decoupling of the ABL with the low-level clouds.

The Law of Neutrality in Outer Space

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

the prospect of potential downward competitive price pressures -- its successful launch of an Italian astronomy satellite into low Earth orbit at a...For example, following its successful launch of Italy’s astronomy satellite, India launched an 16Israeli spy satellite into a low Earth polar orbit...and ARABSAT have not. What are the respective rights and duties of these corporations and organizations (to include their member States) during

Seasonality of water quality and diarrheal disease counts in urban and rural settings in south India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulinkina, Alexandra V.; Mohan, Venkat R.; Francis, Mark R.; Kattula, Deepthi; Sarkar, Rajiv; Plummer, Jeanine D.; Ward, Honorine; Kang, Gagandeep; Balraj, Vinohar; Naumova, Elena N.

2016-02-01

The study examined relationships among meteorological parameters, water quality and diarrheal disease counts in two urban and three rural sites in Tamil Nadu, India. Disease surveillance was conducted between August 2010 and March 2012; concurrently water samples from street-level taps in piped distribution systems and from household storage containers were tested for pH, nitrate, total dissolved solids, and total and fecal coliforms. Methodological advances in data collection (concurrent prospective disease surveillance and environmental monitoring) and analysis (preserving temporality within the data through time series analysis) were used to quantify independent effects of meteorological conditions and water quality on diarrheal risk. The utility of a local calendar in communicating seasonality is also presented. Piped distribution systems in the study area showed high seasonal fluctuations in water quality. Higher ambient temperature decreased and higher rainfall increased diarrheal risk with temperature being the predominant factor in urban and rainfall in rural sites. Associations with microbial contamination were inconsistent; however, disease risk in the urban sites increased with higher median household total coliform concentrations. Understanding seasonal patterns in health outcomes and their temporal links to environmental exposures may lead to improvements in prospective environmental and disease surveillance tailored to addressing public health problems.

Is Institutional Delivery Protective Against Neonatal Mortality Among Poor or Tribal Women? A Cohort Study From Gujarat, India.

PubMed

Altman, Rebecca; Sidney, Kristi; De Costa, Ayesha; Vora, Kranti; Salazar, Mariano

2017-05-01

Objectives In low-income settings, neonatal mortality rates (NMR) are higher among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. Institutional deliveries have been shown to be protective against neonatal mortality. In Gujarat, India, the access of disadvantaged women to institutional deliveries has increased. However, the impact of increased institutional delivery on NMR has not been studied here. This paper examined if institutional childbirth is associated with lower NMR among disadvantaged women in Gujarat, India. Methods A community-based prospective cohort of pregnant women was followed in three districts in Gujarat, India (July 2013-November 2014). Two thousand nine hundred and nineteen live births to disadvantaged women (tribal or below poverty line) were included in the study. Data was analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. Results The overall NMR was 25 deaths per 1000 live births. Multivariable analysis showed that institutional childbirth was protective against neonatal mortality only among disadvantaged women with obstetric complications during delivery. Among mothers with obstetric complications during delivery, those who gave birth in a private or public facility had significantly lower odds of having a neonatal death than women delivering at home (AOR 0.07 95% CI 0.01-0.45 and AOR 0.03, 95% CI 0.00-0.33 respectively). Conclusions for Practice Our findings highlight the crucial role of institutional delivery to prevent neonatal deaths among those born to disadvantaged women with complications during delivery in this setting. Efforts to improve disadvantaged women's access to good quality obstetric care must continue in order to further reduce the NMR in Gujarat, India.

Rheumatic heart disease: progress and challenges in India.

PubMed

Shah, Bela; Sharma, Meenakshi; Kumar, Rajesh; Brahmadathan, K N; Abraham, Vinod Joseph; Tandon, Rajan

2013-03-01

Rheumatic heart disease, a neglected disease, continues to be a burden in India and other developing countries. It is a result of an autoimmune sequalae in response to group A beta hemolytic streptococcus (GAS) infection of the pharynx. Acute rheumatic fever (RF), a multisystem inflammatory disease, is followed by rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and has manifestations of joints, skin and central nervous system involvement. A review of epidemiological studies indicates unchanged GAS pharyngitis and carrier rates in India. The apparent decline in RHD rates in India as indicated by the epidemiological studies has to be taken with caution as methodological differences exist among studies. Use of echocardiography increases case detection rates of RHD in population surveys. However, the significance of echo based diagnosis of carditis needs further evaluation to establish the significance. Research in this area through prospective follow up studies will have to be undertaken by the developing countries as the interest of developed countries in the disease has waned due the declined burden in their populations. Prevention of RHD is possible through treatment of GAS pharyngitis (primary prophylaxis) and continued antibiotic treatment for number of years in patients with history of RF to prevent recurrences (secondary prophylaxis). The cost effectiveness and practicality of secondary prophylaxis is well documented. The challenge to any secondary prophylaxis program for prevention of RF in India will be the availability of benzathine penicillin G and dissipation of fears of allergic reactions to penicillin among practitioners, general public and policy makers. The authors review here the progress and challenges in epidemiology, diagnosis and primary and secondary prevention of RF and RHD.

Evolution of Aerosol Research in India and the RAWEX–GVAX:An Overview

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krishna Moorthy, K.; Satheesh, S. K.; Kotamarthi, V. R.

Climate change has great significance in Asia in general, and India in particular; and atmospheric aerosols have a decisive role in this. The climate forcing potential of aerosols is closely linked to their optical, microphysical and chemical properties. Systematic efforts to characterize these properties over the Indian region started about 5 decades ago, and evolved over the years through concerted efforts in the form of long-term scientific programmes as well as concerted fields experiments. All these have resulted in this activity becoming one of the most vibrant fields of climate research in India and have brought several important issues inmore » the national and international foci. The field experiment, RAWEX-GVAX (Regional Aerosol Warming Experiment-Ganges Valley Aerosol Experiment), conducted during 2011-12 jointly by the US Department of Energy, Indian Space Research Organization and Department of Science and Technology, has emerged as a direct outcome of the above efforts. This overview provides a comprehensive account of the development of aerosol-climate research in India and south Asia, and the accomplishment and newer issues that warranted the above field campaign. Details of RAWEX-GVAX, the major outcomes and the subsequent and more recent efforts are presented, followed by the way forward in this field for the next several years to come.« less

Wilson cycle studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burke, Kevin

1988-01-01

Effort was concentrated in problems of continental evolution and a presentation was made to a workshop on the Deep Continental Growth of South India. An interpretation of the lithospheric structure of Africa as related to continental collision (together with its volcanism and topography) was prepared and a paper on this topic is about to be submitted. No expenditures were charged to the grant during this 6 month period.

The Evolution and Impact of Literacy Campaigns and Programmes, 2000-2014. UIL Research Series: No. 1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanemann, Ulrike

2015-01-01

The paper analyses the status and characteristics of adult literacy campaigns and programmes since 2000. Global trends are analysed in terms of the ten key aspects of the suggested framework for successful literacy campaigns and programmes. Four case studies on major literacy campaigns in Brazil, India, South Africa and Indonesia are used to…

Everything I Need to Know I Learned in the Forest

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shiva, Vandana

2013-01-01

A lyrical storyteller, Vandana Shiva begins from the roots of the Chipko movement in India, under the canopy of the Himalayan forests while listening to the teachings of the forest. Her evolution of ideas, first based in the history of science and then in the creation of an Earth University on her own Navdanya's farm, suggests a mind's journey to…

Complete genome sequencing and evolutionary phylogeography analysis of Indian isolates of Dengue virus type 1.

PubMed

Dash, Paban Kumar; Sharma, Shashi; Soni, Manisha; Agarwal, Ankita; Sahni, Ajay Kumar; Parida, Manmohan

2015-01-02

Dengue is now hyper-endemic in most parts of south and southeast Asia including India. The northern India particularly national capital New Delhi witnessed major Dengue outbreaks with Dengue virus type 1 (DENV-1) as the dominant serotype since last five years. This study was initiated to decipher the complete genome information of recently circulating DENV-1 (2009-2011) along with the prototype Indian DENV-1, isolated in 1956. Further extensive ML phylogenetic and Bayesian phylogeography analysis was carried out to investigate the evolution of this virus and understand its spatiotemporal diffusion across the globe. The complete genome analysis revealed deletion of a unique 21-nucleotide stretch in the 3' un-translated region of recent Indian DENV-1. The north Indian DENV-1 revealed up to 5.2% nucleotide sequence difference compared to recent isolates from southern India. Selection pressure analysis revealed positive selection in few amino acid sites of both structural and non-structural proteins. The molecular phylogeny classified the Indian DENV-1 into genotype III, which is also known as cosmopolitan genotype. The northern and southern Indian DENV-1 were grouped into distinct clades. The molecular clock analysis estimated a mean evolutionary rate of 7.08×10(-4) substitutions/site/year for cosmopolitan genotype. The phylogeography analysis revealed that the cosmopolitan genotype DENV-1 originated ∼1938 in India and subsequently spread globally. The diffusion of virus from India to Caribbean and South America was confirmed through SPREAD analysis. This study also confirmed the temporal displacement of different clades of DENV-1 in India over last five decades. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Developing Understanding of Mathematical Modeling in Secondary Teacher Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anhalt, Cynthia Oropesa; Cortez, Ricardo

2016-01-01

This study examines the evolution of 11 prospective teachers' understanding of mathematical modeling through the implementation of a modeling module within a curriculum course in a secondary teacher preparation program. While the prospective teachers had not previously taken a course on mathematical modeling, they will be expected to include…

India-EU relations in health services: prospects and challenges

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background India and the EU are currently negotiating a Trade and Investment Agreement which also covers services. This paper examines the opportunities for and constraints to India-EU relations in health services in the context of this agreement, focusing on the EU as a market for India's health services exports and collaboration. The paper provides an overview of key features of health services in the EU and India and their bearing on bilateral relations in this sector. Methods Twenty six semi-structured, in-person, and telephonic interviews were conducted in 2007-2008 in four Indian cities. The respondents included management and practitioners in a variety of healthcare establishments, health sector representatives in Indian industry associations, health sector officials in the Indian government, and official representatives of selected EU countries and the European Commission based in New Delhi. Secondary sources were used to supplement and corroborate these findings. Results The interviews revealed that India-EU relations in health services are currently very limited. However, several opportunity segments exist, namely: (i) Telemedicine; (ii) Clinical trials and research in India for EU-based pharmaceutical companies; (iii) Medical transcriptions and back office support; (iv) Medical value travel; and (v) Collaborative ventures in medical education, research, training, staff deployment, and product development. However, various factors constrain India's exports to the EU. These include data protection regulations; recognition requirements; insurance portability restrictions; discriminatory conditions; and cultural, social, and perception-related barriers. The interviews also revealed several constraints in the Indian health care sector, including disparity in domestic standards and training, absence of clear guidelines and procedures, and inadequate infrastructure. Conclusions The paper concludes that although there are several promising areas for India-EU relations in health services, it will be difficult to realize these opportunities given the pre-dominance of public healthcare delivery in the EU and sensitivities associated with commercializing healthcare. Hence, a gradual approach based on pilot initiatives and selective collaboration would be advisable initially, which could be expanded once there is demonstrated evidence on outcomes. Overall, the paper makes a contribution to the social science and health literature by adding to the limited primary evidence base on globalization and health, especially from a developing-developed country and regional perspective. PMID:21310041

Dementia in developing countries: Does education play the same role in India as in the West?

PubMed

Iyer, Gowri K; Alladi, Suvarna; Bak, Thomas H; Shailaja, Mekala; Mamidipudi, Annapurna; Rajan, Amulya; Gollahalli, Divyaraj; Chaudhuri, Jaydip Ray; Kaul, Subhash

2014-01-01

Evidence suggests that education protects from dementia by enhancing cognitive reserve. However, this may be influenced by several socio-demographic factors. Rising numbers of dementia in India, high levels of illiteracy and heterogeneity in socio-demographic factors provide an opportunity to explore this relationship. To study the association between education and age at dementia onset, in relation to socio-demographic factors. Association between age at dementia onset and literacy was studied in relationship to potential confounding factors such as gender, bilingualism, place of dwelling, occupation, vascular risk factors, stroke, family history of dementia and dementia subtypes. Case records of 648 dementia patients diagnosed in a specialist clinic in a University hospital in Hyderabad, India were examined. All patients were prospectively enrolled as part of an ongoing longitudinal project that aims to evaluate dementia subjects with detailed clinical, etiological, imaging, and follow-up studies. Of the 648 patients, 98 (15.1%) were illiterate. More than half of illiterate skilled workers were engaged in crafts and skilled agriculture unlike literates who were in trade or clerical jobs. Mean age at onset in illiterates was 60.1 years and in literates 64.5 years (p=0.0002). Factors independently associated with age at dementia onset were bilingualism, rural dwelling and stroke, but not education. Our study demonstrates that in India, rural dwelling, bilingualism, stroke and occupation modify the relationship between education and dementia.

The Relationship between Body Mass Index in Pregnancy and Adverse Maternal, Perinatal, and Neonatal Outcomes in Rural India and Pakistan.

PubMed

Short, Vanessa L; Geller, Stacie E; Moore, Janet L; McClure, Elizabeth M; Goudar, Shivaprasad S; Dhaded, Sangappa M; Kodkany, Bhalachandra S; Saleem, Sarah; Naqvi, Farnaz; Pasha, Omrana; Goldenberg, Robert L; Patel, Archana B; Hibberd, Patricia L; Garces, Ana L; Koso-Thomas, Marion; Miodovnik, Menachem; Wallace, Dennis D; Derman, Richard J

2018-01-24

 The objective of this study was to describe the relationship between early pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and maternal, perinatal, and neonatal outcomes in rural India and Pakistan.  In a prospective, population-based pregnancy registry implemented in communities in Thatta, Pakistan and Nagpur and Belagavi, India, we obtained women's BMI prior to 12 weeks' gestation (categorized as underweight, normal, overweight, and obese following World Health Organization criteria). Outcomes were assessed 42 days postpartum.  The proportion of women with an adverse maternal outcome increased with increasing maternal BMI. Less than one-third of nonoverweight/nonobese women, 47.2% of overweight women, and 56.0% of obese women experienced an adverse maternal outcome. After controlling for site, maternal age and parity, risks of hypertensive disease/severe preeclampsia/eclampsia, cesarean/assisted delivery, and antibiotic use were higher among women with higher BMIs. Overweight women also had significantly higher risk of perinatal and early neonatal mortality compared with underweight/normal BMI women. Overweight women had a significantly higher perinatal mortality rate.  High BMI in early pregnancy was associated with increased risk of adverse maternal, perinatal, and neonatal outcomes in rural India and Pakistan. These findings present an opportunity to inform efforts for women to optimize weight prior to conception to improve pregnancy outcomes. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Teaching of Evolution in Public Schools: A Cross-Cultural Examination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Joshua M.

2013-01-01

The current study sought to examine how the cultural settings of Colorado, United States, and Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, influenced perspectives, understandings, and acceptance of college students who want to become teachers (i.e., prospective teachers) in regard to the theory of evolution, creationism, and intelligent design with both…

Sm-Nd isotopic data from Archean metavolcanic rocks at Holenarsipur, South India

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Drury, S.A.; Van Calsteren, P.C.; Reeves-Smith, G.J.

1987-11-01

Results of a Sm-Nd isotopic analysis of Archean metavolcanics in the Holenarsipur greenstone belt, Karnataka, South India, give a whole-rock isochron age of 2.62 Ga for lightly deformed metabasaltic amphibolites in the northern part of the belt. This is within error of the age of high-grade metamorphism and crustal thickening which affected areas further to the south during the late Archean. Together with the geochemical affinities of these and other metavolcanics in Karnataka, and results of regional structural analysis, this unexpected age supports a model relating volcanism and crustal thickening to northward subduction and crustal accretion during the late Archean.more » Data from basic and ultrabasic metavolcanics from the more strongly deformed and higher-grade southern arm of the Holenarsipur belt do not permit an age greater than 3.0 Ga. Previously, these rocks were regarded as part of an older supracrustal sequence that predated the local 3.0 to 3.3 Ga gneissic complex. The new dates therefore considerably simplify attempts at accounting for greenstone evolution in South India.« less

New paleomagnetic results from the Paleocene redbeds in the Tethyan Himalaya: Insights into the precollisional extension of Greater India and the time of the India-Asia collision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, T.; Jin, J.; Ma, Y.; Bian, W.; Zhang, S.; Gao, F.; Wu, H.; Li, H.; Yang, Z.; Cao, L.

2017-12-01

The collision and ongoing convergence between the India and Asia continents have produced the Himalayan-Tibetan Orogen. The precollisional extension of Greater India and the time of the India-Asia collision are very important to understand the tectonic evolution of the Tibetan Plateau, but disputes still remain concerning these two problems. A paleomagnetic and rock-magnetic study has been carried out on the Sangdanlin and Zheya Formation redbeds, which were dated at 60-58.5 Ma, in the Saga area of the Tethyan Himalaya. Thirty-six Paleocene redbed sites provide a tilt-corrected site-mean direction of D=178.3°, I=9.8° with ɑ95=5.5°, corresponding to a paleopole at 55.6°N, 268.5°E with A95 = 4.9°. This Paleocene paleomagnetic dataset passes positive fold tests and shows that the Saga area (29.3°N, 85.3°E) was located at 5.1°S during 60-58.5 Ma. Comparing the Paleocene (60-58.5 Ma) paleomagnetic results observed from the Tethyan Himalaya with those expected from the Indian APWP indicates a paleolatitude difference of 2.1°, which, combined with that the Early Cretaceous paleomagnetic results obtained from the Tethyan Himalaya and the Indian craton also showed a similar paleolatitude difference, suggests that neither a great north-south crustal shortening occurred between the Indian craton and the Tethyan Himalaya after the India-Asia collision, nor that a wide ocean extended between them after the Early Cretaceous. Therefore, high-quality paleomagnetic results show no a big Greater India. Based on our new Paleocene results obtained from the Tethyan Himalaya and the reliable Cretaceous-Early Eocene paleomagnetic results observed from the Lhasa terrane, as well as on extrapolating a constant Indian northward velocity of 18.8 cm/yr, the India-Asia collision occurred at 49.2 Ma for the reference point at 29.3°N, 85.3°E. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41572205) and the Fundamental Research Fund for the Central Universities (2652017232, 2652017233).

Heat waves in Africa and India: a multidisciplinary approach.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janicot, Serge; Moron, Vincent; Oueslati, Boutheina; Pohl, Benjamin; Rome, Sandra; Lalou, Richard; Dos Santos, Stéphanie

2017-04-01

While the heat wave impacts on public health have been widely addressed in developed countries, less effort has been made to detect them and evaluate their impacts in least developed countries, especially in Africa and to a lesser extent in India, where climate is warmer and adaptation capacities are low. Climate and epidemiologic analyses show however that this problem is already present and climate projections indicate that such events should increase in frequency and intensity in the coming decades. However climate models display important temperature and radiative biases over this region, which must be reduced to provide robust information on the future evolution of heat waves. Moreover early warning systems have to face up to institutional malfunctions. This talk lays the elements for a multidisciplinary approach of tackling heat wave occurrences.

Estimation of the Long-term Cardiovascular Events Using UKPDS Risk Engine in Metabolic Syndrome Patients.

PubMed

Shivakumar, V; Kandhare, A D; Rajmane, A R; Adil, M; Ghosh, P; Badgujar, L B; Saraf, M N; Bodhankar, S L

2014-03-01

Long-term cardiovascular complications in metabolic syndrome are a major cause of mortality and morbidity in India and forecasted estimates in this domain of research are scarcely reported in the literature. The aim of present investigation is to estimate the cardiovascular events associated with a representative Indian population of patients suffering from metabolic syndrome using United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study risk engine. Patient level data was collated from 567 patients suffering from metabolic syndrome through structured interviews and physician records regarding the input variables, which were entered into the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study risk engine. The patients of metabolic syndrome were selected according to guidelines of National Cholesterol Education Program - Adult Treatment Panel III, modified National Cholesterol Education Program - Adult Treatment Panel III and International Diabetes Federation criteria. A projection for 10 simulated years was run on the engine and output was determined. The data for each patient was processed using the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study risk engine to calculate an estimate of the forecasted value for the cardiovascular complications after a period of 10 years. The absolute risk (95% confidence interval) for coronary heart disease, fatal coronary heart disease, stroke and fatal stroke for 10 years was 3.79 (1.5-3.2), 9.6 (6.8-10.7), 7.91 (6.5-9.9) and 3.57 (2.3-4.5), respectively. The relative risk (95% confidence interval) for coronary heart disease, fatal coronary heart disease, stroke and fatal stroke was 17.8 (12.98-19.99), 7 (6.7-7.2), 5.9 (4.0-6.6) and 4.7 (3.2-5.7), respectively. Simulated projections of metabolic syndrome patients predict serious life-threatening cardiovascular consequences in the representative cohort of patients in western India.

Risk factors for maternal anaemia and low birth weight in pregnant women living in rural India: a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Ahankari, A S; Myles, P R; Dixit, J V; Tata, L J; Fogarty, A W

2017-10-01

The aim of this prospective study was to estimate the prevalence and risk factors for maternal anaemia and low birth weight (LBW) in pregnant women living in Maharashtra state, India. This is a prospective study. Women between 3 and 5 months of pregnancy were recruited from 34 villages based in Maharashtra state. Baseline data collection, anthropometric measurements and blood investigations were performed. Participants were followed-up to record birth weight. In total, 303 women were eligible, and 287 (95%) provided data. 77% were anaemic, defined as haemoglobin less than 11.0 g/dl at the time of recruitment, with a mean corpuscular volume of 80.5 fl/cell (standard deviation: 7.22, range: 53.4-93.8). The increased risk of anaemia was seen in women with consanguineous marriages (odds ratio [OR]: 2.41, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.16-5.01, P = 0.01) after adjustment for potential confounding factors. Postdelivery data from full-term singleton live births demonstrated a 7% prevalence of LBW. Consanguineous marriage was a major risk factor for LBW (OR: 4.10, 95% CI: 1.25-13.41, P = 0.02). The presence of maternal anaemia during 3-5 months of pregnancy was associated with lower risk of LBW (unadjusted OR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.13-0.92, P = 0.03). About 30% of our study participants were in a consanguineous marriage, which was identified as a potentially avoidable risk factor for both anaemia and LBW. Copyright © 2017 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prospective study estimating healthcare associated infections in a paediatric hemato-oncology unit of a tertiary care hospital in North India.

PubMed

Gupta, Ayush; Kapil, Arti; Kabra, S K; Lodha, Rakesh; Sood, Seema; Dhawan, Benu; Das, Bimal K; Sreenivas, V

2013-12-01

Healthcare associated infections (HAIs) are responsible for morbidity and mortality among immunocompromised and critically ill patients. We undertook this study to estimate the burden of HAIs in the paediatric cancer patients in a tertiary care hospital in north India. This prospective, observational study, based on active surveillance for a period of 11 months was undertaken in a 4-bedded isolated, cubicle for paediatric cancer patients. Patients who stayed in the cubicle for ≥48 h, were followed prospectively for the development of HAIs. Of the 138 patients, 13 developed 14 episodes of HAIs during the study period. Patient-days calculated were 1273 days. Crude infection rate (CIR) and incidence density (ID) of all HAIs were 9.4/100 patients and 11/1000 patient-days, respectively. Of the 14 episodes of HAIs, seven (50%) were of blood stream infections (HA-BSI), five (36%) of pneumonia (HAP) and two (14%) urinary tract infections (HA-UTI). The CIRs of HA-BSI, HAP and HA-UTI were 5.1, 3.6 and 1.4/100 patients, respectively. The corresponding IDs were 5.5, 3.9 and 1.6/1000 patient-days, respectively. Mean length of stay was significantly higher in patients who developed an HAI [13.8 (range 7-30), median (Interquartile range) 12 (11-14)] vs 7.5 days [range 2-28, median (interquartile range) 7 (5-9); P<0.0001]. Also mortality was significantly higher in patients who developed an HAI [23% (3/13) vs 3% (4/125), P<0.05]. The incidence of HAIs in the paediatric cancer patients in the study was 11/1000 patient days, of which HA-BSIs were the commonest. HAIs were associated with an increase in morbidity and mortality amongst this high risk patient population.

Investigating sea bed morphology of an estuary located in the western coast of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chowdhury, P.; Behera, M. R.; Ranjan, P.

2016-02-01

Estuaries and tidal inlets are complex natural systems. They form a vital ecosystem and host a plethora of diverse flora and fauna. The major problem associated with them is that they experience both climate effects and human interference in different spatial and temporal scales. The increasing threats of sea level variability and changes in the other ocean parameters like currents, waves, winds and tidal ranges may cause these inlets to behave differently. Mandovi - Zuari is one such complex inlet situated in the western coast of India. It is a major tourist attraction and a home to dense mangrove forest. It experiences mixed tides (mainly semi-diurnal in nature). Also the salinity of this region tends to change seasonally. The annual evolution in morphology of this region is of importance as the sediment transport in this area plays an important role in determining the beach morphology of the adjacent beaches. Tourism being the most important economic driver of this state, it is important to assess the possible changes in the beach morphology over the coming decades. A state-of-the-art process based model, Delft 3D, is used to calculate the annual sediment transport with a focus to understand the morphological evolution history of this inlet. In this regard a hydrodynamic analysis of the region is carried out by forcing a composite tide at the offshore boundary of the model domain to obtain the tidal levels and currents. The sea bed contours are obtained with the help of admiralty charts. For estimating the sediment transport, Van Rijn formula is used as found in the sediment module of Delft 3D. The morphological changes along the coast of Goa, India is estimated and the locations of accretion and erosion are identified.

The Epidemiology of IRIS in Southern India: An Observational Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Thambuchetty, Nisha; Mehta, Kayur; Arumugam, Karthika; Shekarappa, Umadevi G.; Idiculla, Jyothi; Shet, Anita

2018-01-01

Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) is an uncommon but dynamic phenomenon seen among patients initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART). We aimed to describe incidence, risk factors, clinical spectrum, and outcomes among ART-naive patients experiencing IRIS in southern India. Among 599 eligible patients monitored prospectively between 2012 and 2014, there were 59.3% males, with mean age 36.6 ± 7.8 years. Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome incidence rate was 51.3 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval: 44.5-59.2). One-third (31.4%) experienced at least 1 IRIS event, at a median of 27 days since ART initiation. Mucocutaneous infections and candidiasis were common IRIS events, followed by tuberculosis. Significant risk factors included age >40 years, body mass index <18.5 kg/m2, CD4 count <100 cells/mm3, viral load >10 000 copies/mL, hemoglobin <1 g/dL, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate >50 mm/h. Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome–related morality was 1.3% (8 of 599); 3 patients died of complicated diarrhea. These findings highlight the current spectrum of IRIS in South India and underscore the importance of heightened vigilance for anemia and treatment of diarrhea and candidiasis during ART initiation. PMID:28399724

Political economy of population growth.

PubMed

Mehta, S; Mehta, H S

1987-01-01

Tracing the origin of political economy as a class-science, this paper focuses on the political economy of population growth. Exposing the limitations of Malthusian ideas and their invalidity even for the capitalist economies, it discusses the subsequent revival of the Malthusian model during the period of de-colonization and the misinterpretation of the relationship between population growth and development in the developing and developed countries. Taking India, China, and Japan as some case studies, the paper examines the relationship between birth rate levels and some correlates. It elaborates on the Indian experience, emphasizing the association of population growth with poverty and unemployment and lays bare some of the hidden causes of these phenomena. The authors examine some interstate variations in India and identify constraints and prospects of the existing population policy. The paper proposes outlines of a democratic population policy as an integral part of India's development strategy which should recognize human beings not simply as consumers but also as producers of material values. It pleads for 1) restructuring of property relations; 2) bringing down the mortality rates and raising of the literacy levels, especially among females; and 3) improving nutritional levels, as prerequisites for bringing down birth rates.

International patients with congenital heart disease: what brings them to India?

PubMed

Maheshwari, Sunita; Animasahun, B A; Njokanma, O F

2012-01-01

Factors that have led to the increasing popularity of medical travel include the high cost of healthcare, long wait times for certain procedures, the ease and affordability of international travel, and improvements in both technology and standards of care in many countries. The present study aims to elaborate the factors that attract international cardiac patients to India, to document the proportion of the admissions into the paediatric cardiac ward who are international patients, and to identify the sources of funding of the international patients. This was a prospective, cross-sectional, and analytical study carried out between May 2009 and October 2009 in the paediatric cardiac care unit of a large tertiary care cardiac centre in India paediatric wards. Structured questionnaires were administered. A total of 1372 patients were admitted during the study period, of which 155 (11.3%) were patients from countries outside India. Majority of the patients were from Malaysia (45%), Nigeria (23%), and Tanzania (15%). The age ranged from 1 month to 39 years with an average of 61 months. The male to female ratio was 1:1.4 and the majority of subjects (72.5%) were in social classes 3 and 4. cheaper cost and better expertise was the prominent reason for choosing India. More than half of the respondents were either sponsored by the government or self-funded. For patients from Nigeria 53% (9) were sponsored by self (parent), 29% (5) by non-governmental organisations (NGO), 12% (2) by the parent employer, and 6% (1) by the government. There is a need for local development of facilities and training of personnel in specialised areas of healthcare to provide succour for a significant number of nationals who might otherwise have suffered and possibly have even died of their ailment. There is also the added advantage that such facilities would save foreign currency and help boost our economy. Copyright © 2012 Cardiological Society of India. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Clinical events in a large prospective cohort of children with sickle cell disease in Nagpur, India: evidence against a milder clinical phenotype in India.

PubMed

Jain, Dipty; Arjunan, Aishwarya; Sarathi, Vijaya; Jain, Harshwardhan; Bhandarwar, Amol; Vuga, Marike; Krishnamurti, Lakshmanan

2016-10-01

The clinical phenotype of sickle cell disease (SCD) has been reported to be milder in India than in the United States. The objective of this large single-center study was to examine the rate of complications to define the phenotype of SCD in India. The rate of complications per 100 person-years in 833 pediatric SCD patients for 1954 person-years in Nagpur, India including those diagnosed on newborn screen (NBS) and those presenting later in childhood (non-NBS) was compared to those reported in the cooperative study of sickle cell disease (CSSCD). Event rates were also compared between patients belonging to scheduled castes (SCs), scheduled tribes (STs), and other backward classes (OBC). Comparison of CSSCD versus Nagpur NBS versus Nagpur non-NBS for rates of pain (32.4 vs. 85.2 vs. 62.4), severe anemia (7.1 vs. 27 vs. 6.6), stroke (0.7 vs. 0.8 vs. 1.4), splenic sequestration (3.4 vs. 6.7 vs. 1.6), acute chest syndrome (24.5 vs. 23.6 vs. 1.0), and meningitis (0.8 vs. 0 vs. 0.1) revealed more frequent complications in Nagpur compared to CSSCD. Comparison of ST, SC, and OBC for rates of pain (84.6 vs. 71.9 vs. 63.5), acute chest syndrome (3.6 vs. 2.8 vs. 2.2), severe anemia (5.4 vs. 9.5 vs. 11.4), stroke (1.2 vs. 0.4 vs. 0.3), splenic sequestration (0.6 vs. 2.4 vs. 1.9), and meningitis (0.8 vs. 0 vs. 0.1) revealed significantly more frequent complications among ST. SCD-related complications are more frequent in Indian children than that observed in CSSCD. Further study is indicated to define SCD phenotype in India. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis Whole Genome Sequences From Southern India Suggest Novel Resistance Mechanisms and the Need for Region-Specific Diagnostics.

PubMed

Manson, Abigail L; Abeel, Thomas; Galagan, James E; Sundaramurthi, Jagadish Chandrabose; Salazar, Alex; Gehrmann, Thies; Shanmugam, Siva Kumar; Palaniyandi, Kannan; Narayanan, Sujatha; Swaminathan, Soumya; Earl, Ashlee M

2017-06-01

India is home to 25% of all tuberculosis cases and the second highest number of multidrug resistant cases worldwide. However, little is known about the genetic diversity and resistance determinants of Indian Mycobacterium tuberculosis, particularly for the primary lineages found in India, lineages 1 and 3. We whole genome sequenced 223 randomly selected M. tuberculosis strains from 196 patients within the Tiruvallur and Madurai districts of Tamil Nadu in Southern India. Using comparative genomics, we examined genetic diversity, transmission patterns, and evolution of resistance. Genomic analyses revealed (11) prevalence of strains from lineages 1 and 3, (11) recent transmission of strains among patients from the same treatment centers, (11) emergence of drug resistance within patients over time, (11) resistance gained in an order typical of strains from different lineages and geographies, (11) underperformance of known resistance-conferring mutations to explain phenotypic resistance in Indian strains relative to studies focused on other geographies, and (11) the possibility that resistance arose through mutations not previously implicated in resistance, or through infections with multiple strains that confound genotype-based prediction of resistance. In addition to substantially expanding the genomic perspectives of lineages 1 and 3, sequencing and analysis of M. tuberculosis whole genomes from Southern India highlight challenges of infection control and rapid diagnosis of resistant tuberculosis using current technologies. Further studies are needed to fully explore the complement of diversity and resistance determinants within endemic M. tuberculosis populations. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Increasing heat waves and warm spells in India, observed from a multiaspect framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panda, Dileep Kumar; AghaKouchak, Amir; Ambast, Sunil Kumar

2017-04-01

Recent heat waves have been a matter of serious concern for India because of potential impacts on agriculture, food security, and socioeconomic progress. This study examines the trends and variability in frequency, duration, and intensity of hot episodes during three time periods (1951-2013, 1981-2013 and 1998-2013) by defining heat waves based on the percentile of maximum, minimum, and mean temperatures. The study also explores heat waves and their relationships with hydroclimatic variables, such as rainfall, terrestrial water storage, Palmer drought severity index, and sea surface temperature. Results reveal that the number, frequency, and duration of daytime heat waves increased considerably during the post-1980 dry and hot phase over a large area. The densely populated and agriculturally dominated northern half of India stands out as a key region where the nighttime heat wave metrics reflected the most pronounced amplifications. Despite the recent warming hiatus in India and other parts of the world, we find that both daytime and nighttime extreme measures have undergone substantial changes during or in the year following a dry year since 2002, with the probability distribution functions manifesting a hotter-than-normal climate during 1998-2013. This study shows that a few months preceding the 2010 record-breaking heat wave in Russia, India experienced the largest hot episode in the country's history. Interestingly, both these mega events are comparable in terms of their evolution and amplification. These findings emphasize the importance of planning for strategies in the context of the rising cooccurrence of dry and hot events.

Epidemiology of road traffic injury patients presenting to a tertiary hospital in Hyderabad, India.

PubMed

Howley, Isaac W; Gupta, Shivam; Tetali, Shailaja; Josyula, Lakshmi K; Wadhwaniya, Shirin; Gururaj, Gopalkrishna; Rao, Mohan; Hyder, Adnan A

2017-12-01

Road traffic injuries kill more people in India than in any other country in the world, and these numbers are rising with increasing population density and motorization. Official statistics regarding road traffic injuries are likely subject to underreporting. This study presents results of a surveillance program based at a public tertiary hospital in Hyderabad, India. All consenting patients who presented to the casualty ward after a road traffic injury over a 9-month period were enrolled. Interviews were performed and data abstracted from clinical records by trained research assistants. Data included demographics, injury characteristics, risk factors, safety behaviors, and outcomes. A total of 5,298 patients were enrolled; their mean age was 32.4 years (standard deviation 13.8) and 87.3% were men; 58.2% of patients were injured while riding a motorcycle or scooter, 22.5% were pedestrians, and 9.2% used motorized rickshaws. The most frequent collision type was skid or rollover (40.9%). Male victims were younger than female victims and were overrepresented among motorized 2-wheeler users. Patients were most frequently injured from 1600 to 2400. A total of 27.3% of patients were admitted. Hospital mortality was 5.3%, and 48.2% of deaths were among motorized 2-wheeler users. This is one of the few prospective, hospital-based studies of road traffic injury epidemiology in India. The patient population in this study was similar to prior hospital-based studies. When compared to government surveillance systems, this study showed motorized 2-wheeler users to be more frequently represented among the overall population and among fatalities. Further research should be done to develop interventions to decrease mortality associated with 2-wheeled vehicles in India. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Prevalence and control of cardiovascular risk factors in stable coronary artery outpatients in India compared with the rest of the world: An analysis from international CLARIFY registry.

PubMed

KauL, Upendra; Natrajan, Subramaniam; Dalal, Jamshed; Saran, Ram Kirti

We describe the clinical characteristics, prevalence and control of coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factors of the Indian cohort enrolled in the CLARIFY registry and compare them with data from rest of the world (ROW). CLARIFY is an international, prospective, observational, longitudinal cohort study in stable CAD outpatients. The baseline data of Indian cohort (n=709) were compared to ROW (n=31994). The CLARIFY India patients were significantly younger than the ROW (59.6±10.9 vs 64.3±10.4). Indian patients were more likely than those in ROW to have diabetes (42.9% vs 28.8%) and angina (27.8% vs 21.9%). Mean heart rate was significantly greater in Indians measured by either palpatory method (76.1±10.4 vs 68.0±10.5) or ECG (74.9±12.9 vs 67.0±11.3). The use of aspirin (85.6% vs 87.8%), β-blockers (69.4% vs 75.4%), and lipid-lowering agents (90% vs 92.4%) was lower in India. A significantly greater proportion of patients in India exhibited low HDL cholesterol (41.6% vs 31.2%), and heart rate ≥70bpm (82.2% vs 48.5%). The risk factors control was poor in India with heart rate goal of ≤60bpm achieved in 2.5%; HbA1c <7% in 9.9%; and HbA1c <6.5% in 4.6% patients. The CLARIFY registry demonstrates a high prevalence and poor control of cardiovascular risk factors in Indian patients. Systematic efforts to improve risk factor control are required. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Is there a financial incentive to immigrate? Examining of the health worker salary gap between India and popular destination countries.

PubMed

George, Gavin; Rhodes, Bruce

2017-10-19

International migration is one of the factors resulting in the shortage of Human Resources for Health (HRH) in India. Literature suggests that migration is fuelled by the prospect of higher salaries available abroad. The extent of these salary differentials are unknown, and this study seeks to examine the salaries of selected HRH in India and four popular destination countries (United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada and the United Arab Emirates), whilst accounting for the in-country cost of living. This study will therefore determine truer financial incentives for Indian HRH to migrate abroad. A purchasing power parity (PPP) ratio is employed to equalise the international price of buying a representative basket of commonly bought goods (including food, entertainment, fuel and utilities). Using the PPP index, real differences in salaries are directly compared for selected work categories and different levels of work experience in the four respective countries. Nurses in the USA can earn up to 82.7% more than their Indian counterparts. Nurses in Canada and the UAE reveal more modest salary differentials, yet still significant better off by up to 28 and 20% respectively. Only nurses in the UK are potentially materially worse off than nurses working in India. We observe significant potential PPP gains of up to 57.4, 99.1 and 94.4% for medical doctors in the USA, Canada and the UAE respectively. Medical specialists potentially experience the greatest income disparities with anaesthetists potentially earning up to 600% more than their counterparts in India. Radiologists operating in the UK and general surgeons working in the USA can potentially earn more than double that of their counterparts working in India. We observe more modest positive or negligible PPP gains in other selected countries for health specialists. Even when considering the differences in the cost of living, the financial incentive for selected cadres of Indian HRH to seek work abroad remains strong. The migration of Indian HRH to countries offering superior salaries makes it difficult for India to retain experienced health personal and compromises government efforts to render health care more accessible across the country.

A mini-review of Bunyaviruses recorded in India.

PubMed

Yadav, Pragya D; Chaubal, Gouri Y; Shete, Anita M; Mourya, Devendra T

2017-05-01

Newly emerging and re-emerging viral infections are of major public health concern. Bunyaviridae family of viruses comprises a large group of animal viruses. Clinical symptoms exhibited by persons infected by viruses belonging to this family vary from mild-to-severe diseases i.e., febrile illness, encephalitis, haemorrhagic fever and acute respiratory illness. Several arthropods-borne viruses have been discovered and classified at serological level in India in the past. Some of these are highly pathogenic as the recent emergence and spread of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus and presence of antibodies against Hantavirus in humans in India have provided evidences that it may become one of the emerging diseases in this country. For many of the discovered viruses, we still need to study their relevance to human and animal health. Chittoor virus, a variant of Batai virus; Ganjam virus, an Asian variant of Nairobi sheep disease virus; tick-borne viruses such as Bhanja, Palma and mosquito-borne viruses such as Sathuperi, Thimiri, Umbre and Ingwavuma viruses have been identified as the members of this family. As Bunyaviruses are three segmented RNA viruses, they can reassort the segments into genetically distinct viruses in target cells. This ability is believed to play a major role in evolution, pathogenesis and epidemiology of the viruses. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of discovery, emergence and distribution of Bunyaviruses in India.

A mini-review of Bunyaviruses recorded in India

PubMed Central

Yadav, Pragya D.; Chaubal, Gouri Y.; Shete, Anita M.; Mourya, Devendra T.

2017-01-01

Newly emerging and re-emerging viral infections are of major public health concern. Bunyaviridae family of viruses comprises a large group of animal viruses. Clinical symptoms exhibited by persons infected by viruses belonging to this family vary from mild-to-severe diseases i.e., febrile illness, encephalitis, haemorrhagic fever and acute respiratory illness. Several arthropods-borne viruses have been discovered and classified at serological level in India in the past. Some of these are highly pathogenic as the recent emergence and spread of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus and presence of antibodies against Hantavirus in humans in India have provided evidences that it may become one of the emerging diseases in this country. For many of the discovered viruses, we still need to study their relevance to human and animal health. Chittoor virus, a variant of Batai virus; Ganjam virus, an Asian variant of Nairobi sheep disease virus; tick-borne viruses such as Bhanja, Palma and mosquito-borne viruses such as Sathuperi, Thimiri, Umbre and Ingwavuma viruses have been identified as the members of this family. As Bunyaviruses are three segmented RNA viruses, they can reassort the segments into genetically distinct viruses in target cells. This ability is believed to play a major role in evolution, pathogenesis and epidemiology of the viruses. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of discovery, emergence and distribution of Bunyaviruses in India. PMID:28948950

A suitable job?: A qualitative study of becoming a nurse in the context of a globalizing profession in India.

PubMed

Johnson, Sonali E; Green, Judith; Maben, Jill

2014-05-01

Research on Indian nurses has focused on their participation as global migrant workers for whom opportunities abroad act as an incentive for many to migrate overseas. However, little is known about the careers of Indian nurses, or the impact of a globalized health care market on nurses who remain and on the profession itself in India. To explore nurses' accounts of entry into nursing in the context of the globalisation of the nursing profession in India, and the salience of 'migration' for nurses' individual careers. Qualitative interview study (n=56). The study drew on interviews with 56 nurses from six sites in Bangalore, India. These included two government hospitals, two private hospitals, a Christian mission hospital, a private outpatient clinic and two private nursing colleges. Participants were selected purposively to include nurses from Christian and Hindu backgrounds, a range of home States, ages and seniority and to deliberately over-recruit (rare) male nurses. Interviews covered how and why nurses entered nursing, their training and career paths to date, plans for the future, their experiences of providing nursing care and attitudes towards migration. Data analysis drew on grounded theory methods. Nursing is traditionally seen as a viable career particularly for women from Christian communities in India, where it has created inter-generational 'nurse families'. In a globalizing India, nursing is becoming a job 'with prospects' transcending traditional caste, class and gender boundaries. Almost all nurses interviewed who intended seeking overseas employment envisaged migration as a short term option to satisfy career objectives - increased knowledge, skills and economic rewards - that could result in long-term professional and social status gains 'back home' in India. For others, migration was not part of their career plan: yet the increases in status that migration possibilities had brought were crucial to framing nursing as a 'suitable job' for a growing number of entrants. The possibility of migration has facilitated collective social mobility for Indian nurses. Migration possibilities were important not only for those who migrate, but for improving the status of nursing in general in India, making it a more attractive career option for a growing range of recruits. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Nonproliferation Review

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

RAJEN,GAURAV; BIRINGER,KENT L.

2000-07-28

The aim of this paper is to understand the numerous nuclear-related agreements that involve India and Pakistan, and in so doing identify starting points for future confidence-creating and confidence-building projects. Existing nuclear-related agreements provide a framework under which various projects can be proposed that foster greater nuclear transparency and cooperation in South Asia. The basic assumptions and arguments underlying this paper can be summarized as follows: (1) Increased nuclear transparency between India and Pakistan is a worthwhile objective, as it will lead to the irreversibility of extant nuclear agreements, the prospects of future agreements; and the balance of opacity andmore » transparency required for stability in times of crises; (2) Given the current state of Indian and Pakistani relations, incremental progress in increased nuclear transparency is the most likely future outcome; and (3) Incremental progress can be achieved by enhancing the information exchange required by existing nuclear-related agreements.« less

E-waste scenario in India, its management and implications.

PubMed

Wath, Sushant B; Dutt, P S; Chakrabarti, T

2011-01-01

Electronic waste or E-waste comprises of old, end-of-life electronic appliances such as computers, laptops, TVs, DVD players, refrigerators, freezers, mobile phones, MP3 players, etc., which have been disposed of by their original users. E-waste contains many hazardous constituents that may negatively impact the environment and affect human health if not properly managed. Various organizations, bodies, and governments of many countries have adopted and/or developed the environmentally sound options and strategies for E-waste management to tackle the ever growing threat of E-waste to the environment and human health. This paper presents E-waste composition, categorization, Global and Indian E-waste scenarios, prospects of recoverable, recyclable, and hazardous materials found in the E-waste, Best Available Practices, recycling, and recovery processes followed, and their environmental and occupational hazards. Based on the discussion, various challenges for E-waste management particularly in India are delineated, and needed policy interventions were discussed.

Headline violence and silenced pleasure: contested framings of consensual sex, power and rape in Delhi, India 2011-2014.

PubMed

Edmunds, Emme; Gupta, Ankit

2016-05-01

Though coercion and rape have cast a persistent shadow over prospects of sexual health and consent in contemporary India, other narratives, agency and tools are quietly emerging to transform collective claims of power and bodily dignity. In these narratives from collectives, NGOs, on social media and among friends, dialogues about consent and pleasure feature prominently. This paper analyses statements in the news made by highly visible political and public figures regarding the subject of rape in the context of themes emerging from ethnography and semi-structured interviews with middle class people in Delhi. Using the device of social frameworks, contested framings of rape and consent are examined in order to interrogate essentialist gender norms, compare putative "causes" of rape, and highlight local efforts promoting sexual consent, health and well-being. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Indian chronic kidney disease study: Design and methods.

PubMed

Kumar, Vivek; Yadav, Ashok Kumar; Gang, Sishir; John, Oommen; Modi, Gopesh K; Ojha, Jai Prakash; Pandey, Rajendra; Parameswaran, Sreejith; Prasad, Narayan; Sahay, Manisha; Varughese, Santosh; Baid-Agarwal, Seema; Jha, Vivekanand

2017-04-01

The rate and factors that influence progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in developing countries like India are unknown. A pan-country prospective, observational cohort study is needed to address these knowledge gaps. The Indian Chronic Kidney Disease (ICKD) study will be a cohort study of approximately 5000 patients with mild to moderate CKD presenting to centres that represent different geographical regions in India. Time to 50% decline in baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate, need of renal replacement therapy or any new cardiovascular disease (CVD) event or death from CVD are the primary end points. This study will provide the opportunity to determine risk factors for CKD progression and development of CVD in Indian subjects and perform international comparisons to determine ethnic and geographical differences. A bio-repository will provide a chance to discover biomarkers and explore genetic risk factors. © 2016 Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology.

Evolution of on-road vehicle exhaust emissions in Delhi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goel, Rahul; Guttikunda, Sarath K.

2015-03-01

For a 40-year horizon (1990-2030), on-road vehicle exhaust emissions were evaluated, retrospectively and prospectively, for the largest urban agglomeration in India - the Greater Delhi region with a combined population of 22 million in 2011 (Delhi along with Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida, Faridabad and Gurgaon). Emissions of particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) reached their peak during late 1990s through early 2000s after which they reduced significantly through year 2012. On the other hand, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon dioxide show an increasing trend. The most reduction in emissions between 1998 and 2012 occurred as a result of implementation of four sets of vehicular emission standards, removal of lead, reduction of sulfur content, mandatory retirement of older commercial vehicles, and conversion of diesel and petrol run public transport vehicles to compressed natural gas. In addition, changes in the vehicular technology have also contributed to controlling emissions especially in case of auto-rickshaws and motorized two-wheelers, which changed from two-stroke to four-stroke. The rising trend of NOx along with the presence of VOCs indicates increasing tendency to form ground-level ozone and as a result, smog in the region. We predict that the current regime of vehicle technology, fuel standards, and high growth rate of private vehicles, is likely to nullify all the past emission reductions by the end of 2020s.

Dementia in developing countries: Does education play the same role in India as in the West?

PubMed Central

Iyer, Gowri K.; Alladi, Suvarna; Bak, Thomas H.; Shailaja, Mekala; Mamidipudi, Annapurna; Rajan, Amulya; Gollahalli, Divyaraj; Chaudhuri, Jaydip Ray; Kaul, Subhash

2014-01-01

Evidence suggests that education protects from dementia by enhancing cognitive reserve. However, this may be influenced by several socio-demographic factors. Rising numbers of dementia in India, high levels of illiteracy and heterogeneity in socio-demographic factors provide an opportunity to explore this relationship. Objective To study the association between education and age at dementia onset, in relation to socio-demographic factors. Methods Association between age at dementia onset and literacy was studied in relationship to potential confounding factors such as gender, bilingualism, place of dwelling, occupation, vascular risk factors, stroke, family history of dementia and dementia subtypes. Results Case records of 648 dementia patients diagnosed in a specialist clinic in a University hospital in Hyderabad, India were examined. All patients were prospectively enrolled as part of an ongoing longitudinal project that aims to evaluate dementia subjects with detailed clinical, etiological, imaging, and follow-up studies. Of the 648 patients, 98 (15.1%) were illiterate. More than half of illiterate skilled workers were engaged in crafts and skilled agriculture unlike literates who were in trade or clerical jobs. Mean age at onset in illiterates was 60.1 years and in literates 64.5 years (p=0.0002). Factors independently associated with age at dementia onset were bilingualism, rural dwelling and stroke, but not education. Conclusion Our study demonstrates that in India, rural dwelling, bilingualism, stroke and occupation modify the relationship between education and dementia. PMID:29213894

Clinical pharmacists: The major support to Indian healthcare system in near future

PubMed Central

Deshpande, Prasanna R.; Vantipalli, Raghuram; Chaitanya Lakshmi, C. H.; Rao, E. Jagadeswara; Regmi, Bishnu; Ahad, Abdul; Nirojini, P. Sharmila

2015-01-01

Pharmacy practice is still in the initial stages of development in India, but launching of Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) study program has brought serious discussions about clinical pharmacy in the country. As the profession is in budding stage in the country, the patients, physicians, nurses, other healthcare providers, recruiters in pharmaceutical industries, prospective students, and their parents have numerous questions about this profession and study course. The objective of this article is to create awareness about clinical pharmacy services (CPS) and to introduce the role of clinical pharmacists (CPs). After reading this article, one will know about the usefulness of CPs in the Indian healthcare system against the current flaws in the system. The article describes the role of CPs in the hospitals, in research, in pharmaceutical/contract research companies, in community service and it also tells about the related myths and facts. Prospective job opportunities for CPs, present challenges and the possible solutions are elaborated as well. In conclusion, CPs are going to be the major support to the Indian healthcare system in near future; the reasons being (1) CPS are beneficial in many ways to improve healthcare; CPS have already proved their importance in western countries (2) India was never officially and efficiently exposed to CPS; so launching of CPS shall revolutionize the country's healthcare scenario. PMID:26229349

Consanguinity, prematurity, birth weight and pregnancy loss: a prospective cohort study at four primary health center areas of Karnataka, India.

PubMed

Bellad, M B; Goudar, S S; Edlavitch, S A; Mahantshetti, N S; Naik, V; Hemingway-Foday, J J; Gupta, M; Nalina, H R; Derman, R; Moss, N; Kodkany, B S

2012-06-01

To determine whether consanguinity adversely influences pregnancy outcome in South India, where consanguinity is a common means of family property retention. Data were collected from a prospective cohort of 647 consenting women, consecutively registered for antenatal care between 14 and 18 weeks gestation, in Belgaum district, Karnataka in 2005. Three-generation pedigree charts were drawn for consanguineous participants. χ (2)-Test and Student's t-test were used to assess categorical and continuous data, respectively, using SPSS version 14. Multivariate logistic regression adjusted for confounding variables. Overall, 24.1% of 601 women with singleton births and outcome data were consanguineous. Demographic characteristics between study groups were similar. Non-consanguineous couples had fewer stillbirths (2.6 vs 6.9% P=0.017; adjusted P=0.050), miscarriages (1.8 vs 4.1%, P=0.097; adjusted P=0.052) and lower incidence of birth weight <2500 g (21.8 vs 29.5%, P=0.071, adjusted P=0.044). Gestation <37 weeks was 6.2% in both the groups. Adjusted for consanguinity and other potential confounders, age <20 years was protective of stillbirth (P=0.01), pregnancy loss (P=0.023) and preterm birth (P=0.013), whereas smoking (P=0.015) and poverty (P=0.003) were associated with higher rates of low birth weight. Consanguinity significantly increases pregnancy loss and birth weight <2500 g.

Prospective Evaluation of Few Homeopathic Rubrics of Kent's Repertory From Bayesian Perspective.

PubMed

Koley, Munmun; Saha, Subhranil; Das, Kaushik Deb; Roy, Sushabhan; Goenka, Rachna; Chowdhury, Pulak Roy; Hait, Himangsu; Bhattacharyya, Chapal Kanti; Sadhukhan, Sanjoy Kumar

2016-10-01

Absolute grading system of homeopathic repertories poses substantial threat to reliability; however, it may be resolved by evaluating rubrics prospectively using likelihood ratio (LR). The authors evaluated few "physical general" rubrics from Kent's repertory-"chilly," "hot," "ambithermal," "preference for hot/cold food," "desire/aversion for fish/egg/meat/sour/pungent/salt/sweet/bitter"-prospectively in West Bengal, India, for 1.5 years using the Outcome Related to Impact on Daily Living scale. Per symptom/rubric, LRs < 1.5 were discarded. A total of 2039 encounters were analyzed for thermal relations and 4715 for desires/aversions for specific food items. Comparison with Kent's repertory revealed discrepancies. One new rubric with corresponding medicines was suggested to be introduced, new entries of medicines were recommended, and some seemed to maintain their ascribed importance. The authors refrained from converting LRs into typefaces prematurely; still they propose introducing LR to repertories for a structural update, changing its use, and enabling homeopaths to make more reliable predictions. © The Author(s) 2015.

Tales of the Once-Born and the Twice-Born in the Divided City: The Necessity of Literacy in a Print Culture.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhola, H. S.

This paper is based on the premise that the myth of the "Twice-Born" perpetuated by the high-caste Hindus of ancient India; the metaphors of re-birth, freedom, and light used by new literatures coming out of adult literacy classes; and current socio-biological theories of human evolution all speak to the truly transformational character…

Protocol for the economic evaluation of a community-based intervention to improve growth among children under two in rural India (CARING trial)

PubMed Central

Sinha, Rajesh; Kumar Ojha, Amit; Sarangi, Soumendra; Nair, Nirmala; Tripathy, Prasanta; Sachdev, H S; Bhattacharyya, Sanghita; Gope, Rajkumar; Rath, Shibanand; Rath, Suchitra; Srivastava, Aradhana; Pulkki-Brännström, Anni-Maria; Costello, Anthony; Copas, Andrew; Saville, Naomi; Prost, Audrey; Haghparast-Bidgoli, Hassan

2016-01-01

Introduction Undernutrition affects ∼165 million children globally and contributes up to 45% of all child deaths. India has the highest proportion of global undernutrition-related morbidity and mortality. This protocol describes the planned economic evaluation of a community-based intervention to improve growth in children under 2 years of age in two rural districts of eastern India. The intervention is being evaluated through a cluster-randomised controlled trial (cRCT, the CARING trial). Methods and analysis A cost-effectiveness and cost–utility analysis nested within a cRCT will be conducted from a societal perspective, measuring programme, provider, household and societal costs. Programme costs will be collected prospectively from project accounts using a standardised tool. These will be supplemented with time sheets and key informant interviews to inform the allocation of joint costs. Direct and indirect costs incurred by providers will be collected using key informant interviews and time use surveys. Direct and indirect household costs will be collected prospectively, using time use and consumption surveys. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) will be calculated for the primary outcome measure, that is, cases of stunting prevented, and other outcomes such as cases of wasting prevented, cases of infant mortality averted, life years saved and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) averted. Sensitivity analyses will be conducted to assess the robustness of results. Ethics and dissemination There is a shortage of robust evidence regarding the cost-effectiveness of strategies to improve early child growth. As this economic evaluation is nested within a large scale, cRCT, it will contribute to understanding the fiscal space for investment in early child growth, and the relative (in)efficiency of prioritising resources to this intervention over others to prevent stunting in this and other comparable contexts. The protocol has all necessary ethical approvals and the findings will be disseminated within academia and the wider policy sphere. Trial registration number ISRCTN51505201; pre-results. PMID:27807084

Prospective study of one million deaths in India: rationale, design, and validation results.

PubMed

Jha, Prabhat; Gajalakshmi, Vendhan; Gupta, Prakash C; Kumar, Rajesh; Mony, Prem; Dhingra, Neeraj; Peto, Richard

2006-02-01

Over 75% of the annual estimated 9.5 million deaths in India occur in the home, and the large majority of these do not have a certified cause. India and other developing countries urgently need reliable quantification of the causes of death. They also need better epidemiological evidence about the relevance of physical (such as blood pressure and obesity), behavioral (such as smoking, alcohol, HIV-1 risk taking, and immunization history), and biological (such as blood lipids and gene polymorphisms) measurements to the development of disease in individuals or disease rates in populations. We report here on the rationale, design, and implementation of the world's largest prospective study of the causes and correlates of mortality. We will monitor nearly 14 million people in 2.4 million nationally representative Indian households (6.3 million people in 1.1 million households in the 1998-2003 sample frame and 7.6 million people in 1.3 million households in the 2004-2014 sample frame) for vital status and, if dead, the causes of death through a well-validated verbal autopsy (VA) instrument. About 300,000 deaths from 1998-2003 and some 700,000 deaths from 2004-2014 are expected; of these about 850,000 will be coded by two physicians to provide causes of death by gender, age, socioeconomic status, and geographical region. Pilot studies will evaluate the addition of physical and biological measurements, specifically dried blood spots. Preliminary results from over 35,000 deaths suggest that VA can ascertain the leading causes of death, reduce the misclassification of causes, and derive the probable underlying cause of death when it has not been reported. VA yields broad classification of the underlying causes in about 90% of deaths before age 70. In old age, however, the proportion of classifiable deaths is lower. By tracking underlying demographic denominators, the study permits quantification of absolute mortality rates. Household case-control, proportional mortality, and nested case-control methods permit quantification of risk factors. This study will reliably document not only the underlying cause of child and adult deaths but also key risk factors (behavioral, physical, environmental, and eventually, genetic). It offers a globally replicable model for reliably estimating cause-specific mortality using VA and strengthens India's flagship mortality monitoring system. Despite the misclassification that is still expected, the new cause-of-death data will be substantially better than that available previously.

Paleomagnetic data support Early Permian age for the Abor Volcanics in the lower Siang Valley, NE India: Significance for Gondwana-related break-up models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Jason R.; Aitchison, Jonathan C.; Chik, Sam Y. S.; Baxter, Alan T.; Bryan, Scott E.

2012-05-01

Confusion exists as to the age of the Abor Volcanics of NE India. Some consider the unit to have been emplaced in the Early Permian, others the Early Eocene, a difference of ˜230 million years. The divergence in opinion is significant because fundamentally different models explaining the geotectonic evolution of India depend on the age designation of the unit. Paleomagnetic data reported here from several exposures in the type locality of the formation in the lower Siang Valley indicate that steep dipping primary magnetizations (mean = 72.7 ± 6.2°, equating to a paleo-latitude of 58.1°) are recorded in the formation. These are only consistent with the unit being of Permian age, possibly Artinskian based on a magnetostratigraphic argument. Plate tectonic models for this time consistently show the NE corner of the sub-continent >50°S; in the Early Eocene it was just north of the equator, which would have resulted in the unit recording shallow directions. The mean declination is counter-clockwise rotated by ˜94°, around half of which can be related to the motion of the Indian block; the remainder is likely due local Himalayan-age thrusting in the Eastern Syntaxis. Several workers have correlated the Abor Volcanics with broadly coeval mafic volcanic suites in Oman, NE Pakistan-NW India and southern Tibet-Nepal, which developed in response to the Cimmerian block peeling-off eastern Gondwana in the Early-Middle Permian, but we believe there are problems with this model. Instead, we suggest that the Abor basalts relate to India-Antarctica/India-Australia extension that was happening at about the same time. Such an explanation best accommodates the relevant stratigraphical and structural data (present-day position within the Himalayan thrust stack), as well as the plate tectonic model for Permian eastern Gondwana.

Tracking the India-Arabia Transform Plate Boundary during Paleogene Times.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez, M.; Huchon, P.; Chamot-Rooke, N. R. A.; Fournier, M.; Delescluse, M.

2014-12-01

The Zagros and Himalaya mountain belts are the most prominent reliefs built by continental collision. They respectively result from Arabia and India collision with Eurasia. Convergence motions at mountain belts induced most of plate reorganization events in the Indian Ocean during the Cenozoic. Although critical for paleogeographic reconstructions, the way relative motion between Arabia and India was accommodated prior to the formation of the Sheba ridge in the Gulf of Aden remains poorly understood. The India-Arabia plate-boundary belongs to the category of long-lived (~90-Ma) oceanic transform faults, thus providing a good case study to investigate the role of major kinematic events over the structural evolution of a long-lived transform system. A seismic dataset crossing the Owen Fracture Zone, the Owen Basin, and the Oman Margin was acquired to track the past locations of the India-Arabia plate boundary. We highlight the composite age of the Owen Basin basement, made of Paleocene oceanic crust drilled on its eastern part, and composed of pre-Maastrichtian continental crust overlaid by Early Paleocene ophiolites on its western side. A major transform fault system crossing the Owen Basin juxtaposed these two slivers of lithosphere of different ages, and controlled the uplift of marginal ridges along the Oman Margin. This transform system deactivated ~40 Ma ago, coeval with the onset of ultra-slow spreading at the Carlsberg Ridge. The transform boundary then jumped to the edge of the present-day Owen Ridge during the Late Eocene-Oligocene period, before seafloor spreading began at the Sheba Ridge. This migration of the plate boundary involved the transfer of a part of the Indian oceanic lithosphere accreted at the Carlsberg Ridge to the Arabian plate. The episode of plate transfer at the India-Arabia plate boundary during the Late Eocene-Oligocene interval is synchronous with a global plate reorganization event corresponding to geological events at the Zagros and Himalaya belts. The Owen Ridge uplifted later, in Late Miocene times, and is unrelated to any major migration of the India-Arabia boundary.

Species and genetic diversity in the genus Drosophila inhabiting the Indian subcontinent.

PubMed

Singh, Bashisth N

2015-06-01

Biodiversity is the sum total of all living things on the earth with particular reference to the profound variety in structure,function and genetic constitution. It includes both number and frequency of species or genes in a given assemblage and the variety of resulting ecosystems in a region. It is usually considered at three different levels: genetic, species and ecological diversities. Genus Drosophila belongs to the family Drosophilidae (class Insecta, order Diptera), characterized by rich species diversity at global level and also in India, which is a megadiverse country. At global level, more than 1500 species have been described and several thousands estimated. Hawaiian Islands are particularly rich in species diversity with more than 500 species which provides a unique opportunity to study evolution in genus Drosophila. About 150 species of Drosophila have been reported from India. Certain species of Drosophila found in India have been investigated for genetic diversity within the species. In this regard, Drosophila ananassae is noteworthy. It is a cosmopolitan and domestic species with common occurrence in India and is endowed with many genetic peculiarities. Population genetics and evolutionary studies in this species have revealed as to how genetic diversity within a species play an important role in adaptation of populations to varying environments. In addition, the work carried on D. melanogaster, D. nasuta, D. bipectinata and certain other species in India has shown that these species vary in degree and pattern of genetic diversity, and have evolved different mechanisms for adjusting to their environments. The ecological adaptations to various kinds of stress studied in certain species of Drosophila inhabiting the Indian subcontinent are also discussed.

Policy issues facing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and prospects for the future

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sweeney, J.

1999-04-01

This report is divided into the following 5 sections: (1) Background; (2) Major Issues Facing Ratification of CTBT; (3) Current Status on CTBT Ratification; (4) Status of CTBT Signatories and Ratifiers; and (5) CTBT Activities Not Prohibited. The major issues facing ratification of CTBT discussed here are: impact on CTBT of START II and ABM ratification; impact of India and Pakistan nuclear tests; CTBT entry into force; and establishment of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization.

Cost analysis of Healthcare in a Private sector Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in India.

PubMed

Karambelkar, Geeta; Malwade, Sudhir; Karambelkar, Rajendra

2016-09-08

To study the actual cost of care per patient in private-sector level IIIa Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Prospective cost-analysis study. Cost incurred by the family on the treatment of baby, separately for every newborn for entire length of hospitalization, was calculated. 126 newborns were enrolled; High level of intervention was needed for 25.4% babies. The mean cost of care was US $ 90.7 per patient per day. Bulk of the cost of care was the hospital bill.

UNSC’s Expansion: Prospects for Change and Implications for the Regions and the World

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

permanent member of the UNSC, India could use its influence over international financial institutions, such as the International Monitory Fund ( IMF ) and the...highest financial contributor to the U.N.-assessed budget and is among the leading economies of the world. The United States supports Japan as a...Asian countries.43 China also views Japan’s membership at the UNSC as a second veto to the United States. Germany is the third largest financial

Influence through Airpower Security Cooperation in Egypt and Pakistan: Lessons for Iraq

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

reengage the world’s primary arms suppliers (who happened to be the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council) in cooperative restrictions...billion over five years, the purpose of which was to give “Pakistan confidence in our commitment to its security and provide us with reciprocal...prospect of nuclear war.72 The ongoing dispute with India over Kashmir in particular is a “ tinder box” issue over which the positions of the United

Natural Allies? Regional Security in Asia and Prospects for Indo-American Strategic Cooperation

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-09-01

divide Washington from New Delhi. As Polly Nayak of the Clinton administration observed, “In late 1997, the White House had decided to make India...crime. Indeed, it would be a profound mistake at the highest level of grand strategy. 171 ENDNOTES 1. See the remarks by Polly Nayak to the Dwight D...www.usiofindia.org/article_apr_jun04_3.htm. 238. Testimony of Rollie Lal to the Commission on U.S.-China Economic and Security Review, December 4, 2003

Evolution of agricultural water use in India: a systems approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hora, T.; Basu, N. B.

2016-12-01

Groundwater plays an important role in improving the resilience of agriculture practices by mitigating the risk associated with unreliable and seasonal rainfalls. This has been an important driver in satisfying the food demand for an ever increasing population across the world. However, the inability to manage this large but limited freshwater reserve has resulted in a sharp decline in water table levels, with India being at the forefront of this problem. This study looks at the temporal trajectory of groundwater extraction in India over a 40 year time span during which well irrigation has evolved to become a central component of agriculture there. Using a systems approach, we identify the regional hot-spots of unsustainable groundwater extraction and then analyze its relationship with the environmental, economic and social components of the region. Early results indicate that the state of Punjab has been overexploiting its groundwater resources since the early 1980's with a 22% jump in groundwater extraction after the introduction of a free electricity policy, with a concomitant reduction in the number of marginal farmers by 36%. This is in contrast with the state of Tamil Nadu, in which groundwater extraction is less severe, but the number of marginal farmers has increased.

Droughts in India from 1981 to 2013 and Implications to Wheat Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiang; Obringer, Renee; Wei, Chehan; Chen, Nengcheng; Niyogi, Dev

2017-03-01

Understanding drought from multiple perspectives is critical due to its complex interactions with crop production, especially in India. However, most studies only provide singular view of drought and lack the integration with specific crop phenology. In this study, four time series of monthly meteorological, hydrological, soil moisture, and vegetation droughts from 1981 to 2013 were reconstructed for the first time. The wheat growth season (from October to April) was particularly analyzed. In this study, not only the most severe and widespread droughts were identified, but their spatial-temporal distributions were also analyzed alone and concurrently. The relationship and evolutionary process among these four types of droughts were also quantified. The role that the Green Revolution played in drought evolution was also studied. Additionally, the trends of drought duration, frequency, extent, and severity were obtained. Finally, the relationship between crop yield anomalies and all four kinds of drought during the wheat growing season was established. These results provide the knowledge of the most influential drought type, conjunction, spatial-temporal distributions and variations for wheat production in India. This study demonstrates a novel approach to study drought from multiple views and integrate it with crop growth, thus providing valuable guidance for local drought mitigation.

Global Horizontal Irradiance Anomalies in Long Term Series Over India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cony, Marco; Liria, Juan; Weisenberg, Ralf; Serrano, Enrique

2014-05-01

India has a high potential for solar energy applications due to its geographic position within the Sun Belt and the large number of cloudless days in many regions of the country. However, certain regions of India, particularly those largely populated, can exhibit large aerosol loading in the atmosphere as a consequence of anthropogenic emissions that could have a negative feedback in the solar resource potential. This effect, named as solar dimming, has already been observed in India, and in some other regions in the world, by some authors using ground data from the last two decades. The recent interest in the promotion of solar energy applications in India highlights the need of extending and improving the knowledge of the solar radiation resources in this country, since most of the long term measurements available correspond to global horizontal radiation (GHI) and most of them are also located big cities or highly populated areas. In addition, accurate knowledge on the aerosol column quantification and on its dynamical behavior with high spatial resolution is particularly important in the case of India, due to their impact on direct normal irradiation. Long term studies of solar irradiation over India can be performed using monthly means of GHI measurements from the Indian Meteorological Department. Ground data are available from 1964 till today through the World Radiation Data Centre that publish these values in the web. This work shows a long term analysis of GHI using anomalies techniques over ten different sites over India. Besides, techniques of linear trends have been applied for to show the evolution over this period. The analysis of anomalies has also found two periods of different behavior. From 1964 till 1988 the anomalies observed were positive and the last 20 years seems to be a period of negative anomalies. The results exhibit a decreasing trend and negative anomalies confirming thus the darkening effect already reported by solar dimming studies. This observation is also consequent with solar dimming effect, apparently increased during the last two decades due to the increase of aerosol loading in the atmosphere. These results remark the important of having accurate knowledge of atmospheric aerosol loading and its dynamics over India with high spatial resolution in the framework of solar energy deployment in the country. It is worth to mention that greater anomalies and a noticeable decreasing trend found in Calcutta could be correlated with the highly population rate, and thus the greater the population density of the area the greater the negative anomalies and the decreasing trend of solar irradiation monthly means.

Acculturating Indian immigrant men in New York City: applying the social capital construct to understand their experiences and health.

PubMed

Bhattacharya, Gauri

2008-04-01

This study qualitatively explored social capital available to individuals (N = 17) within a community-based purposive sample of adult male immigrants from India in New York City (NYC). Analysis of in-depth interview data identified possible pathways for social capital's influences upon acculturative stress. The study defined social capital in terms of the participants' social relationships among peers, in the workplace, and with their ethnic community. Their relationships were assessed in terms of support, trust, and reciprocity. Among the recent immigrants, hopelessness and frustration about future work prospects were associated with symptoms of depression and substance abuse. The participants identified wealth as a distinct marker of social class and they described social class as a combination of education and occupation. Social class largely determined the particular peer and community networks each participant joined. Participants relied upon ongoing connections with family in India, despite their geographic separation, to relieve acculturative stress. Social support from peers was the participants' most useful and immediate resource for alleviating acculturative stress. For participants of lower socioeconomic status, acculturative stress was compounded by social-relationship expectations and norms from India that persisted within NYCs immigrant community. Namely, lower-SES participants were more likely to experience frustration and setbacks when they sought out intimate social relationships with women.

Institutional delivery in public and private sectors in South Asia: a comparative analysis of prospective data from four demographic surveillance sites.

PubMed

Das, Sushmita; Alcock, Glyn; Azad, Kishwar; Kuddus, Abdul; Manandhar, Dharma S; Shrestha, Bhim Prasad; Nair, Nirmala; Rath, Shibanand; More, Neena Shah; Saville, Naomi; Houweling, Tanja A J; Osrin, David

2016-09-20

Maternity care in South Asia is available in both public and private sectors. Using data from demographic surveillance sites in Bangladesh, Nepal and rural and urban India, we aimed to compare institutional delivery rates and public-private share. We used records of maternity care collected in socio-economically disadvantaged communities between 2005 and 2011. Institutional delivery was summarized by four potential determinants: household asset index, maternal schooling, maternal age, and parity. We developed logistic regression models for private sector institutional delivery with these as independent covariates. The data described 52 750 deliveries. Institutional delivery proportion varied and there were differences in public-private split. In Bangladesh and urban India, the proportion of deliveries in the private sector increased with wealth, maternal education, and age. The opposite was observed in rural India and Nepal. The proportion of institutional delivery increased with economic status and education. The choice of sector is more complex and provision and perceived quality of public sector services is likely to play a role. Choices for safe maternity are influenced by accessibility, quantity and perceived quality of care. Along with data linkage between private and public sectors, increased regulation should be part of the development of the pluralistic healthcare systems that characterize south Asia.

Isolation and phylogenetic characterization of haemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes of H9N2 low pathogenicity avian influenza virus isolated from commercial layers in India.

PubMed

Gowthaman, Vasudevan; Singh, Shambu Dayal; Dhama, Kuldeep; Srinivasan, Palani; Saravanan, Sellappan; Murthy, Thippichettypalayam Ramasamy Gopala Krishna; Sukumar, Kuppanan; Mathapati, Basavaraj; Lebarbenchon, Camille; Malik, Yashpal Singh; Ramakrishnan, Muthannan Andavar

2016-12-01

Avian influenza is a highly infectious and dynamically evolving disease of birds causing high morbidity and mortality. It is caused by avian influenza virus (AIV) that belongs to the family Orthomyxoviridae. Two types of AIV have been described based on their pathogenicity viz. highly pathogenic avian influenza virus that causes severe disease with high mortality and low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAI) that generally causes asymptomatic infection or a mild disease. The H9N2 subtype is the widely circulated LPAI type in the world. The H9N2 subtype of was first reported from northern India in March 2003. However, systematical surveillance information for the evolution of H9N2 viruses in poultry flocks of Southern India is lacking. The present study reports the isolation and characterization of H9N2 isolates from the southern parts of the country during the period between May 2010 and September 2011. Out of the 30 poultry flocks investigated, six were found to be positive for HA activity. Further, all the six samples conformed as AIV. Partial nucleotide sequencing of the HA and NA genes revealed that all were belonging to the H9N2 subtype. Phylogenetically, the HA and NA genes of the H9N2 viruses from India clustered with those isolated from Bangladesh, Pakistan and the Middle East, although we were not able to conclude on their exact geographic origin.

Evolution of the Andaman Sea region: Dextral transtension as consequence of the India-Asia collision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, L.; Xu, J.; Ben-Avraham, Z.; Kelty, T. K.

2010-12-01

The two gigantic conjugate strike-slip faults: the Altyn Fault and the Sagaing Fault in northwest and southeast of the proto-Tibet plateau respectively, began to form as consequence of initiation of the India-Asia collision at around 50 Ma (Xu, 2005; Xu et al., 2010). The Sagaing Fault, Andaman trench fault as well as the Sumatra Fault controlled the evolution of the Andaman Sea region while the collision proceeded. By synthesis of geometry and rifting history of the Andaman Sea Basin and Mergui Basin and the plate tectonic setting, we suggest the following five-stage evolution model for the Andaman Sea region: (1) dextral pull-apart rifting and seafloor spreading from 50 Ma to 32 Ma; (2) dextral transform margin-type rifting was active in Mergui Basin with principal fault being the Sumatran Fault system, and both the transform margin-type rifting and the dextral pull-apart rifting were coevally active in the Andaman Sea Basin during 32 Ma to 20 Ma, when the Sumatra fault rotated CW enough and obliquity of subduction of the Indian plate motion along the Sumatra trench was enough to trigger the dextral displacement to take place on the Sumatra Fault system and the Mottawi fault; (3) the Alcock and Sewell plateaus formed in the Andaman Sea by the NNW transtension and the transform margin-type rifting continued in the Mergui basin during 20 Ma to 15 Ma; (4) NNW weak transtensional rifting on the Alcock and Sewell plateaus and NW weak transform margin-type rifting continued in the Mergui basin during 15 Ma to 5 Ma; (5)transtensional rifting similar with but more intensive than earlier stage kept on, forming the central Andaman Basin and the East basin, from 5 Ma to present.

Ancient geographical gaps and paleo-climate shape the phylogeography of an endemic bird in the sky islands of southern India.

PubMed

Robin, V V; Sinha, Anindya; Ramakrishnan, Uma

2010-10-13

Sky islands, formed by the highest reaches of mountain tracts physically isolated from one another, represent one of the biodiversity-rich regions of the world. Comparative studies of geographically isolated populations on such islands can provide valuable insights into the biogeography and evolution of species on these islands. The Western Ghats mountains of southern India form a sky island system, where the relationship between the island structure and the evolution of its species remains virtually unknown despite a few population genetic studies. We investigated how ancient geographic gaps and glacial cycles have partitioned genetic variation in modern populations of a threatened endemic bird, the White-bellied Shortwing Brachypteryx major, across the montane Shola forests on these islands and also inferred its evolutionary history. We used bayesian and maximum likelihood-based phylogenetic and population-genetic analyses on data from three mitochondrial markers and one nuclear marker (totally 2594 bp) obtained from 33 White-bellied Shortwing individuals across five islands. Genetic differentiation between populations of the species correlated with the locations of deep valleys in the Western Ghats but not with geographical distance between these populations. All populations revealed demographic histories consistent with population founding and expansion during the Last Glacial Maximum. Given the level of genetic differentiation north and south of the Palghat Gap, we suggest that these populations be considered two different taxonomic species. Our results show that the physiography and paleo-climate of this region historically resulted in multiple glacial refugia that may have subsequently driven the evolutionary history and current population structure of this bird. The first avian genetic study from this biodiversity hotspot, our results provide insights into processes that may have impacted the speciation and evolution of the endemic fauna of this region.

The Nutritional Facts of Bamboo Shoots and Their Usage as Important Traditional Foods of Northeast India

PubMed Central

Nongdam, P.; Tikendra, Leimapokpam

2014-01-01

Bamboo shoots are considered as one of the useful health foods because of their rich contents of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, fibres, and minerals and very low fat. Though bamboo shoots provide lots of health benefits, their consumption is confined mostly to Southeast Asian and East Asian countries. The acceptability of bamboo shoots as popular vegetable crop is very less due to their high pungent smell and bitter acidic taste. The use of bamboo as food in India is mainly restricted to Northeastern part of the country where they form an indispensable part of several traditional speciality dishes. The different ethnic communities take fresh or fermented bamboo shoot as one of most preferred traditional food items. Some of the important bamboo based traditional foods are ushoi, soibum, rep, mesu, eup, ekhung, hirring, and so forth. Bamboo shoots should be properly processed before they are consumed as freshly harvested shoots have high content of toxic cyanogenic glycosides which may pose serious health problems. The prospect of bamboo shoot industry in Northeast India is bright due to its rich genetic resources of bamboos. However, habitat destruction and extensive use of bamboos for food, handicraft, and construction purposes have resulted in severe depletion of natural bamboo resources. This review stresses upon the high nutritive values and health benefits of bamboo shoots and their usage as important traditional foods in Northeast India. The bamboo market potential of the region and use of in vitro plant micropropagation methods as effective means of bamboo conservation are also emphasized in this paper. PMID:27433496

Changing patterns and trends of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis at referral centre in Northern India: a 4-year experience.

PubMed

Maurya, A K; Singh, A K; Kumar, M; Umrao, J; Kant, S; Nag, V L; Kushwaha, R A S; Dhole, T N

2013-01-01

India has a high burden of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), although there is little data on multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Although MDR-TB has existed for long time in India, very few diagnostic laboratories are well-equipped to test drug sensitivity. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of MDR-TB, first-line drug resistance patterns and its changing trends in northern India in the 4 years. This was a prospective study from July 2007 to December 2010. Microscopy, culture by Bactec460 and p-nitro-α-acetylamino-β-hydroxypropiophenone (NAP) test was performed to isolate and identify Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) complex (MTBC). Drug sensitivity testing (DST) was performed by 1% proportional method (Bactec460) for four drugs: Rifampicin, isoniazid, ethambutol and streptomycin. Various clinical and demographical profiles were evaluated to analyse risk factors for development of drug resistance. We found the overall prevalence rate of MDR-TB to be 38.8%, increasing from 36.4% in 2007 to 40.8% in 2010. we found that the prevalence of MDR-TB in new and previously treated cases was 29.1% and 43.3% ( P < 0.05; CI 95%). The increasing trend of MDR-TB was more likely in pulmonary TB when compared with extra-pulmonary TB ( P < 0.05; CI 95%). we found a high prevalence (38.8%) of MDR-TB both in new cases (29.1%) and previously treated cases (43.3%).This study strongly highlights the need to make strategies for testing, surveillance, monitoring and management of such drug-resistant cases.

The Drug Discovery and Development Industry in India—Two Decades of Proprietary Small‐Molecule R&D

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Abstract This review provides a comprehensive survey of proprietary drug discovery and development efforts performed by Indian companies between 1994 and mid‐2016. It is based on the identification and detailed analysis of pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and contract research companies active in proprietary new chemical entity (NCE) research and development (R&D) in India. Information on preclinical and clinical development compounds was collected by company, therapeutic indication, mode of action, target class, and development status. The analysis focuses on the overall pipeline and its evolution over two decades, contributions by type of company, therapeutic focus, attrition rates, and contribution to Western pharmaceutical pipelines through licensing agreements. This comprehensive analysis is the first of its kind, and, in our view, represents a significant contribution to the understanding of the current state of the drug discovery and development industry in India. PMID:28464443

Crustal architecture and tectonic evolution of the Cauvery Suture Zone, southern India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chetty, T. R. K.; Yellappa, T.; Santosh, M.

2016-11-01

The Cauvery suture zone (CSZ) in southern India has witnessed multiple deformations associated with multiple subduction-collision history, with incorporation of the related accretionary belts sequentially into the southern continental margin of the Archaean Dharwar craton since Neoarchean to Neoproterozoic. The accreted tectonic elements include suprasubduction complexes of arc magmatic sequences, high-grade supracrustals, thrust duplexes, ophiolites, and younger intrusions that are dispersed along the suture. The intra-oceanic Neoarchean-Neoproterozoic arc assemblages are well exposed in the form of tectonic mélanges dominantly towards the eastern sector of the CSZ and are typically subjected to complex and multiple deformation events. Multi-scale analysis of structural elements with detailed geological mapping of the sub-regions and their structural cross sections, geochemical and geochronological data and integrated geophysical observations suggest that the CSZ is an important zone that preserves the imprints of multiple cycles of Precambrian plate tectonic regimes.

Evidence for subduction-related magmatism during the Cretaceous and Cenozoic in Myanmar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sevastjanova, Inga; Sagi, David Adam; Webb, Peter; Masterton, Sheona; Hill, Catherine; Davies, Clare

2017-04-01

Myanmar's complex geological history, numerous controversies around its tectonic evolution and the presence of prospective hydrocarbon basins make it a key area of interest for geologists. Understanding whether a passive or an active margin existed in the region during the Cenozoic is particularly important for the production of accurate basin models; active Cenozoic subduction would imply that hydrocarbon basins in the forearc experienced extension due to slab rollback. The geology of Myanmar was influenced by the regional tectonics associated with the Cretaceous and Cenozoic closure of the Neotethys Ocean. During this time, India travelled rapidly from Gondwana to Asia at speeds up to 20 cm/yr. To accommodate the north-eastward motion of India, the Neotethys Ocean was consumed at the subduction zone along the southern margin of Eurasia. Based on our Global Plate Model, this subduction zone can reasonably be expected to extend for the entire width of the Neotethys Ocean as far as Myanmar and Southeast Asia at their eastern extent. Moreover, a) Cretaceous volcanism onshore Myanmar, b) the middle Cenozoic arc-related extension in the Present Day eastern Andaman Sea and c) the late Cenozoic uplift of the Indo-Burman Ranges are all contemporaneous with the subduction ages predicted by the global plate motions. However, because of the geological complexity of the area, additional evidence would augment interpretations that are based on structural data. In an attempt to reduce the uncertainty in the existing interpretations, we have compiled published zircon geochronological data from detrital and igneous rocks in the region. We have used published zircon U-Pb ages and, where available, published Hf isotope data and CL images (core/rim) in order to distinguish 'juvenile' mantle-derived zircons from those of reworked crustal origin. The compilation shows that Upper Cretaceous and Cenozoic zircons, which are interpreted to have a volcanic provenance, are common across the Wuntho-Popa Arc and in the sedimentary basins onshore Myanmar (including the onshore Rakhine Basin and the Myanmar Central Basin), providing evidence for ongoing, although non-continuous, subduction in the region.

Geographical gradient of the eIF4E alleles conferring resistance to potyviruses in pea (Pisum) germplasm.

PubMed

Konečná, Eva; Šafářová, Dana; Navrátil, Milan; Hanáček, Pavel; Coyne, Clarice; Flavell, Andrew; Vishnyakova, Margarita; Ambrose, Mike; Redden, Robert; Smýkal, Petr

2014-01-01

The eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E was shown to be involved in resistance against several potyviruses in plants, including pea. We combined our knowledge of pea germplasm diversity with that of the eIF4E gene to identify novel genetic diversity. Germplasm of 2803 pea accessions was screened for eIF4E intron 3 length polymorphism, resulting in the detection of four eIF4E(A-B-C-S) variants, whose distribution was geographically structured. The eIF4E(A) variant conferring resistance to the P1 PSbMV pathotype was found in 53 accessions (1.9%), of which 15 were landraces from India, Afghanistan, Nepal, and 7 were from Ethiopia. A newly discovered variant, eIF4E(B), was present in 328 accessions (11.7%) from Ethiopia (29%), Afghanistan (23%), India (20%), Israel (25%) and China (39%). The eIF4E(C) variant was detected in 91 accessions (3.2% of total) from India (20%), Afghanistan (33%), the Iberian Peninsula (22%) and the Balkans (9.3%). The eIF4E(S) variant for susceptibility predominated as the wild type. Sequencing of 73 samples, identified 34 alleles at the whole gene, 26 at cDNA and 19 protein variants, respectively. Fifteen alleles were virologically tested and 9 alleles (eIF4E(A-1-2-3-4-5-6-7), eIF4E(B-1), eIF4E(C-2)) conferred resistance to the P1 PSbMV pathotype. This work identified novel eIF4E alleles within geographically structured pea germplasm and indicated their independent evolution from the susceptible eIF4E(S1) allele. Despite high variation present in wild Pisum accessions, none of them possessed resistance alleles, supporting a hypothesis of distinct mode of evolution of resistance in wild as opposed to crop species. The Highlands of Central Asia, the northern regions of the Indian subcontinent, Eastern Africa and China were identified as important centers of pea diversity that correspond with the diversity of the pathogen. The series of alleles identified in this study provides the basis to study the co-evolution of potyviruses and the pea host.

Geographical Gradient of the eIF4E Alleles Conferring Resistance to Potyviruses in Pea (Pisum) Germplasm

PubMed Central

Konečná, Eva; Šafářová, Dana; Navrátil, Milan; Hanáček, Pavel; Coyne, Clarice; Flavell, Andrew; Vishnyakova, Margarita; Ambrose, Mike; Redden, Robert; Smýkal, Petr

2014-01-01

Background The eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E was shown to be involved in resistance against several potyviruses in plants, including pea. We combined our knowledge of pea germplasm diversity with that of the eIF4E gene to identify novel genetic diversity. Methodology/Principal findings Germplasm of 2803 pea accessions was screened for eIF4E intron 3 length polymorphism, resulting in the detection of four eIF4EA-B-C-S variants, whose distribution was geographically structured. The eIF4EA variant conferring resistance to the P1 PSbMV pathotype was found in 53 accessions (1.9%), of which 15 were landraces from India, Afghanistan, Nepal, and 7 were from Ethiopia. A newly discovered variant, eIF4EB, was present in 328 accessions (11.7%) from Ethiopia (29%), Afghanistan (23%), India (20%), Israel (25%) and China (39%). The eIF4EC variant was detected in 91 accessions (3.2% of total) from India (20%), Afghanistan (33%), the Iberian Peninsula (22%) and the Balkans (9.3%). The eIF4ES variant for susceptibility predominated as the wild type. Sequencing of 73 samples, identified 34 alleles at the whole gene, 26 at cDNA and 19 protein variants, respectively. Fifteen alleles were virologically tested and 9 alleles (eIF4EA-1-2-3-4-5-6-7, eIF4EB-1, eIF4EC-2) conferred resistance to the P1 PSbMV pathotype. Conclusions/Significance This work identified novel eIF4E alleles within geographically structured pea germplasm and indicated their independent evolution from the susceptible eIF4ES1 allele. Despite high variation present in wild Pisum accessions, none of them possessed resistance alleles, supporting a hypothesis of distinct mode of evolution of resistance in wild as opposed to crop species. The Highlands of Central Asia, the northern regions of the Indian subcontinent, Eastern Africa and China were identified as important centers of pea diversity that correspond with the diversity of the pathogen. The series of alleles identified in this study provides the basis to study the co-evolution of potyviruses and the pea host. PMID:24609094

Incidence of tuberculosis among school-going adolescents in South India.

PubMed

Uppada, Dharma Rao; Selvam, Sumithra; Jesuraj, Nelson; Lau, Esther L; Doherty, T Mark; Grewal, Harleen M S; Vaz, Mario; Lindtjørn, Bernt

2016-07-26

Tuberculosis (TB) incidence data in vaccine target populations, particularly adolescents, are important for designing and powering vaccine clinical trials. Little is known about the incidence of tuberculosis among adolescents in India. The objective of current study is to estimate the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) disease among adolescents attending school in South India using two different surveillance methods (active and passive) and to compare the incidence between the two groups. The study was a prospective cohort study with a 2-year follow-up period. The study was conducted in Palamaner, Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh, South India from February 2007 to July 2010. A random sampling procedure was used to select a subset of schools to enable approximately 8000 subjects to be available for randomization in the study. A stratified randomization procedure was used to assign the selected schools to either active or passive surveillance. Participants who met the criteria for being exposed to TB were referred to the diagnostic ward for pulmonary tuberculosis confirmation. A total number of 3441 males and 3202 females between the ages 11 and less than 18 years were enrolled into the study. Of the 3102 participants in the active surveillance group, four subjects were diagnosed with definite tuberculosis, four subjects with probable tuberculosis, and 71 subjects had non-tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) isolated from their sputum. Of the 3541 participants in the passive surveillance group, four subjects were diagnosed with definite tuberculosis, two subjects with probable tuberculosis, and 48 subjects had non-tuberculosis Mycobacteria isolated from their sputum. The incidence of definite + probable TB was 147.60 / 100,000 person years in the active surveillance group and 87 / 100,000 person years in the passive surveillance group. The incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis among adolescents in our study is lower than similar studies conducted in South Africa and Eastern Uganda - countries with a higher incidence of tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) than India. The study data will inform sample design for vaccine efficacy trials among adolescents in India.

Restraint prevalence and perceived coercion among psychiatric inpatients from South India: A prospective study.

PubMed

Gowda, Guru S; Lepping, Peter; Noorthoorn, Eric O; Ali, Syed Farooq; Kumar, Channaveerachari Naveen; Raveesh, Bevinahalli Nanjegowda; Math, Suresh Bada

2018-05-22

The Indian Mental Health Care Act 2017 (MHCA -2017) advocates the duty to provide treatment in the least coercive manner. Little data exists on how Indian patients perceive coercion in medical settings. To study the prevalence of restraint in a Indian psychiatric inpatient unit, and to examine the level of perceived coercion correlating to various forms of restraint. This is a hospital based prospective observational study. Two hundred patients were recruited through computer generated random number sampling. In eligible subjects, demographic and clinical data, restraints used and assessments related to perceived coercion were completed within 3 days of admission. Perceived coercion was reassessed at the time or within 3 days before discharge. In 66.5% one or more restraint measures were used, physical restraints in 20%, chemical restraints in 58%, seclusion in 18%, and involuntary medication in 32%. ECT is associated with the lowest level of perceived coercion followed by isolation/seclusion, chemical restraint, involuntary medication and physical restraint. Male gender, being married, rural background, low socioeconomic status, having a mood disorder, and alcohol or drug dependence was associated with an increased risk of physical or chemical restraint. Having a mood disorder, being from a rural area and a lower socioeconomic status was associated with being subjected to more than one form of coercion. Restraint measures are more prevalent in psychiatric hospital care in India than in Europe. Physical restraint is particularly associted with higher perceived coercion. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

HIV-malaria interactions in North-East India: A prospective cohort study

PubMed Central

Mohapatra, Pradhyumn K.; Pachuau, Elsa; Kumar, Chandra; Borkakoty, Biswajit; Zomawia, Eric; Singh, Achouba; Walia, Kamini; Arora, Rashmi; Mahanta, Jagdish; Subbarao, Sarala K.

2017-01-01

Background & objectives: The interactions between HIV and malaria co-infection have been shown to influence each other in their clinical outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study was carried out in the two States of north east India endemic for both HIV and malaria infections, to study the interactions between the two diseases in the HIV-infected population. Methods: In this prospective study, a total of 333 HIV-infected individuals were followed up for a period of 6-18 months in Mizoram and Manipur during 2010-2011. The study assessed the changes in viral load and also the therapeutic efficacy of artesunate plus sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (AS+SP) combination therapy in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected individuals with Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Results: Viral load in HIV-infected malaria patients on day zero (D0) ranged from 1110 to 147,000 copies/ml. The log transformation of the geometric means of HIV viral loads revealed no significant difference on different days of follow up. There was 100 per cent adequate clinical and parasitological response (ACPR) after treating with artemisinin based combination therapy (ACT) both in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected P. falciparum-positive individuals. Similarly, chloroquine showed 100 per cent ACPR in P. vivax HIV-infected individuals. Interpretation & conclusion: The study showed no significant increase in HIV viral load in malaria cases. All HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected P. falciparum malaria-positive cases responded to the treatment with 100 per cent ACPR. PMID:28749403

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in chronic areca nut chewing Indian women: Case series and review of literature.

PubMed

Muttagi, Sidramesh Shivanand; Chaturvedi, Pankaj; Gaikwad, Rohith; Singh, Bikramjit; Pawar, Prashant

2012-01-01

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is an important public health problem in India. Several risk factors such as tobacco, human papilloma virus, alcohol, areca nut usage have been extensively studied as causative agents. Though Areca nut chewing is known cause of oral cancer, its association with hypopharynx cancer has not been previously reported. Since areca nut is mostly consumed along with tobacco, it is uncommon to find patients who consume the areca nut alone. This is a prospective case series of ten women who presented to us with HNSCC with history of chewing of areca nut alone for several years. We have excluded all those cases where areca nut was consumed along with tobacco in any form. The data were prospectively collected with regard to clinical parameters, duration and frequency of areca nut usage, the socio-economic status and education level. All ten females had varying degree of submucous fibrosis and coexisting squamous cell carcinoma either in the oral cavity or hypopharynx. Submucous fibrosis was characterized by burning mouth, unhealthy oral mucosa, buried third molars, trismus, poor oral hygiene, etc. The disease presented in an advanced stage in majority of the cases. All patients were unaware of areca nut's deleterious effects. Areca nut chewing is an important risk factor for HNSCC in females. Despite plethora of information, little importance is given to areca nut control in cancer prevention campaigns in India.

Exploring stellar evolution with gravitational-wave observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dvorkin, Irina; Uzan, Jean-Philippe; Vangioni, Elisabeth; Silk, Joseph

2018-05-01

Recent detections of gravitational waves from merging binary black holes opened new possibilities to study the evolution of massive stars and black hole formation. In particular, stellar evolution models may be constrained on the basis of the differences in the predicted distribution of black hole masses and redshifts. In this work we propose a framework that combines galaxy and stellar evolution models and use it to predict the detection rates of merging binary black holes for various stellar evolution models. We discuss the prospects of constraining the shape of the time delay distribution of merging binaries using just the observed distribution of chirp masses. Finally, we consider a generic model of primordial black hole formation and discuss the possibility of distinguishing it from stellar-origin black holes.

Application of groundwater residence time tracers and broad screening for micro-organic contaminants in the Indo-Gangetic aquifer system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lapworth, Dan; Das, Prerona; Mukherjee, Abhijit; Petersen, Jade; Gooddy, Daren; Krishan, Gopal

2017-04-01

Groundwater abstracted from aquifers underlying urban centres across India provide a vital source of domestic water. Abstraction from municipal and private supplies is considerable and growing rapidly with ever increasing demand for water from expanding urban populations. This trend is set to continue. The vulnerability of deeper aquifers (typically >100 m below ground) used for domestic water to contamination migration from often heavily contaminated shallow aquifer systems has not been studies in detail in India. This paper focusses on the occurrence of micro-organic contaminants within sedimentary aquifers beneath urban centres which are intensively pumped for drinking water and domestic use. New preliminary results from a detailed case study undertaken across Varanasi, a city with an estimated population of ca. 1.5 million in Uttar Pradesh. Micro -organic groundwater quality status and evolution with depth is investigated through selection of paired shallow and deep sites across the city. These results are considered within the context of paired groundwater residence time tracers within the top 150m within the sedimentary aquifer system. Groundwater emerging contaminant results are compared with surface water quality from the Ganges which is also used for drinking water supply. Broad screening for >800 micro-organic compounds was undertaken. Age dating tools were employed to constrain and inform a conceptual model of groundwater recharge and contaminant evolution within the sedimentary aquifer system.

The history of human cytogenetics in India-A review.

PubMed

Dutta, Usha R

2016-09-10

It is 60years since the discovery of the correct number of chromosomes in 1956; the field of cytogenetics had evolved. The late evolution of this field with respect to other fields is primarily due to the underdevelopment of lenses and imaging techniques. With the advent of the new technologies, especially automation and evolution of advanced compound microscopes, cytogenetics drastically leaped further to greater heights. This review describes the historic events that had led to the development of human cytogenetics with a special attention about the history of cytogenetics in India, its present status, and future. Apparently, this review provides a brief account into the insights of the early laboratory establishments, funding, and the German collaborations. The details of the Indian cytogeneticists establishing their labs, promoting the field, and offering the chromosomal diagnostic services are described. The detailed study of chromosomes helps in increasing the knowledge of the chromosome structure and function. The delineation of the chromosomal rearrangements using cytogenetics and molecular cytogenetic techniques pays way in identifying the molecular mechanisms involved in the chromosomal rearrangement. Although molecular cytogenetics is greatly developing, the conventional cytogenetics still remains the gold standard in the diagnosis of various numerical chromosomal aberrations and a few structural aberrations. The history of cytogenetics and its importance even in the era of molecular cytogenetics are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multi-Toxin Resistance Enables Pink Bollworm Survival on Pyramided Bt Cotton

PubMed Central

Fabrick, Jeffrey A.; Unnithan, Gopalan C.; Yelich, Alex J.; DeGain, Ben; Masson, Luke; Zhang, Jie; Carrière, Yves; Tabashnik, Bruce E.

2015-01-01

Transgenic crops producing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) proteins kill key insect pests, providing economic and environmental benefits. However, the evolution of pest resistance threatens the continued success of such Bt crops. To delay or counter resistance, transgenic plant “pyramids” producing two or more Bt proteins that kill the same pest have been adopted extensively. Field populations of the pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) in the United States have remained susceptible to Bt toxins Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab, but field-evolved practical resistance to Bt cotton producing Cry1Ac has occurred widely in India. Here we used two rounds of laboratory selection to achieve 18,000- to 150,000-fold resistance to Cry2Ab in pink bollworm. Inheritance of resistance to Cry2Ab was recessive, autosomal, conferred primarily by one locus, and independent of Cry1Ac resistance. We created a strain with high resistance to both toxins by crossing the Cry2Ab-resistant strain with a Cry1Ac-resistant strain, followed by one selection with Cry2Ab. This multi-toxin resistant strain survived on field-collected Bt cotton bolls producing both toxins. The results here demonstrate the risk of evolution of resistance to pyramided Bt plants, particularly when toxins are deployed sequentially and refuges are scarce, as seen with Bt cotton and pink bollworm in India. PMID:26559899

Delayed dispersal and the costs and benefits of different routes to independent breeding in a cooperatively breeding bird

PubMed Central

Kingma, Sjouke A.; Bebbington, Kat; Hammers, Martijn; Richardson, David S.; Komdeur, Jan

2016-01-01

Why sexually mature individuals stay in groups as nonreproductive subordinates is central to the evolution of sociality and cooperative breeding. To understand such delayed dispersal, its costs and benefits need to be compared with those of permanently leaving to float through the population. However, comprehensive comparisons, especially regarding differences in future breeding opportunities, are rare. Moreover, extraterritorial prospecting by philopatric individuals has generally been ignored, even though the factors underlying this route to independent breeding may differ from those of strict philopatry or floating. We use a comprehensive predictive framework to explore how various costs, benefits and intrinsic, environmental and social factors explain philopatry, prospecting, and floating in Seychelles warblers (Acrocephalus sechellensis). Not only floaters more likely obtained an independent breeding position before the next season than strictly philopatric individuals, but also suffered higher mortality. Prospecting yielded similar benefits to floating but lower mortality costs, suggesting that it is overall more beneficial than floating and strict philopatry. While prospecting is probably individual‐driven, although limited by resource availability, floating likely results from eviction by unrelated breeders. Such differences in proximate and ultimate factors underlying each route to independent breeding highlight the need for simultaneous consideration when studying the evolution of delayed dispersal. PMID:27641712

A demographic dividend of the FP2020 Initiative and the SDG reproductive health target: Case studies of India and Nigeria.

PubMed

Li, Qingfeng; Rimon, Jose G

2018-02-22

Background: The demographic dividend, defined as the economic growth potential resulting from favorable shifts in population age structure following rapid fertility decline, has been widely employed to advocate improving access to family planning. The current framework focuses on the long-term potential, while the short-term benefits may also help persuade policy makers to invest in family planning. Methods: We estimate the short- and medium-term economic benefits from two major family planning goals: the Family Planning 2020 (FP2020)'s goal of adding 120 million modern contraceptive users by 2020; Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3.7 of ensuring universal access to family planning by 2030. We apply the cohort component method to World Population Prospects and National Transfer Accounts data. India and Nigeria, respectively the most populous Asian and African country under the FP2020 initiative, are used as case studies. Results: Meeting the FP2020 target implies that on average, the number of children that need to be supported by every 100 working-age people would decrease by 8 persons in India and 11 persons in Nigeria in 2020; the associated reduction remains at 8 persons in India, but increases to 14 persons in Nigeria by 2030 under the SDG 3.7. In India meeting the FP2020 target would yield a saving of US$18.2 billion (PPP) in consumption expenditures for children and youth in the year 2020 alone, and that increased to US$89.7 billion by 2030. In Nigeria the consumption saved would be US$2.5 billion in 2020 and $12.9 billion by 2030. Conclusions: The tremendous economic benefits from meeting the FP2020 and SDG family planning targets demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of investment in promoting access to contraceptive methods. The gap already apparent between the observed and targeted trajectories indicates tremendous missing opportunities. Accelerated progress is needed to achieve the FP2020 and SDG goals and so reap the demographic dividend.

Population Mobility and Spread of HIV Across the Indo-Nepal Border

PubMed Central

Nepal, Binod

2007-01-01

The article reviews information on the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS and behavioural networking to examine the role of population mobility in spreading HIV across the Indo-Nepal border. Documents were collected through a systematic search of electronic databases and web-based information resources, and the review focuses on studies about types of the virus, prevalence of HIV, and sexual and injecting networking. HIV-1 (subtype C) and HIV-2 were identified in Nepal. The prevalence of HIV was higher among male labour migrants and female sex workers (FSWs) who returned from India, especially from Mumbai, than in similar non-migrant groups. In the early 2000s, about 6–10% of Mumbai returnee men, compared to up to 4% of India returnee men and up to 3% of non-migrant men in the far-west Nepal, were identified with HIV. Likewise, when the prevalence of HIV among sex workers in Kathmandu was found to be 17% in 1999–2000, up to 44% of India returnee and 73% of Mumbai returnee FSWs were identified with the virus. These data are, however, based on small samples with questionable representativeness of the target populations and need to be interpreted cautiously. They also generate a biased impression that HIV was coming into Nepal from India. Recently, the possibility of a two-way flow of HIV across the Indo-Nepal border through injecting and sexual networking have been indicated by serological and behavioural data from a south-eastern cluster of Nepal and a north-eastern district of India. Although similar behavioural networks exist along other segments of the border, serological data are unavailable to assess whether and how extensively this phenomenon has caused the spread of HIV. Collaborative research and interventions covering both sides of the border are desirable to fully understand and address the prospect of HIV epidemics associated with cross-border population mixing. PMID:18330059

International patients with congenital heart disease: what brings them to India?

PubMed Central

Maheshwari, Sunita; Animasahun, B.A.; Njokanma, O.F.

2012-01-01

Background Factors that have led to the increasing popularity of medical travel include the high cost of healthcare, long wait times for certain procedures, the ease and affordability of international travel, and improvements in both technology and standards of care in many countries. Aim The present study aims to elaborate the factors that attract international cardiac patients to India, to document the proportion of the admissions into the paediatric cardiac ward who are international patients, and to identify the sources of funding of the international patients. Methods This was a prospective, cross-sectional, and analytical study carried out between May 2009 and October 2009 in the paediatric cardiac care unit of a large tertiary care cardiac centre in India paediatric wards. Structured questionnaires were administered. Results A total of 1372 patients were admitted during the study period, of which 155 (11.3%) were patients from countries outside India. Majority of the patients were from Malaysia (45%), Nigeria (23%), and Tanzania (15%). The age ranged from 1 month to 39 years with an average of 61 months. The male to female ratio was 1:1.4 and the majority of subjects (72.5%) were in social classes 3 and 4. cheaper cost and better expertise was the prominent reason for choosing India. More than half of the respondents were either sponsored by the government or self-funded. For patients from Nigeria 53% (9) were sponsored by self (parent), 29% (5) by non-governmental organisations (NGO), 12% (2) by the parent employer, and 6% (1) by the government. Conclusion There is a need for local development of facilities and training of personnel in specialised areas of healthcare to provide succour for a significant number of nationals who might otherwise have suffered and possibly have even died of their ailment. There is also the added advantage that such facilities would save foreign currency and help boost our economy. PMID:22572426

History of India-Asia Suturing in Tibet: Constraints and Questions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kapp, P. A.; Ding, L.

2011-12-01

The India-Asia collision zone is widely pointed to as the type Cenozoic example of continental suturing and collision, yet there remains considerable controversy about its geological and geodynamical evolution. This in part may reflect the richness and complexity of the geological records exposed across the collision zone and how much remains to be extracted from them. Separating the formerly Andean-style continental margin of southern Asia (Gangdese arc and forearc of the Lhasa terrane) in the north, from Indian-affinity strata deformed in the Tethyan Himalayan thrust belt to the south, is the Indus-Yarlung suture zone (IYSZ). In Tibet, ophiolitic rocks along the IYSZ crystallized and were obducted in a suprasubduction zone setting during Early Cretaceous time. The ophiolitic rocks are of the appropriate age to have formed the basement upon which Gangdese forearc strata accumulated. Alternatively, they may represent remnants of an intra-oceanic subduction system that persisted in the Tethys, far from Asia, until Greater India collided with it during the latest Cretaceous to Paleocene. There has been no documentation, however, of ophiolitic or arc fragments younger than Early Cretaceous within the IYSZ. Distinguishing between these two end-member scenarios is important for interpreting detrital records of orogenesis and seismic tomographic images of the mantle. A preponderance of evidence suggests that collision between the Tethyan Himalaya and Asia initiated by 52 Ma. Initial collision led abruptly to profound and far-field changes in paleogeography and tectonism such that by 45 Ma, major shortening and potassic volcanism was ongoing in northern Tibet, plateau-like conditions were established in central Tibet, Tethyan Himalayan crust was undergoing anatexis, and Eo-Himalayan prograde metamorphism was underway. Additional constraints on the shortening history of the Tethyan Himalayan thrust belt will be key to assessing when and how much Greater Indian lithosphere was subducted northward beneath Asia during the Paleogene. Large-scale northward underthrusting of Greater Indian lithosphere (>600 km between 45 and 30 Ma), its subsequent rapid rollback to the south of the IYSZ (30 - 20 Ma), and renewed northward underthrusting (15 Ma to Recent), is inferred from north-south temporal sweeps in Cenozoic magmatism in Tibet. This history of Greater Indian lithosphere subduction may help explain major transitions in the kinematic evolution of the Himalayan-Tibetan orogen and can account for more than half of the total convergence between India and Asia since 50 Ma.

The Progression of Prospective Primary Teachers' Conceptions of the Methodology of Teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivero, Ana; Azcárate, Pilar; Porlán, Rafael; Martín Del Pozo, Rosa; Harres, Joao

2011-11-01

This article describes the evolution of prospective primary teachers' conceptions of the methodology of teaching. Three categories were analyzed: the concept of activity, the organization of activities, and the concept of teaching resources. The study was conducted with five teams of prospective teachers, who were participating in teacher education courses of a constructivist orientation. The results showed very different itineraries in the processes of change, and the presence of two major obstacles—the belief that teaching is the direct cause of learning, and epistemological absolutism. The study allows us to deduce some implications for initial teacher education.

Outsourcing drug discovery to India and China: from surviving to thriving.

PubMed

Subramaniam, Swaminathan; Dugar, Sundeep

2012-10-01

Global pharmaceutical companies face an increasingly harsh environment for their primary business of selling medicines. They have to contend with a spiraling decline in the productivity of their R&D programs that is guaranteed to severely diminish their growth prospects. Outsourcing of drug discovery activities to low-cost locations is a growing response to this crisis. However, the upsides to outsourcing are capped by the failure of global pharmaceutical companies to take advantage of the full range of possibilities that this model provides. Companies that radically rethink and transform the way they conduct R&D, such as seeking the benefits of low-cost locations in India and China will be the ones that thrive in this environment. In this article we present our views on how the outsourcing model in drug discovery should go beyond increasing the efficiency of existing drug discovery processes to a fundamental rethink and re-engineering of these processes. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Cooperative Monitoring Center Occasional Paper/4: Missile Control in South Asia and the Role of Cooperative Monitoring Technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kamal, N.; Sawhney, P.

1998-10-01

The succession of nuclear tests by India and Pakistan in May 1998 has changed the nature of their missile rivalry, which is only one of numerous manifestations of their relationship as hardened adversaries, deeply sensitive to each other's existing and evolving defense capabilities. The political context surrounding this costly rivalry remains unmediated by arms control measures or by any nascent prospect of detente. As a parallel development, sensible voices in both countries will continue to talk of building mutual confidence through openness to avert accidents, misjudgments, and misinterpretations. To facilitate a future peace process, this paper offers possible suggestions formore » stabilization that could be applied to India's and Pakistan's missile situation. Appendices include descriptions of existing missile agreements that have contributed to better relations for other countries as well as a list of the cooperative monitoring technologies available to provide information useful in implementing subcontinent missile regimes.« less

Neonatal sepsis in rural India: timing, microbiology, and antibiotic resistance in a population-based prospective study in the community setting

PubMed Central

Panigrahi, Pinaki; Chandel, Dinesh S.; Hansen, Nellie I.; Sharma, Nidhi; Kandefer, Sarah; Parida, Sailajanandan; Satpathy, Radhanath; Pradhan, Lingaraj; Mohapatra, Arjit; Mohapatra, Subhranshu S.; Misra, Pravas R.; Banaji, Nandita; Johnson, Judith A.; Morris, John Glenn; Gewolb, Ira H.; Chaudhry, Rama

2017-01-01

Objective To examine the timing and microbiology of neonatal sepsis in a population-based surveillance in the Indian community setting. Study Design All live born infants in 223 villages of Odisha state were followed at home for 60 days. Suspect sepsis cases were referred to study hospitals for further evaluation including blood culture. Results Of 12,622 births, 842 were admitted with suspected sepsis of whom 95% were 4–60 days old. Culture confirmed incidence of sepsis was 6.7/1000 births with 51% Gram negatives (Klebsiella predominating) and 26% Gram positives (mostly Staphylococcus aureus). A very high level of resistance to penicillin and ampicillin, moderate resistance to cephalosporins, and extremely low resistance to Gentamicin and Amikacin was observed. Conclusion The bacterial burden of sepsis in the Indian community is not high. Judicious choice of empiric antibiotics, antibiotic stewardship, and alternate modalities should be considered for the management or prevention of neonatal sepsis in India. PMID:28492525

Study of adverse drug reactions in patients with diabetes attending a tertiary care hospital in New Delhi, India.

PubMed

Singh, Abhishank; Dwivedi, Shridhar

2017-02-01

The present prospective observational study was carried out in a tertiary care hospital in New Delhi, India from May 2014 to June 2015 to report adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) using antidiabetic drugs. A total of 220 patients (121 males, 99 females) were enrolled. ADRs were recorded on the prescribed form. Causality and severity assessment was done using Naranjo's probability scale and modified Hartwig and Siegel's severity scale, respectively. Commonly prescribed drugs were biguanides, peptide hormone and sulphonylurea. A total of 26 ADRs were recorded (16 in males and 10 in females). Most commonly observed ADRs were related to endocrine and gastrointestinal system. Severity assessment of ADRs showed seven (26.9%) ADRs as moderate, and 19 (73.1%) as mild. No severe reactions were observed. ADRs were mostly related to endocrine and gastrointestinal system. More information on prescribed drugs and their side effects is required for ensuring patient safety.

A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled feasibility study evaluating individualized homeopathy in managing pain of knee osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Koley, Munmun; Saha, Subhranil; Ghosh, Shubhamoy

2015-07-01

Few homeopathic complexes seemed to produce significant effects in osteoarthritis; still, individualized homeopathy remained untested. We evaluated the feasibility of conducting an efficacy trial of individualized homeopathy in osteoarthritis. A prospective, parallel-arm, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study was conducted from January to October 2014 involving 60 patients (homeopathy, n = 30; placebo, n = 30) who were suffering from acute painful episodes of knee osteoarthritis and visiting the outpatient clinic of Mahesh Bhattacharyya Homeopathic Medical College and Hospital, West Bengal, India. Statistically significant reduction was achieved in 3 visual analog scales (measuring pain, stiffness, and loss of function) and Osteoarthritis Research Society International scores in both groups over 2 weeks (P < .05); however, group differences were not significant (P > .05). Overall, homeopathy did not appear to be superior to placebo; still, further rigorous evaluation in this design involving a larger sample size seems feasible in future. Clinical Trials Registry, India (CTRI/2014/05/004589). © The Author(s) 2015.

Molecular phylogeny, population genetics, and evolution of heterocystous cyanobacteria using nifH gene sequences.

PubMed

Singh, Prashant; Singh, Satya Shila; Elster, Josef; Mishra, Arun Kumar

2013-06-01

In order to assess phylogeny, population genetics, and approximation of future course of cyanobacterial evolution based on nifH gene sequences, 41 heterocystous cyanobacterial strains collected from all over India have been used in the present study. NifH gene sequence analysis data confirm that the heterocystous cyanobacteria are monophyletic while the stigonematales show polyphyletic origin with grave intermixing. Further, analysis of nifH gene sequence data using intricate mathematical extrapolations revealed that the nucleotide diversity and recombination frequency is much greater in Nostocales than the Stigonematales. Similarly, DNA divergence studies showed significant values of divergence with greater gene conversion tracts in the unbranched (Nostocales) than the branched (Stigonematales) strains. Our data strongly support the origin of true branching cyanobacterial strains from the unbranched strains.

Large-scale subduction of continental crust implied by India-Asia mass-balance calculation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ingalls, Miquela; Rowley, David B.; Currie, Brian; Colman, Albert S.

2016-11-01

Continental crust is buoyant compared with its oceanic counterpart and resists subduction into the mantle. When two continents collide, the mass balance for the continental crust is therefore assumed to be maintained. Here we use estimates of pre-collisional crustal thickness and convergence history derived from plate kinematic models to calculate the crustal mass balance in the India-Asia collisional system. Using the current best estimates for the timing of the diachronous onset of collision between India and Eurasia, we find that about 50% of the pre-collisional continental crustal mass cannot be accounted for in the crustal reservoir preserved at Earth's surface today--represented by the mass preserved in the thickened crust that makes up the Himalaya, Tibet and much of adjacent Asia, as well as southeast Asian tectonic escape and exported eroded sediments. This implies large-scale subduction of continental crust during the collision, with a mass equivalent to about 15% of the total oceanic crustal subduction flux since 56 million years ago. We suggest that similar contamination of the mantle by direct input of radiogenic continental crustal materials during past continent-continent collisions is reflected in some ocean crust and ocean island basalt geochemistry. The subduction of continental crust may therefore contribute significantly to the evolution of mantle geochemistry.

Droughts in India from 1981 to 2013 and Implications to Wheat Production

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiang; Obringer, Renee; Wei, Chehan; Chen, Nengcheng; Niyogi, Dev

2017-01-01

Understanding drought from multiple perspectives is critical due to its complex interactions with crop production, especially in India. However, most studies only provide singular view of drought and lack the integration with specific crop phenology. In this study, four time series of monthly meteorological, hydrological, soil moisture, and vegetation droughts from 1981 to 2013 were reconstructed for the first time. The wheat growth season (from October to April) was particularly analyzed. In this study, not only the most severe and widespread droughts were identified, but their spatial-temporal distributions were also analyzed alone and concurrently. The relationship and evolutionary process among these four types of droughts were also quantified. The role that the Green Revolution played in drought evolution was also studied. Additionally, the trends of drought duration, frequency, extent, and severity were obtained. Finally, the relationship between crop yield anomalies and all four kinds of drought during the wheat growing season was established. These results provide the knowledge of the most influential drought type, conjunction, spatial-temporal distributions and variations for wheat production in India. This study demonstrates a novel approach to study drought from multiple views and integrate it with crop growth, thus providing valuable guidance for local drought mitigation. PMID:28294189

Organized convection over southwest peninsular India during the pre-monsoon season

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sreelekha, P. N.; Babu, C. A.

2018-03-01

The paper addresses observational aspects of widespread rain associated with the organized convection that forms over the southwest peninsular India during the pre-monsoon season. The evolution of the cloud band over the equatorial region, its northward propagation, development of cross equatorial flow near the Somalia coast, and appearance of equatorial westerly wind resemble closely to that of the monsoon organized convection. Low-level convergence, cyclonic vorticity, and ascending motion are other major characteristics of the cloud bands associated with the pre-monsoon organized convection which exhibits similarity with that of monsoon. The ascending motion plays vital role on the formation of cloud band that produces widespread rainfall persisting for more than a week. The vertical shear of meridional winds is found to co-exist with precipitation over the Arabian Sea off the southwest peninsular India. The velocity potential values derived from the winds at 850 and 200 hPa levels confirm the rising motion on the basis of low-level convergence and upper level divergence. Also, shifting of ascending limb of the local Hadley circulation to the north of the equator is observed during the days of the presence of organized convection over the southwest peninsular region. Noticeable shift in the Walker circulation rising limb is also identified during the same time.

A historical exploration of Indian diets and a possible link to insulin resistance syndrome.

PubMed

Bhattacharya, Manoshi

2015-12-01

Insulin resistance syndrome, especially with diabetes, is becoming increasingly prevalent in India. The increasing consumption of low-fibre and refined carbohydrates is thought to be related to the increased risk of insulin resistance syndrome. The aim was to study the history of eating behaviours in India; the patterns (macronutrients, frequency, and quantity) of food consumption amongst ancient, medieval and modern Indians; and the evolution of a primarily low-fibre and refined-carbohydrate diet. The ancient dietary laws of India, historical documents, and ancient and medieval literature and poetry, spanning more than 2000 years, were studied. These data were compared with modern diets among people of different geographical regions, religions and social strata using the National Nutritional Database of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) for analysis. The data presented shows a gradual shift over the centuries from the Pastoral Age diet of large quantities of high-fibre carbohydrates, small amounts of digestible carbohydrates, moderate fats, moderate proteins, to an increasing and frequent intake of high-fibre carbohydrates associated with significant drop in protein and fat consumption between 1775 and 1947. From 1947 onwards there has been an increase in the frequency of intake and quantities of low-fibre and refined carbohydrates, and fats with protein intake improving only marginally. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evolution of adolescent mental health in a rapidly changing socioeconomic environment: a review of mental health studies in adolescents in India over last 10 years.

PubMed

Aggarwal, Shilpa; Berk, Michael

2015-02-01

Significant changes in the economic, familial and social support aspects in India have occurred in recent times, making it an interesting naturalistic setting to observe the effects of a dynamic socioeconomic environment on behavioral and emotional disorders in adolescents. This systematic review attempts to synthesize and evaluate the available evidence on mental health disorders and interventions in adolescents in India in last 10 years as well as identify conceptual trends and methodological lacunae in these studies. A systematic search of electronic databases was performed in March 2014 and 27 school and community based studies evaluating behavioral problems, psychiatric morbidity, stress, suicide-related behaviors, depression, anxiety, aggression, self concept in adolescents in India were reviewed. There is a wide variation in the reported prevalence of psychiatric morbidity and behavioral problems in Indian adolescents. Some of the risk and protective factors are similar to those identified by other International studies in this age group. These include female gender, academic difficulties, parental fights, strained familial relationships, school absenteeism, school dropout and other school related factors. However, there are certain variables that appear to be context specific and need further investigation. These are mother's working status, studying in Government institutions or belonging to a nuclear family as risk factors and praying as a coping skill, parental involvement as a protective factor for psychiatric disorders. The suspected upward trend in the psychiatric morbidity in this age group needs more studies to be established. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Public health challenges for the 21st century: Convergence of demography, economics, environment and biology: Nalanda distinguished lecture.

PubMed

Narayan, K M Venkat

2017-01-01

The rapidly changing and interdependent world under the mega-force of globalization presents unique challenges and opportunities for public health. Focusing on the example of type 2 diabetes, I argue that an appreciation for the evolution of demographic and economic contexts is essential to appropriately address today's dynamic and complex health challenges. For the vast majority of the past 2000 years, India and China were the world's largest economies until the rise of western European nations in the 18th century and later the USA. In the case of India, inflation-adjusted per capita income remained flat between 1700 and 1950, while in the same period that of the UK grew more than 7-fold, although the population of the UK relatively grew 3-times faster than that of India in the same period. This 250-year gap in industrial and economic development may be central to understanding the large burden of diabetes among individuals of Indian descent, and should be taken into account in a wider context to understand the divergence in health development between India and parts of the world which benefited from early industrial progress and accompanying improvements in food supply, hygiene and living conditions. Lessons from high-income countries support a strong emphasis on public health to achieve important populationwide health gains, and offer insights into the broader determinants of health such as economic and food security, equity, urban infrastructure, health-promoting environments, and access to high-quality health systems. Critical to contemporary public health is also strong data systems and evidence-based decision-making.

Uniformly Processed Strong Motion Database for Himalaya and Northeast Region of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, I. D.

2018-03-01

This paper presents the first uniformly processed comprehensive database on strong motion acceleration records for the extensive regions of western Himalaya, northeast India, and the alluvial plains juxtaposing the Himalaya. This includes 146 three components of old analog records corrected for the instrument response and baseline distortions and 471 three components of recent digital records corrected for baseline errors. The paper first provides a background of the evolution of strong motion data in India and the seismotectonics of the areas of recording, then describes the details of the recording stations and the contributing earthquakes, which is finally followed by the methodology used to obtain baseline corrected data in a uniform and consistent manner. Two different schemes in common use for baseline correction are based on the application of the Ormsby filter without zero pads (Trifunac 1971) and that on the Butterworth filter with zero pads at the start as well as at the end (Converse and Brady 1992). To integrate the advantages of both the schemes, Ormsby filter with zero pads at the start only is used in the present study. A large number of typical example results are presented to illustrate that the methodology adopted is able to provide realistic velocity and displacement records with much smaller number of zero pads. The present strong motion database of corrected acceleration records will be useful for analyzing the ground motion characteristics of engineering importance, developing prediction equations for various strong motion parameters, and calibrating the seismological source model approach for ground motion simulation for seismically active and risk prone areas of India.

Oblique strike-slip motion off the Southeastern Continental Margin of India: Implication for the separation of Sri Lanka from India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desa, Maria Ana; Ismaiel, Mohammad; Suresh, Yenne; Krishna, Kolluru Sree

2018-05-01

The ocean floor in the Bay of Bengal has evolved after the breakup of India from Antarctica since the Early Cretaceous. Recent geophysical investigations including updated satellite derived gravity map postulated two phases for the tectonic evolution of the Bay of Bengal, the first phase of spreading occurred in the NW-SE direction forming its Western Basin, while the second phase occurred in the N-S direction resulting in its Eastern Basin. Lack of magnetic data along the spreading direction in the Western Basin prompted us to acquire new magnetic data along four tracks (totaling ∼3000 km) to validate the previously identified magnetic anomaly picks. Comparison of the synthetic seafloor spreading model with the observed magnetic anomalies confirmed the presence of Mesozoic anomalies M12n to M0 in the Western Basin. Further, the model suggests that this spreading between India and Antarctica took place with half-spreading rates of 2.7-4.5 cm/yr. The trend of the fracture zones in the Western Basin with respect to that of the Southeastern Continental Margin of India (SCMI) suggests that SCMI is an oblique transform margin with 37° obliquity. Further, the SCMI consists of two oblique transform segments separated by a small rift segment. The strike-slip motion along the SCMI is bounded by the rift segments of the Northeastern Continental Margin of India and the southern margin of Sri Lanka. The margin configuration and fracture zones inferred in its conjugate Western Enderby Basin, East Antarctica helped in inferring three spreading corridors off the SCMI in the Western Basin of the Bay of Bengal. Detailed grid reconstruction models traced the oblique strike-slip motion off the SCMI since M12n time. The strike-slip motion along the short northern transform segment ended by M11n time. The longer transform segment, found east of Sri Lanka lost its obliquity and became a pure oceanic transform fault by M0 time. The eastward propagation of the Africa-Antarctica spreading center initiated the anticlockwise separation of Sri Lanka from India by M12n time. Seafloor spreading south of Sri Lanka due to the India-Antarctica spreading episode and the simultaneously occurring strike-slip motion east of Sri Lanka restricted this separation resulting in a failed rift. Thus Sri Lanka with strike-slip motion to its east, failed rift towards west, continental extension to its north and rifting to its south behaved as a short lived microplate during the Early Cretaceous period and remained attached to India thereafter.

Terrestrial Macrofungal Diversity from the Tropical Dry Evergreen Biome of Southern India and Its Potential Role in Aerobiology

PubMed Central

Priyamvada, Hema; Akila, M.; Singh, Raj Kamal; Ravikrishna, R.; Verma, R. S.; Philip, Ligy; Marathe, R. R.; Sahu, L. K.; Sudheer, K. P.; Gunthe, S. S.

2017-01-01

Macrofungi have long been investigated for various scientific purposes including their food and medicinal characteristics. Their role in aerobiology as a fraction of the primary biological aerosol particles (PBAPs), however, has been poorly studied. In this study, we present a source of macrofungi with two different but interdependent objectives: (i) to characterize the macrofungi from a tropical dry evergreen biome in southern India using advanced molecular techniques to enrich the database from this region, and (ii) to assess whether identified species of macrofungi are a potential source of atmospheric PBAPs. From the DNA analysis, we report the diversity of the terrestrial macrofungi from a tropical dry evergreen biome robustly supported by the statistical analyses for diversity conclusions. A total of 113 macrofungal species belonging to 54 genera and 23 families were recorded, with Basidiomycota and Ascomycota constituting 96% and 4% of the species, respectively. The highest species richness was found in the family Agaricaceae (25.3%) followed by Polyporaceae (15.3%) and Marasmiaceae (10.8%). The difference in the distribution of commonly observed macrofungal families over this location was compared with other locations in India (Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, and West Bengal) using two statistical tests. The distributions of the terrestrial macrofungi were distinctly different in each ecosystem. We further attempted to demonstrate the potential role of terrestrial macrofungi as a source of PBAPs in ambient air. In our opinion, the findings from this ecosystem of India will enhance our understanding of the distribution, diversity, ecology, and biological prospects of terrestrial macrofungi as well as their potential to contribute to airborne fungal aerosols. PMID:28072853

Serological Diagnosis of Acute Scrub Typhus in Southern India: Evaluation of InBios Scrub Typhus Detect IgM Rapid Test and Comparison with other Serological Tests.

PubMed

Anitharaj, Velmurugan; Stephen, Selvaraj; Pradeep, Jothimani; Park, Sungman; Kim, Seung-Han; Kim, Young Jin; Kim, Eun-Ye; Kim, Yoon-Won

2016-11-01

Scrub Typhus (ST) is being reported from different parts of India in the recent past. However, the diagnosis and confirmation of ST cases require specific serological and molecular diagnostic tests. Both rapid and conventional ELISA tests need to be properly evaluated. Evaluation of a new ST IgM Immunochromatography (ICT) test kit (InBios Scrub Typhus Detect IgM Rapid Test) and compare it with another rapid kit, conventional ELISA kit and Weil-Felix (WF) test. This prospective study was carried out in Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Puducherry, during November 2015 to June 2016. Clinically suspected 220 ST patients were examined by a new kit, InBios Scrub Typhus Detect IgM Rapid Test, taking the conventional InBios Scrub Typhus Detect IgM ELISA as reference. Additional comparison was made with ImmuneMed Scrub Typhus Rapid, and WF test (single OXK titers ≥1:320). Statistical analysis was performed (Chi-square, Spearman's correlation and Kappa) using IBM SPSS Statistics 17 for Windows (SPSS Inc; Chicago, USA). Percentage Sensitivity, Specificity, Positive Predictive and Negative Predictive Values for InBios, ImmuneMed and WF were 99.25, 93.02, 95.68, 98.77; 94.87, 94.19, 96.21, 92.05 and 50.38, 95.51, 94.29, 56.67 respectively. A total of 134 patients were positive in reference standard InBios IgM ELISA. This new rapid ST IgM kit validated for the first time in India, showed good sensitivity and specificity. As a Point-of-Care (PoC) test, the kit would be helpful in both urban and remote rural parts of India.

Serological Diagnosis of Acute Scrub Typhus in Southern India: Evaluation of InBios Scrub Typhus Detect IgM Rapid Test and Comparison with other Serological Tests

PubMed Central

Anitharaj, Velmurugan; Pradeep, Jothimani; Park, Sungman; Kim, Seung-Han; Kim, Young Jin; Kim, Eun-Ye; Kim, Yoon-Won

2016-01-01

Introduction Scrub Typhus (ST) is being reported from different parts of India in the recent past. However, the diagnosis and confirmation of ST cases require specific serological and molecular diagnostic tests. Both rapid and conventional ELISA tests need to be properly evaluated. Aim Evaluation of a new ST IgM Immunochromatography (ICT) test kit (InBios Scrub Typhus Detect IgM Rapid Test) and compare it with another rapid kit, conventional ELISA kit and Weil-Felix (WF) test. Materials and Methods This prospective study was carried out in Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Puducherry, during November 2015 to June 2016. Clinically suspected 220 ST patients were examined by a new kit, InBios Scrub Typhus Detect IgM Rapid Test, taking the conventional InBios Scrub Typhus Detect IgM ELISA as reference. Additional comparison was made with ImmuneMed Scrub Typhus Rapid, and WF test (single OXK titers ≥1:320). Statistical analysis was performed (Chi-square, Spearman’s correlation and Kappa) using IBM SPSS Statistics 17 for Windows (SPSS Inc; Chicago, USA). Results Percentage Sensitivity, Specificity, Positive Predictive and Negative Predictive Values for InBios, ImmuneMed and WF were 99.25, 93.02, 95.68, 98.77; 94.87, 94.19, 96.21, 92.05 and 50.38, 95.51, 94.29, 56.67 respectively. A total of 134 patients were positive in reference standard InBios IgM ELISA. Conclusion This new rapid ST IgM kit validated for the first time in India, showed good sensitivity and specificity. As a Point-of-Care (PoC) test, the kit would be helpful in both urban and remote rural parts of India. PMID:28050364

Terrestrial Macrofungal Diversity from the Tropical Dry Evergreen Biome of Southern India and Its Potential Role in Aerobiology.

PubMed

Priyamvada, Hema; Akila, M; Singh, Raj Kamal; Ravikrishna, R; Verma, R S; Philip, Ligy; Marathe, R R; Sahu, L K; Sudheer, K P; Gunthe, S S

2017-01-01

Macrofungi have long been investigated for various scientific purposes including their food and medicinal characteristics. Their role in aerobiology as a fraction of the primary biological aerosol particles (PBAPs), however, has been poorly studied. In this study, we present a source of macrofungi with two different but interdependent objectives: (i) to characterize the macrofungi from a tropical dry evergreen biome in southern India using advanced molecular techniques to enrich the database from this region, and (ii) to assess whether identified species of macrofungi are a potential source of atmospheric PBAPs. From the DNA analysis, we report the diversity of the terrestrial macrofungi from a tropical dry evergreen biome robustly supported by the statistical analyses for diversity conclusions. A total of 113 macrofungal species belonging to 54 genera and 23 families were recorded, with Basidiomycota and Ascomycota constituting 96% and 4% of the species, respectively. The highest species richness was found in the family Agaricaceae (25.3%) followed by Polyporaceae (15.3%) and Marasmiaceae (10.8%). The difference in the distribution of commonly observed macrofungal families over this location was compared with other locations in India (Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, and West Bengal) using two statistical tests. The distributions of the terrestrial macrofungi were distinctly different in each ecosystem. We further attempted to demonstrate the potential role of terrestrial macrofungi as a source of PBAPs in ambient air. In our opinion, the findings from this ecosystem of India will enhance our understanding of the distribution, diversity, ecology, and biological prospects of terrestrial macrofungi as well as their potential to contribute to airborne fungal aerosols.

Understanding type 1 diabetes through genetics: Advances and prospects.

PubMed

Tandon, Nikhil

2015-04-01

The largest contribution of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) from a single locus comes from several genes located in the major histocompatibility complex on chromosome 6p21. Because DQB1 is the best single genetic marker for T1DM, it is the gene most often used to identify individuals with a high risk of developing disease. As per the data collected from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, among the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DRB1 genes, HLA-DR3 showed strongest association with the disease; however, unlike Caucasians and other populations, DR4 was not significantly increased in these patients. HLA-DR10, 11, 13, and 15 showed a negative association with the disease as they were reduced in these patients. In India, the relative risk of developing T1DM is higher with the DR3-DQ2 haplotypes as compared to DR4-DQ8 haplotypes. Studies have shown that in North India, the relative risk for T1DM is comparatively higher (>30) with the DQ2/DQ8 genotype, but is relatively lower (approximately 18) for the DQ2/DQ2 genotype. In addition, the three sets of HLA-B-DR3 haplotypes, mainly B58-DR3, B50-DR3, and B8-DR3 have shown to have modulated susceptibility for T1DM in India and worldwide. New interventions that will be tested in the future will be conducted through T1DM TrialNet, a collaborative network of clinical centers and experts in diabetes and immunology. These studies will identify unaffected first-degree relatives with beta cell autoantibodies who will be eligible for new interventions.

Using community health workers to refer pregnant women and young children to health care facilities in rural West Bengal, India: A prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Wagner, Abram L; Xia, Lu; Ghosh, Aparna; Datta, Sandip; Pandey, Priyamvada; Santra, Sujay; Chattopadhyay, Sharmila; Nandi, Uddip; Mazumder, Tanusree; Joshi, Sucheta; Pal, Joyojeet; Mukherjee, Bhramar

2018-01-01

Community health workers (CHWs) have been placed in many rural areas in India to increase villagers' connections to basic preventive health care. In this study, we describe how pregnant women and mothers of young children react when CHWs inform them that they, or their child, are at high risk of pregnancy-related complications or early childhood developmental delays, and further screening and health care from a physician is recommended. In this longitudinal study in rural villages in West Bengal, India, pregnant mothers, as well as mothers of children aged 12-24 months, were screened for high risk complications. They were re-contacted and asked questions regarding how and to what extent did visits by the CHWs improve their household's overall health behavior, along with details about what additional care, if any, they sought. These responses are presented by different demographic and medical characteristics. Of the 231 pregnant women, all said they had sought additional care in response to the CHW visit, and all stated that feedback from the CHW resulted in improvement to their health behaviors. Most (90%) pregnant women gave birth at an institution. Among the 213 mothers of young children who were followed up, all sought additional care in response to the CHW's visit. Most (67%) mentioned that they had a significant improvement in their health behaviors following feedback from the CHW, and the rest stated that they had some improvement. With the proper training, CHWs can be partners in health care to improve the health of vulnerable populations, not only in rural areas of India, but also in other developing countries. CHWs can promote positive health outcomes in their villages of residence.

Girl child in rural India.

PubMed

Devendra, K

1995-01-01

This article discusses the status of the girl child in rural India. Rural children lack the advantages of modern amenities and facilities, such as transportation, electricity, media, hygiene, health care, and access to education. A young girl's status is related to her mother's status. Women are valued the most when a son is born. Girl children are considered an economic liability in child care costs, dowry costs, and marriage support. Since the 1970s, dowry demands have increased. Daughters must meet the demands of prospective in-law for education and dowry even after marriage. The attitudes of parents, families, and society encourage sex-selective abortion, infanticide, abuse in childhood, and domestic violence in adulthood. It was reported in 1994 that a woman is molested every 26 minutes and raped every 52 minutes. The government of India developed an action plan in 1992 for developing the girl child. Rural girl children spend their time cooking, cleaning, fetching wood and water, caring for children, and working in the fields sowing, transplanting, and weeding. Girl children contribute over 20% of total work at home. The only advantage a girl child has in rural areas is visibility. The greatest disadvantage is that her mother, who faced neglect herself, discriminates against her. Increasingly girl children contribute income to their household from Beedi making, gem polishing, embroidering, or paper bag making. Sometimes girls and boys work in hazardous occupations. Gender disparity is evident in school enrollment, drop out rates, literacy, and employment. In 1994, India passed a universal female education bill that offers parents incentives for access and punishment for keeping a girl out of school. Communities need to create a demand for rural girl children's education.

Potential (mis)match?: Marriage Markets amidst Socio-Demographic Change in India, 2005–2050

PubMed Central

Kashyap, Ridhi; Esteve, Albert; García-Román, Joan

2015-01-01

We explore the impact of socio-demographic change on marriage patterns in India by examining the hypothetical consequences of applying three sets of marriage pairing propensities – contemporary patterns by age, by age and education, and changing propensities that allow for greater educational homogamy and reduced educational asymmetries – to future population projections. Future population prospects for India indicate three trends that will impact marriage patterns: i) female-deficit in sex ratios at birth; ii) declining birth cohort size; iii) female educational expansion. Existing literature posits declining marriage rates for men arising from skewed sex ratios at birth (SRB) in India’s population. In addition to skewed SRBs, India’s population will experience female educational expansion in the coming decades. Female educational expansion and its impact on marriage patterns must be jointly considered with demographic changes, given educational differentials and asymmetries in union formation that exist in India, as across much of the world. We systematize contemporary pairing propensities using data from the 2005–2006 Indian National Family Health Survey and the 2004 Socio-Economic Survey and apply these and the third set of changing propensities to IIASA/VID multi-state population projections by educational attainment using an iterative longitudinal projection procedure. If today’s age patterns of marriage are viewed against age-sex population composition until 2050, men experience declining marriage prevalence. However, when education is included, women, particularly those with higher education experience a more salient rise in non-marriage. Significant changes in pairing patterns towards greater levels of educational homogamy and gender symmetry can counteract a marked rise in non-marriage. PMID:25604846

Prevalence of pfhrp2 and/or pfhrp3 Gene Deletion in Plasmodium falciparum Population in Eight Highly Endemic States in India

PubMed Central

Bharti, Praveen Kumar; Chandel, Himanshu Singh; Ahmad, Amreen; Krishna, Sri; Udhayakumar, Venkatachalam; Singh, Neeru

2016-01-01

Background Plasmodium falciparum encoded histidine rich protein (HRP2) based malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are used in India. Deletion of pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 genes contributes to false negative test results, and large numbers of such deletions have been reported from South America, highlighting the importance of surveillance to detect such deletions. Methods This is the first prospective field study carried out at 16 sites located in eight endemic states of India to assess the performance of PfHRP2 based RDT kits used in the national malaria control programme. In this study, microscopically confirmed P. falciparum but RDT negative samples were assessed for presence of pfhrp2, pfhrp3, and their flanking genes using PCR. Results Among 1521 microscopically positive P. falciparum samples screened, 50 were negative by HRP2 based RDT test. Molecular testing was carried out using these 50 RDT negative samples by assuming that 1471 RDT positive samples carried pfhrp2 gene. It was found that 2.4% (36/1521) and 1.8% (27/1521) of samples were negative for pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 genes, respectively. However, the frequency of pfhrp2 deletions varied between the sites ranging from 0–25% (2.4, 95% CI; 1.6–3.3). The frequency of both pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 gene deletion varied from 0–8% (1.6, 95% CI; 1.0–2.4). Conclusion This study provides evidence for low level presence of pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 deleted P. falciparum parasites in different endemic regions of India, and periodic surveillance is warranted for reliable use of PfHRP2 based RDTs. PMID:27518538

The Effect of Early Life Antibiotic Exposures on Diarrheal Rates Among Young Children in Vellore, India

PubMed Central

Westreich, Daniel; Becker-Dreps, Sylvia; Adair, Linda S.; Sandler, Robert S.; Sarkar, Rajiv; Kattula, Deepthi; Ward, Honorine D.; Meshnick, Steven R.; Kang, Gagandeep

2015-01-01

Background: Antibiotic treatment of childhood illnesses is common in India. In addition to contributing to antimicrobial resistance, antibiotics might result in increased susceptibility to diarrhea through interactions with the gastrointestinal microbiota. Breast milk, which enriches the microbiota early in life, may increase the resilience of the microbiota against perturbations by antibiotics. Methods: In a prospective observational cohort study, we assessed whether antibiotic exposures from birth to 6 months affected rates of diarrhea up to age 3 years among 465 children from Vellore, India. Adjusting for treatment indicators, we modeled diarrheal rates among children exposed and unexposed to antibiotics using negative binomial regression. We further assessed whether the effect of antibiotics on diarrheal rates was modified by exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months. Results: More than half of the children (n = 267, 57.4%) were given at least one course of antibiotics in the first 6 months of life. The adjusted relative incidence rate of diarrhea was 33% higher among children who received antibiotics under 6 months of age compared with those who did not (incidence rate ratio: 1.33, 95% confidence interval: 1.12, 1.57). Children who were exclusively breastfed until 6 months of age did not have increased diarrheal rates following antibiotic use. Conclusions: Antibiotic exposures early in life were associated with increased rates of diarrhea in early childhood. Exclusive breastfeeding might protect against this negative impact. PMID:25742244

Status of indoor air pollution (IAP) through particulate matter (PM) emissions and associated health concerns in South Asia.

PubMed

Junaid, Muhammad; Syed, Jabir Hussain; Abbasi, Naeem Akhtar; Hashmi, Muhammad Zaffar; Malik, Riffat Naseem; Pei, De-Sheng

2018-01-01

Exposure to particulate emissions poses a variety of public health concerns worldwide, specifically in developing countries. This review summarized the documented studies on indoor particulate matter (PM) emissions and their major health concerns in South Asia. Reviewed literature illustrated the alarming levels of indoor air pollution (IAP) in India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh, while Sri Lanka and Bhutan are confronted with relatively lower levels, albeit not safe. To our knowledge, data on this issue are absent from Afghanistan and Maldives. We found that the reported levels of PM 10 and PM 2.5 in Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India were 2-65, 3-30, 4-22, 2-28 and 1-139, 2-180, 3-77, 1-40 fold higher than WHO standards for indoor PM 10 (50 μg/m 3 ) and PM 2.5 (25 μg/m 3 ), respectively. Regarding IAP-mediated health concerns, mortality rates and incidences of respiratory and non-respiratory diseases were increasing with alarming rates, specifically in India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. The major cause might be the reliance of approximately 80% population on conventional biomass burning in the region. Current review also highlighted the prospects of IAP reduction strategies, which in future can help to improve the status of indoor air quality and public health in South Asia. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Protocol for the economic evaluation of a community-based intervention to improve growth among children under two in rural India (CARING trial).

PubMed

Skordis-Worrall, Jolene; Sinha, Rajesh; Kumar Ojha, Amit; Sarangi, Soumendra; Nair, Nirmala; Tripathy, Prasanta; Sachdev, H S; Bhattacharyya, Sanghita; Gope, Rajkumar; Rath, Shibanand; Rath, Suchitra; Srivastava, Aradhana; Batura, Neha; Pulkki-Brännström, Anni-Maria; Costello, Anthony; Copas, Andrew; Saville, Naomi; Prost, Audrey; Haghparast-Bidgoli, Hassan

2016-11-02

Undernutrition affects ∼165 million children globally and contributes up to 45% of all child deaths. India has the highest proportion of global undernutrition-related morbidity and mortality. This protocol describes the planned economic evaluation of a community-based intervention to improve growth in children under 2 years of age in two rural districts of eastern India. The intervention is being evaluated through a cluster-randomised controlled trial (cRCT, the CARING trial). A cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analysis nested within a cRCT will be conducted from a societal perspective, measuring programme, provider, household and societal costs. Programme costs will be collected prospectively from project accounts using a standardised tool. These will be supplemented with time sheets and key informant interviews to inform the allocation of joint costs. Direct and indirect costs incurred by providers will be collected using key informant interviews and time use surveys. Direct and indirect household costs will be collected prospectively, using time use and consumption surveys. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) will be calculated for the primary outcome measure, that is, cases of stunting prevented, and other outcomes such as cases of wasting prevented, cases of infant mortality averted, life years saved and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) averted. Sensitivity analyses will be conducted to assess the robustness of results. There is a shortage of robust evidence regarding the cost-effectiveness of strategies to improve early child growth. As this economic evaluation is nested within a large scale, cRCT, it will contribute to understanding the fiscal space for investment in early child growth, and the relative (in)efficiency of prioritising resources to this intervention over others to prevent stunting in this and other comparable contexts. The protocol has all necessary ethical approvals and the findings will be disseminated within academia and the wider policy sphere. ISRCTN51505201; pre-results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Evolution of Indian land surface biases in the seasonal hindcasts from the Met Office Global Seasonal Forecasting System GloSea5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chevuturi, Amulya; Turner, Andrew G.; Woolnoug, Steve J.; Martin, Gill

2017-04-01

In this study we investigate the development of biases over the Indian region in summer hindcasts of the UK Met Office coupled initialised global seasonal forecasting system, GloSea5-GC2. Previous work has demonstrated the rapid evolution of strong monsoon circulation biases over India from seasonal forecasts initialised in early May, together with coupled strong easterly wind biases on the equator. These mean state biases lead to strong precipitation errors during the monsoon over the subcontinent. We analyse a set of three springtime start dates for the 20-year hindcast period (1992-2011) and fifteen total ensemble members for each year. We use comparisons with variety of observations to assess the evolution of the mean state biases over the Indian land surface. All biases within the model develop rapidly, particularly surface heat and radiation flux biases. Strong biases are present within the model climatology from pre-monsoon (May) in the surface heat fluxes over India (higher sensible / lower latent heat fluxes) when compared to observed estimates. The early evolution of such biases prior to onset rains suggests possible problems with the land surface scheme or soil moisture errors. Further analysis of soil moisture over the Indian land surface shows a dry bias present from the beginning of the hindcasts during the pre-monsoon. This lasts until the after the monsoon develops (July) after which there is a wet bias over the region. Soil moisture used for initialization of the model also shows a dry bias when compared against the observed estimates, which may lead to the same in the model. The early dry bias in the model may reduce local moisture availability through surface evaporation and thus may possibly limit precipitation recycling. On this premise, we identify and test the sensitivity of the monsoon in the model against higher soil moisture forcing. We run sensitivity experiments initiated using gridpoint-wise annual soil moisture maxima over the Indian land surface as input for experiments in the atmosphere-only version of the model. We plan to analyse the response of the sensitivity experiments on seasonal forecasting of surface heat fluxes and subsequently monsoon precipitation.

Epilepsy surgery in a pediatric population: a retrospective study of 129 children from a tertiary care hospital in a developing country along with assessment of quality of life.

PubMed

Dagar, Amit; Chandra, P Sarat; Chaudhary, Kapil; Avnish, Chauhan; Bal, C S; Gaikwad, Shailesh; Garg, Ajay; Sarkar, Chitra; Srivastava, A; Padma, M V; Rekha, Diwedi; Gulati, Sheffali; Paul, Vinod; Prasad, K; Singh, M B; Tripathi, Manjari

2011-01-01

To assess the outcome of a pediatric population operated for drug-resistant epilepsy from a large tertiary care center in India. Retrospectively: quality of life (QOL); prospectively: preoperative assessment included interictal EEG, MRI (as per epilepsy protocol), video-EEG. Ictal SPECT (with subtraction) and PET were performed when required. QOL scores were assessed using the HASS or SSQ for seizure severity, Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy (QOLCE) for QOL, and Child Behavior Check List (CBCL) for behavior. 142 were operated from January 2000 to June 2011 by the senior author. 118 patients with at least 1 year of follow-up were included in the study. Mean age at surgery was 9.8 ± 4.3 years. In addition, 40 patients underwent QOL assessment prospectively both before and after surgery. Mean duration of epilepsy was 5.3 ± 3.3 years. A class I outcome (Engel's) was seen in 79.5% patients, class II in 8.6%, class III in 10.7%, and class IV in 1 patient. As per surgical procedures, class I outcome in patients who underwent temporal resection, hemispherotomy and extratemporal resection was 76, 87 and 72%, respectively. QOL scores correlated with duration of seizures, epileptic encephalopathy and outcome of surgery, but not with side of surgery, age and sex. This study, the largest reported from India, has demonstrated satisfactory results for epilepsy surgery in children. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Multistix 10 SG Leukocyte Esterage Dipstick Testing in Rapid Bedside Diagnosis of Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis: A Prospective Study.

PubMed

Jha, Ashish K; Kumawat, Dal C; Bolya, Yasvant K; Goenka, Mahesh K

2012-09-01

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) requires rapid diagnosis and the initiation of antibiotics. Diagnosis of SBP is usually based on cytobacteriological examination of ascitic fluid. These tests require good laboratory facilities and reporting time of few hours to 1-2 day. However, the 24 h laboratory facilities not widely available in country like India. We evaluated the diagnostic utility of reagent strip (Multistix 10 SG(®)) for rapid diagnosis of SBP. The study was prospectively carried out on patients of cirrhosis with ascites. Bedside leukocyte esterase reagent strip testing was performed on ascitic fluid. Cell count as determined by colorimetric scale of reagent strip was compared with counting chamber method. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy were calculated. Out of 100 patients with cirrhotic ascites, [72 males: 28 female; mean age 44.34 (SD 13.03) years] 18 patients were diagnosed to have SBP by counting chamber method as compared to 14 patients detected to have SBP by reagent strip test ≥++ positive. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of reagent strip ≥++ positive were 77.77%, 95.12%, 77.77%, 95.12% and 92% respectively compared to counting chamber method. Reagent strip to diagnose SBP is very specific but less sensitive as compared to counting chamber method. This can be performed rapidly, easily and efficiently even in remote area of developing countries. This bedside test could be a useful tool for the diagnosis of SBP in country like India.

Geochemical evolution of groundwater in the Western Delta region of River Godavari, Andhra Pradesh, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nageswara Rao, P. V.; Appa Rao, S.; Subba Rao, N.

2017-05-01

The present study on geochemical evolution of groundwater is taken up to assess the controlling processes of water chemistry in the Western Delta region of the River Godavari (Andhra Pradesh), which is one of the major rice-producing centers in India. The study region is underlain by coarse sand with black clay (buried channels), black silty clay of recent origin (floodplain) and gray/white fine sand of modern beach sediment of marine source (coastal zone), including brown silty clay with fine sand (paleo-beach ridges). Groundwater is mostly brackish and very hard. It is characterized by Na+ > Mg2+ > Ca2+:HCO3 - > Cl- > SO4 2- > NO3 -, Na+ > Mg2+ > Ca2+:Cl- > HCO3 - > SO4 2-, and Mg2+ > Na+ > Ca2+ > or < K+:HCO3 - > Cl- > or > SO4 2- facies. The ionic relations (Ca2+ + Mg2+:HCO3 -, Ca2+ + Mg2+:SO4 2- + HCO3 -, Na+ + K+:TC, Na+ + K+:Cl- + SO4 2-, HCO3 -:TC, HCO3 -:Ca2+ + Mg2+, Na+:Cl- and Na+:Ca2+) indicate that the rock weathering, mineral dissolution, evaporation and ion exchange are the processes to control the aquifer chemistry. Anthropogenic and marine sources are also the supplementary factors for brackish water quality. These observations are further supported by Gibbs mechanisms that control the water chemistry. Thus, the study suggests that the initial quality of groundwater of geogenic origin has been subsequently modified by the influences of anthropogenic and marine sources.

Isolation and evolutionary analysis of Australasian topotype of bluetongue virus serotype 4 from India.

PubMed

Reddy, Y V; Susmitha, B; Patil, S; Krishnajyothi, Y; Putty, K; Ramakrishna, K V; Sunitha, G; Devi, B V; Kavitha, K; Deepthi, B; Krovvidi, S; Reddy, Y N; Reddy, G H; Singh, K P; Maan, N S; Hemadri, D; Maan, S; Mertens, P P; Hegde, N R; Rao, P P

2018-04-01

Bluetongue (BT) is a Culicoides-borne disease caused by several serotypes of bluetongue virus (BTV). Similar to other insect-borne viral diseases, distribution of BT is limited to distribution of Culicoides species competent to transmit BTV. In the tropics, vector activity is almost year long, and hence, the disease is endemic, with the circulation of several serotypes of BTV, whereas in temperate areas, seasonal incursions of a limited number of serotypes of BTV from neighbouring tropical areas are observed. Although BTV is endemic in all the three major tropical regions (parts of Africa, America and Asia) of the world, the distribution of serotypes is not alike. Apart from serological diversity, geography-based diversity of BTV genome has been observed, and this is the basis for proposal of topotypes. However, evolution of these topotypes is not well understood. In this study, we report the isolation and characterization of several BTV-4 isolates from India. These isolates are distinct from BTV-4 isolates from other geographical regions. Analysis of available BTV seg-2 sequences indicated that the Australasian BTV-4 diverged from African viruses around 3,500 years ago, whereas the American viruses diverged relatively recently (1,684 CE). Unlike Australasia and America, BTV-4 strains of the Mediterranean area evolved through several independent incursions. We speculate that independent evolution of BTV in different geographical areas over long periods of time might have led to the diversity observed in the current virus population. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Discovery of a new family of amphibians from northeast India with ancient links to Africa

PubMed Central

Kamei, Rachunliu G.; Mauro, Diego San; Gower, David J.; Van Bocxlaer, Ines; Sherratt, Emma; Thomas, Ashish; Babu, Suresh; Bossuyt, Franky; Wilkinson, Mark; Biju, S. D.

2012-01-01

The limbless, primarily soil-dwelling and tropical caecilian amphibians (Gymnophiona) comprise the least known order of tetrapods. On the basis of unprecedented extensive fieldwork, we report the discovery of a previously overlooked, ancient lineage and radiation of caecilians from threatened habitats in the underexplored states of northeast India. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of mitogenomic and nuclear DNA sequences, and comparative cranial anatomy indicate an unexpected sister-group relationship with the exclusively African family Herpelidae. Relaxed molecular clock analyses indicate that these lineages diverged in the Early Cretaceous, about 140 Ma. The discovery adds a major branch to the amphibian tree of life and sheds light on both the evolution and biogeography of caecilians and the biotic history of northeast India—an area generally interpreted as a gateway between biodiversity hotspots rather than a distinct biogeographic unit with its own ancient endemics. Because of its distinctive morphology, inferred age and phylogenetic relationships, we recognize the newly discovered caecilian radiation as a new family of modern amphibians. PMID:22357266

Ancient DNA Reveals Late Pleistocene Existence of Ostriches in Indian Sub-Continent.

PubMed

Jain, Sonal; Rai, Niraj; Kumar, Giriraj; Pruthi, Parul Aggarwal; Thangaraj, Kumarasamy; Bajpai, Sunil; Pruthi, Vikas

2017-01-01

Ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis of extinct ratite species is of considerable interest as it provides important insights into their origin, evolution, paleogeographical distribution and vicariant speciation in congruence with continental drift theory. In this study, DNA hotspots were detected in fossilized eggshell fragments of ratites (dated ≥25000 years B.P. by radiocarbon dating) using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). DNA was isolated from five eggshell fragments and a 43 base pair (bp) sequence of a 16S rRNA mitochondrial-conserved region was successfully amplified and sequenced from one of the samples. Phylogenetic analysis of the DNA sequence revealed a 92% identity of the fossil eggshells to Struthio camelus and their position basal to other palaeognaths, consistent with the vicariant speciation model. Our study provides the first molecular evidence for the presence of ostriches in India, complementing the continental drift theory of biogeographical movement of ostriches in India, and opening up a new window into the evolutionary history of ratites.

Tobacco and health in India.

PubMed

Rao, V; Chaturvedi, P

2010-07-01

Tobacco is a well-acknowledged social and health evil. The history of tobacco use traces back to the dawn of human civilization and has been deeply entrenched into the human society since time immemorial. The social, economic, and health impact of tobacco has been a subject of intense debate over the recent decades. For India, this problem has been a unique one, with the consumption patterns either largely influenced by the socioeconomic backgrounds or dictated by the cultural diversity. With more than 200 million tobacco consumers in the country at present, it becomes imperative to address this health hazard and stir up strong measures toward damage control. This article addresses the tobacco problem, its evolution, and the factors that have affected the growth of Indian tobacco industry. It also highlights the current legislative measures against tobacco, fiscal gains to the government, and the serious health and economic impact to the consumer, compounded by the increasing cost of private health care in the present era of consumerism.

Research protocol for an epidemiological study on estimating disease burden of pediatric HIV in Belgaum district, India.

PubMed

Sinha, Anju; Nath, Anita; Sethumadhavan, Rajeev; Isac, Shajy; Washington, Reynold

2016-05-26

Pediatric HIV is poised to become a major public health problem in India with the rising trend of HIV infection in pregnant women (Department of AIDS Control, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, http://www.naco.gov.in). There is lack of information on the epidemiology of pediatric HIV infection in India. Existing surveillance systems tend to underestimate the Pediatric burden. The overall aim of the present study is to estimate the disease burden of pediatric HIV among children in Belgaum district in the state of Karnataka in Southern India. An innovative multipronged epidemiological approach to comb the district is proposed. The primary objectives of the study would be attained under three strategies. A prospective cohort design for objective (i) to determine the incidence rate of HIV by early case detection in infants and toddlers (0-18 months) born to HIV infected pregnant women; and cross sectional design for objectives (ii) to determine the prevalence of HIV infection in children (0-14 years) of HIV infected parents and (iii) to determine the prevalence of HIV in sick children (0-14 years) presenting with suspected signs and symptoms using age specific criteria for screening. Burden of pediatric HIV will be calculated as a product of cases detected in each strategy multiplied by a net inflation factor for each strategy. Study participants (i) (ii) (iii): HIV infected pregnant women and their live born children (ii) Any HIV-infected man/woman, of age 18-49 years, having a biological child of age 0-14 years (iii) Sick children of age 0-14 years presenting with suspected signs and symptoms and satisfying age-specific criteria for screening. Setting and conduct: Belgaum district which is a Category 'A' district (with more than 1 % antenatal prevalence in the district over the last 3 years before the study). Age-appropriate testing is used to detect HIV infection. There is a need to strengthen existing pediatric HIV estimation methods in India and other developing countries. We hope that the novel methodology emanating from this study would be applicable for estimating the burden of HIV in other settings and it would be adaptable for estimating the burden of other infectious/chronic diseases. Findings from this study will give future direction to the national program for prevention and control of HIV in India and other developing countries.

Studies of compact objects with Einstein - Review and prospects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grindlay, Jonathan E.

1990-01-01

X-ray images and spectra of a wide range of systems containing compact objects were obtained with the Einstein X-ray Observatory. Accreting white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes were observed in binary systems in the Galaxy, and new constraints were derived for their formation, nature and evolution. Massive black holes were studied in active galactic nuclei, and X-ray spectra (and evolution) of AGN have led to a new model for the diffuse X-ray background.

Inhomogeneous cosmology and backreaction: Current status and future prospects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolejko, Krzysztof; Korzyński, Mikołaj

Astronomical observations reveal hierarchical structures in the universe, from galaxies, groups of galaxies, clusters and superclusters, to filaments and voids. On the largest scales, it seems that some kind of statistical homogeneity can be observed. As a result, modern cosmological models are based on spatially homogeneous and isotropic solutions of the Einstein equations, and the evolution of the universe is approximated by the Friedmann equations. In parallel to standard homogeneous cosmology, the field of inhomogeneous cosmology and backreaction is being developed. This field investigates whether small scale inhomogeneities via nonlinear effects can backreact and alter the properties of the universe on its largest scales, leading to a non-Friedmannian evolution. This paper presents the current status of inhomogeneous cosmology and backreaction. It also discusses future prospects of the field of inhomogeneous cosmology, which is based on a survey of 50 academics working in the field of inhomogeneous cosmology.

Evolution of target organ damage and haemodynamic parameters over 4 years in patients with increased insulin resistance: the LOD-DIABETES prospective observational study

PubMed Central

Gómez-Marcos, Manuel Ángel; Recio-Rodríguez, José Ignacio; Patino-Alonso, María Carmen; Agudo-Conde, Cristina; Rodríguez-Sanchez, Emiliano; Maderuelo-Fernandez, Jose Angel; Gómez-Sánchez, Leticia; Gomez-Sanchez, Marta; García-Ortiz, Luís

2016-01-01

Objectives We prospectively examined the impact of type 2 diabetes compared with metabolic syndrome (MetS) on the development of vascular disease over 4 years as determined by anatomic and functional markers of vascular disease. By comparing the vascular outcomes of the 2 disorders, we seek to determine the independent effect of elevated glucose levels on vascular disease. Setting 2 primary care centres in Salamanca, Spain. Participants We performed a prospective observational study involving 112 patients (68 with type 2 diabetes and 44 with MetS) who were followed for 4 years. Primary and secondary outcome measures Measurements included blood pressure, blood glucose, lipids, smoking, body mass index, waist circumference, Homeostasis Model Assessment Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), hs-c-reactive protein and fibrinogen levels. We also evaluated vascular, carotid intima media thickness (IMT), pulse wave velocity (PWV) and ankle/brachial index, heart and renal target organ damage (TOD). The haemodynamic parameters were central (CAIx) and peripheral (PAIx) augmentation indices. Results In year 4, participants with type 2 diabetes had increased IMT thickness. These patients had more plaques and an IMT>0.90 mm. In participants with MetS, we only found an increase in the number of plaques. We found no changes in PWV, CAIx and PAIx. The patients with diabetes had a greater frequency of vascular TOD. There were no differences neither in renal nor cardiac percentage of TOD in the patients with MetS or diabetes mellitus type 2. Conclusions This prospective study showed that the evolution of vascular TOD is different in participants with type 2 diabetes compared with those with MetS. While IMT and PWV increased in type 2 diabetes, these were not modified in MetS. The renal and cardiac TOD evolution, as well as the PAIx and CAIx, did not change in either group. Trial registration number NCT01065155; Results. PMID:27251684

CF Metadata Conventions: Founding Principles, Governance, and Future Directions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, K. E.

2016-12-01

The CF Metadata Conventions define attributes that promote sharing of climate and forecasting data and facilitate automated processing by computers. The development, maintenance, and evolution of the conventions have mainly been provided by voluntary community contributions. Nevertheless, an organizational framework has been established, which relies on established rules and web-based discussion to ensure smooth (but relatively efficient) evolution of the standard to accommodate new types of data. The CF standard has been essential to the success of high-profile internationally-coordinated modeling activities (e.g, the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project). A summary of CF's founding principles and the prospects for its future evolution will be discussed.

What happens along the flank and corner of a continental indenter? Insights from the easternmost Himalayan orogen and constraints on the models of the India-Asia collision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haproff, P. J.; Yin, A.; Zuza, A. V.

2017-12-01

Investigations of continental collisions often focus on thrust belts oriented perpendicular to the plate-convergence direction and exclude belts that bound the flanks of a continental indenter despite being crucial to understanding the collisional process. Research of the Himalayan orogen, for example, has mostly centered on the east-trending thrust belt between the eastern and western syntaxes, resulting in inadequate examination of the north-trending Indo-Burma Ranges located along the eastern margin of India. To better understand the development of the entire Himalayan orogenic system, we conducted field mapping across the Northern Indo-Burma Range (NIBR), situated at the intersection of the eastern Himalaya and Indo-Burma Ranges. Our research shows that major lithologic units and thrust faults of the Himalaya extend to the NIBR, suggesting a shared geologic evolution. The structural framework of the NIBR consists of a southwest-directed thrust belt cored by a hinterland-dipping duplex, like the Himalaya. However, the Northern Indo-Burma orogen is distinct based on (1) the absence of the Tethyan Himalayan Sequence and southern Gangdese batholith, (2) the absence of the South Tibetan detachment, (3) crustal shortening greater than 80%, (4) an incredibly narrow orogen width of 7-33 km, (5) exposure of an ophiolitic mélange complex as a klippe, (6) and right-slip shear along the active range-bounding thrust fault. Furthermore, lithospheric deformation along the flank and northeast corner of India is characterized by right-slip transpression partitioned between the thrust belt and right-slip faults. Such a regime is interpreted to accommodate both contraction and clockwise rotation of Tibetan lithosphere around India, consistent with existing continuum deformation and rotation models.

Fatality rates of the M w ~8.2, 1934, Bihar-Nepal earthquake and comparison with the April 2015 Gorkha earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sapkota, Soma Nath; Bollinger, Laurent; Perrier, Frédéric

2016-03-01

Large Himalayan earthquakes expose rapidly growing populations of millions of people to high levels of seismic hazards, in particular in northeast India and Nepal. Calibrating vulnerability models specific to this region of the world is therefore crucial to the development of reliable mitigation measures. Here, we reevaluate the >15,700 casualties (8500 in Nepal and 7200 in India) from the M w ~8.2, 1934, Bihar-Nepal earthquake and calculate the fatality rates for this earthquake using an estimation of the population derived from two census held in 1921 and 1942. Values reach 0.7-1 % in the epicentral region, located in eastern Nepal, and 2-5 % in the urban areas of the Kathmandu valley. Assuming a constant vulnerability, we obtain, if the same earthquake would have repeated in 2011, fatalities of 33,000 in Nepal and 50,000 in India. Fast-growing population in India indeed must unavoidably lead to increased levels of casualty compared with Nepal, where the population growth is smaller. Aside from that probably robust fact, extrapolations have to be taken with great caution. Among other effects, building and life vulnerability could depend on population concentration and evolution of construction methods. Indeed, fatalities of the April 25, 2015, M w 7.8 Gorkha earthquake indicated on average a reduction in building vulnerability in urban areas, while rural areas remained highly vulnerable. While effective scaling laws, function of the building stock, seem to describe these differences adequately, vulnerability in the case of an M w >8.2 earthquake remains largely unknown. Further research should be carried out urgently so that better prevention strategies can be implemented and building codes reevaluated on, adequately combining detailed ancient and modern data.

Total solar eclipse of 1995 October 24

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Espenak, Fred; Anderson, Jay

1994-01-01

A total eclipse of the sun will be visible from Asia and the Pacific Ocean on 24 Oct. 1995. The path of the moon's shadow begins in the Middle East and sweeps across India, Southeast Asia, and the waters of the Indonesian archipelago before ending at sunset in the Pacific. Detailed predictions for this event are presented and include besselian elements, geographic coordinates of the path of totality, physical ephemeris of the umbra, topocentric limb profile corrections, local circumstances for 400 cities, maps of the eclipse path, weather prospects, the lunar limb profile, and the sky during totality.

Shipbreaking in the developing world: problems and prospects.

PubMed

Rousmaniere, Peter; Raj, Nikhil

2007-01-01

The global shipping industry relies upon the developing world to dispose of retired deep-sea vessels through the process of shipbreaking. In doing so the industry avoids the burdens of complying with developed world standards for the management of hazardous waste. Occupational and environmental health (OEH) risks associated with dismantling of beached ships, primarily in India and Bangladesh, are significant. Worldwide concerns about these risks, which arose in the late 1990s, and activism by domestic organizations appear to be gathering momentum for global and domestic OEH reforms. This article addresses recent developments in characterizing these risks and in proposals to control them.

Impact of tectonic and volcanism on the Neogene evolution of isolated carbonate platforms (SW Indian Ocean)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Courgeon, S.; Jorry, S. J.; Jouet, G.; Camoin, G.; BouDagher-Fadel, M. K.; Bachèlery, P.; Caline, B.; Boichard, R.; Révillon, S.; Thomas, Y.; Thereau, E.; Guérin, C.

2017-06-01

Understanding the impact of tectonic activity and volcanism on long-term (i.e. millions years) evolution of shallow-water carbonate platforms represents a major issue for both industrial and academic perspectives. The southern central Mozambique Channel is characterized by a 100 km-long volcanic ridge hosting two guyots (the Hall and Jaguar banks) and a modern atoll (Bassas da India) fringed by a large terrace. Dredge sampling, geophysical acquisitions and submarines videos carried out during recent oceanographic cruises revealed that submarine flat-top seamounts correspond to karstified and drowned shallow-water carbonate platforms largely covered by volcanic material and structured by a dense network of normal faults. Microfacies and well-constrained stratigraphic data indicate that these carbonate platforms developed in shallow-water tropical environments during Miocene times and were characterized by biological assemblages dominated by corals, larger benthic foraminifera, red and green algae. The drowning of these isolated carbonate platforms is revealed by the deposition of outer shelf sediments during the Early Pliocene and seems closely linked to (1) volcanic activity typified by the establishment of wide lava flow complexes, and (2) to extensional tectonic deformation associated with high-offset normal faults dividing the flat-top seamounts into distinctive structural blocks. Explosive volcanic activity also affected platform carbonates and was responsible for the formation of crater(s) and the deposition of tuff layers including carbonate fragments. Shallow-water carbonate sedimentation resumed during Late Neogene time with the colonization of topographic highs inherited from tectonic deformation and volcanic accretion. Latest carbonate developments ultimately led to the formation of the Bassas da India modern atoll. The geological history of isolated carbonate platforms from the southern Mozambique Channel represents a new case illustrating the major impact of tectonic and volcanic activity on the long-term evolution of shallow-water carbonate platforms.

Delineation of ground water potential zones using GIS and remote sensing - A case study from midland region of Vamanapuram river basin, Kerala, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasad, Geena; Vinod P., G.; John, Shaleena Elizabeth

2018-04-01

In a highly rugged terrain, shielded by hard crystalline rocks like that of Kerala, locating potential zones of groundwater is found to be an unenviable task. Remote sensing and Geographical information system technologies have been attempted widely to delineate the potential regions in such terrain. Geographical information system tool has been used for delineation of groundwater prospect zones in midland physiographic zone (30-200m) of Vamanapuram river basin. The terrain variables are generated using satellite imageries, SRTM DEM data of 30m resolution and SOI toposheets. The groundwater prospect zones were delineated through the integration of the reclassified raster map layers of geomorphology, slope percent, geology, land use / land cover and soil texture using the weighted overlay analysis in the GIS platform. The groundwater prospects in the study area were grouped into five classes and their distribution are; `very high/high' (8.79%), `moderate' (39.08%), and `very low / low' (52.01%). The study result of the area has been validated with water level data of dug wells and bore wells of the area. The spatial distribution map of the water level of the region is overlaid on groundwater prospect map and shows a positive correlation i.e., the water level at shallow depth in higher prospect zones and at deeper depth in poor to very poor zones. The Groundwater prospect map of midland region of Vamanapuram river basin can be used as base level information which can be further investigated with geophysical methods to locate potential well sites for the execution of water supply schemes.

Evaluation of haplotype diversity of Achatina fulica (Lissachatina) [Bowdich] from Indian sub-continent by means of 16S rDNA sequence and its phylogenetic relationships with other global populations.

PubMed

Ayyagari, Vijaya Sai; Sreerama, Krupanidhi

2017-08-01

Achatina fulica (Lissachatina fulica) is one of the most invasive species found across the globe causing a significant damage to crops, vegetables, and horticultural plants. This terrestrial snail is native to east Africa and spread to different parts of the world by introductions. India, a hot spot for biodiversity of several endemic gastropods, has witnessed an outburst of this snail population in several parts of the country posing a serious threat to crop loss and also to human health. With an objective to evaluate the genetic diversity of this snail, we have sampled this snail from different parts of India and analyzed its haplotype diversity by means of 16S rDNA sequence information. Apart from this, we have studied the phylogenetic relationships of the isolates sequenced in the present study in relation with other global populations by Bayesian and Maximum-likelihood approaches. Of the isolates sequenced, haplotype 'C' is the predominant one. A new haplotype 'S' from the state of Odisha was observed. The isolates sequenced in the present study clustered with its conspecifics from the Indian sub-continent. Haplotype network analyses were also carried out for studying the evolution of different haplotypes. It was observed that haplotype 'S' was associated with a Mauritius haplotype 'H', indicating the possibility of multiple introductions of A. fulica to India.

Faculty perceptions of the strengths, weaknesses and future prospects of the current medical undergraduate experimental physiology curriculum in Gujarat, India.

PubMed

Paralikar, Swapnil; Shah, Chinmay

2015-01-01

Over the past several years, an opinion has emerged in India that the current practical curricula in medical schools fail to meet many of the objectives for which they were instituted. Hence, this study has assessed the perception of physiology faculty members regarding the current experimental physiology curriculum in one Indian state, Gujarat. The faculty were of the opinion that many of the topics currently taught in experimental physiology (amphibian nerve-muscle and heart muscle experiments) were outdated and clinically irrelevant: Therefore, the faculty advocated that duration of teaching time devoted to some of these topics should be reduced and topics with clinical relevance should be introduced at the undergraduate level. The faculty also felt that more emphasis should be laid on highlighting the clinical aspect related to each concept taught in experimental physiology . Moreover, a majority of faculty members were in favour of replacing the current practice in Gujarat of teaching experimental physiology only by explanation of graphs obtained from experiments conducted in the previous years, with computer assisted learning in small groups.

Postnatal outcome of congenital anomalies in low resource setting.

PubMed

Kumar, Manisha; Sharma, Sumedha; Bhagat, Manisha; Gupta, Usha; Anand, Rama; Puri, Archana; Singh, Anuradha; Singh, Abha

2013-10-01

This study aimed to determine the postnatal outcome of congenital malformations in a tertiary care hospital of India. This was a prospective study of all women with prenatally detected major congenital malformations. Postnatal follow-up of live born babies was carried out for 1 year. There were 574 cases with major congenital anomalies, 523 of which were fully followed. Only 69 women (13.6%) had the initial scan before 20 weeks of gestation. Craniospinal defects were the most common (42.7%), followed by genitourinary anomalies (28%). There was no live birth in cases such as anencephaly, iniencephaly, bilateral renal agenesis, gastroschisis, and cystic hygroma. Survival at 1 year was less than 25% in spina bifida, bilateral cystic kidneys, complex cardiac disease, and non-immune hydrops fetalis. In cases with mild hydrocephalus or unilateral and mild renal disease, the survival was over 75%. In India, the majority of congenital anomalies present late in gestation. Although fetal outcome is invariably poor for severe defects, existing legislation in the country leaves pregnancy continuation as the only option. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A demographic dividend of the FP2020 Initiative and the SDG reproductive health target: Case studies of India and Nigeria

PubMed Central

Li, Qingfeng; Rimon, Jose G.

2018-01-01

Background: The demographic dividend, defined as the economic growth potential resulting from favorable shifts in population age structure following rapid fertility decline, has been widely employed to advocate improving access to family planning. The current framework focuses on the long-term potential, while the short-term benefits may also help persuade policy makers to invest in family planning. Methods: We estimate the short- and medium-term economic benefits from two major family planning goals: the Family Planning 2020 (FP2020)’s goal of adding 120 million modern contraceptive users by 2020; Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3.7 of ensuring universal access to family planning by 2030. We apply the cohort component method to World Population Prospects and National Transfer Accounts data. India and Nigeria, respectively the most populous Asian and African country under the FP2020 initiative, are used as case studies. Results: Meeting the FP2020 target implies that on average, the number of children that need to be supported by every 100 working-age people would decrease by 8 persons in India and 11 persons in Nigeria in 2020; the associated reduction remains at 8 persons in India, but increases to 14 persons in Nigeria by 2030 under the SDG 3.7. In India meeting the FP2020 target would yield a saving of US$18.2 billion (PPP) in consumption expenditures for children and youth in the year 2020 alone, and that increased to US$89.7 billion by 2030. In Nigeria the consumption saved would be US$2.5 billion in 2020 and $12.9 billion by 2030. Conclusions: The tremendous economic benefits from meeting the FP2020 and SDG family planning targets demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of investment in promoting access to contraceptive methods. The gap already apparent between the observed and targeted trajectories indicates tremendous missing opportunities. Accelerated progress is needed to achieve the FP2020 and SDG goals and so reap the demographic dividend. PMID:29630076

Cancer in light of experimental evolution.

PubMed

Sprouffske, Kathleen; Merlo, Lauren M F; Gerrish, Philip J; Maley, Carlo C; Sniegowski, Paul D

2012-09-11

Cancer initiation, progression, and the emergence of therapeutic resistance are evolutionary phenomena of clonal somatic cell populations. Studies in microbial experimental evolution and the theoretical work inspired by such studies are yielding deep insights into the evolutionary dynamics of clonal populations, yet there has been little explicit consideration of the relevance of this rapidly growing field to cancer biology. Here, we examine how the understanding of mutation, selection, and spatial structure in clonal populations that is emerging from experimental evolution may be applicable to cancer. Along the way, we discuss some significant ways in which cancer differs from the model systems used in experimental evolution. Despite these differences, we argue that enhanced prediction and control of cancer may be possible using ideas developed in the context of experimental evolution, and we point out some prospects for future research at the interface between these traditionally separate areas. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design comparison: manipulation after total knee arthroplasty.

PubMed

Rogers, Jason M; Patel, Kevin V; Barnes, C Lowry

2015-01-01

Postoperative stiffness is a relatively uncommon issue in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, it can be a debilitating complication when it occurs. Manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) is commonly used as the primary treatment modality following failed physiotherapy. The Advance medial pivot knee (Wright Medical Technology) was created in an effort to prevent stiffness postoperatively and increase range of motion. The Evolution medial pivot knee is a second-generation design that builds on the technology of the Advance knee. This article presents a retrospective review of prospectively collected data on 881 primary medial pivot knees (592 Advance knees, 289 Evolution knees). It was theorized that the design changes made to the Evolution knees might contribute toward reducing the need for MUA. It was found that the Evolution knees required significantly fewer manipulations under anesthesia (p = .036). The design modifications made to the Evolution knees may have contributed to the lower rate of MUA.

Cancer in Light of Experimental Evolution

PubMed Central

Sprouffske, Kathleen; Merlo, Lauren M.F.; Gerrish, Philip J.; Maley, Carlo C.; Sniegowski, Paul D.

2012-01-01

Cancer initiation, progression, and the emergence of therapeutic resistance are evolutionary phenomena of clonal somatic cell populations. Studies in microbial experimental evolution and the theoretical work inspired by such studies are yielding deep insights into the evolutionary dynamics of clonal populations, yet there has been little explicit consideration of the relevance of this rapidly growing field to cancer biology. Here, we examine how the understanding of mutation, selection, and spatial structure in clonal populations that is emerging from experimental evolution may be applicable to cancer. Along the way, we discuss some significant ways in which cancer differs from the model systems used in experimental evolution. Despite these differences, we argue that enhanced prediction and control of cancer may be possible using ideas developed in the context of experimental evolution, and we point out some prospects for future research at the interface between these traditionally separate areas. PMID:22975007

M3 Status and Science Discussion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pieters, Carle

2007-01-01

Members of the M3 Science Team will attend the Chandrayaan-I Science Team Meeting in Bangalore, India to present a brief summary of instrument status and the near-term milestones (e.g., final I&T, pre-ship review). The principal purpose of the meeting is to interact with other members of the Chandrayaan-I Science Team to prepare for successful science return. The objectives are: 1) Characterize the diversity and extent of different types of basaltic volcanism; 2) Constrain evolution over time; and 3) Examine high priority regional sites.

SHRIMP U-Pb in zircon geochronology of granitoids from Myanmar: temporal constraints on the tectonic evolution of Southeast Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barley, M. E.; Zaw, Khin

2009-04-01

The Mesozoic to Tertiary tectonic evolution of Southeast Asia is the result of the convergence and collision of fragments of Gondwanaland with Eurasia culminating in the collision of India. A rapidly growing geochronological database is placing tight constraints on the timing and duration of magmatic episodes, metallogenic and tectonic events in the Himalayas, Tibet and eastern Indochina. However, there is little comparable geochronology for Myanmar. This SHRIMP U-Pb in zircon geochronology focuses on granitoids from the Mogok Metamorphic Belt (MMB, a belt of high grade metamorphic rocks at the edge of the Shan-Thai Terrane), the Myeik Archipelago (Shan-Thai Terrane) and the west Myanmar Terrane. Strongly deformed granitic orthogneisses in the MMB near Mandalay contain Jurassic (~170 Ma) zircons that have partly recrystallised during ~43 Ma high-grade metamorphism. A hornblende syenite from Mandalay also contains Jurassic zircons with evidence of Eocene metamorphism rimmed by thin zones of 30.9 ±0.7 Ma magmatic zircon. The relative abundance of Jurassic zircons in these rocks is consistent with suggestions that southern Eurasia had an Andean-type margin at that time. Mid-Cretaceous to earliest Eocene (120 to 50 Ma). I-type granitoids in the MMB, Myeik Archipelago and west Myanmar confirm that prior to the collision of India, an up to 200km wide magmatic belt extended along the Eurasian margin. The primitive I-type Khanza Chaung granodiorite in the Wuntho batholith in the west Myanmar terrane hosts porphyry-style mineralisation and has a magmatic age of 94  1 Ma. Triassic (~240 Ma), Jurassic (~170 Ma) and Early Cretaceous xenocryst zircons in this granitoid correspond with peaks of granitoid magmatism in the Shan-Thai terrane and establish that west Myanmar was part of the margin of Eurasia during the Mesozoic. A suite of highly fractionated metaluminous to peraluminous I-type granitoids with associated Sn-W-Ta mineralisation emplaced in the Myeik Archipelago of southern Myanmar (Shan-Thai terrane) have magmatic ages of 82  1.4 Ma (Kawthoung), 62  1.2 Ma (Hermyngi) and 50  0.5 Ma (Auk Bok). Xenocryst zircons in these granitoids are either Proterozoic or derived from older members of the suite. This suite which extends into adjacent peninsular Thailand and was emplaced into thickened continental crust well inboard of the subduction zone during rapid convergence and subduction of the India-Australia plate. The primitive I-type Shangalon granodiorite in the Wuntho Batholith of west Myanmar has a magmatic age of 38.5  0.6 Ma indicating subduction continued until ~40 Ma. Metamorphic overgrowths to zircons in the MMB orthogneiss near Mandalay date a period of Eocene (~43 Ma) high-grade metamorphism possibly during crustal thickening related to the initial collision between India and Eurasia (65 to 55 Ma). This was followed by emplacement of syn-tectonic hornblende syenites and leucogranites between 35 and 23 Ma. Comparison of the geochronology of Myanmar granitoids with the Hymalayas, Tibet and other parts of Southeast Asia indicates that Myanmar played a key role linking the Hymalayan Orogen to the tectonic evolution of Southeast Asia.

Utilizing grassroots workers in family planning programs in India: prospects and problems.

PubMed

Mani, S B

1991-01-01

In order to rapidly expand the network of delivery systems and speed up the process of acceptance of family planning messages and methods, a shift took place in the Indian family planning program from the bureaucratic "clinical" approach to the people oriented "extension" approach. As a result, there is an increasing emphasis on moving the family planning efforts closer to the grassroots level. A key methodological issue centers on the proper selection, cultural acceptability, and the effectiveness of the grassroots workers who are to be trained and through whom family planning motivational messages and methods are to be introduced. The Indian government, from time to time, has trained and utilized different groups of grassroots workers in its family planning promotional efforts. Anthropological field studies were conducted in two different regions in India to examine the potential and actual roles of two groups of grassroots workers--opinion leaders and traditional birth attendants--in the delivery of family planning services in the rural areas. These studies revealed that while the traditional birth attendants can be trained and utilized to a limited extent in promoting family planning efforts, especially to the eligible female clients, the role of the opinion leaders in such efforts is at best questionable. Based on these field studies, cultural and technical (including bureaucratic) problems in training and utilizing opinion leaders and traditional birth attendants are explored in detail. Modifications in the training program strategies are suggested to improve and expand the family planning delivery system in rural India.

Clinical spectrum of hypopituitarism in India: A single center experience

PubMed Central

Gundgurthi, Abhay; Garg, M. K.; Bhardwaj, Reena; Brar, Karninder S.; Kharb, Sandeep; Pandit, Aditi

2012-01-01

Objectives: There is paucity of information regarding clinical profile of hypopituitarism from India. We report the clinical profile of hypopituitarism from a tertiary center in North India. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out in patients attending our endocrine center between January 2010 and December 2011. All new patients were studied prospectively and those registered before January 2010 retrospectively. Relevant clinical, hormonal, and imaging data were collected. Dynamic testing for pituitary functions was carried out as necessary. Hormonal deficiencies were defined as per prevailing recommendations. Results: This study included 113 subjects. The mean age was 38.6 ± 17.8 years (range, 4 – 76 years). There were 78 (69%) males and 35 females (31%). There were 22 subjects aged ≤18 years (childhood and adolescence) and 91 adults (>18 years). Visual disturbances were the most common presenting complaint (33%), though headache was the most common symptom (81%). Fifteen percent presented with pituitary apoplexy. Tumors comprised of 84% of cases. Hypogonadism (97%) was the most common abnormality seen followed by hypothyroidism (83.2%), hypoadrenalism (79.6%), growth hormone deficiency (88.1% of the 42 patients tested), and diabetes insipidus (13.3%). Panhypopituitarism was seen in 104 (92%) patients. There were no cases of hypopituitarism secondary to traumatic brain injury, subarachnoid hemorrhage, central nervous system infections, or cranial irradiation to extrasellar tumors. Conclusion: The most common cause of hypopituitarism at tertiary care center is pituitary tumors and the commonest presenting complaint is visual symptoms. Panhypopituitarism is present in 92% cases. PMID:23087868

Seroprevalence and determinants of Kaposi sarcoma-associated human herpesvirus 8 in Indian HIV-infected males.

PubMed

Munawwar, Arshi; Sharma, Surendra K; Gupta, Somesh; Singh, Sarman

2014-12-01

In India Kaposi's sarcoma is rarely seen in AIDS patients. Hence the current belief is that the incidence of human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) is very low in this subcontinent, most probably due to the heterosexual route of HIV transmission. However, there is a scarcity of data on the prevalence of HHV-8 in India. In India the primary mode of HIV transmission is the heterosexual route. Therefore we aimed to determine the prevalence of antibodies against HHV-8 in North Indian HIV-infected men naive of antiretroviral therapy (ART). In a prospective study, 165 Indian adult males were recruited from an ART clinic. Blood samples were collected before administering any antiretroviral drug. The sera were tested for antibodies against HHV-8 using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit, which detects IgG antibodies to lytic antigens of HHV-8. All positive samples were confirmed for the presence of anti-HHV-8 antibodies using an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The IFA kit is intended to detect primary, latent, persistent, or reactivated infection of HHV-8. Of the 165 males, 43 (26.06%) were positive by ELISA while 26 (15.8%) were also positive by IFA. Seroprevalence decreased with increasing age (p<0.05). Factors independently associated with HHV-8 infection were younger age group and alcohol consumption. These findings suggest that even in a heterosexual population, HHV-8 can be transmitted frequently.

Clinical profile and outcome of children with scrub typhus from Chennai, South India.

PubMed

Ganesh, Ramaswamy; Suresh, Natarajan; Pratyusha, L L; Janakiraman, Lalitha; Manickam, Mani; Andal, A

2018-06-01

Scrub typhus is an acute febrile illness caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi. We prospectively studied the clinico-laboratory profile and outcome of 358 children aged 1 day to 18 years diagnosed with scrub typhus from Chennai, South India. All children (100%) had fever. Eschar was seen in 67%. All children were treated with oral doxycycline and those with complications were treated with intravenous chloramphenicol/azithromycin. Rapid defervescence (within 48 h) after initiation of doxycline was seen in 306 (85%) and 52 (14.5%) developed complications. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that children who had an elevated aspartate amino transferase (> 120 IU/L) and the presence of thrombocytopenia (platelet count less than 1 lac cells/mm 3 ) at admission had high risk of developing complications. The overall mortality rate in this series was 0.8%. Our 4-year study highlights the clinico-laboratory profile of Scrub typhus in children from Chennai, South India. Early recognition and prompt treatment reduces the complication and mortality. What is Known: • Scrub typhus is endemic to tsutsugamushi triangle, a geographical triangle extending from northern Japan in the east to Pakistan and Afghanistan in the west and northern Australia in the south. • There is paucity of data regarding its clinico-laboratory profile in neonates as well as its predictors of outcome. What is New: • Children who had an elevated AST and the presence of thrombocytopenia at admission had high risk of developing complications.

Health-related quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in North India.

PubMed

Negi, H; Sarkar, M; Raval, A D; Pandey, K; Das, P

2014-01-01

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major health problem in India and constitutes an important cause of mortality and morbidity. A cross-sectional study was undertaken to assess health-related quality of life (HRQL) and its determinants in patients with COPD from India. A total of 126 patients (73.81% male) were enrolled using convenient sampling prospectively in this cross-sectional study. Eligible patients were assessed for socioeconomic status, anthropometric measures, COPD severity, dyspnea and health status using the Hindi version of St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Linear regression model was used to examine the association between risk factors and HRQL score (a higher score indicating poorer HRQL), adjusting for age and sex. The mean total score for SGRQ in the patients was 52.66 ± 12.89, indicating a marked impairment of HRQL. Impairment was associated with the severity of airway obstruction, but within each Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage, the variation (SD) was wide [stage I: 47.8 ± 12.3 (n = 14); stage II: 49.28 ± 11.69 (n = 47); stage III: 53.47 ± 11.69 (n = 44); stage IV: 61.75 ± 14.14 (n = 21)]. A regression analysis showed that body mass index, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1 ), dyspnea grade, and depression were associated with poor HRQL. HRQL of COPD patients was significantly impaired across stages. Marked impairment of HRQL was found even in patients with mild disease.

Study of supernovae and massive stars and prospects with the 4m International Liquid Mirror Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Brajesh

2014-11-01

Massive stars are the progenitors of the most energetic explosions in the Universe such as core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) and gamma ray bursts. During their life time they follow various evolutionary phases (e.g. supergiant, luminous blue variable and Wolf-Rayet). They strongly influence their environments through their energetic ionization radiation and powerful stellar winds. Furthermore, the formation of low and intermediate-mass stars are also being regulated by them. The Carina nebula region, which hosts a large population of massive stars and several young star clusters, provides an ideal target for studying the feedback of massive stars. In this thesis, we investigated a wide field (32' × 31') region located in the west of the Carina nebula and centered on the massive binary WR 22. For our study, we used new optical photometry (UBVRI H-alpha), along with some low resolution spectroscopy, archival near infra-red (2MASS), and X-ray (Chandra, XMM-Newton) data. We estimated several parameters such as reddening, reddening law, etc. and also identified young stellar objects located in the region under study (Kumar et al., 2014b). Among the various types of CCSNe, Type IIb are recognized with their typical observational properties. Some of them show clear indication of double peaks in their light curves. The spectral features of these SNe show a transition between Type II and Type Ib/c events at early and later epochs, respectively. It has been noticed that the occurrence of these events is not common in volume limited surveys. In this thesis we have studied the properties of the light curve and spectral evolution of the Type IIb supernova 2011fu. The observational properties of this object show resemblance to those of SN 1993J with a possible signature of the adiabatic cooling phase (Kumar et al., 2013). When light passes through the expanding ejecta of the SNe, it retains information about the orientation of the ejected layers. In general, CCSNe exhibit a significant level of polarization during various phases of their evolution at different wavelengths. We have investigated the broad band polarimetric properties of a Type II plateau SN 2012aw and compared it with other well studied CCSNe of similar kinds (Kumar et al., 2014a). In the framework of the present thesis, we have also contributed to the development of the 4m International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT) project which is a joint collaborative effort among different universities and research institutes in Belgium, India, Canada and Poland. We performed various experiments including the spin casting of the primary mirror, optical quality tests of the mercury surface, mylar film experiments, etc. The possible scientific capabilities and future contributions of this telescope are also discussed. We propose our plans to identify the transients (specially supernovae) with the ILMT and their further follow-up scheme. The installation of the ILMT will start very soon at the Devasthal observatory, ARIES Nainital, India.

Spatiotemporal evolution of the remotely sensed global continental PM2.5 concentration from 2000-2014 based on Bayesian statistics.

PubMed

Li, Junming; Wang, Nannan; Wang, Jinfeng; Li, Honglin

2018-07-01

PM 2.5 pollution is threatening human health and quality of life, especially in some densely populated regions of Asia and Africa. This paper used remotely sensed annual mean PM 2.5 concentrations to explore the spatiotemporal evolution of global continental PM 2.5 pollution from 2000 to 2014. The work employed an improved Bayesian space-time hierarchy model combined with a multiscale homogeneous subdivision method. The statistical results quantitatively demonstrated a 'high-value increasing and low-value decreasing' trend. Areas with annual PM 2.5 concentrations of more than 70μg/m 3 and less than 10μg/m 3 expanded, while areas with of an annual PM 2.5 concentrations of 10-25μg/m 3 shrank. The most heavily PM 2.5 -polluted areas were located in northwest Africa, where the PM 2.5 pollution level was 12.0 times higher than the average global continental level; parts of China represented the second most PM 2.5 -polluted areas, followed by northern India and Saudi Arabia and Iraq in the Middle East region. Nearly all (96.50%) of the highly PM 2.5 -polluted area (hot spots) had an increasing local trend, while 68.98% of the lightly PM 2.5 -polluted areas (cold spots) had a decreasing local trend. In contrast, 22.82% of the cold spot areas exhibited an increasing local trend. Moreover, the spatiotemporal variation in the health risk from exposure to PM 2.5 over the global continents was also investigated. Four areas, India, eastern and southern China, western Africa and central Europe, had high health risks from PM 2.5 exposure. Northern India, northeastern Pakistan, and mid-eastern China had not only the highest risk but also a significant increasing trend; the areas of high PM 2.5 pollution risk are thus expanding, and the number of affected people is increasing. Northern and central Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East, western Russia and central Europe also exhibited increasing PM 2.5 pollution health risks. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prospects for the Study of Evolution in the Deep Biosphere

PubMed Central

Biddle, Jennifer F.; Sylvan, Jason B.; Brazelton, William J.; Tully, Benjamin J.; Edwards, Katrina J.; Moyer, Craig L.; Heidelberg, John F.; Nelson, William C.

2012-01-01

Since the days of Darwin, scientists have used the framework of the theory of evolution to explore the interconnectedness of life on Earth and adaptation of organisms to the ever-changing environment. The advent of molecular biology has advanced and accelerated the study of evolution by allowing direct examination of the genetic material that ultimately determines the phenotypes upon which selection acts. The study of evolution has been furthered through examination of microbial evolution, with large population numbers, short generation times, and easily extractable DNA. Such work has spawned the study of microbial biogeography, with the realization that concepts developed in population genetics may be applicable to microbial genomes (Martiny et al., 2006; Manhes and Velicer, 2011). Microbial biogeography and adaptation has been examined in many different environments. Here we argue that the deep biosphere is a unique environment for the study of evolution and list specific factors that can be considered and where the studies may be performed. This publication is the result of the NSF-funded Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations (C-DEBI) theme team on Evolution (www.darkenergybiosphere.org). PMID:22319515

Prospects for the study of evolution in the deep biosphere.

PubMed

Biddle, Jennifer F; Sylvan, Jason B; Brazelton, William J; Tully, Benjamin J; Edwards, Katrina J; Moyer, Craig L; Heidelberg, John F; Nelson, William C

2011-01-01

Since the days of Darwin, scientists have used the framework of the theory of evolution to explore the interconnectedness of life on Earth and adaptation of organisms to the ever-changing environment. The advent of molecular biology has advanced and accelerated the study of evolution by allowing direct examination of the genetic material that ultimately determines the phenotypes upon which selection acts. The study of evolution has been furthered through examination of microbial evolution, with large population numbers, short generation times, and easily extractable DNA. Such work has spawned the study of microbial biogeography, with the realization that concepts developed in population genetics may be applicable to microbial genomes (Martiny et al., 2006; Manhes and Velicer, 2011). Microbial biogeography and adaptation has been examined in many different environments. Here we argue that the deep biosphere is a unique environment for the study of evolution and list specific factors that can be considered and where the studies may be performed. This publication is the result of the NSF-funded Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations (C-DEBI) theme team on Evolution (www.darkenergybiosphere.org).

Exclusive breastfeeding practices among mothers in urban slum settlements: pooled analysis from three prospective birth cohort studies in South India.

PubMed

Velusamy, Vasanthakumar; Premkumar, Prasanna S; Kang, Gagandeep

2017-01-01

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends six months of exclusive breastfeeding. Despite documented health, social and economic benefits, the practice of exclusive breastfeeding is quite low and information on influencing factors is limited especially from slum settlements. Our goal is to assess the prevalence and evaluate factors associated with early cessation of exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life among mothers in urban slums of Vellore, Southern India. We pooled data from three similar birth cohort studies ( n = 1088) conducted between 2002 and 2009. Breastfeeding information was obtained soon after birth and then from follow-up home visits conducted once every two weeks by the field workers. Multivariable Cox regression analyses were used to assess factors associated with early cessation of exclusive breastfeeding. The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months was 11.4%, based on prospective data since birth. Results from multivariable analyses revealed maternal education (Adjusted Hazard Ratio [AHR] 1.18 , 95% CI 1.03, 1.35), pucca type of house (AHR 1.25 , 95% CI 1.10, 1.43), two or more number of children in the family (AHR 1.26 , 95% CI 1.10, 1.43), joint family structure (AHR 1.20 , 95% CI 1.02, 1.40) and birth during summer (AHR 1.16, 95% CI 1.01, 1.31) were associated with early cessation of exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months. Our results indicate that exclusive breastfeeding rates are well below the recommended levels. Educational interventions providing comprehensive breastfeeding information to mothers and their families can be evaluated to assess its effect on improving infant feeding practices.

Relationship of Premenstrual Syndrome and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder with Major Depression: Relevance to Clinical Practice

PubMed Central

Padhy, Susanta Kumar; Sarkar, Sidharth; Beherre, Prakash B.; Rathi, Rajesh; Panigrahi, Mahima; Patil, Pradeep Sriram

2015-01-01

Background: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and depressive disorder are fairly common; symptoms do overlap, often under-identified and under-emphasized, particularly in rural India. Objective: The objective was to assess the occurrence of PMS and PMDD in a sample of students and staff of a nursing college and to find their correlation with depression. Materials and Methods: A prospective cohort study; Tertiary Care Hospital in Rural India (Wardha, Maharashtra); 118 female nursing students or staff aged between 18 and 40 years, who were likely to stay within the institution for the study period. The participants were rated on Penn daily symptom report prospectively for a period of 3-month. Those who scored positive were applied diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th edition, text revision (DSM-IV TR) criteria for PMDD; and were applied primary care evaluation of mental disorders depression screening followed by DSM-IV TR criteria for depression. Severity of depression was measured using Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Results: Main outcome measures were frequency and severity of depression in individuals with PMS and PMDD and their clinical and sociodemographic correlation. The age range of the sample was 18-37 years. Some PMS symptoms were observed in 67%; diagnosis of PMDD in 10%; depressive symptoms in 28% of the sample. 46.4% of those with depressive symptoms had major depression. The diagnosis of major depression was significantly associated with the severity of PMS symptoms as well as the presence of PMDD. Conclusion: Premenstrual syndrome is present in a substantial proportion of young females. Concurrent depression is increased by the severity of PMS symptoms and the presence of PMDD. Gynecologist needs to screen such subjects for depression and refer to mental-health professional early, in routine clinical practice. PMID:25969600

Relationship of premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder with major depression: relevance to clinical practice.

PubMed

Padhy, Susanta Kumar; Sarkar, Sidharth; Beherre, Prakash B; Rathi, Rajesh; Panigrahi, Mahima; Patil, Pradeep Sriram

2015-01-01

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and depressive disorder are fairly common; symptoms do overlap, often under-identified and under-emphasized, particularly in rural India. The objective was to assess the occurrence of PMS and PMDD in a sample of students and staff of a nursing college and to find their correlation with depression. A prospective cohort study; Tertiary Care Hospital in Rural India (Wardha, Maharashtra); 118 female nursing students or staff aged between 18 and 40 years, who were likely to stay within the institution for the study period. The participants were rated on Penn daily symptom report prospectively for a period of 3-month. Those who scored positive were applied diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4(th) edition, text revision (DSM-IV TR) criteria for PMDD; and were applied primary care evaluation of mental disorders depression screening followed by DSM-IV TR criteria for depression. Severity of depression was measured using Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Main outcome measures were frequency and severity of depression in individuals with PMS and PMDD and their clinical and sociodemographic correlation. The age range of the sample was 18-37 years. Some PMS symptoms were observed in 67%; diagnosis of PMDD in 10%; depressive symptoms in 28% of the sample. 46.4% of those with depressive symptoms had major depression. The diagnosis of major depression was significantly associated with the severity of PMS symptoms as well as the presence of PMDD. Premenstrual syndrome is present in a substantial proportion of young females. Concurrent depression is increased by the severity of PMS symptoms and the presence of PMDD. Gynecologist needs to screen such subjects for depression and refer to mental-health professional early, in routine clinical practice.

Gender differences in the utilisation of surgery for congenital heart disease in India.

PubMed

Ramakrishnan, Sivasubramanian; Khera, Rohan; Jain, Snigdha; Saxena, Anita; Kailash, Suparna; Karthikeyan, Ganesan; Kothari, Shyam S; Juneja, Rajnish; Bhargava, Balram; Kalaivani, Mani; Mehta, Manju; Bahl, Vinay K; Airan, Balram

2011-12-01

Corrective surgery for congenital heart disease may be life-saving, but its utilisation depends upon several social and economic factors. Girls with cardiac defects may not receive equitable care in India, but this has not been systematically studied. In this prospective study, parents or guardians of 405 consecutive children aged up to 12 years (mean ± SD age 3.43 ± 3.44 years; 271 boys) who had been advised to undergo elective paediatric cardiac surgery were interviewed using a validated questionnaire. The status of the patients was reviewed after a year and the factors associated with non-compliance with treatment were analysed. In a qualitative sub-study the parents of 20 children who had not undergone surgery were interviewed. Qualitative data were analysed using an inductive analytical approach. Of the 405 patients studied, 44% (59/134) of girls had undergone surgery at 1 year compared with 70% (189/271) of boys (χ²=24.97; p<0.001). Independent predictors for non-compliance with surgery included female gender (OR 3.46, 95% CI -2.06 to 5.80; p<0.0001), lower socioeconomic classes (lower-middle: OR 18.62, 95% CI -2.14 to 161.8, p=0.008; upper-lower: OR 34.27, 95% CI -3.72 to 316.0, p=0.002) and higher cost of surgery (OR 1.92, 95% CI -1.06 to 3.47, p=0.03). In the in-depth interviews, apprehensions about future matrimonial prospects of girls and lack of social support emerged as the major factors responsible for delays in undergoing surgery. Female gender is an important determinant of non-compliance with paediatric cardiac surgery. Deep-seated social factors underlie this gender bias.

Nutritional supplementation in HIV-infected individuals in South India: a prospective interventional study.

PubMed

Swaminathan, S; Padmapriyadarsini, C; Yoojin, L; Sukumar, B; Iliayas, S; Karthipriya, J; Sakthivel, R; Gomathy, P; Thomas, B E; Mathew, M; Wanke, C A; Narayanan, P R

2010-07-01

Malnutrition in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals is associated with faster disease progression, higher mortality rates, and suboptimal response to antiretroviral therapy (ART). We conducted a prospective interventional study to evaluate the effects of an oral macronutrient supplement among HIV-infected adults in South India. Patients attending Tuberculosis Research Centre clinics from June 2005 through December 2007 had baseline nutritional assessment and laboratory investigations performed. Patients at 1 center received nutritional counseling and standard care, whereas patients at 2 centers additionally received a macronutrient providing 400 cal and 15 g of protein daily. Study outcomes were changes in anthropometry, body composition, blood chemistry, and immune status at 6 months. In total, 636 ART-naive patients were enrolled in the study; 361 completed 6 months of follow-up (282 received supplements and 79 received standard care). Mean age +/- standard deviation (SD) was 31 +/- 7 years, mean weight +/- SD was 50 +/- 10 kg, and 42% were male. Significant increases in body weight, body mass index, midarm circumference, fat-free mass, and body cell mass were observed in the supplement group but not in the control group at 6 months; gains were greater in patients with CD4 cell counts <200 cells/microL. No changes were observed in lipid levels, whereas the CD4 cell count decreased in the control group. However, after adjusting for baseline differences, these changes were not statistically significantly different between the groups. Macronutrient supplementation did not result in significantly increased weight gain compared with standard care (including nutritional counseling) among patients with moderately advanced HIV disease. The effect of supplementation on specific subsets of patients and on preserving immune function needs further research.

Can the management of blood sugar levels in gestational diabetes mellitus cases be an indicator of maternal and fetal outcomes? The results of a prospective cohort study from India

PubMed Central

Jain, Rajesh; Davey, Sanjeev; Davey, Anuradha; Raghav, Santosh K.; Singh, Jai V.

2016-01-01

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is emerging as an important public health problem in India owing to its increasing prevalence since the last decade. The issue addressed in the study was whether the management of blood sugar levels in GDM cases can predict maternal and fetal outcomes. Materials and Methods: A prospective cohort study was done for 1 year from October 1, 2013, to September 31, 2014, at 652 diabetic screening units as a part of the Gestational Diabetes Prevention and Control Project approved by the Indian Government in the district of Kanpur, state of Uttar Pradesh. A total of 57,108 pregnant women were screened during their 24–28th weeks of pregnancy by impaired oral glucose test. All types of maternal and perinatal outcomes were followed up in both GDM and non-GDM categories in the 2nd year (2013–2014) after blood sugar levels were controlled. Results: It was seen that for all kinds of maternal and fetal outcomes, the differences between GDM cases and non-GDM cases were highly significant (P < 0.0001, relative risk >1 in every case). Moreover, perinatal mortality also increased significantly from 5.7% to 8.9% when blood sugar levels increased from 199 mg/dl and above. Perinatal and maternal outcomes in GDM cases were also significantly related to the control of blood sugar levels (P < 0.0001). Conclusion: Blood sugar levels can be an indicator of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality in GDM cases, provided unified diagnostic criteria are used by Indian laboratories. However, to get an accurate picture on this issue, all factors need further study. PMID:27186155

The stigmata and discrimination experienced, in southern India, by cases of lymphatic filariasis.

PubMed

Krishna Kumari, A; Harichandrakumar, K T; Krishnamoorthy, K; Das, L K

2010-07-01

Between November 2006 and November 2009, the stigmata and discrimination experienced by 201 cases of lymphatic filariasis (LF) living in three areas of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu (the Pondicherry urban agglomeration and two, endemic, rural villages in Villupuram district) were investigated in interviews. The narratives of nine of the interviewees are reported here in detail, to bring to light the various domains of life in which LF cases are stigmatized and discriminated against. Lymphatic filariasis can, and often does, adversely affect each case's livelihood, marital prospects, and social and marital life and can also diminish the marital prospects of a case's children. The deformity caused by the disease and the incapacitation resulting from the often-frequent attacks of adenolymphangitis appeared to be the main reasons for the stigmatization and discrimination. Although morbidity control is one of the 'twin pillars' of the Global Programme for Elimination of Filariasis, the stigmata and discrimination associated with such morbidity also need to be addressed.

Introduction and evolution of dengue virus type 2 in Pakistan: a phylogeographic analysis.

PubMed

Akram, Madiha; Fatima, Zareen; Purdy, Mike A; Sue, Amanda; Saleem, Sana; Amin, Irum; Shahid, Muhammad; Idrees, Muhammad; Nawaz, Rabia

2015-09-22

Pattern of Dengue periodic epidemics through the years along with sporadic cases of Dengue hemorrhagic fever followed by a severe 2011 epidemic of Dengue fever in Pakistan make Pakistan a Dengue endemic country. To study the entry and evolution of dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2) in Pakistan, we sequenced three full length genomes and 24 complete envelope sequences of DENV-2 from the years 2010, 2011 and 2013 collected from Punjab province of Pakistan. Phylogenetic and Bayesian phylogeographic analyses was applied to three full genome sequences as well as 24 envelope sequences to study the spatiotemporal dynamics of DENV-2 in Pakistan. Most of the DENV-2 viruses from the years 2008 to 2013 formed a monophyletic Pakistani clade in IVb sublineage of cosmopolitan genotype except one 2008 DENV-2 strain. Phylogeographic analysis revealed that this 2008 DENV-2 strain was rooted to India 25.4 years ago with a location probability of 0.88. However Pakistani clade rooted back to Sri Lanka 12.6 years ago with a location probability of 0.57. DENV-2 genotype IV was introduced in Pakistan in two time events. First event was introduction from India to Pakistan in the late 1980s (around 1986), and second event was introduction from Sri Lanka to Pakistan around 2000. The later introduction event was responsible for major outbreaks in the Punjab region of Pakistan, including major 2011 outbreak. After the second Introduction event, DENV-2 circulated locally in the region forming a distinct Sublineage within the IVb cosmopolitan genotype of DENV-2.

Revisiting the structure, age, and evolution of the Wharton Basin to better understand subduction under Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacob, Jensen; Dyment, Jérôme; Yatheesh, V.

2014-01-01

the subduction processes along the Sunda Trench requires detailed constraints on the subducting lithosphere. We build a detailed tectonic map of the Wharton Basin based on reinterpretation of satellite-derived gravity anomalies and marine magnetic anomalies. The Wharton Basin is characterized by a fossil ridge, dated 36.5 Ma, offset by N-S fracture zones. Magnetic anomalies 18 to 34 (38-84 Ma) are identified on both flanks, although a large part of the basin has been subducted. We analyze the past plate kinematic evolution of the Wharton Basin by two-plate (India-Australia) and three-plate (India-Australia-Antarctica) reconstructions. Despite the diffuse plate boundaries within the Indo-Australian plate for the last 20 Ma, we obtain finite rotation parameters that we apply to reconstruct the subducted Wharton Basin and constrain the thickness, buoyancy, and rheology of the subducting plate. The lower subductability of younger lithosphere off Sumatra has important consequences on the morphology, with a shallower trench, forearc islands, and a significant inward deviation of the subduction system. This deviation decreases in the youngest area, where the Wharton fossil spreading center enters subduction: The discontinuous magmatic crust and serpentinized upper mantle, consequences of the slow spreading rates at which this area was formed, weaken the mechanical resistance to subduction and facilitate the restoration of the accretionary prism. Deeper effects include the possible creation of asthenospheric windows beneath the Andaman Sea, in relation to the long-offset fracture zones, and east of 105°E, as a result of subduction of the spreading center.

African and Asian perspectives on the origins of modern humans.

PubMed

Clark, J D

1992-08-29

The ways in which the cultural evidence - in its chronological context - can be used to imply behavioural patterning and to identify possible causes of change are discussed. Improved reliability in dating methods, suites of dates from different regional localities, and new, firmly dated fossil hominids from crucial regions such as northeast Africa, the Levant, India and China, are essential for clarification of the origin and spread of the modern genepool. Hominid ancestry in Africa is reviewed, as well as the claims for an independent origin in Asia. The cultural differences and changes within Africa, West and South Asia and the Far East in the later Middle and early Upper Pleistocene are examined and compared, and some behavioural implications are suggested, taking account of the evolutionary frameworks suggested by the 'multiregional evolution' and 'Noah's Ark' hypotheses of human evolution. A possible explanation is proposed for the cultural differences between Africa, West Asia and India on the one hand, and southeast Asia and the Far East on the other. The apparent hiatus between the appearance of the first anatomically modern humans, ca. 100 ka ago, and the appearance of the Upper Palaeolithic and other contemporaneous technological and behavioural changes around 40 ka ago, is discussed. It is suggested that the anatomical changes occurred first, and that neurological changes permitted the development of fully syntactic language some 50 ka later. The intellectual and behavioural revolution, best demonstrated by the 'Upper Palaeolithic' of Eurasia, seems to have been dependent on this linguistic development - within the modern genepool - and triggered the rapid migration of human populations throughout the Old World.

The timing and extent of Quaternary glaciation of Stok, northern Zanskar Range, Transhimalaya, of northern India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orr, Elizabeth N.; Owen, Lewis A.; Murari, Madhav K.; Saha, Sourav; Caffee, Marc W.

2017-05-01

The glacial history of three tributary valleys (Namlung, Gopal Kangri and Stok Kangri) of the Stok valley, south of the Indus valley in the northern sector of the Zanskar Range, northern India is characterized using geomorphic mapping and cosmogenic 10Be surface exposure dating. The new glacial chronostratigraphy for the Stok valley is the first for the northern Zanskar Range and provides insights into the spatial variability of glaciation in the Himalayan-Tibetan orogen. This framework facilitates the understanding of the nature and the timing of landscape evolution and paleoenvironmental change in the Himalayan-Tibetan orogen. At least four glacial stages are evident within each of the tributary valleys of Gopal Kangri (MG1-MG4, youngest to oldest) and Stok Kangri (MS1-MS4) that feed into the Stok valley. With the exception of the MG4 glacial advance ( 124 ka) in Gopal Kangri, the Stok valley has preserved evidence of glaciations from 50 ka to the present. Equilibrium-line altitudes and glacier reconstructions for the Stok valley and its tributaries demonstrate that glaciations have become progressively less extensive through time. Former glacier extents of the Stok region are comparable in length with glacial advances during the last glacial cycle in eastern Zanskar and in the southern Ladakh Range to the south and north of the Indus valley, respectively. Landscape evolution in the study area has occurred across numerous glacial-interglacial cycles by a combination of glacial and fluvial processes and is similar to that of the Ladakh Range.

Evolution Controversy: A Phenomenon Prompted by the Incompatibility between Science and Religious Beliefs.

PubMed

Paz-Y-Miño-C, Guillermo; Espinosa, Avelina

2015-06-01

The incompatibility between science and the belief in supernatural causation helps us understand why people do not accept evolution. Belief disrupts, distorts, delays, or stops (3Ds + S) the acceptance of scientific evidence. Here we examine the evolution controversy under three predictions of the incompatibility hypothesis. First, chronological-conflict-and-accommodation, which explains the historical re-emergence of antagonism between evolution and religion when advances in science continue to threaten the belief in supernatural causation; in such situations, creationists' rejection of and subsequent partial acceptance of the new scientific discoveries are expected. Second, change in evolution's acceptance as function of educational attainment, which explains the positive association between acceptance of evolution and level of education. And third, change in evolution's acceptance as function of religiosity, which explains the negative association between acceptance of evolution and level of religious beliefs. We rely on an ample assessment of the attitudes toward evolution by highly-educated audiences (i.e. research faculty, educators of prospective teachers, and college students in the United States) to characterize the associations among the understanding of science and evolution, personal religious convictions, and conservative ideology. We emphasize that harmonious coexistence between science and religion is illusory. If co-persisting in society, their relationship will fluctuate from moderate to intense antagonism.

Evolution Controversy: A Phenomenon Prompted by the Incompatibility between Science and Religious Beliefs

PubMed Central

Paz-y-Miño-C, Guillermo; Espinosa, Avelina

2016-01-01

The incompatibility between science and the belief in supernatural causation helps us understand why people do not accept evolution. Belief disrupts, distorts, delays, or stops (3Ds + S) the acceptance of scientific evidence. Here we examine the evolution controversy under three predictions of the incompatibility hypothesis. First, chronological-conflict-and-accommodation, which explains the historical re-emergence of antagonism between evolution and religion when advances in science continue to threaten the belief in supernatural causation; in such situations, creationists’ rejection of and subsequent partial acceptance of the new scientific discoveries are expected. Second, change in evolution's acceptance as function of educational attainment, which explains the positive association between acceptance of evolution and level of education. And third, change in evolution's acceptance as function of religiosity, which explains the negative association between acceptance of evolution and level of religious beliefs. We rely on an ample assessment of the attitudes toward evolution by highly-educated audiences (i.e. research faculty, educators of prospective teachers, and college students in the United States) to characterize the associations among the understanding of science and evolution, personal religious convictions, and conservative ideology. We emphasize that harmonious coexistence between science and religion is illusory. If co-persisting in society, their relationship will fluctuate from moderate to intense antagonism. PMID:26877774

Tracking the demise of state hospital rate setting.

PubMed

McDonough, J E

1997-01-01

From its once preeminent position in state health policy, prospective hospital rate setting has declined in use from more than thirty states in 1980 to two today. This essay tracks the trend toward deregulation in various states--especially Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York-- and examines the continuation of rate setting in Maryland. Principally, the decline reflects the development of managed care and capitation as alternative means to control health spending growth. This trend represents both an evolution in prospective payment methodology and a renewed preference for private over public-sector price controls.

Evolution of complex adaptations in molecular systems

PubMed Central

Pál, Csaba; Papp, Balázs

2017-01-01

A central challenge in evolutionary biology concerns the mechanisms by which complex adaptations arise. Such adaptations depend on the fixation of multiple, highly specific mutations, where intermediate stages of evolution seemingly provide little or no benefit. It is generally assumed that the establishment of complex adaptations is very slow in nature, as evolution of such traits demands special population genetic or environmental circumstances. However, blueprints of complex adaptations in molecular systems are pervasive, indicating that they can readily evolve. We discuss the prospects and limitations of non-adaptive scenarios, which assume multiple neutral or deleterious steps in the evolution of complex adaptations. Next, we examine how complex adaptations can evolve by natural selection in changing environment. Finally, we argue that molecular ’springboards’, such as phenotypic heterogeneity and promiscuous interactions facilitate this process by providing access to new adaptive paths. PMID:28782044

Level of suboptimal adherence to first line antiretroviral treatment & its determinants among HIV positive people in India.

PubMed

Joshi, Beena; Chauhan, Sanjay; Pasi, Achhelal; Kulkarni, Ragini; Sunil, Nithya; Bachani, Damodar; Mankeshwar, Ranjit

2014-07-01

National Anti-retroviral treatment (ART) programme in India was launched in 2004. Since then, there has been no published country representative estimate of suboptimal adherence among people living with HIV (PLHIV) on first line ART in public settings. Hence a multicentric study was undertaken in 15 States of India to assess the level of suboptimal adherence and its determinants among PLHIV. Using a prospective observational study design, 3285 PLHIV were enrolled and followed up to six months across 30 ART centres in India. Adherence was assessed using pill count and self-reported recall method and determinants of suboptimal adherence were explored based on the responses to various issues as perceived by them. Suboptimal adherence was found in 24.5 per cent PLHIV. Determinants of suboptimal adherence were illiteracy (OR--1.341, CI--1.080-1.665), on ART for less than 6 months (OR--1.540, CI--1.280-1.853), male gender (OR for females--0.807, CI--0.662-0.982), tribals (OR--2.246, CI--1.134-4.447), on efavirenz (EFA) regimen (OR--1.479, CI--1.190-1.837), presence of anxiety (OR--1.375, CI--1.117-1.692), non-disclosure of HIV status to family (OR--1.549, CI--1.176-2.039), not motivated for treatment (OR--1.389, CI--1.093-1.756), neglect from friends (OR--1.368, CI--1.069-1.751), frequent change of residence (OR--3.373, CI--2.659-4.278), travel expenses (OR--1.364, CI--1.138-1.649), not meeting the PLHIV volunteer/community care coordinator at the ART center (OR--1.639, CI--1.330-2.019). To enhance identification of PLHIV vulnerable to suboptimal adherence, the existing checklist to identify the barriers to adherence in the National ART Guidelines needs to be updated based on the study findings. Quality of comprehensive adherence support services needs to be improved coupled with vigilant monitoring of adherence measurement.

A multicenter prospective hospital-based surveillance to estimate the burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis in children less than five years of age in India.

PubMed

Saluja, T; Sharma, S D; Gupta, M; Kundu, R; Kar, S; Dutta, A; Silveira, M; Singh, J V; Kamath, V G; Chaudhary, A; Rao, J V; Ravi, M D; Murthy, S R K; Babji, S; Prasad, R; Gujjula, R; Rao, R; Dhingra, M S

2014-08-11

Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe, dehydrating diarrhea in children aged <5 years globally, with an estimated 25 million outpatient visits and 2 million hospitalizations attributable to rotavirus infections each year. The aim of this hospital-based surveillance was to summarize the local epidemiological and virological features of rotavirus and to estimate the disease burden in the population under surveillance in India. During the 16 months surveillance period from April 2011 through July 2012, a total of 4711 children under the age of 5 years were admitted with acute diarrhea at 12 medical centers attached to medical schools throughout India. Stool samples were randomly collected from 2051 (43.5%) subjects and were analyzed for rotavirus positivity using commercial enzyme immunoassay kit (Premier Rotaclone Qualitative Elisa) at the respective study centers. Rotavirus positive samples were genotyped for VP7 and VP4 by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) at a central laboratory. During the study period, maximum number of rotavirus related hospitalizations were reported from December 2011 through February 2012. Out of the 2051 stool samples tested for rotavirus, overall 541 (26.4%) samples were positive for rotavirus VP6 antigen in stool. The highest positivity was observed in the month of December, 2011 (52.5%) and lowest in the month of May, 2011 (10.3%). We found that majority of the rotavirus positive cases (69.7%) were in children <24 months of age. The most common genotypes reported were G1 (38%), G2 (18%), G9 (18%), G12 (9%) and mixed strains (17%). The results of this study confirm the significant burden of acute rotavirus gastroenteritis as a cause of hospitalizations in under five children in India. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Under-reporting of adverse drug reactions: a challenge for pharmacovigilance in India.

PubMed

Tandon, Vishal R; Mahajan, Vivek; Khajuria, Vijay; Gillani, Zahid

2015-01-01

The aim was to evaluate the extent and factors responsible for underreporting (UR) of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in India. A retrospective observational, cross-sectional prospective questionnaire-based analysis was undertaken to evaluate the extent and factors for UR of ADRs in pharmacovigilance. At the time, this report was prepared, 90 ADR Monitoring Centers (AMC) were operational in India. Indian AMC functional rate was 56.45%. The average number of Individual Case Safety Reports reported by our center via VigiFlow per month was 48.038. In a period of the 3 years the total number of ADRs reported was 3024. The average number of reports per month was 80.08. Active surveillance versus spontaneous reporting contributed 66.13% versus 33.86% of the total ADRs (P < 0.0001). Outpatient Department (OPD) contribution was 76.05% and indoor contribution was 23.94% of total reports (P < 0.0001). Department of Medicine (33%), followed by oncology (19.27%) and chest disease (13.49%) contributed maximally. The contribution of Pharmacology ADR monitoring OPD was 16.20%. Eye, ear, nose and throat and surgery, private Medical Colleges, hospitals in periphery, sub-district and district contributed no ADRs. ADR detection rates by clinical presentation, biochemical investigation and diagnostic tools were 84.33%, 14.57%, and 1.09% respectively (P < 0.0001). Reporting by postgraduate, registrars, consultants and nurses were 72.65%, 6.58%, 16.56% and 4.19% respectively (P < 0.0001). PG students in Pharmacology contributed an average number of 5.61 ADR reports/month. The lack of knowledge and awareness about Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI), lethargy, indifference, insecurity, complacency, workload, lack of training were the common factors responsible for UR. Major academic activity, exams, thesis and synopsis submission time influenced reporting of ADRs by postgraduate students. UR is a matter of concern PvPI. Multiple interventions are needed to improve ADR reporting.

Cenozoic evolution of the Pamir plateau recorded in surrounding basins, implications on Asian climate and land-sea distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dupont-Nivet, Guillaume; Yang, Wei; Blayney, Tamsin; Proust, Jean-Noel; Guo, Zhaojie; Grothe, Arjen; Mandic, Oleg; Fionori, Chiara; Bougeois, Laurie; Najman, Yanina

2015-04-01

The Cenozoic Pamir orogen formed in response to the India-Asia collision. Existing datasets shows that the range grew since ca. 25 Ma, however the early Cenozoic history remains particularly enigmatic. In that peculiar period, global climate changed from greenhouse to icehouse, the proto-Paratethys sea retreated out of Asia and continental aridification as well as monsoons established over Asia. These environmental changes are held responsible for major floral and faunal crises including the emergence of plant communities and the dispersion of key mammal groups from Asia onto other continents. However, the causal relationships between these events remains to be established because of the lack of accurate age constraints on their geological records. Here, we provide well-dated stratigraphic records using magneto- and bio-stratigraphy from the basins surrounding the Pamir. Southeast of the Pamir, along the Kunlun Shan into the southwestern Tarim Basin, Eocene marine deposits are continuously overlain by 41 to 15 Ma continental redbeds themselves overlain by conglomerates in a classic foreland sequence with upward increasing grain-size, accumulation rates and provenance proximity. However, North of the Pamir along the southwestern Tian Shan and West of the Pamir into the Afghan-Tadjik Basin, the entire Oligocene period appears to be missing from the record between the last marine and the first continental sediments dated to the Early Miocene. This supports a simple basin evolution model in response to initial Pamir indentation with Eocene foreland basin activation in the Southeast related to the Kunlun Shan northward thrusting, followed much later by early Miocene activation of the northern foreland basin related to the southwestern Tian Shan overthrusting. The coeval activation of a lithospheric right-lateral strike-slip system along the Pamir/Tarim boundary may have enabled to transfer deformation from the India-Asia collision zone to the Tian Shan and possibly the Talas Fergana fault. This simple model suggests the following two-stage paleoenvironmental evolution: (1) Late Eocene sea retreat linked to the onset of Pamir indentation in conjunction with global sea-level drop, decreasing CO2 levels and ice-cap formation and (2) Early Miocene closure of the Tarim Basin by northward indentation of the Pamir plateau. This two stage evolution is consistent with the Eocene occurrence of continental aridity and Asian Monsoons and their Early Miocene intensification.

Potential impact of a 9-valent HPV vaccine in HPV-related cervical disease in 4 emerging countries (Brazil, Mexico, India and China).

PubMed

Serrano, Beatriz; Alemany, Laia; Ruiz, Patricia Alonso de; Tous, Sara; Lima, Marcus Aurelho; Bruni, Laia; Jain, Asha; Clifford, Gary M; Qiao, You Lin; Weiss, Thomas; Bosch, F Xavier; de Sanjosé, Silvia

2014-12-01

We estimated the potential impact of an investigational 9-valent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine (HPVs 6/11/16/18/31/33/45/52/58) in HPV-related cervical disease in Brazil, Mexico, India and China, to help to formulate recommendations on cervical cancer prevention and control. Estimations for invasive cervical cancer (ICC) were based on an international study including 1356 HPV-positive cases for the four countries altogether, and estimations for precancerous cervical lesions were extracted from a published meta-analysis including 6 025 HPV-positive women from the four mentioned countries. Globocan 2012 and 2012 World Population Prospects were used to estimate current and future projections of new ICC cases. Combined proportions of the 9 HPV types in ICC were 88.6% (95%CI: 85.2-91.3) in Brazil, 85.7% (82.3-88.8) in Mexico, 92.2% (87.9-95.3) in India and 97.3% (93.9-99.1) in China. The additional HPV 31/33/45/52/58 proportions were 18.8% (15.3-22.7) in Brazil, 17.6% (14.2-21.2) in Mexico, 11.3% (7.5-16.1) in India and 11.9% (7.5-17.2) in China. HPV6 and 11 single types were not identified in any of the samples. Proportion of the individual 7 high risk HPV types included in the vaccine varied by cytological and histological grades of HPV-positive precancerous cervical lesions. HPV 16 was the dominant type in all lesions, with contributions in low grade lesions ranging from 16.6%(14.3-19.2) in Mexico to 39.8% (30.0-50.2) in India, and contributions in high grade lesions ranging from 43.8% (36.3-51.4) in Mexico to 64.1% (60.6-67.5) in Brazil. After HPV 16, variations in other majors HPV types were observed by country, with an under representation of HPV 18 and 45 compared to ICC. The addition of HPVs 31/33/45/52/58 to HPV types included in current vaccines could increase the ICC preventable fraction in a range of 12 to 19% across the four countries, accounting the 9-types altogether 90% of ICC cases. Assuming the same degree of efficacy of current vaccines, the implementation of the 9-valent HPV vaccine in Brazil, Mexico, India and China would substantially impact on the reduction of the world cervical cancer burden. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Evolution of the personal teaching models of prospective secondary school science teachers as expressed through metaphors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mellado, Lucía; de la Montaña, Juan L.; Luengo, María Rosa; Bermejo, María Luisa

2018-02-01

This study analyses the evolution of the personal metaphors of 31 science graduates enrolled in a Master's degree course in Secondary Education Teaching during the 2012-13 academic year. The instrument used was an open questionnaire that included asking the participants to make drawings representing the roles of the teacher. Four categories of metaphor were considered: behaviourist/transmissive, cognitivist/constructivist, situative/socio-historical, and self-referential. It was found that most of the prospective teachers were indeed able to conceptualize their roles in the form of metaphors. Comparison of the results before and after the teaching practicum revealed no changes in most of the participants' metaphors and associated models. Instead, these appeared to be firmly set already at the beginning of the Master's course, and remained uninfluenced by either the course or the practicum. Only a minority of the participants showed changes in their metaphors—5 with progressive changes, and 5 with regressive changes.

Uniformity in sulfur isotope composition in the orogenic gold deposits from the Dharwar Craton, southern India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakthi Saravanan, C.; Mishra, B.

2009-07-01

The sulfur isotope composition of sulfides (mainly pyrite and arsenopyrite) from gold deposits/prospects of the Dharwar Craton such as Hutti, Hira-Buddini, Uti, Kolar (Chigargunta), Ajjanahalli, and Jonnagiri has a narrow range (δ34S = +1.1 to +7.1‰). Such craton-scale uniformity of the above gold camps is noteworthy, in spite of the wide diversity in host rock compositions and their metamorphic conditions, and suggests a magmatic or average crustal source of sulfur for all deposits studied. In addition, our study points towards gold precipitation from reduced ore fluids, with near-homogeneous sulfur isotope compositions.

An Application of Data Mining Techniques for Flood Forecasting: Application in Rivers Daya and Bhargavi, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panigrahi, Binay Kumar; Das, Soumya; Nath, Tushar Kumar; Senapati, Manas Ranjan

2018-05-01

In the present study, with a view to speculate the water flow of two rivers in eastern India namely river Daya and river Bhargavi, the focus was on developing Cascaded Functional Link Artificial Neural Network (C-FLANN) model. Parameters of C-FLANN architecture were updated using Harmony Search (HS) and Differential Evolution (DE). As the numbers of samples are very low, there is a risk of over fitting. To avoid this Map reduce based ANOVA technique is used to select important features. These features were used and provided to the architecture which is used to predict the water flow in both the rivers, one day, one week and two weeks ahead. The results of both the techniques were compared with Radial Basis Functional Neural Network (RBFNN) and Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), two widely used artificial neural network for prediction. From the result it was confirmed that C-FLANN trained through HS gives better prediction result than being trained through DE or RBFNN or MLP and can be used for predicting water flow in different rivers.

Study on the recent severe thunderstorms in northern India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vishwanathan, Gokul; Narayanan, Sunanda; Mrudula, G.

2016-05-01

Thunderstorm, resulting from vigorous convective activity, is one of the most spectacular weather phenomena in the atmosphere which is associated with thunder, squall lines and lightening. On 13 April 2010, a severe storm struck parts of Bangladesh and eastern India which lasted about 90 minutes, with the most intense portion spanning 30-40 minutes. The severe Thunderstorm on 13th April 2010 spawned a large tornado, which lasted about 20 minutes and was the first tornado recorded in Bihar history. In the year 2015, Bihar experienced a similar storm on 21 April during which multiple microbursts were observed. Various meteorological parameters have been analyzed to study the factors affecting the development of the thunderstorm. Satellite images from KALPANA and Meteosat has been analyzed to capture the temporal and spatial evolution of these storms. The satellite images show the development of a convective clouds system in the early afternoon hours which developed further into the severe storms by late evening. The analysis carried out further using K-index, lifted index, CAPE etc also shows the development of multiple cells of convection. Further analysis of these storms is presented in the paper.

Childhood physical activity, sports and exercise and noncommunicable disease: a special focus on India.

PubMed

Swaminathan, Sumathi; Vaz, Mario

2013-03-01

Establishing the relationship between childhood physical inactivity and noncommunicable disease (NCD) is difficult, since chronic disease and mortality are not direct health outcomes of physical inactivity in children. Published literature explores the relationship of physical inactivity with appearance of early childhood disease risk markers, the adverse impact of which may take some time to appear. Promoting childhood physical activity has multiple benefits including delay in evolution of risk factors contributing to adult degenerative disease. It is clear from available literature that physical inactivity or its surrogates constitute an important independent risk factor for NCD. This is likely to be underestimated not only because of measurement issues, but also because physical inactivity may act through other risk factors for NCD. To recognize and intervene on the issue of physical inactivity in children is important not only for the benefit of the child but in the context of NCD in later life. Studies on physical inactivity and its functional correlates are limited in India and this would be an important area for future research.

Acute pancreatitis patient registry to examine novel therapies in clinical experience (APPRENTICE): an international, multicenter consortium for the study of acute pancreatitis.

PubMed

Papachristou, Georgios I; Machicado, Jorge D; Stevens, Tyler; Goenka, Mahesh Kumar; Ferreira, Miguel; Gutierrez, Silvia C; Singh, Vikesh K; Kamal, Ayesha; Gonzalez-Gonzalez, Jose A; Pelaez-Luna, Mario; Gulla, Aiste; Zarnescu, Narcis O; Triantafyllou, Konstantinos; Barbu, Sorin T; Easler, Jeffrey; Ocampo, Carlos; Capurso, Gabriele; Archibugi, Livia; Cote, Gregory A; Lambiase, Louis; Kochhar, Rakesh; Chua, Tiffany; Tiwari, Subhash Ch; Nawaz, Haq; Park, Walter G; de-Madaria, Enrique; Lee, Peter J; Wu, Bechien U; Greer, Phil J; Dugum, Mohannad; Koutroumpakis, Efstratios; Akshintala, Venkata; Gougol, Amir

2017-01-01

We have established a multicenter international consortium to better understand the natural history of acute pancreatitis (AP) worldwide and to develop a platform for future randomized clinical trials. The AP patient registry to examine novel therapies in clinical experience (APPRENTICE) was formed in July 2014. Detailed web-based questionnaires were then developed to prospectively capture information on demographics, etiology, pancreatitis history, comorbidities, risk factors, severity biomarkers, severity indices, health-care utilization, management strategies, and outcomes of AP patients. Between November 2015 and September 2016, a total of 20 sites (8 in the United States, 5 in Europe, 3 in South America, 2 in Mexico and 2 in India) prospectively enrolled 509 AP patients. All data were entered into the REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) database by participating centers and systematically reviewed by the coordinating site (University of Pittsburgh). The approaches and methodology are described in detail, along with an interim report on the demographic results. APPRENTICE, an international collaboration of tertiary AP centers throughout the world, has demonstrated the feasibility of building a large, prospective, multicenter patient registry to study AP. Analysis of the collected data may provide a greater understanding of AP and APPRENTICE will serve as a future platform for randomized clinical trials.

Developing the medicinal plants sector in northern India: challenges and opportunities

PubMed Central

Kala, Chandra Prakash; Dhyani, Pitamber Prasad; Sajwan, Bikram Singh

2006-01-01

The medicinal properties of plant species have made an outstanding contribution in the origin and evolution of many traditional herbal therapies. These traditional knowledge systems have started to disappear with the passage of time due to scarcity of written documents and relatively low income in these traditions. Over the past few years, however, the medicinal plants have regained a wide recognition due to an escalating faith in herbal medicine in view of its lesser side effects compared to allopathic medicine in addition the necessity of meeting the requirements of medicine for an increasing human population. Through the realization of the continuous erosion of traditional knowledge of plants used for medicine in the past and the renewed interest at the present time, a need existed to review this valuable knowledge of medicinal plants with the purpose of developing medicinal plants sectors across the different states in India. Our major objectives therefore were to explore the potential in medicinal plants resources, to understand the challenges and opportunities with the medicinal plants sector, and also to suggest recommendations based upon the present state of knowledge for the establishment and smooth functioning of the medicinal plants sector along with improving the living standards of the underprivileged communities. The review reveals that northern India harbors a rich diversity of valuable medicinal plants, and attempts are being made at different levels for sustainable utilization of this resource in order to develop the medicinal plants sector.

Congenital absence of the vermiform appendix.

PubMed

Sarkar, Aniruddha

2012-09-01

Agenesis of the vermiform appendix is very rare. The incidence is estimated to be one in 100,000 laparotomies for suspected appendicitis. During a routine dissection of the abdomen in a 60-year-old donated male cadaver, the vermiform appendix was found to be absent. The ileocaecal junction and retrocaecal area were thoroughly searched, but the vermiform appendix was not found or appeared to resemble a tubercle. This is likely the first reported case of agenesis of a vermiform appendix in India. This suggests the possibility that the human vermiform appendix would ultimately become rudimentary or absent in the course of evolution.

Evolution of target organ damage and haemodynamic parameters over 4 years in patients with increased insulin resistance: the LOD-DIABETES prospective observational study.

PubMed

Gómez-Marcos, Manuel Ángel; Recio-Rodríguez, José Ignacio; Patino-Alonso, María Carmen; Agudo-Conde, Cristina; Rodríguez-Sanchez, Emiliano; Maderuelo-Fernandez, Jose Angel; Gómez-Sánchez, Leticia; Gomez-Sanchez, Marta; García-Ortiz, Luís

2016-06-01

We prospectively examined the impact of type 2 diabetes compared with metabolic syndrome (MetS) on the development of vascular disease over 4 years as determined by anatomic and functional markers of vascular disease. By comparing the vascular outcomes of the 2 disorders, we seek to determine the independent effect of elevated glucose levels on vascular disease. 2 primary care centres in Salamanca, Spain. We performed a prospective observational study involving 112 patients (68 with type 2 diabetes and 44 with MetS) who were followed for 4 years. Measurements included blood pressure, blood glucose, lipids, smoking, body mass index, waist circumference, Homeostasis Model Assessment Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), hs-c-reactive protein and fibrinogen levels. We also evaluated vascular, carotid intima media thickness (IMT), pulse wave velocity (PWV) and ankle/brachial index, heart and renal target organ damage (TOD). The haemodynamic parameters were central (CAIx) and peripheral (PAIx) augmentation indices. In year 4, participants with type 2 diabetes had increased IMT thickness. These patients had more plaques and an IMT>0.90 mm. In participants with MetS, we only found an increase in the number of plaques. We found no changes in PWV, CAIx and PAIx. The patients with diabetes had a greater frequency of vascular TOD. There were no differences neither in renal nor cardiac percentage of TOD in the patients with MetS or diabetes mellitus type 2. This prospective study showed that the evolution of vascular TOD is different in participants with type 2 diabetes compared with those with MetS. While IMT and PWV increased in type 2 diabetes, these were not modified in MetS. The renal and cardiac TOD evolution, as well as the PAIx and CAIx, did not change in either group. NCT01065155; Results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Robotic instrumentation: Evolution and microsurgical applications

PubMed Central

Parekattil, Sijo J.; Moran, Michael E.

2010-01-01

This article presents a review of the history and evolution of robotic instrumentation and its applications in urology. A timeline for the evolution of robotic instrumentation is presented to better facilitate an understanding of our current-day applications. Some new directions including robotic microsurgical applications (robotic assisted denervation of the spermatic cord for chronic orchialgia and robotic assisted vasectomy reversal) are presented. There is a paucity of prospective comparative effectiveness studies for a number of robotic applications. However, right or wrong, human nature has always led to our infatuation with the concept of using tools to meet our needs. This chapter is a brief tribute to where we have come from and where we may be potentially heading in the field of robotic assisted urologic surgery. PMID:21116362

Ischemic Stroke Profile, Risk Factors, and Outcomes in India: The Indo-US Collaborative Stroke Project.

PubMed

Sylaja, P N; Pandian, Jeyaraj Durai; Kaul, Subhash; Srivastava, M V Padma; Khurana, Dheeraj; Schwamm, Lee H; Kesav, Praveen; Arora, Deepti; Pannu, Aman; Thankachan, Tijy K; Singhal, Aneesh B

2018-01-01

The Indo-US Collaborative Stroke Project was designed to characterize ischemic stroke across 5 high-volume academic tertiary hospitals in India. From January 2012 to August 2014, research coordinators and physician coinvestigators prospectively collected data on 2066 patients with ischemic stroke admitted <2 weeks after onset. Investigator training and supervision and data monitoring were conducted by the US site (Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston). The mean age was 58.3±14.7 years, 67.2% men. The median admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 10 (interquartile range, 5-15) and 24.5% had National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale ≥16. Hypertension (60.8%), diabetes mellitus (35.7%), and tobacco use (32.2%, including bidi/smokeless tobacco) were common risk factors. Only 4% had atrial fibrillation. All patients underwent computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging; 81% had cerebrovascular imaging. Stroke etiologic subtypes were large artery (29.9%), cardiac (24.9%), small artery (14.2%), other definite (3.4%), and undetermined (27.6%, including 6.7% with incomplete evaluation). Intravenous or intra-arterial thrombolysis was administered in 13%. In-hospital mortality was 7.9%, and 48% achieved modified Rankin Scale score 0 to 2 at 90 days. On multivariate analysis, diabetes mellitus predicted poor 3-month outcome and younger age, lower admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and small-artery etiology predicted excellent 3-month outcome. These comprehensive and novel clinical imaging data will prove useful in refining stroke guidelines and advancing stroke care in India. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Women in India with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Strategy (WINGS): Methodology and development of model of care for gestational diabetes mellitus (WINGS 4)

PubMed Central

Kayal, Arivudainambi; Mohan, Viswanathan; Malanda, Belma; Anjana, Ranjit Mohan; Bhavadharini, Balaji; Mahalakshmi, Manni Mohanraj; Maheswari, Kumar; Uma, Ram; Unnikrishnan, Ranjit; Kalaiyarasi, Gunasekaran; Ninov, Lyudmil; Belton, Anne

2016-01-01

Aim: The Women In India with GDM Strategy (WINGS) project was conducted with the aim of developing a model of care (MOC) suitable for women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in low- and middle-income countries. Methodology: The WINGS project was carried out in Chennai, Southern India, in two phases. In Phase I, a situational analysis was conducted to understand the practice patterns of health-care professionals and to determine the best screening criteria through a pilot screening study. Results: Phase II involved developing a MOC-based on findings from the situational analysis and evaluating its effectiveness. The model focused on diagnosis, management, and follow-up of women with GDM who were followed prospectively throughout their pregnancy. An educational booklet was provided to all women with GDM, offering guidance on self-management of GDM including sample meal plans and physical activity tips. A pedometer was provided to all women to monitor step count. Medical nutrition therapy (MNT) was the first line of treatment given to women with GDM. Women were advised to undergo fasting blood glucose and postprandial blood glucose testing every fortnight. Insulin was indicated when the target blood glucose levels were not achieved with MNT. Women were evaluated for pregnancy outcomes and postpartum glucose tolerance status. Conclusions: The WINGS MOC offers a comprehensive package at every level of care for women with GDM. If successful, this MOC will be scaled up to other resource-constrained settings with the hope of improving lives of women with GDM. PMID:27730085

Awareness and Knowledge of Glaucoma in Central India: A Hospital-Based Study.

PubMed

Maharana, Prafulla K; Rai, Vaishali G; Pattebahadur, Rajesh; Singhi, Shipra; Chauhan, Ashish K

2017-01-01

To assess the awareness and knowledge of glaucoma among people attending the ophthalmology outpatient department at a tertiary care hospital in central India. A prospective observational study. A questionnaire-based study was conducted, involving persons aged 18 and above attending the ophthalmology outpatient department from October 2014 to September 2015. Data on awareness and knowledge of glaucoma was collected through a face-to-face interview. Fourteen hundred people participated in the study. The mean age of participants was 43 ± 15 years (range, 18-85). The study participants included 53% men and 47% women. Only 27% (n = 380/1400) of the participants were aware of glaucoma. Age, sex, and presence or type of refractive error had no impact on glaucoma awareness. Awareness level was greater in individuals with higher education levels and those belonging to an upper socioeconomic class (SEC). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed significantly higher levels of glaucoma awareness among participants belonging to the upper 2 SECs (P = 0.05) and those educated above the high school level (P = 0.001). The most common source of awareness was close acquaintance with relatives, famly members, and friends of glaucoma patients. Awareness of glaucoma in India is low. Lack of education and lower socioeconomic status are the major risk factors for late preentation of glaucoma. Continuous presence of a low level of awareness and the same factors accounting for it warrants the need for an aggressive and refined approach to increase awareness of glaucoma to prevent glaucoma-related blindness. Copyright 2017 Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology.

Pest management through Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in a tea-silkworm ecosystem: status and potential prospects.

PubMed

Dashora, Kavya; Roy, Somnath; Nagpal, Akanksha; Roy, Sudipta Mukhopadhyay; Flood, Julie; Prasad, Anjali Km; Khetarpal, Ravinder; Neave, Suzanne; Muraleedharan, N

2017-03-01

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a soil bacterium that forms spores containing crystals comprising one or more Cry or Cyt proteins having potential and specific insecticidal activity. Different strains of Bt produce different types of toxins, affecting a narrow taxonomic group of insects. Therefore, it is used in non-chemical pest management, including inherent pest resistance through GM crops. The specificity of action of Bt toxins reduces the concern of adverse effects on non-target species, a concern which remains with chemical insecticides as well. To make use of Bt more sustainable, new strains expressing novel toxins are actively being sought globally. Since Bt is successfully used against many pests including the lepidopteran pests in different crop groups, the insecticidal activity against Samia cynthia (Drury) (Eri silkworm) and Antheraea assamensis Helfer (Muga silkworm) becomes a concern in the state of Assam in India which is a predominantly tea- and silk-producing zone. Though Bt can be used as an effective non-chemical approach for pest management for tea pests in the same geographical region, yet, it may potentially affect the silk industry which depends on silkworm. There is a need to identify the potentially lethal impact (through evaluating their mortality potential) of local Bt strains on key silkworm species in North Eastern India. This will allow the use of existing Bt for which the silkworms have natural resistance. Through this review, the authors aim to highlight recent progress in the use of Bt and its insecticidal toxins in tea pest control and the potential sensitivity for tea- and silk-producing zone of Assam in India.

Analysis of Food Pairing in Regional Cuisines of India

PubMed Central

Bagler, Ganesh

2015-01-01

Any national cuisine is a sum total of its variety of regional cuisines, which are the cultural and historical identifiers of their respective regions. India is home to a number of regional cuisines that showcase its culinary diversity. Here, we study recipes from eight different regional cuisines of India spanning various geographies and climates. We investigate the phenomenon of food pairing which examines compatibility of two ingredients in a recipe in terms of their shared flavor compounds. Food pairing was enumerated at the level of cuisine, recipes as well as ingredient pairs by quantifying flavor sharing between pairs of ingredients. Our results indicate that each regional cuisine follows negative food pairing pattern; more the extent of flavor sharing between two ingredients, lesser their co-occurrence in that cuisine. We find that frequency of ingredient usage is central in rendering the characteristic food pairing in each of these cuisines. Spice and dairy emerged as the most significant ingredient classes responsible for the biased pattern of food pairing. Interestingly while individual spices contribute to negative food pairing, dairy products on the other hand tend to deviate food pairing towards positive side. Our data analytical study highlighting statistical properties of the regional cuisines, brings out their culinary fingerprints that could be used to design algorithms for generating novel recipes and recipe recommender systems. It forms a basis for exploring possible causal connection between diet and health as well as prospection of therapeutic molecules from food ingredients. Our study also provides insights as to how big data can change the way we look at food. PMID:26430895

Analysis of Food Pairing in Regional Cuisines of India.

PubMed

Jain, Anupam; N K, Rakhi; Bagler, Ganesh

2015-01-01

Any national cuisine is a sum total of its variety of regional cuisines, which are the cultural and historical identifiers of their respective regions. India is home to a number of regional cuisines that showcase its culinary diversity. Here, we study recipes from eight different regional cuisines of India spanning various geographies and climates. We investigate the phenomenon of food pairing which examines compatibility of two ingredients in a recipe in terms of their shared flavor compounds. Food pairing was enumerated at the level of cuisine, recipes as well as ingredient pairs by quantifying flavor sharing between pairs of ingredients. Our results indicate that each regional cuisine follows negative food pairing pattern; more the extent of flavor sharing between two ingredients, lesser their co-occurrence in that cuisine. We find that frequency of ingredient usage is central in rendering the characteristic food pairing in each of these cuisines. Spice and dairy emerged as the most significant ingredient classes responsible for the biased pattern of food pairing. Interestingly while individual spices contribute to negative food pairing, dairy products on the other hand tend to deviate food pairing towards positive side. Our data analytical study highlighting statistical properties of the regional cuisines, brings out their culinary fingerprints that could be used to design algorithms for generating novel recipes and recipe recommender systems. It forms a basis for exploring possible causal connection between diet and health as well as prospection of therapeutic molecules from food ingredients. Our study also provides insights as to how big data can change the way we look at food.

Importance of Economic Evaluation in Health Care: An Indian Perspective.

PubMed

Dang, Amit; Likhar, Nishkarsh; Alok, Utkarsh

2016-05-01

Health economic studies provide information to decision makers for efficient use of available resources for maximizing health benefits. Economic evaluation is one part of health economics, and it is a tool for comparing costs and consequences of different interventions. Health technology assessment is a technique for economic evaluation that is well adapted by developed countries. The traditional classification of economic evaluation includes cost-minimization, cost-effectiveness analysis, cost-utility analysis, and cost-benefit analysis. There has been uncertainty in the conduct of such economic evaluations in India, due to some hesitancy with respect to the adoption of their guidelines. The biggest challenge in this evolutionary method is lack of understanding of methods in current use by all those involved in the provision and purchasing of health care. In some countries, different methods of economic evaluation have been adopted for decision making, most commonly to address the question of public subsidies for the purchase of medicines. There is limited evidence on the impact of health insurance on the health and economic well-being of beneficiaries in developing countries. India is currently pursuing several strategies to improve health services for its population, including investing in government-provided services as well as purchasing services from public and private providers through various schemes. Prospects for future growth and development in this field are required in India because rapid health care inflation, increasing rates of chronic conditions, aging population, and increasing technology diffusion will require greater economic efficiency into health care systems. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Video-enabled cue-exposure-based intervention improves postdischarge drinking outcomes among alcohol-dependent men: A prospective study at a government addiction treatment setting in India.

PubMed

Nattala, Prasanthi; Murthy, Pratima; Leung, Kit Sang; Rentala, Sreevani; Ramakrishna, Jayashree

2017-04-25

Returning to alcohol use following inpatient treatment occurs due to various real life cues/triggers. It is a challenge to demonstrate to patients how to deal with these triggers during inpatient treatment. Aims of the current study were (a) to evaluate the effectiveness of video-enabled cue-exposure-based intervention (VE-CEI) in influencing treatment outcomes in alcohol dependence, (b) to identify postdischarge predictors of intervention failure (returning to ≥50% of baseline alcohol consumption quantity/day). The VE-CEI comprises live action videos in which human characters model various alcohol use cues and strategies to deal with them effectively. The VE-CEI was administered to an inpatient alcohol-dependent sample (n = 43) and compared with treatment as usual (TAU) (n = 42) at a government addiction treatment setting in India. Patients were followed up over 6 months postdischarge to evaluate effectiveness of the VE-CEI on specific drinking outcomes. Over 6-month follow-up, VE-CEI group (vs. TAU) reported significantly lesser alcohol consumption quantity, fewer drinking days, and lower intervention failure rates. Results of multivariate Cox regression showed that participants who did not receive VE-CEI had an elevated risk of intervention failure (hazards ratio: 11.14; 95% confidence interval [4.93, 25.15]), other intervention failure predictors being early-onset dependence and increased baseline drinking. Findings provide evidence from India for effectiveness of cue-exposure-based intervention delivered using video technology in improving postdischarge treatment outcomes.

The Arts As Academic Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dorn, Charles M.

1984-01-01

The College Board's report "Academic Preparation for College" (APC) claims that study and performance in the arts are essential for success in college. Discussed are the APC report and its development, the APC arts statement and its evolution, and problems and prospects for implementation of the arts competencies. (RM)

Evolution of helping and harming in heterogeneous populations.

PubMed

Rodrigues, António M M; Gardner, Andy

2012-07-01

There has been much interest in understanding how demographic factors can mediate social evolution in viscous populations. Here, we examine the impact of heterogeneity in patch quality--that is, the availability of reproductive resources for each breeder--upon the evolution of helping and harming behaviors. We find that, owing to a cancellation of relatedness and kin competition effects, the evolution of obligate and facultative helping and harming is not influenced by the degree of viscosity in populations characterized by either spatial or temporal heterogeneity in patch quality. However, facultative helping and harming may be favored when there is both spatial and temporal heterogeneity in patch quality, with helping and harming being favored in both high-quality and low-quality patches. We highlight the prospect for using kin selection theory to explain within-population variation in social behavior, and point to the need for further theoretical and empirical investigation of this topic. © 2012 The Author(s).

Clonal evolution of chemotherapy-resistant urothelial carcinoma.

PubMed

Faltas, Bishoy M; Prandi, Davide; Tagawa, Scott T; Molina, Ana M; Nanus, David M; Sternberg, Cora; Rosenberg, Jonathan; Mosquera, Juan Miguel; Robinson, Brian; Elemento, Olivier; Sboner, Andrea; Beltran, Himisha; Demichelis, Francesca; Rubin, Mark A

2016-12-01

Chemotherapy-resistant urothelial carcinoma has no uniformly curative therapy. Understanding how selective pressure from chemotherapy directs the evolution of urothelial carcinoma and shapes its clonal architecture is a central biological question with clinical implications. To address this question, we performed whole-exome sequencing and clonality analysis of 72 urothelial carcinoma samples, including 16 matched sets of primary and advanced tumors prospectively collected before and after chemotherapy. Our analysis provided several insights: (i) chemotherapy-treated urothelial carcinoma is characterized by intra-patient mutational heterogeneity, and the majority of mutations are not shared; (ii) both branching evolution and metastatic spread are very early events in the natural history of urothelial carcinoma; (iii) chemotherapy-treated urothelial carcinoma is enriched with clonal mutations involving L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM) and integrin signaling pathways; and (iv) APOBEC-induced mutagenesis is clonally enriched in chemotherapy-treated urothelial carcinoma and continues to shape the evolution of urothelial carcinoma throughout its lifetime.

Clonal Evolution of Chemotherapy-resistant Urothelial Carcinoma

PubMed Central

Faltas, Bishoy M.; Prandi, Davide; Tagawa, Scott T.; Molina, Ana M.; Nanus, David M.; Sternberg, Cora; Rosenberg, Jonathan; Mosquera, Juan Miguel; Robinson, Brian; Elemento, Olivier; Sboner, Andrea; Beltran, Himisha; Demichelis, Francesca; Rubin, Mark A.

2017-01-01

Chemotherapy-resistant urothelial carcinoma (UC) has no uniformly curative therapy. Understanding how selective pressure from chemotherapy directs UC’s evolution and shapes its clonal architecture is a central biological question with clinical implications. To address this question, we performed whole-exome sequencing and clonality analysis of 72 UCs including 16 matched sets of primary and advanced tumors prospectively collected before and after chemotherapy. Our analysis provided several insights: (i) chemotherapy-treated UC is characterized by intra-patient mutational heterogeneity and the majority of mutations are not shared, (ii) both branching evolution and metastatic spread are very early events in the natural history of UC; (iii) chemotherapy-treated UC is enriched with clonal mutations involving L1-cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM) and integrin signaling pathways; (iv) APOBEC induced-mutagenesis is clonally-enriched in chemotherapy-treated UC and continues to shape UC’s evolution throughout its lifetime. PMID:27749842

Cosmological evolution of supermassive black holes in galactic centers unveiled by hard X-ray observations.

PubMed

Ueda, Yoshihiro

2015-01-01

We review the current understanding of the cosmological evolution of supermassive black holes in galactic centers elucidated by X-ray surveys of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Hard X-ray observations at energies above 2 keV are the most efficient and complete tools to find "obscured" AGNs, which are dominant populations among all AGNs. Combinations of surveys with various flux limits and survey area have enabled us to determine the space number density and obscuration properties of AGNs as a function of luminosity and redshift. The results have essentially solved the origin of the X-ray background in the energy band below ∼10 keV. The downsizing (or anti-hierarchical) evolution that more luminous AGNs have the space-density peak at higher redshifts has been discovered, challenging theories of galaxy and black hole formation. Finally, we summarize unresolved issues on AGN evolution and prospects for future X-ray missions.

Community Evolution in International Migration Top1 Networks.

PubMed

Peres, Mihaela; Xu, Helian; Wu, Gang

2016-01-01

Focusing on each country's topmost destination/origin migration relation with other countries, this study builds top1 destination networks and top1 origin networks in order to understand their skeletal construction and community dynamics. Each top1 network covers approximately 50% of the complete migrant network stock for each decade between 1960 and 2000. We investigate the community structure by implementing the Girvan-Newman algorithm and compare the number of components and communities to illustrate their differences. We find that (i) both top1 networks (origin and destination) exhibited communities with a clear structure and a surprising evolution, although 80% edges persist between each decade; (ii) top1 destination networks focused on developed countries exhibiting shorter paths and preferring more advance countries, while top1 origin networks focused both on developed as well as more substantial developing nations that presented a longer path and more stable groups; (iii) only few countries have a decisive influence on community evolution of both top1 networks. USA took the leading position as a destination country in top1 destination networks, while China and India were the main Asian emigration countries in top1 origin networks; European countries and the Russian Federation played an important role in both.

Community Evolution in International Migration Top1 Networks

PubMed Central

Xu, Helian

2016-01-01

Focusing on each country’s topmost destination/origin migration relation with other countries, this study builds top1 destination networks and top1 origin networks in order to understand their skeletal construction and community dynamics. Each top1 network covers approximately 50% of the complete migrant network stock for each decade between 1960 and 2000. We investigate the community structure by implementing the Girvan-Newman algorithm and compare the number of components and communities to illustrate their differences. We find that (i) both top1 networks (origin and destination) exhibited communities with a clear structure and a surprising evolution, although 80% edges persist between each decade; (ii) top1 destination networks focused on developed countries exhibiting shorter paths and preferring more advance countries, while top1 origin networks focused both on developed as well as more substantial developing nations that presented a longer path and more stable groups; (iii) only few countries have a decisive influence on community evolution of both top1 networks. USA took the leading position as a destination country in top1 destination networks, while China and India were the main Asian emigration countries in top1 origin networks; European countries and the Russian Federation played an important role in both. PMID:26859406

Full-Genome Characterization and Genetic Evolution of West African Isolates of Bagaza Virus

PubMed Central

Faye, Oumar; Diagne, Moussa Moise; Fall, Gamou; Sembene, Mbacke; Sall, Amadou Alpha; Faye, Ousmane

2018-01-01

Bagaza virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus, first isolated in 1966 in Central African Republic. It has currently been identified in mosquito pools collected in the field in West and Central Africa. Emergence in wild birds in Europe and serological evidence in encephalitis patients in India raise questions on its genetic evolution and the diversity of isolates circulating in Africa. To better understand genetic diversity and evolution of Bagaza virus, we describe the full-genome characterization of 11 West African isolates, sampled from 1988 to 2014. Parameters such as genetic distances, N-glycosylation patterns, recombination events, selective pressures, and its codon adaptation to human genes are assessed. Our study is noteworthy for the observation of N-glycosylation and recombination in Bagaza virus and provides insight into its Indian origin from the 13th century. Interestingly, evidence of Bagaza virus codon adaptation to human house-keeping genes is also observed to be higher than those of other flaviviruses well known in human infections. Genetic variations on genome of West African Bagaza virus could play an important role in generating diversity and may promote Bagaza virus adaptation to other vertebrates and become an important threat in human health. PMID:29652824

Full-Genome Characterization and Genetic Evolution of West African Isolates of Bagaza Virus.

PubMed

Faye, Martin; Faye, Oumar; Diagne, Moussa Moise; Fall, Gamou; Weidmann, Manfred; Sembene, Mbacke; Sall, Amadou Alpha; Faye, Ousmane

2018-04-13

Bagaza virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus, first isolated in 1966 in Central African Republic. It has currently been identified in mosquito pools collected in the field in West and Central Africa. Emergence in wild birds in Europe and serological evidence in encephalitis patients in India raise questions on its genetic evolution and the diversity of isolates circulating in Africa. To better understand genetic diversity and evolution of Bagaza virus, we describe the full-genome characterization of 11 West African isolates, sampled from 1988 to 2014. Parameters such as genetic distances, N-glycosylation patterns, recombination events, selective pressures, and its codon adaptation to human genes are assessed. Our study is noteworthy for the observation of N-glycosylation and recombination in Bagaza virus and provides insight into its Indian origin from the 13th century. Interestingly, evidence of Bagaza virus codon adaptation to human house-keeping genes is also observed to be higher than those of other flaviviruses well known in human infections. Genetic variations on genome of West African Bagaza virus could play an important role in generating diversity and may promote Bagaza virus adaptation to other vertebrates and become an important threat in human health.

Building local research and development capacity for the prevention and cure of neglected diseases: the case of India.

PubMed

Kettler, H E; Modi, R

2001-01-01

This paper examines the proposal to build research and development (R&D) capabilities for dealing with neglected infectious and tropical diseases in countries where they are endemic, as a potentially cost- and time-effective way to fill the gap between the supply of and need for new medicines. With reference to the situation in India, we consider the competencies and incentives needed by companies so that their strategy can be shifted from reverse engineering of existing products to investment in R&D for new products. This requires complex reforms, of which the intellectual property rights agreement is only one. We also consider whether Indian companies capable of conducting research and development are likely to target neglected diseases. Patterns of patenting and of R&D, together with evidence from interviews we have conducted, suggest that Indian companies, like multinational corporations, are likely to target global diseases because of the prospect of much greater returns. Further studies are required on how Indian companies would respond to push and pull incentives originally designed to persuade multinational corporations to do more R&D on neglected diseases.

Outcome of first-episode schizophrenia in India: longitudinal study of effect of insight and psychopathology.

PubMed

Saravanan, Balasubramanian; Jacob, K S; Johnson, Shanthi; Prince, Martin; Bhugra, Dinesh; David, Anthony S

2010-06-01

Transcultural studies have found lack of insight to be an almost invariable feature of acute and chronic schizophrenia, but its influence on prognosis is unclear. To investigate the relationship between insight, psychopathology and outcome of first-episode schizophrenia in Vellore, India. Patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia (n = 131) were assessed prospectively at baseline and at 6-month and 12-month follow-up. Demographic and clinical measures included insight, psychopathology, duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and social functioning. Linear and logistic regression was used to measure predictors of outcome. Follow-up data were available for 115 patients at 1 year. All achieved remission, half of them with and half without residual symptoms. Changes in psychopathology and insight during the first 6 months and DUP strongly predicted outcome (relapse or functional impairment), controlling for baseline measures. Outcome of schizophrenia in this setting is driven by early symptomatic improvement and is relatively favourable, in line with other studies from low- and middle-income countries. Early improvement in insight might be a useful clinical guide to future outcome. Reduction of DUP should be a target for intervention.

Building local research and development capacity for the prevention and cure of neglected diseases: the case of India.

PubMed Central

Kettler, H. E.; Modi, R.

2001-01-01

This paper examines the proposal to build research and development (R&D) capabilities for dealing with neglected infectious and tropical diseases in countries where they are endemic, as a potentially cost- and time-effective way to fill the gap between the supply of and need for new medicines. With reference to the situation in India, we consider the competencies and incentives needed by companies so that their strategy can be shifted from reverse engineering of existing products to investment in R&D for new products. This requires complex reforms, of which the intellectual property rights agreement is only one. We also consider whether Indian companies capable of conducting research and development are likely to target neglected diseases. Patterns of patenting and of R&D, together with evidence from interviews we have conducted, suggest that Indian companies, like multinational corporations, are likely to target global diseases because of the prospect of much greater returns. Further studies are required on how Indian companies would respond to push and pull incentives originally designed to persuade multinational corporations to do more R&D on neglected diseases. PMID:11545331

Role of information technology (IT) in public health, India (problems & prospects): Role of information communication technology (ICT) in disease surveillance under Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP).

PubMed

Sharma, Rajeev; Luthra, Pallavi; Karad, Amit; Dhariwal, A C; Ichhpujani, R L; Lal, Shiv

2010-06-01

Information Communication Technology (ICT) has proven to be a strong public health tool. Keeping the future need of country and building National Disease Surveillance System, Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP) was launched by Hon'ble Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare in November 2004. It is a decentralized, State based surveillance program in the country. It is intended to detect early warning signals of impending outbreaks and help initiate an effective response in a timely manner. One of the major components of the project is the - use of Information Technology for collection, collation, compilation, analysis and dissemination of data besides distance education and video conferencing. A network of 800 sites across India has been established through Satellite, Broadband and High end Video conferencing equipments. The network is managed by a team of data managers and data entry operators at all state surveillance units and district surveillance units respectively. The network was proven to be extremely useful to respond to the current influenza A H1N1 pandemic. It is proposed to extend the network to cover private sector and provide convergence with other National Health Programs.

Current status of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis infection in animals & humans in India: What needs to be done?

PubMed

Singh, Ajay Vir; Chauhan, Devendra Singh; Singh, Shoor Vir; Kumar, Vijay; Singh, Abhinendra; Yadav, Anjali; Yadav, Virendra Singh

2016-11-01

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) has emerged as a major health problem for domestic livestock and human beings. Reduced per animal productivity of domestic livestock seriously impacts the economics of dairy farming globally. High to very high bioload of MAP in domestic livestock and also in the human population has been reported from north India. Presence of live MAP bacilli in commercial supplies of raw and pasteurized milk and milk products indicates its public health significance. MAP is not inactivated during pasteurization, therefore, entering into human food chain daily. Recovery of MAP from patients with inflammatory bowel disease or Crohn's disease and animal healthcare workers suffering with chronic gastrointestinal problems indicate a close association of MAP with a number of chronic and other diseases affecting human health. Higher bioload of MAP in the animals increases the risk of exposure to the human population with MAP. This review summarizes the current status of MAP infection in animals as well as in human beings and also highlights the prospects of effective management and control of disease in animals to reduce the risk of exposure to human population.

Incidence of infection following internal fixation of open and closed tibia fractures in India (INFINITI): a multi-centre observational cohort study.

PubMed

Doshi, Prakash; Gopalan, Hitesh; Sprague, Sheila; Pradhan, Chetan; Kulkarni, Sunil; Bhandari, Mohit

2017-04-14

Trauma is a major public health problem, particularly in India due to the country's rapid urbanization. Tibia fractures are a common and often complicated injury that is at risk of infection following surgical fixation. The primary objectives of this cohort study were to determine the incidence of infection within one year of surgery and to describe the distribution of infections by location and time of diagnosis for tibia fractures in India. We conducted a multi-center, prospective cohort study. Patients who presented with an open or closed tibia fracture treated with internal fixation to one of the participating hospitals in India were invited to participate in the study. Participants attended follow-up visits at 3, 6, and 12 months post-surgery, where they were assessed for infections, fracture healing, and health-related quality of life as measured by the EurQol-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D). Seven hundred eighty-seven participants were included in the study and 768 participants completed the 12 month follow-up. The overall incidence of infection was 2.9% (23 infections). The incidence of infection was 1.6% (10 infections) in closed and 8.0% (13 infections) in open fractures. There were 7 deep and 16 superficial infections, with 5 being early, 7 being delayed, and 11 being late infections. Intra-operative antibiotics were given to 92.1% of participants and post-operative antibiotics were given to 96.8% of participants. Antibiotics were prescribed for an average of 8.3 days for closed fractures and 9.1 days for open fractures. Infected fractures took significantly longer to heal, and participants who had an infection had significantly lower EQ-5D scores. The incidence of infection within this cohort is similar to those seen in developed countries. The duration of prophylactic antibiotic use was longer than standard practice in North America, raising concern for the potential development of antibiotic resistant microbes within Indian orthopaedic settings. Future research should aim to identify the best practice for antibiotic use in India to ensure that antibiotic usage patterns do not lead to unnecessary overuse, while maintaining a low incidence of infection. NCT01691599 , September 17, 2012.

Technological Prospection on Nanotechnologies Applied to the Petroleum Industry.

PubMed

Parreiras, Viviane M A; de S Antunes, Adelaide M

2015-01-01

This paper presents a technological prospection on nanotechnologies applied to the petroleum industry through the creation of a worldwide overview regarding scientific paper publications and patents concerning that business, with the purpose of identifying the main trends on research and development (R&D), the annual evolution, as well as the key agents and countries involved. In this research, it was possible to verify the presence of services oil companies, like Baker, Schlumberger and Halliburton. In scientific paper publications, it was possible to observe university departments, related to petroleum studies, from different countries, as Thailand, China, USA, Iran.

Molecular engineering of industrial enzymes: recent advances and future prospects.

PubMed

Yang, Haiquan; Li, Jianghua; Shin, Hyun-Dong; Du, Guocheng; Liu, Long; Chen, Jian

2014-01-01

Many enzymes are efficiently produced by microbes. However, the use of natural enzymes as biocatalysts has limitations such as low catalytic efficiency, low activity, and low stability, especially under industrial conditions. Many protein engineering technologies have been developed to modify natural enzymes and eliminate these limitations. Commonly used protein engineering strategies include directed evolution, site-directed mutagenesis, truncation, and terminal fusion. This review summarizes recent advances in the molecular engineering of industrial enzymes and discusses future prospects in this field. We expect this review to increase interest in and advance the molecular engineering of industrial enzymes.

Mass Spectrometry of Large, Fragile, and Involatile Molecules.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Busch, Kenneth L.; Cooks, R. Graham

1982-01-01

Desorption ionization (DI) is used to obtain mass spectra of molecules whose vaporization by heating may lead to thermal degradation. Discusses DI techniques, characteristics of DI mass spectra, ion production, current applications of DI in mass spectroscopy, developments in DI, and prospects for future evolution of new DI techniques. (Author/JN)

Prospect for Development of Open Access in Argentina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miguel, Sandra; Bongiovani, Paola C.; Gomez, Nancy D.; Bueno-de-la-Fuente, Gema

2013-01-01

This perspective article presents an overview of the Open Access movement in Argentina, from a global and regional (Latin American) context. The article describes the evolution and current state of initiatives by examining two principal approaches to Open Access in Argentina: "golden" and "green roads". The article will then…

Blended Learning: Deficits and Prospects in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuesta Medina, Liliana

2018-01-01

This article examines the nature and evolution of the term blended learning (BL), which encompasses numerous connotations, including its conception as a strategy, delivery mode, opportunity, educational shift, or pedagogical approach. Although much has been said in this field, very few studies examine the different types of blends behind their…

Development Aid: A Guide to Facts and Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Silva, Leelananda

This eight-chapter book provides information on Official Development Assistance (ODA), its importance in relation to developed and developing countries, and its prospects and limitations. Major areas discussed include: (1) the institutional evolution of development aid; (2) forms of ODA, including project aid, program aid, bilateral aid,…

Partners or Competitors?: The Evolution of the DoD/CIA Relationship Since Desert Storm and its Prospects for the Future

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-23

Afghanistan.” 39 the shoulders of these two organizations, but on Congressional choices as well. It...Christopher J. Lamb . United States Special Operations Forces. New York, NY: Columbia University Press, 2007. Walker, Stephen G, Akan Malici, and Mark

Fractional phenomenology of cosmic ray anomalous diffusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchaikin, V. V.

2013-11-01

We review the evolution of the cosmic ray diffusion concept from the ordinary (Einstein) model of Brownian motion to the fractional models that appeared in the last decade. The mathematical and physical foundations of these models are discussed, as are their consequences, related problems, and prospects for further development.

Jurassic to Miocene magmatism and metamorphism in the Mogok metamorphic belt and the India-Eurasia collision in Myanmar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barley, M. E.; Pickard, A. L.; Zaw, Khin; Rak, P.; Doyle, M. G.

2003-06-01

Situated south of the eastern Himalayan syntaxis at the western margin of the Shan-Thai terrane the high-grade Mogok metamorphic belt (MMB) in Myanmar occupies a key position in the tectonic evolution of Southeast Asia. The first sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe U-Pb in zircon geochronology for the MMB shows that strongly deformed granitic orthogneisses near Mandalay contain Jurassic (˜170 Ma) zircons that have partly recrystallized during ˜43 Ma high-grade metamorphism. A hornblende syenite from Mandalay Hill also contains Jurassic zircons with evidence of Eocene metamorphic recrystallization rimmed by thin zones of 30.9 ± 0.7 Ma magmatic zircon. The relative abundance of Jurassic zircons in these rocks is consistent with suggestions that southern Eurasia had an Andean-type margin at that time. Mid-Cretaceous to earliest Eocene (120 to 50 Ma) I-type granitoids in the MMB, Myeik Archipelago, and Western Myanmar confirm that prior to the collision of India, an up to 200 km wide magmatic belt extended along the Eurasian margin from Pakistan to Sumatra. Metamorphic overgrowths to zircons in the orthogneiss near Mandalay date a period of Eocene (˜43 Ma) high-grade metamorphism possibly during crustal thickening related to the initial collision between India and Eurasia (at 65 to 55 Ma). This was followed by emplacement of syntectonic hornblende syenites and leucogranites between 35 and 23 Ma. Similar syntectonic syenites and leucogranites intruded the Ailao Shan-Red River shear belt in southern China and Vietnam during the Eocene-Oligocene to Miocene, and the Wang Chao and Three Pagodas faults in northern Thailand (that most likely link with the MMB) were also active at this time. The complex history of Eocene to early Miocene metamorphism, deformation, and magmatism in the MMB provides evidence that it may have played a key role in the network of deformation zones that accommodated strain during the northwards movement of India and resulting extrusion or rotation of Indochina.

Commercialization of a novel fermentation concept.

PubMed

Mazumdar-Shaw, Kiran; Suryanarayan, Shrikumar

2003-01-01

Fermentation is the core of biotechnology where current methodologies span across technologies based on the use of either solid or liquid substrates. Traditionally, solid substrate fermentation technologies have been the widely practiced in the Far East to manufacture fermented foods such as soya sauce, sake etc. The Western World briefly used solid substrate fermentation for the manufacture of antibiotics and enzymes but rapidly replaced this technology with submerged fermentation which proved to be a superior technology in terms of automation, containment and large volume fermentation. Biocon India developed its enzyme technology based on solid substrate fermentation as a low-cost, low-energy option for the production of specialty enzymes. However, the limitations of applying solid substrate fermentation to more sophisticated biotechnology products as well as large volume fermentations were recognized by Biocon India as early as 1990 and the company embarked on a 8 year research and development program to develop a novel bioreactor capable of conducting solid substrate fermentation with comparable levels of automation and containment as those practiced by submerged fermentation. In addition, the novel technology enabled fed-batch fermentation, in situ extraction and other enabling features that will be discussed in this article. The novel bioreactor was christened the "PlaFractor" (pronounced play-fractor). The next level of research on this novel technology is now focused on addressing large volume fermentation. This article traces the evolution of Biocon India's original solid substrate fermentation to the PlaFractor technology and provides details of the scale-up and commercialization processes that were involved therein. What is also apparent in the article is Biocon India's commercially focused research programs and the perceived need to be globally competitive through low costs of innovation that address, at all times, processes and technologies that exhibit high degrees of conformance to the international standards of regulatory and good manufacturing practice.

Overweight and obesity prevalence among Indian women by place of residence and socio-economic status: Contrasting patterns from 'underweight states' and 'overweight states' of India.

PubMed

Sengupta, Angan; Angeli, Federica; Syamala, Thelakkat S; Dagnelie, Pieter C; van Schayck, C P

2015-08-01

Evidence from developing countries demonstrates a mixed relationship of overweight/obesity with socioeconomic status (SES) and place of residence. Theory of nutrition transition suggests that over the course of development, overweight first emerges among rich and urban people before spreading among rural and poor people. India is currently experiencing a rapid rise in the proportion of overweight and obese population especially among adult women. Under the backdrop of huge socio-economic heterogeneity across the states of India, the inter-state scenario of overweight and obesity differs considerably. Hence, this paper investigates the evolution over time of overweight and obesity among ever-married Indian women (15-49 years) from selected 'underweight states' (Bihar, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh, where underweight proportion is predominant) and 'overweight states' (Kerala, Delhi and Punjab, where overweight is the prime concern), in relation to a few selected socio-economic and demographic indicators. This study analysed National Family Health Surveys- NFHS-2 (1998-99) and NFHS-3 (2005-06) following Asian population specific BMI cut-offs for overweight and obesity. The results confirm that within India itself the relationship of overweight and obesity with place of residence and SES cannot be generalized. Results from 'overweight states' show that the overweight problem has started expanding from urban and well-off women to the poor and rural people, while the rural-urban and rich-poor difference has disappeared. On the other hand in 'underweight states' overweight and obesity have remained socially segregated and increasing strongly among urban and richer section of the population. The rate of rise of overweight and obesity has been higher in rural areas of 'OW states' and in urban areas of 'UW states'. Indian policymakers thus need to design state-specific approaches to arrest the rapid growth of overweight and its penetration especially towards under-privileged section of the society. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of Vishnu Fracture Zone on Tectono-Stratigraphy of Kerala Deepwater Basin, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bastia, R.; Krishna, K. S.; Nathaniel, D. M.; Tenepalli, S.

2008-12-01

Integration of regional seismic data extending from coast to deep water with the gravity-magnetics reveals the expression and evolution of ridge systems and fracture zones in Indian Ocean. Kerala deepwater basin, situated in the south-western tip of India, is bounded by two prominent north-south oriented ocean fracture zones viz., Vishnu (west) and Indrani (east) of the Indian Ocean. Vishnu Fracture Zone (VFZ), which extends from the Kerala shelf southward to the Carlsberg-Ridge, over a length of more than 2500 km, has a strong bearing on the sedimentation as well as structural fabric of the basin. VFZ is identified as the transform plate margin formed during Late-Cretaceous-Tertiary separation of Seychelles from India. Represented by a highly deformed structural fabric, VFZ forms an abrupt boundary between ocean floors of about 65 MY in the west and 140 MY in the east, implying a great scope for sedimentary pile on this very older ocean floor. Armed with this premise of an older sedimentary pile towards east of VFZ, congenial for petroleum hunt, the implemented modern long offset seismic program with an objective to enhance sub-basalt (Deccan) imagery, gravity-magnetic modelling and plate-tectonic reconstructions unraveled huge Mesozoic Basin, unheard earlier. Multi-episodic rifting in western continental margin of India starting during Mid Jurassic Karoo rift along the western Madagascar, Kerala deepwater basin, and western Antarctica and conjugate margins of Africa forms the main corridor for sedimentation. Subsequent Late Cretaceous dextral oblique extension of Madagascar rift reactivated pre-existing structural framework creating major accommodation zones along the southern tip of India. Followed by separation of Seychelles during KT boundary led to the formation of VFZ (an oceanic fracture zone) forming a transform boundary between newly formed Tertiary oceanic crust to the west and older basin to the east. The pulses of right-lateral movement were associated with various degrees of transpression, transtension, uplift and erosion. This activity continued in stages until Mid.Miocene, subsequent to phase of India- Seychelles separation. As a result, Mesozoic stratigraphy was inverted along VFZ's eastern border, folded in the basin centers and finally shifted the Tertiary depo-center towards east of VFZ. Plate tectonic reconstruction of Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous demonstrates that the basin as situated in the north-east part of Proto-Mozambique Ocean, with Antarctica as the major provenance of sediment supply under favorable conditions for organic enrichment of sediments.

Trends in plant research using molecular markers.

PubMed

Garrido-Cardenas, Jose Antonio; Mesa-Valle, Concepción; Manzano-Agugliaro, Francisco

2018-03-01

A deep bibliometric analysis has been carried out, obtaining valuable parameters that facilitate the understanding around the research in plant using molecular markers. The evolution of the improvement in the field of agronomy is fundamental for its adaptation to the new exigencies that the current world context raises. In addition, within these improvements, this article focuses on those related to the biotechnology sector. More specifically, the use of DNA markers that allow the researcher to know the set of genes associated with a particular quantitative trait or QTL. The use of molecular markers is widely extended, including: restriction fragment length polymorphism, random-amplified polymorphic DNA, amplified fragment length polymorphism, microsatellites, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms. In addition to classical methodology, new approaches based on the next generation sequencing are proving to be fundamental. In this article, a historical review of the molecular markers traditionally used in plants, since its birth and how the new molecular tools facilitate the work of plant breeders is carried out. The evolution of the most studied cultures from the point of view of molecular markers is also reviewed and other parameters whose prior knowledge can facilitate the approach of researchers to this field of research are analyzed. The bibliometric analysis of molecular markers in plants shows that top five countries in this research are: US, China, India, France, and Germany, and from 2013, this research is led by China. On the other hand, the basic research using Arabidopsis is deeper in France and Germany, while other countries focused its efforts in their main crops as the US for wheat or maize, while China and India for wheat and rice.

Crustal structure and tectonics of the northern part of the Southern Granulite Terrane, India

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rao, V.V.; Sain, K.; Reddy, P.R.; Mooney, W.D.

2006-01-01

Deep seismic reflection studies investigating the exposed Archean lower continental crust of the Southern Granulite Terrane, India, yield important constraints on the nature and evolution of the deep crust, including the formation and exhumation of granulites. Seismic reflection images along the Kuppam-Bhavani profile reveal a band of reflections that dip southward from 10.5 to 15.0??s two-way-time (TWT), across a distance of 50??km. The bottom of these reflections beneath the Dharwar craton is interpreted as the Moho. Further south, another reflection band dipping northward is observed. These bands of reflectivity constitute a divergent reflection fabric that converges at the Moho boundary observed at the Mettur shear zone. Reflection fabrics that intersect at a steep angle are interpreted as a collisional signature due to the convergence of crustal blocks, which we infer resulted in crustal thickening and the formation of granulites. Anomalous gravity and magnetic signatures are also observed across the Mettur shear zone. The gravity model derived from the Bouguer gravity data corroborates seismic results. The tectonic regime and seismic reflection profiles are combined in a 3-D representation that illustrates our evidence for paleo-subduction at a collision zone. The structural dissimilarities and geophysical anomalies suggest that the Mettur shear zone is a suture between the Dharwar craton in the north and another crustal block in the south. This study contributes significantly to our understanding of the operation of Archean plate tectonics, here inferred to involve collision and subduction. Furthermore, it provides an important link between the Gondwanaland and global granulite evolution occurring throughout the late Archean. ?? 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Palynology and detrital zircon geochronology of the Carboniferous Fenestella Shale Formation of the Tethyan realm in Kashmir Himalaya: Implications for global correlation and floristic evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agnihotri, Deepa; Pandita, Sundeep K.; Tewari, Rajni; Ram-Awatar; Linnemann, Ulf; Pillai, S. Suresh K.; Joshi, Arun; Gautam, Saurabh; Kumar, Kamlesh

2018-05-01

First palynological data, supplemented by detrital zircon U-Pb ages, from the Fenestella Shale Formation near the Gund Village in the Banihal area of Jammu and Kashmir State, India, provide new insights into the floristic evolution of Gondwana during the Late Palaeozoic, especially in India, from where the Carboniferous-Permian macro- and microfloral records are impoverished. We also present a first approach to the palynological correlation of the Carboniferous-Permian palynoassemblages described from the various Gondwana countries. The palynomorphs from the Fenestella Shale Formation are fairly well preserved and diversified and include 11 genera and 18 species. While the trilete spores and striate bisaccate pollen grains are scarce, monosaccate pollen taxa mainly - Parasaccites, Plicatipollenites and Potonieisporites are dominant. The assemblage is most similar to the Parasaccites korbaensis palynozone of the Lower Gondwana basins of the Indian peninsula and the Stage 2 palynozone of the late Carboniferous of east Australia. Besides, it is comparable with the known Carboniferous assemblages of Pakistan, Yemen and South America; Carboniferous-early Permian assemblages of South Africa and Permian assemblages of Antarctica. The sediment source of the siliciclastic shelf and delta deposits intercalated in the Fenestella Shale Formation is a hinterland in which Precambrian rocks dominantly were exposed and the Th-U ratios of detrital zircons suggest, that most rocks exposed on the erosion level in the hinterland had a felsic composition. The youngest U-Pb zircon age of the investigated fossiliferous strata is 329 ± 16 Ma (late Visean to early Serpukhovian), providing a maximum age of deposition of the studied succession. Based on the affinities of the palynofloral assemblage and earlier palaeontological records, a warm, temperate and arid climate has been inferred for the Fenestella Shale Formation.

Geochemical fingerprinting of ∼2.5 Ga forearc-arc-backarc related magmatic suites in the Bastar Craton, central India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asthana, Deepanker; Kumar, Sirish; Vind, Aditya Kumar; Zehra, Fatima; Kumar, Harshavardhan; Pophare, Anil M.

2018-05-01

The Pitepani volcanic suite of the Dongargarh Supergroup, central India comprises of a calc-alkaline suite and a tholeiitic suite, respectively. The rare earth element (REE) patterns, mantle normalized plots and relict clinopyroxene chemistry of the Pitepani calc-alkaline suite are akin to high-Mg andesites (HMA) and reveal remarkable similarity to the Cenozoic Setouchi HMA from Japan. The Pitepani HMAs are geochemically correlated with similar rocks in the Kotri-Dongargarh mobile belt (KDMB) and in the mafic dykes of the Bastar Craton. The rationale behind lithogeochemical correlations are that sanukitic HMAs represent fore-arc volcanism over a very limited period of time, under abnormally high temperature conditions and are excellent regional and tectonic time markers. Furthermore, the tholeiitic suites that are temporally and spatially associated with the HMAs in the KDMB and in the mafic dykes of the Bastar Craton are classified into: (a) a continental back-arc suite that are depleted in incompatible elements, and (b) a continental arc suite that are more depleted in incompatible elements, respectively. The HMA suite, the continental back-arc and continental arc suites are lithogeochemically correlated in the KDMB and in the mafic dykes of the Bastar Craton. The three geochemically distinct Neoarchaean magmatic suites are temporally and spatially related to each other and to an active continental margin. The identification of three active continental margin magmatic suites for the first time, provides a robust conceptual framework to unravel the Neoarchaean geodynamic evolution of the Bastar Craton. We propose an active continental margin along the Neoarchaen KDMB with eastward subduction coupled with slab roll back or preferably, ridge-subduction along the Central Indian Tectonic Zone (CITZ) to account for the three distinct magmatic suites and the Neoarchean geodynamic evolution of the Bastar Craton.

Influence of Madden-Julian Oscillation on water budget transported by the Somali low-level jet and the associated Indian summer monsoon rainfall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ordonez, Paulina; Ribera, Pedro; Gallego, David; Pena-Ortiz, Cristina

2013-10-01

Recent studies suggest that there is a strong linkage between the moisture uptake over the equatorial area of the Somali low level jet (SLLJ) and the rainfall variability over most of continental India. Additionally, the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) strongly modulates the intraseasonal variability of the Indian summer monsoon rainfall, since the northward propagation of the boreal summer MJO is closely associated with the active and break phases of monsoon rainfall. But a question remains open: is there a relationship between the moisture transported by the SLLJ and the MJO evolution? In this paper, a Lagrangian approach is used to track the evaporation minus precipitation (E - P) evolution along trajectories of particles initially situated over the equatorial region of SLLJ. The impact of the MJO on the water budget transport of the SLLJ is examined by making composites of the obtained (E-P) fields for the different MJO phases. The spatial structures of the boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation are revealed in our results, which strongly suggest that the main responsible for the rainfall variability associated to the MJO in these regions are the changes in the moisture advected by the SLLJ. In order to assess the MJO-SLLJ interaction, an analysis of the total-column mass and the total-column specific humidity transported by the SLLJ during the MJO life cycle is performed. While a systematic difference between air mass advected to India during active and break phases of MJO is not detected, changes in the moisture of particles are found, with wet (dry) anomalies over enhanced (suppressed) convection region. This result implicitly leads to assume air-sea interaction processes.

Evolution of Ethics in Clinical Research and Ethics Committee

PubMed Central

Das, Nilay Kanti; Sil, Amrita

2017-01-01

Ethics are the moral values of human behavior and the principles which govern these values. The situation becomes challenging for a doctor when he assumes the role of researcher. The doctor-researcher has to serve both the roles and at times the zeal of an investigator has the potential to cloud the morality of the physician inside. It is very important to realize that exploiting the faith of patients is an offence that tantamount to a crime. Medical science is one discipline where the advancement of knowledge is hugely guided by research and mankind has benefitted from many experiments. However benefit and risk are the two faces of the same coin. Various unethical human experiments made us realize that the whims of researchers need to be reined and led to the evolution of the first guidelines for researcher, the Nuremberg code. Thereafter the Good Clinical Practice guidelines serve as the guiding doctrine of clinical research. The principles of ethics rest on the four pillars of autonomy, beneficence, justice, non-maleficence and recently two more pillars are added which includes, confidentiality and honesty. Ethics committees serve as a guardian of these principles. The multidisciplinary Ethics Committee ensures a competent review of the ethical aspects of the project proposal submitted and does it free from any bias or external influence. Ethical review of clinical trial applications follows a decentralized process in India, and requires Ethics Committee approval for each trial site. All Ethics committees have to be registered with Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) without which they cannot approve any clinical trial protocol and has come into effect from 25th February 2013. PMID:28794547

Beyond the Standard Model: Will it be the Theory of Everything?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ne'eman, Yuval

What is the lesson? I have pointed out elsewhere [2]-[4] to the role of research in providing for the introduction of a random element in the evolution of human societies. Any evolutionary process involves: (1) a mechanism producing random `mutations' and (2) a process of selection by positive innovation, preserved through some stability criteria. A truly `important' discovery is one which could not be predicted by extrapolation from the previous stage. Moreover, the evolution of science itself similarly benefits from serendipity[5, 6], namely unexpected results popping up in a research program, e.g. Fleming's discovery of antibiotics, after finding the bacteria dead in a Petrie dish whose cover was not well closed. When deciding on a research proposal, it is not sufficient to judge its merits by the expected results as described by the investigator. Other important criteria should include the extent to which the project might explore virgin sectors of phenomena - and the researcher's previous performance, especially in noticing new openings (had he or she been faced with Fleming's dead bacteria, would the only conclusion have consisted in a decision to tighten the lid next time?) A further illustration of the role of the unexpected is that the route to India via the Pacific is indeed utilized nowadays because it is the shortest - for travellers from California, for instance. Thus, Columbus's trip and serendipitous discovery has served - after a few hundred years, to create a market for the product he was advertising in his proposal - trips to India. In any case, although the Salamanca referees were correct, Columbus's connection at the court did manage to ensure that his project be funded - and America discovered.

Evolution of Ethics in Clinical Research and Ethics Committee.

PubMed

Das, Nilay Kanti; Sil, Amrita

2017-01-01

Ethics are the moral values of human behavior and the principles which govern these values. The situation becomes challenging for a doctor when he assumes the role of researcher. The doctor-researcher has to serve both the roles and at times the zeal of an investigator has the potential to cloud the morality of the physician inside. It is very important to realize that exploiting the faith of patients is an offence that tantamount to a crime. Medical science is one discipline where the advancement of knowledge is hugely guided by research and mankind has benefitted from many experiments. However benefit and risk are the two faces of the same coin. Various unethical human experiments made us realize that the whims of researchers need to be reined and led to the evolution of the first guidelines for researcher, the Nuremberg code. Thereafter the Good Clinical Practice guidelines serve as the guiding doctrine of clinical research. The principles of ethics rest on the four pillars of autonomy, beneficence, justice, non-maleficence and recently two more pillars are added which includes, confidentiality and honesty. Ethics committees serve as a guardian of these principles. The multidisciplinary Ethics Committee ensures a competent review of the ethical aspects of the project proposal submitted and does it free from any bias or external influence. Ethical review of clinical trial applications follows a decentralized process in India, and requires Ethics Committee approval for each trial site. All Ethics committees have to be registered with Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) without which they cannot approve any clinical trial protocol and has come into effect from 25th February 2013.

Seismic anisotropy beneath South China Sea: using SKS splitting to constrain mantle flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, M.; Le, K.; Yang, T.

2011-12-01

The evolution of South China Sea is under debate and several hypotheses have been proposed: (1) The collision of India plate and Eurasia plate; (2) the backward movement of the Pacific subduction plate; (3) mantle upwelling; and (4) combinations of above hypotheses. All these causal mechanisms emphasize the contributions of deep structures to the evolution of South China Sea. In this study we use earthquake data recorded by seismic stations surrounding South China Sea to constrain mantle flow beneath. To fill the vacancy of seismic data in Viet Nam, we deployed 4 seismic stations (VT01-VT04) in a roughly north - south orientation in Viet Nam in Nov. 2009. We combine the VT dataset with the AD and MY datasets from IRIS and select 81 events for SKS splitting analysis. Measurements were made at 11 stations using Wolfe and Silver (1998)'s multi-event stacking procedure. Our observed splitting directions in Vietnam are generally consistent with those of Bai et. al. (2009) . In northern Vietnam, the splitting times are around 1 sec and the fast directions are NWW-SEE, parallel to the absolute plate motion as well as the motion of the Earth surface, implying the crust and the mantle are coupled in this region and is moving as a result of the collision of India and China. While in southern Vietnam and Malaya, the fast directions are NE-SW, almost perpendicular to the absolute plate motion as well as the surface motion of Eurasia plate. However, the observed NE-SW is parallel to the subduction direction of the Australian plate, which might be caused by the mantle flow along NE-SW induced by the subduction.

Goniometric Assessment of Muscle Tone of Preterm Infants and Impact of Gestational Age on Its Maturation in Indian Setting.

PubMed

Farmania, Rajni; Sitaraman, S; Das, Rashmi Ranjan

2017-08-01

The normative data on muscle tone of preterm infants by goniometric assessment in Indian setting are scarce. The aim of this study it to provide a normative objective data of muscle tone of preterm infants by gestation using goniometer. This was a prospective, observational study including preterm infants admitted in a tertiary care hospital from North India. The objective dimension of muscle tone assessment of 204 healthy preterm infants was done; 61 infants completed follow-up till 40 weeks' postconceptional age (PCA) and were compared to term infants. SPSS (version 16.0) was used. The intergroup comparison was done through ANOVA, and the localization of differences between the groups was determined through multiple comparisons by post hoc test. Mean gestational age was 34.3 ± 1.7 weeks. Angles were as follows: adductor = 100.1 ± 8.7, popliteal = 118.9 ± 8.6, dorsiflexion = 39.0 ± 9.0, heel to ear = 121.90 ± 7.90, wrist flexion = 46.0 ± 10.2, and arm recoil = 122.2° ± 16.6°. The evolution of muscle tone as indicated by heel-to-ear angle shows progressive maturation from 32 weeks' gestation while adductor angle, popliteal angle, and arm recoil mature predominantly after 36 weeks' gestation. Comparison of preterm infants to term at 40 weeks' PCA demonstrated significantly less tone in all except posture and heel to ear. Goniometric assessment provides a objective normative data of muscle tone for preterm infants. Maturation of heel to ear and posture evolves from 32 weeks onwards and are the earliest neurologic marker to mature in preterm infants independent of the gestational age at birth.

Cenozoic evolution of the Pamir plateau recorded in surrounding basins, implications on Asian climate, land-sea distribution and biotic crises

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dupont Nivet, G.; Yang, W.; Blayney, T.; Bougeois, L.; Manceau, C.; Najman, Y.; Proust, J. N.; Guo, Z.; Grothe, A.; Mandic, O.; Fioroni, C.

2014-12-01

The Cenozoic Pamir orogen formed in response to the India-Asia collision. Existing datasets shows that the range grew since ca. 25 Ma, however the early Cenozoic history remains unconstrained. In that period, global climate changed from greenhouse to icehouse, the proto-Paratethys sea retreated out of Asia and continental aridification as well as monsoons established over Asia. These environmental changes are held responsible for major floral and faunal crises. However, the causal relationships between these events remains to be established because of the lack of accurate age constraints on their geological records. Here, we provide well-dated stratigraphic records using magneto- and bio-stratigraphy from the basins surrounding the Pamir. Southeast of the Pamir, along the Kunlun Shan into the southwestern Tarim Basin, Eocene marine deposits are continuously overlain by 41 to 15 Ma continental redbeds themselves overlain by conglomerates in a classic foreland sequence with upward increasing grain-size, accumulation rates and provenance proximity. However, North of the Pamir along the southwestern Tian Shan and West of the Pamir into the Afghan-Tadjik Basin, the entire Oligocene period appears to be missing from the record between the last marine and the first continental sediments dated to the Early Miocene. This supports a simple model in response to initial Eocene Pamir indentation with foreland basin activation in the Southeast related to the Kunlun Shan northward thrusting, followed much later by early Miocene activation of the northern foreland basin related to the southwestern Tian Shan overthrusting. The coeval activation of a lithospheric right-lateral strike-slip system along the Pamir/Tarim boundary may have enabled to transfer deformation from the India-Asia collision to the Tian Shan and possibly the Talas Fergana fault. This simple model suggests the following two-stage paleoenvironmental evolution: (1) Late Eocene sea retreat linked to the onset of Pamir indentation in conjunction with global sea-level drop, decreasing CO2 levels and ice-cap formation and (2) Early Miocene Tarim Basin closure by northward indentation of the Pamir plateau. This two-stage evolution is consistent with the Eocene occurrence of continental aridity and Asian Monsoons and their Early Miocene intensification.

Evolution of foot-and-mouth disease virus serotype A capsid coding (P1) region on a timescale of three decades in an endemic context.

PubMed

Das, Biswajit; Mohapatra, Jajati K; Pande, Veena; Subramaniam, Saravanan; Sanyal, Aniket

2016-07-01

Three decades-long (1977-2013) evolutionary trend of the capsid coding (P1) region of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotype A isolated in India was analysed. The exclusive presence of genotype 18 since 2001 and the dominance of the VP3(59)-deletion group of genotype 18 was evident in the recent years. Clade 18c was found to be currently the only active one among the three clades (18a, 18b and 18c) identified in the deletion group. The rate of evolution of the Indian isolates at the capsid region was found to be 4.96×10(-3)substitutions/site/year. The timescale analysis predicted the most recent common ancestor to have existed during 1962 for Indian FMDV serotype A and around 1998 for the deletion group. The evolutionary pattern of serotype A in India appears to be homogeneous as no spatial or temporal structure was observed. Bayesian skyline plots indicate a sharp decline in the effective number of infections after 2008, which might be a result of mass vaccination or inherent loss of virus fitness. Analyses of variability at 38 known antigenically critical positions in a countrywide longitudinal data set suggested that the substitutions neither followed any specific trend nor remained fixed for a long period since frequent reversions and convergence was noticed. A maximum of 6 different amino acid residues was seen in the gene pool at any antigenically critical site over the decades, suggesting a limited combination of residues being responsible for the observed antigenic variation. Evidence of positive selection at some of the antigenically critical residues and the structurally proximal positions suggest a possible role of pre-existing immunity in the host population in driving evolution. The VP1 C-terminus neither revealed variability nor positive selection, suggesting the possibility that this stretch does not contribute to the antigenic variation and adaptation under immune selection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Origin and evolution of outer solar system atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lunine, J. I.

1989-01-01

The origin and evolution of the atmospheres of bodies in the outer solar system is studied on the basis of the abundances of key molecular species. Formation models in which significant infall of icy and rocky planetesimals accompanies planet formation is supported by the enrichment of methane and deuterated species from Jupiter and Neptune. The chemistry of the solar nebula and Titan are discussed. The prospects for obtaining information on the atmosphere of Triton from the Voyager 2 mission are considered. It is found that the mean density of the Pluto-Charon system implies an origin in the rather water-poor solar nebula.

Reusable thermal protection system development: A prospective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldstein, Howard

1992-01-01

The state of the art in passive reusable thermal protection system materials is described. Development of the Space Shuttle Orbiter, which was the first reusable vehicle, is discussed. The thermal protection materials and given concepts and some of the shuttle development and manufacturing problems are described. Evolution of a family of grid and flexible ceramic external insulation materials from the initial shuttle concept in the early 1970's to the present time is described. The important properties and their evolution are documented. Application of these materials to vehicles currently being developed and plans for research to meet the space programs future needs are summarized.

Research and Application of Marine Microbial Enzymes: Status and Prospects

PubMed Central

Zhang, Chen; Kim, Se-Kwon

2010-01-01

Over billions of years, the ocean has been regarded as the origin of life on Earth. The ocean includes the largest range of habitats, hosting the most life-forms. Competition amongst microorganisms for space and nutrients in the marine environment is a powerful selective force, which has led to evolution. The evolution prompted the marine microorganisms to generate multifarious enzyme systems to adapt to the complicated marine environments. Therefore, marine microbial enzymes can offer novel biocatalysts with extraordinary properties. This review deals with the research and development work investigating the occurrence and bioprocessing of marine microbial enzymes. PMID:20631875

Evolution of body weight parameters up to 3 years after solid organ transplantation: The prospective Swiss Transplant Cohort Study.

PubMed

Beckmann, Sonja; Nikolic, Nataša; Denhaerynck, Kris; Binet, Isabelle; Koller, Michael; Boely, Elsa; De Geest, Sabina

2017-03-01

Obesity and weight gain are serious concerns after solid organ transplantation (Tx); however, no unbiased comparison regarding body weight parameter evolution across organ groups has yet been performed. Using data from the prospective nationwide Swiss Transplant Cohort Study, we compared the evolution of weight parameters up to 3 years post-Tx in 1359 adult kidney (58.3%), liver (21.7%), lung (11.6%), and heart (8.4%) recipients transplanted between May 2008 and May 2012. Changes in mean weight and body mass index (BMI) category were compared to reference values from 6 months post-Tx. At 3 years post-Tx, compared to other organ groups, liver Tx recipients showed the greatest weight gain (mean 4.8±10.4 kg), 57.4% gained >5% body weight, and they had the highest incidence of obesity (38.1%). After 3 years, based on their BMI categories at 6 months, normal weight and obese liver Tx patients, as well as underweight kidney, lung and heart Tx patients had the highest weight gains. Judged against international Tx patient data, the majority of our Swiss Tx recipients' experienced lower post-Tx weight gain. However, our findings show weight gain pattern differences, both within and across organ Tx groups that call for preventive measures. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Continuing evolution of equine influenza virus in Central Asia, 2007-2012.

PubMed

Karamendin, Kobey; Kydyrmanov, A; Kasymbekov, Y; Khan, E; Daulbayeva, K; Asanova, S; Zhumatov, K; Seidalina, A; Sayatov, M; Fereidouni, S R

2014-09-01

Equine influenza (EI) continues to be an important respiratory pathogen of horses worldwide. Since 2007 several outbreaks of EI have occurred in Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, western Mongolia, India and western China. Phylogenetic analysis showed that two H3N8 equine influenza virus (EIV) isolates from Kazakhstan, A/equine/Almaty/26/2007 and A/equine/South Kazakhstan/236/12, were related to Florida sublineage 2, with high similarity to EIVs circulating in the same period in neighbouring countries. New outbreaks of EI during 2011 and 2012 in Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries were caused by viruses of the same lineage. Genetic characterization of the viruses showed formation of a small EIV cluster with specific genetic signatures and continued evolution of this lineage in Central Asia between 2007 and 2012. The main genetic changes were observed in hemagglutinin gene without any antigenic drift. Although no vaccination policy was carried out in Kazakhstan, application of Florida clade 2-based vaccines is recommended.

Spectral classification of selected ISOGAL sources using Himalayan Chandra Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joshi, U. C.; Ganesh, S.; Baliyan, K. S.; Parthasarathy, M.; Schultheis, M.; Rajpurohit, A.; Simon, G.; Omont, A.

The ISOGAL survey (Omont et al. 1999) is devoted to the observation of selected regions of the Galactic plane in the mid-infrared with ISOCAM. More than 240 fields were observed at 7 and 15 micron wave-bands with ISOCAM at an angular resolution of 6'' which has provided a complete census, in the areas surveyed, of the stars in the late stages (RGB/AGB phases) of stellar evolution. Optical counterparts are detected for some of the ISOGAL sources in the directions where the extinction is relatively lower. We obtained optical spectra of ˜100 such sources with the Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT), India and estimated their spectral classes. Optical spectroscopy together with mid-IR data is expected to allow us to obtain the spectral-type vs mass-loss relation which are important parameters to understand the late stages of stellar evolution. In this paper, we present a set of spectra taken in the field FC97 for which ISOGAL survey is complete.

Rural Panel Surveys in Developing Countries: A Selective Review

PubMed Central

Hao, Lingxin; Wang, Weidong; Xie, Guihua

2017-01-01

Rural panel surveys are the most appropriate means to provide data for studying the unprecedented rapid migration and urbanization currently taking place in China and other developing countries. To maximize heterogeneity in urbanization and development over the last three decades, we selected rural panel surveys from five Asian countries, including India, Indonesia, Nepal, Thailand, and China. This paper provides a selective review, focusing on their panel survey methodology, which is organized based on our proposed four basics of panel surveys – representativeness, retrospect-prospect, multilevel tracking, and temporality. We analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of the selected panel surveys to provide directions for designing future rural panel studies in China and elsewhere in the developing world. PMID:29201494

Comparison of ISS, NISS, and RTS score as predictor of mortality in pediatric fall.

PubMed

Soni, Kapil Dev; Mahindrakar, Santosh; Gupta, Amit; Kumar, Subodh; Sagar, Sushma; Jhakal, Ashish

2017-01-01

Studies to identify an ideal trauma score tool representing prediction of outcomes of the pediatric fall patient remains elusive. Our study was undertaken to identify better predictor of mortality in the pediatric fall patients. Data was retrieved from prospectively maintained trauma registry project at level 1 trauma center developed as part of Multicentric Project-Towards Improving Trauma Care Outcomes (TITCO) in India. Single center data retrieved from a prospectively maintained trauma registry at a level 1 trauma center, New Delhi, for a period ranging from 1 October 2013 to 17 February 2015 was evaluated. Standard anatomic scores Injury Severity Score (ISS) and New Injury Severity Score (NISS) were compared with physiologic score Revised Trauma Score (RTS) using receiver operating curve (ROC). Heart rate and RTS had a statistical difference among the survivors to nonsurvivors. ISS, NISS, and RTS were having 50, 50, and 86% of area under the curve on ROCs, and RTS was statistically significant among them. Physiologically based trauma score systems (RTS) are much better predictors of inhospital mortality in comparison to anatomical based scoring systems (ISS and NISS) for unintentional pediatric falls.

Regulated compensation for kidney donors in the Philippines.

PubMed

Padilla, Benita S

2009-04-01

The purpose of this review is to discuss the recent events and experiences in the Philippines related to compensated kidney donation. Between 2002 and 2008, the Philippine government, through the Department of Health, administered a program called the Philippine Organ Donation Program that allowed prospective kidney providers to sign up, be allocated to prospective recipients and receive gratuities for their kidney. Transplant tourism flourished during this period because of rampant disregard for the regulation limiting foreign recipients to 10% of total kidney transplants. There is evidence of inadequate donor care. Efforts to curb the problem included a ban on foreigners coming to the Philippines to have kidney transplants with Filipinos as donors as well as strengthening of the implementing rules and regulations of both the antihuman trafficking law and the organ donation law that allowed donation after brain death. The experience in the Philippines mirrored those in India and Pakistan where paid donors reported poor outcomes. An effective national kidney disease prevention program and the deceased donor program for transplantation should be aggressively promoted. Legislation against transplant commercialism is needed.

Intercomparison of microphysical datasets collected from CAIPEEX observations and WRF simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pattnaik, S.; Goswami, B.; Kulkarni, J.

2009-12-01

In the first phase of ongoing Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX) program of Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), intensive cloud microphysical datasets are collected over India during the May through September, 2009. This study is designed to evaluate the forecast skills of existing cloud microphysical parameterization schemes (i.e. single moment/double moments) within the WRF-ARW model (Version 3.1.1) during different intensive observation periods (IOP) over the targeted regions spreading all across India. Basic meteorological and cloud microphysical parameters obtained from the model simulations are validated against the observed data set collected during CAIPEEX program. For this study, we have considered three IOP phases (i.e. May 23-27, June 11-15, July 3-7) carried out over northern, central and western India respectively. This study emphasizes the thrust to understand the mechanism of evolution, intensification and distribution of simulated precipitation forecast upto day four (i.e. 96 hour forecast). Efforts have also been made to carryout few important microphysics sensitivity experiments within the explicit schemes to investigate their respective impact on the formation and distribution of vital cloud parameters (e.g. cloud liquid water, frozen hydrometeors) and model rainfall forecast over the IOP regions. The characteristic features of liquid and frozen hydrometers in the pre-monsoon and monsoon regimes are examined from model forecast as well as from CAIPEEX observation data set for different IOPs. The model is integrated in a triply nested fashion with an innermost nest explicitly resolved at a horizontal resolution of 4km.In this presentation preliminary results from aforementioned research initiatives will be introduced.

Compound effects of temperature and precipitation in making droughts more frequent in Marathwada, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mondal, A.; Zachariah, M.; Achutarao, K. M.; Otto, F. E. L.

2017-12-01

The Marathwada region in Maharashtra, India is known to suffer significantly from agrarian crisis including farmer suicides resulting from persistent droughts. Drought monitoring in India is commonly based on univariate indicators that consider the deficiency in precipitation alone. However, droughts may involve complex interplay of multiple physical variables, necessitating an integrated, multivariate approach to analyse their behaviour. In this study, we compare the behaviour of drought characteristics in Marathwada in the recent years as compared to the first half of the twentieth century, using a joint precipitation and temperature-based Multivariate Standardized Drought Index (MSDI). Drought events in the recent times are found to exhibit exceptional simultaneous anomalies of high temperature and precipitation deficits in this region, though studies on precipitation alone show that these events are within the range of historically observed variability. Additionally, we also develop multivariate copula-based Severity-Duration-Frequency (SDF) relationships for droughts in this region and compare their natures pre- and post- 1950. Based on multivariate return periods considering both temperature and precipitation anomalies, as well as the severity and duration of droughts, it is found that droughts have become more frequent in the post-1950 period. Based on precipitation alone, such an observation cannot be made. This emphasizes the sensitivity of droughts to temperature and underlines the importance of considering compound effects of temperature and precipitation in order to avoid an underestimation of drought risk. This observation-based analysis is the first step towards investigating the causal mechanisms of droughts, their evolutions and impacts in this region, particularly those influenced by anthropogenic climate change.

Feminist discourse on sex screening and selective abortion of female foetuses.

PubMed

Moazam, Farhat

2004-06-01

Although a preference for sons is reportedly a universal phenomenon, in some Asian societies daughters are considered financial and cultural liabilities. Increasing availability of ultrasonography and amniocentesis has led to widespread gender screening and selective abortion of normal female foetuses in many countries, including India. Feminists have taken widely divergent positions on the morality of this practice. Feminists from India have strongly opposed it, considering it as a further disenfranchisement of females in their patriarchal society, and have agitated successfully for legislative prohibitions. Libertarian feminists on the other hand, primarily from the United States, have argued that any prohibition of the use of this technology is a curtailment of a woman's reproductive choices and a violation of her right to make autonomous decisions regarding procreation. Using India as an illustrative case, this paper argues that in the context of what prevails in some societies, an ethical argument that hinges on the principle of autonomy as understood in the West can be problematic. Furthermore, a liberal theoretical assumption that it is always better to have more rather than fewer choices may not hold up well against the realities of life for such women. Although feminists have little disagreement concerning substantive matters, it is in the area of strategy that differences of opinion have arisen, their moral reasoning and responses shaped by the culture, ethnicity, class and race to which they belong. A view that a single 'orthodox' feminism of any variety can embody the aspiration of all women reverts to the problematic issues in the evolution of the rationalistic, individualistic, 'male' ethics against which women have consistently raised objections.

Where A Is Ordinary: The Evolution of American College and University Grading, 1940-2009

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rojstaczer, Stuart; Healy, Christopher

2012-01-01

Background/Context: College grades can influence a student's graduation prospects, academic motivation, postgraduate job choice, professional and graduate school selection, and access to loans and scholarships. Despite the importance of grades, national trends in grading practices have not been examined in over a decade, and there has been a…

Reflections on the Future Development of Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France).

Designed to explore the prospects for the development of education throughout the 1980s and 1990s, this study looked at general trends in education in the course of the 1970s, socio-economic evolution in the world, and foreseeable advances in science and technology, in order to outline the priorities for international cooperation. Within the…

Maniac Talk

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-05-02

Jagadish Shukla Maniac Lecture, May 2, 2016 Dr. Jagadish Shukla, Distinguished University Professor, George Mason University, presented a Maniac Talk entitled, "From Ballia to Boston: A Village Boy Goes to MIT and Goddard." Shukla's story begins as a boy who was born in a small village in the Ballia District of India, walked barefoot while grazing cattle, learned Sanskrit and Math under a kerosene lamp, used bullock carts and elephants for transportation, and somehow ended up at MIT and Goddard. The lecture also included a personal retrospective of the origins of the idea of predictability in the midst of chaos, and the evolution from Numerical Weather Prediction to Numerical Climate Prediction.

Clinical trials in dentistry in India: Analysis from trial registry.

PubMed

Gowri, S; Kannan, Sridharan

2017-01-01

Evidence-based practice requires clinical trials to be performed. In India, if any clinical trial has to be performed, it has to be registered with clinical trial registry of India. Studies have shown that the report of clinical trials is poor in dentistry. Hence, the present study has been conducted to assess the type and trends of clinical trials being undertaken in dentistry in India over a span of 6 years. All the clinical trials which were registered with the Central Trial Registry of India (CTRI) (www.ctri.nic.in) from January 1, 2007 to March 3, 2014 were evaluated using the keyword "dental." Following information were collected for each of the clinical trials obtained from the search; number of centres (single center/multicentric), type of the institution undertaking the research (government/private/combined), study (observational/interventional), study design (randomized/single blinded/double-blinded), type of health condition, type of participants (healthy/patients), sponsors (academia/commercial), phase of clinical trial (Phase 1/2/3/4), publication details (published/not published), whether it was a postgraduate thesis or not and prospective or retrospective registration of clinical trials, methodological quality (method of randomization, allocation concealment). Descriptive statistics was used for analysis of various categories. Trend analysis was done to assess the changes over a period of time. The search yielded a total of 84 trials of which majority of them were single centered. Considering the study design more than half of the registered clinical trials were double-blinded (47/84 [56%]). With regard to the place of conducting a trial, most of the trials were planned to be performed in private hospitals (56/84 [66.7%]). Most (79/84, 94.1%) of the clinical trials were interventional while only 5/84 (5.9%) were observational. Majority (65/84, 77.4%) of the registered clinical trials were recruiting patients while the rest were being done in healthy participants. From 2011, some of the postgraduate thesis trials had also been registered (2011-8; 2012-8; 2013-13; 2014-6). Inadequacy in reporting the method of randomization and allocation concealment was observed in 37/67 (55.2%) and 31/67 (46.2%) clinical trials respectively. A considerable number of postgraduate theses was also registered with CTRI in dentistry and majority of the clinical trials despite being completed are not yet published. The number of clinical trials in dentistry are low in India, and more focus should be placed by dental investigators regarding the reporting standards. Furthermore, researchers and trial sponsors should aim at publication of the research findings so that it is made publically available for use. A clear-cut need exists for an increase in both the quantity and quality of clinical trials in dentistry.

Adapting clinical paradigms to the challenges of cancer clonal evolution.

PubMed

Murugaesu, Nirupa; Chew, Su Kit; Swanton, Charles

2013-06-01

Emerging evidence suggests that cancer branched evolution may affect biomarker validation, clinical outcome, and emergence of drug resistance. The changing spatial and temporal nature of cancer subclonal architecture during the disease course suggests the need for longitudinal prospective studies of cancer evolution and robust and clinically implementable pathologic definitions of intratumor heterogeneity, genetic diversity, and chromosomal instability. Furthermore, subclonal heterogeneous events in tumors may evade detection through conventional biomarker strategies and influence clinical outcome. Minimally invasive methods for the study of cancer evolution and new approaches to clinical study design, incorporating understanding of the dynamics of tumor clonal architectures through treatment and during acquisition of drug resistance, have been suggested as important areas for development. Coordinated efforts will be required by the scientific and clinical trial communities to adapt to the challenges of detecting infrequently occurring somatic events that may influence clinical outcome and to understand the dynamics of cancer evolution and the waxing and waning of tumor subclones over time in advanced metastatic epithelial malignancies. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of advanced propulsion options for the next manned transportation system: Propulsion evolution study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spears, L. T.; Kramer, R. D.

1990-01-01

The objectives were to examine launch vehicle applications and propulsion requirements for potential future manned space transportation systems and to support planning toward the evolution of Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) and Space Transportation Main Engine (STME) engines beyond their current or initial launch vehicle applications. As a basis for examinations of potential future manned launch vehicle applications, we used three classes of manned space transportation concepts currently under study: Space Transportation System Evolution, Personal Launch System (PLS), and Advanced Manned Launch System (AMLS). Tasks included studies of launch vehicle applications and requirements for hydrogen-oxygen rocket engines; the development of suggestions for STME engine evolution beyond the mid-1990's; the development of suggestions for STME evolution beyond the Advanced Launch System (ALS) application; the study of booster propulsion options, including LOX-Hydrocarbon options; the analysis of the prospects and requirements for utilization of a single engine configuration over the full range of vehicle applications, including manned vehicles plus ALS and Shuttle C; and a brief review of on-going and planned LOX-Hydrogen propulsion technology activities.

The rule of declining adaptability in microbial evolution experiments

PubMed Central

Couce, Alejandro; Tenaillon, Olivier A.

2015-01-01

One of the most recurrent observations after two decades of microbial evolution experiments regards the dynamics of fitness change. In a given environment, low-fitness genotypes are recurrently observed to adapt faster than their more fit counterparts. Since adaptation is the main macroscopic outcome of Darwinian evolution, studying its patterns of change could potentially provide insight into key issues of evolutionary theory, from fixation dynamics to the genetic architecture of organisms. Here, we re-analyze several published datasets from experimental evolution with microbes and show that, despite large differences in the origin of the data, a pattern of inverse dependence of adaptability with fitness clearly emerges. In quantitative terms, it is remarkable to observe little if any degree of idiosyncrasy across systems as diverse as virus, bacteria and yeast. The universality of this phenomenon suggests that its emergence might be understood from general principles, giving rise to the exciting prospect that evolution might be statistically predictable at the macroscopic level. We discuss these possibilities in the light of the various theories of adaptation that have been proposed and delineate future directions of research. PMID:25815007

Acute pancreatitis patient registry to examine novel therapies in clinical experience (APPRENTICE): an international, multicenter consortium for the study of acute pancreatitis

PubMed Central

Papachristou, Georgios I.; Machicado, Jorge D.; Stevens, Tyler; Goenka, Mahesh Kumar; Ferreira, Miguel; Gutierrez, Silvia C.; Singh, Vikesh K.; Kamal, Ayesha; Gonzalez-Gonzalez, Jose A.; Pelaez-Luna, Mario; Gulla, Aiste; Zarnescu, Narcis O.; Triantafyllou, Konstantinos; Barbu, Sorin T.; Easler, Jeffrey; Ocampo, Carlos; Capurso, Gabriele; Archibugi, Livia; Cote, Gregory A.; Lambiase, Louis; Kochhar, Rakesh; Chua, Tiffany; Tiwari, Subhash Ch.; Nawaz, Haq; Park, Walter G.; de-Madaria, Enrique; Lee, Peter J.; Wu, Bechien U.; Greer, Phil J.; Dugum, Mohannad; Koutroumpakis, Efstratios; Akshintala, Venkata; Gougol, Amir

2017-01-01

Background We have established a multicenter international consortium to better understand the natural history of acute pancreatitis (AP) worldwide and to develop a platform for future randomized clinical trials. Methods The AP patient registry to examine novel therapies in clinical experience (APPRENTICE) was formed in July 2014. Detailed web-based questionnaires were then developed to prospectively capture information on demographics, etiology, pancreatitis history, comorbidities, risk factors, severity biomarkers, severity indices, health-care utilization, management strategies, and outcomes of AP patients. Results Between November 2015 and September 2016, a total of 20 sites (8 in the United States, 5 in Europe, 3 in South America, 2 in Mexico and 2 in India) prospectively enrolled 509 AP patients. All data were entered into the REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) database by participating centers and systematically reviewed by the coordinating site (University of Pittsburgh). The approaches and methodology are described in detail, along with an interim report on the demographic results. Conclusion APPRENTICE, an international collaboration of tertiary AP centers throughout the world, has demonstrated the feasibility of building a large, prospective, multicenter patient registry to study AP. Analysis of the collected data may provide a greater understanding of AP and APPRENTICE will serve as a future platform for randomized clinical trials. PMID:28042246

Clinical Correlates and Drug Resistance in HIV-Infected and -Uninfected Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients in South India

PubMed Central

Sara, Chandy; Elsa, Heylen; Baijayanti, Mishra; Lennartsdotter, Ekstrand Maria

2016-01-01

Objectives To examine demographics, clinical correlates, sputum AFB (acid fast bacilli) smear grading DOTS (Directly Observed Therapy Short Course) uptake, and drug resistance in a cohort of newly-diagnosed, smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients with respect to HIV status at baseline, and compare smear conversion rates, side effects and mortality after two months. Design A prospective study among 54 HIV positive and 41 HIV negative pulmonary TB patients. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews, review of medical records, and lab tests. Results HIVTB co-infected patients, though more symptomatic at baseline, showed more improvement in their symptoms compared to HIV-uninfected TB patients at follow-up. The HIV co-infected group had more prevalent perceived side effects, and sputum smear positivity was marginally higher compared to the HIV negative group at follow-up. Mortality was higher among the HIV-infected group. Both groups had high rates of resistance to first-line anti-tubercular drugs, particularly isoniazid. There was no significant difference in the drug resistance patterns between the groups. Conclusions Prompt initiation and provision of daily regimens of ATT (Anti-Tubercular treatment) along with ART (Anti-Retroviral treatment) via ART centers is urgently needed in India. As resistance to ART and/or ATT is directly linked to medication non-adherence, the use of counseling, regular reinforcement, early detection and appropriate intervention strategies to tackle this complex issue could help prevent premature mortality and development of resistance in HIV-TB co-infected patients. The high rate of isoniazid resistance might preclude its use in India as prophylaxis for latent TB in HIV infected persons as per the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline. PMID:27708985

Determinants of common mental disorder, alcohol use disorder and cognitive morbidity among people coming for HIV testing in Goa, India.

PubMed

Mayston, Rosie; Patel, Vikram; Abas, Melanie; Korgaonkar, Priya; Paranjape, Ramesh; Rodrigues, Savio; Prince, Martin

2015-03-01

To investigate associations between background characteristics (psychosocial adversity, risk behaviours/perception of risk and HIV-related knowledge, perceptions and beliefs) and psychological and cognitive morbidity among people coming for testing for HIV/AIDS in Goa, India. Analysis of cross-sectional baseline data (plus HIV status) from a prospective cohort study. Participants were recruited at the time of coming for HIV testing. Consistent with associations found among general population samples, among our sample of 1934 participants, we found that indicators of psychosocial adversity were associated with CMD (common mental disorder - major depression, generalised anxiety and panic disorder) among people coming for testing for HIV. Similarly, perpetration of intimate partner violence was associated with AUD (alcohol use disorder). Two STI symptoms were associated with CMD, and sex with a non-primary partner was associated with AUD. Suboptimal knowledge about HIV transmission and prevention was associated with low cognitive test scores. In contrast with other studies, we found no evidence of any association between stigma and CMD. There was no evidence of modification of associations by HIV status. Among people coming for testing for HIV/AIDS in Goa, India, we found that CMD occurred in the context of social and economic stressors (violence, symptoms of STI, poor education and food insecurity) and AUD was associated with violence and risky sexual behaviour. Further research is necessary to understand the role of gender, stigma and social norms in determining the relationship between sexual and mental health. Understanding associations between these background characteristics and psychological morbidity may help inform the design of appropriate early interventions for depression among people newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

UNDERSTANDING HARD ROCK HYDROGEOLOGY THROUGH AN EXPERIMENTAL HYDROGEOLOGICAL PARK IN SOUTH INDIA: Site development and investigations on the major role of the fractured zone in crystalline aquifers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, S.; Guiheneuf, N.; Boisson, A.; Marechal, J.; Chandra, S.; Dewandel, B.; Perrin, J.

2012-12-01

In water stressed south India most of the groundwater used for irrigation is pumped from crystalline rocks aquifers. In those structures groundwater flow dominantly occur in a shallow higher-permeability zone that overlies a deeper lower-permeability zone hosting little flow. The fractured zone of the weathering profile plays an important role for groundwater. In order to understand clearly this impact on water availability and quality changes the Experimental Hydrogeological Park at Choutuppal, Andhra Pradesh, India is developed in the framework of the SORE H+ network. Several hydraulic tests (injection, flowmeter profiles, single-packer tests…) and geophysical measurements (ERT, Borehole logging…) are carried out on the site in order to characterize the depth-dependence of hydrodynamic parameters in the Indian Archean granite. Specific investigation on a borewell through packer tests demonstrate that the most conductive part of the aquifer corresponds to the upper part of the fractured layer, located just below the saprolite bottom, between 15 meters and 20 meters depth. There is no highly conductive fracture beyond 20 meters depth and no indication for any conductive fracture beyond 25 meters depth. Packer tests show that the upper part of the fractured layer (15-20 m depth) is characterized by a good vertical connectivity. On the contrary, the tests carried out below 20 m depth show no vertical connectivity at all. The geometry of the fracture network and associated hydrodynamic parameters are in agreement with the conceptual model of hard-rock aquifers that derive its properties from weathering processes. The general existence of such a highly conductive structure at the top of the fractured zone has a great impact on water prospection and exploitation in such crystalline aquifers.

Physical Activity and Quality of Life among Adults with Paraplegia in Odisha, India

PubMed Central

Ganesh, Shankar; Mishra, Chittaranjan

2016-01-01

Objectives: The complete rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injuries (SCI) comprises both physical and psychosocial factors. This study therefore aimed to assess physical activity and quality of life (QOL) among paraplegic patients with SCI in Odisha, India. Methods: This cross-sectional prospective study was conducted between March 2010 and December 2013. All paraplegic patients treated at the Swami Vivekanand National Institute of Rehabilitation Training & Research in Odisha, India, during the study period who met the inclusion criteria were invited to participate in the study (n = 364). Structured face-to-face interviews were held with participants and QOL and physical activity were assessed using the abbreviated World Health Organization QOL instrument and the Physical Activity Scale for Individuals with Physical Disabilities, respectively. Results: A total of 84 people participated in the study (response rate: 23.1%). The mean age was 32.54 ± 10.75 years and 90.5% of the participants were male. Participants had a low mean metabolic equivalent score (18.18 ± 10.68 hours/day). Additionally, low mean scores were noted for the physical health, psychological well-being, social relationships and environment QOL domains (49.76 ± 18.74, 48.57 ± 17.04, 57.88 ± 17.04 and 49.85 ± 17.77, respectively). There was a strong positive association between levels of physical activity and all QOL domains (P <0.050). Physical activity and employment status were significant predictors of all QOL domains (P <0.001). Conclusion: Low physical activity levels and QOL were noted among the paraplegic subjects. Interventions promoting physical activity and employment may help to improve QOL among this patient group. PMID:26909214

Scarf-related injuries at a major trauma center in northern India.

PubMed

Singh, Pritish; Kumar, Ashok; Shekhawat, Vishal

2017-04-01

Scarf is a long loose piece of cloth worn around the neck and shoulder. Despite cultural association of this apparel, it is part of numerous injury episodes of varying enormity. Entanglement of loose scarf in spoke wheels of bike, tricycle, belt driven machines like sugarcane juice machine, thresher, grinding machines, etc is observed both in social and industrial milieu. This study aims to investigate the scarf-related injuries at a major trauma center in northern India. From June 2013 to May 2015, a hospital-based prospective observational study was done in patients who presented to a level 1 trauma center in northern India with the mode of injury involving scarf around the neck. Demographic profile, mode of trauma, contributing factors, injury pattern, and the early management as well as early complications were recorded. There were 76 injuries directly related from scarf with the mean age of patients being 32.4 years. The most common primary factor involved was rotating wheel of motorbike/tricycle (46.1%), followed by belt driven machines (28.9%). The spectrum of injuries was diverse, including minor abrasions or lacerations (53.9%), large lacerations (15.8%), fractures and spine trauma (18.4%), mangled extremity and amputations (7.9%) and death (3.9%). More severe injury patterns were noted with belt driven machines. Scarf-related injuries constitute a sizable proportion of trauma, with varying degrees of severity. Devastating consequences in significant proportion of cases dictate the call for a prevention plan comprising both educational and legislative measures. Urgent preventive measures targeting scarf-related injuries will help reduce mortality and morbidity. Copyright © 2017 Daping Hospital and the Research Institute of Surgery of the Third Military Medical University. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the WHO clinical case definition of AIDS among children in India.

PubMed

Gurprit, Grover; Tripti, Pensi; Gadpayle, A K; Tanushree, Banerjee

2008-03-01

The need of a clinical case definition (CCD) for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was felt by public health agencies to monitor diseases resulting from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. To test the statistical significance of the existing World Health Organization (WHO) CCD for the diagnosis of AIDS in areas where diagnostic resources are limited in India, a prospective study was conducted in the Paediatrics department at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi. 360 cases between 18 months-12 years of age satisfying WHO case definitions of AIDS were included in the study group. Informed consent was taken from the parents. The serum of patients was subjected to ELISA to conform the diagnosis of HIV infection. Our study detected 16.66% (60) of HIV prevalence in children visiting paediatrics outpatient clinic. 20% cases manifested 3 major and 2 minor signs. This definition had a sensitivity of 73.33%, specificity of 90.66%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 61.11% and negative predictive value (NPV) of 94.44%. On using stepwise logistic regression analysis weight loss, chronic fever > 1 month and total lymphocyte count of less than 1500 cells/mm3 emerged as important predictors. Cases showing 2 major and 2 minor signs were 86 (23.89%) with a sensitivity and specificity of 86.66% and 88.66% respectively. Based on these findings, we propose a clinical case definition based on 13 clinical signs and symptoms for paediatric AIDS in India with better sensitivity and PPV than the WHO case definition but with almost similar specificity. Thus multicentric studies are further required to modify these criteria in Indian set up.

Spectrum of perforation peritonitis in delhi: 77 cases experience.

PubMed

Yadav, Dinesh; Garg, Puneet K

2013-04-01

Perforation peritonitis is the most common surgical emergency encountered by surgeons all over the world as well in India. The spectrum of etiology of perforation peritonitis in tropical countries continues to differ from its western counterpart. This study was conducted at Hindu Rao Hospital, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi, India, designed to highlight the spectrum of perforation peritonitis in the eastern countries and to improve its outcome. This prospective study included 77 consecutive patients of perforation peritonitis studied in terms of clinical presentations, causes, site of perforation, surgical treatment, postoperative complications, and mortality at Hindu Rao Hospital, Delhi, from March 1, 2011 to December 1, 2011, over a period of 8 months. All patients were resuscitated and underwent emergency exploratory laparotomy. On laparotomy cause of perforation peritonitis was found and controlled. The most common cause of perforation peritonitis noticed in our series was perforated duodenal ulcer (26.4 %) and ileal typhoid perforation (26.4 %), each followed by small bowel tuberculosis (10.3 %) and stomach perforation (9.2 %), perforation due to acute appendicitis (5 %). The highest number of perforations was seen in ileum (39.1 %), duodenum (26.4 %), stomach (11.5 %), appendix (3.5 %), jejunum (4.6 %), and colon (3.5 %). Overall mortality was 13 %. The spectrum of perforation peritonitis in India continuously differs from western countries. The highest number of perforations was noticed in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract as compared to the western countries where the perforations seen mostly in the distal part. The most common cause of perforation peritonitis was perforated duodenal ulcer and small bowel typhoid perforation followed by typhoid perforation. Large bowel perforations and malignant perforations were least common in our setup.

An observational study of cutaneous manifestations in diabetes mellitus in a tertiary care Hospital of Eastern India

PubMed Central

Chatterjee, Nandini; Chattopadhyay, Chandan; Sengupta, Nilanjan; Das, Chanchal; Sarma, Nilendu; Pal, Salil K

2014-01-01

Background: Diabetes mellitus and its impact on the human body have been extensively dissected over the years. However, skin which is the largest organ in the body, has received minimum attention. Therefore, this study was designed to analyze the prevalence and pattern of skin disorders among diabetic patients from Eastern region of India. Materials and Methods: This is an observational study, conducted in the General Medicine and Endocrinology departments of a Medical College and Hospital in Eastern India. The data were collected prospectively and systematically in a pre-established proforma designed by us, where clinical findings along with investigations were recorded. Results: Six hundred and eighty (680) diabetic patients were examined, there were (64.8%) male and (35.1%) were female, of them 95.3% were Type 2 diabetics while 4.7% were Type 1. Five hundred and three patients (503) out of six hundred and eighty. i.e. 73.9% were found to have skin lesions. Thirteen (13) (41%) Type1 diabetics demonstrated skin lesions commonest being diabetic xerosis, infections and diabetic hand. Among Type2 diabetics 490(75.61%) showed skin lesions. Here infections, xerosis, hair loss beneath the knees, diabetic dermopathy were the most frequent. Majority of patients (67%) had combination of more than one type of skin lesion. There was statistically significant correlation of skin lesions with duration of diabetes, however similar correlation could not be demonstrated regarding metabolic control. Conclusion: Involvement of skin is inevitable and multifarious in diabetes mellitus. Higher prevalence is seen in Type 2 diabetic population. The duration of diabetes is positively correlated with lesions and infective dermatologic manifestations were associated with higher HbA1C values. PMID:24741520

Restructuring an undergraduate dental curriculum to global standards--a case study in an Indian dental school.

PubMed

Kadagad, P; Tekian, A; Pinto, P X; Jirge, V L

2012-05-01

Globalisation has affected all aspects of life and dentistry is no exception. In the context of today's dentist being a global citizen, undergraduate training in dentistry is set to ensure converging standards so that international recognition of dental qualifications can move forward. The decision of the Dental Council of India to expand the undergraduate dental program to five years provides an opportunity to be part of the endeavor of the Global Dental Congress to achieve converging standards which was initially for the European Union, and now spreading out globally. Economic emergence in Indian subcontinent has resulted in growing oral health care needs both in quality and quantity. To address this issue, the graduating dentist needs to be trained following a competency based curricular model. Access to Internet facilitated the goal of achieving converging standards of dental schools to be feasible because of the instant communication and capacity to share information about training strategies via technology across the globe. Upgrading the undergraduate training to global standards by dental schools in India could be a wise and strategic move both for attracting students to study in India, as well as retaining the graduates after their training. The following is a case study of an Indian dental school set to restructure the undergraduate curriculum to global standards using the 8 steps of Kotter's transformational change. Change in curriculum and the subsequent accreditation of the school in global platform not only attracts prospective students but also results in producing competent dentists. Dental education provided by the institution can result in quality assurance, benchmarking the assessment system to achieve international recognition. This paper highlights the need and importance of facilitation of international convergence with long term aspirations for mutual recognition of international degrees. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Scrub typhus and spotted fever among hospitalised children in South India: Clinical profile and serological epidemiology.

PubMed

Kalal, B S; Puranik, P; Nagaraj, S; Rego, S; Shet, A

2016-01-01

Rickettsial infections are re-emerging. In India, they are now being reported from several areas where they were previously unknown. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiology, clinical profile and outcome of serologically-confirmed scrub typhus and spotted fever among children in a tertiary care hospital in Bengaluru. Hospitalised children aged <18 years, with clinical features suggestive of rickettsial disease admitted between January 2010 and October 2012 were included prospectively. Diagnosis was based on scrub typhus and spotted fever-specific IgM and IgG by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Of 103 children with clinical features suggestive of rickettsial illness, ELISA test confirmed 53 cases for scrub typhus, 23 cases for spotted fever group and 14 with mixed infection. The average age was 7.3 (±3.9) years and 44 (71.0%) children were male. Majority of cases were from Karnataka (50%), Andhra Pradesh (32.3%) and Tamil Nadu (17.7%). Common clinical features included fever (100%, average duration 11 days), nausea and vomiting (44%), rash (36%); eschar was rare. Compared to the ELISA test, Weil-Felix test (OX-K titre of 1:80) had a sensitivity and specificity of 88.7% and 43.9%, respectively. Treatment with chloramphenicol or doxycycline was given to the majority of the children. Complications included meningoencephalitis (28%), shock (10%), retinal vasculitis (10%) and purpura fulminans (7%). These findings suggest that the burden of rickettsial infection among children in India is high, with a substantially high complication rate. Rickettsial-specific ELISA tests can help in early diagnosis and early institution of appropriate treatment that may prevent life-threatening complications.

Epidemiology of pediatric burns and future prevention strategies-a study of 475 patients from a high-volume burn center in North India.

PubMed

Dhopte, Amol; Tiwari, V K; Patel, Pankaj; Bamal, Rahul

2017-01-01

Pediatric burns have a long-term social impact. This is more apparent in a developing country such as India, where their incidence and morbidity are high. The aim of this study was to provide recent prospective epidemiological data on pediatric burns in India and to suggest future preventive strategies. Children up to 18 years old admitted to the Department of Burns, Plastic & Maxillofacial Surgery, VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, between January and December 2014 were included in the study. Data regarding age, sex, etiology, total body surface area (TBSA), circumstances of injury, and clinical assessment were collected. The Mann-Whitney test or Kruskal-Wallis test or ANOVA was used to compare involved TBSA among various cohort groups accordingly. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were used to determine the predictors of TBSA. There were a total of 475 patients involved in the study, including seven suicidal burns, all of whom were females with a mean age greater than the cohort average. Age, type of burns, mode of injury, presence or absence of inhalation injury, gender, and time of year (quarter) for admission were found to independently affect the TBSA involved. Electrical burns also formed an important number of presenting burn patients, mainly involving teenagers. Several societal issues have come forth, e.g., child marriage, child labor, and likely psychological problems among female children as suggested by a high incidence of suicidal burns. This study also highlights several issues such as overcrowding, lack of awareness, dangerous cooking practices, and improper use of kerosene oil. There is an emergent need to recognize the problems, formulate strategies, spread awareness, and ban or replace hazardous substances responsible for most burn accidents.

Multi drug resistance and Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamases in clinical isolates of Shigella: A study from New Delhi, India.

PubMed

Aggarwal, Prabhav; Uppal, Beena; Ghosh, Roumi; Krishna Prakash, S; Chakravarti, Anita; Jha, Arun Kumar; Rajeshwari, Krishnan

2016-01-01

Shigella is an important cause of gastroenteritis in local Indian population, as well as of traveler's diarrhea in the international visitors to India. These patients often require appropriate antimicrobial therapy; however, rapid development of antimicrobial resistance poses a major hurdle in achieving this goal. A prospective study was conducted during 2009-12 in New Delhi, India, including 6339 stool samples from gastroenteritis patients. 121 Shigella strains were identified on the basis of colony morphology, biochemical reactions, serotyping and ipaH gene based PCR. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing by disc diffusion, MIC determination by Vitek(®) 2 and phenotypic tests for ESBL/AmpC production were done. Nineteen percent strains (23/121) were found to be resistant to third generation cephalosporins and all were phenotypically confirmed to be ESBL producers; one strain was positive for AmpC. ESBL producing strains were also found to be significantly more resistant (p < 0.05) to several other antimicrobials agents in comparison to ESBL non-producers, [ampicillin (100% vs. 62.2%), ampicillin/sulbactam (100% vs. 30.6%), cotrimoxazole (100% vs. 77.6%), ciprofloxacin (87.0% vs. 49.0%), ofloxacin (87.0% vs. 52.0%) and gentamicin (30.4% vs. 7.1%)]. Multidrug resistance was seen in 76% strains. Inappropriate use of antimicrobial agents puts high selection pressure on the higher-end antibiotics. Multi-drug resistance and high rates of ESBL production by Shigella is a matter of concern for the local population as well as international travelers. Therefore, better national level antimicrobial management programs are the priority needs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oil and gas developments in far East in 1982

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fletcher, G.L.

1983-10-01

In 1982, the Far East region was one of the brighter parts of the world for the petroleum industry. Exploratory acreage acquisition, drilling, and seismic activity maintained the busy pace set in 1981. Most parts of the Far East region showed significant and even increased activity compared with 1981. Although drilling was active in 1982, there were no nationally important oil or gas discoveries in the region. Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, and India all recorded multiple discoveries, but these for the most part followed the pattern of previous years. Indonesia was the most active country outside of China. A record numbermore » of exploratory and delineation wells was drilled in 1982. As in previous years, a plethora of oil and gas discoveries was recorded, but only 1 discovery, a gas discovery in onshore east Kalimantan, is possibly of major significance. Countries which had disappointing exploration programs in 1982 are Bangladesh, Burma, Japan, Philippines, and Taiwan. Exploration in these countries did little to enhance their resource bases. Production in the Far East declined slightly in 1982 to approximately 4.3 million BOPD from 4.4 million BOPD in 1981. This appears to have been mainly due to market conditions. Curtailment of production in Indonesia as a result of the worldwide oil glut offset healthy production gains in India, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand. The general attitude of the petroleum industry toward the region was enthusiasm for exploration prospects. Acreage acquisition was brisk in Indonesia, Malyasia, and Thailand. Drilling was on the increase in India, Indonesia, and Thailand. Seismic activity continued strong in most parts of the reporting area. Exploration appears to be alive and well in the Far East.« less

Etiology, clinical profile, and outcome of liver disease in pregnancy with predictors of maternal mortality: A prospective study from Western India.

PubMed

Solanke, Dattatray; Rathi, Chetan; Pandey, Vikas; Patil, Mallanagoud; Phadke, Aniruddha; Sawant, Prabha

2016-11-01

The aim of this study is to study the etiology, clinical profile, and prognostic factors related to maternal and fetal health in pregnant patients with liver disease in Western India. This study included 103 consecutive pregnant patients with liver dysfunction from August 2013 to July 2015, who underwent regular biochemical tests, viral markers, ultrasound of abdomen, etc. and were followed up for 6 weeks postpartum or until death. Pregnancy-specific causes of liver dysfunction were found in 39 % (40/103) patients. Liver diseases were most frequent in third trimester 69.9 % (72/103). Etiologies in third trimester were viral hepatitis 36.1 % (26/72), pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) 30.5 % (22/72), intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy 11.1 % (8/72), acute fatty liver of pregnancy (2/72), etc. Hepatitis E was the commonest agent among viral hepatitis 71.8 % (28/39). Causes of maternal mortality (n = 25) were hepatitis E 40 % (10/25), PIH 32 % (8/25), and tropical diseases 20 % (5/25). Fetal mortality (n = 31) was 38.7 % (12/31) in hepatitis E. Maternal mortality was significantly associated with presence of jaundice, fever, abdominal pain, oliguria, anemia, leukocytosis, and coagulopathy. Model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score >21 predicted maternal mortality with 80 % sensitivity and 91 % specificity (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.878 and p < 0.001). Liver disease was most common in the third trimester of pregnancy. Hepatitis E was the most common cause of liver disease in pregnant women in western India with significant maternal mortality, predicted by high MELD score.

Tracking the Evolution of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

PubMed

Jamal-Hanjani, Mariam; Wilson, Gareth A; McGranahan, Nicholas; Birkbak, Nicolai J; Watkins, Thomas B K; Veeriah, Selvaraju; Shafi, Seema; Johnson, Diana H; Mitter, Richard; Rosenthal, Rachel; Salm, Max; Horswell, Stuart; Escudero, Mickael; Matthews, Nik; Rowan, Andrew; Chambers, Tim; Moore, David A; Turajlic, Samra; Xu, Hang; Lee, Siow-Ming; Forster, Martin D; Ahmad, Tanya; Hiley, Crispin T; Abbosh, Christopher; Falzon, Mary; Borg, Elaine; Marafioti, Teresa; Lawrence, David; Hayward, Martin; Kolvekar, Shyam; Panagiotopoulos, Nikolaos; Janes, Sam M; Thakrar, Ricky; Ahmed, Asia; Blackhall, Fiona; Summers, Yvonne; Shah, Rajesh; Joseph, Leena; Quinn, Anne M; Crosbie, Phil A; Naidu, Babu; Middleton, Gary; Langman, Gerald; Trotter, Simon; Nicolson, Marianne; Remmen, Hardy; Kerr, Keith; Chetty, Mahendran; Gomersall, Lesley; Fennell, Dean A; Nakas, Apostolos; Rathinam, Sridhar; Anand, Girija; Khan, Sajid; Russell, Peter; Ezhil, Veni; Ismail, Babikir; Irvin-Sellers, Melanie; Prakash, Vineet; Lester, Jason F; Kornaszewska, Malgorzata; Attanoos, Richard; Adams, Haydn; Davies, Helen; Dentro, Stefan; Taniere, Philippe; O'Sullivan, Brendan; Lowe, Helen L; Hartley, John A; Iles, Natasha; Bell, Harriet; Ngai, Yenting; Shaw, Jacqui A; Herrero, Javier; Szallasi, Zoltan; Schwarz, Roland F; Stewart, Aengus; Quezada, Sergio A; Le Quesne, John; Van Loo, Peter; Dive, Caroline; Hackshaw, Allan; Swanton, Charles

2017-06-01

Among patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), data on intratumor heterogeneity and cancer genome evolution have been limited to small retrospective cohorts. We wanted to prospectively investigate intratumor heterogeneity in relation to clinical outcome and to determine the clonal nature of driver events and evolutionary processes in early-stage NSCLC. In this prospective cohort study, we performed multiregion whole-exome sequencing on 100 early-stage NSCLC tumors that had been resected before systemic therapy. We sequenced and analyzed 327 tumor regions to define evolutionary histories, obtain a census of clonal and subclonal events, and assess the relationship between intratumor heterogeneity and recurrence-free survival. We observed widespread intratumor heterogeneity for both somatic copy-number alterations and mutations. Driver mutations in EGFR, MET, BRAF, and TP53 were almost always clonal. However, heterogeneous driver alterations that occurred later in evolution were found in more than 75% of the tumors and were common in PIK3CA and NF1 and in genes that are involved in chromatin modification and DNA damage response and repair. Genome doubling and ongoing dynamic chromosomal instability were associated with intratumor heterogeneity and resulted in parallel evolution of driver somatic copy-number alterations, including amplifications in CDK4, FOXA1, and BCL11A. Elevated copy-number heterogeneity was associated with an increased risk of recurrence or death (hazard ratio, 4.9; P=4.4×10 -4 ), which remained significant in multivariate analysis. Intratumor heterogeneity mediated through chromosome instability was associated with an increased risk of recurrence or death, a finding that supports the potential value of chromosome instability as a prognostic predictor. (Funded by Cancer Research UK and others; TRACERx ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01888601 .).

A study on the seasonal variability of upwelling and its effects on physical parameters in Arabian Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shukla, Rohit Kumar; Shaji, Chithra; Ojha, Satya P.; Kumar, Pankaj

2017-04-01

The upwelling in Arabian Sea is an important phenomenon, mainly occurring along the southwest coast of India during summer monsoon, which increases the biological productivity in the region. The south west coast of Arabian sea region accounts for about 53% of fish yield of the total fish production in Arabian Sea, thus it is imperative to study and understand the process of upwelling in this region. To study the upwelling features in southwest coast of India, monthly Ekman mass transport is estimated using analyzed wind and derived products from Oceansat-II scatterometer data. Seasonal variability of Ekman mass transport has been analyzed to study the occurrences of coastal upwelling in this region. Results show prominent region of upwelling along southwest coast of India is between 7° and 15° N. Transport estimate demonstrate that the strong offshore Ekman mass transport, as high as -2000 kg/m/s, was observed during summer monsoon months due to favorable wind conditions. Very weak offshore transport, as low as -200 kg/m/s, was observed during pre-monsoon months as winds were weak and spatially variable. Moderate offshore transport, up to -750 kg/m/s, was observed during winter monsoon months. The upwelling associated ocean surface features such as Sea-surface temperature (SST, from AVHRR), chlorophyll concentration (AQUA-MODIS), wind stress curl derived from Oceansat-II and sea surface salinity (SSS, from Aquarius) were examined to demonstrate the spatial and temporal evolution of upwelling in this region. With the advancement of the summer monsoon and upwelling, the monthly mean SST range reaches up to 26-27°C (August - September) from about 29-30°C (April - May). The monthly mean Chlorophyll concentration reaches up to 25-30 mg/m3 (August-September) from 0.1-0.2 mg/m3 (January-February). The monthly SSS which was observed to be about 34 psu (December 2102- January 2013) reaches to 36.5 psu (August-September). Analysis of SST from different sources suggests that the occurrence of a mini-cold pool (MCP) off the southern tip of India (STI) is a persistent phenomenon which occurs during both the summer and the winter monsoon seasons. The dynamics which governs the occurrence of MCP during the summer monsoon season is mainly due to upwelling, advection of the cold upwelled water from the western Arabian Sea and the southwest coast of India. Since, Somalia upwelling is an established fact, hence, we estimate upwelling only on southwest coast of India to understand the genesis of MCP. Results show that the genesis of MCP off STI starts by June and peaks in August and the SST attains a value as low as 26.0 °C, essentially due to upwelling and advection of upwelled water from the Somalia region along with upwelled water from southwest coast of India.

New age data on the geological evolution of Southern India

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, Paul N.; Chadwick, B.; Friend, C. R. L.; Ramakrishnan, M.; Moorbath, Stephen; Viswanatha, M. N.

1988-01-01

The Peninsular Gneisses of Southern India developed over a period of several hundred Ma in the middle-to-late Archaean. Gneisses in the Gorur-Hassan area of southern Karnataka are the oldest recognized constituents: Beckinsale et al. reported a preliminary Rb-Sr whole-rock isochron age of 33558 + or - 66 Ma, but further Rb-Sr and Pb/Pb whole-rock isochron determinations indicate a slightly younger, though more precise age of ca 3305 Ma (R. D. Beckinsale, Pers. Comm.). It is well established that the Peninsular Gneisses constitute basement on which the Dharwar schist belts were deposited. Well-documented exposures of unconformities, with basal quartz pebble conglomerates of the Dharwar Supergroup overlying Peninsular Gneisses, have been reported from the Chikmagalur and Chitradurga areas, and basement gneisses in these two areas have been dated by Rb-Sr and Pb/Pb whole-rock isochron methods at ca 3150 Ma and ca 3000 Ma respectively. Dharwar supracrustal rocks of the Chitradurga schist belt are intruded by the Chitradurga Granite, dated by a Pb/Pb whole-rock isochron at 2605 + or - 18 Ma. These results indicate that the Dharwar Supergroup in the Chitradurga belt was deposited between 3000 Ma and 2600 Ma.

Current deformation in the Tibetan Plateau: a stress gauge in the large-scale India-Asia collision tectonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capitanio, F. A.

2017-12-01

The quantification of the exact tectonic forces budget on Earth has remained thus far elusive. Geodetic velocities provide relevant constraints on the current dynamics of the coupling between collision and continental tectonics, however in the Tibetan plateau these support contrasting, non-unique models. Here, we compare numerical models of coupled India-Asia plate convergence, collision and continent interiors tectonics to the geodetically-constrained motions in the Tibetan Plateau to provide a quantitative assessment of the driving forces of plate tectonics in the area. The models develop a range of long-term evolutions remarkably similar to the Asian tectonics in the Cenozoic, reproducing the current large-scale motions pattern under a range of conditions. Balancing the convergent margin forces, following subduction, and the far-field forcing along the trail of the subducting continent, the geodetic rates in the Tibetan Plateau can be matched. The comparisons support the discussion on the likely processes at work, allowing inferences on the drivers of plateau formation and its role on the plate margin-interiors tectonics. More in general, the outcomes highlight the unique role of the Tibetan Plateau as a pressure gauge for the tectonic forces on Earth.

A history of the Lonar crater, India: An overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nayak, V. K.

1992-01-01

The origin of the circular structure at Lonar, India, described variously as cauldron, pit, hollow, depression, and crater, has been a controversial subject since the early nineteenth century. A history of its origin and other aspects from 1823 to 1990 are overviewed. The structure in the Deccan Trap Basalt is nearly circular with a breach in the northeast, 1830 m in diameter, 150 m deep, with a saline lake in the crater floor. Over the years, the origin of the Lonar structure has risen from volcanism, subsidence, and cryptovolcanism to an authentic meteorite impact crater. Lonar is unique because it is probably the only terrestrial crater in basalt and is the closest analog with the Moon's craters. Some unresolved questions are suggested. The proposal is made that the young Lonar impact crater, which is less than 50,000 years old, should be considered as the best crater laboratory analogous to those of the Moon, be treated as a global monument, and preserved for scientists to comprehend more about the mysteries of nature and impact cratering, which is now emerging as a fundamental ubiquitous geological process in the evolution of the planets.

The mafic-ultramafic complex of Aniyapuram, Cauvery Suture Zone, southern India: Petrological and geochemical constraints for Neoarchean suprasubduction zone tectonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yellappa, T.; Venkatasivappa, V.; Koizumi, T.; Chetty, T. R. K.; Santosh, M.; Tsunogae, T.

2014-12-01

Several Precambrian mafic-ultramafic complexes occur along the Cauvery Suture Zone (CSZ) in Southern Granulite Terrain, India. Their origin, magmatic evolution and relationship with the associated high-grade rocks have not been resolved. The Aniyapuram Mafic-Ultramafic Complex (AMUC), the focus of the present study in southern part of the CSZ, is dominantly composed of peridotites, pyroxenites, gabbros, metagabbros/mafic granulites, hornblendites, amphibolites, plagiogranites, felsic granulites and ferruginous cherts. The rock types in the AMUC are structurally emplaced within hornblende gneiss (TTG) basement rocks and are highly deformed. The geochemical signature of the amphibolites indicates tholeiitic affinity for the protolith with magma generation in island arc-setting. N-MORB normalized pattern of the amphibolites show depletion in HFS-elements (P, Zr, Sm, Ti, and Y) and enrichment of LIL-elements (Rb, Ba, Th, Sr) with negative Nb anomalies suggesting involvement of subduction component in the depleted mantle source and formation in a supra-subduction zone tectonic setting. Our new results when correlated with the available age data suggest that the lithological association of AMUC represent the remnants of the Neoarchean oceanic lithosphere.

Level of suboptimal adherence to first line antiretroviral treatment & its determinants among HIV positive people in India

PubMed Central

Joshi, Beena; Chauhan, Sanjay; Pasi, Achhelal; Kulkarni, Ragini; Sunil, Nithya; Bachani, Damodar; Mankeshwar, Ranjit

2014-01-01

Background & objectives: National Anti-retroviral treatment (ART) programme in India was launched in 2004. Since then, there has been no published country representative estimate of suboptimal adherence among people living with HIV (PLHIV) on first line ART in public settings. Hence a multicentric study was undertaken in 15 States of India to assess the level of suboptimal adherence and its determinants among PLHIV. Methods: Using a prospective observational study design, 3285 PLHIV were enrolled and followed up to six months across 30 ART centres in India. Adherence was assessed using pill count and self-reported recall method and determinants of suboptimal adherence were explored based on the responses to various issues as perceived by them. Results: Suboptimal adherence was found in 24.5 per cent PLHIV. Determinants of suboptimal adherence were illiteracy (OR-1.341, CI-1.080-1.665), on ART for less than 6 months (OR-1.540, CI- 1.280-1.853), male gender (OR for females -0.807, CI- 0.662-0.982), tribals (OR-2.246, CI-1.134-4.447), on efavirenz (EFA) regimen (OR- 1.479, CI - 1.190 - 1.837), presence of anxiety (OR- 1.375, CI - 1.117 - 1.692), non-disclosure of HIV status to family (OR- 1.549, CI - 1.176 - 2.039), not motivated for treatment (OR- 1.389, CI - 1.093 - 1.756), neglect from friends (OR-1.368, CI-1.069-1.751), frequent change of residence (OR- 3.373, CI - 2.659 - 4.278), travel expenses (OR- 1.364, CI - 1.138-1.649), not meeting the PLHIV volunteer/community care coordinator at the ART center (OR-1.639, CI-1.330-2.019). Interpretation & conclusions: To enhance identification of PLHIV vulnerable to suboptimal adherence, the existing checklist to identify the barriers to adherence in the National ART Guidelines needs to be updated based on the study findings. Quality of comprehensive adherence support services needs to be improved coupled with vigilant monitoring of adherence measurement. PMID:25222782

Nasal carriage and antimicrobial susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus in healthy preschool children in Ujjain, India.

PubMed

Pathak, Ashish; Marothi, Yogyata; Iyer, Rama V; Singh, Binita; Sharma, Megha; Eriksson, Bo; Macaden, Ragini; Lundborg, Cecilia Stålsby

2010-12-29

There is increasing evidence that community acquired S. aureus infections are spreading among healthy children. Nasal colonization with S. aureus plays pivotal role in the increasing prevalence of resistant community acquired S. aureus infections worldwide. A regular surveillance system is important in ensuring quality of patient care. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of and the factors associated with nasal carriage of S. aureus and its antibiotic sensitivity pattern among healthy children in Ujjain, India. A prospective study was done in paediatric outpatient clinics of R.D. Gardi medical college Ujjain, India. Healthy children from 1 month to 59 months of age were included. Information on previously known risk factors for nasal colonization was collected using a pre-tested questionnaire. Swabs from anterior nares were collected and transported in Amies transport media with charcoal and cultured on 5% sheep blood agar. Antibiotic sensitivity tests were performed using Kirby Bauer's disc diffusion method according to performance standards of Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute guidelines. Of the 1,562 children from 1-month up-to five years of age included in the study 98 children tested positive for nasal carriage of S. aureus. The prevalence of nasal carriage of S. aureus was 6.3% (95% CI 5.1-7.5) out of which 16.3% (95% CI 8.9-23.8) were methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). The factors associated with nasal carriage were "child attending preschool" (OR 4.26, 95% CI 2.25-8.03; P = 0.007) or "school" (OR 3.02, 95% CI 1.27-7.18; P < 0.001) and "family size more than 10 members" (OR 2.76 95% CI 1.06-7.15; P = 0.03). The sensitivity pattern of isolated S. aureus showed resistance to commonly used oral antibiotics while resistance to glycopeptides was not noted. We found a relatively low rate of nasal carriage of S. aureus in children below five years when compared to children of older age groups in India. Yet, prevalence of MRSA was relatively high.

Chemical Evolution and the Origin of Life: Bibliography 1975

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

West, Martha W. (Compiler); Koch, Rowena A. (Compiler); Chang, Sherwood (Compiler)

1977-01-01

This bibliography is the sixth annual supplement to the comprehensive bibliography on the same subject which was published in Space Life Sci.We would like to draw attention to a recently published cumulative bibliography on this same subject: Biochemical Origin of Life: Chemistry and Life. Soil and Water and Its Relationship to Origin of Life. MR - Studies of Prebiotic Polypeptides. Energy, Matter, and Life. Prospects for the Future Orientation of Scientific Research. Photochemical Formation of Self Sustaining Coacervates. Photochemical Formation of Self-Sustaining Coacervates. Comparative Study of Abiogenesis of Cysteine and Other Amino Acids Catalyzed by Various Metal Ions. Protein Structure and the Molecular Evolution of Biological Energy Conversion. Origin of Life. Clues from Relations Between Chemical Compositions of Living Organisms and Natural Environments. Shock Synthesis of Amino Acids II.', Origins of Life 6(1-2). Dynamics of the Chemical Evolution of Earth's Primitive Atmosphere. The Mechanisms of Amino Acids Synthesis by High Temperature Shock-Waves. Theory of Chemical Evolution. Physical Foundations of Probability of Biogenesis.

Cosmological evolution of supermassive black holes in galactic centers unveiled by hard X-ray observations

PubMed Central

UEDA, Yoshihiro

2015-01-01

We review the current understanding of the cosmological evolution of supermassive black holes in galactic centers elucidated by X-ray surveys of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Hard X-ray observations at energies above 2 keV are the most efficient and complete tools to find “obscured” AGNs, which are dominant populations among all AGNs. Combinations of surveys with various flux limits and survey area have enabled us to determine the space number density and obscuration properties of AGNs as a function of luminosity and redshift. The results have essentially solved the origin of the X-ray background in the energy band below ∼10 keV. The downsizing (or anti-hierarchical) evolution that more luminous AGNs have the space-density peak at higher redshifts has been discovered, challenging theories of galaxy and black hole formation. Finally, we summarize unresolved issues on AGN evolution and prospects for future X-ray missions. PMID:25971656

High direct costs of medical care in patients with Type 1 diabetes attending a referral clinic in a government-funded hospital in Northern India.

PubMed

Katam, Kishore K; Bhatia, Vijayalakshmi; Dabadghao, Preeti; Bhatia, Eesh

2016-01-01

There is little information regarding costs of managing type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) from low- and middle-income countries. We estimated direct costs of T1DM in patients attending a referral diabetes clinic in a governmentfunded hospital in northern India. We prospectively enrolled 88 consecutive T1DM patients (mean [SD] age 15.3 [8] years) with age at onset <18 years presenting to the endocrine clinic of our institution. Data on direct costs were collected for a 12 months-6 months retrospectively followed by 6 months prospectively. Patients belonged predominantly (77%) to the middle socioeconomic strata (SES); 81% had no access to government subsidy or health insurance. The mean direct cost per patient-year of T1DM was `27 915 (inter-quartile range [IQR] `19 852-32 856), which was 18.6% (7.1%-30.1%) of the total family income. A greater proportion of income was spent by families of lower compared to middle SES (32.6% v. 6.6%, p<0.001). The mean out-of-pocket payment for diabetes care ranged from 2% to 100% (mean 87%) of the total costs. The largest expenditure was on home blood glucose monitoring (40%) and insulin (39.5%). On multivariate analysis, total direct cost was associated with annual family income (β=0.223, p=0.033), frequency of home blood glucose monitoring (β=0.249, p=0.016) and use of analogue insulin (β=0.225, p=0.016). Direct costs of T1DM were high; in proportion to their income the costs were greater in the lower SES. The largest expenditure was on home blood glucose monitoring and insulin. Support for insulin and glucose testing strips for T1DM care is urgently required.

Fragility Hip Fractures in Elderly Patients in Bhubaneswar, India (2012-2014): A Prospective Multicenter Study of 1031 Elderly Patients.

PubMed

Dash, Sunil K; Panigrahi, Ranajit; Palo, Nishit; Priyadarshi, Ashok; Biswal, Manas

2015-03-01

Elderly patients with hip fracture constitute Single Largest Group of Emergency Orthopaedics Admissions. In 2050, 6.26 million hip fractures worldwide, approximately 50%, will occur in Asia. Only small number of reports on incidence of hip fractures in the Asian population exist. India lacks data registry for fragility hip fractures, therefore, the magnitude and standard of patient care are not known. A prospective multicenter study was conducted from January 2012 to April 2014 to describe population-based longitudinal trends, namely, age-specific incidence, fracture type, timing of presentation, kilometers traveled, timing of surgery, hospital stay, man hours lost, pressure ulcers, weight bearing, 30-day return, 3-month mortality, and so on, of fragility hip fractures. A total of 1031 patients were included with 59.7% females and 40.3% of male patients, with a female-male ratio of 1.5:1. Commonest mode: Falls 45%. 56.4% IT fractures. 66.2%patients operated, Operative/Conservative Ratio of 2.8:1. Patients travel a mean distance of 86.4 kilometers for quality treatment. Of the patients, 85.9 % presented late due to ignorance and misguiding quack practice. Incidence of delayed surgery was 69.3%. Persistent electrolytes imbalance and hyperglycemia normalized in 81.2% by second or third postoperative day. The man hours lost was 157.85 hours/person. Medical complications was more (90%) in patients who had delays in surgeries and presentation. Mortality rate was 6.2 %. Patients travel long for quality treatment, most of them are misguided, present late with significant complications and sufferings, and their pockets half drained depriving them off best treatment. Early presentation and operation have better prognosis and rehabilitation, facilitates early return to work, and independence. Increased pressure sores, infections, hospital stay, treatment cost, depression, and mortality are directly related to delays in surgeries and presentation. Estimated losses according to lost man hours may go up to 10 million dollars.

Soil Iodine Determination in Deccan Syneclise, India: Implications for Near Surface Geochemical Hydrocarbon Prospecting

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mani, Devleena, E-mail: devleenatiwari@ngri.res.in; Kumar, T. Satish; Rasheed, M. A.

2011-03-15

The association of iodine with organic matter in sedimentary basins is well documented. High iodine concentration in soils overlying oil and gas fields and areas with hydrocarbon microseepage has been observed and used as a geochemical exploratory tool for hydrocarbons in a few studies. In this study, we measure iodine concentration in soil samples collected from parts of Deccan Syneclise in the west central India to investigate its potential application as a geochemical indicator for hydrocarbons. The Deccan Syneclise consists of rifted depositional sites with Gondwana-Mesozoic sediments up to 3.5 km concealed under the Deccan Traps and is considered prospectivemore » for hydrocarbons. The concentration of iodine in soil samples is determined using ICP-MS and the values range between 1.1 and 19.3 ppm. High iodine values are characteristic of the northern part of the sampled region. The total organic carbon (TOC) content of the soil samples range between 0.1 and 1.3%. The TOC correlates poorly with the soil iodine (r{sup 2} < 1), indicating a lack of association of iodine with the surficial organic matter and the possibility of interaction between the seeping hydrocarbons and soil iodine. Further, the distribution pattern of iodine compares well with two surface geochemical indicators: the adsorbed light gaseous hydrocarbons (methane through butane) and the propane-oxidizing bacterial populations in the soil. The integration of geochemical observations show the occurrence of elevated values in the northern part of the study area, which is also coincident with the presence of exposed dyke swarms that probably serve as conduits for hydrocarbon microseepage. The corroboration of iodine with existing geological, geophysical, and geochemical data suggests its efficacy as one of the potential tool in surface geochemical exploration of hydrocarbons. Our study supports Deccan Syneclise to be promising in terms of its hydrocarbon prospects.« less

Does intrapleural length and position of the intercostal drain affect the frequency of residual hemothorax? A prospective study from north India

PubMed Central

Kumar, Sunil; Agarwal, Nitin; Rattan, Amulya; Rathi, Vinita

2014-01-01

Context: Thoracic trauma causes significant morbidity; however, many deaths are preventable and few patients require surgery. Intercostal chest drainage (ICD) for hemo/pneumothorax is simple and effective; the main problem is residual hemothorax, which can cause lung collapse and empyema. Aims: Our study aimed to analyze the relationship between radiological chest tube parameters (position and intrathoracic length) and the frequency of residual hemothorax. Settings and Design: This prospective analytical study was conducted in a large tertiary care hospital in north India over 2 years till March 2013. Materials and Methods: Patients of chest trauma aged 18-60 years, with hemothorax or hemopneumothorax requiring ICD insertion were included in the study. Bedside ICD insertion was performed as per current standards. Immediate post-ICD chest radiographs were used to record lung status and ICD position (chest tube zone and intrapleural length). Residual hemothorax was defined as any collection identified on radiological investigations after 48 hours of ICD placement. Statistical Analysis: Univariate analysis was performed with the chi-square test or Student's t-test as appropriate, while multivariate analysis using stepwise logistic regression; a P-value < 0.05 was significant. Results: Out of 170 patients of chest trauma, 154 underwent ICD insertion. Most patients were young (mean age: 31.7 ± 12 years) males (M:F = 14:1). Ninety-seven patients (57.1%) had isolated chest injuries. Blunt trauma (n = 119; 77.3%) and motor vehicle accidents (n = 72; 46.7%) were the commonest causes. Mean hospital stay was 9 ± 3.94 days, and mortality 2/154 (1.1%). Residual hemothorax was seen in 48 (31%). No ICD zone or length was significantly associated with residual hemothorax on univariate or multivariate analysis. Conclusion: Intrapleural ICD zone or length does not affect the frequency of residual hemothorax. PMID:25400388

Stability and change in the clinical course of schizoaffective disorder.

PubMed

Durla, Anca; Lenciu, M; Bredicean, C; Papava, I; Cristanovici, M

2013-01-01

Schizoaffective disorder currently raises several questions, one of them being related to the stability of the clinical diagnosis over time. The aim of this study is to identify the clinical and evolutional particularities in the longitudinal course of schizoaffective disorder. 44 subjects with a current diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder have been assessed prospectively. Following parameters were analyzed: socio-demographic (age at onset, gender, educational, professional and marital status at onset) and clinical (total duration of evolution, diagnosis at onset, duration of the evolution until the switch to the schizoaffective disorder diagnosis). Socio-demographic parameters are similar to those in literature and the clinical assessment revealed that schizoaffective disorder is present as a diagnosis along with the longitudinal course of other types of psychosis. Schizoaffective disorder appears as a heterogeneous pathology in terms of the longitudinal course.

Yonsei Evolutionary Population Synthesis (YEPS). II. Spectro-photometric Evolution of Helium-enhanced Stellar Populations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chung, Chul; Yoon, Suk-Jin; Lee, Young-Wook, E-mail: chulchung@yonsei.ac.kr, E-mail: sjyoon0691@yonsei.ac.kr

The discovery of multiple stellar populations in Milky Way globular clusters (GCs) has stimulated various follow-up studies on helium-enhanced stellar populations. Here we present the evolutionary population synthesis models for the spectro-photometric evolution of simple stellar populations (SSPs) with varying initial helium abundance ( Y {sub ini}). We show that Y {sub ini} brings about dramatic changes in spectro-photometric properties of SSPs. Like the normal-helium SSPs, the integrated spectro-photometric evolution of helium-enhanced SSPs is also dependent on metallicity and age for a given Y {sub ini}. We discuss the implications and prospects for the helium-enhanced populations in relation to themore » second-generation populations found in the Milky Way GCs. All of the models are available at http://web.yonsei.ac.kr/cosmic/data/YEPS.htm.« less

Biodiversity and evolution of Imjin virus and Thottapalayam virus in Crocidurinae shrews in Zhejiang Province, China.

PubMed

Lin, Xian-Dan; Zhou, Run-Hong; Fan, Fei-Neng; Ying, Xu-Hua; Sun, Xiao-Yu; Wang, Wen; Holmes, Edward C; Zhang, Yong-Zhen

2014-08-30

The recent discovery of numerous hantaviruses in insectivores has provided a new view of hantavirus biodiversity and evolution. To determine the presence and genetic diversity of Imjin virus (MJNV) and Thottapalayam virus (TPMV) in insectivores in Zhejiang Province, China, we captured and performed virus screening of 32 Ussuri white-toothed shrews (Crocidura lasiura) and 105 Asian house shrews (Suncus murinus) in different coastal regions. Hantavirus genome (S, M, and L segments) sequences were successfully recovered from one Ussuri white-toothed shrew and seven Asian house shrews. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the virus carried by the Ussuri white-toothed shrew was most closely related to MJNV, but with >15% nucleotide sequence difference, suggesting that it represents a new subtype. The hantaviruses carried by Asian house shrews were closely related to the TPMV variants found in the same geographic area, but more distantly related to those sampled in India and Nepal. Additionally, the TPMV sequences obtained in this study, as well as those found previously in this area, could be divided into three lineages reflecting their geographic origins, indicative of largely allopatric evolution. Overall, our data highlights the high genetic diversity of insectivore-borne hantaviruses in China, suggesting that more may be discovered in the future. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Continental drift and plateau uplift control origination and evolution of Asian and Australian monsoons.

PubMed

Liu, Xiaodong; Dong, Buwen; Yin, Zhi-Yong; Smith, Robin S; Guo, Qingchun

2017-01-13

Evolutions of Asian and Australian monsoons have important significance for understanding the past global change but are still a controversial subject. Here, we explore systematically the effects of plate movement and plateau uplift on the formation and evolution of the Asian and Australian monsoons by numerical simulations based on land-sea distributions and topographic conditions for five typical geological periods during the Cenozoic. Our results suggest that the timings and causes of formation of the monsoons in South Asia, East Asia and northern Australia are different. The Indian Subcontinent, which was located in the tropical Southern Hemisphere in the Paleocene, was influenced by the austral monsoon system simulated at that time. Once it moved to the tropical Northern Hemisphere in the Eocene, the South Asian monsoon established and remained persistently thereafter. However, the monsoons of East Asia and northern Australia did not appear until the Miocene. The establishment of the simulated low-latitude South Asian (northern Australian) monsoon appeared to have strongly depended on the location of mainland India (Australia), associated with northward plate motion, without much relation to the plateau uplift. On the contrary, the establishment of the mid-latitude East Asian monsoon was mainly controlled by the uplift of Tibetan plateau.

Study of the Evolutions of the Universe, Stars and the Solar System ---Personal Retrospect and Prospect---

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayakawa, S.

The universe, stars and the solar system belong to different hierarchies but have been studied in Jpn. by a common group with close mutual contact. Collaborative effort is not restricted within theoretical astrophysics but is extended to a variety of fields of science. In the present article the author describes on the basis of his personal recollection how the collaborate research has stimulated new fields of observational astronomy using infrared radiation and X-rays. A fee-back from these observational studies has given several inputs to the theory of stellar evolution and will provide important means in the study of cosmology.

Uranium (U)-Tolerant Bacterial Diversity from U Ore Deposit of Domiasiat in North-East India and Its Prospective Utilisation in Bioremediation

PubMed Central

Kumar, Rakshak; Nongkhlaw, Macmillan; Acharya, Celin; Joshi, Santa Ram

2013-01-01

Uranium (U)-tolerant aerobic chemo-heterotrophic bacteria were isolated from the sub-surface soils of U-rich deposits in Domiasiat, North East India. The bacterial community explored at molecular level by amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) resulted in 51 distinct phylotypes. Bacterial community assemblages at the U mining site with the concentration of U ranging from 20 to 100 ppm, were found to be most diverse. Representative bacteria analysed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing were affiliated to Firmicutes (51%), Gammaproteobacteria (26%), Actinobacteria (11%), Bacteroidetes (10%) and Betaproteobacteria (2%). Representative strains removed more than 90% and 53% of U from 100 μM and 2 mM uranyl nitrate solutions, respectively, at pH 3.5 within 10 min of exposure and the activity was retained until 24 h. Overall, 76% of characterized isolates possessed phosphatase enzyme and 53% had PIB-type ATPase genes. This study generated baseline information on the diverse indigenous U-tolerant bacteria which could serve as an indicator to estimate the environmental impact expected to be caused by mining in the future. Also, these natural isolates efficient in uranium binding and harbouring phosphatase enzyme and metal-transporting genes could possibly play a vital role in the bioremediation of metal-/radionuclide-contaminated environments. PMID:23080407

Corneal ulceration in south-east Asia III: prevention of fungal keratitis at the village level in south India using topical antibiotics.

PubMed

Srinivasan, M; Upadhyay, M P; Priyadarsini, B; Mahalakshmi, R; Whitcher, J P

2006-12-01

To determine whether topical antifungal prophylaxis distributed by paid village health workers (VHWs) in south India is necessary after corneal abrasion to prevent fungal keratitis in a population where half of the ulcers are fungal. Two panchayaths (village administrative units in Madurai district with a combined population of 48 039 were followed prospectively for 18 months by 15 VHWs who were trained to identify post-traumatic corneal abrasions. Patients fulfilling the eligibility criteria were randomised into two groups and treated with either 1% chloramphenicol and 1% clotrimazole ointment or 1% chloramphenicol and a placebo ointment three times a day for 3 days. Patients, doctors and VHWs were blinded to treatment. During the 18-month period, 1365 people reported to VHWs with ocular injuries, of whom 374 with corneal abrasions were eligible for treatment. Of these, 368 (98.5%) abrasions healed without complications. Two patients had mild localised allergic reactions to the ointment, two dropped out and two patients in the placebo group developed microscopic culture-negative corneal stromal infiltrates that healed in 1 week with natamycin drops. Both fungal and bacterial ulcers that occur after traumatic corneal abrasions seem to be effectively prevented in a village setting using only antibiotic prophylaxis.

Prospects for Image Restoration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hunt, B. R.

Image restoration is the theory and practice of processing an image to correct it for distortions caused by the image formation process. The first efforts in image restoration appeared more than 25 years ago. In this article we review the more recent trends in image restoration and discuss the main directions that are expected to influence the continued evolution of this technology.

The influence of climate variability and change on the science and practice of restoration ecology

Treesearch

Donald A. Falk; Connie Millar

2016-01-01

Variation in Earth’s climate system has always been a primary driver of ecosystem processes and biological evolution. In recent decades, however, the prospect of anthropogenically driven change to the climate system has become an increasingly dominant concern for scientists and conservation biologists. Understanding how ecosystems may...

Aid Effectiveness in Education: Why It Matters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bermingham, Desmond; Christensen, Olav Rex; Mahn, Timo Casjen

2009-01-01

This article introduces the special issue of "Prospects" on "Aid effectiveness in education". It brings together case studies of attempts in several very different contexts to improve the effectiveness of the use of aid in the education sector. By drawing on the historical evolution of the new paradigm over the last 20 years, the authors make the…

A 3-Year Evolution of Linguistic Disorders in Aphasia after Stroke

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El Hachioui, Hanane; van de Sandt-Koenderman, Mieke W. M. E.; Dippel, Diederik W. J.; Koudstaal, Peter J.; Visch-Brink, Evy G.

2011-01-01

Aphasia recovery after stroke has been the subject of several studies, but in none the deficits on the various linguistic levels were examined, even though in the diagnosis and treatment of aphasia the emphasis lays more and more on these linguistic level disorders. In this observational prospective follow-up study, we explored whether it is…

Why Clone a Sheep When They All Look the Same Anyway?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Terry; McGuigan, Linda

2015-01-01

The phenomenon known as "essentialism"--the belief that all species have an essential form with variation being a form of accident of aberration from the essence of the species--is widespread and important because it is at odds with biological reality. The prospect of teaching children about inheritance and evolution would be undermined…

Making Plants Break a Sweat: the Structure, Function, and Evolution of Plant Salt Glands

PubMed Central

Dassanayake, Maheshi; Larkin, John C.

2017-01-01

Salt stress is a complex trait that poses a grand challenge in developing new crops better adapted to saline environments. Some plants, called recretohalophytes, that have naturally evolved to secrete excess salts through salt glands, offer an underexplored genetic resource for examining how plant development, anatomy, and physiology integrate to prevent excess salt from building up to toxic levels in plant tissue. In this review we examine the structure and evolution of salt glands, salt gland-specific gene expression, and the possibility that all salt glands have originated via evolutionary modifications of trichomes. Salt secretion via salt glands is found in more than 50 species in 14 angiosperm families distributed in caryophyllales, asterids, rosids, and grasses. The salt glands of these distantly related clades can be grouped into four structural classes. Although salt glands appear to have originated independently at least 12 times, they share convergently evolved features that facilitate salt compartmentalization and excretion. We review the structural diversity and evolution of salt glands, major transporters and proteins associated with salt transport and secretion in halophytes, salt gland relevant gene expression regulation, and the prospect for using new genomic and transcriptomic tools in combination with information from model organisms to better understand how salt glands contribute to salt tolerance. Finally, we consider the prospects for using this knowledge to engineer salt glands to increase salt tolerance in model species, and ultimately in crops. PMID:28400779

Evolution of Linux operating system network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Guanping; Zheng, Zheng; Wang, Haoqin

2017-01-01

Linux operating system (LOS) is a sophisticated man-made system and one of the most ubiquitous operating systems. However, there is little research on the structure and functionality evolution of LOS from the prospective of networks. In this paper, we investigate the evolution of the LOS network. 62 major releases of LOS ranging from versions 1.0 to 4.1 are modeled as directed networks in which functions are denoted by nodes and function calls are denoted by edges. It is found that the size of the LOS network grows almost linearly, while clustering coefficient monotonically decays. The degree distributions are almost the same: the out-degree follows an exponential distribution while both in-degree and undirected degree follow power-law distributions. We further explore the functionality evolution of the LOS network. It is observed that the evolution of functional modules is shown as a sequence of seven events (changes) succeeding each other, including continuing, growth, contraction, birth, splitting, death and merging events. By means of a statistical analysis of these events in the top 4 largest components (i.e., arch, drivers, fs and net), it is shown that continuing, growth and contraction events occupy more than 95% events. Our work exemplifies a better understanding and describing of the dynamics of LOS evolution.

High-performance Ti/Sb-SnO(2)/Pb(3)O(4) electrodes for chlorine evolution: preparation and characteristics.

PubMed

Shao, Dan; Yan, Wei; Cao, Lu; Li, Xiaoliang; Xu, Hao

2014-02-28

Chlorine evolution via electrochemical approach has wide application prospects in drinking water disinfection and wastewater treatment fields. Dimensional stable anodes used for chlorine evolution should have high stability and adequate chlorine evolution efficiency. Thus a novel and cost-effective Ti/Sb-SnO(2)/Pb(3)O(4)electrode was developed. The physicochemical and electrochemical properties as well as the chlorine evolution performances of the electrodes were investigated. The electrocatalytic activity and deactivation course of the electrodes were also explored. Results showed that this novel electrode had strong chlorine evolution ability with high current efficiency ranging from 87.3% to 93.4% depending on the operational conditions. The accelerated service life of Ti/Sb-SnO(2)/Pb(3)O(4) electrode could reach 180 h at a current density of 10,000 A m(-2) in 0.5 molL(-1) H(2)SO(4). During the electrolysis process, it was found that the conversion of Pb(3)O(4) into β-PbO(2) happened gradually on the electrode surface, which not only inhibited the leakage of hazardous Pb(2+) ion but also increased the anti-corrosion capacity of the electrode effectively. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effect of El-Niño on South Asian Monsoon and agricultural production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukherjee, A.

2015-12-01

Mukherjee A, Wang S.Y.Abstract:The South Asian Monsoon has a prominent and significant impact on South Asian countries like India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and it is one of the most studied phenomena in the world. The monsoon is historically known to be influenced by El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The inter-annual and inter-decadal variability of seasonal precipitation over India strongly depends upon the ENSO phasing. The average southwest monsoon rainfall received during the years with El Niño was found to be less compared to normal years and the average rainfall during the northeast monsoon is higher in coastal Andhra Pradesh. ENSO is anti-correlated with Indian summer monsoon (ISM). The last prominent effect of ENSO on India's monsoon occurred in 2009 with 23% reduction in annual rainfall, reducing summer sown crops such as rice, sugar cane etc. and pushing up food prices. Climatic resources endowment plays a major role in planning agricultural production in tropical and sub-tropical environment especially under rain-fed agriculture, and so contingent crop planning drawn on this relationship would help to mitigate the effects of ENSO episodes in the region. The unexplored area in this domain of research is the changes in the frequency and intensity of ENSO due to global warming and its impact on ENSO prediction and agricultural management practices. We analyze the last 30 years datasets of Pacific SST, and precipitation and air temperature over Southeast Asia to examine the evolution of ENSO teleconnections with ISM, as well as making estimates of drought indices such as Palmer Drought Severity Index. This research can lead toward better crop management strategies in the South Asian monsoon region.

Population Stratification and Underrepresentation of Indian Subcontinent Genetic Diversity in the 1000 Genomes Project Dataset.

PubMed

Sengupta, Dhriti; Choudhury, Ananyo; Basu, Analabha; Ramsay, Michèle

2016-12-31

Genomic variation in Indian populations is of great interest due to the diversity of ancestral components, social stratification, endogamy and complex admixture patterns. With an expanding population of 1.2 billion, India is also a treasure trove to catalogue innocuous as well as clinically relevant rare mutations. Recent studies have revealed four dominant ancestries in populations from mainland India: Ancestral North-Indian (ANI), Ancestral South-Indian (ASI), Ancestral Tibeto-Burman (ATB) and Ancestral Austro-Asiatic (AAA). The 1000 Genomes Project (KGP) Phase-3 data include about 500 genomes from five linguistically defined Indian-Subcontinent (IS) populations (Punjabi, Gujrati, Bengali, Telugu and Tamil) some of whom are recent migrants to USA or UK. Comparative analyses show that despite the distinct geographic origins of the KGP-IS populations, the ANI component is predominantly represented in this dataset. Previous studies demonstrated population substructure in the HapMap Gujrati population, and we found evidence for additional substructure in the Punjabi and Telugu populations. These substructured populations have characteristic/significant differences in heterozygosity and inbreeding coefficients. Moreover, we demonstrate that the substructure is better explained by factors like differences in proportion of ancestral components, and endogamy driven social structure rather than invoking a novel ancestral component to explain it. Therefore, using language and/or geography as a proxy for an ethnic unit is inadequate for many of the IS populations. This highlights the necessity for more nuanced sampling strategies or corrective statistical approaches, particularly for biomedical and population genetics research in India. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

Crop identification for the delineation of irrigated regions under scarce data conditions: a new approach based on chaos theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mangiarotti, S.; Muddu, S.; Sharma, A. K.; Corgne, S.; Ruiz, L.; Hubert-Moy, L.

2015-12-01

Groundwater is one of the main water reservoirs used for irrigation in regions of scarce water resources. For this reason, crop irrigation is expected to have a direct influence on this reservoir. To understand the time evolution of the groundwater table and its storage changes, it is important to delineate irrigated crops, whose evaporative demand is relatively higher. Such delineation may be performed based on classical classification approaches using optical remote sensing. However, it remains a difficult problem in regions where plots do not exceed a few hectares and exhibit a very heterogeneous pattern with multiple crops. This difficulty is emphasized in South India where two or three months of cloudy conditions during the monsoon period can hide crop growth during the year. An alternative approach is introduced here that takes advantage of such scarce signal. Ten different crops are considered in the present study. A bank of crop models is first established based on the global modeling technique [1]. These models are then tested using original time series (from which models were obtained) in order to evaluate the information that can be deduced from these models in an inverse approach. The approach is then tested on an independent data set and is finally applied to a large ensemble of 10,000 time series of plot data extracted from the Berambadi catchment (AMBHAS site) part of the Kabini River basin CZO, South India. Results show that despite the important two-month gap in satellite observations in the visible band, interpolated vegetation index remains an interesting indicator for identification of crops in South India. [1] S. Mangiarotti, R. Coudret, L. Drapeau, & L. Jarlan, Polynomial search and global modeling: Two algorithms for modeling chaos, Phys. Rev. E, 86(4), 046205 (2012).

Genetic deviation in geographically close populations of the dengue vector Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae): influence of environmental barriers in South India.

PubMed

Vadivalagan, Chithravel; Karthika, Pushparaj; Murugan, Kadarkarai; Panneerselvam, Chellasamy; Paulpandi, Manickam; Madhiyazhagan, Pari; Wei, Hui; Aziz, Al Thabiani; Alsalhi, Mohamad Saleh; Devanesan, Sandhanasamy; Nicoletti, Marcello; Paramasivan, Rajaiah; Dinesh, Devakumar; Benelli, Giovanni

2016-03-01

Mosquitoes are vectors of devastating pathogens and parasites, causing millions of deaths every year. Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. Recently, dengue transmission has strongly increased in urban and semiurban areas, becoming a major international public health concern. Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) is a primary vector of dengue. Shedding light on genetic deviation in A. aegypti populations is of crucial importance to fully understand their molecular ecology and evolution. In this research, haplotype and genetic analyses were conducted using individuals of A. aegypti from 31 localities in the north, southeast, northeast and central regions of Tamil Nadu (South India). The mitochondrial DNA region of cytochrome c oxidase 1 (CO1) gene was used as marker for the analyses. Thirty-one haplotypes sequences were submitted to GenBank and authenticated. The complete haplotype set included 64 haplotypes from various geographical regions clustered into three groups (lineages) separated by three fixed mutational steps, suggesting that the South Indian Ae. aegypti populations were pooled and are linked with West Africa, Columbian and Southeast Asian lineages. The genetic and haplotype diversity was low, indicating reduced gene flow among close populations of the vector, due to geographical barriers such as water bodies. Lastly, the negative values for neutrality tests indicated a bottle-neck effect and supported for low frequency of polymorphism among the haplotypes. Overall, our results add basic knowledge to molecular ecology of the dengue vector A. aegypti, providing the first evidence for multiple introductions of Ae. aegypti populations from Columbia and West Africa in South India.

Spatiotemporal modelling and mapping of the bubonic plague epidemic in India.

PubMed

Yu, Hwa-Lung; Christakos, George

2006-03-17

This work studies the spatiotemporal evolution of bubonic plague in India during 1896-1906 using stochastic concepts and geographical information science techniques. In the past, most investigations focused on selected cities to conduct different kinds of studies, such as the ecology of rats. No detailed maps existed incorporating the space-time dependence structure and uncertainty sources of the epidemic system and providing a composite space-time picture of the disease propagation characteristics. Informative spatiotemporal maps were generated that represented mortality rates and geographical spread of the disease, and epidemic indicator plots were derived that offered meaningful characterizations of the spatiotemporal disease distribution. The bubonic plague in India exhibited strong seasonal and geographical features. During its entire duration, the plague continued to invade new geographical areas, while it followed a re-emergence pattern at many localities; its rate changed significantly during each year and the mortality distribution exhibited space-time heterogeneous patterns; prevalence usually occurred in the autumn and spring, whereas the plague stopped moving towards new locations during the summers. Modern stochastic modelling and geographical information science provide powerful means to study the spatiotemporal distribution of the bubonic plague epidemic under conditions of uncertainty and multi-sourced databases; to account for various forms of interdisciplinary knowledge; and to generate informative space-time maps of mortality rates and propagation patterns. To the best of our knowledge, this kind of plague maps and plots become available for the first time, thus providing novel perspectives concerning the distribution and space-time propagation of the deadly epidemic. Furthermore, systematic maps and indicator plots make possible the comparison of the spatial-temporal propagation patterns of different diseases.

Spatiotemporal modelling and mapping of the bubonic plague epidemic in India

PubMed Central

Yu, Hwa-Lung; Christakos, George

2006-01-01

Background This work studies the spatiotemporal evolution of bubonic plague in India during 1896–1906 using stochastic concepts and geographical information science techniques. In the past, most investigations focused on selected cities to conduct different kinds of studies, such as the ecology of rats. No detailed maps existed incorporating the space-time dependence structure and uncertainty sources of the epidemic system and providing a composite space-time picture of the disease propagation characteristics. Results Informative spatiotemporal maps were generated that represented mortality rates and geographical spread of the disease, and epidemic indicator plots were derived that offered meaningful characterizations of the spatiotemporal disease distribution. The bubonic plague in India exhibited strong seasonal and geographical features. During its entire duration, the plague continued to invade new geographical areas, while it followed a re-emergence pattern at many localities; its rate changed significantly during each year and the mortality distribution exhibited space-time heterogeneous patterns; prevalence usually occurred in the autumn and spring, whereas the plague stopped moving towards new locations during the summers. Conclusion Modern stochastic modelling and geographical information science provide powerful means to study the spatiotemporal distribution of the bubonic plague epidemic under conditions of uncertainty and multi-sourced databases; to account for various forms of interdisciplinary knowledge; and to generate informative space-time maps of mortality rates and propagation patterns. To the best of our knowledge, this kind of plague maps and plots become available for the first time, thus providing novel perspectives concerning the distribution and space-time propagation of the deadly epidemic. Furthermore, systematic maps and indicator plots make possible the comparison of the spatial-temporal propagation patterns of different diseases. PMID:16545128

Deep sequencing of near full-length HIV-1 genomes from plasma identifies circulating subtype C and infrequent occurrence of AC recombinant form in Southern India

PubMed Central

Sampathkumar, Raghavan; Sivaraman, Karthi; U. K. J., Anto Jesuraj; Dhar, Chirag; D. Souza, George; Berry, Neil

2017-01-01

India has the third largest number of HIV-1-infected individuals accounting for approximately 2.1 million people, with a predominance of circulating subtype C strains and a low prevalence of subtype A and A1C and BC recombinant forms, identified over the past two decades. Recovery of near full-length HIV-1 genomes from a plasma source coupled with advances in next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies and development of universal methods for amplifying whole genomes of HIV-1 circulating in a target geography or population provides the opportunity for a detailed analysis of HIV-1 strain identification, evolution and dynamics. Here we describe the development and implementation of approaches for HIV-1 NGS analysis in a southern Indian cohort. Plasma samples (n = 20) were obtained from HIV-1-confirmed individuals living in and around the city of Bengaluru. Near full-length genome recovery was obtained for 9 Indian HIV-1 patients, with recovery of full-length gag and env genes for 10 and 2 additional subjects, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses indicate the majority of sequences to be represented by subtype C viruses branching within a monophyletic clade, comprising viruses from India, Nepal, Myanmar and China and closely related to a southern African cluster, with a low prevalence of the A1C recombinant form also present. Development of algorithms for bespoke recovery and analysis at a local level will further aid clinical management of HIV-1 infected Indian subjects and delineate the progress of the HIV-1 pandemic in this and other geographical regions. PMID:29220350

Civil Society-Driven Drug Policy Reform for Health and Human Welfare-India.

PubMed

Vallath, Nandini; Tandon, Tripti; Pastrana, Tania; Lohman, Diederik; Husain, S Asra; Cleary, James; Ramanath, Ganpati; Rajagopal, M R

2017-03-01

The lack of adequate access to opioids in India as analgesics and for agonist therapies, forces millions to live with severe unalleviated pain, or languish with suffering associated with drug dependence. Although India is a major opium exporter, the excessively prohibitive 1985 narcotics law formulated to control harmful use of drugs, impeded the availability and access to opioids for medical and scientific purposes. Amendment of this law in 2014 established a new national regulatory framework for improved access to essential opioid analgesics. This article reflects on key elements and processes that led to this landmark achievement. Unlike quick timelines associated with effecting policy reforms for law enforcement, realizing the 2014 drug policy change primarily to mitigate human suffering, was a 22-year-long process. The most exacting challenges included recognizing the multilayered complexities of the prior policy framework and understanding their adverse impact on field practices to chart an appropriate and viable path for reform. The evolution of an informal civil society movement involving health care professionals, lawyers, media, policy analysts, government officials, and the public was pivotal in addressing these challenges and garnering momentum for reform. The success of the effort for improving access to opioid medications was underpinned by a three-pronged strategy of 1) persuading the executive arm of the government to take interim enabling measures; 2) leveraging judicial intervention through public interest litigation; and 3) crafting a viable policy document for legislative approval and implementation. We hope our findings are useful for realizing drug policy reforms, given the current transformed global policy mandates emphasizing humanitarian, healthcare, and quality-of-life considerations. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

West-directed thrusting south of the eastern Himalayan syntaxis indicates clockwise crustal flow at the indenter corner during the India-Asia collision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haproff, Peter J.; Zuza, Andrew V.; Yin, An

2018-01-01

Whether continental deformation is accommodated by microplate motion or continuum flow is a central issue regarding the nature of Cenozoic deformation surrounding the eastern Himalayan syntaxis. The microplate model predicts southeastward extrusion of rigid blocks along widely-spaced strike-slip faults, whereas the crustal-flow model requires clockwise crustal rotation along closely-spaced, semi-circular right-slip faults around the eastern Himalayan syntaxis. Although global positioning system (GPS) data support the crustal-flow model, the surface velocity field provides no information on the evolution of the India-Asia orogenic system at million-year scales. In this work, we present the results of systematic geologic mapping across the northernmost segment of the Indo-Burma Ranges, located directly southeast of the eastern Himalayan syntaxis. Early research inferred the area to have experienced either right-slip faulting accommodating northward indentation of India or thrusting due to the eastward continuation of the Himalayan orogen in the Cenozoic. Our mapping supports the presence of dip-slip thrust faults, rather than strike-slip faults. Specifically, the northern Indo-Burma Ranges exposes south- to west-directed ductile thrust shear zones in the hinterland and brittle fault zones in the foreland. The trends of ductile stretching lineations within thrust shear zones and thrust sheets rotate clockwise from the northeast direction in the northern part of the study area to the east direction in the southern part of the study area. This clockwise deflection pattern of lineations around the eastern Himalayan syntaxis mirrors the clockwise crustal-rotation pattern as suggested by the crustal-flow model and contemporary GPS velocity field. However, our finding is inconsistent with discrete strike-slip deformation in the area and the microplate model.

Disjunctive Grade Variation from Greenschist to Granulite Facies, Siyom Valley, Eastern Arunachal Pradesh, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clarke, G. L.; Bhowmik, S. K.; Aitchison, J. C.; Ireland, T. R.

2014-12-01

The Siyom Valley section in eastern Arunachal Pradesh exposes an inverted metamorphic succession (Nandini & Thakur, 2011), metapelitic assemblages increasing in grade northwards from chlorite, through biotite, garnet-staurolite and kyanite-bearing schist to kyanite-sillimanite migmatite. Grade changes are mostly controlled by shallowly north, and northwest-dipping fault structures. Two textural stages of garnet growth can be identified in the ilmenite-bearing amphibolite facies rocks, staurolite having formed late in, or after, deformation responsible for the main penetrative foliation (S2). Kyanite and rutile inclusions in garnet indicate that their growth in migmatite preceded that of matrix sillimanite, ilmenite and cordierite, though unrecrystallized kyanite is also common in the feldspathic matrix. Preliminary data indicate the pronounced tectonic thinning of metasedimentary protoliths during exhumation, and the probability of a pronounced step in grade in the middle part of the river section. Similarities with sections in the Sikkim (Dasgupta et al., 2004) and western Arunachal Pradesh (Goswami et al., 2009) Himalaya reflect the lateral continuity of the south-vergent thrusts that controlled the exhumation of the high-grade rocks, with debate concerning the location and significance of the Main Central Thrust zone begging protolith and metamorphic age data. Dasgupta, S.,Ganguly, J. & Neogi, S., 2004. Inverted metamorphic sequence in the Sikkim Himalayas: crystallization history, P-T gradient and implications. Journal of Metamorphic Geology, 22, 395-412. Goswami, S., Bhowmik, S.K. & Dasgupta, S., 2009. Petrology of a non-classical Barrovian inverted metamorphic sequence from the western Arunachal Himalaya, India. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 36, 390-406. Nandini, P. & Thakur, S.S., 2011. Metamorphic evolution of the Lesser Himalayan Crystalline Sequence, Siyom Valley, NE Himalaya, India. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 40, 1089-1100

The Evolution of the Meningitis Vaccine Project

PubMed Central

Tiffay, Kathleen; Jodar, Luis; Kieny, Marie-Paule; Socquet, Muriel; LaForce, F. Marc

2015-01-01

Background. In 2001, the Meningitis Vaccine Project (MVP) was tasked to develop, test, license, and introduce a group A meningococcal (MenA) conjugate vaccine for sub-Saharan Africa. African public health officials emphasized that a vaccine price of less than US$0.50 per dose was necessary to ensure introduction and sustained use of this new vaccine. Methods. Initially, MVP envisioned partnering with a multinational vaccine manufacturer, but the target price and opportunity costs were problematic and formal negotiations ended in 2002. MVP chose to become a “virtual vaccine company,” and over the next decade managed a network of public–private and public–public partnerships for pharmaceutical development, clinical development, and regulatory submission. MVP supported the transfer of key know-how for the production of group A polysaccharide and a new conjugation method to the Serum Institute of India, Ltd, based in Pune, India. A robust staff structure supported by technical consultants and overseen by advisory groups in Europe and Africa ensured that the MenA conjugate vaccine would meet all international standards. Results. A robust project structure including a team of technical consultants and 3 advisory groups in Europe and Africa ensured that the MenA conjugate vaccine (PsA-TT, MenAfriVac) was licensed by the Drug Controller General of India and prequalified by the World Health Organization in June 2010. The vaccine was introduced in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger in December 2010. Conclusions. The development, through a public–private partnership, of a safe, effective, and affordable vaccine for sub-Saharan Africa, PsA-TT, offers a new paradigm for the development of vaccines specifically targeting populations in resource-poor countries. PMID:26553666

The Evolution of the Meningitis Vaccine Project.

PubMed

Tiffay, Kathleen; Jodar, Luis; Kieny, Marie-Paule; Socquet, Muriel; LaForce, F Marc

2015-11-15

In 2001, the Meningitis Vaccine Project (MVP) was tasked to develop, test, license, and introduce a group A meningococcal (MenA) conjugate vaccine for sub-Saharan Africa. African public health officials emphasized that a vaccine price of less than US$0.50 per dose was necessary to ensure introduction and sustained use of this new vaccine. Initially, MVP envisioned partnering with a multinational vaccine manufacturer, but the target price and opportunity costs were problematic and formal negotiations ended in 2002. MVP chose to become a "virtual vaccine company," and over the next decade managed a network of public-private and public-public partnerships for pharmaceutical development, clinical development, and regulatory submission. MVP supported the transfer of key know-how for the production of group A polysaccharide and a new conjugation method to the Serum Institute of India, Ltd, based in Pune, India. A robust staff structure supported by technical consultants and overseen by advisory groups in Europe and Africa ensured that the MenA conjugate vaccine would meet all international standards. A robust project structure including a team of technical consultants and 3 advisory groups in Europe and Africa ensured that the MenA conjugate vaccine (PsA-TT, MenAfriVac) was licensed by the Drug Controller General of India and prequalified by the World Health Organization in June 2010. The vaccine was introduced in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger in December 2010. The development, through a public-private partnership, of a safe, effective, and affordable vaccine for sub-Saharan Africa, PsA-TT, offers a new paradigm for the development of vaccines specifically targeting populations in resource-poor countries. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

The Royal Road to Time: How Understanding of the Evolution of Time in the Brain Addresses Memory, Dreaming, Flow, and Other Psychological Phenomena.

PubMed

Hancock, Peter A

2015-01-01

It has been claimed that dreams are the royal road to the unconscious mind. The present work argues that dreams and associated brain states such as memory, attention, flow, and perhaps even consciousness itself arise from diverse conflicts over control of time in the brain. Dreams are the brain's offline efforts to distill projections of the future, while memory represents the vestiges of the past successes and survived failures of those and other conscious projections. Memory thus acts to inform and improve the prediction of possible future states through the use of conscious prospects (planning) and unconscious prospective memory (dreams). When successful, these prospects result in states of flow for conscious planning and déjà vu for its unconscious comparator. In consequence, and contrary to normal expectation, memory is overwhelmingly oriented to deal with the future. Consciousness is the comparable process operating in the present moment. Thus past, present, and future are homeomorphic with the parts of memory (episodic and autobiographical) that recall a personal past, consciousness, and the differing dimensions of prospective memory to plan for future circumstances, respectively. Dreaming (i.e., unconscious prospective memory), has the luxury to run multiple "what if" simulations of many possible futures, essentially offline. I explicate these propositions and their relations to allied constructs such as déjà vu and flow. More generally, I propose that what appear to us as a range of normal psychological experiences are actually manifestations of an ongoing pathological battle for control within the brain. The landscape of this conflict is time. I suggest that there are at least 3 general systems bidding for this control, and in the process of evolution, each system has individually conferred a sequentially increasing survival advantage, but only at the expense of a still incomplete functional integration. Through juxtaposition of these respective brain systems, I endeavor to resolve some fundamental paradoxes and conundrums expressed in the basic psychological and behavioral processes of sleep, consciousness, and memory. The implication of this conceptual framework for the overall conception of time is then briefly adumbrated.

Volatile Analysis by Pyrolysis of Regolith (Vapor) for Planetary Resource Prospecting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glavin, D. P.; Malespin, C. A.; Ten Kate, I. L.; Mcadam, A.; Getty, S. A.; Mumm, E.; Franz, H. B.; Southard, A. E.; Bleacher, J. E.; Mahaffy, P. R.

2016-01-01

Measuring the chemical composition of planetary bodies and their atmospheres is key to understanding the formation of the Solar System and the evolution of the planets and their moons. In situ volatile measurements enable a ground-truth assessment of the distribution and abundance of resources such as water-ice and oxygen, important for a sustained human presence on the Moon and beyond. The Volatile Analysis by Pyrolysis of Regolith (VAPoR) instrument is a compact pyrolysis mass spectrometer designed to detect volatiles released from solid samples that are heated to elevated temperatures and is one technique that should be considered for resource prospecting on the Moon, Mars, and asteroids.

Pursuing Darwin’s curious parallel: Prospects for a science of cultural evolution

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

In the past few decades, scholars from several disciplines have pursued the curious parallel noted by Darwin between the genetic evolution of species and the cultural evolution of beliefs, skills, knowledge, languages, institutions, and other forms of socially transmitted information. Here, I review current progress in the pursuit of an evolutionary science of culture that is grounded in both biological and evolutionary theory, but also treats culture as more than a proximate mechanism that is directly controlled by genes. Both genetic and cultural evolution can be described as systems of inherited variation that change over time in response to processes such as selection, migration, and drift. Appropriate differences between genetic and cultural change are taken seriously, such as the possibility in the latter of nonrandomly guided variation or transformation, blending inheritance, and one-to-many transmission. The foundation of cultural evolution was laid in the late 20th century with population-genetic style models of cultural microevolution, and the use of phylogenetic methods to reconstruct cultural macroevolution. Since then, there have been major efforts to understand the sociocognitive mechanisms underlying cumulative cultural evolution, the consequences of demography on cultural evolution, the empirical validity of assumed social learning biases, the relative role of transformative and selective processes, and the use of quantitative phylogenetic and multilevel selection models to understand past and present dynamics of society-level change. I conclude by highlighting the interdisciplinary challenges of studying cultural evolution, including its relation to the traditional social sciences and humanities. PMID:28739929

Pursuing Darwin's curious parallel: Prospects for a science of cultural evolution.

PubMed

Mesoudi, Alex

2017-07-24

In the past few decades, scholars from several disciplines have pursued the curious parallel noted by Darwin between the genetic evolution of species and the cultural evolution of beliefs, skills, knowledge, languages, institutions, and other forms of socially transmitted information. Here, I review current progress in the pursuit of an evolutionary science of culture that is grounded in both biological and evolutionary theory, but also treats culture as more than a proximate mechanism that is directly controlled by genes. Both genetic and cultural evolution can be described as systems of inherited variation that change over time in response to processes such as selection, migration, and drift. Appropriate differences between genetic and cultural change are taken seriously, such as the possibility in the latter of nonrandomly guided variation or transformation, blending inheritance, and one-to-many transmission. The foundation of cultural evolution was laid in the late 20th century with population-genetic style models of cultural microevolution, and the use of phylogenetic methods to reconstruct cultural macroevolution. Since then, there have been major efforts to understand the sociocognitive mechanisms underlying cumulative cultural evolution, the consequences of demography on cultural evolution, the empirical validity of assumed social learning biases, the relative role of transformative and selective processes, and the use of quantitative phylogenetic and multilevel selection models to understand past and present dynamics of society-level change. I conclude by highlighting the interdisciplinary challenges of studying cultural evolution, including its relation to the traditional social sciences and humanities.

Diverse Orbits Around Mars Graphic

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-05-04

This graphic depicts the relative shapes and distances from Mars for five active orbiter missions plus the planet's two natural satellites. It illustrates the potential for intersections of the spacecraft orbits. The number of active orbiter missions at Mars increased from three to five in 2014. With the increased traffic, NASA has augmented a process for anticipating orbit intersections and avoiding collisions. NASA's Mars Odyssey and MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter) travel near-circular orbits. The European Space Agency's Mars Express, NASA's MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) and India's MOM (Mars Orbiter Mission), travel more elliptical orbits. Phobos and Deimos are the two natural moons of Mars. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19396

Biomarkers in Scleroderma: Progressing from Association to Clinical Utility.

PubMed

Ligon, Colin; Hummers, Laura K

2016-03-01

Scleroderma is a heterogenous disease characterized by autoimmunity, a characteristic vasculopathy, and often widely varying extents of deep organ fibrosis. Recent advances in the understanding of scleroderma's evolution have improved the ability to identify subgroups of patients with similar prognosis in order to improve risk stratification, enrich clinical trials for patients likely to benefit from specific therapies, and identify promising therapeutic targets for intervention. High-throughput technologies have recently identified fibrotic and inflammatory effectors in scleroderma that exhibit strong prognostic ability and may be tied to disease evolution. Increasingly, the use of collections of assayed circulating proteins and patterns of gene expression in tissue has replaced single-marker investigations in understanding the evolution of scleroderma and in objectively characterizing disease extent. Lastly, identification of shared patterns of disease evolution has allowed classification of patients into latent disease subtypes, which may allow rapid clinical prognostication and targeted management in both clinical and research settings. The concept of biomarkers in scleroderma is expanding to include nontraditional measures of aggregate protein signatures and disease evolution. This review examines the recent advances in biomarkers with a focus on those approaches poised to guide prospective management or themselves serve as quantitative surrogate disease outcomes.

Evolutionary engineering for industrial microbiology.

PubMed

Vanee, Niti; Fisher, Adam B; Fong, Stephen S

2012-01-01

Superficially, evolutionary engineering is a paradoxical field that balances competing interests. In natural settings, evolution iteratively selects and enriches subpopulations that are best adapted to a particular ecological niche using random processes such as genetic mutation. In engineering desired approaches utilize rational prospective design to address targeted problems. When considering details of evolutionary and engineering processes, more commonality can be found. Engineering relies on detailed knowledge of the problem parameters and design properties in order to predict design outcomes that would be an optimized solution. When detailed knowledge of a system is lacking, engineers often employ algorithmic search strategies to identify empirical solutions. Evolution epitomizes this iterative optimization by continuously diversifying design options from a parental design, and then selecting the progeny designs that represent satisfactory solutions. In this chapter, the technique of applying the natural principles of evolution to engineer microbes for industrial applications is discussed to highlight the challenges and principles of evolutionary engineering.

The Evolution, Contributions, and Prospects of the Youth Development Study: An Investigation in Life Course Social Psychology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mortimer, Jeylan T.

2012-01-01

Grounded in social structure and personality, life course, and status attainment perspectives of social psychology, the Youth Development Study (YDS) has followed a cohort of teenagers from the beginning of high school through their mid-thirties. Evidence for the effective exercise of agency derives from diverse adolescent work patterns leading to…

Cyclotrons and FFAG Accelerators as Drivers for ADS

DOE PAGES

Calabretta, Luciano; Méot, François

2015-01-01

Our review summarizes projects and studies on circular accelerators proposed for driving subcritical reactors. The early isochronous cyclotron cascades, proposed about 20 years ago, and the evolution of these layouts up to the most recent solutions or designs based on cyclotrons and fixed field alternating gradient accelerators, are reported. Additionally, the newest ideas and their prospects for development are discussed.

Girls in Science and Technology in Secondary and Post-Secondary Education: The Case of France

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevanovic, Biljana

2014-01-01

Based on surveys undertaken by the Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques (France's National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies) and by the Direction de l'évaluation de la prospective et de la performance (Directorate of Evaluation, Forecasting and Performance), this article examines the evolution of female student…

Chapter 5: Policies on Free Primary and Secondary Education in East Africa--Retrospect and Prospect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oketch, Moses; Rolleston, Caine

2007-01-01

This article reviews the evolution of education policies in the East African region in a historical context. The focus is on the formulation of policies for access to primary and secondary education in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania since their independence in the 1960s. The three countries have common characteristics and historical backgrounds. For…

Partners or Competitors? The Evolution of the Department of Defense/Central Intelligence Agency Relationship since Desert Storm and its Prospects for the Future

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-01

does not merely rest on the shoulders of these two organizations, but on Congressional choices as well. It is important that Congressional...at the CIA. New York, NY: Harper Collins E-Book, 2007. Tucker, David and Christopher J. Lamb . United States Special Operations Forces. New York, NY

Barium distributions in teeth reveal early-life dietary transitions in primates.

PubMed

Austin, Christine; Smith, Tanya M; Bradman, Asa; Hinde, Katie; Joannes-Boyau, Renaud; Bishop, David; Hare, Dominic J; Doble, Philip; Eskenazi, Brenda; Arora, Manish

2013-06-13

Early-life dietary transitions reflect fundamental aspects of primate evolution and are important determinants of health in contemporary human populations. Weaning is critical to developmental and reproductive rates; early weaning can have detrimental health effects but enables shorter inter-birth intervals, which influences population growth. Uncovering early-life dietary history in fossils is hampered by the absence of prospectively validated biomarkers that are not modified during fossilization. Here we show that large dietary shifts in early life manifest as compositional variations in dental tissues. Teeth from human children and captive macaques, with prospectively recorded diet histories, demonstrate that barium (Ba) distributions accurately reflect dietary transitions from the introduction of mother's milk through the weaning process. We also document dietary transitions in a Middle Palaeolithic juvenile Neanderthal, which shows a pattern of exclusive breastfeeding for seven months, followed by seven months of supplementation. After this point, Ba levels in enamel returned to baseline prenatal levels, indicating an abrupt cessation of breastfeeding at 1.2 years of age. Integration of Ba spatial distributions and histological mapping of tooth formation enables novel studies of the evolution of human life history, dietary ontogeny in wild primates, and human health investigations through accurate reconstructions of breastfeeding history.

Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution in Alkaline Electrolytes: Mechanisms, Challenges, and Prospective Solutions.

PubMed

Mahmood, Nasir; Yao, Yunduo; Zhang, Jing-Wen; Pan, Lun; Zhang, Xiangwen; Zou, Ji-Jun

2018-02-01

Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline medium is currently a point of focus for sustainable development of hydrogen as an alternative clean fuel for various energy systems, but suffers from sluggish reaction kinetics due to additional water dissociation step. So, the state-of-the-art catalysts performing well in acidic media lose considerable catalytic performance in alkaline media. This review summarizes the recent developments to overcome the kinetics issues of alkaline HER, synthesis of materials with modified morphologies, and electronic structures to tune the active sites and their applications as efficient catalysts for HER. It first explains the fundamentals and electrochemistry of HER and then outlines the requirements for an efficient and stable catalyst in alkaline medium. The challenges with alkaline HER and limitation with the electrocatalysts along with prospective solutions are then highlighted. It further describes the synthesis methods of advanced nanostructures based on carbon, noble, and inexpensive metals and their heterogeneous structures. These heterogeneous structures provide some ideal systems for analyzing the role of structure and synergy on alkaline HER catalysis. At the end, it provides the concluding remarks and future perspectives that can be helpful for tuning the catalysts active-sites with improved electrochemical efficiencies in future.

Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution in Alkaline Electrolytes: Mechanisms, Challenges, and Prospective Solutions

PubMed Central

Mahmood, Nasir; Yao, Yunduo; Zhang, Jing‐Wen; Pan, Lun; Zhang, Xiangwen

2017-01-01

Abstract Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline medium is currently a point of focus for sustainable development of hydrogen as an alternative clean fuel for various energy systems, but suffers from sluggish reaction kinetics due to additional water dissociation step. So, the state‐of‐the‐art catalysts performing well in acidic media lose considerable catalytic performance in alkaline media. This review summarizes the recent developments to overcome the kinetics issues of alkaline HER, synthesis of materials with modified morphologies, and electronic structures to tune the active sites and their applications as efficient catalysts for HER. It first explains the fundamentals and electrochemistry of HER and then outlines the requirements for an efficient and stable catalyst in alkaline medium. The challenges with alkaline HER and limitation with the electrocatalysts along with prospective solutions are then highlighted. It further describes the synthesis methods of advanced nanostructures based on carbon, noble, and inexpensive metals and their heterogeneous structures. These heterogeneous structures provide some ideal systems for analyzing the role of structure and synergy on alkaline HER catalysis. At the end, it provides the concluding remarks and future perspectives that can be helpful for tuning the catalysts active‐sites with improved electrochemical efficiencies in future. PMID:29610722

Foreign travel is a major risk factor for colonization with Escherichia coli producing CTX-M-type extended-spectrum beta-lactamases: a prospective study with Swedish volunteers.

PubMed

Tängdén, Thomas; Cars, Otto; Melhus, Asa; Löwdin, Elisabeth

2010-09-01

Foreign travel has been suggested to be a risk factor for the acquisition of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae. To our knowledge, this has not previously been demonstrated in a prospective study. Healthy volunteers traveling outside Northern Europe were enrolled. Rectal swabs and data on potential travel-associated risk factors were collected before and after traveling. A total of 105 volunteers were enrolled. Four of them did not complete the study, and one participant carried ESBL-producing Escherichia coli before travel. Twenty-four of 100 participants with negative pretravel samples were colonized with ESBL-producing Escherichia coli after the trip. All strains produced CTX-M enzymes, mostly CTX-M-15, and some coproduced TEM or SHV enzymes. Coresistance to several antibiotic subclasses was common. Travel to India was associated with the highest risk for the acquisition of ESBLs (88%; n = 7). Gastroenteritis during the trip was an additional risk factor (P = 0.003). Five of 21 volunteers who completed the follow-up after 6 months had persistent colonization with ESBLs. This is the first prospective study demonstrating that international travel is a major risk factor for colonization with ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Considering the high acquisition rate of 24%, it is obvious that global efforts are needed to meet the emergence and spread of CTX-M enzymes and other antimicrobial resistances.

Foreign Travel Is a Major Risk Factor for Colonization with Escherichia coli Producing CTX-M-Type Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamases: a Prospective Study with Swedish Volunteers ▿

PubMed Central

Tängdén, Thomas; Cars, Otto; Melhus, Åsa; Löwdin, Elisabeth

2010-01-01

Foreign travel has been suggested to be a risk factor for the acquisition of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae. To our knowledge, this has not previously been demonstrated in a prospective study. Healthy volunteers traveling outside Northern Europe were enrolled. Rectal swabs and data on potential travel-associated risk factors were collected before and after traveling. A total of 105 volunteers were enrolled. Four of them did not complete the study, and one participant carried ESBL-producing Escherichia coli before travel. Twenty-four of 100 participants with negative pretravel samples were colonized with ESBL-producing Escherichia coli after the trip. All strains produced CTX-M enzymes, mostly CTX-M-15, and some coproduced TEM or SHV enzymes. Coresistance to several antibiotic subclasses was common. Travel to India was associated with the highest risk for the acquisition of ESBLs (88%; n = 7). Gastroenteritis during the trip was an additional risk factor (P = 0.003). Five of 21 volunteers who completed the follow-up after 6 months had persistent colonization with ESBLs. This is the first prospective study demonstrating that international travel is a major risk factor for colonization with ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Considering the high acquisition rate of 24%, it is obvious that global efforts are needed to meet the emergence and spread of CTX-M enzymes and other antimicrobial resistances. PMID:20547788

A reassessment of the Archean-Mesoproterozoic tectonic development of the southeastern Chhattisgarh Basin, Central India through detailed aeromagnetic analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sridhar, M.; Ramesh Babu, V.; Markandeyulu, A.; Raju, B. V. S. N.; Chaturvedi, A. K.; Roy, M. K.

2017-08-01

We constrained the geological framework over polydeformed Paleoproterozoic Sonakhan Greenstone Belt and addressed the tectonic evolution of Singhora basin in the fringes of Bastar Craton, central India by utilizing aeromagnetic data interpretation, 2.5D forward modelling and 3D magnetic susceptibility inversions. The Sonakhan Greenstone Belt exposes volcano-sedimentary sequences of the Sonakhan Group within NNW-SSE to NW-SE trending linear belts surrounded by granite gneisses, which are unconformably overlain by sedimentary rocks of Chhattisgarh Basin. The orientations of aeromagnetic anomalies are coincident with geological trends and appear to correlate with lithology and geologic structure. Regional magnetic anomalies and lineaments reveal both NNW-SSE and NE-SW trends. Prominent E-W trending linear, high amplitude magnetic anomalies are interpreted as the Trans-Chhattisgarh Aeromagnetic Lineament (TCAL). NW-SE trending aeromagnetic signatures related to Sonakhan Greenstone Belt extends below the Singhora sedimentary rocks and forms the basement in the west. The analysis suggests that TCAL is a block fault with northern block down-thrown and affected the basement rocks comprising the Sonakhan Greenstone Belt and Samblapur Granitoids. The episode of faulting represented by the TCAL is pre-Singhora sedimentation and played a vital role in basin evolution. The basement configuration image generated by estimates of depth to magnetic basement suggests a complex pattern of NNE-SSW to NE-SW trending depressions separated by a linear N-S trending basement ridge. It is inferred from the 3D magnetic susceptibility inversion that the thickness of sediments is more towards the eastern basin margin and the N-S ridge is a manifestation of post sedimentary faulting. Results of 2.5D modelling of a WNW-ESE profile across the Singhora Basin combined with results from 3D inversion suggest suggests the basin subsidence was controlled by NE-SW trending regional faults in an active system. The basin geometry evolved by E-W block faulting overprinted by NE-SW trending pre- to syn-depositional normal faults generating NE-SW depression, which are affected by N-S trend post-sedimentary faulting. Though the present work relates the basin evolution with the initiation of rift basin, it warrants further work to establish the deformation within the basin pertaining to the proximal thrust and uplift along the craton fringe.

Origin and evolution of multi-stage felsic melts in eastern Gangdese belt: Constraints from U-Pb zircon dating and Hf isotopic composition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Liang; Zhang, Hong-Fei; Harris, Nigel; Pan, Fa-Bin; Xu, Wang-Chun

2011-11-01

This integrated study of whole rock geochemistry, zircon U-Pb dating and Hf isotope composition for seven felsic rocks from the Nyingchi Complex in eastern Himalayan syntaxis has revealed a complex magmatic history for the eastern Gangdese belt. This involves multiple melt sources and mechanisms that uniquely identify the tectonic evolution of this part of the Himalayan orogen. Our U-Pb zircon dating reveals five stages of magmatic or anatectic events: 165, 81, 61, 50 and 25 Ma. The Jurassic granitic gneiss (165 Ma) exhibits εHf(t) values of + 1.4 to + 3.5. The late Cretaceous granite (81 Ma) shows variable εHf(t) values from - 0.9 to + 6.2, indicating a binary mixing between juvenile and old crustal materials. The Paleocene granodioritic gneiss (61 Ma) has εHf(t) values of + 5.4 to + 8.0, suggesting that it originated from partial melting of a juvenile crustal material. The Eocene anatexis is recorded in the leucosome, which has Hf isotopic composition similar to that of the Jurassic granite, indicating that the leucosome could be derived from partial melting of the Jurassic granite. The late Oligocene biotite granite (25 Ma) shows adakitic geochemical characteristics, with Sr/Y = 49.3-56.6. The presence of a large number of inherited zircons and negative εHf(t) values suggest that it sourced from anatexis of crustal materials. In contrast to the Gangdese batholiths that are mainly derived from juvenile crustal source in central Tibet, the old crustal materials play an important role for the magma generation of the felsic rocks, suggesting the existence of a crustal basement in the eastern Gangdese belt. These correspond to specific magmatic evolution stages during the convergence between India and Asia. The middle Jurassic granitic gneiss resulted from the northward subduction of the Neo-Tethyan oceanic slab. The late Cretaceous magmatism is probably related to the ocean ridge subduction. The Paleocene-Eocene magmatism, metamorphism and anatexis are interpreted to result from roll-back and break-off of the subducted Neo-Tethyan slab that occurred in the early stage of the India-Asian collision, respectively. The late Oligocene adakitic rocks resulted from the break-off of the subducted Indian continental crust starting at ~ 25 Ma.

Westerly jet stream and past millennium climate change in Arid Central Asia simulated by COSMO-CLM model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fallah, Bijan; Sodoudi, Sahar; Cubasch, Ulrich

2016-05-01

This study tackles one of the most debated questions around the evolution of Central Asian climate: the "Puzzle" of moisture changes in Arid Central Asia (ACA) throughout the past millennium. A state-of-the-art Regional Climate Model (RCM) is subsequently employed to investigate four different 31-year time slices of extreme dry and wet spells, chosen according to changes in the driving data, in order to analyse the spatio-temporal evolution of the moisture variability in two different climatological epochs: Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA) and Little Ice Age (LIA). There is a clear regime behavior and bimodality in the westerly Jet phase space throughout the past millennium in ACA. The results indicate that the regime changes during LIA show a moist ACA and a dry East China. During the MCA, the Kazakhstan region shows a stronger response to the westerly jet equatorward shift than during the LIA. The out-of-phase pattern of moisture changes between India and ACA exists during both the LIA and the MCA. However, the pattern is more pronounced during the LIA.

Dual polarization micropulse lidar observations of the diurnal evolution of atmospheric boundary layer over a tropical coastal station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajeev, K.; Mishra, Manoj K.; Sunilkumar, S. V.; Sijikumar, S.

2016-05-01

High-resolution dual polarized micropulse lidar (MPL) observations have been used to investigate the diurnal evolution of atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) during winter (2008-2011) over Thiruvananthapuram (8.5°N, 77°E), a tropical coastal station located at southwest Peninsular India, adjoining the Arabian Sea. The lidar observations are compared with the boundary layer characteristics derived from concurrent balloon-borne radiosonde observations. This study shows that the mixed layer height over this coastal station generally increases from <300 m in the morning to 1500 m by the afternoon. Growth rate of the mixed layer height is rapid ( 350 m/hr) during 09-11 IST and slows down with time to <150 m/hr during 11-14 IST and <90 m/hr during 14-16 IST. Thermal internal boundary layer during the afternoon, caused by sea breeze circulation, extends up to 500 m altitude and is characterized by highly spherical aerosols, while a distinctly non-spherical aerosol layer appear above this altitude, in the return flow arising from the landmass.

Modeling Radiation Fog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

K R, Sreenivas; Mohammad, Rafiuddin

2016-11-01

Predicting the fog-onset, its growth and dissipation helps in managing airports and other modes of transport. After sunset, occurrence of fog requires moist air, low wind and clear-sky conditions. Under these circumstances radiative heat transfer plays a vital role in the NBL. Locally, initiation of fog happens when the air temperature falls below the dew-point. Thus, to predict the onset of fog at a given location, one has to compute evolution of vertical temperature profile. Earlier,our group has shown that the presence of aerosols and vertical variation in their number density determines the radiative-cooling and hence development of vertical temperature profile. Aerosols, through radiation in the window-band, provides an efficient path for air layers to lose heat to the cold, upper atmosphere. This process creates cooler air layer between warmer ground and upper air layers and resulting temperature profile facilitate the initiation of fog. Our results clearly indicates that accounting for the presence of aerosols and their radiative-transfer is important in modeling micro-meteorological process of fog formation and its evolution. DST, Govt. INDIA.

Labour room Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (LR CPAP) in preterm neonates <34 weeks: An Indian experience.

PubMed

Desai, Saumil Ashvinkumar; Tule, Pankaj; Nanavati, Ruchi Nimish

2017-01-01

Early continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) has proven to be beneficial in reducing ventilator dependence and subsequent chronic lung disease in neonates suffering from Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). However, the efficacy of initiating labour room (LR) CPAP has not been determined prospectively in resource limited settings like India. Hence the objective of the present study was to study the efficacy of LR CPAP in preterm neonates with RDS in resource limited Indian settings. This was a prospective observational study including preterm neonates (26-34 weeks with RDS) carried out over a period of 6 months (January to June 2016) when the CPAP was initiated in LR. The outcome was compared with a similar population during the corresponding period of the previous year when CPAP was initiated in NICU. The historical controls were retrieved from case records and matched for gestational age and birth weight with the study population. There was 36% absolute risk reduction in the need for surfactant and 56% for mechanical ventilation in the LR CPAP group respectively. LR CPAP reduces the need for mechanical ventilation and surfactant in preterm neonates with RDS in resource limited settings.

The Summer Monsoon of 1987.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishnamurti, T. N.; Bedi, H. S.; Subramaniam, M.

1989-04-01

In this paper we have examined the evolution of a number of parameters we believe were important for our understanding of the drought over India during the summer of 1987. The list of parameters includes monthly means or anomalies of the following fields: sea surface temperatures, divergent circulations, outgoing longwave radiation, streamfunction of the lower and upper troposphere, and monthly precipitation (expressed as a percentage departure from a long-term mean). The El Niño related warm sea surface temperature anomaly and a weaker warm sea surface temperature anomaly over the equatorial Indian Ocean provide sustained convection, as reflected by the negative values of the outgoing longwave radiation. With the seasonal heating, a pronounced planetary-scale divergent circulation evolved with a center along the western Pacific Ocean. The monsoonal divergent circulation merged with that related to the El Niño, maintaining most of the heavy rainfall activity between the equatorial Pacific Ocean and east Asia. Persistent convective activity continued south of India during the entire monsoon season. Strong Hadley type overturnings with rising motions over these warm SST anomaly regions and descent roughly near 20° to 25°S was evident as early as April 1987. The subtropical high pressure areas near 20° to 25°S showed stronger than normal circulations. This was revealed by the presence of a counterclockwise streamfunction anomaly at 850 mb during April 1987. With the seasonal heating, this anomaly moved northwards and was located over the Arabian Sea and India. This countermonsoon circulation anomaly at the low levels was associated with a weaker than normal Somali jet and Arabian Sea circulation throughout this summer. The monsoon remained active along northeast India, Bangladesh, northern lndochina, and central China during the summer monsoon season. This was related to the eastward shift of the divergent circulation. An eastward shift of the upper tropospheric anticyclone bell near 25° to 30°N resulted in the continued presence of a westerly wind anomaly north of India. The westerly winds brought in very dry air over the tropical upper troposphere. The dry air penetrated eastwards to central Uttar Pradesh and this seemed to have a major role in inhibiting organized deep convection over most of central, northern and western parts of the Indian subcontinent. The westward extension of the planetary-scale divergent circulation over North and South Africa and the continued drought over the regions are also briefly addressed.

Evolutionary decay and the prospects for long-term disease intervention using engineered insect vectors

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

After a long history of applying the sterile insect technique to suppress populations of disease vectors and agricultural pests, there is growing interest in using genetic engineering both to improve old methods and to enable new methods. The two goals of interventions are to suppress populations, possibly eradicating a species altogether, or to abolish the vector’s competence to transmit a parasite. New methods enabled by genetic engineering include the use of selfish genes toward either goal as well as a variety of killer-rescue systems that could be used for vector competence reduction. This article reviews old and new methods with an emphasis on the potential for evolution of resistance to these strategies. Established methods of population suppression did not obviously face a problem from resistance evolution, but newer technologies might. Resistance to these newer interventions will often be mechanism-specific, and while it is too early to know where resistance evolution will become a problem, it is at least possible to propose properties of interventions that will be more or less effective in blocking resistance evolution. PMID:26160736

The Evolution of Compact Binary Star Systems.

PubMed

Postnov, Konstantin A; Yungelson, Lev R

2006-01-01

We review the formation and evolution of compact binary stars consisting of white dwarfs (WDs), neutron stars (NSs), and black holes (BHs). Binary NSs and BHs are thought to be the primary astrophysical sources of gravitational waves (GWs) within the frequency band of ground-based detectors, while compact binaries of WDs are important sources of GWs at lower frequencies to be covered by space interferometers (LISA). Major uncertainties in the current understanding of properties of NSs and BHs most relevant to the GW studies are discussed, including the treatment of the natal kicks which compact stellar remnants acquire during the core collapse of massive stars and the common envelope phase of binary evolution. We discuss the coalescence rates of binary NSs and BHs and prospects for their detections, the formation and evolution of binary WDs and their observational manifestations. Special attention is given to AM CVn-stars - compact binaries in which the Roche lobe is filled by another WD or a low-mass partially degenerate helium-star, as these stars are thought to be the best LISA verification binary GW sources.

Stratal stacking patterns and tectono-sedimentary evolution of hyperextended magma-poor rifted margins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ribes, C.; Gillard, M.; Epin, M. E.; Ghienne, J. F.; Manatschal, G.; Karner, G. D.; Johnson, C. A.

2016-12-01

Research on the formation and evolution of deep-water rifted margins has undergone a major paradigm shift in recent years. An increasing number of studies of present-day and fossil rifted margins allow us to identify and characterize the structural architecture of the most distal parts of rifted margins, the so-called hyperextended, magma-poor rifted margins. However, at present, little is known about the depositional environments, sedimentary facies, stacking patterns, subsidence and thermal history within these domains. In this context, characterizing the stratal stacking patterns and understanding their spatial and temporal evolution is a new challenge. The major difficulty comes from the fact that the observed stratigraphic geometries and facies relationships are a result of the complex interplay between sediment supply and available accommodation, which is controlled by not only the regional generation of accommodation, but also by local tectono-magmatic processes. These parameters are poorly constrained or even sufficiently known in these tectonic settings. Indeed, the complex structural evolution of hyperextended magma-poor rifted margins, including the development of poly-phase in-sequence and out of sequence extensional detachment faults and associated mantle exhumation and magmatic activity, can generate complex accommodation patterns over a highly structured top basement. The presentation summarizes early results concerning the controlling parameters on ultra-deep water stratigraphic stacking patterns and to provide a conceptual framework. This observation-driven approach combines fieldwork from fossil Alpine Tethys margins exposed in the Alps and the analysis of seismic reflection data from present-day deep water rifted margins such as the Australian-Antarctic, East India and Iberia-Newfoundland margins.

Large-scale control of the Arabian Sea monsoon inversion in August

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Chi-Hua; Wang, S.-Y. Simon; Hsu, Huang-Hsiung

2017-12-01

The summer monsoon inversion in the Arabian Sea is characterized by a large amount of low clouds and August as the peak season. Atmospheric stratification associated with the monsoon inversion has been considered a local system influenced by the advancement of the India-Pakistan monsoon. Empirical and numerical evidence from this study suggests that the Arabian Sea monsoon inversion is linked to a broader-scale monsoon evolution across the African Sahel, South Asia, and East Asia-Western North Pacific (WNP), rather than being a mere byproduct of the India-Pakistan monsoon progression. In August, the upper-tropospheric anticyclone in South Asia extends sideways corresponding with the enhanced precipitation in the subtropical WNP, equatorial Indian Ocean, and African Sahel while the middle part of this anticyclone weakens over the Arabian Sea. The increased heating in the adjacent monsoon systems creates a suppression effect on the Arabian Sea, suggesting an apparent competition among the Africa-Asia-WNP monsoon subsystems. The peak Sahel rainfall in August, together with enhanced heating in the equatorial Indian Ocean, produces a critical effect on strengthening the Arabian Sea thermal inversion. By contrast, the WNP monsoon onset which signifies the eastward expansion of the subtropical Asian monsoon heating might play a secondary or opposite role in the Arabian Sea monsoon inversion.

Investigation of recharge dynamics and flow paths in a fractured crystalline aquifer in semi-arid India using borehole logs: implications for managed aquifer recharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alazard, M.; Boisson, A.; Maréchal, J.-C.; Perrin, J.; Dewandel, B.; Schwarz, T.; Pettenati, M.; Picot-Colbeaux, G.; Kloppman, W.; Ahmed, S.

2016-02-01

The recharge flow paths in a typical weathered hard-rock aquifer in a semi-arid area of southern India were investigated in relation to structures associated with a managed aquifer recharge (MAR) scheme. Despite the large number of MAR structures, the mechanisms of recharge in their vicinity are still unclear. The study uses a percolation tank as a tool to identify the input signal of the recharge and uses multiple measurements (piezometric time series, electrical conductivity profiles in boreholes) compared against heat-pulse flowmeter measurements and geochemical data (major ions and stable isotopes) to examine recharge flow paths. The recharge process is a combination of diffuse piston flow and preferential flow paths. Direct vertical percolation appears to be very limited, in contradiction to the conceptual model generally admitted where vertical flow through saprolite is considered as the main recharge process. The horizontal component of the flow leads to a strong geochemical stratification of the water column. The complex recharge pattern, presented in a conceptual model, leads to varied impacts on groundwater quality and availability in both time and space, inducing strong implications for water management, water quality evolution, MAR monitoring and longer-term socio-economic costs.

Flexural bending of southern Tibet in a retro foreland setting

PubMed Central

Wang, Erchie; Kamp, Peter J. J.; Xu, Ganqing; Hodges, Kip V.; Meng, Kai; Chen, Lin; Wang, Gang; Luo, Hui

2015-01-01

The highest elevation of the Tibetan Plateau, lying 5,700 m above sea level, occurs within the part of the Lhasa block immediately north of the India-Tibet suture zone (Yarlung Zangbo suture zone, YZSZ), being 700 m higher than the maximum elevation of more northern parts of the plateau. Various mechanisms have been proposed to explain this differentially higher topography and the rock uplift that led to it, invoking crustal compression or extension. Here we present the results of structural investigations along the length of the high elevation belt and suture zone, which rather indicate flexural bending of the southern margin of the Lhasa block (Gangdese magmatic belt) and occurrence of an adjacent foreland basin (Kailas Basin), both elements resulting from supra-crustal loading of the Lhasa block by the Zangbo Complex (Indian plate rocks) via the Great Counter Thrust. Hence we interpret the differential elevation of the southern margin of the plateau as due originally to uplift of a forebulge in a retro foreland setting modified by subsequent processes. Identification of this flexural deformation has implications for early evolution of the India-Tibet continental collision zone, implying an initial (Late Oligocene) symmetrical architecture that subsequently transitioned into the present asymmetrical wedge architecture. PMID:26174578

Fluid Inclusion Study of Quartz Xenocrysts in Mafic Dykes from Kawant Area, Chhota Udaipur District, Gujarat, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Randive, Kirtikumar; Hurai, Vratislav

2015-09-01

Unusual mafic dykes occur in the proximity of the Ambadongar Carbonatite Complex, Lower Narmada Valley, Gujarat, India. The dykes contain dense population of quartz xenocrysts within the basaltic matrix metasomatised by carbonate-rich fluids. Plagioclase feldspars, relict pyroxenes, chlorite, barite, rutile, magnetite, Fe-Ti oxides and glass were identified in the basaltic matrix. Quartz xenocrysts occur in various shapes and sizes and form an intricate growth pattern with carbonates. The xenocrysts are fractured and contain several types of primary and secondary, single phase and two-phase fluid inclusions. The two-phase inclusions are dominated by aqueous liquid, whereas the monophase inclusions are composed of carbonic gas and the aqueous inclusions homogenize to liquid between 226°C and 361°C. Majority of the inclusions are secondary in origin and are therefore unrelated to the crystallization of quartz. Moreover, the inclusions have mixed carbonic-aqueous compositions that inhibit their direct correlation with the crustal or mantle fluids. The composition of dilute CO2-rich fluids observed in the quartz xenocrysts appear similar to those exsolved during the final stages of evolution of the Amba Dongar carbonatites. However, the carbonates are devoid of fluid inclusions and therefore their genetic relation with the quartz xenocrysts cannot be established.

VLF Science at Indian Centre for Space Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakrabarti, Sandip Kumar

2016-07-01

Indian Centre for Space Physics has been monitoring VLF signals from stations around the world at its laboratories at Kolkata and Sitapur (Ionospheric and Earthquake Research Centre) as well as at several places throughout India when in a campaign mode. We have been interested to study high energy events from space, such as solar flares and gamma ray bursts. We have made studies during multiple solar eclipses and most importantly made substantial progress in the problem of lithosphere-ionosphere coupling while understanding various types of anomalies prior to major earthquakes. Other effects such as AGWs and LEPs are being studied. We have experience of two antarctic expedition and obtained VLF data from both Maitri and Bharati stations of India, which revealed, among other things, how the signal attenuation can indicate the extent of ice mass in Antarctica. We have been able to reproduce various VLF perturbation events using Atmospheric Chemical evolution model coupled with LWPC code. For instance we have reproduced solar flare induced VLF amplitude perturbation pattern by completely ab initio calculation. We also targeted the inverse problem, namely, deduction of the injected radiation spectra from space from the VLF signal alone, thereby establishing that the Earth can be used as a gigantic detector. These interesting results would be presented in my review talk.

Generativity, hierarchical action and recursion in the technology of the Acheulean to Middle Palaeolithic transition: a perspective from Patpara, the Son Valley, India.

PubMed

Shipton, C; Clarkson, C; Pal, J N; Jones, S C; Roberts, R G; Harris, C; Gupta, M C; Ditchfield, P W; Petraglia, M D

2013-08-01

The Acheulean to Middle Palaeolithic transition is one of the most important technological changes that occurs over the course of human evolution. Here we examine stone artefact assemblages from Patpara and two other excavated sites in the Middle Son Valley, India, which show a mosaic of attributes associated with Acheulean and Middle Palaeolithic industries. The bifaces from these sites are very refined and generally small, but also highly variable in size. A strong relationship between flake scar density and biface size indicates extensive differential resharpening. There are relatively low proportions of bifaces at these sites, with more emphasis on small flake tools struck from recurrent Levallois cores. The eventual demise of large bifaces may be attributed to the curation of small prepared cores from which sharper, or more task-specific flakes were struck. Levallois technology appears to have arisen out of adapting aspects of handaxe knapping, including shaping of surfaces, the utilization of two inter-dependent surfaces, and the striking of invasive thinning flakes. The generativity, hierarchical organization of action, and recursion evident in recurrent Levallois technology may be attributed to improvements in working memory. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Documentation & Condition Mapping for Restoration & Revitalisation of Historic Sheesh Mahal & Char Bagh Complex in Patiala (punjab), India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dasgupta, S.

2017-08-01

Located in the Northern State of Punjab, the historic city of Patiala has always been a centre of culture in north India, and has seen the evolution of its own distinct style of architecture with Rajput and Mughal influences. The city is renowned for its rich architectural heritage, Music, Craft, Sports and Cuisine. The fourth Maharaja Narinder Singh was a great patron of art, architecture and music and it was during his time that several palaces like the Moti Bagh Palace, Sheesh Mahal and Banasur Bagh were designed followed by Baradari Palace. Later it was Maharaja Bhupinder Singh (1900-1938) who made Patiala State famous with his lavish lifestyle.This paper describes the process followed for Documentation and condition assessment of the historic Sheesh Mahal & Char Bagh Complex in order to restore and revitalise the palace building and the Mughal garden. The exercise included Archival research, Field surveys, Condition Mapping, inventories using traditional methods as well as GIS and preparation of restoration & conservation solutions along with post conservation management manual. The Major challenges encountered were identifying the correct documentation methodology for mapping as well as managing the large database generated on site. The Documentation and Mapping was used as a significant tool to guide towards the conservation and Management strategy of the complex.

Ocean Basin Evolution and Global-Scale Plate Reorganization Events Since Pangea Breakup

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Müller, R. Dietmar; Seton, Maria; Zahirovic, Sabin; Williams, Simon E.; Matthews, Kara J.; Wright, Nicky M.; Shephard, Grace E.; Maloney, Kayla T.; Barnett-Moore, Nicholas; Hosseinpour, Maral; Bower, Dan J.; Cannon, John

2016-06-01

We present a revised global plate motion model with continuously closing plate boundaries ranging from the Triassic at 230 Ma to the present day, assess differences among alternative absolute plate motion models, and review global tectonic events. Relatively high mean absolute plate motion rates of approximately 9-10 cm yr-1 between 140 and 120 Ma may be related to transient plate motion accelerations driven by the successive emplacement of a sequence of large igneous provinces during that time. An event at ˜100 Ma is most clearly expressed in the Indian Ocean and may reflect the initiation of Andean-style subduction along southern continental Eurasia, whereas an acceleration at ˜80 Ma of mean rates from 6 to 8 cm yr-1 reflects the initial northward acceleration of India and simultaneous speedups of plates in the Pacific. An event at ˜50 Ma expressed in relative, and some absolute, plate motion changes around the globe and in a reduction of global mean plate speeds from about 6 to 4-5 cm yr-1 indicates that an increase in collisional forces (such as the India-Eurasia collision) and ridge subduction events in the Pacific (such as the Izanagi-Pacific Ridge) play a significant role in modulating plate velocities.

Hydrochemical analysis to evaluate the seawater ingress in a small coral island of India.

PubMed

Banerjee, Pallavi; Singh, V S; Singh, Ajay; Prasad, R K; Rangarajan, R

2012-06-01

The sustainable development of the limited groundwater resources in the tropical island requires a thorough understanding of detail hydrogeological regime including the hydrochemical behavior of groundwater. Detail analysis of chemical data of groundwater helps in assessing the different groundwater zone affected by formation as well as sea water. Groundwater and saline water interaction is better understood using groundwater major ion chemistry over an island aquifer. Multivariate methods to analyze the geochemical data are used to understand geochemical evolution of groundwater. The methods are successfully used to group the data to evaluate influence of various environs in the study area. Various classification methods such as piper, correlation method, and salinity hazard measurements are also employed to critical study of geochemical characteristics of groundwater to identify vulnerable parts of the aquifer. These approaches have been used to successfully evaluate the aquifer zones of a tiny island off the west coast of India. The most part of island is found to be safe for drinking, however some parts of island are identified that are affected by sea water ingress and dissolution of formation minerals. The analysis has successfully leaded to identification of that part of aquifer on the island which needs immediate attention for restoration and avoids further deterioration.

Community health worker programs in India: a rights-based review.

PubMed

Bhatia, Kavita

2014-09-01

This article presents a historical review of national community health worker (CHW) programs in India using a gender- and rights-based lens. The aim is to derive relevant policy implications to stem attrition and enable sustenance of large-scale CHW programs. For the literature review, relevant government policies, minutes of meetings, reports, newspaper articles and statistics were accessed through official websites and a hand search was conducted for studies on the rights-based aspects of large-scale CHW programs. The analysis shows that the CHWs in three successive Indian national CHW programs have consistently asked for reforms in their service conditions, including increased remuneration. Despite an evolution in stakeholder perspectives regarding the rights of CHWs, service reforms are slow. Performance-based payments do not provide the financial security expected by CHWs as demonstrated in the recent Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) program. In most countries, CHWs, who are largely women, have never been integrated into the established, salaried team of health system workers. The two hallmark characteristics of CHWs, namely, their volunteer status and the flexibility of their tasks and timings, impede their rights. The consequences of initiating or neglecting standardization should be considered by all countries with large-scale CHW programs like the ASHA program. © Royal Society for Public Health 2014.

The evolution of a Gondwanan collisional orogen: A structural and geochronological appraisal from the Southern Granulite Terrane, South India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plavsa, Diana; Collins, Alan S.; Foden, John D.; Clark, Chris

2015-05-01

Gondwana amalgamated along a suite of Himalayan-scale collisional orogens, the roots of which lace the continents of Africa, South America, and Antarctica. The Southern Granulite Terrane of India is a generally well-exposed, exhumed, Gondwana-forming orogen that preserves a record of the tectonic evolution of the eastern margin of the East African Orogen during the Ediacaran-Cambrian (circa 600-500 Ma) as central Gondwana formed. The deformation associated with the closure of the Mozambique Ocean and collision of the Indian and East African/Madagascan cratonic domains is believed to have taken place along the southern margin of the Salem Block (the Palghat-Cauvery Shear System, PCSS) in the Southern Granulite Terrane. Investigation of the structural fabrics and the geochronology of the high-grade shear zones within the PCSS system shows that the Moyar-Salem-Attur shear zone to the north of the PCSS system is early Paleoproterozoic in age and associated with dextral strike-slip motion, while the Cauvery shear zone (CSZ) to the south of the PCSS system can be loosely constrained to circa 740-550 Ma and is associated with dip-slip dextral transpression and north side-up motion. To the south of the proposed suture zone (the Cauvery shear zone), the structural fabrics of the Northern Madurai Block suggest four deformational events (D1-D4), some of which are likely to be contemporaneous. The timing of high pressure-ultrahigh temperature metamorphism and deformation (D1-D3) in the Madurai Block (here interpreted as the southern extension of Azania) is constrained to circa 550-500 Ma and interpreted as representing collisional orogeny and subsequent orogenic collapse of the eastern margin of the East African Orogen. The disparity in the nature of the structural fabrics and the timing of the deformation in the Salem and the Madurai Blocks suggest that the two experienced distinct tectonothermal events prior to their amalgamation along the Cauvery shear zone during the Ediacaran/Cambrian.

Neoarchean arc magmatism followed by high-temperature, high-pressure metamorphism in the Nilgiri Block, southern India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samuel, Vinod O.; Sajeev, K.; Hokada, T.; Horie, K.; Itaya, T.

2015-11-01

The Nilgiri Block, southern India is an exhumed lower crust formed through arc magmatic processes in the Neoarchean. The main lithologies in this terrane include charnockites, gneisses, volcanic tuff, metasediments, banded iron formation and mafic-ultramafic bodies. Mafic-ultramafic rocks are present towards the northern and central part of the Nilgiri Block. We examine the evolution of these mafic granulites/metagabbros by phase diagram modeling and U-Pb sensitive high resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) dating. They consist of a garnet-clinopyroxene-plagioclase-hornblende-ilmenite ± orthopyroxene ± rutile assemblage. Garnet and clinopyroxene form major constituents with labradorite and orthopyroxene as the main mineral inclusions. Labradorite, identified using Raman analysis, shows typical peaks at 508 cm- 1, 479 cm- 1, 287 cm- 1 and 177 cm- 1. It is stable along with orthopyroxene towards the low-pressure high-temperature region of the granulite facies (M1 stage). Subsequently, orthopyroxene reacted with plagioclase to form the peak garnet + clinopyroxene + rutile assemblage (M2 stage). The final stage is represented by amphibolite facies-hornblende and plagioclase-rim around the garnet-clinopyroxene assemblage (M3 stage). Phase diagram modeling shows that these mafic granulites followed an anticlockwise P-T-t path during their evolution. The initial high-temperature metamorphism (M1 stage) was at 850-900 °C and ~ 9 kbar followed by high-pressure granulite facies metamorphism (M2 stage) at 850-900 °C and 14-15 kbar. U-Pb isotope studies of zircons using SHRIMP revealed late Neoarchean to early paleoproterozoic ages of crystallization and metamorphism respectively. The age data shows that these mafic granulites have undergone arc magmatism at ca. 2539.2 ± 3 Ma and high-temperature, high-pressure metamorphism at ca. 2458.9 ± 8.6 Ma. Thus our results suggests a late Neoarchean arc magmatism followed by early paleoproterozoic high-temperature, high-pressure granulite facies metamorphism due to the crustal thickening and suturing of the Nilgiri Block onto the Dharwar Craton.

Arsenic release and geochemical evolution of groundwater in an alluvial aquitard, West Bengal, India.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desbarats, A. J.; Pal, T.; Mukherjee, P. K.; Beckie, R. D.

2017-12-01

According to the World Health Organization, contamination of groundwater by geogenic arsenic (As) represents the largest mass poisoning in history. At a field site in West Bengal, India, the source of As affecting a shallow aquifer was traced to silty sediments filling an abandoned river meander. Along with As-bearing phases, these sediments also contain 0.46 % organic carbon. The release of As within the channel fill is investigated using a geochemical mass balance model supported by detailed field observations of aqueous chemistry, sequential extraction analyses of sediment chemistry, and analyses of sediment mineralogy. The model explores the evolution of groundwater chemistry along a flow path extending from its recharge point in an abandoned channel pond, through the channel-fill sequence, to the underlying aquifer. Variations in groundwater composition within the host sediments are explained in terms of mineral weathering driven by organic carbon decay. The model yields reaction coefficients expressing amounts of minerals (and gases) reacting or precipitating along the flow path. Arsenic and phosphorus cycles appear closely linked as these species are hosted by goethite, Fe-rich chlorite, and vivianite. Arsenic is released through the rapid reductive dissolution of goethite and the slower weathering of chlorite. Concomitantly, some As is sequestered in precipitating vivianite. These competing processes reach equilibrium deeper in the channel-fill sequence as groundwater As concentrations stabilize. Using groundwater residence time in channel fill obtained from a numerical flow model and the calculated reaction coefficients, rates of organic carbon oxidation, goethite dissolution, and net As release are estimated at 1.15 mmol C L-1 a-1, 0.18 mmol L-1 a-1, and 4.57 10-4 mmol L-1 a-1, respectively. Fine-grained yet slightly permeable deposits such as channel-fill silts containing reactive organic carbon and As-bearing goethite and phyllosilicates are localized centers of intense chemical weathering conducive to As mobilization.

Impacts on quality-induced water scarcity: drivers of nitrogen-related water pollution transfer under globalization from 1995 to 2009

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Liyang; Cai, Wenjia; Jiang, Yongkai; Wang, Can

2016-07-01

Globalization enables the transfer of impacts on water availability. We argue that the threat should be evaluated not only by decrease of quantity, but more importantly by the degradation of water quality in exporting countries. Grouping the world into fourteen regions, this paper establishes a multi-region input-output framework to calculate the nitrogen-related grey water footprint and a water quality-induced scarcity index caused by pollution, for the period of 1995 to 2009. It is discovered that grey water embodied in international trade has been growing faster than total grey water footprint. China, the USA and India were the three top grey water exporters which accounted for more than half the total traded grey water. Dilemma rose when China and India were facing highest grey water scarcity. The EU and the USA were biggest grey water importers that alleviated their water stress by outsourcing water pollution. A structural decomposition analysis is conducted to study the drivers to the evolution of virtual flows of grey water under globalization during the period of 1995 to 2009. The results show that despite the technical progress that offset the growth of traded grey water, structural effects under globalization including both evolution in the globalized economic system and consumption structure, together with consumption volume made a positive contribution. It is found that the structural effect intensified the pollution-induced water scarcity of exporters as it generally increased all nations’ imported grey water while resulting in increases in only a few nations’ exported grey water, such as Brazil, China and Indonesia. At last, drawing from the ‘cap-and-trade’ and ‘boarder-tax-adjustment’ schemes, we propose policy recommendations that ensure water security and achieve environmentally sustainable trade from both the sides of production and consumption.

Re-appraisal of the Magma-rich versus Magma-poor Paradigm at Rifted Margins: consequences for breakup processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tugend, J.; Gillard, M.; Manatschal, G.; Nirrengarten, M.; Harkin, C. J.; Epin, M. E.; Sauter, D.; Autin, J.; Kusznir, N. J.; McDermott, K.

2017-12-01

Rifted margins are often classified based on their magmatic budget only. Magma-rich margins are commonly considered to have excess decompression melting at lithospheric breakup compared with steady state seafloor spreading while magma-poor margins have suppressed melting. New observations derived from high quality geophysical data sets and drill-hole data have revealed the diversity of rifted margin architecture and variable distribution of magmatism. Recent studies suggest, however, that rifted margins have more complex and polyphase tectono-magmatic evolutions than previously assumed and cannot be characterized based on the observed volume of magma alone. We compare the magmatic budget related to lithospheric breakup along two high-resolution long-offset deep reflection seismic profiles across the SE-Indian (magma-poor) and Uruguayan (magma-rich) rifted margins. Resolving the volume of magmatic additions is difficult. Interpretations are non-unique and several of them appear plausible for each case involving variable magmatic volumes and mechanisms to achieve lithospheric breakup. A supposedly 'magma-poor' rifted margin (SE-India) may show a 'magma-rich' lithospheric breakup whereas a 'magma-rich' rifted margin (Uruguay) does not necessarily show excess magmatism at lithospheric breakup compared with steady-state seafloor spreading. This questions the paradigm that rifted margins can be subdivided in either magma-poor or magma-rich margins. The Uruguayan and other magma-rich rifted margins appear characterized by an early onset of decompression melting relative to crustal breakup. For the converse, where the onset of decompression melting is late compared with the timing of crustal breakup, mantle exhumation can occur (e.g. SE-India). Our work highlights the difficulty in determining a magmatic budget at rifted margins based on seismic reflection data alone, showing the limitations of margin classification based solely on magmatic volumes. The timing of decompression melting onset and melting rates (magmatic processes) relative to crustal thinning (tectonic processes) appear equally, if not more important, than the magmatic budget for unravelling the evolution of rifted margins.

Extensional Tectonics and Sedimentary Architecture Using 3-D Seismic Data: An Example from Hydrocarbon-Bearing Mumbai Offshore Basin, West Coast of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukhopadhyay, D. K.; Bhowmick, P. K.; Mishra, P.

2016-12-01

In offshore sedimentary basins, analysis of 3-D seismic data tied with well log data can be used to deduce robust isopach and structure contour maps of different stratigraphic formations. The isopach maps give depocenters whereas structure contour maps give structural relief at a specific time. Combination of these two types of data helps us decipher horst-graben structures, sedimentary basin architecture and tectono-stratigraphic relations through Tertiary time. Restoration of structural cross sections with back-stripping of successively older stratigraphic layers leads to better understand tectono-sedimentary evolution of a basin. The Mumbai (or Bombay) Offshore Basin is the largest basin off the west coast of India and includes Bombay High giant oil/gas field. Although this field was discovered in 1974 and still producing, the basin architecture vis-à-vis structural evolution are not well documented. We take the approach briefly outlined above to study in detail three large hydrocarbon-bearing structures located within the offshore basin. The Cretaceous Deccan basalt forms the basement and hosts prodigal thickness (> 8 km at some localities) of Tertiary sedimentary formations.A two stage deformation is envisaged. At the first stage horst and graben structures formed due to approximately E-W extensional tectonics. This is most spectacularly seen at the basement top level. The faults associated with this extension strike NNW. At the second stage of deformation a set of ENE-striking cross faults have developed leading to the formation of transpressional structures at places. High rate of early sedimentation obliterated horst-graben architecture to large extent. An interesting aspect emerges is that the all the large-scale structures have rather low structural relief. However, the areal extent of such structures are very large. Consequently, these structures hold commercial quantities of oil/gas.

Complete mitogenome of Asiatic lion resolves phylogenetic status within Panthera.

PubMed

Bagatharia, Snehal B; Joshi, Madhvi N; Pandya, Rohan V; Pandit, Aanal S; Patel, Riddhi P; Desai, Shivangi M; Sharma, Anu; Panchal, Omkar; Jasmani, Falguni P; Saxena, Akshay K

2013-08-23

The origin, evolution and speciation of the lion, has been subject of interest, debate and study. The present surviving lions of the genus Panthera comprise of eight sub-species inclusive of Asiatic lion Panthera leo persica of India's Gir forest. Except for the Asiatic lion, the other seven subspecies are found in different parts of Africa. There have been different opinions regarding the phylogenetic status of Panthera leo, as well as classifying lions of different geographic regions into subspecies and races. In the present study, mitogenome sequence of P. leo persica deduced, using Ion Torrent PGM to assess phylogeny and evolution which may play an increasingly important role in conservation biology. The mtDNA sequence of P. leo persica is 17,057 bp in length with 40.8% GC content. Annotation of mitogenome revealed total 37 genes, including 13 protein coding, 2 rRNA and 22 tRNA. Phylogenetic analysis based on whole mitogenome, suggests Panthera pardus as a neighbouring species to P. leo with species divergence at ~2.96 mya. This work presents first report on complete mitogenome of Panthera leo persica. It sheds light on the phylogenetic and evolutionary status within and across Felidae members. The result compared and evaluated with earlier reports of Felidae shows alteration of phylogenetic status and species evolution. This study may provide information on genetic diversity and population stability.

Complete mitogenome of asiatic lion resolves phylogenetic status within Panthera

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The origin, evolution and speciation of the lion, has been subject of interest, debate and study. The present surviving lions of the genus Panthera comprise of eight sub-species inclusive of Asiatic lion Panthera leo persica of India's Gir forest. Except for the Asiatic lion, the other seven subspecies are found in different parts of Africa. There have been different opinions regarding the phylogenetic status of Panthera leo, as well as classifying lions of different geographic regions into subspecies and races. In the present study, mitogenome sequence of P. leo persica deduced, using Ion Torrent PGM to assess phylogeny and evolution which may play an increasingly important role in conservation biology. Results The mtDNA sequence of P. leo persica is 17,057 bp in length with 40.8% GC content. Annotation of mitogenome revealed total 37 genes, including 13 protein coding, 2 rRNA and 22 tRNA. Phylogenetic analysis based on whole mitogenome, suggests Panthera pardus as a neighbouring species to P. leo with species divergence at ~2.96 mya. Conclusion This work presents first report on complete mitogenome of Panthera leo persica. It sheds light on the phylogenetic and evolutionary status within and across Felidae members. The result compared and evaluated with earlier reports of Felidae shows alteration of phylogenetic status and species evolution. This study may provide information on genetic diversity and population stability. PMID:23968279

Increased Regulatory T-Cell Percentage Contributes to Poor CD4(+) Lymphocytes Recovery: A 2-Year Prospective Study After Introduction of Antiretroviral Therapy.

PubMed

Saison, Julien; Maucort Boulch, Delphine; Chidiac, Christian; Demaret, Julie; Malcus, Christophe; Cotte, Laurent; Poitevin-Later, Francoise; Miailhes, Patrick; Venet, Fabienne; Trabaud, Mary Anne; Monneret, Guillaume; Ferry, Tristan

2015-04-01

Background.  The primary aim of this study was to determine the impact of regulatory T cells (Tregs) percentage on immune recovery in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients after antiretroviral therapy introduction. Methods.  A 2-year prospective study was conducted in HIV-1 chronically infected naive patients with CD4 count <500 cells/mm(3). Regulatory T cells were identified as CD4(+)CD25(high)CD127(low) cells among CD4(+) lymphocytes. Effect of Treg percentage at inclusion on CD4 evolution overtime was analyzed using a mixed-effect Poisson regression for count data. Results.  Fifty-eight patients were included (median CD4 = 293/mm(3), median Treg percentage = 6.1%). Percentage of Treg at baseline and CD4 nadir were independently related to the evolution of CD4 absolute value according to time: (1) at any given nadir CD4 count, 1% increase of initial Treg was associated with a 1.9% lower CD4 absolute value at month 24; (2) at any given Treg percentage at baseline, 10 cell/mm(3) increase of CD4 nadir was associated with a 2.4% increase of CD4 at month 24; and (3) both effects did not attenuate with time. The effect of Treg at baseline on CD4 evolution was as low as the CD4 nadir was high. Conclusions.  Regulatory T-cell percentage at baseline is a strong independent prognostic factor of immune recovery, particularly among patients with low CD4 nadir.

Plant cell technologies in space: Background, strategies and prospects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirkorian, A. D.; Scheld, H. W.

1987-01-01

An attempt is made to summarize work in plant cell technologies in space. The evolution of concepts and the general principles of plant tissue culture are discussed. The potential for production of high value secondary products by plant cells and differentiated tissue in automated, precisely controlled bioreactors is discussed. The general course of the development of the literature on plant tissue culture is highlighted.

Enterocutaneous Fistulae: Etiology, Treatment, and Outcome – A Study from South India

PubMed Central

Kumar, Prakash; Maroju, Nanda K.; Kate, Vikram

2011-01-01

Background/Aim: Enterocutaneous fistula (ECF) is a difficult condition managed in the surgical wards and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Sepsis, malnutrition, and electrolyte abnormality is the classical triad of complications of ECF. Sepsis with malnutrition is the leading cause of death in cases of ECF. Although it is a common condition, no recent report in literature on the profile of patients with ECF has been documented from the southern part of India. Materials and Methods: All consecutive patients who developed or presented with ECF during the study period were included in the study. The etiology, anatomic distribution, fistula output, clinical course, complications, predictive factors for spontaneous closure, and outcomes for patients with ECF were studied. Results: A total of 41 patients were included in this prospective observational study, of which 34 were males and 7 were females. About 95% of ECF were postoperative. Ileum was found to be the most common site of ECF. Also, 49% of fistulas were high output and 51% were low output. Serum albumin levels correlated significantly with fistula healing and mortality. Surgical intervention was required in 41% of patients. Conclusion: Most of the ECF are encountered in the postoperative period. Serum albumin levels can predict fistula healing and mortality. Conservative management should be the first line of treatment. Mortality in patients with ECF continues to be significant and is commonly related to malnutrition and sepsis. PMID:22064337

Sociocultural Context of Suicidal Behaviour in the Sundarban Region of India

PubMed Central

Chowdhury, A. N.; Banerjee, S.; Brahma, A.; Hazra, A.; Weiss, M. G.

2013-01-01

The role of mental illness in nonfatal deliberate self-harm (DSH) is controversial, especially in Asian countries. This prospective study examined the role of psychiatric disorders, underlying social and situational problems, and triggers of DSH in a sample of 89 patients hospitalised in primary care hospitals of the Sundarban Delta, India. Data were collected by using a specially designed DSH register, Explanatory Model Interview Catalogue (EMIC), and clinical interview. Psychiatric diagnosis was made following the DSM-IV guidelines. The majority of subjects were young females (74.2%) and married (65.2%). Most of them (69.7%) were uncertain about their “intention to die,” and pesticide poisoning was the commonest method (95.5%). Significant male-female differences were found with respect to education level, occupation, and venue of the DSH attempt. Typical stressors were conflict with spouse, guardians, or in-laws, extramarital affairs, chronic physical illness, and failed love affairs. The major depressive disorder (14.6%) was the commonest psychiatric diagnosis followed by adjustment disorder (6.7%); however 60.7% of the cases had no psychiatric illness. Stressful life situations coupled with easy access to lethal pesticides stood as the risk factor. The sociocultural dynamics behind suicidal behaviour and community-specific social stressors merit detailed assessment and timely psychosocial intervention. These findings will be helpful to design community-based mental health clinical services and community action in the region. PMID:24286067

Prevalence of food allergies in South Asia.

PubMed

Arakali, Schweta R; Green, Todd D; Dinakar, Chitra

2017-01-01

To evaluate the published medical literature on the prevalence and types of food allergies in South Asia. A PubMed search was performed using the keywords India and food allergy, Asia and food allergy, and South Asia and food allergy for any period. Articles cited in selected studies were reviewed for their appropriateness of inclusion into this review. Publications were included that were original research and fit the topic of food allergy and South Asia. South Asia is defined as region inclusive of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. A total of 169 articles were initially identified, and 47 were reviewed in detail for inclusion in this review. The primary focus was placed on 10 studies that consisted of case reports of newly reported or documented food allergy, survey studies that investigated food allergy prevalence in specific demographics, and prospective and cross-sectional studies with case controls, all of which investigated food allergy prevalence by allergy testing in a selected population. The medical literature on the prevalence and types of food allergy in South Asia indicates that there is a variety of unusual and unique allergens and an overall low incidence of food allergy. There is also an association of increased food allergy prevalence in individuals who live in metropolitan regions or who migrate to communities that have adopted westernization. Copyright © 2016 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

No demonstrable association between the Leningrad-Zagreb mumps vaccine strain and aseptic meningitis in a large clinical trial in Egypt.

PubMed

Sharma, H J; Oun, S Aly; Bakr, S S Abou; Kapre, S V; Jadhav, S S; Dhere, R M; Bhardwaj, S

2010-04-01

To address the claim that the Leningrad-Zagreb (L-Z) mumps vaccine strain is causally associated with aseptic meningitis, a prospective, post-marketing safety study was conducted with a measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (MMR) (TRESIVAC(R); Serum Institute of India Ltd., Pune, India), which uses the L-Z strain as its mumps component in Egypt. In all, 453 119 children (65 423 children aged 16-24 months and 329 211 children aged 5-7 years) received MMR. The control groups which, as a result of local health regulations, were slightly younger than vaccinees, comprised 12 253 and 46 232 children, respectively. Using questionnaires, the parents recorded solicited local, systemic and neurological adverse events for up to 42 days post-vaccination. All data were analysed externally on an intention-to-treat basis by individuals not participating in the study. Local and/or systemic reactions were reported in a small percentage of participants, with pain, fever and parotitis being the most common signs among vaccinees in both age groups. No case of aseptic meningitis, encephalitis, anaphylaxis or convulsions was observed in any participant. Thus, in this series of more than 450 000 Egyptian children, the L-Z mumps vaccine strain in this vaccine did not cause aseptic meningitis. The vaccine is considerably cheaper than Western competitors and a valid alternative to other MMR vaccines.

Waiting time of inpatients before elective surgical procedures at a State Government Teaching Hospital in India.

PubMed

Ray, Shreyasi; Kirtania, Jyotirmay

2017-01-01

Abundant published literature exists addressing the issues of outpatient waiting lists before surgery. However, there is no published literature on inpatient waiting time before elective surgical procedures. This study aims to measure the inpatient waiting time, identify the factors that affect the inpatient waiting time, and recommend the ways of reducing the waiting time of inpatients before elective surgical procedures, at a state government teaching hospital in India. Descriptive research methods and quality control tools were used for this prospective observational study. Descriptive statistics, Shapiro-Wilk test of normality, Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney Test, and Kruskal-Wallis test were used. Pareto charts were used to highlight the most important modifiable factors among the set of factors causing increased waiting time. We also applied the M/M/c model (Erlang - A model) of queue theory to analyze the traffic intensity and system congestion. The median waiting time of inpatients before elective surgery was 12 days (interquartile range = 11.5 days). The waiting time was influenced significantly (P < 0.05) by the patient's age, physical status, and the financial status. The surgical specialty, blood product booking and procurement, cross-specialty consultation before surgery, and Intensive Care Unit booking were the other important factors. Modifiable and nonmodifiable factors affecting the inpatient waiting time of surgical patients were identified. Control measures that can reduce the waiting time of inpatients before elective surgery were identified.

Association of birthweight and head circumference at birth to cognitive performance in 9- to 10-year-old children in South India: prospective birth cohort study.

PubMed

Veena, Sargoor R; Krishnaveni, Ghattu V; Wills, Andrew K; Kurpad, Anura V; Muthayya, Sumithra; Hill, Jacqueline C; Karat, Samuel C; Nagarajaiah, Kiran K; Fall, Caroline H D; Srinivasan, Krishnamachari

2010-04-01

To examine whether birthweight and head circumference at birth are associated with childhood cognitive ability in South India, cognitive function was assessed using three core tests from the Kaufman Assessment Battery for children and additional tests measuring long-term retrieval/storage, attention and concentration, and visuospatial and verbal abilities among 505 full-term born children (mean age 9.7 y). In multiple linear regression adjusted for age, sex, gestation, socioeconomic status, parent's education, maternal age, parity, body mass index, height, rural/urban residence, and time of testing, Atlantis score (learning ability/long-term storage and retrieval) rose by 0.1 SD per SD increase in newborn weight and head circumference, respectively (p < 0.05 for all), and Kohs' block design score (visuospatial ability) increased by 0.1 SD per SD increase in birthweight (p < 0.05). The associations were reduced after further adjustment for current head circumference. There were no associations of birthweight and/or head circumference with measures of short-term memory, fluid reasoning, verbal abilities, and attention and concentration. In conclusion, higher birthweight and larger head circumference at birth are associated with better childhood cognitive ability. The effect may be specific to learning, long-term storage and retrieval, and visuospatial abilities, but this requires confirmation by further research.

Return of overseas contract workers and their rehabilitation and development in Kerala (India). A critical account of policies, performance and prospects.

PubMed

Nair, P R

1999-01-01

This article reviews the situation of labor migrants from Kerala state, India, who were 40-60% of all contract workers in the Middle East and who returned after the mid-1980s. Descriptions are provided of the characteristics of return migrants, the Kerala economy, return migration policies, and impact studies of returnees. About 500,000 returned to Kerala. Returnees were middle aged, with low levels of education, skills, and experience. About 50% of returnees remained unemployed. The other 50% either retired or sought self-employment or other wage labor. Surveys conducted in 1985, 1987, 1993-93, and 1997 reveal that returnees peaked during the 1990s. By 1997, returnees to the Kadinamkulam panchayat included about one-sixth who were women. Most returnees had worked in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait. The reasons for return were poor working and living conditions, lack of opportunity or contract for staying longer, or forced repatriation. Upon return, 50% of the women and about 16% of the men remained unemployed. Return wages were about the same as before the migration. Returnees complained about the lack of support from government and society. Impact studies do not differentiate migration effects from development effects in general. Evaluation should focus on multidimensional impacts and individual attainment of emigration goals.

Uptake of uranium by aquatic plants growing in fresh water ecosystem around uranium mill tailings pond at Jaduguda, India.

PubMed

Jha, V N; Tripathi, R M; Sethy, N K; Sahoo, S K

2016-01-01

Concentration of uranium was determined in aquatic plants and substrate (sediment or water) of fresh water ecosystem on and around uranium mill tailings pond at Jaduguda, India. Aquatic plant/substrate concentration ratios (CRs) of uranium were estimated for different sites on and around the uranium mill tailings disposal area. These sites include upstream and downstream side of surface water sources carrying the treated tailings effluent, a small pond inside tailings disposal area and residual water of this area. Three types of plant groups were investigated namely algae (filamentous and non-filamentous), other free floating & water submerged and sediment rooted plants. Wide variability in concentration ratio was observed for different groups of plants studied. The filamentous algae uranium concentration was significantly correlated with that of water (r=0.86, p<0.003). For sediment rooted plants significant correlation was found between uranium concentration in plant and the substrate (r=0.88, p<0.001). Both for other free floating species and sediment rooted plants, uranium concentration was significantly correlated with Mn, Fe, and Ni concentration of plants (p<0.01). Filamentous algae, Jussiaea and Pistia owing to their high bioproductivity, biomass, uranium accumulation and concentration ratio can be useful for prospecting phytoremediation of stream carrying treated or untreated uranium mill tailings effluent. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cultural macroevolution matters

PubMed Central

Gray, Russell D.

2017-01-01

Evolutionary thinking can be applied to both cultural microevolution and macroevolution. However, much of the current literature focuses on cultural microevolution. In this article, we argue that the growing availability of large cross-cultural datasets facilitates the use of computational methods derived from evolutionary biology to answer broad-scale questions about the major transitions in human social organization. Biological methods can be extended to human cultural evolution. We illustrate this argument with examples drawn from our recent work on the roles of Big Gods and ritual human sacrifice in the evolution of large, stratified societies. These analyses show that, although the presence of Big Gods is correlated with the evolution of political complexity, in Austronesian cultures at least, they do not play a causal role in ratcheting up political complexity. In contrast, ritual human sacrifice does play a causal role in promoting and sustaining the evolution of stratified societies by maintaining and legitimizing the power of elites. We briefly discuss some common objections to the application of phylogenetic modeling to cultural evolution and argue that the use of these methods does not require a commitment to either gene-like cultural inheritance or to the view that cultures are like vertebrate species. We conclude that the careful application of these methods can substantially enhance the prospects of an evolutionary science of human history. PMID:28739960