Contraceptive use and preferences of young married women in Kerala, India.

PubMed

Thulaseedharan, Jissa Vinoda

2018-01-01

As in other states of India, female sterilization is the most widely used contraceptive method in Kerala where women have higher levels of education compared to most other states in India. This paper describes the use and preferences of contraceptive methods among young married women in Trivandrum district, Kerala, India. A community-based cross-sectional survey was carried out among 203 young married women (18-28 years) during January-March 2015 using multistage cluster sampling method. Statistical analysis was mainly descriptive, and chi-squared test was used to test the statistical significance of the relationship between sociodemographic factors and contraceptive use. The average age at marriage for women was 21.3 years, and 23% of women had more than one child. Current use of any contraceptive methods was 58%. Female sterilization was preferred by 13% and it was significantly higher among women aged 25-28 years than in those aged 18-24 years (20% vs 2.6%, p <0.001). Female sterilization was significantly lower among women with higher levels of education than in women with an education level of plus two or below (5.8% vs 19%, p =0.006). Women were mostly in favor of female sterilization (91%), and a significantly lower proportion of highly educated women preferred female sterilization than women with an education of 12 years or below (85% vs 95.7%, p =0.008). A considerable number of females in the age group 25-28-years opting for sterilization and the unique preference for female sterilization when the family size is complete show the predominant reliance on female sterilization among young women. Higher education delays sterilization in young women due to delayed marriage and childbirth. Women empowerment, proper information and assuring availability and accessibility to different methods can gradually change the dominant preference for female-oriented permanent method of contraception.

Kerala: a unique model of development.

PubMed

Kannan, K P; Thankappan, K R; Ramankutty, V; Aravindan, K P

1991-12-01

This article capsules health in terms of morbidity, mortality, and maternal and child health; sex ratios, and population density in Kerala state in India from a more expanded report. Kerala state is known for its highly literate and female literate, and poor income population, but its well advanced state of demographic transition. There is a declining population growth rate, a high average marriage age, a low fertility rate, and a high degree of population mobility. One of the unique features of Kerala is the high female literacy, and the favorable position of women in decision making and a matrilineal inheritance mode. The rights of the poor and underprivileged have been upheld. The largest part of government revenue is spent on education followed by health. Traditional healing systems such the ayurveda are strong in Kerala, and Christian missionaries have contributed to a caring tradition. Morbidity is high and mortality is low because medical interventions have affected morality only. The reduction of poverty and environmentally related diseases has not been accomplished inspite of land reform, mass schooling, and general egalitarian policies. Mortality declines and a decline in birth rates have lead to a more adult and aged population, which increases the prevalence of chronic degenerative diseases. Historically, the death rate in Kerala was always lower (25/1000 in 1930 and 6.4 in 1986). The gains in mortality were made in reducing infant mortality (27/1000), which is 4 times less than India as a whole and comparable to Korea, Panama, Yugoslavia, Sri Lanka, and Colombia. Lower female mortality occurs in the 0-4 years. Life expectancy which was the same as India's in 1930 is currently 12 years higher than India's. Females have a higher expectation of life. The sex ratio in 1981 was 1032 compared to India's of 935. Kerala had almost replacement level in 1985. The crude birth rate is 21 versus 32 for India. In addition to the decline in death rates of those 5

High prevalence of small Babesia species in canines of Kerala, South India.

PubMed

Jain, Kollannur Jose; Lakshmanan, Bindu; Syamala, Karunakaran; Praveena, Jose E; Aravindakshan, Thazhathuveetil

2017-11-01

Canine babesiosis is an important vector-borne hemoparasitic disease caused by Babesia canis vogeli and Babesia gibsoni , in India. The communication places on record the salient findings of the study directed to detect and characterize the pathogenic B. gibsoni isolates of Kerala state. A total of 150 dogs were examined for the presence of hemoparasites by light microscopy as well as by PCR targeting the 18S rRNA gene of B. gibsoni . Hematological parameters were also analysed. Phylogenetic tree was constructed based on Tamura kei model adopting ML method. A sensitive and specific polymerase chain reaction assay was developed with newly designed primer pair BAGI-F/BAGI-R for the amplification of 488 bp fragment of 18S rRNA gene of B. gibsoni . Out of the 150 dogs examined, molecular evidence of B. gibsoni was recorded in 47.3% animals, while light microscopy detected the infection in 26.67% cases. The phylogenetic analyses revealed that B. gibsoni , Kerala, isolate was closest and occurred together with Bareilly isolate. Anemia and thrombocytopenia were the significant hematological alterations in chronic B. gibsoni infection. A high prevalence of natural infection of B. gibsoni was detected among the study population. The affected animals showed anaemia and thrombocytopenia. Phylogenetic analysis of this pathogenic isolate from south India revealed the closest similarity with Bareilly isolates.

High prevalence of small Babesia species in canines of Kerala, South India

PubMed Central

Jain, Kollannur Jose; Lakshmanan, Bindu; Syamala, Karunakaran; Praveena, Jose E; Aravindakshan, Thazhathuveetil

2017-01-01

Aim: Canine babesiosis is an important vector-borne hemoparasitic disease caused by Babesia canis vogeli and Babesia gibsoni, in India. The communication places on record the salient findings of the study directed to detect and characterize the pathogenic B. gibsoni isolates of Kerala state. Materials and Methods:: A total of 150 dogs were examined for the presence of hemoparasites by light microscopy as well as by PCR targeting the 18S rRNA gene of B. gibsoni. Hematological parameters were also analysed. Phylogenetic tree was constructed based on Tamura kei model adopting ML method. Results:: A sensitive and specific polymerase chain reaction assay was developed with newly designed primer pair BAGI-F/BAGI-R for the amplification of 488 bp fragment of 18S rRNA gene of B. gibsoni. Out of the 150 dogs examined, molecular evidence of B. gibsoni was recorded in 47.3% animals, while light microscopy detected the infection in 26.67% cases. The phylogenetic analyses revealed that B. gibsoni, Kerala, isolate was closest and occurred together with Bareilly isolate. Anemia and thrombocytopenia were the significant hematological alterations in chronic B. gibsoni infection. Conclusion:: A high prevalence of natural infection of B. gibsoni was detected among the study population. The affected animals showed anaemia and thrombocytopenia. Phylogenetic analysis of this pathogenic isolate from south India revealed the closest similarity with Bareilly isolates. PMID:29263592

The population Doomsday forecast: lessons from Kerala.

PubMed

Black, J A

1993-12-01

The discussion of fertility decline in Kerala state, India, focused on fertility decline in Kerala state and the role of the UN. Key features of Kerala's success in fertility decline were the emphasis on female education and the emancipation of women, reduced infant and child mortality rates, and political support. Since 1956 when the states of Cochin and Travancore were joined, the development of education and health services was encouraged. Literacy was over 90% in Kerala compared to 62% for males and 34% for females in India in 1990. Kerala's government invested in primary and secondary education, primary health care, and family planning services. 12% of Kerala's education budget is devoted to "higher" education compared to 47% of national government expenditures. Inheritance of property was matrilineal. 85% of girls aged under 14 years stayed in school in Kerala compared to 21% nationally. The mean age of marriage is 21.9 years compared to 18.3 years nationally. The sex ratio, life expectancy, and child mortality rates were favorable to females. In 1987 the crude birth rate was 22/1000 population in Kerala and 32/1000 nationally. The infant mortality rate was 27/1000 live births in Kerala and 94/1000 nationally. Contraceptive use in Kerala was predominately female sterilization, followed by the condom. Successful features of Kerala's fertility decline are potentially transportable to African countries where women already play an important role in trade and shopkeeping. Emphasis must be simultaneously placed on primary health care and free family planning services that are easily accessible at all levels of health care. With political will, African or poor countries should be able to afford these programs. The UN and its agencies should be the unifying force promoting and supporting education, primary health care, and family planning services on a worldwide scale. However, the authority and expertise within the UN has not been sufficient to meet this challenge.

Developing a smoke free homes initiative in Kerala, India.

PubMed

Nichter, Mimi; Padmajam, Sreedevi; Nichter, Mark; Sairu, P; Aswathy, S; Mini, G K; Bindu, V C; Pradeepkumar, A S; Thankappan, K R

2015-05-10

Results of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey in Kerala, India found that 42 % of adults were exposed to second hand smoke (SHS) inside the home. Formative research carried out in rural Kerala suggests that exposure may be much higher. Numerous studies have called for research and intervention on SHS exposure among women and children as an important component of maternal and child health activities. Community-based participatory research was carried out in Kerala. First, a survey was conducted to assess prevalence of SHS exposure in households. Next, a proof of concept study was conducted to develop and test the feasibility of a community-wide smoke free homes initiative. Educational materials were developed and pretested in focus groups. After feasibility was established, pilot studies were implemented in two other communities. Post intervention, surveys were conducted as a means of assessing changes in community support. At baseline, between 70 and 80 % of male smokers regularly smoked inside the home. Over 80 % of women had asked their husband not to do so. Most women felt powerless to change their husband's behavior. When women were asked about supporting a smoke free homes intervention, 88 % expressed support for the idea, but many expressed doubt that their husbands would comply. Educational meetings were held to discuss the harms of second hand smoke. Community leaders signed a declaration that their community was part of the smoke free homes initiative. Six months post intervention a survey was conducted in these communities; between 34 and 59 % of men who smoked no longer smoked in their home. The smoke free homes initiative is based on the principle of collective efficacy. Recognizing the difficulty for individual women to effect change in their household, the movement establishes a smoke free community mandate. Based on evaluation data from two pilot studies, we can project that between a 30 and 60 % reduction of smoking in the home may be achieved, the

Development and Implementation of a Novel Prehospital Care System in the State of Kerala, India.

PubMed

Brown, Heather A; Douglass, Katherine A; Ejas, Shafi; Poovathumparambil, Venugopalan

2016-12-01

Most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have struggled to find a system for prehospital care that can provide adequate patient care and geographical coverage while maintaining a feasible price tag. The emergency medical systems of the Western world are not necessarily relevant in developing economic systems, given the lack of strict legislation, the scarcity of resources, and the limited number of trained personnel. Meanwhile, most efforts to provide prehospital care in India have taken the form of adapting Western models to the Indian context with limited success. Described here is a novel approach to prehospital care designed for and implemented in the State of Kerala, India. The Active Network Group of Emergency Life Savers (ANGELS) was launched in 2011 in Calicut City, the third largest city in the Indian State of Kerala. The ANGELS integrated an existing fleet of private and state-owned ambulances into a single network utilizing Global Positioning System (GPS) technology and a single statewide call number. A total of 85 volunteer emergency medical certified technicians (EMCTs) were trained in basic first aid and trauma care principles. Public awareness campaigns accompanied all activities to raise awareness amongst community members. Funding was provided via public-private partnership, aimed to minimize costs to patients for service utilization. Over a two-year period from March 2011 to April 2013, 8,336 calls were recorded, of which 54.8% (4,569) were converted into actual ambulance run sheets. The majority of calls were for medical emergencies and most patients were transported to Medical College Hospital in Calicut. This unique public-private partnership has been responsive to the needs of the population while sustaining low operational costs. This system may provide a relevant template for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) development in other resource-limited settings. Brown HA , Douglass KA , Ejas S , Poovathumparambil V . Development and

Inhalation Dose and Source Term Studies in a Tribal Area of Wayanad, Kerala, India

PubMed Central

Damodaran, Ravikumar C.; Kumar, Visnuprasad Ashok; Panakal John, Jojo; Bangaru, Danalakshmi; Natarajan, Chitra; Sathiamurthy, Bala Sundar; Mundiyanikal Thomas, Jose; Mishra, Rosaline

2017-01-01

Among radiation exposure pathways to human beings, inhalation dose is the most prominent one. Radon, thoron, and their progeny contribute more than 50 per cent to the annual effective dose due to natural radioactivity. South west coast of India is classified as a High Natural Background Radioactivity Area and large scale data on natural radioactivity and dosimetry are available from these coastal regions including the Neendakara-Chavara belt in the south of Kerala. However, similar studies and reports from the northern part of Kerala are scarce. The present study involves the data collection and analysis of radon, thoron, and progeny concentration in the Wayanad district of Kerala. The radon concentration was found to be within a range of 12–378 Bq/m3. The thoron concentration varied from 15 to 621 Bq/m3. Progeny concentration of radon and thoron and the diurnal variation of radon were also studied. In order to assess source term, wall and floor exhalation studies have been done for the houses showing elevated concentration of radon and thoron. The average values of radon, thoron, and their progeny are found to be above the Indian average as well as the average values reported from the High Natural Background Radioactivity Areas of Kerala. Exhalation studies of the soil samples collected from the vicinity of the houses show that radon mass exhalation rate varied from below detectable limit (BDL) to a maximum of 80 mBq/kg/h. The thoron surface exhalation rate ranged from BDL to 17470 Bq/m2/h. PMID:28611847

Kerala: Radical Reform As Development in an Indian State. 2nd Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franke, Richard W.; Chasin, Barbara H.

Kerala, a state in southwestern India, has implemented radical reform as a development strategy. As a result, Kerala now has some of the Third World's highest levels of health, education, and social justice. Originally published in 1989, this book traces the role that movements of social justice played in Kerala's successful struggle to…

West Nile encephalitis outbreak in Kerala, India, 2011.

PubMed

Anukumar, B; Sapkal, Gajanan N; Tandale, Babasheb V; Balasubramanian, R; Gangale, Daya

2014-09-01

An outbreak of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) was reported in Kerala in India in May 2011. The outbreak features were unusual in terms of seasonality, geographical distribution, age group, and clinical manifestations in comparison to the epidemiological features of Japanese Encephalitis. To detect the etiology of the acute encephalitis syndrome outbreak. Investigation of outbreak was undertaken by collection of brief clinical history and epidemiological details along with the specimens for viral diagnosis. The serum/CSF samples (patients=208) received from the sentinel hospitals were subjected to IgM capture ELISA and RT-PCR specific for Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus and West Nile virus (WNV). The JE/WN IgM positive samples were further tested by serum neutralization assay for the presence of JE and WNV specific neutralizing antibody. Most of the affected patients were aged above 15 years. No spatial clustering of the disease was noticed. Cases were observed in premonsoon and early monsoon season and in JE non-endemic area of Kerala. A total of 47 patient samples were positive for in-house JE IgM capture ELISA and WNV IgM capture ELISA. Serum neutralization assay result revealed that 32 of 42 (76.19%) sera were positive for WNV neutralization antibodies. WNV was isolated from a clinical specimen. Phylogenetic analysis of WNV envelope gene revealed 99% homology with Russian Lineage 1 WNV. West Nile virus (WNV) etiology was confirmed by virus isolation and detection of virus specific antibody from clinical specimen. Phylogenetic analysis grouped the current strain in lineage I West Nile virus. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Factors affecting decisions to seek treatment for sick children in Kerala, India.

PubMed

Pillai, Rajamohanan K; Williams, Sankey V; Glick, Henry A; Polsky, Daniel; Berlin, Jesse A; Lowe, Robert A

2003-09-01

The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of social and economic variables, disease-related variables, and child gender on the decisions of parents in Kerala, India, to seek care for their children and on their choice of providers in the allopathic vs. the alternative system. A case-control analysis was done using data from the Kerala section of the 1996 Indian National Family Health Survey, a cross-sectional survey of a probability sample of households conducted by trained interviewers with a close-ended questionnaire. Of the 469 children who were eligible for this study because they had at least one common symptom suggestive of acute respiratory illness or diarrhea during the 2 weeks before the interview, 78 (17%) did not receive medical care, while the remaining 391 (83%) received medical care. Of the 391 children who received medical care, 342 (88%) received allopathic medical care, and 48 (12%) received alternative medical care. In multivariable analyses, parents chose not to seek medical care for their children significantly more often when the illness was mild, the child had a specific diagnosis, the mother had previously made fewer antenatal visits, and the family had a higher economic status. When parents sought medical care for their children, care was sought significantly more often in the alternative provider system when the child was a boy, the family lived in a rural area, and the family had a lower social class. We conclude that, in Kerala, disease severity and economic status predict whether children with acute respiratory infection or diarrhea are taken to medical providers. In contrast, most studies of this issue carried out in other populations have identified economic status as the primary predictor of medical system utilization. Also in Kerala, the gender of the child did not influence whether or not the child was taken for treatment but did influence whether care was sought in the alternative or the allopathic system.

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of the Inhabitants of the Kani Forest Tribal Settlements of Tiruvananthapuram District, Kerala, India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nandha, B.; Srinivasan, R.; Jambulingam, P.

2014-01-01

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is reported among Kani tribes in forest settlements of Tiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, India. Epidemiological investigations are ongoing and 27 histopathologically confirmed cases of CL have been reported from five settlements indicating transmission of disease within settlements. One of the priorities for…

Does land ownership make a difference? Women's roles in agriculture in Kerala, India.

PubMed

Arun, S

1999-11-01

Drawing on a 12-month study, this paper explores the role of women in agriculture in Kerala, India. Despite claims that women enjoy high status in Kerala, economic, social, and cultural factors interplay to reinforce gender differences in ownership, control over, and access to critical agricultural resources, including land. Although women may gain access to land through inheritance, marriage, or informal networks, none of this guarantee effective control over it. The traditional rights of women to land have not been adequately recognized: the gender gap in the ownership and control of property is the only most significant contributor to the gender gap in the economic well-being, social status, and empowerment of women. The existing socioeconomic changes and crisis which render agricultural land as a main source of livelihood, is leading nair women's share of land being sold, with gains going to men, thus decreasing women¿s ownership of land to the status of male-controlled dowry. The case of the Christian succession laws in Kerala illustrate that legal provisions alone can have a limited impact on changing gendered power structures. The role of women in agriculture needs to be recognized, and institutional support must be increased in order for women to gain access to agricultural inputs and technology, which in turn, leads to better agricultural practices and a higher income from farming in the country. Most importantly, there should be a concerted effort to enable women to function as independent farmers who control their own land.

Home-Based Palliative Care Program Relieves Chronic Pain in Kerala, India: Success Realized Through Patient, Family Narratives.

PubMed

Ajjarapu, Aparna Sai; Broderick, Ann

2018-06-14

An estimated 1.5 billion people across the globe live with chronic pain, and an estimated 61 million people worldwide experience unrelieved serious health-related suffering. One-sixth of the global population lives in India, where approximately 10 million people endure unrelieved serious health-related suffering. The state of Kerala is home to Pallium India, one of the most sophisticated palliative care programs in the country. This private organization in Trivandrum provides palliative and hospice care to underresourced populations and emphasizes holistic pain treatment. The current project features the pain stories of six patients who received treatment from Pallium India. Basic patient demographic information was collected, and a Pallium India staff member who was fluent in Malayalam and English asked questions about each patient's pain experience. Pain narratives illustrate the substantial impact of Pallium India's home visit program and the role of total pain assessment in delivering high-quality palliative care.

Searching for justice for body and self in a coercive environment: sex work in Kerala, India.

PubMed

Jayasree, A K

2004-05-01

Sex workers in Kerala, India, live in a coercive environment and face violence from the police and criminals, lack of shelter, lack of childcare support and have many physical and mental health problems. This paper documents the environment in which women have been selling sex in Kerala since 1995, and their efforts to claim their rights. It is based on sex workers' own reports and experiences, a situation analysis and a needs assessment study by the Foundation for Integrated Research in Mental Health. Involvement in HIV/AIDS prevention projects first gave sex workers in Kerala an opportunity to come together. Some have become peer educators and distribute condoms but they continue to be harassed by police. Most anti-trafficking interventions, including rescue and rehabilitation, either criminalise or victimise sex workers, and sex workers reject them as a solution to sex work. They understand that the lack of sexual fulfillment in other relationships and their own lack of access to other work and resources are the reasons why commercial sex flourishes. Sex workers are not mere victims without agency. They have a right to bodily integrity, pleasure, livelihood, self-determination and a safe working environment. Sex workers are organising themselves for these objectives and demand decriminalisation of sex work.

Toward a social justice theory of demographic transition: lessons from India's Kerala State.

PubMed

Ratcliffe, J W

1983-06-01

Recent research evidence, which suggests that observed demographic trends and patterns are largely consequences of broad structural changes in society, has raised serious doubts about the validity of traditional demographic theory and the framework for action it has generated. This theoretical essay 1st recasts classical demographic transition theory in general systems terms in order to make it consistent with the evidence and to place the processes of fertility and mortality in a larger social context. The demographic transition experience of Kerala State, India is then recounted to provide a concrete example of the demographic response in society to structural reforms based primarily on equity considerations.

Returns and determinants of technical efficiency in small-scale Malabari goat production units in Kerala, India.

PubMed

Alex, Rani; Kunniyoor Cheemani, Raghavan; Thomas, Naicy

2013-11-01

A stochastic frontier production function was employed to measure technical efficiency and its determinants in smallholder Malabari goat production units in Kerala, India. Data were obtained from 100 goat farmers in northern Kerala, selected using multistage random sampling. The parameters of the stochastic frontier production function were estimated using the maximum likelihood method. Cost and return analysis showed that the major expenditure was feed and fodder, and veterinary expenses were secondary. The chief returns were the sale of live animals, milk and manure. Individual farm technical efficiency ranged from 0.34 to 0.97 with a mean of 0.88. The study found herd size (number of animal units) and centre (locality of farm) significantly affected technical efficiency, but sex of farmer, education, land size and family size did not. Technical efficiency decreased as herd size increased; half the units with five or more adult animals had technical efficiency below 60 %.

Habitat monitoring and conservation prioritisation of protected areas in Western Ghats, Kerala, India.

PubMed

Athira, K; Reddy, C Sudhakar; Saranya, K R L; Joseph, Shijo; Jaishanker, R

2017-06-01

Spatially explicit approach is essential to prioritise the ecosystems for biodiversity conservation. In the present study, the conservation status of 20 protected areas of the Western Ghats of Kerala, India, was analysed based on long-term changes in forests (1975-1985-1995-2005-2013), landscape level changes in fragmentation and forest fires (2005-2015). This study has shown that a significant forest loss occurred in protected areas before declaration. Idukki is one of the major protected areas which showed a drastic reduction (18.83%) in its forest cover. During 1985-1995, Periyar tiger reserve had lost 24.19 km 2 core 3 forest area followed by Peppara (18.54 km 2 ), Parambikulam (17.93 km 2 ), Chimmony (17.71 km 2 ), Peechi-Vazhani (12.31 km 2 ) and Neyyar (11.67 km 2 ). An area of 71.33 km 2 of the protected area was affected by fires in 2014. Overall protected area-wise decadal analysis indicates Periyar has the highest number of fire incidences followed by Wayanad, Kurinjimala, Silent Valley and Eravikulam. Disturbances in the form of fires and fragmentation still exist and may have significant conservation threat to flora and fauna. Among protected areas, many are having a probability to go under threat or dynamic stage. Chinnar, Thattekkad and Kurinjimala sanctuaries are representing high levels of vulnerability, or they are near to decline stage. Habitat level monitoring of the anthropogenic disturbances can be efficiently useful for the strategic conservation planning. The present study has provided geospatial database on spatial patterns of deforestation, fragmentation and forest fires in protected areas of Kerala. Conservation prioritization approach based on these parameters will be useful for the strategic planning in the state of Kerala.

Cultural adaptation of a peer-led lifestyle intervention program for diabetes prevention in India: the Kerala diabetes prevention program (K-DPP).

PubMed

Mathews, Elezebeth; Thomas, Emma; Absetz, Pilvikki; D'Esposito, Fabrizio; Aziz, Zahra; Balachandran, Sajitha; Daivadanam, Meena; Thankappan, Kavumpurathu Raman; Oldenburg, Brian

2018-01-04

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is now one of the leading causes of disease-related deaths globally. India has the world's second largest number of individuals living with diabetes. Lifestyle change has been proven to be an effective means by which to reduce risk of T2DM and a number of "real world" diabetes prevention trials have been undertaken in high income countries. However, systematic efforts to adapt such interventions for T2DM prevention in low- and middle-income countries have been very limited to date. This research-to-action gap is now widely recognised as a major challenge to the prevention and control of diabetes. Reducing the gap is associated with reductions in morbidity and mortality and reduced health care costs. The aim of this article is to describe the adaptation, development and refinement of diabetes prevention programs from the USA, Finland and Australia to the State of Kerala, India. The Kerala Diabetes Prevention Program (K-DPP) was adapted to Kerala, India from evidence-based lifestyle interventions implemented in high income countries, namely, Finland, United States and Australia. The adaptation process was undertaken in five phases: 1) needs assessment; 2) formulation of program objectives; 3) program adaptation and development; 4) piloting of the program and its delivery; and 5) program refinement and active implementation. The resulting program, K-DPP, includes four key components: 1) a group-based peer support program for participants; 2) a peer-leader training and support program for lay people to lead the groups; 3) resource materials; and 4) strategies to stimulate broader community engagement. The systematic approach to adaptation was underpinned by evidence-based behavior change techniques. K-DPP is the first well evaluated community-based, peer-led diabetes prevention program in India. Future refinement and utilization of this approach will promote translation of K-DPP to other contexts and population groups within India as

Prevalence and Social Determinants of Type 2 Diabetes in a Coastal Area of Kerala, India.

PubMed

Aswathy, S; Lohidas, V; Paul, Nimitha; Anish, T S; Narayanan, Tinu; Oldenburg, Brian

2017-01-01

Varying prevalence rates of type 2 diabetes have been observed in different parts of the southern state of Kerala, India which is in an advanced stage of epidemiologic transition. Social patterning is evident in diabetes and therefore it was decided to undertake a study on estimating the prevalence of diabetes and associated social determinants. The adopted local self administration unit of the Medical College which is also the field practice area with a population of 25,096 was taken for the study. All the households in the area were visited and the details regarding self reported diabetes was collected after obtaining informed consent and analysis done by multivariate logistic regression. The prevalence of self reported diabetes in this coastal area was found to be low at 7.4%. Type 2 diabetes was also found to occur significantly earlier among the respondents belonging to the below poverty line. Age above 40 years (OR 2 95% CI 1.5-2.7, p=.000), marital status (OR 1.9 95% CI 1.1-2.1, p=.006) presence of comorbidities (OR 635 95% CI 389-969, p=.000), more than 8 years of schooling (OR 0.64 95% CI 0.46-0.86, p=.004), living conditions as represented by presence of household source of drinking water(OR 1.4 95% CI 1.01-1.5) were found to be independent predictors. Though there was increasing trend of diabetes among the forward caste line families after backward logistic regression this disappeared leaving behind the proxy of socioeconomic status, household source of drinking water. Though, the state of Kerala is in an advanced stage of epidemiologic transition, coastal areas are still in the earlier phases of transition with low prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Higher education and better living conditions are important social determinants of diabetes though further studies are necessary to delineate the impact of economic status and education.

Do Caste and Class Define Inequality? Revisiting Education in a Kerala Village

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scaria, Suma

2014-01-01

Is there a strong correlation between caste and class in access to education, especially higher education? This is the broader question addressed by the study in the context of Kerala, the southernmost state in India, with impressive conventional indicators in education. Micro-level insights based on the study of a village in Kerala show that old…

CDC Kerala 1: Organization of clinical child development services (1987-2013).

PubMed

Nair, M K C; George, Babu; Nair, G S Harikumaran; Bhaskaran, Deepa; Leena, M L; Russell, Paul Swamidhas Sudhakar

2014-12-01

The main objective of establishing the Child Development Centre (CDC), Kerala for piloting comprehensive child adolescent development program in India, has been to understand the conceptualization, design and scaling up of a pro-active positive child development initiative, easily replicable all over India. The process of establishing the Child Development Centre (CDC) Kerala for research, clinical services, training and community extension services over the last 25 y, has been as follows; Step 1: Conceptualization--The life cycle approach to child development; Step 2: Research basis--CDC model early stimulation is effective; Step 3: Development and validation of seven simple developmental screening tools; Step 4: CDC Diagnostic services--Ultrasonology and genetic, and metabolic laboratory; Step 5: Developing seven intervention packages; Step 6: Training--Post graduate diploma in clinical child development; Step 7: CDC Clinic Services--seven major ones; Step 8: CDC Community Services--Child development referral units; Step 9: Community service delivery models--Childhood disability and for adolescent care counselling projects; Step 10: National capacity building--Four child development related courses. CDC Kerala follow-up and clinic services are offered till 18 y of age and premarital counselling till 24 y of age as shown in "CDC Kerala Clinic Services Flow Chart" and 74,291 children have availed CDC clinic services in the last 10 y. CDC Kerala is the first model for comprehensive child adolescent development services using a lifecycle approach in the Government sector and hence declared as the collaborative centre for Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), in Kerala.

Potential for mobile health (mHealth) prevention of cardiovascular diseases in Kerala: A population-based survey.

PubMed

Feinberg, Leo; Menon, Jaideep; Smith, Rebecca; Rajeev, Jaya G; Kumar, Raman Krishan; Banerjee, Amitava

India's southern state of Kerala stands at the forefront of India's epidemic of cardiovascular disease (CVD), among other non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Mobile phone use in healthcare (mHealth) has shown promise in India, including NCDs. However, suitability and acceptability of m-Health interventions is poorly researched, particularly in rural settings. METHODS: A questionnaire regarding mobile phone usage and possible use in healthcare was verbally administered in five primary health centres and by home visits in five village councils ("panchayats") of Ernakulam, Kerala. Adults who spoke Malayalam or English, with access to a mobile phone were recruited by convenience sampling in partnership with accredited social health activists (ASHAs). Quantitative data analysis was conducted using SPSS software. 262 participants were recruited. 87% routinely used and 88% owned a mobile phone. 92% were willing to receive mHealth advice, and 94% favoured mobile medication reminders. 70.3% and 73% preferred voice calls over short messaging service (SMS) for delivering health information and medication reminders, respectively. 85.9% would send home recorded information on their blood pressure, weight, medication use and lifestyle to a doctor or ASHA. 75.2% trusted the confidentiality of mHealth data, while 77.1% had no concerns about the privacy of their information. The majority of this population approve mHealth interventions. While further investigation of mHealth as a health education tool is warranted, SMS interventions may fail to maximise equity and penetration across all patient groups. Copyright © 2016 Cardiological Society of India. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of hypertension, its correlates and awareness among adult tribal population of Kerala state, India.

PubMed

Meshram, I I; Arlappa, N; Balkrishna, N; Rao, K M; Laxmaiah, A; Brahmam, G N V

2012-01-01

Increasing prevalence of hypertension is a public health problem in India. To study prevalence, correlates, and awareness of hypertension among tribal adult population in Kerala. A community-based, cross-sectional study was carried out in tribal areas of Kerala by adopting multistage random sampling procedure. Data was collected on socio-demographic and behavioral factors, and anthropometric measurements were carried out. Body mass index (BMI) was categorized using the classification recommended for Asians. Waist circumference ≥ 90 cm for men and ≥ 80 cm for women was used cut off for defining an abdominal obesity. Bivariate and multivariate analysis was carried out to study association of hypertension with socio-demographic variables, personal habits, and obesity. A total of 4,193 adults (men 1,891, women: 2,302) of ≥ 20 years of age were covered. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 40% (n=1671). The prevalence of hypertension increases with increase in age among both the genders. Regression analysis showed that the risk of hypertension was significantly (P<0.001) lower among educated and among higher socio-economic status group. Sedentary activity had 1.3 times (CI=1.09-1.60) and alcohol consumption had 1.4 (CI=1.17-1.73) times higher risk of hypertension. The risk of hypertension was 1.7 times higher among overweight/obese subjects. Overall, only 10% (n=164) of the adult population was aware of hypertension status, and about 8% (n=129) were on regular treatment. It was observed that the prevalence of hypertension was higher among tribal adult population of Kerala and was associated with age, gender, education, HHs wealth index, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption, and overweight/obesity.

Development of a web geoservices platform for School of Environmental Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satheendran, S.; John, C. M.; Fasalul, F. K.; Aanisa, K. M.

2014-11-01

Web geoservices is the obvious graduation of Geographic Information System in a distributed environment through a simple browser. It enables organizations to share domain-specific rich and dynamic spatial information over the web. The present study attempted to design and develop a web enabled GIS application for the School of Environmental Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India to publish various geographical databases to the public through its website. The development of this project is based upon the open source tools and techniques. The output portal site is platform independent. The premier webgis frame work `Geomoose' is utilized. Apache server is used as the Web Server and the UMN Map Server is used as the map server for this project. It provides various customised tools to query the geographical database in different ways and search for various facilities in the geographical area like banks, attractive places, hospitals, hotels etc. The portal site was tested with the output geographical database of 2 projects of the School such as 1) the Tourism Information System for the Malabar region of Kerala State consisting of 5 northern districts 2) the geoenvironmental appraisal of the Athirappilly Hydroelectric Project covering the entire Chalakkudy river basin.

Compliance with infection control practices in sputum microscopy centres: a study from Kerala, India

PubMed Central

Ubaid, N. P.; Nagaraja, S. B.; Shewade, H. D.; Padmanabhan, K. V.; Naik, B. R.; Satpati, M.; Blesson, S.; Jayasree, A. K.

2015-01-01

Background: One of the strategies of the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme in India to achieve tuberculosis control is by increasing case detection through a nationwide network of designated microscopy centres (DMC). Practice of standard precautions for infection control in these DMCs is very important to prevent transmission of infection not only to the laboratory personnel, but also to the general population. However, in India this has not been evaluated by an external agency. Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out to assess knowledge, facilities and compliance regarding infection control practices (ICP) in all 38 DMCs in Kannur district, Kerala, India, in 2015. Using observations and interviews, the investigators collected data in a structured format. Results: Overall knowledge about infection control was found to be satisfactory among 29% of laboratory technicians. Overall facilities for infection control were satisfactory in 61% of the DMCs, while adherence to ICP was satisfactory in 45% of the DMCs. Knowledge regarding ICP was better in government DMCs, whereas facilities for ICP and adherence to biomedical waste management guidelines were better in private DMCs. Conclusion: Given the higher risk of infection among laboratory technicians, there is an urgent need to address the shortcomings in infection control practices. PMID:26767180

Wayanad widows: A study of sustainable rural economic development using renewable energy technology for micro enterprise in Kerala, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voorhees, Maire Claire

This thesis examines the situation of the farmer widows of Wayanad, Kerala through exploration of the underlying agricultural and economic issues leading to farmers' suicides, the current state of the environment in the Wayanad District of Kerala, India, and an economic model of micro-entrepreneurship to address economic and social issues of the surviving widows. Quantitative and qualitative research methods were performed through the assessment and document analysis of archive, newspaper, and published reports to gain a macro perspective. The Environmental Vulnerability Index was used as a tool to evaluate and organize findings of the current environmental conditions in the region. This thesis supports the sustainability concept of considering the economic, ecological, and social impacts when identifying economic development pathways. The goal was to explore the appropriateness of small household solar systems as vehicle in the micro-enterprise model to be a sustainable alternative economic pathway to agriculture for the farmer widows of Wayanad.

Domestic and Environmental Factors of Chikungunya-affected Families in Thiruvananthapuram (Rural) District of Kerala, India

PubMed Central

Anish, TS; Vijayakumar, K; Leela, Itty Amma KR

2011-01-01

Background: The world is experiencing a pandemic of chikungunya which has swept across Indian Ocean and the Indian subcontinent. Kerala the southernmost state of India was affected by the chikungunya epidemic twice, first in 2006 and then in 2007. Kerala has got geography and climate which are highly favorable for the breeding of Aedes albopictus, the suspected vector. Aim: The aim of the study was to highlight the various domestic and environmental factors of the families affected by chikungunya in 2007 in Thiruvananthapuram district (rural) of Kerala. Settings and design:This is a cross-sectional survey conducted in Thiruvananthapuram (rural) district during November 2007. Settings and design: This is a cross-sectional survey conducted in Thiruvananthapuram (rural) district during November 2007 Materials and Methods: Samples were selected from field area under three Primary Health Centers.These areas represent the three terrains of the district namely the highland, midland, and lowland. The sample size was estimated to be 134 houses from each study area.The field area of health workers was selected as clusters and six subcenters from each primary health center were randomly selected (lot method). Results and Conclusions: The proportion of population affected by chikungunya fever is 39.9% (38.9-40.9%). The investigators observed water holding containers in the peri-domestic area of 95.6% of the houses. According to regression (binary logistic) analysis, the area of residence [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 8.01 (6.06-14.60)], residing in a non-remote area [adjusted OR=0.25 (0.16-0.38)], perceived mosquito menace [adjusted OR=3.07 (2.31-4.64)], and containers/tires outside the house [adjusted OR=5.61 (2.74-27.58)] were the independent predictors of the occurrence of chikungunya in households. PMID:21572606

The 9th annual INDUS-EM 2013 Emergency Medicine Summit, "Principles, Practices, and Patients," a level one international meeting, Kerala University of Health Sciences and Jubilee Mission Medical College and Research Institute, Thrissur, Kerala, India, October 23-27, 2013.

PubMed

Swaroop, Mamta; Galwankar, Sagar C; Stawicki, Stanislaw P A; Balakrishnan, Jayaraj M; Worlton, Tamara; Tripathi, Ravi S; Bahner, David P; Bhoi, Sanjeev; Kaide, Colin; Papadimos, Thomas J

2014-05-06

INDUS-EM is India's only level one conference imparting and exchanging quality knowledge in acute care. Specifically, in general and specialized emergency care and training in trauma, burns, cardiac, stroke, environmental and disaster medicine. It provides a series of exchanges regarding academic development and implementation of training tools related to developing future academic faculty and residents in Emergency Medicine in India. The INDUS-EM leadership and board of directors invited scholars from multiple institutions to participate in this advanced educational symposium that was held in Thrissur, Kerala in October 2013.

Characteristics and carbon stable isotopes of fluids in the Southern Kerala granulites and their bearing on the source of CO2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Santosh, M.; Jackson, D. H.; Mattey, D. P.; Harris, N. B. W.

1988-01-01

Carbon dioxide-rich inclusions commonly occur in the banded charnockites and khondalites of southern Kerala as well as in the incipient charnockites formed by desiccation of gneisses along oriented zones. The combined high density fluid inclusion isochores and the range of thermometric estimates from mineral assemblages indicate entrapment pressures in the range of 5.4 to 6.1 Kbar. The CO2 equation of state barometry closely compares with the 5 plus or minus 1 Kbar estimate from mineral phases for the region. The isochores for the high density fluid inclusions in all the three rock types pass through the P-T domain recorded by phase equilibria, implying that carbon dioxide was the dominating ambient fluid species during peak metamorphic conditions. In order to constrain the source of fluids and to evaluate the mechanism of desiccation, researchers undertook detailed investigations of the carbon stable isotope composition of entrapped fluids. Researchers report here the results of preliminary studies in some of the classic localities in southern Kerala namely, Ponmudi, Kottavattom, Manali and Kadakamon.

Women and work in Kerala: a comparison of the 1981 and 1991 censuses.

PubMed

Gulati, L; Rajan, S I; Ramalingam, A

1997-01-01

This study examines census data on women's work status during 1981 and 1991 in Kerala state in India. During 1981 and 1991, Kerala had a stable female work participation rate (FWPR), which placed Kerala 19th out of 30 states and Union territories. However, Kerala's FWPR declined in size and in the ratio to the male work participation rate during 1951-81. The work participation rate in Kerala was 15.85 for women and 47.58 for men in 1991 and 16.61 for women and 44.89 for men in 1981, which was under the national average. Fertility declined from 3.7 during 1970-75 to 1.7 in 1992. Life expectancy at birth was 74.7 years for women and 68.8 years for men, which is higher than the national average. The proportion of persons aged 15-59 years increased. Several explanations are offered to explain the low FWPR. Women increased in the number of enrollments in higher education. The increase for women was 50% compared to only 24% for men. The number of unemployed women aged 15-34 years rose during 1961-81. A 1987-88 unemployment survey revealed that over 10% of the unemployed in India lived in Kerala state, which had only 3.4% of total Indian population. A 1987 migration survey indicated that 300,929 workers from Kerala migrated to the Middle East, of which 92.5% were men. 31.43% of Kerala's population in 1991 were workers. The increase in the proportion of workers during 1981-91 was due primarily to the increase in male workers. The number of main workers increased over the decade for men and women, although only marginally for women. Marginal workers declined for both genders. Work participation rates of main and marginal workers increased for men and declined for women. Urban employment for women increased. Two districts had very low FWPRs. 48.78% of the female work force worked as cultivators and agricultural laborers. Growth occurred in urban and tertiary activities.

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.

A crypto-Dravidian origin for the nontribal communities of South India based on human leukocyte antigen class I diversity.

PubMed

Thomas, R; Nair, S B; Banerjee, M

2006-09-01

The Dravidian communities are considered to be the original inhabitants of India, now restricted to South India. The southern most state, Kerala, is socio-culturally stratified into Hindus, Muslims and Christians on the basis of religion. The origin of these religious communities in Kerala is considered to be unique in comparison with that in other parts of the country. These communities were later influenced by the hierarchical caste structure established by the Hindu Brahmins. In the present study, we compared six nontribal (Namboothiri, Nair, Ezhava, Pulaya, Malabar Muslim and Syrian Christian) communities belonging to the major religious groups in Kerala (Hindu, Muslim and Christian) based on the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A, -B and -C diversity. Our aim was to understand the genomic substructuring associated with the changing social scenario in various caste and religious groups and compare it with the Dravidian tribal and other world populations. The present study reveals that the HLA diversity of the Dravidian communities is very distinct from that in the other world populations. It is obvious that the nontribal communities of Kerala display a greater Dravidian influence, but traces of genetic admixture with the Mediterranean, western European, central Asian and East Asian populations can be observed. This characterizes the crypto-Dravidian features of the nontribal communities of Kerala. Demic diffusion of the local progressive communities with the migrant communities may have given rise to crypto-Dravidian features among the nontribal communities of Kerala.

Biosignatures of Kerala red rain cells: Implications in understanding their origin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gangappa, R.; Thomas, M.; Hogg, S.

2013-09-01

The red rain that fell over Kerala, southern India (2001-2012) was characterised by the red pigmented particles. Earlier proposal claiming that these are known algal bloom blown from trees (Sampath et al, 2001; DiGregorio, 2007) has been studied by us and disproved. Also, further investigation reporting their extraordinary properties including a suggestion that they lack DNA (Louis and Kumar 2003; 2006; 2008) has been invalidated (Gangappa and Hogg, 2013). However, their claim regarding the growth and replication of these cells at 300ºC needs more investigation if it is to gain acceptance. Current study provide evidences regarding the biological properties of Kerala red rain cells to gain insights into environmental conditions from which they may have originated. Combined with various research strategies and high resolution instruments, we have demonstrated the following interesting properties of Kerala red rain cells: (1) unusually thick external envelope enclosing the central core; (2)stability of red pigment at temperatures about 100ºC and pH variations; (3) absence of eukaryotic ultrastructures; (4) possible replication at 121ºC with nanostructures (possible daughter cells) having similar morphological features inside the large mother cells at such high temperature. They contain high percentage of carbon, iron, silicon and aluminum and often enclosed in a silicon rich biofilms. Further investigation shows that the positive detection of DNA in these cells was possible only after the complete removal of red pigment, thereby providing an explanation for the negative outcome of earlier studies in this regard. Moreover, evidences are shown to support that these cells contain high amounts of UV absorbing compounds, porphyrin complexes and possible scytonemin. Kerala red rain cells may prove to be polyextermophiles belonging to prokaryotes and may have possibly originated from the environment containing above mentioned chemical elements, high energy UV exposure and

Prevalence of burnout and its correlates among residents in a tertiary medical center in Kerala, India: A cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Ratnakaran, B; Prabhakaran, A; Karunakaran, V

2016-01-01

Background and Rationale: Residents work in emotionally demanding environments with multiple stressors. The risk for burnout is high in them and it has significant negative consequences for their career. Burnout is also associated with consequences in terms of physical and mental health including insomnia, cardiovascular disease, depression and suicidal ideation. Thus, the study aimed to study the prevalence of burn out and its correlates among interns and residents at Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. Settings and Design: Cross Sectional Study at Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. Methods: It was a cross Sectional study of 558 interns and residents of Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. Data was collected which included the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory [CBI] which assesses burnout in the dimensions of Personal burnout, Work burnout and Patient related burnout, with a cut off score of 50 for each dimension. Age, sex, year of study, department the resident belonged to, or an intern, junior resident or a super speciality senior resident (resident doing super speciality course after their post graduate masters degree) were the correlates assessed. Statistical analysis: Univariate analysis. Results: More than one third of the participants were found to have burnout in one or another dimension of the CBI. Burnout was found to be the highest among the interns in the domains of personal burnout (64.05 %) and patient related burnout (68.62 %) and in junior residents for work related burnout (40%). Super specialty senior residents had the least prevalence of burnout in all three dimensions. Among the residents, Non Medical/Non Surgical residents had the least prevalence of burnout in all three dimensions, whereas surgical speciality residents had the highest of personal burnout (57.92 %) and Medical speciality residents had the highest patient related burnout (27.13%). Both medical and

Socio-economic variables influencing mean age at marriage in Karnataka and Kerala.

PubMed

Prakasam, C P; Upadhyay, R B

1985-01-01

"In this paper an attempt was made to study the influence of certain socio-economic variables on the male and the female age at marriage in Karnataka and Kerala [India] for the year 1971. Step-wise regression method has been used to select the predictor variables influencing mean age at marriage. The results reveal that percent female literate...and percent female in labour force...are found to influence female mean age at marriage in Kerala, while the variables for Karnataka were percent female literate..., percent male literate..., and percent urban male population...." excerpt

Rural water supply in Kerala, India: How to emerge from a low-level equilibrium trap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Bhanwar; Ramasubban, Radhika; Bhatia, Ramesh; Briscoe, John; Griffin, Charles C.; Kim, Chongchun

1993-07-01

Large quantities of financial and human resources have been devoted to improving rural water supplies in developing countries over the past two decades. Many projects have been successful, but many have failed to meet the needs of the intended beneficiaries. Evidence of the failures lies in the unused and poorly maintained systems that are scattered throughout rural areas of the developing world. The current situation in water supply in rural Kerala, India, reflects this general observation and can be described as a "low-level equilibrium trap." Water systems provide a low level of service with few yard taps. The monthly tariff for water from household connections is low. With few connectors and low tariffs, little revenue is generated beyond subsidies provided by the government. The water authority can afford to maintain the system up to a level at which the reliability of service is low, forcing consumers to supplement piped water from traditional sources. This study analyzes contingent valuation data collected in three areas of Kerala to evaluate the possibility of lifting the system out of this trap. The analysis shows that by making a few critical policy changes, encouraging private connections and financing those connections through higher tariffs, the system can ratchet up to a "high-level equilibrium" in which there are many connectors, monthly revenues are greatly increased, and consumer welfare improves. Such a system would be better financed, making it possible to improve the reliability and quality of the service.

Estimation of external dose by car-borne survey in Kerala, India.

PubMed

Hosoda, Masahiro; Tokonami, Shinji; Omori, Yasutaka; Sahoo, Sarata Kumar; Akiba, Suminori; Sorimachi, Atsuyuki; Ishikawa, Tetsuo; Nair, Raghu Ram; Jayalekshmi, Padmavathy Amma; Sebastian, Paul; Iwaoka, Kazuki; Akata, Naofumi; Kudo, Hiromi

2015-01-01

A car-borne survey was carried out in Kerala, India to estimate external dose. Measurements were made with a 3-in × 3-in NaI(Tl) scintillation spectrometer from September 23 to 27, 2013. The routes were selected from 12 Panchayats in Karunagappally Taluk which were classified into high level, mid-level and low level high background radiation (HBR) areas. A heterogeneous distribution of air kerma rates was seen in the dose rate distribution map. The maximum air kerma rate, 2.1 μGy/h, was observed on a beach sand surface. 232Th activity concentration for the beach sand was higher than that for soil and grass surfaces, and the range of activity concentration was estimated to be 0.7-2.3 kBq/kg. The contribution of 232Th to air kerma rate was over 70% at the measurement points with values larger than 0.34 μGy/h. The maximum value of the annual effective dose in Karunagappally Taluk was observed around coastal areas, and it was estimated to be 13 mSv/y. More than 30% of all the annual effective doses obtained in this survey exceeded 1 mSv/y.

Twenty years of home-based palliative care in Malappuram, Kerala, India: a descriptive study of patients and their care-givers.

PubMed

Philip, Rekha Rachel; Philip, Sairu; Tripathy, Jaya Prasad; Manima, Abdulla; Venables, Emilie

2018-02-14

The well lauded community-based palliative care programme of Kerala, India provides medical and social support, through home-based care, for patients with terminal illness and diseases requiring long-term support. There is, however, limited information on patient characteristics, caregivers and programme performance. This study was carried out to describe: i) the patients enrolled in the programme from 1996 to 2016 and their diagnosis, and ii) the care-giver characteristics and palliative care support from nurses and doctors in a cohort of patients registered during 2013-2015. A descriptive study was conducted in the oldest community-based palliative clinic in Kerala. Data were collected from annual patient registers from 1996 to 2016 and patient case records during the period 2013-2015. While 91% of the patients registered in the clinic in 1996 had cancer, its relative proportion came down to 32% in 2016 with the inclusion of dementia-related illness (19%) cardiovascular accidents (17%) and severe mental illness (5%).Among patients registered during 2013-15, the median number of home visits from nurses and doctors in 12 months were five and one respectively. In the same cohort, twelve months' post-enrolment, 56% of patients died, 30% were in continuing in active care and 7% opted out. Those who opted out of care were likely to be aged < 60 years, received one or less visit annually from a doctor or have a serious mental illness. 96% of patients had a care-giver at home, 85% of these care-givers being female. The changing dynamics over a 20-year period of this palliative care programme in Kerala, India, highlights the need for similar programmes to remain flexible and adapt their services in response to a growing global burden of Non Communicable Diseases. While a high death rate is expected in this population, the high proportion of patients choosing to stay in the programme suggests that home-based care is valued within this particular group. A diverse range

Spatial changes of estuary in Ernakulam district, Southern India for last seven decades, using multi-temporal satellite data.

PubMed

Dipson, P T; Chithra, S V; Amarnath, A; Smitha, S V; Harindranathan Nair, M V; Shahin, Adhem

2015-01-15

The study area, located in the western side of Kerala State, South India, is a part of Vembanad-Kol wetlands - the largest estuary in India's western coastal wetland system and one of the Ramsar Sites of Kerala. Major portion of this estuary comes under the Ernakulam district which includes the Cochin City - the business and Industrial hub of Kerala, which has seen fast urbanization since independence (1947). Recently, this region is subjected to a characteristic fast urban sprawl, whereas, the estuarine zone is subjected to tremendous land use/land cover changes (LULC). Periodic monitoring of the estuary is essential for the formulation of viable management options for the sustainable utilization of this vital environmental resource. Remote sensing coupled with GIS applications has proved to be a useful tool in monitoring wetland changes. In the present study, the changes this estuarine region have undergone from 1944 to 2009 have been monitored with the help of multi-temporal satellite data. Estuarine areas were mapped with the help of Landsat MSS (1973), Landsat ETM (1990) and IRS LISS-III (1998 and 2009) using visual interpretation and digitization techniques in ArcGIS 9.3 Environment. The study shows a progressive decrease in the estuarine area, the reasons of which are identified chronologically. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Socio-economic factors & longevity in a cohort of Kerala State, India.

PubMed

Sauvaget, Catherine; Ramadas, Kunnambath; Fayette, Jean-Marie; Thomas, Gigi; Thara, Somanathan; Sankaranarayanan, Rengaswamy

2011-05-01

Even though Kerala State is well-known for its egalitarian policies in terms of healthcare, redistributive actions and social reforms, and its health indicators close to those of high-resource countries despite a poor per-capita income, it is not clear whether socio-economic disparities in terms of life expectancy are observed. This study was therefore carried out to study the impact of socio-economic level on life expectancy in individuals living in Kerala. A cohort of 1,67,331 participants aged 34 years and above in Thiruvananthapuram district, having completed a lifestyle questionnaire at baseline in 1995, was followed up for mortality and cause of death until 2005. Survival estimates were based on the participants' vital status and death rates were calculated separately for men and women and for several socio-economic factors, stratified by age. At 40 years, men and women were expected to live another 34 and 37 years, respectively. Life expectancy varied across the participants' different socio-economic categories: those from high income households with good housing conditions, materially privileged households and small households, had a 2-3 years longer life expectancy as compared to the deprived persons. Also, those who went to college lived longer than the illiterates. The gaps between categories were wider in men than in women. Socio-economic disparity in longevity was observed: wealthy people from Kerala State presented a longer life expectancy.

Women's health in a rural community in Kerala, India: do caste and socioeconomic position matter?

PubMed Central

Mohindra, K S; Haddad, Slim; Narayana, D

2006-01-01

Objectives To examine the social patterning of women's self‐reported health status in India and the validity of the two hypotheses: (1) low caste and lower socioeconomic position is associated with worse reported health status, and (2) associations between socioeconomic position and reported health status vary across castes. Design Cross‐sectional household survey, age‐adjusted percentages and odds ratios, and multilevel multinomial logistic regression models were used for analysis. Setting A panchayat (territorial decentralised unit) in Kerala, India, in 2003. Participants 4196 non‐elderly women. Outcome measures Self‐perceived health status and reported limitations in activities in daily living. Results Women from lower castes (scheduled castes/scheduled tribes (SC/ST) and other backward castes (OBC) reported a higher prevalence of poor health than women from forward castes. Socioeconomic inequalities were observed in health regardless of the indicators, education, women's employment status or household landholdings. The multilevel multinomial models indicate that the associations between socioeconomic indicators and health vary across caste. Among SC/ST and OBC women, the influence of socioeconomic variables led to a “magnifying” effect, whereas among forward caste women, a “buffering” effect was found. Among lower caste women, the associations between socioeconomic factors and self‐assessed health are graded; the associations are strongest when comparing the lowest and highest ratings of health. Conclusions Even in a relatively egalitarian state in India, there are caste and socioeconomic inequalities in women's health. Implementing interventions that concomitantly deal with caste and socioeconomic disparities will likely produce more equitable results than targeting either type of inequality in isolation. PMID:17108296

Probing for suitable climatology to estimate the predictability of monsoon onset over Kerala (MOK), India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pal, J.; Chaudhuri, S.; Mukherjee, S.; Chowdhury, A. Roy

2017-10-01

Inter-annual variability in the onset of monsoon over Kerala (MOK), India, is investigated using daily temperature; mean sea level pressure; winds at 850, 500 and 200 hPa pressure levels; outgoing longwave radiation (OLR); sea surface temperature (SST) and vertically integrated moisture content anomaly with 32 years (1981-2013) observation. The MOK is classified as early, delayed, or normal by considering the mean monsoon onset date over Kerala to be the 1st of June with a standard deviation of 8 days. The objective of the study is to identify the synoptic setup during MOK and comparison with climatology to estimate the predictability of the onset type (early, normal, or delayed) with 5, 10, and 15 days lead time. The study reveals that an enhanced convection observed over the Bay of Bengal during early MOK is found to shift over the Arabian Sea during delayed MOK. An intense high-pressure zone observed over the western south Indian Ocean during early MOK shifts to the east during delayed MOK. Higher tropospheric temperature (TT) over the western Equatorial Ocean during early MOK and lower TT over the Indian subcontinent intensify the land-ocean thermal contrast that leads to early MOK. The sea surface temperature (SST) over the Arabian Sea is observed to be warmer during delayed than early MOK. During early MOK, the source of 850 hPa southwesterly wind shifts to the west equatorial zone while a COL region has been found during delayed MOK at that level. The study further reveals that the wind speed anomaly at the 200-hPa pressure level coincides inversely with the anomaly of tropospheric temperature.

Climate-based statistical regression models for crop yield forecasting of coffee in humid tropical Kerala, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jayakumar, M.; Rajavel, M.; Surendran, U.

2016-12-01

A study on the variability of coffee yield of both Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora as influenced by climate parameters (rainfall (RF), maximum temperature (Tmax), minimum temperature (Tmin), and mean relative humidity (RH)) was undertaken at Regional Coffee Research Station, Chundale, Wayanad, Kerala State, India. The result on the coffee yield data of 30 years (1980 to 2009) revealed that the yield of coffee is fluctuating with the variations in climatic parameters. Among the species, productivity was higher for C. canephora coffee than C. arabica in most of the years. Maximum yield of C. canephora (2040 kg ha-1) was recorded in 2003-2004 and there was declining trend of yield noticed in the recent years. Similarly, the maximum yield of C. arabica (1745 kg ha-1) was recorded in 1988-1989 and decreased yield was noticed in the subsequent years till 1997-1998 due to year to year variability in climate. The highest correlation coefficient was found between the yield of C. arabica coffee and maximum temperature during January (0.7) and between C. arabica coffee yield and RH during July (0.4). Yield of C. canephora coffee had highest correlation with maximum temperature, RH and rainfall during February. Statistical regression model between selected climatic parameters and yield of C. arabica and C. canephora coffee was developed to forecast the yield of coffee in Wayanad district in Kerala. The model was validated for years 2010, 2011, and 2012 with the coffee yield data obtained during the years and the prediction was found to be good.

Health Inequalities in South Asia at the Launch of Sustainable Development Goals: Exclusions in Health in Kerala, India Need Political Interventions.

PubMed

Thresia, C U

2018-01-01

Despite substantial progress in social development during the post-colonial period, health inequalities in the South Asian countries were staggering, with reduced life expectancy, higher maternal and child mortality, and gender discrimination. Notably, even with the rapid economic growth during the neoliberal period, India fares below most of the South Asian countries in several health indicators. The Indian state of Kerala stands out with social sector gains; nevertheless, evidence indicates widening health inequalities, restricted public arenas, and undemocratic practices in health, particularly in the context of increasing market logic in the health and social arenas shaping health. The caste, class, gender, and ethnic ideologies and patriarchal power structure interwoven in the sociopolitical, cultural, moral, and health discourses similar to the South Asian context raise serious inequalities for health. At the launch of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, the populations with lingering privations and forbidden freedoms for gaining better health in Kerala, similar to South Asia, were largely the dalits, ethnic and religious minorities, and women. This necessitates greater political interventions, recognizing the interacting effects of history, culture, social factors, politics, and policies on health. And public health research needs to underscore this approach.

Completed suicide in adults of rural Kerala: rates and determinants.

PubMed

Sauvaget, C; Ramadas, K; Fayette, J M; Thomas, G; Thara, S; Sankaranarayanan, R

2009-01-01

India has witnessed a dramatic increase in suicide rates during the past few decades. The southern state of Kerala has been reporting the highest rates of suicide. Since suicide rates are estimated from death registries, they are likely to be under-reported because the civil registration system is incomplete and suicide deaths are poorly reported. A cohort of 132 000 participants (age 35 years and above) in Thiruvananthapuram (erstwhile Trivandrum) district, Kerala was followed up for mortality from 1996 to 2005, after having filled-in a lifestyle questionnaire at baseline. The cause of death was based on verbal autopsy. Suicide methods were recorded and rates were estimated, and suicide risks were calculated according to several socioeconomic factors. During the follow up period, a total of 11 608 deaths, of which 385 were suicides (3.3% of total deaths), were registered. The overall suicide rate was 39.3/100 000 person-years among adults 35-90 years of age (men: 78/ 100000; women: 16.5/100000). The predominant methods of suicide were hanging, followed by poisoning and drowning. The suicide determinants were male gender, middle-age (40-60 years), Hindu, alcohol drinkers and secondary education level (< or = 7 years). Neither low socioeconomic level, living alone, nor being a married woman was associated with suicide risk. Suicide rates were consistent with the official rates of Thiruvananthapuram district (37/100 000). However, our study population did not include the 14-34-year-old age-group which represents more than 37% of all suicides and hence it is more likely that the official rates are under-reported. Determinants of suicide were in line with previous studies.

Debt, shame, and survival: becoming and living as widows in rural Kerala, India

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The health and well-being of widows in India is an important but neglected issue of public health and women’s rights. We investigate the lives of Indian women as they become widows, focussing on the causes of their husband’s mortality and the ensuing consequences of these causes on their own lives and identify the opportunities and challenges that widows face in living healthy and fulfilling lives. Methods Data were collected in a Gram Panchayat (lowest level territorial decentralised unit) in the south Indian state of Kerala. Interviews were undertaken with key informants in order to gain an understanding of local constructions of ‘widowhood’ and the welfare and social opportunities for widows. Then we conducted semi-structured interviews with widows in the community on issues related to health and vulnerability, enabling us to hear perspectives from widows. Data were analysed for thematic content and emerging patterns. We synthesized our findings with theoretical understandings of vulnerability and Amartya Sen’s entitlements theory to develop a conceptual framework. Results Two salient findings of the study are: first, becoming a widow can be viewed as a type of ‘shock’ that operates similarly to other ‘economic shocks’ or ‘health shocks’ in poor countries except that the burden falls disproportionately on women. Second, widowhood is not a static phenomenon, but rather can be viewed as a multi-phased process with different public health implications at each stage. Conclusion More research on widows in India and other countries will help to both elucidate the challenges faced by widows and encourage potential solutions. The framework developed in this paper could be used to guide future research on widows. PMID:23126457

Use of tobacco and alcoholic beverages by children and teenagers in a low-income coastal community in south India.

PubMed

George, A; Varghese, C; Sankaranarayanan, R; Nair, M K

1994-01-01

To plan and implement cancer control measures, information about the baseline habit patterns of the community is needed. A coastal village near Trivandrum, Kerala, Southern India, supported mainly by the fishing industry, was identified for this study with regard to establishing measures to control oral cancer there. Oral cancer is prevalent in Kerala. Smoking and chewing tobacco and drinking alcoholic beverages are the major risk factors for this cancer. The socioeconomic status of the fishermen of Kerala is low and their literacy rate is low. The adults in coastal Kerala have been found to have a habit pattern of very high levels of tobacco and alcohol use. A survey was conducted to study the tobacco and alcohol use habits of 146 children and teenagers in this village. The percentages of study subjects with pan-tobacco-chewing, smoking, and drinking habits were 29%, 2%, and 3%, respectively. The habit pattern correlated negatively with education and positively with number of children per family. This survey provides information that can be used to plan cancer education efforts, including redesigning the school curriculum and focusing on high-risk groups.

Economic impacts of avian influenza outbreaks in Kerala, India.

PubMed

Govindaraj, G; Sridevi, R; Nandakumar, S N; Vineet, R; Rajeev, P; Binu, M K; Balamurugan, V; Rahman, H

2018-04-01

This study assessed the short-run impact to poultry farmers, duck hatcheries, control costs, compensation paid to stakeholders (transfer payments) and market reactions on own and substitute product prices and backwater tourism (boat operators) due to avian influenza (AI) outbreaks in Kuttanad region of Kerala, India, during 2014. The primary data from 91 poultry farms (duck farms, broiler chicken and backyard poultry), four hatcheries and 90 backwater boat owners were collected through pre-tested schedules. The secondary data on transfer payments and expenditure incurred to control AI were collected from developmental departments and were analysed. The estimated loss (culling live birds, eggs and feed destruction) per duck farm was USD 9,181, USD 3,889 and USD 156 in case of commercial farms reared for meat, dual-purpose and backyard farms, respectively. The loss incurred by small-scale broiler and backyard poultry farms was USD 453 and USD 40, respectively. The loss incurred by large and small duck hatcheries was USD 11,963 and USD 5,790, respectively, due to culling of hatchlings, young birds and destroying eggs. The government invested USD 744,890 to contain the disease spread through massive culling, surveillance and monitoring of poultry and humans due to zoonotic nature of the disease. A sharp market reaction on own and substitute product prices and eight weeks' time lag in price recovery was observed. The consequential impact on tourism especially for the backwater boat operators amounted to a loss of USD 2,280/boat due to fall in tourist inflow. Since, control measures are post-incidence, it is necessary to adopt appropriate preventive bio-security measures at the farm level besides periodical screening of domestic birds in migratory birds' flyway locations like Kuttanad to reduce the AI burden on various stakeholders including government. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Anaxibia folia spec. nov.-a new litter-dwelling dictynid spider from India (Araneae: Dictynidae: Dictyninae).

PubMed

Sankaran, Pradeep M; Sebastian, Pothalil A

2017-12-12

The dictynid genus Anaxibia Thorell, 1898 currently has six nominal species distributed in the Oriental and Ethiopian regions (World Spider Catalog 2017). The genus represents tiny to small spiders characterised by a reduced cribellum, long, cylindrical anterior and posterior spinnerets, cymbium with caudal modification, palpal patella with dorsal horn, sub-apically arising embolus, conductor with wide lamellar apex and simple female genitalia (Lehtinen 1967). The genus has one representative in India: Anaxibia rebai (Tikader, 1966), originally described under Dictyna Sundevall, 1833 (Tikader 1966; Lehtinen 1967). In this paper, we describe and illustrate a new litter-dwelling Anaxibia species collected from the Kerala state of southern India.

Water Management To Meet Challenges In Food Production ­ An Example From South India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shadananan, K.

Demands for food and water have been increasing with fast increasing population in many developing countries. Availability of water and fertile land, the two basic requirements for food production do not meet together in certain regions. In such regions, cooperation and efficient management practices can solve the problem to a good extend. The southern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu of India are divided by the mountain chains, the Western Ghats the orography of which makes Kerala one among the heaviest rainfall region in the World itself and Tamil Nadu a scanty rainfall region. Kerala receives more than 300cm average annual rainfall, giving birth to a number of perennial rivers and other water bodies whereas Tamil Nadu receives rainfall less than100cm. Most of the rivers of Tamil Nadu are seasonal and it depends on interstate water transfer to face the permanent water shortage. Owing to the high density of population, peculiar topography and soil types, agricultural production in Kerala is quite inadequate and the State depends on neighbouring States, especially Tamil Nadu for rice and vegetables, but not willing to share water. According to the Constitution of India, control of rivers is by individual states and this often leads to transboundary water disputes that retard development activities. Around 80% of the rainfall of Kerala wastefully flows into the Sea, when there is acute water shortage in Tamil Nadu. All the rivers in Kerala originate in the Ghats and its steep slopes makes more water storage difficult. Cooperation among the States become essential for meeting the increasing needs in water and food. If some of the water from the catchments in Kerala is diverted into Tamil Nadu, and the States can do joint agriculture, it can meet the challenges due to increase in population and environmental changes and minimize unemployment problems. Water diversion to Tamil Naduwill reduce flood damage and soil erosion in Kerala. The existing socio

Radiation dose due to radon and thoron progeny inhalation in high-level natural radiation areas of Kerala, India.

PubMed

Omori, Yasutaka; Tokonami, Shinji; Sahoo, Sarata Kumar; Ishikawa, Tetsuo; Sorimachi, Atsuyuki; Hosoda, Masahiro; Kudo, Hiromi; Pornnumpa, Chanis; Nair, Raghu Ram K; Jayalekshmi, Padmavaty Amma; Sebastian, Paul; Akiba, Suminori

2017-03-20

In order to evaluate internal exposure to radon and thoron, concentrations for radon, thoron, and thoron progeny were measured for 259 dwellings located in high background radiation areas (HBRAs, outdoor external dose: 3-5 mGy y -1 ) and low background radiation areas (control areas, outdoor external dose: 1 mGy y -1 ) in Karunagappally Taluk, Kerala, India. The measurements were conducted using passive-type radon-thoron detectors and thoron progeny detectors over two six-month measurement periods from June 2010 to June 2011. The results showed no major differences in radon and thoron progeny concentrations between the HBRAs and the control areas. The geometric mean of the annual effective dose due to radon and thoron was calculated as 0.10 and 0.44 mSv, respectively. The doses were small, but not negligible compared with the external dose in the two areas.

Utilization of maternal health-care services by tribal women in Kerala.

PubMed

Jose, Jinu Annie; Sarkar, Sonali; Kumar, S Ganesh; Kar, Sitanshu Sekhar

2014-01-01

The coverage of maternal care services among the tribal women in Kerala is better as compared to other states in India. This study was done to identify the factors contributing to better coverage of maternal care services among the tribal women in Kerala and to study the reasons for remaining differences that exists in utilization of services between tribal and non-tribal pregnant women. This was a descriptive cum qualitative study conducted in Thariode Gramapanchayat in the Wayanad district of Kerala. Among all women who had registered their pregnancies in the 5 sub-centres under CHC Thariode and had delivered between September 2009 and October 2010, equal numbers of tribal and non-tribal ante-natal women, 35 each were interviewed in-depth using a semi-structured questionnaire. Quantitative data was analysed using SPSS Version 16.0. Content analysis was done for qualitative data. The determinants of utilization in tribal women were general awareness, affordability, accessibility and quality of services along with motivation by health workers. Among tribal antenatal women, 85% utilized maternal health care facilities fully compared to 100% among non-tribal women. Lower levels of education and lack of transport facilities were prime factors contributing to under utilization by tribal women. Affordable, accessible and good quality of services in the public health system in Kerala and motivation by health workers were important contributing factors for better utilization of maternal care services.

Utilization of maternal health-care services by tribal women in Kerala

PubMed Central

Jose, Jinu Annie; Sarkar, Sonali; Kumar, S. Ganesh; Kar, Sitanshu Sekhar

2014-01-01

Background: The coverage of maternal care services among the tribal women in Kerala is better as compared to other states in India. Aim: This study was done to identify the factors contributing to better coverage of maternal care services among the tribal women in Kerala and to study the reasons for remaining differences that exists in utilization of services between tribal and non-tribal pregnant women. Settings and Design: This was a descriptive cum qualitative study conducted in Thariode Gramapanchayat in the Wayanad district of Kerala. Materials and Methods: Among all women who had registered their pregnancies in the 5 sub-centres under CHC Thariode and had delivered between September 2009 and October 2010, equal numbers of tribal and non-tribal ante-natal women, 35 each were interviewed in-depth using a semi-structured questionnaire. Statistical Analysis Used: Quantitative data was analysed using SPSS Version 16.0. Content analysis was done for qualitative data. Results: The determinants of utilization in tribal women were general awareness, affordability, accessibility and quality of services along with motivation by health workers. Among tribal antenatal women, 85% utilized maternal health care facilities fully compared to 100% among non-tribal women. Lower levels of education and lack of transport facilities were prime factors contributing to under utilization by tribal women. Conclusions: Affordable, accessible and good quality of services in the public health system in Kerala and motivation by health workers were important contributing factors for better utilization of maternal care services. PMID:24678214

The 9th annual INDUS-EM 2013 Emergency Medicine Summit, “Principles, Practices, and Patients,” a level one international meeting, Kerala University of Health Sciences and Jubilee Mission Medical College and Research Institute, Thrissur, Kerala, India, October 23–27, 2013

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

INDUS-EM is India’s only level one conference imparting and exchanging quality knowledge in acute care. Specifically, in general and specialized emergency care and training in trauma, burns, cardiac, stroke, environmental and disaster medicine. It provides a series of exchanges regarding academic development and implementation of training tools related to developing future academic faculty and residents in Emergency Medicine in India. The INDUS-EM leadership and board of directors invited scholars from multiple institutions to participate in this advanced educational symposium that was held in Thrissur, Kerala in October 2013. PMID:24884923

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.

Toxic heavy metals in human blood in relation to certain food and environmental samples in Kerala, South India.

PubMed

Jose, Anitha; Ray, Joseph George

2018-03-01

Toxic heavy metals such as arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg) are systemic toxicants that are hazardous to human health. However, as these elements are increasing in the environment due to fast urbanization, industrialization, and chemicalized agricultural activities, accumulation of the same in human body anywhere in the world is quite interesting to global assessment of environment quality. In this connection, random examination of blood samples of human population in Kerala, South India, was carried out to assess the threat of heavy metal contamination to humans in this part of the globe, especially in relation to the amount of such metals in food and other environmental samples. Except pure vegetarians, people of Kerala consume rice as the staple food with a lot of fish. Therefore, the amount of these three heavy metals in drinking water, fish, rice, and paddy soils was done. Heavy metals in the blood were examined in relation to age, gender, and dietary habits such as frequency of fish eating or vegetarianism. Influence of dental amalgam fillings on blood mercury levels was also analyzed. Quantitative assessment of metals in samples was done by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The levels of arsenic, lead, and mercury were found well below the reference values, though diet seemed to pull them up as the amount of metals in blood showed significant differences between vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Evidence to the influence of dental amalgam fillings on blood mercury levels could not be established with the present samples.

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

Impacts of public policies and farmer preferences on agroforestry practices in Kerala, India.

PubMed

Guillerme, S; Kumar, B M; Menon, A; Hinnewinkel, C; Maire, E; Santhoshkumar, A V

2011-08-01

Agroforestry systems are fundamental features of the rural landscape of the Indian state of Kerala. Yet these mixed species systems are increasingly being replaced by monocultures. This paper explores how public policies on land tenure, agriculture, forestry and tree growing on private lands have interacted with farmer preferences in shaping land use dynamics and agroforestry practices. It argues that not only is there no specific policy for agroforestry in Kerala, but also that the existing sectoral policies of land tenure, agriculture, and forestry contributed to promoting plantation crops, even among marginal farmers. Forest policies, which impose restrictions on timber extraction from farmers' fields under the garb of protecting natural forests, have often acted as a disincentive to maintaining tree-based mixed production systems on farmlands. The paper argues that public policies interact with farmers' preferences in determining land use practices.

Isolated in a technologically connected world?: Changes in the core professional ties of female researchers in Ghana, Kenya, and Kerala, India.

PubMed

Miller, B Paige; Shrum, Wesley

2012-01-01

Using panel data gathered across two waves (2001 and 2005) from researchers in Ghana, Kenya, and Kerala, India, we examine three questions: (1) To what extent do gender differences exist in the core professional networks of scientists in low-income areas? (2) How do gender differences shift over time? (3) Does use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) mediate the relationship between gender and core network composition? Our results indicate that over a period marked by dramatic increases in access to and use of various ICTs, the composition and size of female researchers core professional ties have either not changed significantly or have changed in an unexpected direction. Indeed, the size of women's ties are retracting over time rather than expanding.

Optimal In-Hospital and Discharge Medical Therapy in Acute Coronary Syndromes in Kerala: Results from the Kerala ACS Registry

PubMed Central

Huffman, Mark D; Prabhakaran, Dorairaj; Abraham, AK; Krishnan, Mangalath Narayanan; Nambiar, C. Asokan; Mohanan, Padinhare Purayil

2013-01-01

Background In-hospital and post-discharge treatment rates for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remain low in India. However, little is known about the prevalence and predictors of the package of optimal ACS medical care in India. Our objective was to define the prevalence, predictors, and impact of optimal in-hospital and discharge medical therapy in the Kerala ACS Registry of 25,718 admissions. Methods and Results We defined optimal in-hospital ACS medical therapy as receiving the following five medications: aspirin, clopidogrel, heparin, beta-blocker, and statin. We defined optimal discharge ACS medical therapy as receiving all of the above therapies except heparin. Comparisons by optimal vs. non-optimal ACS care were made via Student’s t test for continuous variables and chi-square test for categorical variables. We created random effects logistic regression models to evaluate the association between GRACE risk score variables and optimal in-hospital or discharge medical therapy. Optimal in-hospital and discharge medical care was delivered in 40% and 46% of admissions, respectively. Wide variability in both in-hospital and discharge medical care was present with few hospitals reaching consistently high (>90%) levels. Patients receiving optimal in-hospital medical therapy had an adjusted OR (95%CI)=0.93 (0.71, 1.22) for in-hospital death and an adjusted OR (95%CI)=0.79 (0.63, 0.99) for MACE. Patients who received optimal in-hospital medical care were far more likely to receive optimal discharge care (adjusted OR [95%CI]=10.48 [9.37, 11.72]). Conclusions Strategies to improve in-hospital and discharge medical therapy are needed to improve local process-of-care measures and improve ACS outcomes in Kerala. PMID:23800985

Modifiable risk factors of hypertension: A hospital-based case-control study from Kerala, India.

PubMed

Pilakkadavath, Zarin; Shaffi, Muhammed

2016-01-01

Hypertension is a major cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in Kerala. Excess dietary salt, low dietary potassium, overweight and obesity, physical inactivity, excess alcohol, smoking, socioeconomic status, psychosocial stressors, and diabetes are considered as modifiable risk factors for hypertension. To estimate and compare the distribution of modifiable risk factors among hypertensive (cases) and nonhypertensive (controls) patients and to estimate the effect relationship of risk factors. Age- and sex-matched case-control study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in Kerala using a pretested interviewer-administered structured questionnaire based on the WHO STEPS instrument for chronic disease risk factor surveillance. Bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were done. A total of 296 subjects were included in the study. The mean age of study sample was 50.13 years. All modifiable risk factors studied vis-ΰ-vis obesity, lack of physical activity, inadequate fruits and vegetable intake, diabetes, smoking, and alcohol use were significantly different in proportion among cases and controls. Obesity, lack of physical activity, smoking, and diabetes were found to be significant risk factors for hypertension after adjusting for other risk factors. Hypertension is strongly driven by a set of modifiable risk factors. Massive public awareness campaign targeting risk factors is essential in controlling hypertension in Kerala, especially focusing on physical exercise and control of diabetes, obesity, and on quitting smoking.

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

Contextual Influences on Sources of Academic Self-Efficacy: A Validation with Secondary School Students of Kerala

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gafoor, K. Abdul; Ashraf, P. Muhammed

2012-01-01

This study investigates the theorized sources of Academic Self-Efficacy among the higher secondary school students of Kerala, India. Mastery Experience in the form of Academic Achievement, vicarious experience in the form of School Image and Social Persuasion in the form of Parental Encouragement are included as the predictor variables of Academic…

Coir geotextile for slope stabilization and cultivation - A case study in a highland region of Kerala, South India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vishnudas, Subha; Savenije, Hubert H. G.; Van der Zaag, Pieter; Anil, K. R.

A sloping field is not only vulnerable to soil erosion it may also suffer from soil moisture deficiency. Farmers that cultivate on slopes everywhere face similar problems. Conservation technologies may reduce soil and nutrient losses, and thus enhance water holding capacity and soil fertility. But although these technologies promote sustainable crop production on steep slopes, the construction of physical structure such as bench terraces are often labour intensive and expensive to the farmers, since construction and maintenance require high investments. Here we studied the efficiency of coir geotextile with and without crop cultivation in reducing soil moisture deficiency on marginal slopes in Kerala, India. From the results it is evident that the slopes treated with geotextile and crops have the highest moisture retention capacity followed by geotextiles alone, and that the control plot has the lowest moisture retention capacity. As the poor and marginal farmers occupy the highland region, this method provides an economically viable option for income generation and food security along with slope stabilization.

Discovering Their Needs: Southern Rural Women of East India.

PubMed

Wilson-Anderson, Kaye; Lee, Holly; Pinnock, Jessi; Sybrandt, Anne; White, Alissa

2016-01-01

This qualitative, descriptive, phenomenological study explored how southern, rural women in India (N = 14) view health, how they learned about health, and what health education they desired. Health education classes were offered, based on participants' responses. Recommendations are offered for a best practice model that could potentially enhance the efforts of non-Indian nurses desiring to assist impoverished women and families in India.

Trace metal enrichment and organic matter sources in the surface sediments of Arabian Sea along southwest India (Kerala coast).

PubMed

Sreekanth, Athira; Mrudulrag, S K; Cheriyan, Eldhose; Sujatha, C H

2015-12-30

The geochemical distribution and enrichment of trace metals (Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) were determined in the surface sediments of Arabian Sea, along southwest India, Kerala coast. The results of geochemical indices indicated that surficial sediments of five transects are uncontaminated with respect to Mn, Zn and Cu, uncontaminated to moderately contaminated with Co and Ni, and moderately to strongly contaminated with Pb. The deposition of trace elements exhibited three different patterns i) Cd and Zn enhanced with settling biodetritus from the upwelled waters, ii) Pb, Co and Ni show higher enrichment, evidenced by the association through adsorption of iron-manganese nodules onto clay minerals and iii) Cu enrichment observed close to major urban sectors, initiated by the precipitation as Cu sulfides. Correlation, principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) were used to confirm the origin information of metals and the nature of organic matter composition. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

"Health divide" between indigenous and non-indigenous populations in Kerala, India: population based study.

PubMed

Haddad, Slim; Mohindra, Katia Sarla; Siekmans, Kendra; Màk, Geneviève; Narayana, Delampady

2012-05-29

The objective of this study is to investigate the magnitude and nature of health inequalities between indigenous (Scheduled Tribes) and non-indigenous populations, as well as between different indigenous groups, in a rural district of Kerala State, India. A health survey was carried out in a rural community (N = 1660 men and women, 18-96 years). Age- and sex-standardised prevalence of underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2), anaemia, goitre, suspected tuberculosis and hypertension was compared across forward castes, other backward classes and tribal populations. Multi-level weighted logistic regression models were used to estimate the predicted prevalence of morbidity for each age and social group. A Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition was used to further explore the health gap between tribes and non-tribes, and between subgroups of tribes. Social stratification remains a strong determinant of health in the progressive social policy environment of Kerala. The tribal groups are bearing a higher burden of underweight (46.1 vs. 24.3%), anaemia (9.9 vs. 3.5%) and goitre (8.5 vs. 3.6%) compared to non-tribes, but have similar levels of tuberculosis (21.4 vs. 20.4%) and hypertension (23.5 vs. 20.1%). Significant health inequalities also exist within tribal populations; the Paniya have higher levels of underweight (54.8 vs. 40.7%) and anaemia (17.2 vs. 5.7%) than other Scheduled Tribes. The social gradient in health is evident in each age group, with the exception of hypertension. The predicted prevalence of underweight is 31 and 13 percentage points higher for Paniya and other Scheduled Tribe members, respectively, compared to Forward Caste members 18-30 y (27.1%). Higher hypertension is only evident among Paniya adults 18-30 y (10 percentage points higher than Forward Caste adults of the same age group (5.4%)). The decomposition analysis shows that poverty and other determinants of health only explain 51% and 42% of the health gap between tribes and non-tribes for

Custodial Homes, Therapeutic Homes, and Parental Acceptance: Parental Experiences of Autism in Kerala, India and Atlanta, GA USA.

PubMed

Sarrett, Jennifer C

2015-06-01

The home is a critical place to learn about cultural values of childhood disability, including autism and intellectual disabilities. The current article describes how the introduction of autism into a home and the availability of intervention options change the structure and meaning of a home and reflect parental acceptance of a child's autistic traits. Using ethnographic data from Kerala, India and Atlanta, GA USA, a description of two types of homes are developed: the custodial home, which is primarily focused on caring for basic needs, and the therapeutic home, which is focused on changing a child's autistic traits. The type of home environment is respondent to cultural practices of child rearing in the home and influences daily activities, management, and care in the home. Further, these homes differ in parental acceptance of their autistic children's disabilities, which is critical to understand when engaging in international work related to autism and intellectual disability. It is proposed that parental acceptance can be fostered through the use of neurodiverse notions that encourage autism acceptance.

Dengue burden in India: recent trends and importance of climatic parameters.

PubMed

Mutheneni, Srinivasa Rao; Morse, Andrew P; Caminade, Cyril; Upadhyayula, Suryanaryana Murty

2017-08-09

For the past ten years, the number of dengue cases has gradually increased in India. Dengue is driven by complex interactions among host, vector and virus that are influenced by climatic factors. In the present study, we focused on the extrinsic incubation period (EIP) and its variability in different climatic zones of India. The EIP was calculated by using daily and monthly mean temperatures for the states of Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Kerala. Among the studied states, a faster/low EIP in Kerala (8-15 days at 30.8 and 23.4 °C) and a generally slower/high EIP in Punjab (5.6-96.5 days at 35 and 0 °C) were simulated with daily temperatures. EIPs were calculated for different seasons, and Kerala showed the lowest EIP during the monsoon period. In addition, a significant association between dengue cases and precipitation was also observed. The results suggest that temperature is important in virus development in different climatic regions and may be useful in understanding spatio-temporal variations in dengue risk. Climate-based disease forecasting models in India should be refined and tailored for different climatic zones, instead of use of a standard model.

Can microcredit help improve the health of poor women? Some findings from a cross-sectional study in Kerala, India.

PubMed

Mohindra, Ks; Haddad, Slim; Narayana, D

2008-01-10

This study examines associations between female participation in a microcredit program in India, known as self help groups (SHGs), and women's health in the south Indian state of Kerala. Because SHGs do not have a formal health program, this provides a unique opportunity to assess whether SHG participation influences women's health via the social determinants of health. This cross-sectional study used special survey data collected in 2003 from one Panchayat (territorial decentralized unit). Information was collected on women's characteristics, health determinants (exclusion to health care, exposure to health risks, decision-making agency), and health achievements (self assessed health, markers of mental health). The study sample included 928 non elderly poor women. The primary finding is that compared to non-participants living in a household without a SHG member, the odds of facing exclusion is significantly lower among early joiners, women who were members for more than 2 years (OR = 0.58, CI = 0.41-0.80), late joiners, members for 2 years and less (OR = 0.60, CI = 0.39-0.94), and non-participants who live in a household with a SHG member (OR = 0.53, CI = 0.32-0.90). We also found that after controlling for key women's characteristics, early joiners of a SHG are less likely to report emotional stress and poor life satisfaction compared to non-members (OR = 0.52, CI = 0.30-0.93; OR = 0.32, CI = 0.14-0.71). No associations were found between SHG participation and self assessed health or exposure to health risks. The relationship between SHG participation and decision-making agency is unclear. Microcredit is not a panacea, but could help to improve the health of poor women by addressing certain issues relevant to the context. In Kerala, SHG participation can help protect poor women against exclusion to health care and possibly aid in promoting their mental health.

Utilization of inpatient care from private hospitals: trends emerging from Kerala, India.

PubMed

Dilip, T R

2010-09-01

There is a gap in knowledge on the overall role and characteristics of private health care providers in India. This research is aimed at understanding changes in the consumption of inpatient care services from private hospitals between 1986 and 2004, with a particular focus on equitable outreach. Secondary analysis of National Sample Survey data on the utilization of inpatient care services in Kerala is performed for the periods 1986-87, 1995-96 and 2004. Household survey data are examined to understand the users of the private health system as there are limitations in obtaining reliable data from unregulated private health care providers. The annual hospitalization rate increased from 69 per 1000 population in 1986-87 to 126 per 1000 population by 2004. The proportion of persons seeking care from private rather than government hospitals increased from 55% in 1986-87 to 65% by 2004. Concentration indices revealed that the year 1995-96 witnessed the highest income inequality in hospitalization rates. A decline both in hospitalization rates and in the relative preference for private hospitals over government hospitals among the poorest two quintiles between 1986-87 and 1995-96 indicates that the poor avoided inpatient treatment. The rich-poor divide in care seeking from private hospitals was moderated by 2004. Improvements in the purchasing power of the population, and the strategy of private hospitals in this highly competitive market to generate revenue from the poorer quintiles by offering different pricing options, have reduced the observed rich-poor divide in the consumption of inpatient treatment from this sector. However, while this gap in utilization has closed, the burden of out-of-pocket expenditure is higher among the poor.

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.

Ethnomedicinal plants used for snake envenomation by folk traditional practitioners from Kallar forest region of South Western Ghats, Kerala, India

PubMed Central

Sulochana, Anaswara Krishnan; Raveendran, Dileepkumar; Krishnamma, Anoop Pushkaran; Oommen, Oommen V.

2015-01-01

Background: The traditional medicinal systems of Indian folklore abundantly use medicinal plants or its derivatives for the treatment of snakebites. However, this traditional knowledge is on the verge of extinction, and there is an immediate necessity to conserve this oral traditional knowledge primarily by proper documentation and scientific authentication. The present ethno botanical study carried out among the folk medicine practitioners in the rural settle mental areas of Kallar forest region of southern Kerala, aims to document the folk herbal knowledge particularly for snake envenomation. Materials and Methods: The survey was conducted during the period of June 2012-July 2013 in the rural and forest settlement areas of Kallar in the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala. Direct observation and oral communications with local folk medicine practitioners in this region were adopted to collect valid information regarding the herbal formulations used to treat snake bite patients. Results: The study enumerates a list of 24 plant species belonging to seventeen families with anti-venomous potential. The scientific, vernacular and family names of these plants, along with the part used and their application modes are also enumerated in this communication. Conclusions: Plants are believed to be potent snake bite antidotes from centuries back, and knowledge about the use of plants is strictly conserved among tribes through generations without recorded data. It is the need of the hour to document these old drug formulations and is the cardinal responsibility of the scientific community to validate it and come up with new potent drug molecule for the benefit of snake bite victims. PMID:26401384

Hindu-Muslim Violence in India: A National and State-Level Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

clubs, sports clubs, festival organizations, trade unions, and cadre-based political parties.”25 Varshney argues that it is these groups that... tourism sectors by offering subsidies as well as fiscal and policy incentives to attract businesses to the state.37 Likewise, in 2007, Kerala also...Kerala’s tourism sector and agricultural sectors have become near equal contributors of 9% to the state’s GDP. India Brand Equity Foundation, Kerala State

'Eating, eating is always there': food, consumerism and cardiovascular disease. Some evidence from Kerala, south India.

PubMed

Wilson, Caroline

2010-12-01

The state of Kerala, south India, has particularly high prevalence rates for cardiovascular disease (20%, Sugathan, Soman and Sankaranarayanan 2008) and Type II diabetes (16.3%, Kutty, Joseph, and Soman 1999). Although so-called 'lifestyle' diseases can be prevented and symptoms controlled by diet, exercise, and medicines, heart disease and diabetes have become the most common causes of suffering, disability and death. This article explores the social dynamics transforming consumer lifestyles as increased food consumption, reduced physical activity and social stress contribute to the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD). It examines the centrality of food to ideas of the 'good life', to nurture social relationships and strengthen weak modern bodies, as the principle source of embodied pleasure and health. It explores the micro and macro politics of eating and feasting, limiting the extent to which 'individuals' (can) control food habits. Thus, despite widespread recognition of the relationship between diet, exercise and heart disease, the flow of food, the immediacy of pleasure, and associations between appetite and health override latent concerns about the negative impacts of dietary excesses on long-term health and chronic illness. Findings are discussed to highlight the inherent limitations of public health interventions focusing on education and individual choice.

Below the poverty line and non-communicable diseases in Kerala: The Epidemiology of Non-communicable Diseases in Rural Areas (ENDIRA) study.

PubMed

Menon, Jaideep; Vijayakumar, N; Joseph, Joseph K; David, P C; Menon, M N; Mukundan, Shyam; Dorphy, P D; Banerjee, Amitava

2015-01-01

India carries the greatest burden of global non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Poverty is strongly associated with NCDs but there are few prevalence studies which have measured poverty in India, particularly in rural settings. In Kerala, India, a population of 113,462 individuals was identified. The "Epidemiology of Non-communicable Diseases in Rural Areas" (ENDIRA) study was conducted via ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activists). Standardised questionnaires were used in household interviews of individuals ≥18years during 2012 to gather sociodemographic, lifestyle and medical data for this population. The Government of Kerala definition of "the poverty line" was used. The association between below poverty line (BPL) status, NCDs and risk factors was analysed in multivariable regression models. 84,456 adults were included in the analyses (25.4% below the poverty line). The prevalence of NCDs was relatively common: myocardial infarction (MI) 1.4%, stroke 0.3%, respiratory diseases 5.0%, and cancer 1.1%. BPL status was not associated with age (p=0.96) or gender (p=0.26). Compared with those above the poverty line (APL), the BPL group was less likely to have diabetes, hypertension or dyslipidaemia (p<0.0001), and more likely to smoke (p<0.0001). Compared with APL, BPL was associated with stroke (OR 1.33, 1.04-1.69; p=0.02) and respiratory disease (OR 1.23, 1.15-1.32; p<0.0001) in multivariable analyses, but not MI or cancer. In rural Kerala, BPL status was associated with stroke and respiratory diseases, but not with MI and cancer although it was associated with smoking status, compared with above poverty line status. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Wild Asian Elephants, Southern India.

PubMed

Zachariah, Arun; Pandiyan, Jeganathan; Madhavilatha, G K; Mundayoor, Sathish; Chandramohan, Bathrachalam; Sajesh, P K; Santhosh, Sam; Mikota, Susan K

2017-03-01

We tested 3 ild Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in southern India and confirmed infection in 3 animals with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, an obligate human pathogen, by PCR and genetic sequencing. Our results indicate that tuberculosis may be spilling over from humans (reverse zoonosis) and emerging in wild elephants.

“Health divide” between indigenous and non-indigenous populations in Kerala, India: Population based study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The objective of this study is to investigate the magnitude and nature of health inequalities between indigenous (Scheduled Tribes) and non-indigenous populations, as well as between different indigenous groups, in a rural district of Kerala State, India. Methods A health survey was carried out in a rural community (N = 1660 men and women, 18–96 years). Age- and sex-standardised prevalence of underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2), anaemia, goitre, suspected tuberculosis and hypertension was compared across forward castes, other backward classes and tribal populations. Multi-level weighted logistic regression models were used to estimate the predicted prevalence of morbidity for each age and social group. A Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition was used to further explore the health gap between tribes and non-tribes, and between subgroups of tribes. Results Social stratification remains a strong determinant of health in the progressive social policy environment of Kerala. The tribal groups are bearing a higher burden of underweight (46.1 vs. 24.3%), anaemia (9.9 vs. 3.5%) and goitre (8.5 vs. 3.6%) compared to non-tribes, but have similar levels of tuberculosis (21.4 vs. 20.4%) and hypertension (23.5 vs. 20.1%). Significant health inequalities also exist within tribal populations; the Paniya have higher levels of underweight (54.8 vs. 40.7%) and anaemia (17.2 vs. 5.7%) than other Scheduled Tribes. The social gradient in health is evident in each age group, with the exception of hypertension. The predicted prevalence of underweight is 31 and 13 percentage points higher for Paniya and other Scheduled Tribe members, respectively, compared to Forward Caste members 18–30 y (27.1%). Higher hypertension is only evident among Paniya adults 18–30 y (10 percentage points higher than Forward Caste adults of the same age group (5.4%)). The decomposition analysis shows that poverty and other determinants of health only explain 51% and 42% of the health gap

Dengue burden in India: recent trends and importance of climatic parameters

PubMed Central

Mutheneni, Srinivasa Rao; Morse, Andrew P; Caminade, Cyril; Upadhyayula, Suryanaryana Murty

2017-01-01

For the past ten years, the number of dengue cases has gradually increased in India. Dengue is driven by complex interactions among host, vector and virus that are influenced by climatic factors. In the present study, we focused on the extrinsic incubation period (EIP) and its variability in different climatic zones of India. The EIP was calculated by using daily and monthly mean temperatures for the states of Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Kerala. Among the studied states, a faster/low EIP in Kerala (8–15 days at 30.8 and 23.4 °C) and a generally slower/high EIP in Punjab (5.6–96.5 days at 35 and 0 °C) were simulated with daily temperatures. EIPs were calculated for different seasons, and Kerala showed the lowest EIP during the monsoon period. In addition, a significant association between dengue cases and precipitation was also observed. The results suggest that temperature is important in virus development in different climatic regions and may be useful in understanding spatio-temporal variations in dengue risk. Climate-based disease forecasting models in India should be refined and tailored for different climatic zones, instead of use of a standard model. PMID:28790459

Landslide fatalities in the Western Ghats of Kerala, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lukose Kuriakose, Sekhar; Sankar, G.; Muraleedharan, C.

2010-05-01

The Western Ghats of Kerala, India is prone to shallow landslides and consequent debris flows. An earlier study (Kuriakose et al., EG, 2009) has compiled and presented the history and chorology of landslide prone areas of the region. An attempt to collect and compile a reliable fatal landslide inventory of the region resulted in a database of 63 landslides from 1961 to 2009. The data base was compiled from the news paper reports and research reports of the CESS and GSI. Most landslides were visited in and the locations were mapped using a handheld GPS. Date and fatality information was also collected. For twelve of the landslides accurate location information was not available and hence was plotted at the nearest known village centre. Three landslides did not have any location information but was recorded in the district gazetteer and hence included in the data base. A total of 257 valuable lives were lost in landslides. The landslide that caused the highest number of deaths was the Amboori landslide (Thiruvananthapuram) which occurred on 11 September 2001 that caused 39 fatalities. Idukki district experienced the largest number of fatal landslides during this period, 20 events resulting in 67 fatalities. Thiruvananthapuram district experienced the highest average number of fatalities per landslide (47 deaths from 5 events). The district wise statistics from north to south are, Kannur (6 from 5), Kasargodu (24 from 6), Wayanad (36 from 6), Kozhikode (44 from 10), Malappuram (9 from 3), Palakkad (3 from 3), Thrissur (2 from 1), Kottayam (5 from 3), and Pathanamthitta (14 from 3). It was noted that there exists a spatial trend in the occurrence of fatal landslides which follows the general monsoon rainfall trends and the population density. About 55% of the events occurred during the south west monsoon (June to September) season. It was also observed that there exists a strong upward trend in the number of fatal landslides. This upward trend can be directly

The development of the nursing profession in a globalised context: A qualitative case study in Kerala, India.

PubMed

Timmons, Stephen; Evans, Catrin; Nair, Sreelekha

2016-10-01

In the paper, we are looking at the relationship between globalisation and the professional project, using nursing in Kerala as an exemplar. Our focus is on the intersection of the professional project, gender and globalisation processes. Included in our analysis are the ways in which gender affects the professional project in the global south, and the development of a professional project which it is closely tied to global markets and global migration, revealing the political-economic, historical, and cultural factors that influence the shape and consequences of nurse migration. The phenomenon that enabled our analysis, by showing these forces at work in a particular time and place, was an outbreak of strikes by nurses working in private hospitals in Kerala in 2011-2012. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

No role for human papillomavirus infection in oral cancers in a region in southern India.

PubMed

Laprise, Claudie; Madathil, Sreenath A; Allison, Paul; Abraham, Priya; Raghavendran, Anantharam; Shahul, Hameed P; ThekkePurakkal, Akhil-Soman; Castonguay, Geneviève; Coutlée, François; Schlecht, Nicolas F; Rousseau, Marie-Claude; Franco, Eduardo L; Nicolau, Belinda

2016-02-15

Oral cancer is a major public health issue in India with ∼ 77,000 new cases and 52,000 deaths yearly. Paan chewing, tobacco and alcohol use are strong risk factors for this cancer in India. Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are also related to a subset of head and neck cancers (HNCs). We examined the association between oral HPV and oral cancer in a sample of Indian subjects participating in a hospital-based case-control study. We recruited incident oral cancer cases (N = 350) and controls frequency-matched by age and sex (N = 371) from two main referral hospitals in Kerala, South India. Sociodemographic and behavioral data were collected by interviews. Epithelial cells were sampled using Oral CDx® brushes from the oral cancer site and the normal mucosa. Detection and genotyping of 36 HPV genotypes were done using a polymerase chain reaction protocol. Data collection procedures were performed by qualified dentists via a detailed protocol with strict quality control, including independent HPV testing in India and Canada. HPV DNA was detected in none of the cases or controls. Associations between oral cancer and risk factors usually associated with HPV infection, such as oral sex and number of lifetime sexual partners, were examined by logistic regression and were not associated with oral cancer. Lack of a role for HPV infection in this study may reflect cultural or religious characteristics specific to this region in India that are not conducive to oral HPV transmission. A nationwide representative prevalence study is needed to investigate HPV prevalence variability among Indian regions. © 2015 UICC.

Can microcredit help improve the health of poor women? Some findings from a cross-sectional study in Kerala, India

PubMed Central

Mohindra, KS; Haddad, Slim; Narayana, D

2008-01-01

Background This study examines associations between female participation in a microcredit program in India, known as self help groups (SHGs), and women's health in the south Indian state of Kerala. Because SHGs do not have a formal health program, this provides a unique opportunity to assess whether SHG participation influences women's health via the social determinants of health. Methods This cross-sectional study used special survey data collected in 2003 from one Panchayat (territorial decentralized unit). Information was collected on women's characteristics, health determinants (exclusion to health care, exposure to health risks, decision-making agency), and health achievements (self assessed health, markers of mental health). The study sample included 928 non elderly poor women. Results The primary finding is that compared to non-participants living in a household without a SHG member, the odds of facing exclusion is significantly lower among early joiners, women who were members for more than 2 years (OR = 0.58, CI = 0.41–0.80), late joiners, members for 2 years and less (OR = 0.60, CI = 0.39–0.94), and non-participants who live in a household with a SHG member (OR = 0.53, CI = 0.32–0.90). We also found that after controlling for key women's characteristics, early joiners of a SHG are less likely to report emotional stress and poor life satisfaction compared to non-members (OR = 0.52, CI = 0.30–0.93; OR = 0.32, CI = 0.14–0.71). No associations were found between SHG participation and self assessed health or exposure to health risks. The relationship between SHG participation and decision-making agency is unclear. Conclusion Microcredit is not a panacea, but could help to improve the health of poor women by addressing certain issues relevant to the context. In Kerala, SHG participation can help protect poor women against exclusion to health care and possibly aid in promoting their mental health. PMID:18186918

Rock inhabiting potassium solubilizing bacteria from Kerala, India: characterization and possibility in chemical K fertilizer substitution.

PubMed

Anjanadevi, Indira Parameswaran; John, Neetha Soma; John, Kuzhivilayil Susan; Jeeva, Muthulekshmi Lajapathy; Misra, Raj Shekhar

2016-01-01

The role of rock inhabiting bacteria in potassium (K) solubilization from feldspar and their application in crop nutrition through substitution of fertilizer K was explored through the isolation of 36 different bacteria from rocks of a major hill station at Ponmudi in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. A comprehensive characterization of K solubilization from feldspar was achieved with these isolates which indicated that the K solubilizing efficiency increases with decrease in pH and increase in viscosity and viable cell count. Based on the level of K solubilization, two potent isolates were selected and identified as Bacillus subtilis ANctcri3 and Bacillus megaterium ANctcri7. Exopolysaccharide production, scanning electron microscopic and fourier transform infrared spectroscopic studies with these efficient strains conclusively depicted the role of low pH, increase in viscosity, and bacterial attachment in K solubilization. They were also found to be efficient in phosphorus (P) solubilization, indole acetic acid production as well as tolerant to wide range of physiological conditions. Moreover, the applicability of K containing rock powder as a carrier for K solubilizing bacteria was demonstrated. A field level evaluation on the yield of a high K demanding tuberous vegetable crop, elephant foot yam (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (dennst.) nicolson) established the possibility of substituting chemical K fertilizer with these biofertilizer candidates successfully. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Excitation of T waves in the Indian Ocean between Srilanka and southern India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chadha, R. K.

1994-06-01

T phases of three earthquakes from the Indian Ocean region, recorded by a short-period vertical-component seismic station network located in the vicinity of Kanyakumari on the southernmost tip of India, are studied. Two of these earthquakes are located west of 90°E ridge and one in the Nicobar Island region. However, seven other earthquakes which occurred 150 200 km south of Kanyakumari in the ocean did not produce T phases. An analysis of T-waves (tertiary waves) travel time reveals the zone of P-wave to T-wave conversion (i.e., PT phase) region to coincide with the western continental slope of Srilanka. Further, it is observed that the disposition of the bathymetry between Srilanka and southern India strongly favours the downslope propagation mechanism of T-wave travel to the southern coast of India through SOFAR channel. These observations are reported for the first time from India.

Determinants of birth intervals in Kerala: an application of Cox's hazard model.

PubMed

Nair, S N

1996-01-01

"The present study is an attempt to delineate the differences in the patterns and determinants of birth intervals which appear highly relevant in a transitional population such as Kerala [India]. In this country two comparable surveys, with a period difference of 20 years, were conducted. The study tries to estimate the effects of socio-economic, demographic and proximate variables using Cox's proportional hazard model. For the former data-set, socio-economic variables have [a] significant effect on birth intervals, while for the latter data proximate variables are the significant determinants of birth intervals." (SUMMARY IN ITA AND FRE) excerpt

Serological evidence of widespread West Nile virus and Japanese encephalitis virus infection in native domestic ducks (Anas platyrhynchos var domesticus) in Kuttanad region, Kerala, India.

PubMed

Kalaiyarasu, Semmannan; Mishra, Niranjan; Khetan, Rohit Kumar; Singh, Vijendra Pal

2016-10-01

Birds can act as reservoirs of West Nile virus (WNV) with a key role in its epidemiology. WNV lineage 1 associated fatal cases of human encephalitis in 2011 and acute flaccid paralysis in 2013 were reported in Alappuzha district, Kerala, India. But no information is available on WNV circulation in domestic ducks, which are abundant, cohabit with humans and occupy wetlands and water bodies in the region. To determine the extent of WNV infection, we investigated 209 sera, 250 oral and 350 cloacal swab samples from local Chara and Chemballi domestic ducks (Anas platyrhynchos var domesticus) in the districts of Alappuzha, Kottayam, Kollam and Pathanamthitta collected during January and March 2015. The serum samples were tested for WNV antibodies first by a competition ELISA and then by a micro virus neutralization test (micro-VNT), while oral and cloacal swabs were subjected to WNV real-time RT-PCR. Ninety five ducks showed evidence of flavivirus antibodies by ELISA. End point neutralizing antibody titre against WNV and Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) revealed WNV specific antibodies in 24 (11.5%) ducks in 3 districts, JEV specific antibodies in 21 (10%) ducks in 2 districts and flavivirus specific antibodies in 19 (9%) ducks. However, no WNV genomic RNA could be detected. The results of this study demonstrate evidence of widespread WNV and JEV infection in domestic ducks in Kuttanad region, Kerala with a higher seroprevalence to WNV than JEV. Additionally, it highlights the utility of domestic ducks as a surveillance tool to detect WNV/JEV circulation in a region. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prevalence and correlates of obsessive-compulsive disorder and subthreshold obsessive-compulsive disorder among college students in Kerala, India

PubMed Central

Jaisoorya, T. S.; Janardhan Reddy, Y. C.; Nair, B. Sivasankaran; Rani, Anjana; Menon, Priya G.; Revamma, M.; Jeevan, C. R.; Radhakrishnan, K. S.; Jose, Vineetha; Thennarasu, K.

2017-01-01

Context: There are scarce data on the prevalence of adult obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in India. Aims: The aim was to study the point prevalence of OCD and subthreshold OCD and its psychosocial correlates among college students in the district of Ernakulam, Kerala, India. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional survey of 5784 students of the age range of 18–25 years from 58 colleges was conducted. Materials and Methods: Students were self-administered the OCD subsection of the Clinical Interview Schedule-Revised, the Composite International Diagnostic Interview for obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCSs), and other relevant instruments to identify OCD, subthreshold OCD, and related clinical measures. Statistical Analysis: The point prevalence of OCD and subthreshold OCD was determined. Categorical variables were compared using Chi-square/Fisher's exact tests as necessary. Differences between means were compared using the ANOVA. Results: The point prevalence of OCD was 3.3% (males = 3.5%; females = 3.2%). 8.5% students (males = 9.9%; females = 7.7%) fulfilled criteria of subthreshold OCD. Taboo thoughts (67.1%) and mental rituals (57.4%) were the most common symptoms in OCD subjects. Compared to those without obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCSs), those with OCD and subthreshold OCD were more likely to have lifetime tobacco and alcohol use, psychological distress, suicidality, sexual abuse, and higher attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptom scores. Subjects with subthreshold OCD were comparable to those with OCD except that OCD subjects had higher psychological distress scores and academic failures. Conclusions: OCD and subthreshold OCD are not uncommon in the community, both being associated with significant comorbidity. Hence, it is imperative that both are identified and treated in the community because of associated morbidity. PMID:28529361

Screening for breast cancer in a low middle income country: predictors in a rural area of Kerala, India.

PubMed

Sreedevi, Aswathy; Quereshi, Mariya Amin; Kurian, Beteena; Kamalamma, Leelamoni

2014-01-01

In India, breast cancer is the leading malignancy among women in a majority of the cancer registries. Therefore it is important to understand screening practices and its predictors, including in rural areas with high female literacy and good health indices. A cross-sectional study with multistage sampling was conducted in Vypin Block, Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. Four Panchayats (self administration units) were randomly chosen and a woman in every second household was invited to participate from the tenth ward of each. Thus a total of 809 women were interviewed. The majority of the repondents (82.1%) were not aware of risk factors and about a third (37.9%) were not aware of symptoms of breast cancer. About half of the population studied (46.6%) had undergone screening. Age (35-50 years), being married, health professionals as source of information and working were significant predictors of screening. Logistic regression showed that older women (35-50 yrs) were more likely to practice screening. Out of the never screened, about a third (35%) were desirous of doing it, but had not for various reasons and 53.5% were not willing to screen. The reasons identified for not screening among those desirous of doing it were grouped into knowledge 66 (43.4%), resources 23 (15.1%) and psychosocial 32(21.1%) factors. Unmarried women were significantly more likely to express factors related to all the three domains. This study showed that in spite of the absence of a population-based screening program, about half of the study population had undergone some type of screening. The older women (35-50 years) in particular were significantly more likely to practice screening. At this critical juncture, a high quality breast cancer awareness and screening initiative can help to consolidate the gains and tackle knowledge, resource and psychosocial barriers.

Quantification of Aerosol Derived Particulate Matter and Trace gases in the Coastal Belt of Kochi, Kerala, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

H, S. C.

2016-02-01

Aerosol chemistry is a window to unravel the various environmental health hazard problems. This open forum which deals with the study of formation, interaction, transformation of aerosol species, which could enable in the assessment of biogeochemical cycling of anthropogenic and toxic species. It also preserves the temperature balance and reservoir and sink for nutrients, trace metals and organic species. An inventory of air pollutants is a proactive and necessary first step towards the control of air pollution. Surveys and studies on the sources of pollution and their apportionment to different sources are a pre-requisite for alleviating environmental disorder. The Kochi City (The Queen of Arabian Sea), Kerala, India is a fast growing industrial region where mounting urbanization has been affecting the quality of the atmospheric environment. Cochin estuarine environment is progressively affected by marine pollution concomitant by industrial hazardous chemicals and municipal waste. Further, rapid urbanization and industrialization has lead to lofting and large scale advection of these omnipresent species in the atmosphere. Studies were conducted to assess the significance and potential impact occupied to these ubiquitous species. The major gaseous pollutants include gases like sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ammonia and particulate matter (PM). An attempt was performed to unravel the inorganic species in the atmosphere and programmed by means of quantification of PM10 and trace gases. Their distribution pattern and outcomes are inferred.

Post-exposure prophylaxis against rabies at two newly designated intradermal rabies vaccination clinics in Kerala, India.

PubMed

J, Teena M; Mathew, T; S, Anish T; M, Sujina C; Philip, R R

2012-01-01

The two-site intradermal rabies vaccination (IDRV) regimen was recently introduced in Kerala. We aimed to determine factors associated with exposure of category III severity among patients seeking prophylaxis against rabies at IDRV clinics. This hospital-based, cross-sectional study was done at two clinics in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire by direct interview and 320 patients were included. Bivariate analysis of quantitative variables was done using t-test and that of qualitative variables using chi-square test. The mean (standard deviation) age of patients was 32.4 (19.6) years. Among the 320 cases, 202 (63.1%) had category III exposure. Lower extremities were the most frequent site of exposure (146, 45.6%). The most frequent mode of exposure was being bitten by an animal (214, 66.9%), often a dog. Residence in rural areas, exposure to dogs and wounds on the extremities had a significant association with severity of exposure. Animal exposures were more among people from rural areas. About two-thirds of exposures which necessitated post-exposure prophylaxis were category III. Copyright 2012, NMJI.

Oral Morphine Use in South India: A Population-Based Study

PubMed Central

Karim, Safiya; Booth, Christopher M.

2017-01-01

Purpose Access to opioids for pain control is recognized as an urgent issue in low- and middle-income countries. Here we report temporal and regional trends in morphine use in Kerala, India. Methods Oral morphine use data for the State of Kerala (2012 to 2015) was used to describe temporal trends, regional variation, and provider characteristics. Total morphine use was calculated for each district of Kerala to derive an annual per capita use rate (milligrams per capita). Each provider was classified as government, private, nongovernment organization (NGO), or NGO partnership. Results Oral morphine use for Kerala was 1.32 mg/capita and increased over the study period 27% (from 1.23 mg/capita to 1.56 mg/capita). There was substantial variation in morphine use across districts (range, 0.49 mg/capita to 2.97 mg/capita; six-fold difference). This variation increased over time (19-fold difference in 2015). In 2015, 31% of morphine providers (51 of 167) were government institutions; they delivered 48% of total morphine in Kerala. Corresponding data for other providers are private institutions, 23% of centers and 13% of morphine; NGOs, 41% of centers and 34% of morphine; and NGO partnerships, 5% of centers and 4% of morphine. From 2012 to 2015, the total number of centers increased by 35%, from 124 to 167. Conclusion Oral morphine use has increased over time in Kerala but remains substantially lower than estimated need. There is significant geographic variation of use. Efforts are needed to improve palliative care in Kerala and to reduce regional disparities in access to opioids. PMID:29244992

Professional Development of Academic Library Professionals in Kerala

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathew, K. Susan; Baby, M. D.; Pillai, S. Sreerekha

2011-01-01

The paper aims to bring out the problems and prospects of the professional development opportunities of academic library professionals in the Universities in Kerala. The study is a part of research undertaken to survey the professional development activities and educational needs of library professionals in the major Universities of Kerala in the…

Cross-cultural standardization of the South Texas Assessment of Neurocognition in India.

PubMed

Cherkil, S; Satish, S; Mathew, S S; Dinesh, N; Kumar, C T S; Lombardo, L E; Glahn, D C; Frangou, S

2012-08-01

Despite the central role of cognition for mental disorders most studies have been conducted in western countries. Similar research from other parts of the world, particularly India, is very limited. As a first step in closing this gap this cross-cultural comparability study of the South Texas Assessment of Neurocognition (STAN) battery was conducted between USA and India. One hundred healthy adults from Kerala, India, were administered six language independent subtests of the Java Neuropsychological Test (JANET) version of the STAN, assessing aspects of general intellectual ability (Matrix Reasoning), attention (Identical Pairs Continuous Performance, 3 Symbol Version Test; IPCPTS), working memory (Spatial Capacity Delayed Response Test; SCAP), response inhibition (Stop Signal Reaction Time; SSRT), Emotional Recognition and Risk taking (Balloon Analogue Risk Task; BART). Test results were compared to a demographically matched US sample. Overall test performance in the Kerala sample was comparable to that of the US sample and commensurate to that generally described in studies from western countries. Our results support the metric equivalence of currently available cognitive test batteries developed in western countries for use in India. However, the sample was restricted to individuals who were literate and had completed basic primary and secondary education.

Gastric cancer risk in relation to tobacco use and alcohol drinking in Kerala, India--Karunagappally cohort study.

PubMed

Jayalekshmi, Padmavathy Amma; Hassani, Soroush; Nandakumar, Athira; Koriyama, Chihaya; Sebastian, Paul; Akiba, Suminori

2015-11-28

To assess the risk of gastric cancer (GC) in relation to tobacco use and alcohol drinking in the Karunagappally cohort in Kerala, South India. This study examined the association of tobacco use and alcohol drinking with GC incidence among 65553 men aged 30-84 in the Karunagappally cohort. During the period from 1990-2009, 116 GC cases in the cohort were identified as incident cancers. These cases were identified from the population-based cancer registry. Information regarding risk factors such as socioeconomic factors and tobacco and alcohol habits of cohort members were collected from the database of the baseline survey conducted during 1990-1997. The relative risks (RRs) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) for tobacco use were obtained from Poisson regression analysis of grouped survival data, considering age, follow-up period, occupation and education. Bidi smoking was associated with GC risk (P = 0.042). The RR comparing current versus never smokers was 1.6 (95%CI: 1.0-2.5). GC risk was associated with the number of bidis smoked daily (P = 0.012) and with the duration of bidi smoking (P = 0.036). Those who started bidi smoking at younger ages were at an elevated GC risk; the RRs for those starting bidi smoking under the age of 18 and ages 18-22 were 2.0 (95%CI: 1.0-3.9) and 1.8 (95%CI: 1.1-2.9), respectively, when their risks were compared with lifetime non-smokers of bidis. Bidi smoking increased the risk of GC among never cigarette smokers more evidently (RR = 2.2; 95%CI: 1.3-4.0). GC risk increased with the cumulative amount of bidi smoking, which was calculated as the number of bidis smoked per day x years of smoking (bidi-year; P = 0.017). Cigarette smoking, tobacco chewing or alcohol drinking was not significantly associated with GC risk. Among a male cohort in South India, gastric cancer risk increased with the number and duration of bidi smoking.

Insular pathways to health care in the city: a multilevel analysis of access to hospital care in urban Kerala, India.

PubMed

Levesque, Jean-Frédéric; Haddad, Slim; Narayana, Delampady; Fournier, Pierre

2007-07-01

To identify individual and urban unit characteristics associated with access to inpatient care in public and private sectors in urban Kerala, and to discuss policy implications of inequalities in access. We analysed the NSSO survey (1995-1996) for urban Kerala with regard to source and trajectories of hospitalization. Multinomial multilevel regression models were built for 695 cases nested in 24 urban units. Private sector accounts for 62% of hospitalizations. Only 31% of hospitalizations are in free wards and 20% of public hospitalizations involve payment. Hospitalization pathways suggest a segmentation of public and private health markets. Members of poor and casual worker households have lower propensity of hospitalization in paying public wards or private hospitals. There were important variations between cities, with higher odds of private hospitalization in towns with fewer hospital beds overall and in districts with high private-public bed ratios. Cities from districts with better economic indicators and dominance of private services have higher proportion of private hospitalizations. The private sector is the predominant source of inpatient care in urban Kerala. The public sector has an important role in providing access to care for the poor. Investing in the quality of public services is essential to ensure equity in access.

Report of Workshop on Reconceptualization of Pre-service Teacher Education in the University of Kerala. Organized by the Department of Education, University of Kerala on 22 December 2009

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Praveen, C.

2010-01-01

As suggested by the Kerala Higher Education Council, the Department of Education of the University of Kerala organized a half-day workshop for reconceptualization of the teacher education curriculum of the University of Kerala as a preliminary step in the original plan of the Council for introducing an unified BEd curriculum in the state of…

A Qualitative Study on Working Experience of Rural Doctors in Malappuram District of Kerala, India

PubMed Central

Vallikunnu, Vinod; Kumar, S. Ganesh; Sarkar, Sonali; Kar, Sitanshu Sekhar; Harichandrakumar, K. T.

2014-01-01

Background: Improving the working conditions of rural doctors is an important issue to increase the quality of health services to target groups. Objectives: To assess the working experience of rural doctors at primary health care level. Materials and Methods: This qualitative study was conducted among 30 medical officers from 21 primary health centers in Malappuram district of Kerala, India. In-depth interview was conducted, and content analysis was performed with the identification of themes based on the responses obtained. Results: There were 19 males and 11 females belonged to 25 to 55 years age group. About 70% (21) of them were graduates with MBBS qualification, and the rest were postgraduates. About 2/3rd of them (20) had experience of less than 5 years. They expressed difficulty in managing the work in stipulated time period. However, this had never affected their OP management in anyway. They told that higher authorities were supportive, but they faced some opposition from the public in implementation of national program. Few opined that the training received was grossly insufficient in running the administrative affairs of the health center. Most of them satisfied with physical infrastructure, but manpower including medical officers and supporting staff were not sufficient. Some opined that the age of retirement is too early and should be increased. They participated in Continuing Medical Education, but expressed that it's content should suit to primary health care level. Conclusion: This study highlighted their concern to patient care and time, field work, administrative work, infrastructure, professional development, and future prospects. Further large scale evaluation studies will explore the situational analysis of it. PMID:25161972

How Ernakulam Became the First Fully Literate District of India = Comment l'Ernakulam devint le premier District entierement alphabete de l'Inde. Notes, Comments...No. 195.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sivadas, S.

"Lead Kindly Light" was an extensive campaign for the total eradication of illiteracy within 1 year in the Ernakulam District of India. A major sponsor was Kerala Sastra Sahithya Parishad (KSSP), the Science and Education Center of Kerala; responsibility for the project was later handed over to the National Literacy Mission (NLM). The…

Radionuclides and Radiation Indices of High Background Radiation Area in Chavara-Neendakara Placer Deposits (Kerala, India)

PubMed Central

Derin, Mary Thomas; Vijayagopal, Perumal; Venkatraman, Balasubramaniam; Chaubey, Ramesh Chandra; Gopinathan, Anilkumar

2012-01-01

The present paper describes a detailed study on the distribution of radionuclides along Chavara – Neendakara placer deposit, a high background radiation area (HBRA) along the Southwest coast of India (Kerala). Judged from our studies using HPGe gamma spectrometric detector, it becomes evident that Uranium (238U), Thorium (232Th) and Potassium (40K) are the major sources for radioactivity prevailing in the area. Our statistical analyses reveal the existence of a high positive correlation between 238U and 232Th, implicating that the levels of these elements are interdependent. Our SEM-EDAX analyses reveal that titanium (Ti) and zircon (Zr) are the major trace elements in the sand samples, followed by aluminum, copper, iron, ruthenium, magnesium, calcium, sulphur and lead. This is first of its kind report on the radiation hazard indices on this placer deposit. The average absorbed dose rates (9795 nGy h−1) computed from the present study is comparable with the top-ranking HBRAs in the world, thus offering the Chavara-Neendakara placer the second position, after Brazil; pertinently, this value is much higher than the World average. The perceptibly high absorbed gamma dose rates, entrained with the high annual external effective dose rates (AEED) and average annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE) values existing in this HBRA, encourage us to suggest for a candid assessment of the impact of the background radiation, if any, on the organisms that inhabit along this placer deposit. Future research could effectively address the issue of the possible impact of natural radiation on the biota inhabiting this HBRA. PMID:23185629

India's population in transition.

PubMed

Visaria, L; Visaria, P

1995-10-01

This demographic profile of India addresses fertility, family planning, and economic issues. India is described as a country shifting from economic policies of self-reliance to active involvement in international trade. Wealth has increased, particularly at higher educational levels, yet 25% still live below the official poverty line and almost 66% of Indian women are illiterate. The government program in family planning, which was instituted during the early 1950s, did not change the rate of natural increase, which remained stable at 2.2% over the past 30 years. 1993 marked the first time the growth rate decline to under 2%. The growth rate in 1995 was 1.9%. The total population is expected double in 36 years. Only Nigeria, Pakistan, and Bangladesh had a higher growth rate and higher fertility in 1995. India is geographically diverse (with the northern Himalayan mountain zone, the central alluvial plains, the western desert region, and the southern peninsula with forest, mountains, and plains). There are regional differences in the fertility rates, which range from replacement level in Kerala and Goa to 5.5 children in Uttar Pradesh. Fertility is expected to decline throughout India due to the slower pace of childbearing among women over the age of 35 years, the increase in contraceptive use, and increases in marriage age. Increased educational levels in India and its state variations are related to lower fertility. Literacy campaigns are considered to be effective means of increasing the educational levels of women. Urbanization is not expected to markedly affect fertility levels. Urban population, which is concentrated in a few large cities, remains a small proportion of total population. Greater shifts are evident in the transition from agriculture to other wage labor. Fertility is expected to decline as women's share of labor force activity increases. The major determinant of fertility decline in India is use of family planning, which has improved in access

Applying the Rasch Model to Measure Mobility of Women: A Comparative Analysis of Mobility of Informal Workers in Fisheries in Kerala, India.

PubMed

Menon, Nikhila

2016-01-01

Mobility or freedom and ability to move is gendered in many cultural contexts. In this paper I analyse mobility associated with work from the capability approach perspective of Sen. This is an empirical paper which uses the Rasch Rating Scale Model (RSM) to construct the measure of mobility of women for the first time in the development studies discourse. I construct a measure of mobility (latent trait) of women workers engaged in two types of informal work, namely, peeling work and fish vending, in fisheries in the cultural context of India. The scale measure enables first, to test the unidimensionality of my construct of mobility of women and second, to analyse the domains of mobility of women workers. The comparative analysis of the scale of permissibility of mobility constructed using the RSM for the informal women workers shows that women face constraints on mobility in social and personal spaces in the socially advanced state of Kerala in India. Work mobility does not expand the real freedoms, hence work mobility can be termed as bounded capability which is a capability limited or bounded by either the social, cultural and gender norms or a combination of all of these. Therefore at the macro level, growth in informal employment in sectors like fisheries which improve mobility of women through work mobility does not necessarily expand the capability sets by contributing to greater freedoms and transformational mobility. This paper has a significant methodological contribution in that it uses an innovative method for the measurement of mobility of women in the development studies discipline.

Correlates of Mental Depression Among Female Sex Workers in Southern India.

PubMed

Patel, Sangram Kishor; Saggurti, Niranjan; Pachauri, Saroj; Prabhakar, Parimi

2015-11-01

Mental health is an integral part of overall health status but has been a largely neglected issue in the developing world especially among female sex workers (FSWs). This study examines the prevalence and correlates of major depression among FSWs in southern India. Major depression was assessed using Patient Health Questionnaire-2 depression scale data from a cross-sectional Behavioral Tracking Survey, 2010-2011 conducted among FSWs (n = 1986) in Andhra Pradesh, a state in southern India. Almost two-fifths of FSWs (39%) reported major depression. Multivariate logistic regression analysis shows a significant association between major depression and the following characteristics for FSWs: low autonomy, alcohol use, experience of violence, police arrest, inconsistent condom use with clients, mobility for sex work, and being HIV positive or not wanting to disclose HIV status. Research and advocacy efforts are needed to ensure that the mental health issues of marginalized groups are appropriately addressed in HIV prevention programs. © 2015 APJPH.

Southern Indian Ocean SST as a modulator for the progression of Indian summer monsoon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahi, Namendra Kumar; Rai, Shailendra; Mishra, Nishant

2018-01-01

This study explores the possibility of southern Indian Ocean (SIO) sea surface temperature (SST) as a modulator for the early phase of Indian summer monsoon and its possible physical mechanism. A dipole-like structure is obtained from the empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis which is similar to an Indian Ocean subtropical dipole (IOSD) found earlier. A subtropical dipole index (SDI) is defined based on the SST anomaly over the positive and negative poles. The regression map of rainfall over India in the month of June corresponding to the SDI during 1983-2013 shows negative patterns along the Western Ghats and Central India. However, the regression pattern is insignificant during 1952-1982. The multiple linear regression models and partial correlation analysis also indicate that the SDI acts as a dominant factor to influence the rainfall over India in the month of June during 1983-2013. The similar result is also obtained with the help of composite rainfall over the land points of India in the month of June for positive (negative) SDI events. It is also observed that the positive (negative) SDI delays (early) the onset dates of Indian monsoon over Kerala during the time domain of our study. The study is further extended to identify the physical mechanism of this impact, and it is found that the heating (cooling) in the region covering SDI changes the circulation pattern in the SIO and hence impacts the progression of monsoon in India.

Female autonomy as a contributing factor to women's HIV-related knowledge and behaviour in three culturally contrasting States in India.

PubMed

Bloom, Shelah S; Griffiths, Paula L

2007-07-01

Factors contributing to India's vulnerability to the AIDS epidemic include pervasive poverty, low levels of education and high gender stratification. This study uses data collected in the 1998-99 National Family Health Survey-2 (NFHS-2) to investigate the relationship between aspects of women's autonomy and four measures of HIV-related knowledge and behaviour--awareness and knowledge of HIV/AIDS, condom awareness and condom use--in three culturally contrasting states in India: Kerala (n=2884), Karnataka (n=4357) and Uttar Pradesh (n=8981). The NFHS-2 is a nationally representative survey of India, with a sampling scheme that was designed such that each state sample can be generalized back to represent ever-married women aged 15-49 living in the state. Kerala scores highest in the four health outcome measures, followed by Karnataka and then Uttar Pradesh, but condom use is lowest in Karnataka. Kerala also leads in the four dimensions of autonomy examined and in socio-demographic status, followed again by Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. Despite these observed differences, in all three states, women with greater autonomy as measured by this study were more likely to be knowledgeable about AIDS and condoms and to use condoms, after controlling for socio-demographic factors. These results concur with other studies focusing on women's autonomy and health outcomes around the world, and point to the importance of incorporating a gender-based approach to AIDS prevention programmes in India.

First record of the spider genus Wolongia Zhu, Kim Song, 1997 from India with the description of a new species (Araneae, Tetragnathidae).

PubMed

Malamel, Jobi J; Nafin, Karunnappilli Shamsudheen; Sankaran, Pradeep M; Sebastian, Pothalil A

2018-04-09

Zhu et al. (1997) erected the tetragnathid genus Wolongia to accommodate Wolongia guoi Zhu, Kim Song, 1997 and Wolongia wangi Zhu, Kim Song, 1997 collected from the Sichuan and Shaanxi Provinces in China. In 2009, Ping et al. described Wolongia odontodes from the Gaoligong Mountains and remained with a nominal representation after the erection of the genus. This situation was somewhat rectified by Jin-long Wan Xian-jin Peng (2013) reporting seven new species from the Gaoligong Mountains (Yunnan Province, southwest China). The genus currently with ten nominal species; three are known only from females, while seven are from both sexes (World Spider Catalog 2017). During our survey in Pathiramanal Island we found an undescribed Wolongia species. This is one of the most diverse areas of the Kerala state of Southern India, situated in the Vembanad Lake, a Ramsar Convention (2013) site (wetland of international importance). In this paper, we describe this new species and provide the first report of Wolongia from India.

‘AMRITHAPALA’ (Janakia arayalpatra, Joseph & Chandrasekharan), A NEW DRUG FROM THE KANI TRIBE OF KERALA

PubMed Central

Pushpagadan, P.; Rajasekharan, A.; Ratheeshkumar, P.K.; Jawahar, C.R.; Radhakrishnan, K.; Nair, C.P.R.; Amma, L. Sarada; Bhatt Aicrpe, A. V.

1990-01-01

Amrithapala (Janakia arayalpatra), a rare and endemic plant species found in the Southern forests of Western Ghat region of kerala, is used by the local ‘Kani’ tribe as an effective remedy for peptic ulcer, cancer-like afflictions and as a rejuvenating tonic. Search made in Ayurvedic literature indicates that the plant may be the divine drug named variously as MRITHA SANJEEVINI (the drug that can revive unconscious or dead) or SANJEEVINI, THAMPRA RASAYANI in the Oushadha Nighantu (Dictionary of Medicinal Drugs) of Tayyil Kumaran Krishnan (1906) PMID:22557701

Molecular detection of Hepatozoon canis in dogs from Kerala.

PubMed

Lakshmanan, Bindu; Jose, K Jain; George, Arun; Usha, N P; Devada, K

2018-06-01

India has a wide range of agro-climatic zones which is highly conducive for a diverse range of vectors and canines are continuously exposed to the risk of spectrum of tick borne protozoan diseases. The brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus is widely prevalent among dogs in Kerala and there is a high prevalence of this tick transmitted Babesia and Ehrlichia spp. infection. However, the incidence of Hepatozoon canis transmitted by the same tick species had not been reported in the state since 2004. Preliminary screening of client owned dogs revealed six dogs to be positive for typical gelatin capsule shaped gamonts of H. canis within neutrophils in blood smear by microscopic examination. A PCR assay was standardized to amplify a specific 737 bp fragment of 18S rRNA gene of H. canis. Phylogenetic analysis revealed closest relationship with West Indies isolate deposited at GenBank database. The present study records the molecular detection of this haemoparasite in the state, for the first time.

Childhood leprosy: a retrospective descriptive study from Government Medical College, Kozhikode, Kerala, India.

PubMed

Sasidharanpillai, Sarita; Binitha, Manikoth Payyanadan; Riyaz, Najeeba; Ambooken, Betsy; Mariyath, Olasseri Kalathingal Reena; George, Biju; Janardhanan, Anisha Kanhirangattil; Sherjeena, Pentam Veli Beegum

2014-06-01

To assess the profile and describe the clinical presentations and complications of childhood leprosy in a tertiary care hospital in North Kerala, South India during 2003-2012 and to analyse any change in the age-sex profile and the clinical pattern of leprosy in children below the age of 15 years over the 10-year study period. A retrospective descriptive study of children less than 15 years of age diagnosed with leprosy and registered for treatment in a tertiary care institution from 2003 to 2012. Demographic, clinical, investigative and treatment data were collected using a pre-set proforma. 138 (12.1%) of the total 1143 leprosy cases registered for treatment during the 10-year period were below 15 years of age. The 10-year study period witnessed a statistically insignificant decrease in the new childhood leprosy cases registered for treatment in our tertiary care institution. The majority of cases belonged to the 6-12 year age group (61.6%) with a male predominance. Borderline tuberculoid (BT) was the commonest clinical type (65.9%) followed by indeterminate leprosy (18.8%); 101 patients required paucibacillary (PB) and 37 needed multibacillary (MB) treatment. The number of patients requiring MB treatment showed a statistically significant increase and there was a significant decline in number of cases requiring PB treatment. During the entire study period no Type 2 lepra reaction was documented in patients below Hema 15 years and only two patients manifested Type 1 reaction. Ten (7.2%) out of the 138 patients were cases of relapse. There was a clear female predilection among relapse cases with the majority belonging to the adolescent age. Childhood leprosy still contributes to a significant proportion of the total case load denoting the continuing active horizontal transmission of leprosy. The rise in number of patients with more extensive disease in the background of declining disease prevalence is suggestive of the delay in diagnosis and treatment. A high

Cutaneous leishmaniasis: knowledge, attitude and practices of the inhabitants of the Kani forest tribal settlements of Tiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, India.

PubMed

Nandha, B; Srinivasan, R; Jambulingam, P

2014-12-01

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is reported among Kani tribes in forest settlements of Tiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, India. Epidemiological investigations are ongoing and 27 histopathologically confirmed cases of CL have been reported from five settlements indicating transmission of disease within settlements. One of the priorities for control/prevention of CL is to create awareness among the community and ensure optimal utilization of interventions. First step in this direction would be to carry out a situation analysis on prevailing knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of inhabitants. A study among 103 respondents from 10 Kani tribal settlements showed that though 39.8% of respondents recognized pictures of CL shown to them, but did not have any lay perceptions. There was absolutely no awareness on vector, transmission, risk factors and control measures. The role of sandflies in CL causation was not known to the residents and this prevented them from using any personal protection and adhering to control measures which in turn pose risk of spread of infection within settlements and to newer areas. CL has emerged as a challenging infection in this area and an urgent need for designing appropriate preventive measures and health education strategies is addressed in this article. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Pathways to catastrophic health expenditure for acute coronary syndrome in Kerala: ‘Good health at low cost’?

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Universal health coverage through the removal of financial and other barriers to access, particularly for people who are poor, is a global priority. This viewpoint describes the many pathways to catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) for patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) based on two case studies and the thematic analysis of field notes regarding 210 patients and their households from a study based in Kerala, India. Discussion There is evidence of the severe financial impact of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which is in contradiction to the widely acclaimed Kerala model: Good health at low cost. However, it is important to look beyond the out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) and CHE to the possible pathways and identify the triggers that make families vulnerable to CHE. The identified pathways include a primary and secondary loop. The primary pathway describes the direct path by which families experience CHE. These include: 1) factors related to the pre-event period that increase the likelihood of experiencing CHE, such as being from the lower socio-economic strata (SES), past financial losses or loans that leave families with no financial shock absorber at the time of illness; 2) factors related to the acute event, diagnosis, treatment and hospitalization and expenditures incurred for the same and; 3) factors related to the post-event period such as loss of gainful employment and means of financing both the acute period and the long-term management particularly through distress financing. The secondary pathway arises from the primary and includes: 1) the impact of distress financing and; 2) the long- and short- term consequences of CHE. These factors ultimately result in a vicious cycle of debt and poverty through non-compliance and repeat acute events. Summary This paper outlines the direct and indirect pathways by which patients with ACS and their families are trapped in a vicious cycle of debt and poverty. It also contradicts the prevailing

Documentary reconstruction of monsoon rainfall variability over western India, 1781-1860

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adamson, George C. D.; Nash, David J.

2014-02-01

Investigations into the climatic forcings that affect the long-term variability of the Indian summer monsoon are constrained by a lack of reliable rainfall data prior to the late nineteenth century. Extensive qualitative and quantitative meteorological information for the pre-instrumental period exists within historical documents, although these materials have been largely unexplored. This paper presents the first reconstruction of monsoon variability using documentary sources, focussing on western India for the period 1781-1860. Three separate reconstructions are generated, for (1) Mumbai, (2) Pune and (3) the area of Gujarat bordering the Gulf of Khambat. A composite chronology is then produced from the three reconstructions, termed the Western India Monsoon Rainfall reconstruction (WIMR). The WIMR exhibits four periods of generally deficient monsoon rainfall (1780-1785, 1799-1806, 1830-1838 and 1845-1857) and three of above-normal rainfall (1788-1794, 1813-1828 and 1839-1844). The WIMR shows good correspondence with a dendroclimatic drought reconstruction for Kerala, although agreement with the western Indian portion of the tree-ring derived Monsoon Asia Drought Atlas is less strong. The reconstruction is used to examine the long-term relationship between the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and monsoon rainfall over western India. This exhibits peaks and troughs in correlation over time, suggesting a regular long-term fluctuation. This may be an internal oscillation in the ENSO-monsoon system or may be related to volcanic aerosol forcings. Further reconstructions of monsoon rainfall are necessary to validate this. The study highlights uncertainties in existing published rainfall records for 1817-1846 for western India.

Report of the Two-Day National Seminar on New Directions in Higher Education, Organized by the Kerala State Higher Education Council on 12th and 13th July 2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Praveen, C.

2010-01-01

This is a report of the Two-Day National Seminar on New Directions in Higher Education, organized by the Kerala State Higher Education Council on 12th and 13th July 2010. The objective of the seminar was to deliberate upon the reforms being undertaken by the Government of India in Higher Education. Reputed scholars from within and outside the…

Proterozoic orogens in southern Peninsular India: Contiguities and complexities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2013-12-01

The Precambrian terranes of southern Peninsular India have been central to discussions on the history of formation and breakup of supercontinents. Of particular interest are the Proterozoic high grade metamorphic orogens at the southern and eastern margins of the Indian shield, skirting the 3.4 Ga Dharwar craton which not only preserve important records of lower crustal processes and lithospheric geodynamics, but also carry imprints of the tectonic framework related to the assembly of the major Neoproterozoic supercontinents - Rodinia and Gondwana. These Proterozoic orogens are described as Southern Granulite Terrane (SGT) in the southern tip and the Eastern Ghats Mobile Belt (EGMB) in the eastern domains of the peninsula. The contiguity of these orogens is broken for a distance of ˜400 km and disappears in the Bay of Bengal. These orogens expose windows of middle to lower crust with well-preserved rock records displaying multiple tectonothermal events and multiphase exhumation paths.Recent studies in these orogens have led to the recognition of discrete crustal blocks or terranes separated by major shear zone systems, some of which represent collisional sutures. The SGT and EGMB carry several important features such as fold-thrust tectonics, regional granulite facies metamorphism of up to ultrahigh-temperature conditions in some cases, multiple P-T paths, development of lithospheric shear zones, emplacement of ophiolites, presence of alkaline and anorthositic complexes, development of crustal-scale "flower structures", transpressional strains, and reactivation tectonics. A heterogeneous distribution of different metamorphic and magmatic assemblages with distinct spatial and temporal strain variations in shaping the fabric elements in different blocks is identified. Both EGMB and SGT share a common transpressional deformation history during the latest Neoproterozoic characterized by the steepening of the initial low angle crustal scale structures leading to a

Plant utilization against digestive system disorder in Southern Assam, India.

PubMed

Choudhury, Prakash Roy; Choudhury, Manabendra Dutta; Ningthoujam, Sanjoy Singh; Mitra, Abhijit; Nath, Deepa; Talukdar, Anupam Das

2015-12-04

Being one of the most common types of life threatening diseases in Southern Assam, India, the digestive system disorders (DSD) have gained much attention in recent decades. Traditional beliefs and inadequate income of mass population result in the use of alternative phytotherapies to treat the diseases. The present paper documents the medicinal knowledge and utilization of plants for treatment of digestive system disorders in Southern Assam, India by Disease Consensus Index (DCI). It also determines the most suitable plant species used to treat digestive system disorders in the study area. The study was based on ethnomedicinal field survey covering a period of 1 year from 2014-2015. The ethnomedicinal information was collected by using semi-structured questionnaires from different traditional Bengali people having knowledge on medicinal plants. Collected data were analyzed by calculating DCI. During the survey, 29 informants were interviewed and a total of 49 plants under 46 genera belonging to 33 families were listed. Data analysis revealed that Litsea glutinosa, Momordica charantia, Andrographis paniculata, Lawsonia inermis, Cleome viscosa, Psidium guajava, Ageratum conyzoides, Cuscuta reflexa, Cynodon dactylon and Carica papaya are the most prominent plants among the people of Southern Assam for treating DSD. This explorative survey emphasizes the need to preserve and document the traditional healing practices for managing DSD inviting for more imminent scientific research on the plants to determine their efficacy as well as safety. With the help of statistical analysis (DCI), we propose 10 priority plants for DSD in present work. Systematic pharmacological study with these plants may contribute significant result. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Burden of Outdoor Air Pollution in Kerala, India—A First Health Risk Assessment at State Level.

PubMed

Tobollik, Myriam; Razum, Oliver; Wintermeyer, Dirk; Plass, Dietrich

2015-08-28

Ambient air pollution causes a considerable disease burden, particularly in South Asia. The objective of the study is to test the feasibility of applying the environmental burden of disease method at state level in India and to quantify a first set of disease burden estimates due to ambient air pollution in Kerala. Particulate Matter (PM) was used as an indicator for ambient air pollution. The disease burden was quantified in Years of Life Lost (YLL) for the population (30 + years) living in urban areas of Kerala. Scenario analyses were performed to account for uncertainties in the input parameters. 6108 (confidence interval (95% CI): 4150-7791) of 81,636 total natural deaths can be attributed to PM, resulting in 96,359 (95% CI: 65,479-122,917) YLLs due to premature mortality (base case scenario, average for 2008-2011). Depending on the underlying assumptions the results vary between 69,582 and 377,195 YLLs. Around half of the total burden is related to cardiovascular deaths. Scenario analyses show that a decrease of 10% in PM concentrations would save 15,904 (95% CI: 11,090-19,806) life years. The results can be used to raise awareness about air quality standards at a local level and to support decision-making processes aiming at cleaner and healthier environments.

Evaluation of prevalence and risk factors of gestational diabetes in a tertiary care hospital in Kerala.

PubMed

Mohan, Manju A; Chandrakumar, Abin

2016-01-01

The prospective study was conducted with the aim to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of gestational diabetes mellitus in a tertiary care referral hospital in Kerala. A prospective observational study was conducted with the aim to study the prevalence, risk factors, complications, treatment pattern and cost analysis of GDM. The study was carried out in the Obstetrics & Gynecology dDepartment of Al Shifa hHospital located in northern Kerala. Over an eight-month period, 201 patients who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled for study from which prevalence of GDM was estimated at 15.9%. The study revealed higher prevalence of risk factors and complications such as age >25 years, BMI >26kg/m(2), family history of DM, past history GDM, history of big baby, gestational hypertension, vaginal candidiasis, premature rupture of membranes and hyperbilirubinemia in GDM group as compared to non-GDM group. The study also demonstrated that modern life-style was a major influencing factor for development of diabetes in the study population. The study reveals the necessity of proper screening diagnosis and management of GDM in pregnant women by the clinicians so as to prevent the future burden of type 2 diabetes. Copyright © 2015 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

One-year mortality outcomes and hospital readmissions of patients admitted with acute heart failure: Data from the Trivandrum Heart Failure Registry in Kerala, India.

PubMed

Harikrishnan, Sivadasanpillai; Sanjay, Ganapathi; Agarwal, Anubha; Kumar, N Pratap; Kumar, K Krishna; Bahuleyan, Charantharayil Gopalan; Vijayaraghavan, Govindan; Viswanathan, Sunitha; Sreedharan, Madhu; Biju, R; Rajalekshmi, N; Nair, Tiny; Suresh, Krishnan; Jeemon, Panniyammakal

2017-07-01

There are sparse data on outcomes of patients with heart failure (HF) from India. The objective was to evaluate hospital readmissions and 1-year mortality outcomes of patients with HF in Kerala, India. We followed 1,205 patients enrolled in the Trivandrum Heart Failure Registry for 1 year. A trained research nurse contacted each participant every 3 months using a structured questionnaire which included hospital readmission and mortality information. The mean (SD) age was 61.2 (13.7) years, and 31% were women. One out of 4 (26%) participants had HF with preserved ejection fraction. Only 25% of patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction received guideline-directed medical therapy at discharge. Cumulative all-cause mortality at 1 year was 30.8% (n = 371), but the greatest risk of mortality was in the first 3 months (18.1%). Most deaths (61%) occurred in patients younger than 70 years. One out of every 3 (30.2%) patients was readmitted at least once over 1 year. The hospital readmission rates were similar between HF with preserved ejection fraction and HF with reduced ejection fraction patients. New York Heart Association functional class IV status and lack of guideline-directed medical treatment after index hospitalization were associated with increased likelihood of readmission. Similarly, older age, lower education status, nonischemic etiology, history of stroke, higher serum creatinine, lack of adherence to guideline-directed medical therapy, and hospital readmissions were associated with increased 1-year mortality. In the Trivandrum Heart Failure Registry, 1 of 3 HF patients died within 1 year of follow-up during their productive life years. Suboptimal adherence to guideline-directed treatment is associated with increased propensity of readmission and death. Quality improvement programs aiming to improve adherence to guideline-based therapy and reducing readmission may result in significant survival benefits in the relatively younger cohort of HF patients in

Powering the Women in Agriculture: Lessons on Women Led Farm Mechanisation in South India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alex, Jiju P.

2013-01-01

Purpose: This article analyses how an initiative on farm mechanisation by a local government in Kerala in South India evolved into a formal organisation that provides sustainable livelihood options to women and small and marginal farmers and revived the rice production system. Design/methodology/approach: The study followed the case analysis…

Keeping the doctor in the loop: Ayurvedic pharmaceuticals in Kerala.

PubMed

Kudlu, Chithprabha

2016-12-01

Ethnographic inquiry into Ayurvedic commodification in Kerala revealed the prevalence of a distinct regional pharmaceutical market dominated by physician-manufacturers, oriented towards supplying classical medicines to Ayurvedic doctors. This stands in sharp contrast to mainstream Ayurveda that is observed to have undergone biomedicalization and pharmaceuticalization. This paper argues that Kerala's classical-medicine-centric pharmaceutical market constitutes an alternative modernity because it provided Kerala Ayurveda with a different route to modernization impervious to the biomedical regime, as well as endowing it with the institutional power to safeguard its regional identity. Although physician-entrepreneurs are its key architects, it is sustained by value regimes shaped by a unique regional medico-cultural milieu. Even when industrially produced, classical medicines remain embedded within Ayurveda's socio-technical network; unlike proprietary drugs sold as individual product-identities through non-Ayurvedic channels, they travel together as a pharmacopeia, distributed through exclusive doctor-mediated agencies. This clinic-centric distribution format is best conceptualized as an open-source business model as it made low-margin generics viable by packaging them with therapies and services. Besides ensuring better access and affordability, it provided resistance to pharmaceuticalization and intellectual property concentration. By keeping the doctor in the loop, it prevented medicines from degenerating into de-contextualized commodities; the service component of Ayurveda therein preserved went on become the unique selling point in the health-tourism market. The tourism-inspired proliferation of Brand Kerala eventually triggered a paradigm shift in mainstream Ayurveda - shifting focus from 'pharmaceuticals' to 'services' and from 'illness' to 'wellness'. Furthermore, interacting with hybrid Ayurvedas in transnational markets, Kerala Ayurveda co-produces new

A new species of Callispa Baly (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Cassidinae, Callispini) infesting coconut palm ( Cocos nucifera L.) in India

PubMed Central

Shameem, K. M.; Prathapan, K. D.

2013-01-01

Abstract Callispa keram sp. n. infesting coconut palm (Cocos nucifera L.) in Kerala, India is described and illustrated. Livistona chinensis R.Br. and Syagrus romanzoffiana (Cham.) Glassman are reported as additional host plants. PMID:23653522

Quantitative ethnomedicinal study of plants used in the Nelliyampathy hills of Kerala, India.

PubMed

Vijayakumar, S; Morvin Yabesh, J E; Prabhu, S; Manikandan, R; Muralidharan, B

2015-02-23

Inspite of tremendous advances made in allopathic medical practices, medicinal plants have played an important role throughout the world in treating and preventing a variety of diseases and hence there is urgency in recording such data. This is the first ethnobotanical study in which statistical calculations about plants are done by the Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) method. The present study was aimed to identify plants collected for medicinal purposes by the traditional healers of Nelliyampathy hills, located in Palakkad district of Kerala, India and to document the traditional names, preparation and uses of these plants. The field study was carried out over a period of 2 years (2011-2013) using semi-structured interviews with 66 informants (most of the informants belonged to an age between 50 and 70 years) in six remote locations in the hills. Ethnomedicinal data was analyzed using frequency citation (FC), relative frequency of citation (RFC) and use value (UV) along with a Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC). Demographic characteristics of participants, ethnobotanical inventory of plants and data on medicinal application and administration were recorded. A total of 85 medicinal plants belonging to 49 families were reported to be used against 19 different ailments in the hills. The maximum reported medicinal plant families were Cucurbitaceae with 6 species followed by Acanthaceae, Malvaceae and Fabaceae (each 5 species), Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Moraceae and Myrtaceae (each 3 species), the most dominant life form of the species includes herbs (42) followed by tree (20), climber (15) and shrub (8), the most frequent used part was leaves (40%) followed by root (14%), seed and flowers (each12%), fruit (9%), bark (7%), stem (2%), latex (2%), rhizome and whole plant (each 1%), the most common preparation and administration methods were paste (32%), powder (22%), decoction and juice (each 20%) and raw (4%), infusion and inhalation (each1% ). The Pearson

Mental Health and Academic Achievement among M.Ed. Students in Kerala

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moradi Sheykhjan, Tohid; K., Rajeswari; Jabari, Kamran

2017-01-01

The present research endeavor was aimed to assess relationship between Mental Health and Academic Achievement among M.Ed. students in Kerala. The sample of the study consisted of 314 M.Ed. students in Kerala. The method used for the present study was survey method. Mental Health Status Scale (M.H.S. Scale) was used and the study used the total…

Cryptotephra from the 74 ka BP Toba super-eruption in the Billa Surgam caves, southern India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lane, Christine; Haslam, Michael; Petraglia, Michael; Ditchfield, Peter; Smith, Victoria; Korisettar, Ravi

2011-07-01

The ˜74 ka BP Youngest Toba Tuff (YTT), from the largest known Quaternary volcanic eruption, has been found for the first time as a non-visible ( crypto-) tephra layer within the Billa Surgam caves, southern India. The occurrence of the YTT layer in Charnel House Cave provides the first calendrical age estimate for this much debated Pleistocene faunal sequence and demonstrates the first successful application of cryptotephrochronology within a cave sequence. The YTT layer lies ˜50 cm below a major sedimentological change, which is related to global cooling around the MIS 5 to MIS 4 transition. Using this isochronous event layer the Billa Surgam Cave record can be directly correlated with other archaeological sites in peninsular India and palaeoenvironmental archives across southern Asia.

Radiation dose in the high background radiation area in Kerala, India.

PubMed

Christa, E P; Jojo, P J; Vaidyan, V K; Anilkumar, S; Eappen, K P

2012-03-01

A systematic radiological survey has been carried out in the region of high-background radiation area in Kollam district of Kerala to define the natural gamma-radiation levels. One hundred and forty seven soil samples from high-background radiation areas and five samples from normal background region were collected as per standard sampling procedures and were analysed for (238)U, (232)Th and (40)K by gamma-ray spectroscopy. External gamma dose rates at all sampling locations were also measured using a survey meter. The activities of (238)U, (232)Th and (40)K was found to vary from 17 to 3081 Bq kg(-1), 54 to 11976 Bq kg(-1) and BDL (67.4 Bq kg(-1)) to 216 Bq kg(-1), respectively, in the study area. Such heterogeneous distribution of radionuclides in the region may be attributed to the deposition phenomenon of beach sand soil in the region. Radium equivalent activities were found high in several locations. External gamma dose rates estimated from the levels of radionuclides in soil had a range from 49 to 9244 nGy h(-1). The result of gamma dose rate measured at the sampling sites using survey meter showed an excellent correlation with dose rates computed from the natural radionuclides estimated from the soil samples.

Prevalence of gastro-esophageal reflux disease and its risk factors in a community-based population in southern India.

PubMed

Wang, Hai-Yun; Leena, Kondarapassery Balakumaran; Plymoth, Amelie; Hergens, Maria-Pia; Yin, Li; Shenoy, Kotacherry Trivikrama; Ye, Weimin

2016-03-15

The prevalence of gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) varies widely around the world. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of GERD in a general population of southern India. An interview-based observational study was carried out in southern India during 2010 and early 2011 using a GERD questionnaire (GerdQ). In total 1072 participants were enrolled using a multi-stage cluster sampling method. Presence of GERD was defined as a score of ≥ 8. Logistic regression models were used to derive odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). The prevalence of GERD was 22.2 % (238/1072) in southern India, and was more common among older subjects and men. Overweight and obese subjects had a dose-dependent increased risk of GERD, compared to those with body mass index less than 25 (multivariate-adjusted OR = 1.4, 95 % CI 1.0-2.0; OR = 2.3, 95 % CI 1.3-4.1, respectively). People residing in urban community were more vulnerable to GERD than those in rural community (multivariate-adjusted OR = 1.8, 95 % CI 1.3-2.5). Similarly, those with a lower educational level appeared to have an increased risk of GERD. Further, those with a habit of pan masala chewing were more likely to develop GERD compared with those abstained from the habit (multivariate-adjusted OR = 2.0, 95 % CI 1.2-3.2). GERD is highly prevalent in southern India. Increasing age and BMI, an urban environment, lower educational level, and pan masala chewing appear to be risk factors of GERD symptoms for the studied population.

High prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes among tuberculosis patients in peripheral health facilities in Kerala

PubMed Central

Kumari, A. K.; Subramonianpillai, J.; Shabna, D. S.; Kumar, S. M.; Balakrishnan, S.; Naik, B.; Kumar, A. M. V.; Isaakidis, P.; Satyanarayana, S.

2013-01-01

Setting: Two tertiary care hospitals and 12 peripheral health institutions (PHIs) in Trivandrum, Kerala, India. Objective: To determine factors associated with the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) among tuberculosis (TB) patients and examine differences in the proportion of new DM cases among TB patients diagnosed at tertiary care centres and PHIs. Design: A descriptive study: TB patients diagnosed during March–September 2012 were screened for known DM. Those with unknown DM status were tested for random blood glucose and fasting blood glucose (FBG); FBG ≥ 126 mg/dl was diagnosed as new DM. Results: Of 920 TB patients, 689 (72%) were male and the mean (standard deviation) age was 47.6 (16.4) years. Of these, 298 (32.4%) were diabetic: 235 (26%) had previously known DM and 63 (7%) were newly diagnosed. During the screening at PHIs and tertiary care hospitals, respectively 30/183 (16.4%) and 33/737 (4.5%) were newly diagnosed with DM (OR 3.71; 95%CI 2.17–6.32). Overall, age >50 years and pulmonary tuberculosis were independently associated with a higher prevalence of diabetes. Conclusion: As nearly one in three TB patients had DM, we recommend that TB patients should be routinely screened for DM in Kerala. As the proportion of new DM was higher among TB patients diagnosed at PHIs, we would recommend that specific attention and investment be directed to PHIs. PMID:26393068

Further records of the deep-sea pandalid shrimp Heterocarpus chani Li, 2006 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Caridea) from southern India

PubMed Central

Yang, Chien-Hui; Kumar, Appukuttannair Biju; Chan, Tin-Yam

2017-01-01

Abstract The commercial deep-sea caridean shrimp Heterocarpus gibbosus Spence Bate, 1888 has long been recorded from India and constitutes an important part of the catches in the context of the further development of deep-sea fisheries in India. A recent survey in some deep-sea fishing ports in southern India, however, revealed that all material previously reported as “H. gibbosus” is actually a misidentification of its closely related species H. chani Li, 2006, which has only recently been reported from India. More detailed comparisons allowed the discovery of more distinctive characters between H. chani and H. gibbosus. PMID:29089843

Evaluation of Genetic Diversity, Population Structure, and Relationship Between Legendary Vechur Cattle and Crossbred Cattle of Kerala State, India.

PubMed

Radhika, G; Aravindakshan, T V; Jinty, S; Ramya, K

2018-01-02

The legendary Vechur cattle of Kerala, described as a very short breed, and the crossbred (CB) Sunandini cattle population exhibited great phenotypic variation; hence, the present study attempted to analyze the genetic diversity existing between them. A set of 14 polymorphic microsatellites were chosen from FAO-ISAG panel and amplified from genomic DNA isolated from blood samples of 30 Vechur and 64 unrelated crossbred cattle, using fluorescent labeled primers. Both populations revealed high genetic diversity as evidenced from high observed number of alleles, Polymorphic Information Content and expected heterozygosity. Observed heterozygosity was lesser (0.699) than expected (0.752) in Vechur population which was further supported by positive F IS value of 0.1149, indicating slight level of inbreeding in Vechur population. Overall, F ST value was 0.065, which means genetic differentiation between crossbred and Vechur population was 6.5%, indicating that the crossbred cattle must have differentiated into a definite population that is different from the indigenous Vechur cows. Structure analysis indicated that the two populations showed distinct differences, with two underlying clusters. The present study supports the separation between Taurine and Zebu cattle and throws light onto the genetic diversity and relationship between native Vechur and crossbred cattle populations in Kerala state.

Burden of Outdoor Air Pollution in Kerala, India—A First Health Risk Assessment at State Level

PubMed Central

Tobollik, Myriam; Razum, Oliver; Wintermeyer, Dirk; Plass, Dietrich

2015-01-01

Ambient air pollution causes a considerable disease burden, particularly in South Asia. The objective of the study is to test the feasibility of applying the environmental burden of disease method at state level in India and to quantify a first set of disease burden estimates due to ambient air pollution in Kerala. Particulate Matter (PM) was used as an indicator for ambient air pollution. The disease burden was quantified in Years of Life Lost (YLL) for the population (30 + years) living in urban areas of Kerala. Scenario analyses were performed to account for uncertainties in the input parameters. 6108 (confidence interval (95% CI): 4150–7791) of 81,636 total natural deaths can be attributed to PM, resulting in 96,359 (95% CI: 65,479–122,917) YLLs due to premature mortality (base case scenario, average for 2008–2011). Depending on the underlying assumptions the results vary between 69,582 and 377,195 YLLs. Around half of the total burden is related to cardiovascular deaths. Scenario analyses show that a decrease of 10% in PM concentrations would save 15,904 (95% CI: 11,090–19,806) life years. The results can be used to raise awareness about air quality standards at a local level and to support decision-making processes aiming at cleaner and healthier environments. PMID:26343701

The decadal-scale variation of the South Asian summer monsoon onset and its connection with the PDO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, T.; Yamazaki, K.

2013-12-01

The summer Asian monsoon shows the abrupt increase of precipitation on the onset phase. It is an interesting and important problem when the summer monsoon onset occurs because natural resources, such as water and renewable energy agricultural product, are influenced by the variation of the summer Asian monsoon. Some researchers suggested the advance of the Asian summer monsoon onset in recent decades. We investigated the variation of the Asian monsoon onset using the long-term onset data over Kerala, a state in the southwest region of India, for 1948-2011. We discuss three main questions: 1) how is the variation of the monsoon onset date in the long-term period, 2) how the variation of the onset date is related to variations of atmospheric circulation and SST, and 3) what is the mechanism of such variation. Our main method is composite analysis using monthly-mean data. Though the onset date over Kerala shows the trend toward the early onset in recent three decades, such a trend is not observed in the whole period. It is noteworthy that the onset over Kerala shows the interannual variation on a multi-decadal scale. As regards the early onset years of Kerala, the summer monsoon onset is early over the following regions: the region from the southern Arabian Sea to southwestern India, the region from the southern Bay of Bengal to the Indochina Peninsula and the western North Pacific Ocean. On the other hand, the onset is late over southern China, Taiwan and the northern Philippine Sea. In early onset years of Kerala, the sea surface temperature over the northern Pacific Ocean is very similar to the negative PDO. The stationary wave train related with the negative PDO reaches into the Central Asia region, generates warm anomaly there and hence intensifies the land-sea thermal contrast there, which promotes the summer monsoon onset over South and Southeast Asia. Though the correlation between the onset over Kerala and the PDO is weak before 1976, it becomes high after

Cerebral Small Vessel Disease and Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome: Results from the Kerala-Einstein Study.

PubMed

Wang, Nan; Allali, Gilles; Kesavadas, Chandrasekharan; Noone, Mohan L; Pradeep, Vayyattu G; Blumen, Helena M; Verghese, Joe

2016-01-01

The contribution of cerebral small vessel disease to cognitive decline, especially in non-Caucasian populations, is not well established. We examined the relationship between cerebral small vessel disease and motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR), a recently described pre-dementia syndrome, in Indian seniors. 139 participants (mean age 66.6 ± 5.4 y, 33.1% female) participating in the Kerala-Einstein study in Southern India were examined in a cross-sectional study. The presence of cerebral small vessel disease (lacunar infarcts and cerebral microbleeds (CMB)) and white matter hyperintensities on MRI was ascertained by raters blinded to clinical information. MCR was defined by the presence of cognitive complaints and slow gait in older adults without dementia or mobility disability. Thirty-eight (27.3%) participants met MCR criteria. The overall prevalence of lacunar infarcts and CMB was 49.6% and 9.4% , respectively. Lacunar infarcts in the frontal lobe, but no other brain regions, were associated with MCR even after adjusting for vascular risk factors and presence of white matter hyperintensities (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR): 4.67, 95% CI: 1.69-12.94). Frontal lacunar infarcts were associated with slow gait (aOR: 3.98, 95% CI: 1.46-10.79) and poor performance on memory test (β: -1.24, 95% CI: -2.42 to -0.05), but not with cognitive complaints or non-memory tests. No association of CMB was found with MCR, individual MCR criterion or cognitive tests. Frontal lacunar infarcts are associated with MCR in Indian seniors, perhaps, by contributing to slow gait and poor memory function.

Tobacco use & social status in Kerala.

PubMed

Thankappan, K R; Thresia, C U

2007-10-01

Health indicators of Kerala State such as infant mortality rate (14/ 1000 live births) and life expectancy at birth (71 yr for men and 76 yr for women) are far ahead of the Indian averages (IMR 58, life expectancy men 62 and women 63) and closer to the developed countries. However, tobacco use prevalence is similar to the national average. Smoking is the commonest form of tobacco usage among men in the State whereas chewing tobacco is more common among women and children. Tobacco chewing among men is increasing in Kerala probably due to the smoking ban and industry strategy to focus on smokeless tobacco. Tobacco use is significantly more among the low socio-economic (SE) groups compared to the high SE group. Mortality and morbidity attributed to tobacco is higher among the poorest people in the State. Age adjusted cancer rate of oral cavity and lung cancer has been increasing in the State in recent years. Heart diseases among the young people are increasing in the State. Cancer and heart diseases are chronic illnesses which may pull the individual and the entire family below the poverty line. Tobacco control therefore should be a top priority not only as a health issue but as a poverty reduction issue. Poverty alleviation is one of the major goals of developing economies. No poverty alleviation programme can ignore the potential impoverishment associated with tobacco use. Kerala with a very strong decentralized government has a very good opportunity to address tobacco control as a priority at the grass root level and reduce the impoverishment due to tobacco use.

The impact of mandatory helmet law on the outcome of maxillo facial trauma: a comparative study in kerala.

PubMed

Usha, M; Ravindran, V; Soumithran, C S; Ravindran Nair, K S

2014-06-01

Motorcyclists comprise the majority of road-traffic victims in low and middle income countries,and consequently, the majority of the road-traffic victims globally. Simple measures can be taken to make safer on the roads, which include enforcement of safety measures like seat belt and helmets. The compulsory Helmet law was enforced in Kerala on 18/06/07. Resistance to legislation on motorcycle helmets still coexists world wide with debate on the effectiveness of helmets. In an attempt to analyze the protective effect of helmets on facial injuries a comparative study was conducted in Government Dental College, Calicut, which is a major trauma centre in northern Kerala. Data for the present study was obtained from the patients who have reported to the Emergency Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Government Dental College, Calicut, for a period of 6 months immediately after the implementation of strict helmet rule in Kerala. For the study all patients with a history of nonfatal motor cycle accident sustaining facial injuries were included. The results were compared with the study conducted in the same institution in the pre law period. The study demonstrates the protective effect of motorcycle helmets in decreasing the morbidity of maxillofacial trauma.There was a marked decrease in incidence of motorcycle-related injuries, remarkable increase in helmet usage and better outcome in helmeted individuals in the post law period. Road traffic injury control is a public health problem. Health and medical professionals have an ethical responsibility to educate and arrange for the safety of individuals. Helmets are effective in preventing or reducing the severity of motorcycle-related injuries and in a developing country like India, enforced mandatory motor cycle helmet law is potentially one of the most cost effective interventions available.

Do High School Students in India Gamble? A Study of Problem Gambling and Its Correlates.

PubMed

Jaisoorya, T S; Beena, K V; Beena, M; Ellangovan, K; Thennarassu, K; Bowden-Jones, Henrietta; Benegal, Vivek; George, Sanju

2017-06-01

Studies from the West suggest that significant numbers of high school students gamble, despite it being illegal in this age group. To date, there have been no studies on the prevalence of gambling among senior high school and higher secondary school students in India. This study reports point prevalence of gambling and its psychosocial correlates among high school students in the State of Kerala, India. 5043 high school students in the age group 15-19 years, from 73 schools, were selected by cluster random sampling from the district of Ernakulam, Kerala, South India. They completed questionnaires that assessed gambling, substance use, psychological distress, suicidality, and symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Of a total of 4989 completed questionnaires, 1400 (27.9 %) high school students reported to have ever gambled and 353 (7.1 %) were problem gamblers. Of those who had ever gambled, 25.2 % were problem gamblers. Sports betting (betting on cricket and football) was the most popular form of gambling followed by the lottery. Problem gamblers when compared with non-problem gamblers and non-gamblers were significantly more likely to be male, have academic failures, have higher rates of lifetime alcohol and tobacco use, psychological distress, suicidality, history of sexual abuse and higher ADHD symptom scores. Gambling among adolescents in India deserves greater attention, as one in four students who ever gambled was a problem gambler and because of its association with a range of psychosocial variables.

Phenolized vaccine treatment of people exposed to rabies in southern India

PubMed Central

Veeraraghavan, N.

1954-01-01

The records of antirabies treatment given under the auspices of the Pasteur Institute of Southern India, Coonoor, to 412,800 persons between 1907 and 1951 are analysed. The results of treatment with dried-cord, Högyes, and 1%, 2%, and 5% Semple vaccines are assessed, taking into consideration the various factors in their preparation. An account is given of an enquiry which has been in progress since 1946 into comparative mortality among untreated bitten persons and those treated with 5% Semple vaccine. PMID:13182601

Cluster randomised controlled trial of a peer-led lifestyle intervention program: study protocol for the Kerala diabetes prevention program

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background India currently has more than 60 million people with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and this is predicted to increase by nearly two-thirds by 2030. While management of those with T2DM is important, preventing or delaying the onset of the disease, especially in those individuals at ‘high risk’ of developing T2DM, is urgently needed, particularly in resource-constrained settings. This paper describes the protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial of a peer-led lifestyle intervention program to prevent diabetes in Kerala, India. Methods/design A total of 60 polling booths are randomised to the intervention arm or control arm in rural Kerala, India. Data collection is conducted in two steps. Step 1 (Home screening): Participants aged 30–60 years are administered a screening questionnaire. Those having no history of T2DM and other chronic illnesses with an Indian Diabetes Risk Score value of ≥60 are invited to attend a mobile clinic (Step 2). At the mobile clinic, participants complete questionnaires, undergo physical measurements, and provide blood samples for biochemical analysis. Participants identified with T2DM at Step 2 are excluded from further study participation. Participants in the control arm are provided with a health education booklet containing information on symptoms, complications, and risk factors of T2DM with the recommended levels for primary prevention. Participants in the intervention arm receive: (1) eleven peer-led small group sessions to motivate, guide and support in planning, initiation and maintenance of lifestyle changes; (2) two diabetes prevention education sessions led by experts to raise awareness on T2DM risk factors, prevention and management; (3) a participant handbook containing information primarily on peer support and its role in assisting with lifestyle modification; (4) a participant workbook to guide self-monitoring of lifestyle behaviours, goal setting and goal review; (5) the health education

Cluster randomised controlled trial of a peer-led lifestyle intervention program: study protocol for the Kerala diabetes prevention program.

PubMed

Sathish, Thirunavukkarasu; Williams, Emily D; Pasricha, Naanki; Absetz, Pilvikki; Lorgelly, Paula; Wolfe, Rory; Mathews, Elezebeth; Aziz, Zahra; Thankappan, Kavumpurathu Raman; Zimmet, Paul; Fisher, Edwin; Tapp, Robyn; Hollingsworth, Bruce; Mahal, Ajay; Shaw, Jonathan; Jolley, Damien; Daivadanam, Meena; Oldenburg, Brian

2013-11-04

India currently has more than 60 million people with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and this is predicted to increase by nearly two-thirds by 2030. While management of those with T2DM is important, preventing or delaying the onset of the disease, especially in those individuals at 'high risk' of developing T2DM, is urgently needed, particularly in resource-constrained settings. This paper describes the protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial of a peer-led lifestyle intervention program to prevent diabetes in Kerala, India. A total of 60 polling booths are randomised to the intervention arm or control arm in rural Kerala, India. Data collection is conducted in two steps. Step 1 (Home screening): Participants aged 30-60 years are administered a screening questionnaire. Those having no history of T2DM and other chronic illnesses with an Indian Diabetes Risk Score value of ≥60 are invited to attend a mobile clinic (Step 2). At the mobile clinic, participants complete questionnaires, undergo physical measurements, and provide blood samples for biochemical analysis. Participants identified with T2DM at Step 2 are excluded from further study participation. Participants in the control arm are provided with a health education booklet containing information on symptoms, complications, and risk factors of T2DM with the recommended levels for primary prevention. Participants in the intervention arm receive: (1) eleven peer-led small group sessions to motivate, guide and support in planning, initiation and maintenance of lifestyle changes; (2) two diabetes prevention education sessions led by experts to raise awareness on T2DM risk factors, prevention and management; (3) a participant handbook containing information primarily on peer support and its role in assisting with lifestyle modification; (4) a participant workbook to guide self-monitoring of lifestyle behaviours, goal setting and goal review; (5) the health education booklet that is given to the control

Association between internalized stigma and depression among HIV-positive persons entering into care in Southern India

PubMed Central

Chan, Brian T; Pradeep, Amrose; Prasad, Lakshmi; Murugesan, Vinothini; Chandrasekaran, Ezhilarasi; Kumarasamy, Nagalingeswaran; Mayer, Kenneth H; Tsai, Alexander C

2017-01-01

Background In India, which has the third largest HIV epidemic in the world, depression and HIV–related stigma may contribute to high rates of poor HIV–related outcomes such as loss to care and lack of virologic suppression. Methods We analyzed data from a large HIV treatment center in southern India to estimate the burden of depressive symptoms and internalized stigma among Indian people living with HIV (PLHIV) entering into HIV care and to test the hypothesis that probable depression was associated with internalized stigma. We fitted modified Poisson regression models, adjusted for sociodemographic variables, with probable depression (PHQ–9 score ≥10 or recent suicidal thoughts) as the outcome variable and the Internalized AIDS–Related Stigma Scale (IARSS) score as the explanatory variable. Findings 521 persons (304 men and 217 women) entering into HIV care between January 2015 and May 2016 were included in the analyses. The prevalence of probable depression was 10% and the mean IARSS score was 2.4 (out of 6), with 82% of participants endorsing at least one item on the IARSS. There was a nearly two times higher risk of probable depression for every additional point on the IARSS score (Adjusted Risk Ratio: 1.83; 95% confidence interval, 1.56–2.14). Conclusions Depression and internalized stigma are highly correlated among PLHIV entering into HIV care in southern India and may provide targets for policymakers seeking to improve HIV–related outcomes in India. PMID:29302315

Strategies to reduce infant mortality rate in India.

PubMed

Ghai, O P

1985-01-01

As a systems approach is needed to develop strategies to reduce the infant mortality rate (IMR), it is appropriate to analyze the present situation in India, reasons for low IMR in some Indian states vis-a-vis others, the status in some neighboring countries, and the cost effectiveness of various available technological interventions and their organizational constraints. A 1981 survey revealed 1) a low IMR for the state of Kerala, one which was comparable with Western nations, despite the fact that nearly half of the population in Kerala lived below the poverty line; 2) a very high IMR for the state of Uttar Pradesh, even though the number of people living below the poverty line was not significantly by different from the state of Kerala; and a moderate IMR reduction in the state of Punjab, even though only 15% of the population was below the poverty line. Favorable factors for low IMR appear to be a high female literacy rate, good medical and educational facilities close to the place of residence, and an excellent transportation and communication system. To significantly reduce IMR in a short period of time, it is necessary to adopt certain immediate measures. Nearly 55% of infant deaths occur in the 1st month of life, and these generally are not amenable to general measures and technological interventions. The problem is difficult, but a solution can be found by reaching a broad consensus among professionals and administrators. The major recommendations of a seminar on the Strategies for Reducing infant Mortality in India, held during January 1984, were: provide antenatal care to 100% of pregnant women; work for early registration of pregnancy and identification of high risk pregnancies; immunize 100% of pregnant women with tetanus toxoid; make available intrapartum care for all pregnant women; delineate anticipated job requirements, duties, and functions of village level health workers; make presterilized packaged delivery kits available to all female health

Human dirofilariasis due to Dirofilaria repens in southern India.

PubMed

Kotigadde, Subbannayya; Ramesh, Sathyavathi Alva; Medappa, Kariyappa Thadiangada

2012-01-01

Dirofilariasis is primarily confined to animals such as dogs, cats, foxes and raccoons. Human dirofilariasis is an accidental zoonotic infection acquired through mosquitoes. Human dirofilariasis due to Dirofilaria repens though endemic in Kerala, reports from Karnataka state are rare. We report a case of solitary subcutaneous dirofilariasis of the eyelid due to D. repens in a 47-year-old woman. She presented with periorbital edema. The swelling was soft, cystic with associated tenderness. A thin, white worm was noticed in the lesion and was removed by traction which was subsequently identified to be D. repens.

Relationship between Community Collectivization and Financial Vulnerability of Female Sex Workers in Southern India.

PubMed

Patel, Sangram Kishor; Prabhakar, Parimi; Jain, Anrudh Kumar; Saggurti, Niranjan; Adhikary, Rajatashuvra

2016-01-01

Studies exploring the linkages between financial vulnerabilities and community collectivization of female sex workers (FSWs) are scarce in India despite having potential policy implications. To fill this gap in the literature, this study attempts to understand the financial vulnerabilities among FSWs and assess the relationship between community collectivization and financial vulnerabilities in southern India. Data were drawn from a cross-sectional, behavioral tracking survey (BTS)-2014, conducted among FSWs (N = 2400) in Andhra Pradesh, a southern state of India under the Avahan-India AIDS initiative program. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated through multivariate logistic regression, to assess the independent relationships of the degree of community collectivization indicators with financial vulnerability indicators, adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics. Most FSWs (87%) reported having either one or more financial vulnerability and nearly one-fifth had a high financial vulnerability. The risk of facing financial vulnerability was significantly lower among FSWs with a high degree of perceived collective efficacy (15% vs 31%; AOR: 0.4; 95% CI: 0.3-0.5) and collective agency (4% vs 21%; AOR: 0.2; 95% CI: 0.1-0.3) as compared to their respective counterparts, after controlling for their individual socio-demographic characteristics. FSWs with a high degree of collective efficacy are also less likely to report different components of financial vulnerability (e.g. income, saving, expenditure, and debt). This study finding suggests that community-led interventions such as improving collectivization are promising strategies to address financial vulnerabilities and a path to a sustainable reduction of HIV risk. This study calls for further evidence-based research and measurement of the effects of community-led approaches in addressing the financial vulnerabilities of the key population at risk for HIV.

Relationship between Community Collectivization and Financial Vulnerability of Female Sex Workers in Southern India

PubMed Central

Patel, Sangram Kishor; Prabhakar, Parimi; Jain, Anrudh Kumar; Saggurti, Niranjan; Adhikary, Rajatashuvra

2016-01-01

Introduction Studies exploring the linkages between financial vulnerabilities and community collectivization of female sex workers (FSWs) are scarce in India despite having potential policy implications. To fill this gap in the literature, this study attempts to understand the financial vulnerabilities among FSWs and assess the relationship between community collectivization and financial vulnerabilities in southern India. Data and Methods Data were drawn from a cross-sectional, behavioral tracking survey (BTS)—2014, conducted among FSWs (N = 2400) in Andhra Pradesh, a southern state of India under the Avahan-India AIDS initiative program. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated through multivariate logistic regression, to assess the independent relationships of the degree of community collectivization indicators with financial vulnerability indicators, adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics. Results Most FSWs (87%) reported having either one or more financial vulnerability and nearly one-fifth had a high financial vulnerability. The risk of facing financial vulnerability was significantly lower among FSWs with a high degree of perceived collective efficacy (15% vs 31%; AOR: 0.4; 95% CI: 0.3–0.5) and collective agency (4% vs 21%; AOR: 0.2; 95% CI: 0.1–0.3) as compared to their respective counterparts, after controlling for their individual socio-demographic characteristics. FSWs with a high degree of collective efficacy are also less likely to report different components of financial vulnerability (e.g. income, saving, expenditure, and debt). Conclusion This study finding suggests that community-led interventions such as improving collectivization are promising strategies to address financial vulnerabilities and a path to a sustainable reduction of HIV risk. This study calls for further evidence-based research and measurement of the effects of community-led approaches in addressing the financial

"My story is like a goat tied to a hook." Views from a marginalized tribal group in Kerala (India) on the consequences of falling ill: a participatory poverty and health assessment.

PubMed

Mohindra, K S; Narayana, D; Haddad, Slim

2010-06-01

Indigenous populations tend to have the poorest health outcomes worldwide and they have limited opportunities to present their own perspectives of their situation and shape priorities in research and policy. This study aims to explain low healthcare utilisation rates and opportunities to cope with illness among a deprived indigenous group - based on their own experiences and views. A participatory poverty and health assessment (PPHA) was conducted among the Paniyas, a previously enslaved tribal population of South India in a Gram Panchayat in Kerala, India in 2008. Purposive sampling was used to select five Paniya colonies, involving 66 households. There were four key findings. First, Paniyas' perception that the quality of the public healthcare system is poor leads them to seek suboptimal care or deters them from using services. Second, there are significant costs of care unrelated to service use or purchase of medicines, such as travel costs, which the Paniyas lack the ability to pay. Third, illness can lead to loss of productive opportunities among those who fall ill and those who provide informal care. Fourth, the Paniyas lack a 'range' of coping strategies as they are wage labourers without diverse sources of income. They rely on a single strategy: borrowing from outside their community, often from landowners and employers, to whom they become indebted with their labour. Improving the capacity of tribal populations to present their own perspectives is likely to lead to more effective tribal development policies and consequently better health.

Tropical Peat and Peatland Development in the Floodplains of the Greater Pamba Basin, South-Western India during the Holocene

PubMed Central

Padmalal, Damodaran; Limaye, Ruta B.; S., Vishnu Mohan; Jennerjahn, Tim; Gamre, Pradeep G.

2016-01-01

Holocene sequences in the humid tropical region of Kerala, South-western (SW) India have preserved abundance of organic—rich sediments in the form of peat and its rapid development in a narrow time frame towards Middle Holocene has been found to be significant. The sub—coastal areas and flood plains of the Greater Pamba Basin have provided palaeorecords of peat indicating that the deposits are essentially formed within freshwater. The combination of factors like stabilized sea level and its subsequent fall since the Middle Holocene, topographic relief and climatic conditions led to rapid peat accumulation across the coastal lowlands. The high rainfall and massive floods coupled with a rising sea level must have inundated > 75% of the coastal plain land converting it into a veritable lagoon—lake system that eventually led to abrupt termination of the forest ecosystem and also converted the floodplains into peatland where accumulation of peat almost to 2.0–3.0 m thickness in coastal lowlands and river basins during the shorter interval in the Middle Holocene. Vast areas of the coastal plains of Kerala have been converted into carbon rich peatland during the Middle Holocene and transforming the entire coastal stretch and associated landforms as one of the relatively youngest peatlands in the extreme southern tip of India. Unlike the uninterrupted formation of peatlands of considerable extent during the Holocene in Southeast Asia, the south Peninsular Indian region has restricted and short intervals of peatlands in the floodplains and coastal lowlands. Such a scenario is attributed to the topographic relief of the terrain and the prevailing hydrological regimes and environmental conditions as a consequence of monsoon variability since Middle Holocene in SW India. Considering the tropical coastal lowlands and associated peatlands are excellent repositories of carbon, they are very important for regional carbon cycling and habitat diversity. The alarming rate of

Tropical Peat and Peatland Development in the Floodplains of the Greater Pamba Basin, South-Western India during the Holocene.

PubMed

Kumaran, Navnith K P; Padmalal, Damodaran; Limaye, Ruta B; S, Vishnu Mohan; Jennerjahn, Tim; Gamre, Pradeep G

2016-01-01

Holocene sequences in the humid tropical region of Kerala, South-western (SW) India have preserved abundance of organic-rich sediments in the form of peat and its rapid development in a narrow time frame towards Middle Holocene has been found to be significant. The sub-coastal areas and flood plains of the Greater Pamba Basin have provided palaeorecords of peat indicating that the deposits are essentially formed within freshwater. The combination of factors like stabilized sea level and its subsequent fall since the Middle Holocene, topographic relief and climatic conditions led to rapid peat accumulation across the coastal lowlands. The high rainfall and massive floods coupled with a rising sea level must have inundated > 75% of the coastal plain land converting it into a veritable lagoon-lake system that eventually led to abrupt termination of the forest ecosystem and also converted the floodplains into peatland where accumulation of peat almost to 2.0-3.0 m thickness in coastal lowlands and river basins during the shorter interval in the Middle Holocene. Vast areas of the coastal plains of Kerala have been converted into carbon rich peatland during the Middle Holocene and transforming the entire coastal stretch and associated landforms as one of the relatively youngest peatlands in the extreme southern tip of India. Unlike the uninterrupted formation of peatlands of considerable extent during the Holocene in Southeast Asia, the south Peninsular Indian region has restricted and short intervals of peatlands in the floodplains and coastal lowlands. Such a scenario is attributed to the topographic relief of the terrain and the prevailing hydrological regimes and environmental conditions as a consequence of monsoon variability since Middle Holocene in SW India. Considering the tropical coastal lowlands and associated peatlands are excellent repositories of carbon, they are very important for regional carbon cycling and habitat diversity. The alarming rate of land

Human dirofilariasis due to Dirofilaria repens in southern India

PubMed Central

Kotigadde, Subbannayya; Ramesh, Sathyavathi Alva; Medappa, Kariyappa Thadiangada

2012-01-01

Dirofilariasis is primarily confined to animals such as dogs, cats, foxes and raccoons. Human dirofilariasis is an accidental zoonotic infection acquired through mosquitoes. Human dirofilariasis due to Dirofilaria repens though endemic in Kerala, reports from Karnataka state are rare. We report a case of solitary subcutaneous dirofilariasis of the eyelid due to D. repens in a 47-year-old woman. She presented with periorbital edema. The swelling was soft, cystic with associated tenderness. A thin, white worm was noticed in the lesion and was removed by traction which was subsequently identified to be D. repens. PMID:23508234

Petrology and geochemistry of charnockites (felsic ortho-granulites) from the Kerala Khondalite Belt, Southern India: Evidence for intra-crustal melting, magmatic differentiation and episodic crustal growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ravindra Kumar, G. R.; Sreejith, C.

2016-10-01

The Kerala Khondalite Belt (KKB) of the southern India encompasses volumetrically significant magmatic components. Among these, orthopyroxene-bearing, felsic ortho-granulites, popularly known as charnockites in Indian context, constitute an important lithology. In contrast to the well-known phenomena of arrested charnockitization, the geochemical characteristics and petrogenesis of these ortho-granulite suites remain poorly studied, leaving geodynamic models envisaged for the KKB highly conjectural. In this paper, we try to bridge this gap with detailed results on orthopyroxene-bearing, felsic ortho-granulites spread over the entire KKB and propose a new petrogenetic and crustal evolution model. Based on geochemical characteristics, the orthopyroxene-bearing, felsic ortho-granulites (charnockites sensu lato) of KKB are classified into (1) tonalitic (TC), (2) granitic (GC), and (3) augen (AC) suites. Members of the TC follow sodic (characterized by decreasing CaO/Na2O), whereas those of the GC and AC follow calc-alkaline trends of differentiation. Geochemical patterns of the TC resemble those of the Archaean tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG) suites, with slightly magnesian character (average Mg# = 33), moderate LREE (average LaN = 154), low HREE (average YbN = 6) and Y (1-53 ppm; average 11 ppm). The TC is also characterized by positive to slightly negative europium anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.7 to 1.67). The GC and AC suites, on the other hand, resemble post-Archaean arc-related granites. The GC displays ferroan nature (average Mg# = 22), low to moderate degrees of REE fractionation (average [La/Yb]N = 34.84), high contents of Y (5-128 ppm; average 68), and low Sr/Y (1-98) ratios. Significant negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.18-0.91; average 0.50) and low Sr (65-690 ppm) are also noted in the GC. Similar chemical characteristics are shown by the AC, with ferroan nature (average Mg# = 21), low to moderate degrees of REE fractionation (average [La/Yb]N = 26), high

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.

The burden of iron-deficiency anaemia among women in India: how have iron and folic acid interventions fared?

PubMed

Rai, Rajesh Kumar; Fawzi, Wafaie W; Barik, Anamitra; Chowdhury, Abhijit

2018-04-01

Iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA) among women in India is a problem of major public health significance. Using data from three waves of the National Family Health Survey, this article discusses the burden of and trend in IDA among women in India, and discusses the level of iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation and its potential role in reducing the burden of IDA. Between 2005-2006 and 2015-2016, IDA in India decreased by only 3.5 percentage points (from 56.5% in 2005-2006 to 53.0% in 2015-2016) for women aged 15-49 years. However, during the same period, of 27 states compared, IDA increased in eight: Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh; furthermore, some of these (e.g. Kerala) are states that rank among the highest on the state Human Development Index but had failed to contain the burden of IDA. Although there is a standard guideline for IFA supplementation in place, the IFA intervention appears to be ineffective in reducing the burden of IDA in India (nationally only 30.3 % of mothers consumed IFA for 100 days or more when they were pregnant), probably due to irregular consumption of IFA where the provision of screening under the National Iron+ Initiative scheme appears to be unsuccessful. To strengthen the IFA intervention and its uptake, a concerted effort of community-level health workers (accredited social health activists, auxiliary nurse midwives and anganwadi workers) is urgently needed. In addition, food-based strategies (dietary diversification and food fortification), food supplementation and improvement of health services are required to reduce the burden of anaemia among women in India.

Future specialization interests among medical students in southern India.

PubMed

Subba, S H; Binu, V S; Kotian, M S; Joseph, N; Mahamood, A B; Dixit, N; George, A; Kumar, P; Acharya, S; Reddy, P

2012-01-01

A consideration of the future specialization interests of undergraduate medical students might help to understand the needs of higher medical education and future manpower availability for healthcare. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 373 undergraduate students of a medical college in southern India using a self-administered questionnaire. Of the 373 students, 188 (50.4%) were men. Almost all of them (370 [99.2%]) wanted to pursue postgraduation. Of these, 267 (72.4%) wanted to pursue postgraduation in India. Overall, the first choice subject was surgery (120 [32.2%]) followed by internal medicine (85 [22.8%]) and paediatrics (43 [11.5%]). The third preference for men and women differed, with men choosing orthopaedics and women choosing obstetrics and gynaecology. The factors that influenced the choice of specialization were interest in the speciality (Likert scale score 4.7), job satisfaction (4.6), employment opportunities (4.0), job security (4) and high income potential (3.9). It was evident from the proportion of students desiring to do postgraduation and their choice of specialties that most of them will end up working at hospitals instead of at primary healthcare centres. The deficiencies of certain specialists such as ophthalmologists are likely to persist. This is a cause for concern as the majority of our population lives in rural areas and there is already a maldistribution of doctors. Copyright 2012, NMJI.

Nonmetric traits of permanent posterior teeth in Kerala population: A forensic overview

PubMed Central

Baby, Tibin K; Sunil, S; Babu, Sharlene Sara

2017-01-01

Introduction: Dental morphology is a highly heritable characteristic which is stable with time and has a fairly high state of preservation. Nonmetric dental traits have crucial role in ethnic classifications of a population that helps in forensic racial identification purposes. Aims and Objectives: To determine the frequency and variability of possible nonmetric tooth traits using extracted permanent posterior teeth from Kerala population for discerning racial ethnicity. Materials and Methods: This qualitative, cross-sectional study was carried out using 1743 extracted intact permanent posterior teeth collected from different dental clinics situated all over Kerala. Results: The more common features on premolars were multiple lingual cusps (31.21%), distal accessary ridges (16.28%) and Tom's root (17.9%). In upper first molars, Carabelli trait expression was 17.78% and other common features included metaconulo, cusp 5 and enamel extensions. Conclusion: Posterior tooth traits had variable expression in the study population. Low prevalence rate of Carabelli trait in this study is characteristic of Asian population. This research explored new elements of invaluable tooth traits values to understand racial ethnicity of Kerala population. PMID:28932045

Role of light and heavy minerals on natural radioactivity level of high background radiation area, Kerala, India.

PubMed

Ramasamy, V; Sundarrajan, M; Suresh, G; Paramasivam, K; Meenakshisundaram, V

2014-02-01

Natural radionuclides ((238)U, (232)Th and (40)K) concentrations and eight different radiological parameters have been analyzed for the beach sediments of Kerala with an aim of evaluating the radiation hazards. Activity concentrations ((238)U and (232)Th) and all the radiological parameters in most of the sites have higher values than recommended values. The Kerala beach sediments pose significant radiological threat to the people living in the area and tourists going to the beaches for recreation or to the sailors and fishermen involved in their activities in the study area. In order to know the light mineral characterization of the present sediments, mineralogical analysis has been carried out using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic technique. The eight different minerals are identified and they are characterized. Among the various observed minerals, the minerals such as quartz, microcline feldspar, kaolinite and calcite are major minerals. The relative distribution of major minerals is determined by calculating extinction co-efficient and the values show that the amount of quartz is higher than calcite and much higher than microcline feldspar. Crystallinity index is calculated to know the crystalline nature of quartz present in the sediments. Heavy mineral separation analysis has been carried out to know the total heavy mineral (THM) percentage. This analysis revealed the presence of nine heavy minerals. The minerals such as monazite, zircon, magnetite and illmenite are predominant. Due to the rapid and extreme changes occur in highly dynamic environments of sandy beaches, quantities of major light and heavy minerals are widely varied from site to site. Granulometric analysis shows that the sand is major content. Multivariate statistical (Pearson correlation, cluster and factor) analysis has been carried out to know the effect of mineralogy on radionuclide concentrations. The present study concluded that heavy minerals induce the (238)U and (232)Th

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.

An Evaluation of Spatial Organization of the Church Architecture of Kerala during the Sixteenth to Seventeenth Centuries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panjikaran, S.; Vedamuthu, R.

2013-05-01

The churches of Kerala of the sixteenth to seventeenth centuries exhibits an architectural character which is different from that of the indigenous Church Architecture of Kerala. Preliminary studies show that the spatial organization of these churches also varied from that of the indigenous churches of Kerala. Did these variations in spatial organization arise of any change in functional requirements of churches? How did the indigenous Architectural character adapt to these changes or did it give way to a new style? The objective of this study is to understand the spatial organization of the indigenous Church Architecture of Kerala and to evaluate the changes in spatial organization during the sixteenth to seventeenth centuries. This study is primarily based on field survey and documentation, evaluation is done by relying on the Rapoport's theory. It is concluded that the church architecture of this period is a fusion of the Western and Eastern ecclesiastical traditions in terms of spatial organization and planning.

Awareness of glaucoma in the rural population of Southern India.

PubMed

Krishnaiah, Sannapaneni; Kovai, Vilas; Srinivas, Marmamula; Shamanna, Bindiganavale R; Rao, Gullapalli N; Thomas, Ravi

2005-09-01

To explore the awareness of glaucoma amongst the rural population of Andhra Pradesh, India. A total of 7775 subjects of all ages, representative of the rural population of Andhra Pradesh, participated in the Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study. The responses of subjects older than 15 years (n=5573) who completed a structured questionnaire regarding awareness (heard of glaucoma) and knowledge (understanding of disease) of glaucoma formed the basis of this study. Awareness of glaucoma (n=18; 0.32%) was very poor in this rural population, and females were significantly less aware (p=0.007). Awareness of glaucoma was also significantly less among illiterate persons (p<0.0001), and socially backward population (p<0.0001). Majority of the respondents who were aware of glaucoma (n=10; 55.6%) did not know if visual loss due to glaucoma was permanent or reversible. The major source of awareness of glaucoma in this population was TV/magazines and other media followed by information from a relative or acquaintance suffering from the disease. Awareness of glaucoma is very poor in the rural areas of southern India. The data suggest the need for community-based health education programmes to increase the level of awareness and knowledge about glaucoma.

The life history of Pleurogenoides malampuzhensis sp. nov. (Digenea: Pleurogenidae) from amphibious and aquatic hosts in Kerala, India.

PubMed

Brinesh, R; Janardanan, K P

2014-06-01

The life-cycle stages of Pleurogenoides malampuzhensis sp. nov. infecting the Indian bullfrog Hoplobatrachus tigerinus (Daudin) and the skipper frog Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis (Schneider) occurring in irrigation canals and paddy fields in Malampuzha, which forms part of the district of Palakkad, Kerala, are described. The species is described, its systematic position discussed and compared with the related species, P. gastroporus (Luhe, 1901) and P. orientalis (Srivastava, 1934). The life-cycle stages, from cercaria to egg-producing adult, were successfully established in the laboratory. Virgulate xiphidiocercariae emerged from the snail Digoniostoma pulchella (Benson). Metacercariae are found in muscle tissues of dragonfly nymphs and become infective to the frogs within 22 days. The pre-patent period is 20 days. Growth and development of both metacercariae and adults are described.

Effect of a Quality Improvement Intervention on Clinical Outcomes in Patients in India With Acute Myocardial Infarction: The ACS QUIK Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Huffman, Mark D; Mohanan, Padinhare P; Devarajan, Raji; Baldridge, Abigail S; Kondal, Dimple; Zhao, Lihui; Ali, Mumtaj; Krishnan, Mangalath N; Natesan, Syam; Gopinath, Rajesh; Viswanathan, Sunitha; Stigi, Joseph; Joseph, Johny; Chozhakkat, Somanathan; Lloyd-Jones, Donald M; Prabhakaran, Dorairaj

2018-02-13

Wide heterogeneity exists in acute myocardial infarction treatment and outcomes in India. To evaluate the effect of a locally adapted quality improvement tool kit on clinical outcomes and process measures in Kerala, a southern Indian state. Cluster randomized, stepped-wedge clinical trial conducted between November 10, 2014, and November 9, 2016, in 63 hospitals in Kerala, India, with a last date of follow-up of December 31, 2016. During 5 predefined steps over the study period, hospitals were randomly selected to move in a 1-way crossover from the control group to the intervention group. Consecutively presenting patients with acute myocardial infarction were offered participation. Hospitals provided either usual care (control group; n = 10 066 participants [step 0: n = 2915; step 1: n = 2649; step 2: n = 2251; step 3: n = 1422; step 4; n = 829; step 5: n = 0]) or care using a quality improvement tool kit (intervention group; n = 11 308 participants [step 0: n = 0; step 1: n = 662; step 2: n = 1265; step 3: n = 2432; step 4: n = 3214; step 5: n = 3735]) that consisted of audit and feedback, checklists, patient education materials, and linkage to emergency cardiovascular care and quality improvement training. The primary outcome was the composite of all-cause death, reinfarction, stroke, or major bleeding using standardized definitions at 30 days. Secondary outcomes included the primary outcome's individual components, 30-day cardiovascular death, medication use, and tobacco cessation counseling. Mixed-effects logistic regression models were used to account for clustering and temporal trends. Among 21 374 eligible randomized participants (mean age, 60.6 [SD, 12.0] years; n = 16 183 men [76%] ; n = 13 689 [64%] with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction), 21 079 (99%) completed the trial. The primary composite outcome was observed in 5.3% of the intervention participants and 6.4% of the

Mud Banks along the southwest coast of India are not too muddy for plankton.

PubMed

Jyothibabu, R; Balachandran, K K; Jagadeesan, L; Karnan, C; Arunpandi, N; Naqvi, S W A; Pandiyarajan, R S

2018-02-07

Considering Alappuzha Mud Bank in the southern Kerala coast as a typical case of biologically productive Mud Banks that form along the southwest coast of India during the Southwest Monsoon (June - September), the present study addresses several pertinent missing links between the physical environment in Mud Banks and their influence on plankton stock. This study showed that very strong coastal upwelling prevails in the entire study domain during the Southwest Monsoon, which manifests itself in the form of significantly cool, hypoxic and nitrate-rich waters surfacing near the coast. The upwelled water persisting throughout the Southwest Monsoon period was found to have fuelled the exceptionally high phytoplankton stock in the entire study area, including the Mud Bank region. Having accepted that Mud Banks are special because of the calm sea surface conditions and relatively high turbidity level in the water column around them, the present study showed that except at points close to the sea bottom, turbidity level in the Alappuzha Mud Bank was below the critical level to inhibit the plankton stock. The suspended sediments that form in the Mud Bank occasionally could be attributed to the disturbance of the bottom fluid muddy layer and their vertical spurts.

The potential for crop to wild hybridization in eggplant (Solanum melongena; Solanaceae) in southern India.

PubMed

Davidar, Priya; Snow, Allison A; Rajkumar, Muthu; Pasquet, Remy; Daunay, Marie-Christine; Mutegi, Evans

2015-01-01

• In India and elsewhere, transgenic Bt eggplant (Solanum melongena) has been developed to reduce insect herbivore damage, but published studies of the potential for pollen-mediated, crop- to- wild gene flow are scant. This information is useful for risk assessments as well as in situ conservation strategies for wild germplasm.• In 2010-2014, we surveyed 23 populations of wild/weedy eggplant (Solanum insanum; known as wild brinjal), carried out hand-pollination experiments, and observed pollinators to assess the potential for crop- to- wild gene flow in southern India.• Wild brinjal is a spiny, low-growing perennial commonly found in disturbed sites such as roadsides, wastelands, and sparsely vegetated areas near villages and agricultural fields. Fourteen of the 23 wild populations in our study occurred within 0.5 km of cultivated brinjal and at least nine flowered in synchrony with the crop. Hand crosses between wild and cultivated brinjal resulted in seed set and viable F1 progeny. Wild brinjal flowers that were bagged to exclude pollinators did not set fruit, and fruit set from manual self-pollination was low. The exserted stigmas of wild brinjal are likely to promote outcrossing. The most effective pollinators appeared to be bees (Amegilla, Xylocopa, Nomia, and Heterotrigona spp.), which also were observed foraging for pollen on crop brinjal.• Our findings suggest that hybridization is possible between cultivated and wild brinjal in southern India. Thus, as part of the risk assessment process, we assume that transgenes from the crop could spread to wild brinjal populations that occur nearby. © 2015 Botanical Society of America, Inc.

Goal Orientation among Boys and Girls in Higher Secondary Schools of Kerala: How Parenting Styles Influence It?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gafoor, Kunnathodi Abdul; Kurukkan, Abidha

2014-01-01

The purpose of the study is to investigate the relation between parenting style and goal orientation among boys and girls in higher secondary schools of Kerala. Four types of parenting style and five categories of goal orientation. The sample comprised of 467 girls and 365 boys from higher secondary school in Kerala who were selected through…

Ethnomedicinal plants used for the treatment of cuts and wounds by Kuruma tribes, Wayanadu districts of Kerala, India

PubMed Central

Thomas, Binu; Arumugam, Rajendran; Veerasamy, Aravindhan; Ramamoorthy, Sivalingam

2014-01-01

Objective To study the ethnomedicinal uses by the Kuruma tribals for discovering new drugs to cure cuts and wounds so as to provid the data scientifically evaluated. Methods A survey was conducted during May 2008–September 2009 to collect information on medicinal plants used by the Kuruma tribes and queries were made on the various species of plants used regularly and occasionally to cure cuts and wounds. Results The present study includes information on 34 plant species belonging to 32 genera and 25 families used by Kuruma tribe of Wayanad district of Kerala for the treatment of cuts and wounds. Conclusions The present study of the knowledge on the folklore uses of the medicinal plants used by Kuruma tribes leads to effective utilization of herbal medicines in the future. PMID:25183135

How a New Health Intervention Affects the Health Systems? Learnings from Pentavalent Vaccine Introduction in India.

PubMed

Lahariya, Chandrakant; Paruthi, Renu; Bhattacharya, Madhulekha

2016-04-01

To summarize the findings from a Post Introduction Evaluation (PIE) of pentavalent vaccine in Tamil Nadu and Kerala state of India and to understand how the health systems could be prepared for (prior to) introducing a new intervention and how such introduction could affect the health systems (afterwards). A post introduction evaluation (PIE) of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) as pentavalent (DPT + HepB + Hib) vaccine was conducted in Tamil Nadu and Kerala states of India in July-Aug 2012. The PIE was conducted as per World Health Organization PIE methods and tools specifically adapted for India. This PIE adopted a 'mixed method approach' with qualitative data focus. The planning for the introduction of pentavalent vaccine provided opportunities to strengthen various functions of the health system i.e., piloting of Open Vial Policy, strengthening surveillance system, improving Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) reporting system and formation of the technical expert groups. It provided opportunity for bringing attention on the immunization programme in general as well. After the vaccine introduction, the beneficial effects were noted on stewardship (increased oversight by top level policy makers and programme managers), creating resources (investment and trainings of staff in immunization), service delivery (increased coverage with the vaccines and improved quality of services) and financing (increased financial allocation and reduced out of pocket expenditures as more people started attending public health facilities). The vaccine introduction was found to be associated with improvement in the health equity, efficiency and service utilization (effective coverage). New vaccine introduction provides opportunities (both before and after) for strengthening the health systems in setting such as India. Preparing the health system for new challenges has potential to strengthen the health systems, if done in well-coordinated and planned manner. Considering

The transition from an Archean granite-greenstone terrain into a charnockite terrain in southern India

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Condie, K. C.; Allen, P.

1983-01-01

In southern India, it is possible to study the transition from an Archean granite-greenstone terrain (the Karnataka province) into high grade charnockites. The transition occurs over an outcrop width of 20-35 km and appears to represent burial depths ranging from 15 to 20 km. Field and geochemical studies indicate that the charnockites developed at the expense of tonalites, granites, and greenstones. South of the transition zone, geobarometer studies indicate burial depths of 7-9 kb.

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

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.

Mapping mental health finances in Ghana, Uganda, Sri Lanka, India and Lao PDR

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Limited evidence about mental health finances in low and middle-income countries is a key challenge to mental health care policy initiatives. This study aimed to map mental health finances in Ghana, Uganda, India (Kerala state), Sri Lanka and Lao PDR focusing on how much money is available for mental health, how it is spent, and how this impacts mental health services. Methods A researcher in each region reviewed public mental health-related budgets and interviewed key informants on government mental health financing. A total of 43 key informant interviews were conducted. Quantitative data was analyzed in an excel matrix using descriptive statistics. Key informant interviews were coded a priori against research questions. Results National ring-fenced budgets for mental health as a percentage of national health spending for 2007-08 is 1.7% in Sri Lanka, 3.7% in Ghana, 2.0% in Kerala (India) and 6.6% in Uganda. Budgets were not available in Lao PDR. The majority of ring-fenced budgets (76% to 100%) is spent on psychiatric hospitals. Mental health spending could not be tracked beyond the psychiatric hospital level due to limited information at the health centre and community levels. Conclusions Mental health budget information should be tracked and made publically accessible. Governments can adapt WHO AIMS indicators for reviewing national mental health finances. Funding allocations work more effectively through decentralization. Mental health financing should reflect new ideas emerging from community based practice in LMICs. PMID:20507558

On the genus Hermippus Simon, 1893 (Araneae: Zodariidae, Zodariinae) in India with the description of three new species from the Western Ghats and proposing a new biogeographical hypothesis for the distribution of the genus.

PubMed

Sankaran, Pradeep M; Jobi, Malamel J; Joseph, Mathew M; Sebastian, Pothalil A

2014-12-05

Three new species of the ant-eating spider genus Hermippus Simon, 1893, H. globosus sp. nov., H. inflexus sp. nov. and H. gavi sp. nov. are described and illustrated from the Western Ghats in the Kerala region of southern India. The genus is redefined and two species groups are recognized: the cruciatus-group with all the five described Oriental species including H. cruciatus Simon, 1905, H. arjuna Gravely, 1921, H. inflexus sp. nov., H. globosus sp. nov. and H. gavi sp. nov. and the loricatus-group representing all the seven described Afrotropical species including H. loricatus Simon, 1893, H. affinis Strand, 1906, H. schoutedeni Lessert, 1938, H. septemguttatus Lawrence, 1942, H. minutus Jocqué, 1986, H. tenebrosus Jocqué, 1986 and H. arcus Jocqué, 1989. The biogeographic distribution and possible migratory route of Hermippus spp. from Africa to the Oriental region are given.

Reproductive tract infections: Attitude and barriers among marginalized fisher women in Kerala, South India.

PubMed

Thomas, Manoj A; Narayan, Poornima

2017-04-01

Reproductive tract infections (RTIs) are the cause of severe gynecological and maternal morbidity in India. In marginalized communities, women persevere quietly when faced with a culturally sensitive health issue such as an RTI. To hypothesize on the differential health behavior and low levels of reported incidents among women living in marginalized communities, we undertake an exploratory study in a coastal fishermen community in South India. We identify barriers influencing decisions to seek curative and preventive medical care. Public health practitioners and social workers may find our recommendations relevant for addressing health issues in marginalized communities.

Automation of University Libraries in Kerala: Status, Problems and Prospects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suku, J.; Pillai, Mini G.

2005-01-01

This paper discusses the present scenario of automation activities of university libraries in Kerala. The survey findings mainly cover various aspects of library automation such as information technology infrastructure, in-house activities, information services and their usage, manpower development, and budget. The paper briefly describes the role…

Coastal resource complexes of South India: options for sustainable management.

PubMed

Damodaran, A

2006-04-01

India's coastal resource complexes were traditionally characterized by a continuum of 'common property resources' or 'commons' that stretched from the shores to the seas. The continuum aided the existence of sustainable livelihood systems for local communities. Today, fragmented policy approaches and economic welfare schemes have caused the disintegration of community control over the continuum. As a consequence, livelihood systems of local communities have declined. The introduction of coastal management guidelines in the 1990s has exacerbated the situation. With reference to a coastal village located in the State of Kerala in South West India, the paper describes the trajectory of unsustainable change that has taken place in the coastal area resource complexes of the country. The paper argues for restoring the continuum of commons in the study area through community driven systems of natural resource management that are based on networks of nested institutions.

Post-sterilization autonomy among young mothers in South India.

PubMed

Pallikadavath, Saseendran; Rajan, Irudaya; Singh, Abhishek; Ogollah, Reuben; Page, Samantha

2015-01-01

This study examined the post-sterilization autonomy of women in south India in the context of early sterilization and low fertility. Quantitative data were taken from the third round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3) carried out in 2005-06, and qualitative data from one village each in Kerala and Tamil Nadu during 2010-11. The incident rate ratios and thematic analysis showed that among currently married women under the age of 30 years, those who had been sterilized had significantly higher autonomy in household decision-making and freedom of mobility compared with women who had never used any modern family planning method. Early age at sterilization and low fertility enables women to achieve the social status that is generally attained at later stages in the life-cycle. Policies to capitalize on women's autonomy and free time resulting from early sterilization and low fertility should be adopted in south India.

Periodontal diseases and risk of oral cancer in Southern India: Results from the HeNCe Life study.

PubMed

Laprise, Claudie; Shahul, Hameed Puthiyannal; Madathil, Sreenath Arekunnath; Thekkepurakkal, Akhil Soman; Castonguay, Geneviève; Varghese, Ipe; Shiraz, Shameena; Allison, Paul; Schlecht, Nicolas F; Rousseau, Marie-Claude; Franco, Eduardo L; Nicolau, Belinda

2016-10-01

Some studies suggest that periodontal diseases increase the risk of oral cancer, but contradictory results also exist. Inadequate control of confounders, including life course exposures, may have influenced prior findings. We estimate the extent to which high levels of periodontal diseases, measured by gingival inflammation and recession, are associated with oral cancer risk using a comprehensive subset of potential confounders and applying a stringent adjustment approach. In a hospital-based case-control study, incident oral cancer cases (N = 350) were recruited from two major referral hospitals in Kerala, South India, from 2008 to 2012. Controls (N = 371), frequency-matched by age and sex, were recruited from clinics at the same hospitals. Structured interviews collected information on several domains of exposure via a detailed life course questionnaire. Periodontal diseases, as measured by gingival inflammation and gingival recession, were evaluated visually by qualified dentists following a detailed protocol. The relationship between periodontal diseases and oral cancer risk was assessed by unconditional logistic regression using a stringent empirical selection of potential confounders corresponding to a 1% change-in-estimates. Generalized gingival recession was significantly associated with oral cancer risk (Odds Ratio = 1.83, 95% Confidence Interval: 1.10-3.04). No significant association was observed between gingival inflammation and oral cancer. Our findings support the hypothesis that high levels of periodontal diseases increase the risk of oral cancer. © 2016 UICC.

Watershed development practices for ecorestoration in a tribal area - A case study in Attappady hills, South India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vishnudas, Subha; Savenije, Hubert H. G.; Zaag, Pieter Van der

Attappady is a rural area in Kerala, South India, that has suffered from severe land degradation and which is inhabited by a poor and predominantly tribal population. The combination of severe land degradation, poverty and a tribal population make Attappady hydrologically and socially unique. Ecological degradation and deforestation followed the gradual building up of land pressure resulting from immigration by more wealthy outsiders. The hills of Attappady were once the forest land of Kerala. Recently it was on the verge of complete degradation. This paper explains how an ecorestoration project involving soil and water conservation interventions, the introduction of agro-forestry, nutritional diversification, income generation activities and training was implemented in a participatory manner. The project had positive impacts on both the environment and the livelihoods of the people living in the watershed, but it also suffered from drawbacks. This paper reports on the successes as well as the lessons learned from this unique ecorestoration project.

Measuring Poverty in Southern India: A Comparison of Socio-Economic Scales Evaluated against Childhood Stunting.

PubMed

Kattula, Deepthi; Venugopal, Srinivasan; Velusamy, Vasanthakumar; Sarkar, Rajiv; Jiang, Victoria; S, Mahasampath Gowri; Henry, Ankita; Deosaran, Jordanna Devi; Muliyil, Jayaprakash; Kang, Gagandeep

2016-01-01

Socioeconomic status (SES) scales measure poverty, wealth and economic inequality in a population to guide appropriate economic and public health policies. Measurement of poverty and comparison of material deprivation across nations is a challenge. This study compared four SES scales which have been used locally and internationally and evaluated them against childhood stunting, used as an indicator of chronic deprivation, in urban southern India. A door-to-door survey collected information on socio-demographic indicators such as education, occupation, assets, income and living conditions in a semi-urban slum area in Vellore, Tamil Nadu in southern India. A total of 7925 households were categorized by four SES scales-Kuppuswamy scale, Below Poverty Line scale (BPL), the modified Kuppuswamy scale, and the multidimensional poverty index (MDPI) and the level of agreement compared between scales. Logistic regression was used to test the association of SES scales with stunting. The Kuppuswamy, BPL, MDPI and modified Kuppuswamy scales classified 7.1%, 1%, 5.5%, and 55.3% of families as low SES respectively, indicating conservative estimation of low SES by the BPL and MDPI scales in comparison with the modified Kuppuswamy scale, which had the highest sensitivity (89%). Children from low SES classified by all scales had higher odds of stunting, but the level of agreement between scales was very poor ranging from 1%-15%. There is great non-uniformity between existing SES scales and cautious interpretation of SES scales is needed in the context of social, cultural, and economic realities.

Practice and Perception of First Aid Among Lay First Responders in a Southern District of India

PubMed Central

Pallavisarji, Uthkarsh; Gururaj, Gopalkrishna; Girish, Rao Nagaraja

2013-01-01

Background Injuries rank among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and are steadily increasing in developing countries like India. However, it is often possible to minimize injury and crash consequences by providing effective pre-hospital services promptly. In most low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), transportation of road traffic victims, is usually provided by relatives, taxi drivers, truck drivers, police officers and other motorists who are often untrained. Objectives The current study was conducted to understand the current practice and perception of first aid among lay first responders in a rural southern district of India. Materials and Methods The current cross sectional descriptive study was conducted in the southern district of Tumkur in India within three months from January to March 2011 and covered the population including all police, ambulance personnel, taxi drivers, bus and auto drivers, and primary and middle school teachers within the study area. Results Nearly 60% of the responders had witnessed more than two emergencies in the previous six months and 55% had actively participated in helping the injured person. The nature of the help was mainly by calling for an ambulance (41.5%), transporting the injured (19.7%) and consoling the victim (14.9%). Majority (78.1%) of the responders informed that they had run to the victim (42.4%) or had called for an ambulance. The predominant reason for not providing help was often the ‘fear of legal complications’ (30%) that would follow later. Significant number (81.4%) of respondents reported that they did not have adequate skills to manage an emergency and were willing to acquire knowledge and skills in first aid to help victims. Conclusions Regular and periodical community-based first aid training programs for first care responders will help to provide care and improve outcomes for injured persons. PMID:24396770

Practice and perception of first aid among lay first responders in a southern district of India.

PubMed

Pallavisarji, Uthkarsh; Gururaj, Gopalkrishna; Girish, Rao Nagaraja

2013-01-01

Injuries rank among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and are steadily increasing in developing countries like India. However, it is often possible to minimize injury and crash consequences by providing effective pre-hospital services promptly. In most low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), transportation of road traffic victims, is usually provided by relatives, taxi drivers, truck drivers, police officers and other motorists who are often untrained. The current study was conducted to understand the current practice and perception of first aid among lay first responders in a rural southern district of India. The current cross sectional descriptive study was conducted in the southern district of Tumkur in India within three months from January to March 2011 and covered the population including all police, ambulance personnel, taxi drivers, bus and auto drivers, and primary and middle school teachers within the study area. Nearly 60% of the responders had witnessed more than two emergencies in the previous six months and 55% had actively participated in helping the injured person. The nature of the help was mainly by calling for an ambulance (41.5%), transporting the injured (19.7%) and consoling the victim (14.9%). Majority (78.1%) of the responders informed that they had run to the victim (42.4%) or had called for an ambulance. The predominant reason for not providing help was often the 'fear of legal complications' (30%) that would follow later. Significant number (81.4%) of respondents reported that they did not have adequate skills to manage an emergency and were willing to acquire knowledge and skills in first aid to help victims. Regular and periodical community-based first aid training programs for first care responders will help to provide care and improve outcomes for injured persons.

Fungal communities in herbaceous medicinal plants from the malnad region, southern India.

PubMed

Krishnamurthy, Yelugere L; Naik, Shankar B; Jayaram, Shashikala

2008-01-01

Fungal communities were isolated from surface sterilized leaf segments of nine ethnopharmaceutically important medicinal herbs collected from the Bhadra River Project Area, the Malnad region, Southern India. A total of 2159 isolates belonging to 55 different fungal species were isolated from 3600 leaf segments collected during the wet and dry seasons. Chaetomium globosum (7.3%), Aureobasidium pullulans (6.1%), Cladosporium cladosporioides (3.9%), Curvularia lunata (1.9%), Nigrospora oryzae (1.7%), Alternaria alternata (1.3%), Botryosphaeria subglobosa (1.1%), Phoma multirostrata (0.9%), Aspergillus niger (0.8%), Fusarium oxysporum (0.7%), Rhizoctonia solani (0.4%), and Sphaeropsis sapenea (0.3%) were the most frequently isolated fungal species. Colonization rates of fungal species varied significantly between the two seasons. Host specificity was observed in some host plants.

Root reinforcement and its contribution to slope stability in the Western Ghats of Kerala, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lukose Kuriakose, Sekhar; van Beek, L. P. H.

2010-05-01

The Western Ghats of Kerala, India is prone to shallow landslides and consequent debris flows. An earlier study (Kuriakose et al., DOI:10.1002/esp.1794) with limited data had already demonstrated the possible effects of vegetation on slope hydrology and stability. Spatially distributed root cohesion is one of the most important data necessary to assess the effects of anthropogenic disturbances on the probability of shallow landslide initiation, results of which are reported in sessions GM6.1 and HS13.13/NH3.16. Thus it is necessary to the know the upper limits of reinforcement that the roots are able to provide and its spatial and vertical distribution in such an anthropogenically intervened terrain. Root tensile strength and root pull out tests were conducted on nine species of plants that are commonly found in the region. They are 1) Rubber (Hevea Brasiliensis), 2) Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera), 3) Jackfruit trees (Artocarpus heterophyllus), 4) Teak (Tectona grandis), 5) Mango trees (Mangifera indica), 6) Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus), 7) Gambooge (Garcinia gummi-gutta), 8) Coffee (Coffea Arabica) and 9) Tea (Camellia sinensis). About 1500 samples were collected of which only 380 could be tested (in the laboratory) due to breakage of roots during the tests. In the successful tests roots failed in tension. Roots having diameters between 2 mm and 12 mm were tested. Each sample tested had a length of 15 cm. Root pull out tests were conducted in the field. Root tensile strength vs root diameter, root pull out strength vs diameter, root diameter vs root depth and root count vs root depth relationships were derived. Root cohesion was computed for nine most dominant plants in the region using the perpendicular root model of Wu et al. (1979) modified by Schimidt et al. (2001). A soil depth map was derived using regression kriging as suggested by Kuriakose et al., (doi:10.1016/j.catena.2009.05.005) and used along with the land use map of 2008 to distribute the

Potential for the use of mHealth in the management of cardiovascular disease in Kerala: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Smith, Rebecca; Menon, Jaideep; Rajeev, Jaya G; Feinberg, Leo; Kumar, Raman Krishan; Banerjee, Amitava

2015-01-01

Objectives To assess the potential for using mHealth in cardiovascular disease (CVD) management in Kerala by exploring: (1) experiences and challenges of current CVD management; (2) current mobile phone use; (3) expectations of and barriers to mobile phone use in CVD management. Design Qualitative, semistructured, individual interviews. Setting 5 primary health centres in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. Participants 15 participants in total from 3 stakeholder groups: 5 patients with CVD and/or its risk factors, 5 physicians treating CVD and 5 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs). Patients were sampled for maximum variation on the basis of age, sex, CVD diagnoses and risk factors. All participants had access to a mobile phone. Results The main themes identified relating to the current challenges of CVD were poor patient disease knowledge, difficulties in implementing primary prevention and poor patient lifestyles. Participants noted phone calls as the main function of current mobile phone use. The expectations of mHealth use are to: improve accessibility to healthcare knowledge; provide reminders of appointments, medication and lifestyle changes; save time, money and travel; and improve ASHA job efficacy. All perceived barriers to mHealth were noted within physician interviews. These included fears of mobile phones negatively affecting physicians’ roles, the usability of mobile phones, radiation and the need for physical consultations. Conclusions There are three main potential uses of mHealth in this population: (1) as an educational tool, to improve health education and lifestyle behaviours; (2) to optimise the use of limited resources, by overcoming geographical barriers and financial constraints; (3) to improve use of healthcare, by providing appointment and treatment reminders in order to improve disease prevention and management. Successful mHealth design, which takes barriers into account, may complement current practice and optimise use of limited

Accumulation of rare earth elements by siderophore-forming Arthrobacter luteolus isolated from rare earth environment of Chavara, India.

PubMed

Emmanuel, E S Challaraj; Ananthi, T; Anandkumar, B; Maruthamuthu, S

2012-03-01

In this study, Arthrobacter luteolus, isolated from rare earth environment of Chavara (Quilon district, Kerala, India), were found to produce catechol-type siderophores. The bacterial strain accumulated rare earth elements such as samarium and scandium. The siderophores may play a role in the accumulation of rare earth elements. Catecholate siderophore and low-molecular-weight organic acids were found to be present in experiments with Arthrobacter luteolus. The influence of siderophore on the accumulation of rare earth elements by bacteria has been extensively discussed.

Measuring Poverty in Southern India: A Comparison of Socio-Economic Scales Evaluated against Childhood Stunting

PubMed Central

Kattula, Deepthi; Venugopal, Srinivasan; Velusamy, Vasanthakumar; Sarkar, Rajiv; Jiang, Victoria; S., Mahasampath Gowri; Henry, Ankita; Deosaran, Jordanna Devi; Muliyil, Jayaprakash; Kang, Gagandeep

2016-01-01

Introduction Socioeconomic status (SES) scales measure poverty, wealth and economic inequality in a population to guide appropriate economic and public health policies. Measurement of poverty and comparison of material deprivation across nations is a challenge. This study compared four SES scales which have been used locally and internationally and evaluated them against childhood stunting, used as an indicator of chronic deprivation, in urban southern India. Methods A door-to-door survey collected information on socio-demographic indicators such as education, occupation, assets, income and living conditions in a semi-urban slum area in Vellore, Tamil Nadu in southern India. A total of 7925 households were categorized by four SES scales—Kuppuswamy scale, Below Poverty Line scale (BPL), the modified Kuppuswamy scale, and the multidimensional poverty index (MDPI) and the level of agreement compared between scales. Logistic regression was used to test the association of SES scales with stunting. Findings The Kuppuswamy, BPL, MDPI and modified Kuppuswamy scales classified 7.1%, 1%, 5.5%, and 55.3% of families as low SES respectively, indicating conservative estimation of low SES by the BPL and MDPI scales in comparison with the modified Kuppuswamy scale, which had the highest sensitivity (89%). Children from low SES classified by all scales had higher odds of stunting, but the level of agreement between scales was very poor ranging from 1%-15%. Conclusion There is great non-uniformity between existing SES scales and cautious interpretation of SES scales is needed in the context of social, cultural, and economic realities. PMID:27490200

Evidence of late Palaeocene-early Eocene equatorial rain forest refugia in southern Western Ghats, India.

PubMed

Prasad, V; Farooqui, A; Tripathi, S K M; Garg, R; Thakur, B

2009-11-01

Equatorial rain forests that maintain a balance between speciation and extinction are hot-spots for studies of biodiversity. Western Ghats in southern India have gained attention due to high tropical biodiversity and endemism in their southern most area. We attempted to track the affinities of the pollen fl ora of the endemic plants of Western Ghat area within the fossil palynoflora of late Palaeocene-early Eocene (approximately 55-50 Ma) sedimentary deposits of western and northeastern Indian region. The study shows striking similarity of extant pollen with twenty eight most common fossil pollen taxa of the early Palaeogene. Widespread occurrences of coal and lignite deposits during early Palaeogene provide evidence of existence of well diversified rain forest community and swampy vegetation in the coastal low lying areas all along the western and northeastern margins of the Indian subcontinent. Prevalence of excessive humid climate during this period has been seen as a result of equatorial positioning of Indian subcontinent, superimposed by a long term global warming phase (PETM and EECO) during the early Palaeogene. The study presents clear evidence that highly diversifi ed equatorial rain forest vegetation once widespread in the Indian subcontinent during early Palaeogene times, are now restricted in a small area as a refugia in the southernmost part of the Western Ghat area. High precipitation and shorter periods of dry months seem to have provided suitable environment to sustain lineages of ancient tropical vegetation in this area of Western Ghats in spite of dramatic climatic changes subsequent to the post India-Asia collision and during the Quaternary and Recent times.

Occurrence of Gnathostoma spinigerum in a leopard cat from Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala.

PubMed

Lenka, Dibya Ranjan; Johns, Joju; Gopi, Jyothimol; Chandy, George; Narayanan, Priya Manakkulamparambil; Kalarikkal, Deepa Chundayil; Ravindran, Reghu

2016-06-01

The post-mortem examination of a leopard cat from Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala, died in a road accident, revealed presence of gastric tumours containing worms which were identified as Gnathostoma spinigerum based on morphological characteristics.

Outcomes of a multidisciplinary coronary heart disease prevention programme in southern India

PubMed Central

Chockalingam, Priya; Sakthi Vinayagam, N; Ezhil Vani, N; Chockalingam, V

2016-01-01

Objective Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a major cause for mortality and morbidity in India but the focus on lifestyle interventions is very low. This study aims to evaluate the role of a multidisciplinary CHD prevention programme in southern India. Methods All patients enrolled between May 2014 and March 2016 with CHD (disease group) or with risk factors but no CHD (risk group) were included. Participants attended one–two sessions per week for 6–12 weeks; each session lasted 90–120 min, including exercise and education, and was adapted to the participants' sociocultural requirements. Resting heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and functional capacity (FC) were documented at start and end of programme. Results Disease group was older (61±10 vs 51±14  years, p<0.01), had lower BMI and WC (26±4 vs 30±7 kg/m2, p<0.01; 39±4 vs 42±5 inches, p<0.01), attended more sessions (12±7 vs 6±3, p<0.0001) and had higher completion rates (82% vs 53%, p=0.02) than the risk group. Programme-completers (n=45, 67%) showed significant improvement in health-related behaviour, angina threshold (in all 8 subjects with stable angina), BMI (p=0.03), WC (p<0.01) and FC (p<0.01). Follow-up for a period of 16±6 months showed continued adherence to the healthy behaviour (n=44, 1 lost to follow-up) and maintenance of anthropometric and FC parameters. Conclusions A multidisciplinary approach to preventing CHD is lacking in India. This study shows that a comprehensive lifestyle intervention programme has significant benefits and can be incorporated in the routine management of all patients and at-risk individuals in the region. PMID:27822315

Prevalence and correlates of psychosocial conditions among people living with HIV in southern India.

PubMed

Chan, Brian T; Pradeep, Amrose; Prasad, Lakshmi; Murugesan, Vinothini; Chandrasekaran, Ezhilarasi; Kumarasamy, Nagalingeswaran; Mayer, Kenneth H

2017-06-01

Psychosocial conditions such as depression, intimate partner violence (IPV), and history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) have been associated with poor HIV-related outcomes. In India, which has the third largest HIV epidemic in the world, little is understood about the impact of psychosocial conditions on people living with HIV (PLHIV). We aimed to understand the prevalence and correlates of psychosocial conditions among PLHIV entering into HIV care at the Y.R. Gaitonde Centre for AIDS Research and Education in Chennai, India. Thirteen questions were added to the standard voluntary counseling and testing questionnaire, including the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (a depression scale) and questions assessing for CSA and IPV. We fitted logistic regression models, stratified by gender, with psychosocial condition as the outcome of interest and substance use variables and socio-demographic variables as the correlates of interest. Three hundred and eighty-three persons were enrolled into the study; of these, 253 (66%) tested positive for HIV, including 149 men and 104 women, and were included in the models. More than one-quarter (28%) of the men and 19% of the women reported at least one psychosocial condition (probable depression, CSA, or IPV). In adjusted analysis, current alcohol use was associated with greater than two times higher odds of a psychosocial condition (Adjusted Odds Ratio = 2.24, 95% CI, 1.04-4.85) among men. In conclusion, we estimated the prevalence of probable depression, CSA, and IPV among PLHIV presenting for HIV care in southern India and found that, among male PLHIV, alcohol use was associated with a markedly higher odds of reporting a psychosocial condition. Further study is needed to characterize alcohol use among male PLHIV and the possible deleterious impact of psychosocial conditions and alcohol use on HIV-related outcomes in India.

Hunting or habitat? Drivers of waterbird abundance and community structure in agricultural wetlands of southern India.

PubMed

Ramachandran, Ramesh; Kumar, Ajith; Gopi Sundar, Kolla S; Bhalla, Ravinder Singh

2017-09-01

The relative impacts of hunting and habitat on waterbird community were studied in agricultural wetlands of southern India. We surveyed wetlands to document waterbird community, and interviewed hunters to document hunting intensity, targeted species, and the motivations for hunting. Our results show that hunting leads to drastic declines in waterbird diversity and numbers, and skew the community towards smaller species. Hunting intensity, water spread, and vegetation cover were the three most important determinants of waterbird abundance and community structure. Species richness, density of piscivorous species, and medium-sized species (31-65 cm) were most affected by hunting. Out of 53 species recorded, 47 were hunted, with a preference for larger birds. Although illegal, hunting has increased in recent years and is driven by market demand. This challenges the widely held belief that waterbird hunting in India is a low intensity, subsistence activity, and undermines the importance of agricultural wetlands in waterbird conservation.

Evaluation of Workload and its Impact on Satisfaction Among Pharmacy Academicians in Southern India.

PubMed

Ahmad, Akram; Khan, Muhammad Umair; Srikanth, Akshaya B; Patel, Isha; Nagappa, Anantha Naik; Jamshed, Shazia Qasim

2015-06-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the level of workload among pharmacy academicians working in public and private sector universities in India. The study also aimed to assess the satisfaction of academicians towards their workload. A cross-sectional study was conducted for a period of 2 months among pharmacy academicians in Karnataka state of Southern India. Convenience sampling was used to select a sample and was contacted via email and/or social networking sites. Questionnaire designed by thorough review literature was used as a tool to collect data on workload (teaching, research, extracurricular services) and satisfaction. Of 214 participants, 95 returned the filled questionnaire giving the response rate of 44.39%. Private sector academicians had more load of teaching (p=0.046) and they appeared to be less involved in research activities (p=0.046) as compared to public sector academicians. More than half of the respondents (57.9%) were satisfied with their workload with Assistant Professors were least satisfied as compared to Professors (p=0.01). Overall, private sector academicians are more burdened by teaching load and also are less satisfied of their workload. Revision of private universities policies may aid in addressing this issue.

Antimicrobials for the treatment of urinary tract infection in pregnancy: practices in southern India.

PubMed

Mathai, Elizabeth; Thomas, Raja John; Chandy, Sujith; Mathai, Matthews; Bergstrom, Staffan

2004-09-01

Although urinary tract infection (UTI) in pregnancy is a common medical problem, very little is known about the susceptibility patterns of bacteria causing UTI and the prescription practices for UTI in pregnancy in low-income countries. Studies were, therefore, carried out in southern India to document the susceptibility patterns and to compare these with prescription practices. Data on susceptibility patterns of bacteria isolated in significant counts from urine of pregnant women suspected to have urinary infection were collected. Prescribing patterns for these infections were ascertained using a questionnaire. About 90% of E. coli causing UTI is still susceptible to nitrofurantoin, a relatively inexpensive and safe drug. However, less than 25% of doctors used it for treatment of cystitis. Cephalosporins were most commonly used in hospital practice for the treatment of UTI. Amoxycillin was being used widely to treat UTI in pregnancy in spite of high prevalence of resistance. There were wide variations in the duration of therapy and use of prophylaxis. Our findings indicate an urgent need for proper guidelines, dissemination of information to practitioners and supervision of antimicrobial usage in low income countries like India. Irrational and unnecessary drug use can be expensive and harmful.

Microplastic pollution in Vembanad Lake, Kerala, India: The first report of microplastics in lake and estuarine sediments in India.

PubMed

Sruthy, S; Ramasamy, E V

2017-03-01

We present the first study of microplastics in the sediments of Vembanad Lake, a Ramsar site in India. Microplastics are emerging pollutants of increasing environmental concern with a particle size of <5 mm, which originate from successive degradation of larger plastic debris or are manufactured as small granules and used in many applications. The impact of microplastics pollution on the environment and biota is not well known. Vast data exist in the literature on marine microplastics while reports on freshwater ecosystems are scarce. In this context, to examine the occurrence of microplastic particles (MPs) in the Vembanad Lake, samples were collected from ten sites and processed for microplastic extraction through density separation. Identification of the polymer components of MPs was done using micro Raman spectroscopy. MPs were recovered from all sediment samples, indicating their extensive distribution in the lake. The abundance of MPs recorded from the sediment samples is in the range of 96-496 particles m -2 with a mean abundance of 252.80 ± 25.76 particles m -2 . Low density polyethylene has been identified as the dominant type of polymer component of the MPs. As clams and fishes are the major source of protein to the local population, the presence of MPs in the lake becomes critically important, posing a severe threat of contaminating the food web of this lake. This study, being the first report from India on MPs in lake sediments, provide impetus for further research on the distribution and impact of this emerging pollutant on the biota of many aquatic systems spread across India. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A new species of pouched octopus, Cistopus Gray, 1849 (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae) from the southwest coast of India.

PubMed

Sreeja, Vijayamma; Norman, Mark D; Kumar, Appukuttannair Biju

2015-12-16

Octopuses of the genus Cistopus Gray, 1849 are commercially valuable catches in the cephalopod fisheries of India. The primary and unique diagnostic character of this genus is the possession of eight small mucous pouches embedded in the oral faces of the webs between the bases of each arm. Historically only a single species of Cistopus, C. indicus, had been reported from Indian waters. In reviewing the octopod fauna off the Kerala coast, we have detected three species of Cistopus, of which one is described here as a new species. Cistopus platinoidus sp. nov. is distinct from Cistopus species described to date (C. indicus, C. taiwanicus and C. chinensis) on the basis of sucker counts, the number and position of enlarged suckers in males, and presence/absence of a calamus. Our studies of catch composition of Kerala octopod fisheries indicate a higher diversity of target species than previously suspected, including a number of undescribed species. Taxonomic resolution and collation of biological and distributional data are required for effective monitoring and management of these valuable fisheries.

Relationship between mobility, violence and major depression among female sex workers: a cross-sectional study in southern India

PubMed Central

Patel, Sangram Kishor; Ganju, Deepika; Prabhakar, Parimi; Adhikary, Rajatashuvra

2016-01-01

Background The relationship between mobility, violence and mental health has largely been unexplored in developing countries. This study screens for signs of major depression, and assesses its association with mobility and violence among female sex workers (FSWs) in southern India. Methods Data (N=2400) for this study were used from a cross-sectional Behavioral Tracking Survey (BTS-2014) conducted among FSWs from a southern state of India as part of the Avahan programme. Major depression of FSWs was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 depression scale. Descriptive statistics, frequency, bivariate, interaction effect and multivariate logistic regression techniques were used for the analysis. Results More than one-fourth of FSWs (29%) screened positive for major depression. The likelihood of screening positive for major depression was 6 times higher among FSWs who were both mobile for sex work outside their district of residence and had experienced any violence (combined association) during the past 1 year (62% vs 19%, adjusted OR 6.1, 95% CI 4.4 to 8.6) compared with those who reported neither. The individual association results show that FSWs who reported being mobile outside the district, and FSWs who were beaten or raped in the past 1 year, were 3 times more likely to screen positive for major depression. Conclusions The findings indicate that violence and mobility are independently associated with major depression among FSWs. The combined association of mobility and violence poses a greater risk to the mental health of FSWs than their independent association. These results point to the need for creating an enabling environment for FSWs to enhance existing efforts to reduce the spread of HIV and mental health problems. The study highlights that HIV prevention efforts among FSWs in India require evidence-based research and integrated programme approaches to address mental health issues. PMID:27612536

Miocene burial and exhumation of the India-Asia collision zone in southern Tibet: response to slab dynamics and erosion

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carrapa, Barbara; Orme, D.A.; DeCelles, Peter G.; Kapp, Paul; Cosca, Michael A.; Waldrip, R.

2014-01-01

The India-Asia collision zone in southern Tibet preserves a record of geodynamic and erosional processes following intercontinental collision. Apatite fission-track and zircon and apatite (U-Th)/He data from the Oligocene–Miocene Kailas Formation, within the India-Asia collision zone, show a synchronous cooling signal at 17 ± 1 Ma, which is younger than the ca. 26–21 Ma depositional age of the Kailas Formation, constrained by U-Pb and 40Ar/39Ar geochronology, and requires heating (burial) after ca. 21 Ma and subsequent rapid exhumation. Data from the Gangdese batholith underlying the Kailas Formation also indicate Miocene exhumation. The thermal history of the Kailas Formation is consistent with rapid subsidence during a short-lived phase of early Miocene extension followed by uplift and exhumation driven by rollback and northward underthrusting of the Indian plate, respectively. Significant removal of material from the India-Asia collision zone was likely facilitated by efficient incision of the paleo–Indus River and paleo–Yarlung River in response to drainage reorganization and/or intensification of the Asian monsoon.

American College of Cardiology (ACC)'s PINNACLE India Quality Improvement Program (PIQIP)-Inception, progress and future direction: A report from the PIQIP Investigators.

PubMed

Kalra, Ankur; Glusenkamp, Nathan; Anderson, Karen; Kalra, Ram N; Kerkar, Prafulla G; Kumar, Ganesh; Maddox, Thomas M; Oetgen, William J; Virani, Salim S

2016-12-01

Cardiovascular diseases have surpassed infectious disorders to become the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in India. 1 A national-level registry comprehensively documenting the current-day prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and disease burden among patients seeking care in the outpatient setting in India is currently non-existent. With a burgeoning urban population, the cardiovascular disease burden in India is set to skyrocket, with an estimated 18 million productive years of life lost by 2030. 2 While there are limited quality improvement registries in India, for example, the Kerala acute coronary syndrome and Trivandrum heart failure registries, their focus is on in-patient care quality improvement, while the vast majority of patients with cardiovascular diseases worldwide, including India, interact with the health care system in the outpatient setting. 3,4 Recognizing this unmet need, the American College of Cardiology partnered with local stakeholders in India to establish India's first outpatient cardiovascular disease performance measurement initiative in 2011, the PINNACLE (Practice Innovation and Clinical Excellence) India Quality Improvement Program (PIQIP). 5 This manuscript discusses the inception of the PIQIP registry, the progress it has made and challenges thus far, and its future direction and the promise it holds for cardiovascular care quality improvement in India. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Recent fertility declines in China and India: a comparative view.

PubMed

Kulkarni, P M; Rani, S

1995-12-01

This paper compares fertility transitions in China and parts of India. It is argued that China experienced a more rapid and more "impressive" decline than that of India. Socioeconomic conditions in China were more conducive to fertility decline. Kerala State in India experienced a similar decline as China but at a slower pace. The birth control campaign in China is credited with an important role in speeding the transition. It is posited that the political and administrative system and economic conditions in India are not compatible with the Chinese style program strategies. Both countries had similar fertility levels in the immediate post-revolutionary period. The most rapid decline occurred during the 1970s in China. The fertility transition was almost completed by 1981. In India, the total fertility rate (TFR) declined by only 1 point between the 1950s and 1981. In China TFR declined over 3 points during 1970-81. 76.7% of the decline in China during 1970-81 is attributed to a marked decline in marital fertility in all age groups, with the exception of ages 15-19 years. The decline in India is attributed to the decline in marital fertility. Female age at marriage rose in India, but less "impressively." In 1981 the mean age at marriage in India was 18.4 years, but it was 22.8 years in China. Marital fertility among women aged older than 30 years was considerably lower in China. Both countries experienced an increase in literacy, but in China the level of literacy was much greater. Both countries faced food shortages, but China improved food availability and calorie consumption per capita. Health services also improved in both countries, but the Chinese system of "barefoot" doctors brought services with easier reach of rural populations. Political structures differed in their dominance and organization. Family planning programs were introduced earlier in India, but prevalence was 64.4% in China in 1981 and about 22% in India.

Aspiring and Aspiration Shaming: Primary Schooling, English, and Enduring Inequalities in Liberalizing Kerala (India)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathew, Leya

2018-01-01

This paper analyzes narratives about the radical socio-economic changes accompanying liberalization in India to consider how English-medium schooling is becoming an aspirational resource for non-elite parents. I suggest that aspiring is a practice of ethics that marginalized mothers mobilize to negotiate memories of deprivation and yearnings for…

Evaluation of Workload and its Impact on Satisfaction Among Pharmacy Academicians in Southern India

PubMed Central

Khan, Muhammad Umair; Srikanth, Akshaya B.; Patel, Isha; Nagappa, Anantha Naik; Jamshed, Shazia Qasim

2015-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the level of workload among pharmacy academicians working in public and private sector universities in India. The study also aimed to assess the satisfaction of academicians towards their workload. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted for a period of 2 months among pharmacy academicians in Karnataka state of Southern India. Convenience sampling was used to select a sample and was contacted via email and/or social networking sites. Questionnaire designed by thorough review literature was used as a tool to collect data on workload (teaching, research, extracurricular services) and satisfaction. Results Of 214 participants, 95 returned the filled questionnaire giving the response rate of 44.39%. Private sector academicians had more load of teaching (p=0.046) and they appeared to be less involved in research activities (p=0.046) as compared to public sector academicians. More than half of the respondents (57.9%) were satisfied with their workload with Assistant Professors were least satisfied as compared to Professors (p=0.01). Conclusion Overall, private sector academicians are more burdened by teaching load and also are less satisfied of their workload. Revision of private universities policies may aid in addressing this issue. PMID:26266133

Appearance of E1: A226V mutant Chikungunya virus in Coastal Karnataka, India during 2008 outbreak

PubMed Central

Santhosh, SR; Dash, Paban Kumar; Parida, Manmohan; Khan, Mohasin; Rao, Putcha VL

2009-01-01

Chikungunya has resurged in the form of unprecedented explosive epidemic in 2006 after a long gap in India affecting 1.39 million of persons. The disease continued for the next two consecutive years affecting 59,535 and 64,548 persons during 2007 and 2008 respectively. The 2008 outbreak being the second largest among these three years the information regarding the etiology and the mutations involved are useful for further control measures. Among the 2008 outbreaks the Coastal Karnataka accounts for the 46,510 persons. An in-depth investigation of Chikungunya epidemic of Coastal Karnataka, India, 2008 by serology, virus isolation, RT-PCR and genome sequencing revealed the presence and continued circulation of A226V mutant Chikungunya virus. The appearance of this mutant virus was found to be associated with higher prevalence of vector Aedes albopictus and the geographical proximity of coastal Karnataka with the adjoining Kerala state. This is the first report regarding the appearance of this mutation in Karnataka state of India. The present study identified the presence and association of A226V mutant virus with Chikungunya outbreak in India during 2008. PMID:19857273

Novel mutations in the CHST6 gene associated with macular corneal dystrophy in southern India.

PubMed

Warren, John F; Aldave, Anthony J; Srinivasan, M; Thonar, Eugene J; Kumar, Abha B; Cevallos, Vicky; Whitcher, John P; Margolis, Todd P

2003-11-01

To further characterize the role of the carbohydrate sulfotransferase (CHST6) gene in macular corneal dystrophy (MCD) through identification of causative mutations in a cohort of affected patients from southern India. Genomic DNA was extracted from buccal epithelium of 75 patients (51 families) with MCD, 33 unaffected relatives, and 48 healthy volunteers. The coding region of the CHST6 gene was evaluated by means of polymerase chain reaction amplification and direct sequencing. Subtyping of MCD into types I and II was performed by measuring serum levels of antigenic keratan sulfate. Seventy patients were classified as having type I MCD, and 5 patients as having type II MCD. Analysis of the CHST6 coding region in patients with type I MCD identified 11 homozygous missense mutations (Leu22Arg, His42Tyr, Arg50Cys, Arg50Leu, Ser53Leu, Arg97Pro, Cys102Tyr, Arg127Cys, Arg205Gln, His249Pro, and Glu274Lys), 2 compound heterozygous missense mutations (Arg93His and Ala206Thr), 5 homozygous deletion mutations (delCG707-708, delC890, delA1237, del1748-1770, and delORF), and 2 homozygous replacement mutations (ACCTAC 1273 GGT, and GCG 1304 AT). One patient with type II MCD was heterozygous for the C890 deletion mutation, whereas 4 possessed no CHST6 coding region mutations. A variety of previously unreported mutations in the coding region of the CHST6 gene are associated with type I MCD in a cohort of patients in southern India. An improved understanding of the genetic basis of MCD allows for earlier, more accurate diagnosis of affected individuals, and may provide the foundation for the development of novel disease treatments.

Social analysis of sex imbalance in India: before and after the implementation of the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act.

PubMed

Subramanian, S V; Selvaraj, S

2009-03-01

While the issue of sex imbalance in South Asia is well recognised, less is known about its social patterning. Social patterning in the proportion of sexes was investigated among infants in India before and after the implementation of the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act in 1996. The act regulates the misuse of technologies for sex determination of fetuses and subsequent selective abortion. Multivariable regression analysis was performed on time series data from a nationally representative sample of households with infants. The outcome was log odds of having a male infant. Household income, parental education, social caste, a variable representing periods before and after the implementation of the PNDT Act and state of residence were the main predictors of interest. The odds of having a male infant increased with income quartiles. Heads of household with post-secondary education had a higher odds ratio of having a male infant than those with no formal education. The odds of having a male infant did not differ between high and low caste groups, and was not associated with the educational attainment of the spouse. Punjab had a higher odds ratio of having a male infant compared with Kerala. Kerala, meanwhile, was not particularly different from the remaining Indian states. The odds of having a male infant were similar in the pre- and post-PNDT periods. In the post-PNDT period, the income gradient in the odds of having a male infant was substantially weakened. Social analysis of the distribution of sexes among infants in India suggests that neither improvements in socioeconomic circumstances nor introducing policies that are not aligned with societal norms and preferences are likely to normalise the sex imbalance in India.

Potential for the use of mHealth in the management of cardiovascular disease in Kerala: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Smith, Rebecca; Menon, Jaideep; Rajeev, Jaya G; Feinberg, Leo; Kumar, Raman Krishan; Banerjee, Amitava

2015-11-17

To assess the potential for using mHealth in cardiovascular disease (CVD) management in Kerala by exploring: (1) experiences and challenges of current CVD management; (2) current mobile phone use; (3) expectations of and barriers to mobile phone use in CVD management. Qualitative, semistructured, individual interviews. 5 primary health centres in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. 15 participants in total from 3 stakeholder groups: 5 patients with CVD and/or its risk factors, 5 physicians treating CVD and 5 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs). Patients were sampled for maximum variation on the basis of age, sex, CVD diagnoses and risk factors. All participants had access to a mobile phone. The main themes identified relating to the current challenges of CVD were poor patient disease knowledge, difficulties in implementing primary prevention and poor patient lifestyles. Participants noted phone calls as the main function of current mobile phone use. The expectations of mHealth use are to: improve accessibility to healthcare knowledge; provide reminders of appointments, medication and lifestyle changes; save time, money and travel; and improve ASHA job efficacy. All perceived barriers to mHealth were noted within physician interviews. These included fears of mobile phones negatively affecting physicians' roles, the usability of mobile phones, radiation and the need for physical consultations. There are three main potential uses of mHealth in this population: (1) as an educational tool, to improve health education and lifestyle behaviours; (2) to optimise the use of limited resources, by overcoming geographical barriers and financial constraints; (3) to improve use of healthcare, by providing appointment and treatment reminders in order to improve disease prevention and management. Successful mHealth design, which takes barriers into account, may complement current practice and optimise use of limited resources. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited

Design and methodology of a community-based cluster-randomized controlled trial for dietary behaviour change in rural Kerala.

PubMed

Daivadanam, Meena; Wahlstrom, Rolf; Sundari Ravindran, T K; Sarma, P S; Sivasankaran, S; Thankappan, K R

2013-07-17

Interventions targeting lifestyle-related risk factors and non-communicable diseases have contributed to the mainstream knowledge necessary for action. However, there are gaps in how this knowledge can be translated for practical day-to-day use in complex multicultural settings like that in India. Here, we describe the design of the Behavioural Intervention for Diet study, which was developed as a community-based intervention to change dietary behaviour among middle-income households in rural Kerala. This was a cluster-randomized controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of a sequential stage-matched intervention to bring about dietary behaviour change by targeting the procurement and consumption of five dietary components: fruits, vegetables, salt, sugar, and oil. Following a step-wise process of pairing and exclusion of outliers, six out of 22 administrative units in the northern part of Trivandrum district, Kerala state were randomly selected and allocated to intervention or control arms. Trained community volunteers carried out the data collection and intervention delivery. An innovative tool was developed to assess household readiness-to-change, and a household measurement kit and easy formulas were introduced to facilitate the practical side of behaviour change. The 1-year intervention included a household component with sequential stage-matched intervention strategies at 0, 6, and 12 months along with counselling sessions, telephonic reminders, and home visits and a community component with general awareness sessions in the intervention arm. Households in the control arm received information on recommended levels of intake of the five dietary components and general dietary information leaflets. Formative research provided the knowledge to contextualise the design of the study in accordance with socio-cultural aspects, felt needs of the community, and the ground realities associated with existing dietary procurement, preparation, and consumption patterns

Design and methodology of a community-based cluster-randomized controlled trial for dietary behaviour change in rural Kerala

PubMed Central

Daivadanam, Meena; Wahlstrom, Rolf; Ravindran, T.K. Sundari; Sarma, P.S.; Sivasankaran, S.; Thankappan, K.R.

2013-01-01

Background Interventions targeting lifestyle-related risk factors and non-communicable diseases have contributed to the mainstream knowledge necessary for action. However, there are gaps in how this knowledge can be translated for practical day-to-day use in complex multicultural settings like that in India. Here, we describe the design of the Behavioural Intervention for Diet study, which was developed as a community-based intervention to change dietary behaviour among middle-income households in rural Kerala. Methods This was a cluster-randomized controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of a sequential stage-matched intervention to bring about dietary behaviour change by targeting the procurement and consumption of five dietary components: fruits, vegetables, salt, sugar, and oil. Following a step-wise process of pairing and exclusion of outliers, six out of 22 administrative units in the northern part of Trivandrum district, Kerala state were randomly selected and allocated to intervention or control arms. Trained community volunteers carried out the data collection and intervention delivery. An innovative tool was developed to assess household readiness-to-change, and a household measurement kit and easy formulas were introduced to facilitate the practical side of behaviour change. The 1-year intervention included a household component with sequential stage-matched intervention strategies at 0, 6, and 12 months along with counselling sessions, telephonic reminders, and home visits and a community component with general awareness sessions in the intervention arm. Households in the control arm received information on recommended levels of intake of the five dietary components and general dietary information leaflets. Discussion Formative research provided the knowledge to contextualise the design of the study in accordance with socio-cultural aspects, felt needs of the community, and the ground realities associated with existing dietary procurement

Fertility decline and gender preference--an experience of Kerala.

PubMed

Ramakumar, R; Devi, K S

1989-12-01

Using data from 1980 Fertility Survey from Kerala, India, researchers analyzed responses from 2242 women to ascertain if gender preference existed. Acceptance of contraception differed among the 3 districts from 70.33% in Ernakulam, 68.05% in Alleppey, and 24.45% in Palghat. The acceptance rate was higher among women who had only 1 son than among those who had only 1 daughter. Further, the rate for women in Palghat with only 1 son (13.12) was almost 2 times higher than that of those with only 1 daughter (6.9). The extent of son preference was lowest in Alleppey. Generally, couples who had the preferred number of sons were more likely to choose sterilization as their method of birth control while those who continued to have daughters without the desired number of sons chose nonterminal methods. The differences between the averages of sons and daughters in terms of total family size are not very wide, however, therefore the degree of son preference has not greatly changed either family size or its composition, especially in Alleppey and Ernakulam. Even though son preference is generally strong among Hindus, the Hindus in both Alleppey and Ernakulam do not demonstrate a strong preference for sons index. On the other hand, the Hindus in Palghat are quite conservative and do demonstrate a high son preference index. Mothers who have attended a formal school for at least 5 years show little discrimination against a daughter. Ernakulam has reached the stage in the transition from a noncontracepting society to a contracepting society when the number of children of the same sex outnumber the other, couples decide to have no more children to maintain small size norms. In Alleppey, the deisre for small size families was the primary consideration for contraceptive use and son preference was secondary.

Impact of single-point GPS integrated water vapor estimates on short-range WRF model forecasts over southern India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Prashant; Gopalan, Kaushik; Shukla, Bipasha Paul; Shyam, Abhineet

2017-11-01

Specifying physically consistent and accurate initial conditions is one of the major challenges of numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. In this study, ground-based global positioning system (GPS) integrated water vapor (IWV) measurements available from the International Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) Service (IGS) station in Bangalore, India, are used to assess the impact of GPS data on NWP model forecasts over southern India. Two experiments are performed with and without assimilation of GPS-retrieved IWV observations during the Indian winter monsoon period (November-December, 2012) using a four-dimensional variational (4D-Var) data assimilation method. Assimilation of GPS data improved the model IWV analysis as well as the subsequent forecasts. There is a positive impact of ˜10 % over Bangalore and nearby regions. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model-predicted 24-h surface temperature forecasts have also improved when compared with observations. Small but significant improvements were found in the rainfall forecasts compared to control experiments.

Spectral and chemical characterization of jarosite in a palaeolacustrine depositional environment in Warkalli Formation in Kerala, South India and its implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Mahima; Rajesh, V. J.; Sajinkumar, K. S.; Sajeev, K.; Kumar, S. N.

2016-11-01

Coastal cliffs fringing the Arabian Sea near Varkala exhibits the Warkalli Formation of the Tertiary sequence of Kerala, South India, with well-marked occurrence of jarosite associated with other hydrous mineral phases of phyllosilicate family in a palaeo-lacustrine depositional environment. Sandy phyllosilicates dominate the mineral assemblage, but jarosite occurs as a prominent secondary phase formed during acid-sulphate alteration of iron sulphide in this area. Here, we discuss about the potentiality of spectroscopic techniques to identify the possible mineral phases in the collected samples. The samples from the coastal cliffs have been characterized by hyperspectral analysis (VIS-NIR-SWIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infra-red Reflectance (FTIR), Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA) and Laser Raman spectroscopy. The spectral and chemical analyses have confirmed the jarosite as natrojarosite and phyllosilicate as kaolinite. Other accessory phases have also been identified through XRD. FTIR spectroscopy has played a major role in identifying the major hydrous bonds between the minerals. VIS-NIR-SWIR spectra show several optimum spectral features at 910 nm, 1470 nm, 1849-1864 nm (in the form of a doublet), 1940 nm and 2270 nm, which could be utilised to locate jarosite in the remotely-sensed data. X-ray diffraction peaks helped in the identification of maximum number of minerals (kaolinite, smectite, quartz, feldspar, pyrite, marcasite and hematite) and the variation in jarosite content in the samples. We propose the formation of jarosite in the region by a seasonal, local and temporary development of acidic conditions. Abundance of organic matter in a fluvio-lacustrine environment has developed anaerobic conditions by removing available oxygen through decomposition of organic matter containing sulphur compounds. The sulphur thus liberated combines with hydrogen from water to develop acidic conditions and resulted in the formation of jarosite. The

Prevalence of child abuse in school environment in Kerala, India: An ICAST-CI based survey.

PubMed

Kumar, Manoj Therayil; Kumar, Sebind; Singh, Surendra P; Kar, Nilamadhab

2017-08-01

Very few studies focus on childhood abuse in developing countries and only a small fraction of such studies explicitly deal with abuse in a school environment. The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse in a school environment in a developing country. Abuse history was collected using the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) Child Abuse Screening Tool - Children's Institutional Version (ICAST-CI). Demographic variables were also collected. Student supportive measures were provided both during and after the survey. 6682 school attending adolescents in Thrissur, Kerala participated in this cross sectional self report study. One year and lifetime prevalence of physical (75.5%, 78.5%), emotional (84.5%, 85.7%) and sexual (21.0%, 23.8%) abuse was high. Abuse was considered to be present even if an individual item from these three categories was reported. Most abuse was reported as occurring 'sometimes' rather than 'many times'. More males than females reported being victims of abuse; figures for one-year prevalence were: physical abuse (83.4% vs. 61.7%), emotional abuse (89.5% vs. 75.7%), and sexual abuse (29.5% vs. 6.2%). Various factors significantly increase the likelihood of abuse-male gender, low socioeconomic status, regular use of alcohol and drugs by family member at home, and having other difficulties at school. Children tended to report abuse less frequently if they liked attending school and if they always felt safe at school. The results highlight the urgent need to address the issue of abuse in the school environment and minimize its impact. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Deep resistivity sounding studies in detecting shear zones: A case study from the southern granulite terrain of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, S. B.; Stephen, Jimmy

2006-10-01

The resistivity signatures of the major crustal scale shear zones that dissect the southern granulite terrain (SGT) of South India into discrete geological fragments have been investigated. Resistivity structures deduced from deep resistivity sounding measurements acquired with a 10 km long Schlumberger spreads yield significant insights into the resistivity distribution within the E-W trending shear system comprising the Moyar-Bhavani-Salem-Attur shear zone (MBSASZ) and Palghat-Cauvery shear zone (PCSZ). Vertical and lateral extensions of low resistivity features indicate the possible existence of weak zones at different depths throughout the shear zones. The MBSASZ characterized by very low resistivity in its deeper parts (>2500 m), extends towards the south with slightly higher resistivities to encompass the PCSZ. A major resistivity transition between the northern and southern parts is evident in the two-dimensional resistivity images. The northern Archaean granulite terrain exhibits a higher resistivity than the southern Neoproterozoic granulite terrain. Though this resistivity transition is not clear at greater depths, the extension of low resistivity zones has been well manifested. It is speculated here that a network of crustal scale shear zones in the SGT may have influenced the strength of the lithosphere.

Impact of roles of women on health in India.

PubMed

Buckshee, K

1997-07-01

India's population has more than doubled since 1961. Although India has been a leader in developing health and population policies, there have been major implementation problems due to poverty, gender discrimination, and illiteracy. Yet, three-quarters of the food produced annually in India is because of women. In 1991, only 39.3% of Indian women were literate. The literacy level of women can affect reproductive behavior, use of contraceptives, health and upbringing of children, proper hygienic practises, access to jobs and the overall status of women in the society. Early marriage and childbirth was a major determinant of women's health and was also responsible for the prevailing socioeconomic underdevelopment in India. The overall maternal mortality for India is 572.3 per 100,000 births, ranging from 14.9% in Bihar to 1.3% in Kerala. Anemia is an indirect factor in 64.4% of the maternal deaths. Trained birth attendants currently assist in about 60-80% of all births in women at the time of delivery. Socioeconomic factors are responsible for maternal deaths to a large extent - money in 18.3%, transport in 13.7%. When the mother dies it doubles the chances of death of her surviving sons and quadruples that of her daughters. Among the avoidable factors in maternal deaths, lack of antenatal care is the most important. Women, if educated and aware, can improve the health of their children by simple measures like good hygiene, exercise and dietary habits. Because of poverty, many of the young children, especially girls living on streets are easy prey for criminal prostitution rings, drug trafficking and consequences of HIV infection, and severe emotional and mental disturbances. Women are responsible for 70-80% of all the healthcare provided in India. Female healthcare providers can play an important role in educating society to recognize their health and nutrition needs. Women professionals and empowerment of women at all levels are required for improvement of the

Natural History of Cryptosporidiosis in a Birth Cohort in Southern India.

PubMed

Kattula, Deepthi; Jeyavelu, Nithya; Prabhakaran, Ashok D; Premkumar, Prasanna S; Velusamy, Vasanthakumar; Venugopal, Srinivasan; Geetha, Jayanthi C; Lazarus, Robin P; Das, Princey; Nithyanandhan, Karthick; Gunasekaran, Chandrabose; Muliyil, Jayaprakash; Sarkar, Rajiv; Wanke, Christine; Ajjampur, Sitara Swarna Rao; Babji, Sudhir; Naumova, Elena N; Ward, Honorine D; Kang, Gagandeep

2017-02-01

Cryptosporidium is a leading cause of moderate to severe childhood diarrhea in resource-poor settings. Understanding the natural history of cryptosporidiosis and the correlates of protection are essential to develop effective and sustainable approaches to disease control and prevention. Children (N = 497) were recruited at birth in semiurban slums in Vellore, India, and followed for 3 years with twice-weekly home visits. Stool samples were collected every 2 weeks and during diarrheal episodes were tested for Cryptosporidium species by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Serum samples obtained every 6 months were evaluated for seroconversion, defined as a 4-fold increase in immunoglobulin G directed against Cryptosporidium gp15 and/or Cp23 antigens between consecutive sera. Of 410 children completing follow-up, 397 (97%) acquired cryptosporidiosis by 3 years of age. PCR identified 1053 episodes of cryptosporidiosis, with an overall incidence of 0.86 infections per child-year by stool and serology. The median age for the first infection was 9 (interquartile range, 4-17) months, indicating early exposure. Although infections were mainly asymptomatic (693 [66%]), Cryptosporidium was identified in 9.4% of diarrheal episodes. The proportion of reinfected children was high (81%) and there was clustering of asymptomatic and symptomatic infections (P < .0001 for both). Protection against infection increased with the order of infection but was only 69% after 4 infections. Cryptosporidium hominis (73.3%) was the predominant Cryptosporidium species, and there was no species-specific protection. There is a high burden of endemic cryptosporidiosis in southern India. Clustering of infection is suggestive of host susceptibility. Multiple reinfections conferred some protection against subsequent infection. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

The Cauvery river basin in southern India: major challenges and possible solutions in the 21st century.

PubMed

Vanham, D; Weingartner, R; Rauch, W

2011-01-01

India is facing major challenges in its water resources management (WRM) sector. Water shortages are attributed to issues such as an explosion in population, rapid urbanization and industrialization, environmental degradation and inefficient water use, all aggravated by changing climate and its impacts on demand, supply and water quality. This paper focuses on the contemporary and future situation in the Cauvery river basin in Southern India, shared by different states, predominantly Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. As water issues largely fall under the authority of the states, inter-state water disputes have a long tradition in the Cauvery river basin. Future changes in precipitation during the two monsoon seasons will only increase these tensions. Both states depend on the arrival of these monsoon rains to water their crops and to replenish the groundwater. The paper identifies the major challenges and general possible solutions for sustainable WRM within the river basin. It synthesises the relevant literature, describes practices that should be addressed in the scope of integrated WRM--including water availability increase and demand management--and stresses the need for further quantitative analyses.

Relationship between mobility, violence and major depression among female sex workers: a cross-sectional study in southern India.

PubMed

Patel, Sangram Kishor; Ganju, Deepika; Prabhakar, Parimi; Adhikary, Rajatashuvra

2016-09-09

The relationship between mobility, violence and mental health has largely been unexplored in developing countries. This study screens for signs of major depression, and assesses its association with mobility and violence among female sex workers (FSWs) in southern India. Data (N=2400) for this study were used from a cross-sectional Behavioral Tracking Survey (BTS-2014) conducted among FSWs from a southern state of India as part of the Avahan programme. Major depression of FSWs was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 depression scale. Descriptive statistics, frequency, bivariate, interaction effect and multivariate logistic regression techniques were used for the analysis. More than one-fourth of FSWs (29%) screened positive for major depression. The likelihood of screening positive for major depression was 6 times higher among FSWs who were both mobile for sex work outside their district of residence and had experienced any violence (combined association) during the past 1 year (62% vs 19%, adjusted OR 6.1, 95% CI 4.4 to 8.6) compared with those who reported neither. The individual association results show that FSWs who reported being mobile outside the district, and FSWs who were beaten or raped in the past 1 year, were 3 times more likely to screen positive for major depression. The findings indicate that violence and mobility are independently associated with major depression among FSWs. The combined association of mobility and violence poses a greater risk to the mental health of FSWs than their independent association. These results point to the need for creating an enabling environment for FSWs to enhance existing efforts to reduce the spread of HIV and mental health problems. The study highlights that HIV prevention efforts among FSWs in India require evidence-based research and integrated programme approaches to address mental health issues. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted

Seven new species of Night Frogs (Anura, Nyctibatrachidae) from the Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot of India, with remarkably high diversity of diminutive forms

PubMed Central

Garg, Sonali; Suyesh, Robin; Sukesan, Sandeep

2017-01-01

The Night Frog genus Nyctibatrachus (Family Nyctibatrachidae) represents an endemic anuran lineage of the Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot, India. Until now, it included 28 recognised species, of which more than half were described recently over the last five years. Our amphibian explorations have further revealed the presence of undescribed species of Nights Frogs in the southern Western Ghats. Based on integrated molecular, morphological and bioacoustic evidence, seven new species are formally described here as Nyctibatrachus athirappillyensis sp. nov., Nyctibatrachus manalari sp. nov., Nyctibatrachus pulivijayani sp. nov., Nyctibatrachus radcliffei sp. nov., Nyctibatrachus robinmoorei sp. nov., Nyctibatrachus sabarimalai sp. nov. and Nyctibatrachus webilla sp. nov., thereby bringing the total number of valid Nyctibatrachus species to 35 and increasing the former diversity estimates by a quarter. Detailed morphological descriptions, comparisons with other members of the genus, natural history notes, and genetic relationships inferred from phylogenetic analyses of a mitochondrial dataset are presented for all the new species. Additionally, characteristics of male advertisement calls are described for four new and three previously known species. Among the new species, six are currently known to be geographically restricted to low and mid elevation regions south of Palghat gap in the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and one is probably endemic to high-elevation mountain streams slightly northward of the gap in Tamil Nadu. Interestingly, four new species are also among the smallest known Indian frogs. Hence, our discovery of several new species, particularly of easily overlooked miniaturized forms, reiterates that the known amphibian diversity of the Western Ghats of India still remains underestimated. PMID:28243532

Groundwater rejuvenation in parts of India influenced by water-policy change implementation.

PubMed

Bhanja, Soumendra N; Mukherjee, Abhijit; Rodell, Matthew; Wada, Yoshihide; Chattopadhyay, Siddhartha; Velicogna, Isabella; Pangaluru, Kishore; Famiglietti, James S

2017-08-07

The dwindling groundwater resource of India, supporting almost one fifth of the global population and also the largest groundwater user, has been of great concern in recent years. However, in contrary to the well documented Indian groundwater depletion due to rapid and unmanaged groundwater withdrawal, here for the first time, we report regional-scale groundwater storage (GWS) replenishment through long-term (1996-2014, using more than 19000 observation locations) in situ and decadal (2003-2014) satellite-based groundwater storage measurements in western and southern parts of India. In parts of western and southern India, in situ GWS (GWS obs ) has been decreasing at the rate of -5.81 ± 0.38 km 3 /year (in 1996-2001) and -0.92 ± 0.12 km 3 /year (in 1996-2002), and reversed to replenish at the rate of 2.04 ± 0.20 km 3 /year (in 2002-2014) and 0.76 ± 0.08 km 3 /year (in 2003-2014), respectively. Here, using statistical analyses and simulation results of groundwater management policy change effect on groundwater storage in western and southern India, we show that paradigm shift in Indian groundwater withdrawal and management policies for sustainable water utilization appear to have started replenishing the aquifers in western and southern parts of India.

An Assessment of the Impact of Climate Change in India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nair, K. S.

2009-09-01

National economy and life of millions of poor largely related to climate sensitive natural resource base and a densely populated 7500 Km long low-lying coastline make India highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Significant changes in the amount, intensity and seasonality of rainfall and extremes in temperature observed in different states are serious challenges to the securities in food, water and energy. Vagaries in monsoons and associated setbacks in agriculture that represents 35% GDP affect economy and rural life, leading to social issues like migration and spread of terrorism. Impact on forest affects the biodiversity, economy and life of tribals. Water availability in certain states has been falling sharply due to the changes in the amount as well as the seasonality of rainfall. Increase in rainfall intensity erodes topsoil in the Western Ghats Mountain and reduces the streamflow and reservoir capacity. Retreat of the Himalayan glaciers may add to the severity of hydrological extremes in the entire north India in the coming years. Irregular onset of monsoon and change in seasonality have already affected the plant biodiversity in the southern state of Kerala. Some seasonal plants became extinct because of the prolonged dry season. Almost all parts of India are increasingly becoming prone to floods or droughts. Drylands are potentially threatened by desertification. Changes in the frequency, intensity and track of cyclones and rising sea level are of serious concern in the coastal zones. Decreasing trend in fish catch in the southern coasts is linked to the changes in coastal circulation, SST and upwelling patterns. Coral environments also suffer from this. Cold waves and heat waves are becoming severe, extending to new regions and resulting in casualties. New viruses and vectors spread fatal deceases, expanding geographical extent. Climate change is likely to retard the present economic growth, because of the massive investment required for

Garnet pyroxenite from Nilgiri Block, southern India: Vestiges of a Neoarchean volcanic arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samuel, Vinod O.; Kwon, Sanghoon; Santosh, M.; Sajeev, K.

2018-06-01

Southern peninsular India preserves records of Late Neoarchean-Early Paleoproterozoic continental building and cratonization. A transect from the Paleoarchean Dharwar Craton to the Neoarchean arc magmatic complex in the Nilgiri Block across the intervening Moyar Suture Zone reveals an arc-accretionary complex composed of banded iron formation (BIF), amphibolite, metatuff, garnet-kyanite schist, metagabbro, pyroxenite and charnockite. Here we investigate the petrology, geochronology and petrogenesis of the pyroxenite and garnet-clinopyroxenite. The pyroxenite is mainly composed of orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene with local domains/pockets enriched in a clinopyroxene-garnet assemblage. Thermobarometric calculations and phase equilibria modeling suggest that the orthopyroxene- and clinopyroxene-rich domains formed at 900-1000 °C, 1-1.2 GPa whereas the garnet- and clinopyroxene-rich domains record higher pressure of about 1.8-2 GPa at similar temperature conditions (900-1000 °C). Zircon U-Pb SHRIMP dating show weighted mean 207Pb-206Pb age of 2532 ± 22 Ma, with metamorphic overgrowth at 2520 ± 27 Ma and 2478 ± 27 Ma. We propose a tectonic model involving decoupling and break-off of the oceanic plate along the southern flanks of the Dharwar Craton, which initiated oceanic plate subduction. Slab melting eventually built the Nilgiri volcanic arc on top of the over-riding plate along the flanks of the Dharwar Craton. Our study supports an active plate tectonic regime at the end of the Archean Era, aiding in the growth of paleo-continents and their assembly into stable cratons.

Fluoride in drinking water and human urine in Southern Haryana, India.

PubMed

Singh, Bhupinder; Gaur, Shalini; Garg, V K

2007-06-01

The objective of this study was to determine the fluoride content in drinking water and urine samples of adolescent males aged 11-16 years living in Southern Haryana, India. A total of 30 drinking water sources in the studied habitations were assessed for fluoride contamination. Fluoride was estimated in the urine of 400 male children randomly selected from these habitations. The fluoride concentration in drinking water and urine samples was determined using USEPA fluoride ion selective electrode method. The mean fluoride concentration in drinking water samples of Pataudi, Haily Mandi and Harsaru villages was 1.68+/-0.35, 3.22+/-1.18 and 1.78+/-0.12 mg/l, respectively. The mean urinary fluoride concentration was 2.26+/-0.024 mg/l at Pataudi, 2.48+/-0.77 mg/l at Haily Mandi and 2.43+/-0.84 mg/l at Harsaru village. The higher fluoride levels in the urine of children may be associated to higher fluoride levels in drinking water. The accuracy of measurements was assessed with known addition method in water and urine. Mean fluoride recovery was 98.0 and 99.1% in water and urine. The levels obtained were reproducible with in +/-3% error limit.

78 FR 22268 - Disease, Disability, and Injury Prevention and Control Special Emphasis Panels (SEP): Initial Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-15

...; Strengthening Surveillance for Japanese Encephalitis in India, FOA GH13-004; and Research and Technical... GH13-003; Strengthening Surveillance for Japanese Encephalitis in India, FOA GH13-004; and Research and... of Karnataka and Kerala, India, FOA GH13-003; Strengthening Surveillance for Japanese Encephalitis in...

Discrimination of iron ore deposits of granulite terrain of Southern Peninsular India using ASTER data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajendran, Sankaran; Thirunavukkarasu, A.; Balamurugan, G.; Shankar, K.

2011-04-01

This work describes a new image processing technique for discriminating iron ores (magnetite quartzite deposits) and associated lithology in high-grade granulite region of Salem, Southern Peninsular India using visible, near-infrared and short wave infrared reflectance data of Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER). Image spectra show that the magnetite quartzite and associated lithology of garnetiferrous pyroxene granulite, hornblende biotite gneiss, amphibolite, dunite, and pegmatite have absorption features around spectral bands 1, 3, 5, and 7. ASTER band ratios ((1 + 3)/2, (3 + 5)/4, (5 + 7)/6) in RGB are constructed by summing the bands representing the shoulders of absorption features as a numerator, and the band located nearest the absorption feature as a denominator to map iron ores and band ratios ((2 + 4)/3, (5 + 7)/6, (7 + 9)/8) in RGB for associated lithology. The results show that ASTER band ratios ((1 + 3)/2, (3 + 5)/4, (5 + 7)/6) in a Red-Green-Blue (RGB) color combination identifies the iron ores much better than previously published ASTER band ratios analysis. A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is applied to reduce redundant information in highly correlated bands. PCA (3, 2, and 1 for iron ores and 5, 4, 2 for granulite rock) in RGB enabled the discrimination between the iron ores and garnetiferrous pyroxene granulite rock. Thus, this image processing technique is very much suitable for discriminating the different types of rocks of granulite region. As outcome of the present work, the geology map of Salem region is provided based on the interpretation of ASTER image results and field verification work. It is recommended that the proposed methods have great potential for mapping of iron ores and associated lithology of granulite region with similar rock units of granulite regions of Southern Peninsular India. This work also demonstrates the ability of ASTER's to provide information on iron ores, which is valuable

Geographical Information System based assessment of spatiotemporal characteristics of groundwater quality of upland sub-watersheds of Meenachil River, parts of Western Ghats, Kottayam District, Kerala, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vijith, H.; Satheesh, R.

2007-09-01

Hydrogeochemistry of groundwater in upland sub-watersheds of Meenachil river, parts of Western Ghats, Kottayam, Kerala, India was used to assess the quality of groundwater for determining its suitability for drinking and agricultural purposes. The study area is dominated by rocks of Archaean age, and Charnonckite is dominated over other rocks. Rubber plantation dominated over other types of the vegetation in the area. Though the study area receives heavy rainfall, it frequently faces water scarcity as well as water quality problems. Hence, a Geographical Information System (GIS) based assessment of spatiotemporal behaviour of groundwater quality has been carried out in the region. Twenty-eight water samples were collected from different wells and analysed for major chemical constituents both in monsoon and post-monsoon seasons to determine the quality variation. Physical and chemical parameters of groundwater such as pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), total hardness (TH), chloride (Cl), nitrate (NO3) and phosphate (PO4) were determined. A surface map was prepared in the ArcGIS 8.3 (spatial analyst module) to assess the quality in terms of spatial variation, and it showed that the high and low regions of water quality varied spatially during the study period. The influence of lithology over the quality of groundwater is negligible in this region because majority of the area comes under single lithology, i.e. charnockite, and it was found that the extensive use of fertilizers and pesticides in the rubber, tea and other agricultural practices influenced the groundwater quality of the region. According to the overall assessment of the basin, all the parameters analysed are below the desirable limits of WHO and Indian standards for drinking water. Hence, considering the pH, the groundwater in the study area is not suitable for drinking but can be used for irrigation, industrial and domestic purposes. The spatial analysis of groundwater quality patterns of the study area shows

The Benefits of the E-Learning Agricultural Project Kissankerala to Digital Immigrants and Digital Natives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roy V., Manoj; Ghosh, Chimoy Kumar

2013-01-01

In recent times Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been able to make inroads into the ways information is disseminated among those involved in direct farming and farming related enterprises. This paper arose from a two-year study of the KissanKerala, the e-learning project underway in Kerala, a small state in India. It is more…

Coverage gap in maternal and child health services in India: assessing trends and regional deprivation during 1992-2006.

PubMed

Kumar, Chandan; Singh, Prashant Kumar; Rai, Rajesh Kumar

2013-12-01

Increasing the coverage of key maternal, newborn and child health interventions is essential, if India has to attain Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5. This study assesses the coverage gap in maternal and child health services across states in India during 1992-2006 emphasizing the rural-urban disparities. Additionally, association between the coverage gap and under-5 mortality rate across states are illustrated. The three waves of National Family Health Survey (NFHS) conducted during 1992-1993 (NFHS-1), 1998-1999 (NFHS-2) and 2005-2006 (NFHS-3) were used to construct a composite index of coverage gap in four areas of health-care interventions: family planning, maternal and newborn care, immunization and treatment of sick children. The central, eastern and northeastern regions of India reported a higher coverage gap in maternal and child health care services during 1992-2006, while the rural-urban difference in the coverage gap has increased in Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan and Kerala over the period. The analysis also shows a significant positive relationship between the coverage gap index and under-five mortality rate across states. Region or area-specific focus in order to increase the coverage of maternal and child health care services in India should be the priority of the policy-makers and programme executors.

REJECTION OF CHRONIC SCHIZOPHRENIC PATIENTS : SOME PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS FROM KERALA

PubMed Central

Manickam, L. Sam S.; Chandran, Satheesh R.

1998-01-01

A study was conducted on 57 relatives (34 male and 23 female) of 57 (32 male and 25 female) schizophrenic patients in Kerala. The rejection response was found to be related to gender of patients and relatives, being significantly higher in males. The test reliability alpha of the Patient Rejection Scale was found to be 0.93 and it is higher than English and German version of the scale. Compared to the German and New York sample, the present sample tend to have high rejection feeling. PMID:21494484

Work status and health of women: a comparative study of northern and southern states of rural India.

PubMed

Basu, Sharmishtha; Sidh, Shiv Narayan

2008-01-01

The paper examines the net effect of work status on women's health and whether the effect persists after controlling for the influence of socio-economic factors. Our hypothesis is that working women face a greater risk of morbidity and mortality, given that most would be expected to shoulder dual responsibilities: market and household. The paper also examines whether the risk varies across regions. In particular, we examine whether the work status-health relationship differs between the southern and northern regions of India, which are known to be distinct in female autonomy. While women in India face many serious health concerns, this analysis focuses on only two issues: nutritional status (as measured by body mass index and prevalence of anemia) and reproductive health (as assessed by the presence of reproductive health problems) of women from villages in the study area. Results show that though both work status and socio-economic factors influence health status, the latter are more important; most of the gross effect of work status is due to socio-economic conditions rather than work participation. This calls for policy intervention in providing better health facilities, female education and supplementary nutrition programs for poor women.

Molecular characterization of Orientia tsutsugamushi serotypes causing scrub typhus outbreak in southern region of Andhra Pradesh, India.

PubMed

Usha, K; Kumar, E; Kalawat, Usha; Kumar, B Siddhartha; Chaudhury, A; Gopal, D V R Sai

2016-10-01

Scrub typhus is a vector-borne zoonotic infection caused by Orientiatsutsugamushi. Local epidemiology of the circulating serotypes of scrub typhus is not available from most parts of India. We conducted this study for the diagnosis of scrub typhus using IgM ELISA and to detect O. tsutsugamushi serotypes circulating in southern Andhra Pradesh, India. Samples were collected from patients clinically suspected to have scrub typhus and were subjected to IgM ELISA to measure IgM antibodies against O. tsutsugamushi. Nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed targeting strain-specific regions in ELISA-positive samples. Of a total of 663 samples, 258 (38.91%) were found to be positive by IgM ELISA. Serotypes could be detected in 230 (34.69%) samples only. Only two serotypes, Karp and Kawasaki, were found in the serum samples, with the former being predominant. The dual infection of Karp and Kawasaki serotypes was found in seven patients. Other serotypes such as Gilliam, Kuroki and Kato were not detected in the samples. The nested PCR products proved useful in presumptively identifying the endemic O. tsutsugamushi serotypes. The present study could be significant in understanding scrub typhus epidemiology in this region.

Physician Practices In Response To Intimate Partner Violence In Southern India: Insights From A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Chibber, Karuna Sridharan; Krishnan, Suneeta; Minkler, Meredith

2011-01-01

Health care providers in India are often the only institutional contact for women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV), a pervasive public health problem with adverse health outcomes. This qualitative study was among the first to examine Indian primary care physicians’ IPV practices. Between July 2007 and January 2008, 30 in-depth interviews were conducted with physicians serving low-to-middle income women aged 18–30 in southern India. A modified grounded theory approach was used for data collection and analysis. Study findings revealed a distinct subset of ‘physician champions’ who responded to IPV more consistently, informed women of their rights, and facilitated their utilization of support services. Findings also offered insights into physicians’ ability to identify indications of IPV and use of potentially culturally appropriate practices to respond to IPV, even without training. However, physician practices were mediated by individual attitudes. Although not generalizable, findings offer some useful lessons which may be transferable for adaptation to other settings. A potential starting point is to study physicians’ current practices, focusing on their safety and efficacy, as well as enhancing these practices through appropriate training. Further research is also needed on women’s perspectives on the appropriateness of physicians’ practices, and women’s recommendations for IPV intervention strategies. PMID:21476176

Perception and prevalence of work-related health hazards among health care workers in public health facilities in southern India.

PubMed

Senthil, Arasi; Anandh, Balasubramanian; Jayachandran, Palsamy; Thangavel, Gurusamy; Josephin, Diana; Yamini, Ravindran; Kalpana, Balakrishnan

2015-01-01

Health care workers (HCWs) are exposed to occupational related health hazards. Measuring worker perception and the prevalence of these hazards can help facilitate better risk management for HCWs, as these workers are envisaged to be the first point of contact, especially in resource poor settings. To describe the perception of occupational health hazards and self-reported exposure prevalence among HCWs in Southern India. We used cross sectional design with stratified random sampling of HCWs from different levels of health facilities and categories in a randomly selected district in Southern India. Data on perception and exposure prevalence were collected using a structured interview schedule developed by occupational health experts and administered by trained investigators. A total of 482 HCWs participated. Thirty nine percent did not recognize work-related health hazards, but reported exposure to at least one hazard upon further probing. Among the 81·5% who reported exposure to biological hazard, 93·9% had direct skin contact with infectious materials. Among HCWs reporting needle stick injury, 70·5% had at least one in the previous three months. Ergonomic hazards included lifting heavy objects (42%) and standing for long hours (37%). Psychological hazards included negative feelings (20·3%) and verbal or physical abuse during work (20·5%). More than a third of HCWs failed to recognize work-related health hazards. Despite training in handling infectious materials, HCWs reported direct skin contact with infectious materials and needle stick injuries. RESULTS indicate the need for training oriented toward behavioral change and provision of occupational health services.

Taiwanascus samuelsii sp. nov., an addition to Niessliaceae from the Western Ghats, Kerala, India

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A new species of Taiwanascus, T. samuelsii, was collected from southern parts of Western Ghats on dead branches of Anacardium occidentale and is described. The new cleistothecial ascomycete is different from the type and only species in Taiwanascus, T. tetrasporus, in cleistothecial size, setae, and...

Attenuation Characteristics of High Frequency Seismic Waves in Southern India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sivaram, K.; Utpal, Saikia; Kanna, Nagaraju; Kumar, Dinesh

2017-07-01

We present a systematic study of seismic attenuation and its related Q structure derived from the spectral analysis of P-, S-waves in the southern India. The study region is separated into parts of EDC (Eastern Dharwar Craton), Western Dharwar Craton (WDC) and Southern Granulite Terrain (SGT). The study is carried out in the frequency range 1-20 Hz, using a single-station spectral ratio technique. We make use of about 45 earthquakes, recorded in a network of about 32 broadband 3-component seismograph-stations, having magnitudes ( M L) varying from 1.6 to 4.5, to estimate the average seismic body wave attenuation quality factors; Q P and Q S. Their estimated average values are observed to be fitting to the power law form of Q = Q 0 f n . The averaged power law relations for Southern Indian region (as a whole) are obtained as Q P = (95 ± 1.12) f (1.32±0.01); Q S = (128 ± 1.84) f (1.49±0.01). Based on the stations and recorded local earthquakes, for parts of EDC, WDC and SGT, the average power law estimates are obtained as: Q P = (97 ± 5) f (1.40±0.03), Q S = (116 ± 1.5) f (1.48±0.01) for EDC region; Q P = (130 ± 7) f (1.20±0.03), Q S = (103 ± 3) f (1.49±0.02) for WDC region; Q P = (68 ± 2) f (1.4±0.02), Q S = (152 ± 6) f (1.48±0.02) for SGT region. These estimates are weighed against coda Q ( Q C) estimates, using the coda decay technique, which is based on a weak backscattering of S-waves. A major observation in the study of body wave analysis is the low body wave Q ( Q 0 < 200), moderately high value of the frequency-exponent, ` n' (>0.5) and Q S/ Q P ≫ 1, suggesting lateral stretches of dominant scattering mode of seismic wave propagation. This primarily could be attributed to possible thermal anomalies and spread of partially fluid-saturated rock-masses in the crust and upper mantle of the southern Indian region, which, however, needs further laboratory studies. Such physical conditions might partly be correlated to the active seismicity and

Development of a Tool to Stage Households' Readiness to Change Dietary Behaviours in Kerala, India.

PubMed

Daivadanam, Meena; Ravindran, T K Sundari; Thankappan, K R; Sarma, P S; Wahlström, Rolf

2016-01-01

Dietary interventions and existing health behaviour theories are centred on individuals; therefore, none of the available tools are applicable to households for changing dietary behaviour. The objective of this pilot study was to develop a practical tool that could be administered by community volunteers to stage households in rural Kerala based on readiness to change dietary behaviour. Such a staging tool, comprising a questionnaire and its algorithm, focusing five dietary components (fruits, vegetables, salt, sugar and oil) and households (rather than individuals), was finalised through three consecutive pilot validation sessions, conducted over a four-month period. Each revised version was tested with a total of 80 households (n = 30, 35 and 15 respectively in the three sessions). The tool and its comparator, Motivational Interviewing (MI), assessed the stage-of-change for a household pertaining to their: 1) fruit and vegetable consumption behaviour; 2) salt, sugar and oil consumption behaviour; 3) overall readiness to change. The level of agreement between the two was tested using Kappa statistics to assess concurrent validity. A value of 0.7 or above was considered as good agreement. The final version was found to have good face and content validity, and also a high level of agreement with MI (87%; weighted kappa statistic: 0.85). Internal consistency testing was performed using Cronbach's Alpha, with a value between 0.80 and 0.90 considered to be good. The instrument had good correlation between the items in each section (Cronbach's Alpha: 0.84 (fruit and vegetables), 0.85 (salt, sugar and oil) and 0.83 (Overall)). Pre-contemplation was the most difficult stage to identify; for which efficacy and perceived cooperation at the household level were important. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first staging tool for households. This tool represents a new concept in community-based dietary interventions. The tool can be easily administered by lay community

HIV type 1 genotypic variation in an antiretroviral treatment-naive population in southern India.

PubMed

Balakrishnan, Pachamuthu; Kumarasamy, Nagalingeswaran; Kantor, Rami; Solomon, Suniti; Vidya, Sundararajan; Mayer, Kenneth H; Newstein, Michael; Thyagarajan, Sadras P; Katzenstein, David; Ramratnam, Bharat

2005-04-01

Most studies of HIV-1 drug resistance have examined subtype B viruses; fewer data are available from developing countries, where non-B subtypes predominate. We determined the prevalence of mutations at protease and reverse transcriptase drug resistance positions in antiretroviral drug-naive individuals in southern India. The pol region of the genome was amplified from plasma HIV-1 RNA in 50 patients. All sequences clustered with HIV-1 subtype C. All patients had at least one protease and/or RT mutation at a known subtype B drug resistance position. Twenty percent of patients had mutations at major protease inhibitor resistance positions and 100% had mutations at minor protease inhibitor resistance positions. Six percent and 14% of patients had mutations at nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor and/or nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor resistance positions, respectively. Larger scale studies need to be undertaken to better define the genotypic variation of circulating Indian subtype C viruses and their potential impact on drug susceptibility and clinical outcome in treated individuals.

Petrology and geochemistry of the high-pressure Nilgiri Granulite Terrane, Southern India

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srikantappa, C.; Ashamanjari, K. G.; Raith, M.

1988-01-01

The Nilgiri granulite terrane in Southern India is predominantly composed of late Archaean medium- to coarse-grained enderbitic to charnockitic rocks. The dominant regional foliation strikes N60 to 70E with generally steep dips. Tight minor isoclinal folds have been observed in places. Granoblastic polygonal micro-structures are common and indicate thorough post-kinematic textural and chemical equilibration at conditions of the granulite facies (2.5 Ga ago). Late compressional deformation in connection with the formation of the Moyar and Bhavani shear zones to the north and south of the Nilgiri block, resulted in wide-spread development of weakly to strongly strained fabrics and was accompanied by minor rehydration. Enderbites and charnockites range from tonalitic to granodioritic in composition. A magmatogenic origin of the protoliths is inferred from their chemical characteristics which resemble those of the andesitic to dacitic members of Cordillera-type calc-alkaline igneous suites. A significant lithological feature of the Nilgiri granulite terrane are numerous extended bodies, lenses and pods of gabbroic and pyroxenitic rocks which are aligned conformable to the foliation of the enderbite-charnockite complex and which have also been deformed and metamorphosed at granulite facies conditions.

Cryogenian (˜830 Ma) mafic magmatism and metamorphism in the northern Madurai Block, southern India: A magmatic link between Sri Lanka and Madagascar?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teale, William; Collins, Alan S.; Foden, John; Payne, Justin L.; Plavsa, Diana; Chetty, T. R. K.; Santosh, M.; Fanning, Mark

2011-08-01

The northern Madurai Block, southern India, lies directly south of, and partly deformed by, the Palghat-Cauvery Shear Zone System (PCSS) - a potential suture of the Neoproterozoic Mozambique Ocean. The Kadavur gabbro-anorthosite complex lies south of the PCSS, in the northern Madurai Block, and crystallized at 829 ± 14 Ma (LA-ICPMS zircon data) in a supra-subduction zone setting. The complex contains zircon ɛHf(t) values of -12.5 to -8.6 that represent Palaeoproterozoic T(DM) model ages (2.3-2.5 Ga). These broadly agree with a whole rock neodymium T(DM) model age of 2287 Ma. Oxygen isotope δ 18O ratios range from 5.82‰ and 6.74‰. The parental magma for the gabbro-anorthosites are interpreted to be derived from a juvenile Neoproterozoic mantle contaminated by Mesoarchaean igneous infra-crustal sources. The gabbro-anorthosites intrude quartzites with dominantly Palaeoproterozoic detrital zircons that contain Neoarchaean and Mesoarchaean hafnium model ages. These quartzite zircons contain metamorphic rims that yield an age of 843 ± 23 Ma demonstrating the autochthonous nature of the gabbro-anorthosite complex. Later felsic magmatism is recorded by the 766 ± 8 Ma crystallisation age of the protolith of a felsic gneiss. Cryogenian magmatism in the Madurai Block is interpreted to form part of an extensive arc magmatic province within the southern East African Orogen that can be traced from central Madagascar, through southern India to the Wanni Complex of Sri Lanka. This province is interpreted to have formed above a south/west dipping subduction system as the Mozambique Ocean was subducted under the Neoproterozoic continent Azania.

Inhalation exposures due to radon and thoron ((222)Rn and (220)Rn): Do they differ in high and normal background radiation areas in India?

PubMed

Mishra, Rosaline; Sapra, B K; Prajith, R; Rout, R P; Jalaluddin, S; Mayya, Y S

2015-09-01

In India, High Background Radiation Areas (HBRAs) due to enhanced levels of naturally occurring radionuclides in soil (thorium and, to a lesser extent, uranium), are located along some parts of the coastal tracts viz. the coastal belt of Kerala, Tamilnadu and Odisha. It is conjectured that these deposits will result in higher emissions of radon isotopes ((222)Rn and (220)Rn) and their daughter products as compared to Normal Background Radiation Areas (NBRAs). While the annual external dose rates contributed by gamma radiations in these areas are about 5-10 times higher, the extent of increase in the inhalation dose rates attributable to (222)Rn and (220)Rn and their decay products is not well quantified. Towards this, systematic indoor surveys were conducted wherein simultaneous measurements of time integrated (222)Rn and (220)Rn gas and their decay product concentrations was carried out in around 800 houses in the HBRAs of Kerala and Odisha to estimate the inhalation doses. All gas measurements were carried out using pin-hole cup dosimeters while the progeny measurements were with samplers and systems based on the Direct radon/thoron Progeny sensors (DRPS/DTPS). To corroborate these passive measurements of decay products concentrations, active sampling was also carried out in a few houses. The results of the surveys provide a strong evidence to conclude that the inhalation doses due to (222)Rn and (220)Rn gas and their decay products in these HBRAs are in the same range as observed in the NBRAs in India. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perception and prevalence of work-related health hazards among health care workers in public health facilities in southern India

PubMed Central

Senthil, Arasi; Anandh, Balasubramanian; Jayachandran, Palsamy; Thangavel, Gurusamy; Josephin, Diana; Yamini, Ravindran; Kalpana, Balakrishnan

2015-01-01

Background: Health care workers (HCWs) are exposed to occupational related health hazards. Measuring worker perception and the prevalence of these hazards can help facilitate better risk management for HCWs, as these workers are envisaged to be the first point of contact, especially in resource poor settings. Objective: To describe the perception of occupational health hazards and self-reported exposure prevalence among HCWs in Southern India. Methods: We used cross sectional design with stratified random sampling of HCWs from different levels of health facilities and categories in a randomly selected district in Southern India. Data on perception and exposure prevalence were collected using a structured interview schedule developed by occupational health experts and administered by trained investigators. Results: A total of 482 HCWs participated. Thirty nine percent did not recognize work-related health hazards, but reported exposure to at least one hazard upon further probing. Among the 81·5% who reported exposure to biological hazard, 93·9% had direct skin contact with infectious materials. Among HCWs reporting needle stick injury, 70·5% had at least one in the previous three months. Ergonomic hazards included lifting heavy objects (42%) and standing for long hours (37%). Psychological hazards included negative feelings (20·3%) and verbal or physical abuse during work (20·5%). Conclusion: More than a third of HCWs failed to recognize work-related health hazards. Despite training in handling infectious materials, HCWs reported direct skin contact with infectious materials and needle stick injuries. Results indicate the need for training oriented toward behavioral change and provision of occupational health services. PMID:25482656

Assessment of Water Sustainability Index Using Reliability-Resilience-Vulnerability Criteria Considering Climatic Variation over India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lakshmi, V.; Mondal, A.; Kundu, S.

2016-12-01

Abstract:Precipitation can be considered as a key factor in Water Resources Sustainability (WRS). In India, WRS varies with widely varying distribution of precipitation. The economy of the India is based on agricultural production which mainly depends on rainfall. The main focus of the paper is assessment of Water Sustainability based on Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) method for evaluating drought and non-drought conditionsin India using a precipitation data of a long time period (1871-2014). The study area has been divided into thirty sub-regions on the basis homogeneity pattern of rainfall distribution. The performance criteria such as, Reliability, Resilience, Vulnerability and Relative Vulnerability (RV) have been applied in this study. The ranges of water sustainably (WS), vulnerability, relative vulnerability and drought resilience are 0.26 to 0.67, 0.52 to 1.06, 0.22 to 0.61 and 0.72 to 1 respectively. Specifically, WS of Gangetic West Bengal, Naga-Mani-Mizo-trip, Konkan-Goa, Chattisgarh and Kerala are less (0.26, 0.31, 0.35, 0.38 and 0.38 respectively) while Punjab, Marathwada, West Rajasthan and Vidarbha are more (0.57, 0.60, 0.67 and 0.57 respectively).Finally, WS and RV have shown negative correlation (R2=0.86) while WS and drought resilience have shown positive correlation (R2=0.60). The results have clearly illustrated a scenario of entire India, which can be helpful in agricultural management in future. Key Words: Sustainability, SPI, Reliability, Resilience, Vulnerability

"India Population Projects" in Karnataka.

PubMed

Reddy, P H; Badari, V S

1991-12-01

An overview, objectives, implementation, and research and evaluation studies of 2 India Population Projects in Karnataka are presented. The India Population Project I (IPP-I) was conducted in Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. India Population Project III (IPP-III) took place between 1984-92 in 6 districts of Karnataka: Belgaum, Bijapur, Dharwad, Bidar, Gulbarga, and Raichur, and 4 districts in Kerala. The 6 districts in Karnataka accounted for 36% (13.2 million) of the total national population. The project cost was Rs. 713.1 million which was shared by the World Bank, and the Indian national and regional government. Due to poor past performance, these projects were undertaken to improve health and family welfare status. Specific project objectives are outlined. IPP-I included an urban component, and optimal Government of India program, and an intensive rural initiative. The urban program aimed to improved pre- and postnatal services and facilities, and the family planning (FP) in Bangalore city. The rural program was primarily to provide auxiliary nurse-midwives and hospitals and clinics, and also supplemental feeding program for pregnant and nursing mothers and children up to 2 years. The government program provided FP staff and facilities. IPP-I had 3 units to oversee building construction, to recruit staff and provide supplies and equipment, and to establish a Population Center. IPP-III was concerned with service delivery; information, education, and communication efforts (IEC) and population education; research and evaluation; and project management. Both projects contributed significantly to improving the infrastructure. A brief account of the types and kinds of studies undertaken is given. Studies were grouped into longitudinal studies of fertility, mortality, and FP; management information and evaluation systems for health and family welfare programs; experimental strategies; and other studies. Research and evaluation studies in IPP-III encompassed studies in

Relative Contribution of Monsoon Precipitation and Pumping to Changes in Groundwater Storage in India

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Asoka, Akarsh; Gleeson, Tom; Wada, Yoshihide; Mishra, Vimal

2017-01-01

The depletion of groundwater resources threatens food and water security in India. However, the relative influence of groundwater pumping and climate variability on groundwater availability and storage remains unclear. Here we show from analyses of satellite and local well data spanning the past decade that long-term changes in monsoon precipitation are driving groundwater storage variability in most parts of India either directly by changing recharge or indirectly by changing abstraction. We find that groundwater storage has declined in northern India at the rate of 2 cm/yr and increased by 1 to 2 cm/yr in southern India between 2002 and 2013. We find that a large fraction of the total variability in groundwater storage in north-central and southern India can be explained by changes in precipitation. Groundwater storage variability in northwestern India can be explained predominantly by variability in abstraction for irrigation, which is in turn influenced by changes in precipitation. Declining precipitation in northern India is linked to Indian Ocean warming, suggesting a previously unrecognized teleconnection between ocean temperatures and groundwater storage.

Rheumatic Heart Disease in Kerala: A Vanishing Entity? An Echo Doppler Study in 5-15-Years-Old School Children.

PubMed

Nair, Bigesh; Viswanathan, Sunitha; Koshy, A George; Gupta, Prabha Nini; Nair, Namita; Thakkar, Ashok

2015-01-01

Background. Early detection of subclinical rheumatic heart disease by use of echocardiography warrants timely implementation of secondary antibiotic prophylaxis and thereby prevents or retards its related complications. Objectives. The objective of this epidemiological study was to determine prevalence of RHD by echocardiography using World Heart Federation criteria in randomly selected school children of Trivandrum. Methods. This was a population-based cross-sectional screening study carried out in Trivandrum. A total of 2060 school children, 5-15 years, were randomly selected from five government and two private (aided) schools. All enrolled children were screened for RHD according to standard clinical and WHF criteria of echocardiography. Results. Echocardiographic examinations confirmed RHD in 5 children out of 146 clinically suspected cases. Thus, clinical prevalence was found to be 2.4 per 1000. According to WHF criteria of echocardiography, 12 children (12/2060) were diagnosed with RHD corresponding to echocardiographic prevalence of 5.83 cases per 1000. As per criteria, 6 children were diagnosed with definite RHD and 6 with borderline RHD. Conclusions. The results of the current study demonstrate that echocardiography is more sensitive and feasible in detecting clinically silent RHD. Our study, the largest school survey of south India till date, points towards declining prevalence of RHD (5.83/1000 cases) using WHF criteria in Kerala.

Characterisation of organic matter source and sediment distribution in Ashtamudi Estuary, southern India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Prem; Ankit, Yadav; Mishra, Praveen K.; Jha, Deepak Kumar; Anoop, Ambili

2017-04-01

In the present study we have focussed on the surface sediments of Ashtamudi Estuary (southern India) to understand (i) the fate and sources of organic matter by investigating lipid biomarker (n-alkanes) distribution in modern sediments and vegetation samples and (ii) the processes controlling the sediment distribution into the lake basin using end-member modelling approach. The sediment n-alkanes from the Ashtamudi Estuary exhibit a pronounced odd over even predominance with maxima at C29 and C31 chain length indicative of a dominant terrestrial contribution. A number of n-alkane indices have been calculated to illustrate the variability in space by considering separately the river dominated northern reaches and tidal influenced southern part of Ashtamudi Estuary. The highest terrigenous organic contents were found in sediments from the river and upper bay sites, with smaller contributions to the lower parts of the estuary. The Paq and TAR (terrigenous/aquatic ratio) indices demonstrate maximum aquatic productivity (plankton growth and submerged macrophytes) in the tidal dominated region of the Ashtamudi Estuary. The carbon preference index (CPI) and average chain length (ACL) provide evidence for high petrogenic organic inputs in the tidal zone, whereas dominant biogenic contribution have been observed in the riverine zone. In addition, the end member modeling of the grain size distribution of the surface sediment samples enabled us to decipher significant sedimentological processes affecting the sediment distribution in the estuarine settings. The end-member distribution showing highest loading with the coarser fraction is maximum where estuary debouches into the sea. However, the samples near the mouth of the river shows finer fraction of the end-member.

Determinants of nutritional status of pre-school children in India.

PubMed

Bharati, Susmita; Pal, Manoranjan; Bharati, Premananda

2008-11-01

The aim of this paper is to assess the spatial distribution of nutritional status of children of less than three years through Z-scores of weight-for-age, height-for-age and weight-for-height using data collected by the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-2, 1998-99), India. The nutritional status of pre-school children was regressed on different socio-demographic factors after eliminating the effect of age. The data show that there are gender differences and spatial variations in the nutritional status of children in India. Gender difference is not very pronounced and almost disappears when the effects of age and socio-demographic variables are removed. The spatial difference, especially the rural-urban difference, was found to be very large and decreased substantially when the effects of age and socioeconomic variables were removed. However, the differences were not close to zero. All the variables were found to affect significantly the nutritional status of children. However, the literacy of mothers did not affect height-for-age significantly. The weight-for-age and height-for-age scores showed a dismal picture of the health condition of children in almost all states in India. The worst affected states are Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh. Assam and Rajasthans are also lagging behind. Weight-for-height scores do not give a clear picture of state-wise variation. Goa, Kerala and Punjab are the three most developed states in India and also have the lowest percentages of underweight children according to the Z-scores. Along with these three states come the north-eastern states where women are well educated. Thus overall development, enhancement of level of education and low gender inequality are the key factors for improvement in the health status of Indian children.

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

Depression among AIDS-orphaned children higher than among other orphaned children in southern India

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Systematic data on mental health issues among orphaned children are not readily available in India. This study explored depression and its associated risk factors among orphaned children in Hyderabad city in south India. Methods 400 orphaned children drawn equally from AIDS and non-AIDS orphan groups aged 12–16 years residing in orphanages in and around Hyderabad city in southern India were recruited to assess depression and associated risk factors using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-DC). Variation in the intensity of depression was assessed using multiple classification analysis (MCA). Results 397 (99%) orphans provided complete interviews in the study of whom 306 (76.5%) were aged 12 to 14 years, and 206 (51.8%) were paternal orphans. Children orphaned by AIDS were significantly more likely to report being bullied by friends or relatives (50.3%) and report experiencing discrimination (12.6%) than those orphaned due to other reasons (p < 0.001). The overall prevalence of depression score >15 with CES-DC was 74.1% (95% CI 69.7-78.4) with this being significantly higher for children orphaned by AIDS (84.4%, 95% CI 79.4 – 89.5) than those due to other reasons (63.6%, 95% CI 56.9 – 70.4). Mean depression score was significantly higher for children orphaned by AIDS (34.6) than the other group (20.6; p < 0.001). Among the children orphaned by AIDS, the bulk of depression score was clustered in 12–14 years age groups whereas in the children orphaned by other reasons it was clustered in the 15–16 years age group (p = 0.001). MCA analysis showed being a child orphaned by AIDS had the highest effect on the intensity of depression (Beta = 0.473). Conclusions Children orphaned by AIDS had significantly higher depressive symptoms than the other orphaned children. These findings could be used for further planning of mental health interventions to meet the mental health needs of orphaned children, that could

Greater India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Jason R.; Aitchison, Jonathan C.

2005-10-01

"Greater India" is an 80-yr-old concept that has been used by geoscientists in plate tectonic models of the India-Asia collision system. Numerous authors working on the orogen and/or plate models of the broader region have added various sized chunks of continental lithosphere to the now northern edge of their reconstructed Indian plate. Prior to plate tectonic theory, Emile Argand (1924) [Argand, E., 1924. La tectonique de l' Asie. Proc. 13th Int. Geol. Cong. 7 (1924), 171-372.] and Arthur Holmes (1965) [Holmes, A., 1965. Principles of Physical Geology, Second Edition. The Ronald Press Company, New York, 1128.] thought that the Himalayan Mountains and Tibetan Plateau had been raised due to the northern edge of the Indian craton under-thrusting the entire region. Since the advent of plate tectonic theory, Greater India proposals have been based principally on three lines of logic. One group of workers has added various amounts of continental lithosphere to India as part of their Mesozoic Gondwana models. A second form of reconstruction is based on Himalayan crustal-shortening estimates. A third body of researchers has used India continent extensions as means of allowing initial contact between the block and the Eurasian backstop plate in southern Tibet to take place at various times between the Late Cretaceous and late Eocene in what we call "fill-the-gap" solutions. The Indian craton and the southern edge of Eurasia were almost invariably some distance from one another when the collision was supposed to have started; extensions to the sub-continent were used to circumvent the problem. Occasionally, Greater India extensions have been based on a combination of fill-the-gap and shortening estimate arguments. In this paper, we exhume and re-examine the key Greater India proposals. From our analysis, it is clear that many proponents have ignored key information regarding the sub-continent's pre break-up position within Gondwana and the bathymetry of the Indian Ocean

Relating Difficulty in School Mathematics to Nature of Mathematics: Perception of High School Students from Kerala

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gafoor, Kunnathodi Abdul; Sarabi, M. K.

2015-01-01

This study relates factors in nature of Mathematics and its teaching learning to student difficulties for diverse mathematics tasks. Descriptive survey was done on a sample of 300 high school students in Kerala with a questionnaire on difficulties in learning. Student perception of difficulty on 26 types of tasks, under five heads that students…

Gulf money in Kerala: coping with the problems of plenty.

PubMed

Kurian, R; Thakore, D

The recent phenomenon of emigration from Kerala to the Gulf countries and the increasing inflow of remittances is having a tremendous impact on Kerala's economy. The state planning board reports that the remittances from the Gulf to this tiny state are Rs. 400 crones/year. An annual inflow of this amount cannot help influence the fortunes of the population. Although emigration from Kerala is not new, the current outflow reached massive proportions only in the wake of the intensive construction boom in the West Asian countries, after a huge volume of petro dollars flowed into those countries in the aftermath of the 1973 hike in oil price. In December 1977 a total of 135,000 Keralities were employed in foreign countries, mainly in West Asia. These adventurous migrants, in their quest for a wage, emigrated mainly from 4 areas in the state: Varkala in Trivandrum district; Thiruvalla in Alleppey district; Chavakkad in Trichur district; and almost all parts of Malappuram district. The bulk of the remittances are sent to households and next of kin concentrated in these areas. This unprecedented inflow of remittances has kindled the hopes of politicians and administrators of tapping these resources to solve the problems of economic development of the state. 1 category of emigrants come from poor households, are poorly educated, and are masons, carpenters, or even unskilled laborers. Because of their ignorance and gullibility they are exploited by middlemen who charge them Rs. 12,000 for a no objection certificate (NOC). Moneylenders are also doing a thriving business. Another type of emigrant is from relatively well off households, better educated, and able to obtain better jobs. There are also rich businessmen and contractors among them. It is this category of better educated emigrant who is able to save a substantial part of his income. State administrative circles note that remittances at best can provide only the financial capital. According to T.C. Razajm a

Development of a Tool to Stage Households’ Readiness to Change Dietary Behaviours in Kerala, India

PubMed Central

Daivadanam, Meena; Ravindran, T. K. Sundari; Thankappan, K. R.; Sarma, P. S.; Wahlström, Rolf

2016-01-01

Dietary interventions and existing health behaviour theories are centred on individuals; therefore, none of the available tools are applicable to households for changing dietary behaviour. The objective of this pilot study was to develop a practical tool that could be administered by community volunteers to stage households in rural Kerala based on readiness to change dietary behaviour. Such a staging tool, comprising a questionnaire and its algorithm, focusing five dietary components (fruits, vegetables, salt, sugar and oil) and households (rather than individuals), was finalised through three consecutive pilot validation sessions, conducted over a four-month period. Each revised version was tested with a total of 80 households (n = 30, 35 and 15 respectively in the three sessions). The tool and its comparator, Motivational Interviewing (MI), assessed the stage-of-change for a household pertaining to their: 1) fruit and vegetable consumption behaviour; 2) salt, sugar and oil consumption behaviour; 3) overall readiness to change. The level of agreement between the two was tested using Kappa statistics to assess concurrent validity. A value of 0.7 or above was considered as good agreement. The final version was found to have good face and content validity, and also a high level of agreement with MI (87%; weighted kappa statistic: 0.85). Internal consistency testing was performed using Cronbach’s Alpha, with a value between 0.80 and 0.90 considered to be good. The instrument had good correlation between the items in each section (Cronbach’s Alpha: 0.84 (fruit and vegetables), 0.85 (salt, sugar and oil) and 0.83 (Overall)). Pre-contemplation was the most difficult stage to identify; for which efficacy and perceived cooperation at the household level were important. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first staging tool for households. This tool represents a new concept in community-based dietary interventions. The tool can be easily administered by lay

Tanjore: Mystical Painting of India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henn, Cynthia A.

2004-01-01

Tanjore (or Thanjavur or Thanlavoor) paintings are one of the most popular traditional art forms in Southern India. These ornate religious paintings involve Hindu mythology. The paintings are noted for their adornment of gold and semiprecious stones such as rubies, emeralds, and pearls. Currently, the semiprecious stones are often substituted…

Differential patterns, trends and hotspots of road traffic injuries on different road networks in Vellore district, southern India.

PubMed

Mohan, Venkata Raghava; Sarkar, Rajiv; Abraham, Vinod Joseph; Balraj, Vinohar; Naumova, Elena N

2015-03-01

To describe spatial and temporal profiles of Road Traffic Injuries (RTIs) on different road networks in Vellore district of southern India. Using the information in the police maintained First Information Reports (FIRs), daily time series of RTI counts were created and temporal characteristics were analysed with respect to the vehicle, road types and time of the day for the period January 2005 to May 2007. Daily incidence and trend of RTIs were estimated using a Poisson regression analysis. Of the reported 3262 RTIs, 52% had occurred on the National Highway (NH). The overall RTI rate on the NH was 8.8/100 000 vehicles per day with significantly higher pedestrian involvement. The mean numbers of RTIs were significantly higher on weekends. Thirteen percentage of all RTIs were associated with fatalities. Hotspots are major town junctions, and RTI rates differ over different stretches of the NH. In India, FIRs form a valuable source of RTI information. Information on different vehicle profile, RTI patterns, and their spatial and temporal trends can be used by administrators to devise effective strategies for RTI prevention by concentrating on the high-risk areas, thereby optimising the use of available personnel and resources. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Did southern Western Ghats of peninsular India serve as refugia for its endemic biota during the Cretaceous volcanism?

PubMed Central

Joshi, Jahnavi; Karanth, Praveen

2013-01-01

The Western Ghats (WG) of south India, a global biodiversity hotspot, has experienced complex geological history being part of Gondwana landmass and encountered extensive volcanic activity at the end of Cretaceous epoch. It also has a climatically and topographically heterogeneous landscape. Thus, the WG offer a unique setting to explore the influence of ecological and geological processes on the current diversity and distribution of its biota. To this end, three explicit biogeographical scenarios were hypothesized to evaluate the distribution and diversification of wet evergreen species of the WG – (1) southern WG was a refuge for the wet evergreen species during the Cretaceous volcanism, (2) phylogenetic breaks in the species phylogeny would correspond to geographic breaks (i.e., the Palghat gap) in the WG, and (3) species from each of the biogeographic subdivisions within the WG would form distinct clades. These hypotheses were tested on the centipede genus Digitipes from the WG which is known to be an ancient, endemic, and monophyletic group. The Digitipes molecular phylogeny was subjected to divergence date estimation using Bayesian approach, and ancestral areas were reconstructed using parsimony approach for each node in the phylogeny. Ancestral-area reconstruction suggested 13 independent dispersal events to explain the current distribution of the Digitipes species in the WG. Among these 13 dispersals, two dispersal events were at higher level in the Digitipes phylogeny and were from the southern WG to the central and northern WG independently in the Early Paleocene, after the Cretaceous Volcanism. The remaining 11 dispersal events explained the species’ range expansions of which nine dispersals were from the southern WG to other biogeographic subdivisions in the Eocene-Miocene in the post-volcanic periods where species-level diversifications occurred. Taken together, these results suggest that southern WG might have served as a refuge for Digitipes

NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY IN SEDIMENTS AND RIVER BANK SOIL OF KALLADA RIVER OF KERALA, SOUTH INDIA AND ASSOCIATED RADIOLOGICAL RISK.

PubMed

Venunathan, N; Kaliprasad, C S; Narayana, Y

2016-10-01

The paper presents the activity concentrations of 232 Th, 226 Ra and 40 K in the sediments and river bank soil samples collected from the Kallada river environs of coastal Kerala. The radiological risks associated with these radionuclides were calculated. The samples were processed following standard procedure, and activity was counted using a high-efficiency 5″ × 5″ NaI (Tl) detector coupled to GSPEC gamma spectroscopy system. The mean values of measured activities of 232 Th, 226 Ra and 40 K in soil samples were found to be 98.1 ± 0.4, 60.3 ± 1.1 and 343.4 ± 1.8 Bq kg -1 , respectively, which results in an average absorbed dose rate of 103 nGy h -1 The corresponding values for sediment samples were found to be 88.0 ± 0.4, 48.6 ± 0.9 and 423.2 ± 2.0 Bq kg -1 , respectively, with a resulting absorbed dose rate of 95 nGy h -1 Radium equivalent activity, annual effective dose equivalent, the external and internal hazard indices were determined and compared with recommended limits. The results of the work provide background data on natural radioactive isotopes, which are useful in the assessment of human radiation exposure from natural environment. The accumulation of information on natural radiation is of great value for radiation protection. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Factors Influencing the Organizational Stress among Teachers Working in Higher Education Sector in Kerala: An Empirical Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Areekkuzhiyil, Santhosh

2014-01-01

The study aims to explore the various factors that influence the organizational stress of teachers working in higher education sector in the state of Kerala. The data required for the study has been conveniently collected from 200 teachers working in higher education sector. Exploratory factor analysis revealed nine factors, which significantly…

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.

Aerosol Optical Depth Over India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

David, Liji Mary; Ravishankara, A. R.; Kodros, John K.; Venkataraman, Chandra; Sadavarte, Pankaj; Pierce, Jeffrey R.; Chaliyakunnel, Sreelekha; Millet, Dylan B.

2018-04-01

Tropospheric aerosol optical depth (AOD) over India was simulated by Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS)-Chem, a global 3-D chemical-transport model, using SMOG (Speciated Multi-pOllutant Generator from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay) and GEOS-Chem (GC) (current inventories used in the GEOS-Chem model) inventories for 2012. The simulated AODs were 80% (SMOG) and 60% (GC) of those measured by the satellites (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer and Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer). There is no strong seasonal variation in AOD over India. The peak AOD values are observed/simulated during summer. The simulated AOD using SMOG inventory has particulate black and organic carbon AOD higher by a factor 5 and 3, respectively, compared to GC inventory. The model underpredicted coarse-mode AOD but agreed for fine-mode AOD with Aerosol Robotic Network data. It captured dust only over Western India, which is a desert, and not elsewhere, probably due to inaccurate dust transport and/or noninclusion of other dust sources. The calculated AOD, after dust correction, showed the general features in its observed spatial variation. Highest AOD values were observed over the Indo-Gangetic Plain followed by Central and Southern India with lowest values in Northern India. Transport of aerosols from Indo-Gangetic Plain and Central India into Eastern India, where emissions are low, is significant. The major contributors to total AOD over India are inorganic aerosol (41-64%), organic carbon (14-26%), and dust (7-32%). AOD over most regions of India is a factor of 5 or higher than over the United States.

El Niño Southern Oscillation as an early warning tool for malaria outbreaks in India.

PubMed

Dhiman, Ramesh C; Sarkar, Soma

2017-03-20

Risks of malaria epidemics in relation to El Niño and Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events have been mapped and studied at global level. In India, where malaria is a major public health problem, no such effort has been undertaken that inter-relates El Niño, Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall (ISMR) and malaria. The present study has been undertaken to find out the relationship between ENSO events, ISMR and intra-annual variability in malaria cases in India, which in turn could help mitigate the malaria outbreaks. Correlation coefficients among 'rainfall index' (ISMR), '+ winter ONI' (NDJF) and 'malaria case index' were calculated using annual state-level data for the last 22 years. The 'malaria case index' representing 'relative change from mean' was correlated to the 4 month (November-February) average positive Oceanic Niño Index (ONI). The resultant correlations between '+ winter ONI' and 'malaria case index' were further analysed on geographical information system platform to generate spatial correlation map. The correlation between '+ winter ONI' and 'rainfall index' shows that there is great disparity in effect of ENSO over ISMR distribution across the country. Correlation between 'rainfall index' and 'malaria case index' shows that malaria transmission in all geographical regions of India are not equally affected by the ISMR deficit or excess. Correlation between '+ winter ONI' and 'malaria case index' was found ranging from -0.5 to + 0.7 (p < 0.05). A positive correlation indicates that increase in El Niño intensity (+ winter ONI) will lead to rise in total malaria cases in the concurrent year in the states of Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Goa, eastern parts of Madhya Pradesh, part of Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Meghalaya. Whereas, negative correlations were found in the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, part of Tamil Nadu, Manipur, Mizoram and Sikkim indicating the likelihood of outbreaks in La Nina condition. The generated map

Infection and acute respiratory distress syndrome during pregnancy: a case series of preventable maternal deaths from southern India.

PubMed

Vasudeva, Akhila; Bhat, Rajeshwari G; Ramachandran, Amar; Kumar, Pratap

2013-02-01

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is common among women admitted to obstetric intensive care units, and it contributes significantly, both directly and indirectly, to maternal deaths. We present a case series of ARDS in pregnant women caused by non-obstetric causes. The women were treated at a tertiary hospital in southern India. The striking features were delayed referral from the primary care unit and the lack of a primary diagnosis or treatment. Undiagnosed rheumatic heart disease, anemia, and malaria and H1N1 epidemics contributed to these cases of ARDS and maternal death. It is necessary to increase the awareness of evidence-based uniform protocols to tackle common medical complaints during pregnancy. Copyright © 2012 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Threshold Levels of Infant and Under-Five Mortality for Crossover between Life Expectancies at Ages Zero, One and Five in India: A Decomposition Analysis.

PubMed

Dubey, Manisha; Ram, Usha; Ram, Faujdar

2015-01-01

Under the prevailing conditions of imbalanced life table and historic gender discrimination in India, our study examines crossover between life expectancies at ages zero, one and five years for India and quantifies the relative share of infant and under-five mortality towards this crossover. We estimate threshold levels of infant and under-five mortality required for crossover using age specific death rates during 1981-2009 for 16 Indian states by sex (comprising of India's 90% population in 2011). Kitagawa decomposition equations were used to analyse relative share of infant and under-five mortality towards crossover. India experienced crossover between life expectancies at ages zero and five in 2004 for menand in 2009 for women; eleven and nine Indian states have experienced this crossover for men and women, respectively. Men usually experienced crossover four years earlier than the women. Improvements in mortality below ages five have mostly contributed towards this crossover. Life expectancy at age one exceeds that at age zero for both men and women in India except for Kerala (the only state to experience this crossover in 2000 for men and 1999 for women). For India, using life expectancy at age zero and under-five mortality rate together may be more meaningful to measure overall health of its people until the crossover. Delayed crossover for women, despite higher life expectancy at birth than for men reiterates that Indian women are still disadvantaged and hence use of life expectancies at ages zero, one and five become important for India. Greater programmatic efforts to control leading causes of death during the first month and 1-59 months in high child mortality areas can help India to attain this crossover early.

Physiological studies in young Eucalyptus stands in southern India and their use in estimating forest transpiration

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

Roberts, J.M.; Rosier, P.T.W.; Murthy, K.V.

1992-12-31

Stomatal conductance, leaf water potential and leaf area index were measured in adjacent plantations of Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Eucalyptus tereticornis at Puradal, near Shimoga, Karnataka, southern India. The data were collected in a range of climatic conditions during a two year period immediately following plantation establishment. Physiological differences between the two species were small and confined largely to leaf area index. Stomatal conductance was highest in the post-monsoon period and declined to minimum values immediately prior to the onset of the monsoon, with the lowest conductances observed after the plantations had been established for more than one year. Stomatal conductance,more » leaf area index and above-canopy meteorological data were combined in a multi-layer transpiration model and used to calculate hourly values of transpiration from the two species. Rates of transpiration up to 6 mm d{sup {minus}1} were estimated for the post-monsoon period but fell to below 1 mm d{sup {minus}1} prior to the monsoon.« less

Smear Conversion, Treatment Outcomes and the Time of Default in Registered Tuberculosis Patients on RNTCP DOTS in Puducherry, Southern India

PubMed Central

Jayakumar, Niranjana; Gnanasekaran, Dhivyalakshmi

2014-01-01

Background: Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) in India has achieved improved cure rates. Objectives: This study describes the achievements under RNTCP in terms of conversion rates, treatment outcomes and pattern of time of default in patients on directly observed short-course treatment for Tuberculosis in Puducherry, Southern India. Settings: Retrospective cohort study; Tuberculosis Unit in District Tuberculosis Centre, Puducherry, India. Materials and Methods: Cohort analysis of patients of registered at the Tuberculosis Unit during 1st and 2nd quarter of the year 2011. Details about sputum conversion, treatment outcome and time of default were obtained from the tuberculosis register. Statistical Analysis: Kaplan-Meier plots & log rank tests. Results: RNTCP targets with respect to success rate (85.7%), death rate (2.7%) and failure rate (2.1%) in new cases have been achieved but the sputum conversion rate (88%) and default rate (5.9%) targets have not been achieved. The overall default rate for all registered TB patients was 7.4%; significantly higher in category II. In retreatment cases registered as treatment after default, the default rate was high (9%). The cumulative default rate; though similar in the initial two months of treatment; was consistently higher in category II as compared to that in category I. Nearly 40% of all defaulters interrupted treatment between the second and fourth month after treatment initiation. Conclusion: Defaulting from treatment is more common among the retreatment cases and usually occurs during the transition phase from intensive phase to continuation phase. PMID:25478371

Utilization of community-based rehabilitation services for incurably blind persons in a rural population of southern India.

PubMed

Vijayakumar, Valaguru; Datta, Dipankar; Karthika, Arumugam; Thulasiraj, Ravilla D; Nirmalan, Praveen K

2003-09-01

To identify barriers in utilisation of community based rehabilitation (CBR) services for incurably blind persons in rural South India. A community-based rehabilitation programme for incurably blind persons was initiated in Theni district of southern Tamil Nadu in south India. After door-to-door enumeration and preliminary ocular screening by trained workers at the village, identified blind persons were categorised as either curable or incurable by an ophthalmologist. Trained workers provided rehabilitation, including mobility training (OM), training to perform activities of daily living (ADL), and economic rehabilitation for the incurably blind in their respective villages. Of the 460,984 persons surveyed, 400 (0.09%) were certified as incurably blind including 156 (39.00%) persons blind from birth. Social rehabilitation was provided for 268 (67.00%) incurably blind persons. Economic rehabilitation was provided to 96 persons, and integrated education to 22 children. Nearly one-fifth (n=68, 17.00%) of incurably blind persons refused the services provided. The major reasons for refusal included old age and other illnesses (41.18%), and multiple handicaps (19.12%). Twenty-seven (6.75%) persons had either migrated or died, and 29 (7.25%) persons were already able to function independently. Although CBR programmes provide useful services to the incurably blind, a better understanding of barriers is required to improve service utilisation. Developing a standardised data collection format for every CBR programme can result in the creation of a national database of ophthalmic diseases.

Social class related inequalities in household health expenditure and economic burden: evidence from Kerala, south India

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background In the Indian context, a household's caste characteristics are most relevant for identifying its poverty and vulnerability status. Inadequate provision of public health care, the near-absence of health insurance and increasing dependence on the private health sector have impoverished the poor and the marginalised, especially the scheduled tribe population. This study examines caste-based inequalities in households' out-of-pocket health expenditure in the south Indian state of Kerala and provides evidence on the consequent financial burden inflicted upon households in different caste groups. Methods Using data from a 2003-2004 panel survey in Kottathara Panchayat that collected detailed information on health care consumption from 543 households, we analysed inequality in per capita out-of-pocket health expenditure across castes by considering households' health care needs and types of care utilised. We used multivariate regression to measure the caste-based inequality in health expenditure. To assess health expenditure burden, we analysed households incurring high health expenses and their sources of finance for meeting health expenses. Results The per capita health expenditures reported by four caste groups accord with their status in the caste hierarchy. This was confirmed by multivariate analysis after controlling for health care needs and influential confounders. Households with high health care needs are more disadvantaged in terms of spending on health care. Households with high health care needs are generally at higher risk of spending heavily on health care. Hospitalisation expenditure was found to have the most impoverishing impacts, especially on backward caste households. Conclusion Caste-based inequality in household health expenditure reflects unequal access to quality health care by different caste groups. Households with high health care needs and chronic health care needs are most affected by this inequality. Households in the most

The Relationship between India’s Geographic Element of Power and its Military Element of Power

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-06-07

provided the background knowledge necessary to begin this project. The Cambridge Encyclopedia of India, Pakistan, BanAladesh and Srilanka , by Francis...and Burma and in the west, by Pakistan. Just south of India’s southern tip lies Srilanka . Location. The bulk of India’s land mass lies between 70...Affairs, (Rand McNally & Co., 1963), 319. 2. Francis Robinson, The Cambridge Encyclopedia of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Srilanka , Nepal, Bhutan and

Specters of Waste in India's "Silicon Valley": The Underside of Bangalore's Hi-Tech Economy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Narayanareddy, Rajyashree

2011-01-01

The southern Indian city of Bangalore is extolled as India's "Silicon Valley," emerging over the past decade as a premier site for capital flows into India's Information Technology (IT) sector. In the dominant narrative of globalization Bangalore is lauded as an aspiring "global city" that attracts sizeable quantities of…

Sand fly (Diptera: Psychodidae) abundance and species diversity in relation to environmental factors in parts of coastal plains of southern India.

PubMed

Srinivasan, R; Jambulingam, P; Vanamail, P

2013-07-01

Abundance pattern of sand flies in relation to several environmental factors, such as type of areas, dwellings, landforms, land usage pattern, and surface soil pH, was assessed in 81 areas or villages of Puducherry district, Puducherry Union Territory, located on the coastal plain of southern India, for three seasons, between November 2006 and October 2008, adopting hand-catch method. In total, 1,319 sand fly specimens comprising 12 species under two genera, viz., Phlebotomus and Sergentomyia, were collected. Among them, Phlebotomus (Euphlebotomus) argentipes Annandale & Brunetti, the vector of visceral leishmaniasis in India, was the predominant species in all habitats surveyed. The hierarchical cluster analysis showed that the density of sand flies was 10-fold higher in high-density group and fivefold higher in medium-density group, compared with the no or low-density group. Sand fly density was found to be influenced significantly with the type of areas, dwellings, landforms, land usage pattern, and surface soil pH in different groups. Rural areas located on fluvial landform with alkaline surface soil pH, supporting rice cultivation and luxuriant vegetation, are the most influencing factors that favor sand fly abundance and diversity in this district.

Mobile Phone Usage and its Health Effects Among Adults in a Semi-Urban Area of Southern India.

PubMed

Stalin, P; Abraham, Sherin Billy; Kanimozhy, K; Prasad, R Vishnu; Singh, Zile; Purty, Anil J

2016-01-01

Worldwide, mobile phone usage has been increased dramatically which could affect the health of the people. India has the second largest number of mobile phone users. However there are only few studies conducted in India to assess its effects on health. To determine the prevalence and pattern of mobile phone usage and to assess the relationship between certain selected health problems and mobile phone usage among adults. Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Kottakuppam, a town panchayat in Villupuram district of Coastal Tamil Nadu, Southern India. It is a semi-urban area with a population of about 16,000. Majority of the residents are Muslim by religion and belong to different socio economic status. The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee. A total of 2121 study participants were interviewed by the pre-final medical students through house-to-house survey using a pretested structured questionnaire. The questionnaire included the variables such as socio demographic profile, mobile phone usage and pattern, selected health problems, perceived benefits and threats and blood pressure. Selected health problems included headache, earache, neck pain, tinnitus, painful fingers, restlessness, morning tiredness, tingling fingers, fatigue, eye symptoms, sleep disturbance and hypertension. Only 2054 were included for data analysis using SPSS 17 version. Proportions were calculated. Chi-square test was used to measure the p-value. The p-value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. The prevalence of mobile phone usage was 70%. Calling facility (94.2%) was used more than the SMS (67.6%). Health problems like headache, earache, tinnitus, painful fingers and restlessness etc., were found to be positively associated with mobile phone usage. There was negative association between hypertension and mobile phone usage. The prevalence of mobile phone usage was high. There was significant association between selected health problems and

Mobile Phone Usage and its Health Effects Among Adults in a Semi-Urban Area of Southern India

PubMed Central

Abraham, Sherin Billy; Kanimozhy, K.; Prasad, R. Vishnu; Singh, Zile; Purty, Anil J.

2016-01-01

Introduction Worldwide, mobile phone usage has been increased dramatically which could affect the health of the people. India has the second largest number of mobile phone users. However there are only few studies conducted in India to assess its effects on health. Aim To determine the prevalence and pattern of mobile phone usage and to assess the relationship between certain selected health problems and mobile phone usage among adults. Settings and Design Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Kottakuppam, a town panchayat in Villupuram district of Coastal Tamil Nadu, Southern India. It is a semi-urban area with a population of about 16,000. Majority of the residents are Muslim by religion and belong to different socio economic status. Materials and Methods The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee. A total of 2121 study participants were interviewed by the pre-final medical students through house-to-house survey using a pretested structured questionnaire. The questionnaire included the variables such as socio demographic profile, mobile phone usage and pattern, selected health problems, perceived benefits and threats and blood pressure. Selected health problems included headache, earache, neck pain, tinnitus, painful fingers, restlessness, morning tiredness, tingling fingers, fatigue, eye symptoms, sleep disturbance and hypertension. Statistical Analysis Used Only 2054 were included for data analysis using SPSS 17 version. Proportions were calculated. Chi-square test was used to measure the p-value. The p-value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results The prevalence of mobile phone usage was 70%. Calling facility (94.2%) was used more than the SMS (67.6%). Health problems like headache, earache, tinnitus, painful fingers and restlessness etc., were found to be positively associated with mobile phone usage. There was negative association between hypertension and mobile phone usage. Conclusion The prevalence of

Prevalence of Oral, Skin, and Oral and Skin Lesions of Lichen Planus in Patients Visiting a Dental School in Southern India

PubMed Central

Omal, PM; Jacob, Vimal; Prathap, Akhilesh; Thomas, Nebu George

2012-01-01

Background: Lichen planus (LP) is a mucocutaneous disease that is relatively common among adult population. LP can present as skin and oral lesions. This study highlights the prevalence of oral, skin, and oral and skin lesions of LP. Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of oral, skin, and oral and skin lesions of LP from a population of patients attending the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiodiagnosis, Pushpagiri College of Dental Sciences, Tiruvalla, Kerala, India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of oral, skin, and oral and skin lesions of LP. This is a ongoing prospective study with results of 2 years being reported. LP was diagnosed on the basis of clinical presentation and histopathological analysis of mucosal and skin biopsy done for all patients suspected of having LP. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS (Statistical package for social sciences) software version 14. To test the statistical significance, chi-square test was used. Results: Out of 18,306 patients screened, 8,040 were males and 10,266 females. LP was seen in 118 cases (0.64%). Increased prevalence of LP was observed in middle age adults (40–60 years age group) with lowest age of 12 years and highest age of 65 years. No statistically significant differences were observed between the genders in skin LP group (P=0.12) and in oral and skin LP groups (P=0.06); however, a strong female predilection was seen in oral LP group (P=0.000036). The prevalence of cutaneous LP in oral LP patients was 0.06%. Conclusion: This study showed an increased prevalence of oral LP than skin LP, and oral and skin LP with a female predominance. PMID:22615505

Impact of sub-horizontal discontinuities and vertical heterogeneities on recharge processes in a weathered crystalline aquifer in southern India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicolas, Madeleine; Selles, Adrien; Bour, Olivier; Maréchal, Jean-Christophe; Crenner, Marion; Wajiduddin, Mohammed; Ahmed, Shakeel

2017-04-01

In the face of increasing demands for irrigated agriculture, many states in India are facing water scarcity issues, leading to severe groundwater depletion. Because perennial water resources in southern India consist mainly of crystalline aquifers, understanding how recharge takes place and the role of preferential flow zones in such heterogeneous media is of prime importance for successful and sustainable aquifer management. Here we investigate how vertical heterogeneities and highly transmissive sub-horizontal discontinuities may control groundwater flows and recharge dynamics. Recharge processes in the vadose zone were examined by analysing the propagation of an infiltration front and mass transfers resulting from the implementation of a managed aquifer recharge (MAR) structure. Said structure was set up in the Experimental Hydrogeological Park in Telangana (Southern India), a well-equipped and continuously monitored site, which is periodically supplied with surface water deviated from the nearby Musi river, downstream of Hyderabad. An initial volume balance equation was applied to quantify the overall inputs from the MAR structure into the groundwater system, which was confirmed using a chloride mass balance approach. To understand how this incoming mass is then distributed within the aquifer, we monitored the evolution of water volumes in the tank, and the resulting lateral propagation front observed in the surrounding borehole network. Borehole logs of temperature and conductivity were regularly performed to identify preferential flow paths. As a result we observed that mass transfers take place in the way of preferential lateral flow through the most transmissive zones of the profile. These include the interface between the lower portion of the upper weathered horizon (the saprolite) and the upper part of the underlying fissured granite, as well as the first flowing fractures. This leads to a rapid lateral transfer of recharge, which allows quick

Spectacle Compliance among Adolescents: A Qualitative Study from Southern India.

PubMed

Narayanan, Anuradha; Kumar, Shuba; Ramani, Krishna Kumar

2017-05-01

To understand the perceptions of adolescents and their parents about spectacle compliance of adolescents in Southern India. Using a qualitative snapshot design, three focus group discussions were conducted each with parents and adolescents studying in schools located in and around Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Purposive sampling technique was used in the selection of participants. Separate focus group guides were developed for parents and adolescents. All focus group discussions were conducted in the school premises and audio recorded. These audio files were then transcribed verbatim and then translated into English. A framework analytical approach was used for data analysis that involved gaining familiarity with the data to identify a thematic framework. Two major themes that emerged were (1) perceptions on barriers to spectacle compliance that was further subdivided into physical, psychological, and societal barriers; and (2) solutions to improve spectacle use. Barriers identified included scars on the nose, unattractive frames contributing to poor appeal, adolescents feeling discriminated and set apart, fears of injury to eyes, lack of parental involvement, and negative attitudes of society toward those wearing spectacles. Solutions given by the stakeholders included provision of lightweight, well-fitting, trendy frames of adolescents' choice, importance and need for periodical eye examinations, including teachers in encouraging spectacle use and preventing bullying and teasing by other adolescents, provision of free spectacles along with periodic replacement, and inclusion of awareness sessions on spectacle use for both parents and adolescents. The study has identified both barriers and solutions for improving spectacle compliance among school adolescents from the viewpoint of the stakeholders involved. Implementing the solutions suggested by the stakeholders through planned intervention programs could possibly help in ensuring better compliance of spectacle use among

Gastrointestinal parasitic infection in diverse species of domestic ruminants inhabiting tribal rural areas of southern Rajasthan, India.

PubMed

Choubisa, S L; Jaroli, V J

2013-10-01

A total of 415 adult domesticated ruminants, 130 cattle (Bos taurus), 108 buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis), 94 goats (Capra hircus) and 83 sheep (Ovis aries) inhabiting tribal rural areas of southern Rajasthan, India were investigated for evidence of gastrointestinal protozoan and helminthic infections. In southern Rajasthan humid ecosystem is predominant and has number of perennial freshwater bodies. Fresh faecal samples of these animals were examined microscopically by direct wet smear with saline and 1 % Lugol's iodine and formalin ether concentration. Of these 296 (71.32 %) were found to be infected with different species of gastrointestinal parasites. The highest (93.84 %) prevalence of these parasitic infections was found in cattle followed by goats (82.97 %), sheep (55.42 %) and buffaloes (46.29 %). Except cattle no other ruminants revealed protozoan infection. A total 8 species of gastrointestinal parasites were encountered. Among these parasites Fasciola hepatica was the commonest (15.18 %) followed by Haemonchus contortus (11.32 %), Ancylostoma duodenale (10.36 %), Trichuris trichiura (9.15 %), Amphistome species (7.95 %), Moniezia expansa (6.98 %), Strongyloides stercoralis (4.57 %) and Balantidium coli (3.37 %). The prevalence rate of these parasitic infections also varied seasonally. The highest prevalence rate was found in rainy season (84.21 %) followed by winter (73.9 %) and summer (52.8 %). The possible causes for variation in prevalence of parasitic infections are also discussed.

A study of initial therapy for glaucoma in southern India: India Glaucoma Outcomes and Treatment (INGOT) Study.

PubMed

Congdon, Nathan G; Krishnadas, R; Friedman, David S; Goggins, William; Ramakrishnan, R; Kader, M A; Gilbert, Donna; Tielsch, James; Quigley, Harry A

2012-06-01

To compare initial glaucoma therapy with medications and trabeculectomy in southern India. Patients aged ≥ 30 years newly diagnosed with glaucoma were randomized to trabeculectomy with 5-fluorouracil or medical therapy. Subjects with best-corrected vision <6/18 due to cataract underwent phacoemulsification (phaco/intraocular lens, IOL). Intraocular pressure (IOP), vision and visual function were assessed at 12 months. Patients assigned to medications and surgery received the expected therapy in 86% (172/199) and 64% (126/199) of cases, respectively. Forty patients (20%) assigned to surgery refused any treatment and 33 (17%) received medications. Among 199 patients randomized to medications, 52 (26.1%) underwent phaco/IOL, as did 89/199 (43.7%) of patients randomized to trabeculectomy. Baseline parameters of the two groups did not differ, nor did 1-year follow-up rates (medication 65%, trabeculectomy 58%, P = 0.15). Final IOP was lower with randomization to trabeculectomy (16.3 ± 5.1 mmHg) than medication (18.8 ± 6.7 mmHg, P < 0.0001). In regression models, randomization to trabeculectomy (P < 0.0001) was associated with lower IOP, and simultaneous trabeculectomy and cataract surgery was associated with higher IOP (P = 0.008) than trabeculectomy alone. Subjects receiving Phaco/IOL had significantly better final acuity (P < 0.0001) and visual function (P = 0.035), despite concurrent glaucoma treatment. Final visual acuity was worse in those receiving trabeculectomy in addition to cataract surgery, but this was of borderline significance (P = 0.06). Trabeculectomy lowered IOP significantly more than medical treatment, but with slightly greater loss of visual acuity. Combined phaco/IOL and trabeculectomy improved visual acuity with substantial IOP lowering.

Migratory ducks and protected wetlands in India

USGS Publications Warehouse

Namgail, Tsewang; Takekawa, John Y.; Balachandran, Sivananinthaperumal; Mundkur, Taej; Sathiyaselvam, Ponnusamy; Prosser, Diann J.; McCracken, Tracy; Newman, Scott H.

2017-01-01

India is the most important wintering ground for migratory ducks in the Central Asian Flyway. Because of its latitudinal and climatic extent, the country provides a diversity of wetland habitats for migratory ducks (Ali & Ripley 1978). India is the seventh largest country in the world with an area of about 3.3 million km2 or 2.4% of the world’s land-area. Mainland India stretches nearly 3200 km from north to south (6° to 36° N), and 3000 km from west to east (68° to 98° E). Given this huge geographical extent, migratory ducks wintering in the southern part of the country need to refuel at several wetlands before they cross the Himalayas on their way to the breeding areas in Central Asia and Siberia.

Microphysical parameters of cirrus clouds using lidar at a tropical station, Gadanki, Tirupati (13.5° N, 79.2°E), India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satyanarayana, M.; Radhakrishnan, S.-R.; Krishnakumar, V.; Mahadevan Pillai, V. P.; Raghunath, K.

2008-12-01

Cirrus clouds have been identified as one of the most uncertain component in the atmospheric research. It is known that cirrus clouds modulate the earth's climate through direct and indirect modification of radiation. The role of cirrus clouds depends mainly on their microphysical properties. To understand cirrus clouds better, we must observe and characterize their properties. In-situ observation of such clouds is a challenging experiment, as the clouds are located at high altitudes. Active remote sensing method based on lidar can detect high and thin cirrus clouds with good spatial and temporal resolution. We present the result obtained on the microphysical properties of the cirrus clouds at two Tropical stations namely Gadhanki, Tirupati (13.50 N, 79.20 E), India and Trivandrum (13.50 N, 770 E) Kerala, India from the ground based pulsed Nd: YAG lidar systems installed at the stations. A variant of the widely used Klett's lidar inversion method with range dependent scattering ratio is used for the present study for the retrieval of aerosol extinction and microphysical parameters of cirrus cloud.

Algae in the assessment of industrial effluents: case study in Southern Bengal, India.

PubMed

Sen Sarkar, Neera; Bandyopadhyaya, Tuli; Datta, Shilpa; Das, Swapna

2013-01-01

This article is an assessment of the diversity of scum and bloom algae encountered in different industrial effluents of Southern Bengal, India, analyzing their habitat and correlating the habitat ecology of each study site. The study was conducted during the period May 2009 to August 2010. The study sites include effluent release areas of the dairy industry, a distillery unit, the leather industry, and an herbal medicine unit. Habitat were analyzed for pH, dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand, salinity, alkalinity, and phosphate and nitrate levels. Correlation coefficients were calculated for habitat parameters and algae encountered, showing a significant positive correlation between the richness of dominant and subdominant species with biochemical oxygen demand and salinity and a significant negative correlation with alkalinity, phosphates, and the nitrate-to-phosphate ratio. The richness of dominant and subdominant species in the effluent discharge areas show average values of 9 and 5 in the distillery unit, 8 and 5 in the dairy industry, 7 and 8 in the leather industry, and 5 and 9 in the herbal medicine unit, respectively, with a few (ranging between 3 and 7) co-occurring species in each case. The algal groups encountered were cyanobacteria, euglenophytes, chlorophytes, and bacillariophytes, showing Palmer's Algal Pollution Index of 15 in the dairy industry, 20 in the distillery unit, 28 in the leather industry, and 8 in the herbal medicine unit.

Multilevel Analysis of the Predictors of HIV Prevalence among Pregnant Women Enrolled in Annual HIV Sentinel Surveillance in Four States in Southern India.

PubMed

Thamattoor, Usha; Thomas, Tinku; Banandur, Pradeep; Rajaram, S; Duchesne, Thierry; Abdous, Belkacem; Washington, Reynold; Ramesh, B M; Moses, Stephen; Alary, Michel

2015-01-01

Heterogeneity of the HIV epidemic across districts of south India is reflected in HIV positivity among antenatal clinic (ANC) attendees. Along with individual factors, contextual factors also need consideration for effective HIV interventions. Thus, identifying district and individual level factors that influence ANC HIV positivity assumes importance to intervene effectively. Data on HIV sentinel surveillance among the ANC population were obtained from the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) between years 2004 and 2007. Data from serial cross-sectional studies among female sex workers (FSWs) conducted during this time period in 24 districts were used to generate district level variables corresponding to parameters concerning this high risk population. Other district level data were obtained from various official/governmental agencies. Multilevel logistic regression was used to identify individual and district level factors associated with ANC-HIV positivity. The average ANC-HIV prevalence from 2004 to 2007 in the 24 integrated biological and behavioural assessments (IBBA) districts ranged from 0.25 to 3.25%. HIV positivity was significantly higher among ANC women with age ≥ 25 years [adjusted odds ratio (AOR):1.49; 95% confidence interval (95%CI):1.27 to 1.76] compared to those with age<25 years; illiterate (AOR:1.62; 95%CI:1.03 to 2.54) compared to literate; employed in agriculture (AOR:1.34; 95%CI:1.11 to 1.62) or with occupations like driver/helper/industry/factory workers/hotel staff (AOR:1.59; 95%CI:1.26 to 2.01) compared to unemployed. District level HIV prevalence among FSWs (AOR:1.03; 95%CI:1.0 to 1.05) and percentage women marrying under 18 years were significantly associated with ANC-HIV positivity (AOR:1.02; 95%CI:1.00 to 1.04). Illiteracy of the woman, higher HIV prevalence among FSWs and early marriage were associated with HIV positivity among pregnant women in southern India. In addition to targeted HIV preventive interventions among FSWs

Multilevel Analysis of the Predictors of HIV Prevalence among Pregnant Women Enrolled in Annual HIV Sentinel Surveillance in Four States in Southern India

PubMed Central

Thamattoor, Usha; Thomas, Tinku; Banandur, Pradeep; S, Rajaram; Duchesne, Thierry; Abdous, Belkacem; Washington, Reynold; B M, Ramesh; Moses, Stephen; Alary, Michel

2015-01-01

Background Heterogeneity of the HIV epidemic across districts of south India is reflected in HIV positivity among antenatal clinic (ANC) attendees. Along with individual factors, contextual factors also need consideration for effective HIV interventions. Thus, identifying district and individual level factors that influence ANC HIV positivity assumes importance to intervene effectively. Methods Data on HIV sentinel surveillance among the ANC population were obtained from the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) between years 2004 and 2007. Data from serial cross-sectional studies among female sex workers (FSWs) conducted during this time period in 24 districts were used to generate district level variables corresponding to parameters concerning this high risk population. Other district level data were obtained from various official/governmental agencies. Multilevel logistic regression was used to identify individual and district level factors associated with ANC-HIV positivity. Results The average ANC-HIV prevalence from 2004 to 2007 in the 24 integrated biological and behavioural assessments (IBBA) districts ranged from 0.25 to 3.25%. HIV positivity was significantly higher among ANC women with age≥25 years [adjusted odds ratio (AOR):1.49; 95% confidence interval (95%CI):1.27 to 1.76] compared to those with age<25 years; illiterate (AOR:1.62; 95%CI:1.03 to 2.54) compared to literate; employed in agriculture (AOR:1.34; 95%CI:1.11 to 1.62) or with occupations like driver/helper/industry/factory workers/hotel staff (AOR:1.59; 95%CI:1.26 to 2.01) compared to unemployed. District level HIV prevalence among FSWs (AOR:1.03; 95%CI:1.0 to 1.05) and percentage women marrying under 18 years were significantly associated with ANC-HIV positivity (AOR:1.02; 95%CI:1.00 to 1.04). Conclusion Illiteracy of the woman, higher HIV prevalence among FSWs and early marriage were associated with HIV positivity among pregnant women in southern India. In addition to targeted HIV

Constraining the India-Asia collision by retrieving the paleolatitude from partially remagnetized Paleogene volcanics in the Nanmulin Basin (southern Tibet)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wentao; Dupont-Nivet, Guillaume; van Hinsbergen, Douwe; Lippert, Peter; Dekkers, Mark; Guo, Zhaojie; Li, Xiaochun; Zhang, Xiaoran

2014-05-01

Determining paleolatitudes of the Lhasa terrane (southern Tibet) using paleomagnetic inclinations is key to constraining the paleogeography and timing of the collision between India and Asia. However, paleolatitude estimates vary widely from 5°N to 30°N due to unrecognized rock magnetic biases such as inclination shallowing in sedimentary rocks or poor averaging of secular variation in volcanic rocks. Here, we investigated Paleogene volcanics of the Linzizong Group from southern Tibet in the Nanmulin Basin that had previously yielded low paleomagnetic inclinations ca. 10°N. Using proper paleomagnetic sampling and measurement protocols we observe similar shallow inclinations. However, sampled sections with different bedding attitudes yield a negative fold test indicating that the isolated remanent magnetizations do not have a primary origin. Detailed rock magnetic analysis, end-member modeling, and petrographic investigation reveal that most of the section has been variably remagnetized due to low-temperature alteration of magmatic titanomagnetite and formation of secondary hematite, which occurred after tilting of the strata. We show that the observed paleomagnetic inclinations vary according to a linear trend with the degree of remagnetization. Accordingly, we can estimate that the primary pre-tilting thermoremanent magnetization has an inclination of 38.1° ([35.7°, 40.5°] within 95% confidence limit), corresponding to a paleolatitude of 21.4° ([19.8°, 23.1°] within 95% confidence limit). This is consistent with results from pristine volcanic units and inclination-shallowing corrected sediments of the upper Linzizong Group ~200 km to the east [Dupont-Nivet et al., Geophysical Journal International, 182, 1189-1198; Huang et al., Geophysical Journal International, 194, 1390-1411]. Our results demonstrate that previously reported low paleolatitudes of the Lhasa terrane can be an artifact of unrecognized remagnetization. Furthermore, we show that original

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

Biogas Cook Stoves for Healthy and Sustainable Diets? A Case Study in Southern India.

PubMed

Anderman, Tal Lee; DeFries, Ruth S; Wood, Stephen A; Remans, Roseline; Ahuja, Richie; Ulla, Shujayath E

2015-01-01

Alternative cook stoves that replace solid fuels with cleaner energy sources, such as biogas, are gaining popularity in low-income settings across Asia, Africa, and South America. Published research on these technologies focuses on their potential to reduce indoor air pollution and improve respiratory health. Effects on other cooking-related aspects, such as diets and women's time management, are less understood. In this study, in southern India, we investigate if using biogas cook stoves alters household diets and women's time management. We compare treatment households who are supplied with a biogas cook stove with comparison households who do not have access to these stoves, while controlling for several socio-economic factors. We find that diets of treatment households are more diverse than diets of comparison households. In addition, women from treatment households spend on average 40 min less cooking and 70 min less collecting firewood per day than women in comparison households. This study illustrates that alongside known benefits for respiratory health, using alternative cook stoves may benefit household diets and free up women's time. To inform development investments and ensure these co-benefits, we argue that multiple dimensions of sustainability should be considered in evaluating the impact of alternative cook stoves.

"Harnessing genomics to improve health in India" – an executive course to support genomics policy

PubMed Central

Acharya, Tara; Kumar, Nandini K; Muthuswamy, Vasantha; Daar, Abdallah S; Singer, Peter A

2004-01-01

Background The benefits of scientific medicine have eluded millions in developing countries and the genomics revolution threatens to increase health inequities between North and South. India, as a developing yet also industrialized country, is uniquely positioned to pioneer science policy innovations to narrow the genomics divide. Recognizing this, the Indian Council of Medical Research and the University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics conducted a Genomics Policy Executive Course in January 2003 in Kerala, India. The course provided a forum for stakeholders to discuss the relevance of genomics for health in India. This article presents the course findings and recommendations formulated by the participants for genomics policy in India. Methods The course goals were to familiarize participants with the implications of genomics for health in India; analyze and debate policy and ethical issues; and develop a multi-sectoral opinion leaders' network to share perspectives. To achieve these goals, the course brought together representatives of academic research centres, biotechnology companies, regulatory bodies, media, voluntary, and legal organizations to engage in discussion. Topics included scientific advances in genomics, followed by innovations in business models, public sector perspectives, ethics, legal issues and national innovation systems. Results Seven main recommendations emerged: increase funding for healthcare research with appropriate emphasis on genomics; leverage India's assets such as traditional knowledge and genomic diversity in consultation with knowledge-holders; prioritize strategic entry points for India; improve industry-academic interface with appropriate incentives to improve public health and the nation's wealth; develop independent, accountable, transparent regulatory systems to ensure that ethical, legal and social issues are addressed for a single entry, smart and effective system; engage the public and ensure broad-based input into

A Multidisciplinary Approach to Open Access Village Telecenter Initiatives: The Case of Akshaya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pal, Joyojeet; Nedevschi, Sergiu; Patra, Rabin K.; Brewer, Eric A.

2006-01-01

The Akshaya project in the rural Malappuram district of Kerala, India is home to the first and largest district-wide e-literacy project in India, and one of the largest known Internet Protocol-based networks. Through a network of 600 kiosks, the project has been designed to reach computer literacy into over 600,000 households, and bring 3.6…

Determinants of job stress in chemical process industry: A factor analysis approach.

PubMed

Menon, Balagopal G; Praveensal, C J; Madhu, G

2015-01-01

Job stress is one of the active research domains in industrial safety research. The job stress can result in accidents and health related issues in workers in chemical process industries. Hence it is important to measure the level of job stress in workers so as to mitigate the same to avoid the worker's safety related problems in the industries. The objective of this study is to determine the job stress factors in the chemical process industry in Kerala state, India. This study also aims to propose a comprehensive model and an instrument framework for measuring job stress levels in the chemical process industries in Kerala, India. The data is collected through a questionnaire survey conducted in chemical process industries in Kerala. The collected data out of 1197 surveys is subjected to principal component and confirmatory factor analysis to develop the job stress factor structure. The factor analysis revealed 8 factors that influence the job stress in process industries. It is also found that the job stress in employees is most influenced by role ambiguity and the least by work environment. The study has developed an instrument framework towards measuring job stress utilizing exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling.

An epidemological study of obsessive compulsive disorder in adolescents from India.

PubMed

Jaisoorya, T S; Janardhan Reddy, Y C; Thennarasu, K; Beena, K V; Beena, M; Jose, Dalia C

2015-08-01

There is scarce data on the prevalence of OCD among adolescents in India. This study reports point prevalence of OCD among school students (age 12-18years) in the Kerala state of India and examines its association with ADHD, psychological distress, tobacco/alcohol abuse, suicide risk and history of sexual abuse. 7560 students of 73 schools were self-administered the OCD subsection of Clinical Interview Schedule-Revised, the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) for obsessive compulsive symptoms and other relevant instruments to identify OCD and related clinical measures. A diagnosis of ICD-10 OCD was derived through the CIS-R algorithm which required duration of at least 2weeks and at least a thought/behavior to be resisted along with a cut-off score for severity and impairment. In the sample, 50.3% were males with a mean age of 15.2years (range of 12-18years). The response rate was 97.3% (7380 valid responses). 0.8% (n=61) fulfilled criteria for OCD with a male predominance (1.1 vs. 0.5%, p=0.005). Prevalence was higher among Muslims and increased with age. Taboo thoughts (62.3%) and mental rituals (45.9%) were the commonest symptoms. Those with OCD had significantly higher suicidal thoughts (59 vs. 16.3%, p<0.01) suicide attempts (24.6 vs. 3.8%, p<0.01), ADHD (28 vs. 4%, p<0.001), sexual abuse (24.6 vs. 4.2%, p<0.01), and tobacco use (23 vs. 6.8%, p=0.01). They also reported greater psychological distress and poorer academic performance. OCD is common among adolescents in India. Its associations with ADHD, sexual abuse, psychological distress, poorer academic performance and suicidal behavior are additional reasons for it to be recognized and treated early. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Threshold Levels of Infant and Under-Five Mortality for Crossover between Life Expectancies at Ages Zero, One and Five in India: A Decomposition Analysis

PubMed Central

Dubey, Manisha

2015-01-01

Objectives Under the prevailing conditions of imbalanced life table and historic gender discrimination in India, our study examines crossover between life expectancies at ages zero, one and five years for India and quantifies the relative share of infant and under-five mortality towards this crossover. Methods We estimate threshold levels of infant and under-five mortality required for crossover using age specific death rates during 1981–2009 for 16 Indian states by sex (comprising of India’s 90% population in 2011). Kitagawa decomposition equations were used to analyse relative share of infant and under-five mortality towards crossover. Findings India experienced crossover between life expectancies at ages zero and five in 2004 for menand in 2009 for women; eleven and nine Indian states have experienced this crossover for men and women, respectively. Men usually experienced crossover four years earlier than the women. Improvements in mortality below ages five have mostly contributed towards this crossover. Life expectancy at age one exceeds that at age zero for both men and women in India except for Kerala (the only state to experience this crossover in 2000 for men and 1999 for women). Conclusions For India, using life expectancy at age zero and under-five mortality rate together may be more meaningful to measure overall health of its people until the crossover. Delayed crossover for women, despite higher life expectancy at birth than for men reiterates that Indian women are still disadvantaged and hence use of life expectancies at ages zero, one and five become important for India. Greater programmatic efforts to control leading causes of death during the first month and 1–59 months in high child mortality areas can help India to attain this crossover early. PMID:26683617

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

Relationship between reported prior condom use and current self-perceived risk of acquiring HIV among mobile female sex workers in southern India

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background With the evolution of Health Belief Model, risk perception has been identified as one of several core components of public health interventions. While female sex workers (FSWs) in India continue to be at most risk of acquiring and transmitting HIV, little is known about their perception towards risk of acquiring HIV and how this perception depends upon their history of consistent condom use behavior with different type of partners. The objective of this study is to fill this gap in the literature by examining this relationship among mobile FSWs in southern India. Methods We analyzed data for 5,413 mobile FSWs from a cross-sectional behavioral survey conducted in 22 districts from four states in southern India. This survey assessed participants’ demographics, condom use in sex with different types of partners, continuation of sex while experiencing STI symptoms, alcohol use before having sex, and self-perceived risk of acquiring HIV. Descriptive analyses and multilevel logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between risky sexual behaviors and self-perceived risk of acquiring HIV; and to understand the geographical differences in HIV risk perception. Results Of the total mobile FSWs, only two-fifths (40%) perceived themselves to be at high risk of acquiring HIV; more so in the state of Andhra Pradesh (56%) and less in Maharashtra (17%). FSWs seem to assess their current risk of acquiring HIV primarily on the basis of their past condom use behavior with occasional clients and less on the basis of their past condom use behaviors with regular clients and non-paying partners. Prior inconsistent condom use with occasional clients was independently associated with current perception of high HIV risk (adjusted odds ratio [aOR)] = 2.1, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.7-2.6). In contrast, prior inconsistent condom use with non-paying partners was associated with current perception of low HIV risk (aOR= 0.7, 95% CI: 0.5-0.9). The

Factor analysis of rock, soil and water geochemical data from Salem magnesite mines and surrounding area, Salem, southern India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satyanarayanan, M.; Eswaramoorthi, S.; Subramanian, S.; Periakali, P.

2017-09-01

Geochemical analytical data of 15 representative rock samples, 34 soil samples and 55 groundwater samples collected from Salem magnesite mines and surrounding area in Salem, southern India, were subjected to R-mode factor analysis. A maximum of three factors account for 93.8 % variance in rock data, six factors for 84 % variance in soil data, five factors for 71.2 % in groundwater data during summer and six factors for 73.7 % during winter. Total dissolved solids are predominantly contributed by Mg, Na, Cl and SO4 ions in both seasons and are derived from the country rock and mining waste by dissolution of minerals like magnesite, gypsum, halite. The results also show that groundwater is enriched in considerable amount of minor and trace elements (Fe, Mn, Ni, Cr and Co). Nickel, chromium and cobalt in groundwater and soil are derived from leaching of huge mine dumps deposited by selective magnesite mining activity. The factor analysis on trivalent, hexavalent and total Cr in groundwater indicates that most of the Cr in summer is trivalent and in winter hexavalent. The gradational decrease in topographical elevation from northern mine area to the southern residential area, combined regional hydrogeological factors and distribution of ultramafic rocks in the northern part of the study area indicate that these toxic trace elements in water were derived from mine dumps.

Prevalence and Correlates of Self-Reported ADHD Symptoms in Children Attending School in India.

PubMed

Jaisoorya, T S; Beena, K V; Beena, M; Ellangovan, K; George, Sanju; Thennarasu, K; Srinath, Shoba

2016-09-02

To study the prevalence and correlates of self-reported ADHD symptoms among school-going adolescents from Kerala, India. Seven thousand five hundred sixty students from Classes 8, 10, and 12, aged 12 to 19 years, across 73 schools selected by cluster random sampling, were invited to participate, but only 7,150 successfully completed the questionnaire incorporating standardized instruments. Three hundred five (4.3%) self-reported symptoms for ADHD combined type, 131 (1.8%) for ADHD hyperactive-impulsive type, and 102 (1.4%) for ADHD inattentive type with a male predominance. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that those with symptoms of ADHD (combined type) compared with the non-ADHD group had poorer academic performance, significantly higher substance use, psychological distress, suicidality, and sexual abuse. The high prevalence of self-reported ADHD symptoms and its association with negative correlates previously reported in literature in those with a diagnosis of ADHD suggests that clinically significant self-reported ADHD symptoms could be as disabling as ADHD. © The Author(s) 2016.

Abuse against elderly in India--the role of education.

PubMed

Skirbekk, Vegard; James, K S

2014-04-09

Abuse against the elderly is recognized as an important challenge to elderly health, but its determinants are not yet well understood. We present findings from a new dataset which covers a representative sample of the population aged 60 years and above from seven Indian states across India - all of which have a higher proportion aged 60 plus compared to the national average. Earlier studies suggest that schooling levels can be relevant in determining the level of abuse against seniors. This study focuses on the role of education on the prevalence of elderly abuse in India. We conduct an analysis of cross sectional primary data that contains information on elderly abuse. The households in the sample were randomly selected from the seven demographically oldest states in India. These states are Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. A total of 9852 elderly from 8329 households were interviewed. The statistical analysis is based on logistic regression to understand the independent relation of education with abuse against the elderly. Our findings reveal that 11% of 60+ year olds have experienced at least one type of elderly abuse (Physical 5.3%, Verbal 10.2%, Economic 5.4%, Disrespect 6%, Neglect 5.2%). The most common perpetrator is the son, who is reported to be responsible for the abuse among 41% of male victims and 43% of female victims. Formal education among elderly beyond a certain level (8 years) has a strong relation with reduced violence against elderly. Our findings suggest that level of schooling among elderly is strongly negatively related to abuse against them. More members in the household reduces the chance of abuse while having a greater number of children increases the chance of abuse (neglect and verbal abuse). We find that education even after controlling for wealth and other relevant variables is the factor that most consistently lowers elderly abuse. However, the relation of education to abuse is

Chromobacterium violaceum septicaemia from north India.

PubMed

Ray, Pallab; Sharma, Jyoti; Marak, Rungmei S K; Singhi, S; Taneja, Neelam; Garg, Raj Kumar; Sharma, Meera

2004-12-01

Though Chromobacterium violaceum is a common inhabitant of soil and water in tropical and sub-tropical regions, human infections are rare but when they do occur result in high mortality. Since the first case from Malaysia in 1927, about 150 cases have been reported in world literature. Till date 6 cases have been reported from southern and eastern parts of India. We report here a case of C. violaceum septicaemia, probably the first case from north India. The patient, a 6 and a half year old boy was admitted with high fever. The patient had anaemia, neutrophilic leucocytosis and bilateral chest infiltrates. Routine and bacteriological investigations were carried out to establish the aetiological diagnosis. C. violaceum was isolated in pure culture from blood and pus. The patient was successfully treated with ciprofloxacin and amikacin. This is probably the first documented case report of C. violaceum infection from north India and the only Indian case with septicaemia which survived.

Seasonal variations and environmental risk assessment of trace elements in the sediments of Uppanar River estuary, southern India.

PubMed

Gopal, V; Nithya, B; Magesh, N S; Jayaprakash, M

2018-04-01

Twenty four surface sediments were gathered from the Uppanar river estuary, southern India to evaluate the trace element contamination risk in the sediments. The circulation of organic matter and calcium carbonate were controlled by algal blooms and shell fragments. Moreover, the concentrations of iron and manganese in the estuarine sediments were possibly contributed by riverine sources and geogenic processes. The geoaccumulation index, enrichment factor and contamination factor reveals that the sediments were contaminated by copper and chromium. The pollution load index recommends that the estuarine sediments have the risk of pollution. The sediment pollution index highlights that the majority of the sediments are low polluted sediments. The potential ecological risk index discloses that the Uppanar river estuary is under moderate risk. The statistical analysis reveals that the organic matter content is managed by fine fractions and the majority of the trace elements are associated with each other having similar origin. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perceptions about varieties of brown rice: a qualitative study from Southern India.

PubMed

Kumar, Shuba; Mohanraj, Rani; Sudha, Vasudevan; Wedick, Nicole M; Malik, Vasanti; Hu, Frank B; Spiegelman, Donna; Mohan, Viswanathan

2011-10-01

Consumption of whole grains, such as brown rice, compared to white rice can decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. This qualitative study conducted in 2009 sought to identify factors that can act as barriers to or promote acceptance of brown rice as a staple food among South Indian adults (n=65). Using purposeful sampling, eight focus groups were conducted among adults with normal body mass index and adults who were overweight, aged 24 to 47 years, living in slum and non-slum sites in Chennai, a city in Southern India. These focus groups, conducted in Tamil, the local language of Chennai, were homogenous by sex. The focus groups were audiotaped after obtaining consent. Results were transcribed and coded according to four major themes that emerged during the focus group discussions, including culture and dietary practices, factors influencing rice preferences, awareness and perceptions of brown rice, and barriers to and factors influencing acceptance of brown rice. Overall, the majority of participants favored eating rice and rice-based foods. Tradition largely dictated the specific form of rice that people consumed. Awareness about the nutritive properties of brown rice was poor and was cited as a major barrier to its acceptance. In addition, participants tended to consider cooked rice that was neither white nor long-grained to be inferior. However, they believed that although convincing people to switch to brown rice would be a slow process, promoting its healthful benefits could serve to popularize it. Copyright © 2011 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

THE UTILIZATION OF EYE CARE SERVICES BY PERSONS WITH GLAUCOMA IN RURAL SOUTH INDIA

PubMed Central

Robin, Alan L; Nirmalan, Praveen K; Krishnadas, Ramasamy; Ramakrishnan, Rengappa; Katz, Joanne; Tielsch, James; Thulasiraj, Ravilla D; Friedman, David S

2004-01-01

ABSTRACT Purpose To determine utilization of eye care services, in particular those relating to glaucoma, in a rural population of southern India aged 40 years or older. Methods A total of 5,150 subjects aged 40 years or older selected through a random cluster sampling technique from three districts in southern India underwent detailed ocular examinations for vision impairment, blindness, and ocular morbidity. Information regarding previous use of eye care services was collected from this population through a questionnaire administered by trained social workers prior to ocular examinations. Results One thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven persons (35.5%) gave a history of prior eye examinations, primarily from a general hospital (n = 1,073, 58.7%). Increasing age and education were associated with increased utilization of eye care services. Among the 3,323 persons who had never sought eye care, 912 (27.4%) had felt the need to have an eye examination but did not do so. Only one third of persons with vision impairment, cataracts, refractive errors, and glaucoma had previously utilized services. Of the 64 subjects diagnosed as having primary open-angle glaucoma, 32 (50%) had previously seen an ophthalmologist, but none had had an eye examination within 1 year before the study. Only six (19%) of the 32 had been diagnosed as having glaucoma (9% of all subjects found to have glaucoma in the survey). Thirteen (20.3%) of the 64 subjects were blind in either eye due to glaucoma, including one person who was bilaterally blind. Conclusions A large proportion of persons in a rural population of southern India who require eye care are currently not utilizing existing eye care services. Strategies to improve the uptake of services are required to reduce the burden of blindness due to glaucoma in southern India. PMID:15747744

Angle-closure glaucoma in an urban population in southern India. The Andhra Pradesh eye disease study.

PubMed

Dandona, L; Dandona, R; Mandal, P; Srinivas, M; John, R K; McCarty, C A; Rao, G N

2000-09-01

To assess the prevalence and features of angle-closure glaucoma (ACG) in an urban population in southern India. A population-based, cross-sectional study. A total of 2522 (85.4% of those eligible) persons of all ages, including 1399 persons 30 years of age or older, from 24 clusters representative of the population of Hyderabad city. The participants underwent an interview and detailed eye examination that included logarithm of minimum angle of resolution visual acuity, refraction, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, applanation tonometry, and gonioscopy; pupil dilatation and stereoscopic fundus evaluation was performed if the risk of angle-closure as a result of dilatation was not believed to be imminent. Humphrey threshold 24-2 visual fields (Humphrey Instruments Inc., San Leandro, CA) were performed when indicated by standardized criteria for disc damage or if intraocular pressure (IOP) was 22 mmHg or more. An occludable angle was defined as pigmented posterior trabecular meshwork not visible by gonioscopy in three quarters or more of the angle circumference. Manifest primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) was defined as IOP of 22 mmHg or more or glaucomatous optic disc damage with visual field loss in the presence of an occludable angle. An IOP of 22 mmHg or more or glaucomatous optic disc damage in the presence of an occludable angle secondary to an obvious cause was defined as secondary ACG. Manifest PACG and occludable angles without ACG were present in 12 and 24 participants, respectively, with age- and gender-adjusted prevalence (95% confidence interval [CI]) of 0.71% (0.34%-1.31%) and 1.41% (0.73%-2.09%) in participants 30 years of age or older, and 1.08% (0.36%-1.80%) and 2.21% (1.15%-3.27%) in participants 40 years of age or older, respectively. With multivariate analysis, the prevalence of these two conditions considered together increased significantly with age (P < 0.001); although not statistically significant, these were more common in females (odds ratio 1

Validation of the Malayalam version of the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) scale.

PubMed

James, Tintu; Kutty, V Raman; Boyd, Jennifer; Brzoska, Patrick

2016-04-01

Little is known about internalized stigma of mental illness in India. A reason for this could be the lack of valid assessment instruments adapted for the diverse cultures and languages of the country. One of the most widely used and accepted questionnaires to assess internalized stigma is the 29-item Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) scale. The aim of the present study was to translate and adapt the ISMI to the Malayalam-speaking population of Kerala, India and to assess its content and factorial validity. The content validity of the Malayalam-language ISMI was studied through interviews with 7 experts on stigma in India. Factorial validity was examined by means of a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) based on a cross-sectional survey among 290 patients with mental illness attending follow-up outpatient and primary care clinics in Kerala, India. The expert panel concluded that the items of the translated questionnaire adequately represent internalized stigma in the Malayalam-speaking population of Kerala. The theorized factor structure of the ISMI consisting of five factors showed a suboptimal model fit (WRMR=0.940; TLI=0.971, CFI=0.948; RMSEA=0.059) which improved considerably after removal of the stigma resistance factor and three items with poor factor loadings (WRMR=0.819; TLI=0.982, CFI=0.966; RMSEA=0.051). Although our study identifies some sources of model ill-fit, it shows that a reduced version of the Malayalam-language ISMI can be a valuable tool for the study of internalized stigma in this cultural setting. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Polonium-210 in marine mussels (bivalve molluscs) inhabiting the southern coast of India.

PubMed

Khan, M Feroz; Wesley, S Godwin; Rajan, M P

2014-12-01

The present study focused on the determination of the alpha-emitter, (210)Po, in two species of marine mussels (bivalve molluscs) commonly available in the southern coastal region of India. The brown mussel, Perna indica was collected from the west coast and the green mussel, Perna viridis from the east coast. The concentration of (210)Po was related to the allometry (length of shell, wet/dry weight of shell/soft tissue) of the mussels and significant results were found. The study period focused on three seasons namely, pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon for a 1-year period (2010-2011). The results revealed higher activity levels in smaller-sized mussels compared to larger ones. Marked variation in (210)Po activity concentration was noted in the whole-body soft tissues between seasons and sampling site (p < 0.05). The dose rate assessment for mussels was performed using the ERICA Assessment tool. The chronic exposure to mussels due to (210)Po was found to be lesser than the global benchmark dose rate of 10 μGy h(-1). The effective ingestion dose to adults who intake mussels was estimated to be in the range 5.1-34.9 μSv y(-1). The measurement contributes to the furthering of knowledge of (210)Po, since no data exist in this region. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geologic implications of gas hydrates in the offshore of India: Krishna-Godavari Basin, Mahanadi Basin, Andaman Sea, Kerala-Konkan Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kumar, Pushpendra; Collett, Timothy S.; Boswell, Ray; Cochran, James R.; Lall, Malcolm; Mazumdar, Aninda; Ramana, Mangipudi Venkata; Ramprasad, Tammisetti; Riedel, Michael; Sain, Kalachand; Sathe, Arun Vasant; Vishwanath, Krishna; Yadav, U.S.

2014-01-01

NGHP-01 yielded evidence of gas hydrate from downhole log and core data obtained from all the sites in the Krishna–Godavari Basin, the Mahanadi Basin, and in the Andaman Sea. The site drilled in the Kerala–Konkan Basin during NGHP-01 did not yield any evidence of gas hydrate. Most of the downhole log-inferred gas hydrate and core-recovered gas hydrate were characterized as either fracture-filling in clay-dominated sediments or as pore-filling or grain-displacement particles disseminated in both fine- and coarse-grained sediments. Geochemical analyses of gases obtained from sediment cores recovered during NGHP-01 indicated that the gas in most all of the hydrates in the offshore of India is derived from microbial sources; only one site in the Andaman Sea exhibited limited evidence of a thermogenic gas source. The gas hydrate petroleum system concept has been used to effectively characterize the geologic controls on the occurrence of gas hydrates in the offshore of India.

Learning from each other: cross-cultural insights on palliative care in Indian and Australian regions.

PubMed

McGrath, Pam; Holewa, Hamish; Koilparampil, Thomas; Koshy, Cherian; George, Shobha

2009-10-01

This article presents the findings of a cross-cultural research project that explored similarities and differences between palliative care service provision in Kerala, India and South-East Queensland, Australia, to inform a process of mutual learning for service development. Three major points of difference that can inform this process of mutual learning were identified: 1) an understanding of the significance of honesty in information-giving to the patient, 2) recognition of the importance of palliative care specialists providing education to mainstream health professionals, and 3) appreciation of the need for palliative care to be cognizant of the socio-economic impact of dying-especially for families experiencing poverty-by embracing strategies for financial and material support. The findings highlight the effectiveness of a cross-cultural collaboration between health professionals and researchers in South-East Queensland, Australia and Kerala, India.

A quasi-linear structure of the southern margin of Eurasia prior to the India-Asia collision: First paleomagnetic constraints from Upper Cretaceous volcanic rocks near the western syntaxis of Tibet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, Zhiyu; Huang, Baochun; Yang, Liekun; Tang, Xiangde; Yan, Yonggang; Qiao, Qingqing; Zhao, Jie; Chen, Liwei

2015-07-01

We report the first combined geochronologic and paleomagnetic study of volcanic rocks from the Shiquanhe and Yare Basins at the westernmost Lhasa Terrane, which aims to provide an accurate constraint on the shape and paleoposition of the southern margin of Asia prior to the India-Asia collision. Three new 40Ar/39Ar ages of 92.5 ± 2.9 Ma, 92.4 ± 0.9 Ma, and 79.6 ± 0.7 Ma determined by fresh matrix or feldspar from lava flows suggest a Late Cretaceous age for the investigated units. Characteristic remanent magnetizations have been successfully isolated from 38 sites which pass positive fold and/or reversal, conglomerate tests and are hence interpreted as primary in origin. The two paleopoles obtained from Yare and Shiquanhe yield consistent paleolatitudes of 13.6°N ± 9.6°N and 14.2°N ± 2.7°N, respectively (for a reference site of 31.5°N, 80°E), indicating that the southern margin of Asia near the western syntaxis was located far south during the Late Cretaceous time. A reconstruction of the Lhasa Terrane in the frame of Eurasia with paleomagnetic data obtained from its western and eastern parts indicates that the southern margin of Eurasia probably had a quasi-linear orientation prior to the collision formerly trending approximately 315°E. This is compatible with the shape of the Neo-Tethys slab observed from seismic tomographic studies. Our findings provide a solid basis for evaluating Cenozoic crustal shortening in the Asian interior and the size of Greater India near the western syntaxis.

Utilization of alternative systems of medicine as health care services in India: Evidence on AYUSH care from NSS 2014.

PubMed

Rudra, Shalini; Kalra, Aakshi; Kumar, Abhishek; Joe, William

2017-01-01

AYUSH, an acronym for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homeopathy represents the alternative systems of medicine recognized by the Government of India. Understanding the patterns of utilization of AYUSH care has been important for various reasons including an increased focus on its mainstreaming and integration with biomedicine-based health care system. Based on a nationally representative health survey 2014, we present an analysis to understand utilization of AYUSH care across socioeconomic and demographic groups in India. Overall, 6.9% of all patients seeking outpatient care in the reference period of last two weeks have used AYUSH services without any significant differentials across rural and urban India. Importantly, public health facilities play a key role in provisioning of AYUSH care in rural areas with higher utilization in Chhattisgarh, Kerala and West Bengal. Use of AYUSH among middle-income households is lower when compared with poorer and richer households. We also find that low-income households display a greater tendency for AYUSH self-medication. AYUSH care utilization is higher among patients with chronic diseases and also for treating skin-related and musculo-skeletal ailments. Although the overall share of AYUSH prescription drugs in total medical expenditure is only about 6% but the average expenditure for drugs on AYUSH and allopathy did not differ hugely. The discussion compares our estimates and findings with other studies and also highlights major policy issues around mainstreaming of AYUSH care.

Utilization of alternative systems of medicine as health care services in India: Evidence on AYUSH care from NSS 2014

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

AYUSH, an acronym for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homeopathy represents the alternative systems of medicine recognized by the Government of India. Understanding the patterns of utilization of AYUSH care has been important for various reasons including an increased focus on its mainstreaming and integration with biomedicine-based health care system. Based on a nationally representative health survey 2014, we present an analysis to understand utilization of AYUSH care across socioeconomic and demographic groups in India. Overall, 6.9% of all patients seeking outpatient care in the reference period of last two weeks have used AYUSH services without any significant differentials across rural and urban India. Importantly, public health facilities play a key role in provisioning of AYUSH care in rural areas with higher utilization in Chhattisgarh, Kerala and West Bengal. Use of AYUSH among middle-income households is lower when compared with poorer and richer households. We also find that low-income households display a greater tendency for AYUSH self-medication. AYUSH care utilization is higher among patients with chronic diseases and also for treating skin-related and musculo-skeletal ailments. Although the overall share of AYUSH prescription drugs in total medical expenditure is only about 6% but the average expenditure for drugs on AYUSH and allopathy did not differ hugely. The discussion compares our estimates and findings with other studies and also highlights major policy issues around mainstreaming of AYUSH care. PMID:28472197

Geochemical characteristics of Proterozoic granite magmatism from Southern Granulite Terrain, India: Implications for Gondwana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yellappa, T.; Rao, J. Mallikharjuna

2018-03-01

Granitoid intrusions occur widely in the Southern Granulite Terrain (SGT) of India, particularly within the Cauvery Suture Zone (CSZ), which is considered as the trace of the Neoproterozoic Mozambique ocean closure. Here we present the petrological and geochemical features of 19 granite plutons across the three major tectonic blocks of the terrain. Our data show a wide variation in the compositions of these intrusions from alkali feldspathic syenite to granite. The whole rock geochemistry of these intrusions displays higher concentrations of SiO2, FeO*, K2O, Ba, Zr, Th, LREE and low MgO, Na2O, Ti, P, Nb, Y and HREE's. The granitoids are metaluminous to slightly peraluminous in nature revealing both I-type and A-type origin. In tectonic discrimination plots, the plutons dominantly show volcanic arc and syn-collisional as well as post-collisional affinity. Based on the available age data together with geochemical constrains, we demonstrate that the granitic magmatism in the centre and south of the terrain is mostly associated with the Neoproterozoic subduction-collision-accretion-orogeny, followed by extensional mechanism of Gondwana tectonics events. Similar widespread granitic activity has also been documented in the Arabian Nubian shield, Madagascar, Sri Lanka and Antarctica, providing similarities for the reconstruction of the crustal fragments of Gondwana supercontinent followed by Pan-African orogeny.

Abuse against elderly in India – The role of education

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Abuse against the elderly is recognized as an important challenge to elderly health, but its determinants are not yet well understood. We present findings from a new dataset which covers a representative sample of the population aged 60 years and above from seven Indian states across India – all of which have a higher proportion aged 60 plus compared to the national average. Earlier studies suggest that schooling levels can be relevant in determining the level of abuse against seniors. This study focuses on the role of education on the prevalence of elderly abuse in India. Methods We conduct an analysis of cross sectional primary data that contains information on elderly abuse. The households in the sample were randomly selected from the seven demographically oldest states in India. These states are Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. A total of 9852 elderly from 8329 households were interviewed. The statistical analysis is based on logistic regression to understand the independent relation of education with abuse against the elderly. Results Our findings reveal that 11% of 60+ year olds have experienced at least one type of elderly abuse (Physical 5.3%, Verbal 10.2%, Economic 5.4%, Disrespect 6%, Neglect 5.2%). The most common perpetrator is the son, who is reported to be responsible for the abuse among 41% of male victims and 43% of female victims. Formal education among elderly beyond a certain level (8 years) has a strong relation with reduced violence against elderly. Conclusions Our findings suggest that level of schooling among elderly is strongly negatively related to abuse against them. More members in the household reduces the chance of abuse while having a greater number of children increases the chance of abuse (neglect and verbal abuse). We find that education even after controlling for wealth and other relevant variables is the factor that most consistently lowers elderly abuse. However

Polymorphic Alu Insertion/Deletion in Different Caste and Tribal Populations from South India.

PubMed

Chinniah, Rathika; Vijayan, Murali; Thirunavukkarasu, Manikandan; Mani, Dhivakar; Raju, Kamaraj; Ravi, Padma Malini; Sivanadham, Ramgopal; C, Kandeepan; N, Mahalakshmi; Karuppiah, Balakrishnan

2016-01-01

Seven human-specific Alu markers were studied in 574 unrelated individuals from 10 endogamous groups and 2 hill tribes of Tamil Nadu and Kerala states. DNA was isolated, amplified by PCR-SSP, and subjected to agarose gel electrophoresis, and genotypes were assigned for various Alu loci. Average heterozygosity among caste populations was in the range of 0.292-0.468. Among tribes, the average heterozygosity was higher for Paliyan (0.3759) than for Kani (0.2915). Frequency differences were prominent in all loci studied except Alu CD4. For Alu CD4, the frequency was 0.0363 in Yadavas, a traditional pastoral and herd maintaining population, and 0.2439 in Narikuravars, a nomadic gypsy population. The overall genetic difference (Gst) of 12 populations (castes and tribes) studied was 3.6%, which corresponds to the Gst values of 3.6% recorded earlier for Western Asian populations. Thus, our study confirms the genetic similarities between West Asian populations and South Indian castes and tribes and supported the large scale coastal migrations from Africa into India through West Asia. However, the average genetic difference (Gst) of Kani and Paliyan tribes with other South Indian tribes studied earlier was 8.3%. The average Gst of combined South and North Indian Tribes (CSNIT) was 9.5%. Neighbor joining tree constructed showed close proximity of Kani and Paliyan tribal groups to the other two South Indian tribes, Toda and Irula of Nilgiri hills studied earlier. Further, the analysis revealed the affinities among populations and confirmed the presence of North and South India specific lineages. Our findings have documented the highly diverse (micro differentiated) nature of South Indian tribes, predominantly due to isolation, than the endogamous population groups of South India. Thus, our study firmly established the genetic relationship of South Indian castes and tribes and supported the proposed large scale ancestral migrations from Africa, particularly into South India

Polymorphic Alu Insertion/Deletion in Different Caste and Tribal Populations from South India

PubMed Central

Chinniah, Rathika; Vijayan, Murali; Thirunavukkarasu, Manikandan; Mani, Dhivakar; Raju, Kamaraj; Ravi, Padma Malini; Sivanadham, Ramgopal; C, Kandeepan; N, Mahalakshmi; Karuppiah, Balakrishnan

2016-01-01

Seven human-specific Alu markers were studied in 574 unrelated individuals from 10 endogamous groups and 2 hill tribes of Tamil Nadu and Kerala states. DNA was isolated, amplified by PCR-SSP, and subjected to agarose gel electrophoresis, and genotypes were assigned for various Alu loci. Average heterozygosity among caste populations was in the range of 0.292–0.468. Among tribes, the average heterozygosity was higher for Paliyan (0.3759) than for Kani (0.2915). Frequency differences were prominent in all loci studied except Alu CD4. For Alu CD4, the frequency was 0.0363 in Yadavas, a traditional pastoral and herd maintaining population, and 0.2439 in Narikuravars, a nomadic gypsy population. The overall genetic difference (Gst) of 12 populations (castes and tribes) studied was 3.6%, which corresponds to the Gst values of 3.6% recorded earlier for Western Asian populations. Thus, our study confirms the genetic similarities between West Asian populations and South Indian castes and tribes and supported the large scale coastal migrations from Africa into India through West Asia. However, the average genetic difference (Gst) of Kani and Paliyan tribes with other South Indian tribes studied earlier was 8.3%. The average Gst of combined South and North Indian Tribes (CSNIT) was 9.5%. Neighbor joining tree constructed showed close proximity of Kani and Paliyan tribal groups to the other two South Indian tribes, Toda and Irula of Nilgiri hills studied earlier. Further, the analysis revealed the affinities among populations and confirmed the presence of North and South India specific lineages. Our findings have documented the highly diverse (micro differentiated) nature of South Indian tribes, predominantly due to isolation, than the endogamous population groups of South India. Thus, our study firmly established the genetic relationship of South Indian castes and tribes and supported the proposed large scale ancestral migrations from Africa, particularly into South India

Molecular evidence for the occurrence of tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus on chayote (Sechium edule) in southern India.

PubMed

Nagendran, K; Mohankumar, S; Mohammed Faisal, P; Bagewadi, B; Karthikeyan, G

2017-12-01

During 2012-2014, mosaic disease on chayote in the farmers field of Kodaikanal region (high altitude zone) of Tamil Nadu was observed. The disease was characterized with severe mosaic, cupping and enation on leaves with reduced fruit size. Disease was found to causes an yield loss of more than 60% with the maximum disease incidence of 100% for the past 5 years consecutively. Preliminary serological and molecular screening indicated the association of begomovirus with the disease. Complete nucleotide sequence and phylogenetic analysis of DNA A revealed the identity of the virus as tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV). In recombination analysis study, the major parent was identified as ToLCNDV from Pakistan infecting tomato. Thus the present finding confirms expansion of new geographical region and host for ToLCNDV causing mosaic disease on chayote from Tamil Nadu. To our knowledge this is the first confirmed report for the occurrence of ToLCNDV on chayote in southern India.

Marital status, family ties, and self-rated health among elders in South India.

PubMed

Sudha, S; Suchindran, Chirayath; Mutran, Elizabeth J; Rajan, S Irudaya; Sarma, P Sankara

2006-01-01

This article examines the impact of familial social support ties (indicated by marital status, kin availability, sources of economic support, and frequency and quality of emotional interaction) on subjective health perception among a sample of elderly men and women aged 60 and older in South India. We used 1993 survey data from three states of South India: Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. We hypothesized that (a) widowhood would be associated with poorer self-rated health, (b) number of kin ties would be positively associated with self-rated health, (c) economic and emotional support from kin would improve outcomes, and (d) these associations would be stronger among women than among men. Results of logistic regression techniques supported the first hypothesis and partially supported the third. With regard to the second hypothesis, the presence of specific kin rather than the number of each type of family member was important. For the fourth hypothesis, results suggest that men and women in this sample have broadly similar associations between widowhood and self-rated health. For women however, controlling for socioeconomic status did not weaken the association between widowhood and self-rated health, suggesting the symbolic/cultural importance of this status. In general, these findings suggest that theories on the importance of marital status and kin ties for older adults' self-rated health, which were developed and tested in Western societies, need to be refined for Asian societies, where the nature of marriage and widowhood are different.

The High Deccan duricrusts of India and their significance for the `laterite' issue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ollier, Cliff D.; Sheth, Hetu C.

2008-10-01

In the Deccan region of western India ferricrete duricrusts, usually described as laterites, cap some basalt summits east of the Western Ghats escarpment, basalts of the low-lying Konkan Plain to its west, as well as some sizeable isolated basalt plateaus rising from the Plain. The duricrusts are iron-cemented saprolite with vermiform hollows, but apart from that have little in common with the common descriptions of laterite. The classical laterite profile is not present. In particular there are no pisolitic concretions, no or minimal development of concretionary crust, and the pallid zone, commonly assumed to be typical of laterites, is absent. A relatively thin, non-indurated saprolite usually lies between the duricrust and fresh basalt. The duricrust resembles the classical laterite of Angadippuram in Kerala (southwestern India), but is much harder. The High Deccan duricrusts capping the basalt summits in the Western Ghats have been interpreted as residuals from a continuous (but now largely destroyed) laterite blanket that represents in situ transformation of the uppermost lavas, and thereby as marking the original top of the lava pile. But the unusual pattern of the duricrusts on the map and other evidence suggest instead that the duricrusts formed along a palaeoriver system, and are now in inverted relief. The two interpretations lead to different tectonic histories. Duricrust formation involved lateral material input besides vertical elemental exchange. We may have reached the stage when the very concepts of laterite and lateritization are hindering progress in regolith research.

CDC Kerala 5: Developmental therapy clinic experience--use of Child Development Centre grading for motor milestones.

PubMed

Nair, M K C; Resmi, V R; Krishnan, Rajee; Harikumaran Nair, G S; Leena, M L; Bhaskaran, Deepa; George, Babu; Russell, Paul Swamidhas Sudhakar

2014-12-01

To document the experiences of the intervention given to children who attended the developmental therapy clinic of Child Development Centre (CDC) Kerala, a specialized clinic for providing developmental intervention/therapy for babies less than two years with developmental delay/disability. All the babies referred to this speciality clinic from developmental screening/evaluation clinics of CDC were registered in the clinic and re-evaluation was done using CDC grading for head holding, sitting, standing, Amiel Tison passive angles, and Trivandrum Developmental Screening Chart (TDSC) 0-2 y. Out of a total of 600 consecutive babies below 2 y with developmental delay/disability referred to developmental therapy clinic, on comparing the test results at enrollment and after 6 mo of intervention, a statistically significant reduction was observed (i) in the 2-4 mo age group with regard to abnormal TDSC (25.5%), (ii) in the 4-8 mo age group with regard to abnormal head holding grade (87.1%) and abnormal TDSC (19.4%), (iii) in the 8-12 mo age group, with regard to abnormal sitting grade (71.7%) and (iv) in the above 12 mo age group with regard to abnormal sitting grade (35.3%) and abnormal standing grade (78.8%). The experience of organizing the developmental intervention/therapy clinic at CDC Kerala has shown that therapy services by developmental therapists in a centre and supportive therapy by mother at home is useful in improving the developmental status of children with developmental delay.

Magmatic record of India-Asia collision

PubMed Central

Zhu, Di-Cheng; Wang, Qing; Zhao, Zhi-Dan; Chung, Sun-Lin; Cawood, Peter A.; Niu, Yaoling; Liu, Sheng-Ao; Wu, Fu-Yuan; Mo, Xuan-Xue

2015-01-01

New geochronological and geochemical data on magmatic activity from the India-Asia collision zone enables recognition of a distinct magmatic flare-up event that we ascribe to slab breakoff. This tie-point in the collisional record can be used to back-date to the time of initial impingement of the Indian continent with the Asian margin. Continental arc magmatism in southern Tibet during 80–40 Ma migrated from south to north and then back to south with significant mantle input at 70–43 Ma. A pronounced flare up in magmatic intensity (including ignimbrite and mafic rock) at ca. 52–51 Ma corresponds to a sudden decrease in the India-Asia convergence rate. Geological and geochemical data are consistent with mantle input controlled by slab rollback from ca. 70 Ma and slab breakoff at ca. 53 Ma. We propose that the slowdown of the Indian plate at ca. 51 Ma is largely the consequence of slab breakoff of the subducting Neo-Tethyan oceanic lithosphere, rather than the onset of the India-Asia collision as traditionally interpreted, implying that the initial India-Asia collision commenced earlier, likely at ca. 55 Ma. PMID:26395973

Background radiation and individual dosimetry in the costal area of Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Matsuda, Naoki; Brahmanandhan, G M; Yoshida, Masahiro; Takamura, Noboru; Suyama, Akihiko; Koguchi, Yasuhiro; Juto, Norimichi; Raj, Y Lenin; Winsley, Godwin; Selvasekarapandian, S

2011-07-01

South coast of India is known as the high-level background radiation area (HBRA) mainly due to beach sands that contain natural radionuclides as components of the mineral monazite. The rich deposit of monazite is unevenly distributed along the coastal belt of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. An HBRA site that laid in 2×7 m along the sea was found in the beach of Chinnavillai, Tamil Nadu, where the maximum ambient dose equivalent reached as high as 162.7 mSv y(-1). From the sands collected at the HBRA spot, the high-purity germanium semi-conductor detector identified six nuclides of thorium series, four nuclides of uranium series and two nuclides belonging to actinium series. The highest radioactivity observed was 43.7 Bq g(-1) of Th-228. The individual dose of five inhabitants in Chinnavillai, as measured by the radiophotoluminescence glass dosimetry system, demonstrated the average dose of 7.17 mSv y(-1) ranging from 2.79 to 14.17 mSv y(-1).

Suppressing geo-facts in landslide-affected areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sajinkumar, Ks; Pradeepkumar, Ap; Rani, Vr; Di Capua, Giuseppe

2014-05-01

The Western Ghats, the bold westerly escarpment of India and which borders the eastern portion of Kerala State (India), bears the testimony of frequent landslides, especially during the monsoon season, and they cause widespread damage to life and property. The natural hazards can turn into disasters in this hilly state, due to the high density of population (~800 per km2). The elements at landslide risk in any area include human population, livestock, land and its resources, environmental values, buildings and economic activities. The loss of lives is the most heart breaking side of the story and cannot be compensated in pecuniary terms. The role of the geoscientist comes into picture to protect the life and property from imminent landslides. But the unbiased role of a geoscientist is blocked by several societal issues like fear of disapproval by the public, political interference, false information propagated through the fourth estate and last but not the least the lack of confidence in her/himself as the profession is now mainly non-societal. This paper aims at looking into these issues in a landslide-prone area of the state. The deontological vs consequential ethical behaviours that characterise the responses by the official machinery and the common man conspire to create disastrous situations, which ultimately brings suffering to the common man, while straining the resources of the state through recurrent payment of damages, every year. The "moral vs monetary" values of society and its government is laid bare in Kerala, especially during landslide disasters and the state's social contract obligations sometimes become ambiguous. Another aspect that has to be addressed is the impact on the marginalized during landslide disasters in Kerala. Does the newly instituted 'Disaster Insurance' scheme adequately cover them? What is the ethical dimensions that such schemes address? The Kerala state is the most socially, educationally, and demographically advanced one in

Institutional Climate Perception of Post Graduate Students in Relation to Their Information Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumar, Amruth G.; Rajesh, K.

2010-01-01

In this paper the investigators focus on the relationship between "Information Literacy" and "Institutional Climate Perception" of post graduate students. The study was conducted on four hundred Post Graduate Students' from four districts of Kerala, India. Instruments used were; "Information Literacy Inventory" and…

Long wavelength gravity anomalies over India: Crustal and lithospheric structures and its flexure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiwari, V. M.; Ravi Kumar, M.; Mishra, D. C.

2013-07-01

Long wavelength gravity anomalies over India were obtained from terrestrial gravity data through two independent methods: (i) wavelength filtering and (ii) removing crustal effects. The gravity fields due to the lithospheric mantle obtained from two methods were quite comparable. The long wavelength gravity anomalies were interpreted in terms of variations in the depth of the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB) and the Moho with appropriate densities, that are constrained from seismic results at certain points. Modeling of the long wavelength gravity anomaly along a N-S profile (77°E) suggest that the thickness of the lithosphere for a density contrast of 0.05 g/cm3 with the asthenosphere is maximum of ˜190 km along the Himalayan front that reduces to ˜155 km under the southern part of the Ganga and the Vindhyan basins increasing to ˜175 km south of the Satpura Mobile belt, reducing to ˜155-140 km under the Eastern Dharwar craton (EDC) and from there consistently decreasing south wards to ˜120 km under the southernmost part of India, known as Southern Granulite Terrain (SGT). The crustal model clearly shows three distinct terrains of different bulk densities, and thicknesses, north of the SMB under the Ganga and the Vindhyan basins, and south of it the Eastern Dharwar Craton (EDC) and the Southern Granulite Terrain (SGT) of bulk densities 2.87, 2.90 and 2.96 g/cm3, respectively. It is confirmed from the exposed rock types as the SGT is composed of high bulk density lower crustal rocks and mafic/ultramafic intrusives while the EDC represent typical granite/gneisses rocks and the basement under the Vindhyan and Ganga basins towards the north are composed of Bundelkhand granite massif of the lower density. The crustal thickness along this profile varies from ˜37-38 km under the EDC, increasing to ˜40-45 km under the SGT and ˜40-42 km under the northern part of the Ganga basin with a bulge up to ˜36 km under its southern part. Reduced lithospheric and

Fatal herpesvirus hemorrhagic disease in wild and orphan asian elephants in southern India.

PubMed

Zachariah, Arun; Zong, Jian-Chao; Long, Simon Y; Latimer, Erin M; Heaggans, Sarah Y; Richman, Laura K; Hayward, Gary S

2013-04-01

Up to 65% of deaths of young Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) between 3 mo and 15 yr of age in Europe and North America over the past 20 yr have been attributed to hemorrhagic disease associated with a novel DNA virus called elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV). To evaluate the potential role of EEHV in suspected cases of a similar lethal acute hemorrhagic disease occurring in southern India, we studied pathologic tissue samples collected from field necropsies. Nine cases among both orphaned camp and wild Asian elephants were identified by diagnostic PCR. These were subjected to detailed gene subtype DNA sequencing at multiple PCR loci, which revealed seven distinct strains of EEHV1A and one of EEHV1B. Two orphan calves that died within 3 days of one another at the same training camp had identical EEHV1A DNA sequences, indicating a common epidemiologic source. However, the high level of EEHV1 subtype genetic diversity found among the other Indian strains matches that among over 30 EEHV1 strains that have been evaluated from Europe and North America. These results argue against the previous suggestions that this is just a disease of captive elephants and that the EEHV1 virus has crossed recently from African elephant (Loxodonta africana) hosts to Asian elephants. Instead, both the virus and the disease are evidently widespread in Asia and, despite the disease severity, Asian elephants appear to be the ancient endogenous hosts of both EEHV1A and EEHV1B.

FATAL HERPESVIRUS HEMORRHAGIC DISEASE IN WILD AND ORPHAN ASIAN ELEPHANTS IN SOUTHERN INDIA

PubMed Central

Zachariah, Arun; Zong, Jian-Chao; Long, Simon Y.; Latimer, Erin M.; Heaggans, Sarah Y.; Richman, Laura K.; Hayward, Gary S.

2013-01-01

Up to 65% of deaths of young Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) between 3 mo and 15 yr of age in Europe and North America over the past 20 yr have been attributed to hemorrhagic disease associated with a novel DNA virus called elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV). To evaluate the potential role of EEHV in suspected cases of a similar lethal acute hemorrhagic disease occurring in southern India, we studied pathologic tissue samples collected from field necropsies. Nine cases among both orphaned camp and wild Asian elephants were identified by diagnostic PCR. These were subjected to detailed gene subtype DNA sequencing at multiple PCR loci, which revealed seven distinct strains of EEHV1A and one of EEHV1B. Two orphan calves that died within 3 days of one another at the same training camp had identical EEHV1A DNA sequences, indicating a common epidemiologic source. However, the high level of EEHV1 subtype genetic diversity found among the other Indian strains matches that among over 30 EEHV1 strains that have been evaluated from Europe and North America. These results argue against the previous suggestions that this is just a disease of captive elephants and that the EEHV1 virus has crossed recently from African elephant (Loxodonta africana) hosts to Asian elephants. Instead, both the virus and the disease are evidently widespread in Asia and, despite the disease severity, Asian elephants appear to be the ancient endogenous hosts of both EEHV1A and EEHV1B. PMID:23568914

STS-56 Earth observation of Karakorum Range of north India

NASA Image and Video Library

1993-04-17

STS-56 Earth observation shows of some of the highest mountain peaks in the world taken from Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, as it passed over India and China. The top of the view shows one of the snow and ice-covered massifs in the great Karakorum Range of north India. A star-shaped peak at top left reaches 23,850 feet. Glaciers can be seen in valleys at these high elevations. The international border between India to the south (top) and China (bottom) snakes left to right along a river near the top of the scene, then veers into the muntains at top left. Larger valleys, despite their elevation (all in excess of 14,000 feet), are occupied by transport routes joining points in India, China and the southern republics of the CIS. The ancient Silk Route between China and the Middle East lies not far to the north (outside the bottom of the frame).

An NGO-Implemented Community-Clinic Health Worker Approach to Providing Long-Term Care for Hypertension in a Remote Region of Southern India.

PubMed

Sankaran, Sujatha; Ravi, Prema S; Wu, Yichen Ethel; Shanabogue, Sharan; Ashok, Sangeetha; Agnew, Kaylan; Fang, Margaret C; Khanna, Raman A; Dandu, Madhavi; Harrison, James D

2017-12-28

Poor blood pressure control results in tremendous morbidity and mortality in India where the leading cause of death among adults is from coronary heart disease. Despite having little formal education, community health workers (CHWs) are integral to successful public health interventions in India and other low- and middle-income countries that have a shortage of trained health professionals. Training CHWs to screen for and manage chronic hypertension, with support from trained clinicians, offers an excellent opportunity for effecting systemwide change in hypertension-related burden of disease. In this article, we describe the development of a program that trained CHWs between 2014 and 2015 in the tribal region of the Sittilingi Valley in southern India, to identify hypertensive patients in the community, refer them for diagnosis and initial management in a physician-staffed clinic, and provide them with sustained lifestyle interventions and medications over multiple visits. We found that after 2 years, the CHWs had screened 7,176 people over age 18 for hypertension, 1,184 (16.5%) of whom were screened as hypertensive. Of the 1,184 patients screened as hypertensive, 898 (75.8%) had achieved blood pressure control, defined as a systolic blood pressure less than 140 and a diastolic blood pressure less than 90 sustained over 3 consecutive visits. While all of the 24 trained CHWs reported confidence in checking blood pressure with a manual blood pressure cuff, 4 of the 24 CHWs reported occasional difficulty documenting blood pressure values because they were unable to write numbers properly. They compensated by asking other CHWs or members of their community to help with documentation. Our experience and findings suggest that a CHW blood pressure screening system linked to a central clinic can be a promising avenue for improving hypertension control rates in low- and middle-income countries. © Sankaran et al.

Emergence of Arctic-like Rabies Lineage in India

PubMed Central

Turner, Geoff; Paul, Joel P. V.; Madhusudana, Shampur N.; Wandeler, Alexander I.

2007-01-01

A collection of 37 rabies-infected samples, 10 human saliva and 27 animal brain, were recovered during 2001–2004 from the cities of Bangalore and Hyderabad in southern India and from Kasauli, a mountainous region in Himachal Pradesh, northern India. Phylogenetic analysis of partial N gene nucleotide sequences of these 37 specimens and 1 archival specimen identified 2 groups, divided according to their geographic (north or south) origins. Comparison of selected Indian viruses with representative rabies viruses recovered worldwide showed a close association of all Indian isolates with the circumpolar Arctic rabies lineage distributed throughout northern latitudes of North America and Europe and other viruses recovered from several Asian countries. PMID:17370523

Structural anatomy of a dismembered ophiolite suite from Gondwana: The Manamedu complex, Cauvery suture zone, southern India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chetty, T. R. K.; Yellappa, T.; Nagesh, P.; Mohanty, D. P.; Venkatasivappa, V.; Santosh, M.; Tsunogae, T.

2011-08-01

Detailed geological and structural mapping of the Manamedu ophiolite complex (MOC), from the south-eastern part of the Cauvery suture zone (CSZ) within the Gondwana collisional suture in southern India reveals the anatomy of a dismembered ophiolite succession comprising pyroxenite actinolite-hornblendite, hornblendite, gabbro-norite, gabbro, anorthosite, amphibolite, plagiogranite, mafic dykes, and associated pelagic sediments such as chert-magnetite bands and carbonate horizons. The magmatic foliation trajectory map shows inward dipping foliations and a variety of fold structures. Structural cross-sections of the MOC reveal gentle inward dips with repetition and omission of different lithologies often marked by curvilinear hinge lines. The succession displays imbricate thrust sheets and slices of dismembered ophiolite suites distributed along several localities within the CSZ. The MOC can be interpreted as a deformed large duplex structure associated with south-verging back thrust system, consistent with crustal-scale 'flower structure'. The nature and distribution of ophiolitic rocks in the CSZ suggest supra-subduction zone setting associated with the lithospheric subduction of the Neoproterozoic Mozambique Ocean, followed by collision and obduction during the final stage of amalgamation of the Gondwana supercontinent in the end Precambrian.

Alcohol use and its consequences in South India: views from a marginalised tribal population.

PubMed

Mohindra, K S; Narayana, D; Anushreedha, S S; Haddad, Slim

2011-08-01

Alcohol consumption in India is disproportionately higher among poorer and socially marginalised groups, notably Scheduled Tribes (STs). We lack an understanding of STs own views with regard to alcohol, which is important for implementing appropriate interventions. This study was undertaken with the Paniyas (a previously enslaved ST) in a rural community in Kerala, South India. The study, nested in a participatory poverty and health assessment (PPHA). PPHA aims to enable marginalized groups to define, describe, analyze, and express their own perceptions through a combination of qualitative methods and participatory approaches (e.g. participatory mapping and ranking exercises). We worked with 5 Paniya colonies between January and June 2008. Alcohol is viewed as a problem among the Paniyas who reported that consumption is increasing, notably among younger men. Alcohol is easily available in licensed shops and is produced illicitly in some colonies. There is evidence that local employers are using alcohol to attract Paniyas for work. Male alcohol consumption is associated with a range of social and economic consequences that are rooted in historical oppression and social discrimination. Future research should examine the views of alcohol use among a variety of marginalised groups in developing countries and the different policy options available for these populations. In addition, there is a need for studies that untangle the potential linkages between both historical and current exploitation of marginalized populations and alcohol use. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Resin and Carder bees of south India (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae: Anthidiini)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Little is known about the Anthidiini of southern India. A study focused on the state of Karnataka found a hitherto unknown diversity of thirteen species. Though the number of species is not large, the generic diversity is noteworthy (eight genera represented): Anthidiellum (2 species), Anthidium (2 ...

Geomorphic response to sea level and climate changes during Late Quaternary in a humid tropical coastline: Terrain evolution model from Southwest India.

PubMed

K, Maya; S, Vishnu Mohan; Limaye, Ruta B; Padmalal, Damodaran; Kumaran, Navnith K P

2017-01-01

The coastal lands of southern Kerala, SW India in the vicinity of Achankovil and Thenmala Shear Zones reveal a unique set of geomorphic features like beach ridges, runnels, chain of wetlands, lakes, estuaries, etc. The chain of wetlands and water bodies that are seen in the eastern periphery of the coastal lands indicates the remnants of the upper drainage channels of the previously existed coastal plain rivers of Late Pleistocene age that are later broadened due to coastal erosion under the transgressive phase. The terrain evolutionary model developed from the results of the study shows that the Late Pleistocene transgressive events might have carved out a major portion of the land areas drained by the coastal plain rivers and as a result the coastal cliff has been retreated several kilometers landwards. The NNE-SSW trending beach ridges located close to the inland wetlands indicate the extent of shoreline shift towards eastwards during Late Pleistocene period. The present beach parallel ridges in the younger coastal plain indicate the limit of the Mid Holocene shoreline as the transgression was not so severe compared to Late Pleistocene event. The zone of convergence of the two sets of beach ridges coincides with the areas of economically viable heavy mineral placers that resulted from the size and density based sorting under the repeated transgressive events to which the coast had subjected to. The chain of wetlands in the eastern side of the study area has been evolved from a mega lagoon existed during Late Pleistocene. The Pallikkal River that links discrete eastern wetland bodies has been evolved into its present form during Early Holocene.

Geomorphic response to sea level and climate changes during Late Quaternary in a humid tropical coastline: Terrain evolution model from Southwest India

PubMed Central

K., Maya; S., Vishnu Mohan; Limaye, Ruta B.; Padmalal, Damodaran

2017-01-01

The coastal lands of southern Kerala, SW India in the vicinity of Achankovil and Thenmala Shear Zones reveal a unique set of geomorphic features like beach ridges, runnels, chain of wetlands, lakes, estuaries, etc. The chain of wetlands and water bodies that are seen in the eastern periphery of the coastal lands indicates the remnants of the upper drainage channels of the previously existed coastal plain rivers of Late Pleistocene age that are later broadened due to coastal erosion under the transgressive phase. The terrain evolutionary model developed from the results of the study shows that the Late Pleistocene transgressive events might have carved out a major portion of the land areas drained by the coastal plain rivers and as a result the coastal cliff has been retreated several kilometers landwards. The NNE—SSW trending beach ridges located close to the inland wetlands indicate the extent of shoreline shift towards eastwards during Late Pleistocene period. The present beach parallel ridges in the younger coastal plain indicate the limit of the Mid Holocene shoreline as the transgression was not so severe compared to Late Pleistocene event. The zone of convergence of the two sets of beach ridges coincides with the areas of economically viable heavy mineral placers that resulted from the size and density based sorting under the repeated transgressive events to which the coast had subjected to. The chain of wetlands in the eastern side of the study area has been evolved from a mega lagoon existed during Late Pleistocene. The Pallikkal River that links discrete eastern wetland bodies has been evolved into its present form during Early Holocene. PMID:28467465

Influence of Out-of-School Experiences and Learning Styles on Interest in Biology, Chemistry and Physics among Higher Secondary Boys and Girls in Kerala

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gafoor, K. Abdul

2017-01-01

Adopting an experiential learning explanation for varying student interest in the three sciences, out-of-school experience questionnaire, scale of interest in science and Kolb's learning style inventory were administered on 775 higher secondary students in Kerala. Despite their similar achievement levels, boys had higher interest in physics, and…

The Extent and Nature of Fluidity in Typologies of Female Sex Work in Southern India: Implications for HIV Prevention Programs

PubMed Central

Saggurti, Niranjan

2012-01-01

These authors examine the nature and extent of fluidity in defining the typology of female sex work based on the place of solicitation or place of sex or both places together, and whether sex workers belonging to a particular typology are at increased risk of HIV in southern India. Data are drawn from a cross-sectional survey conducted during 2007–2008 among mobile female sex workers (N = 5301) in four Indian states. Findings from this study address an important policy issue: Should programmatic prevention interventions be spread to cover all places of sex work or be focused on a few places that cover a large majority of sex workers? Results indicate that most female sex workers, including those who are usually hard to reach such as those who are mobile or who use homes for soliciting clients or sex, can be reached programmatically multiple times by concentrating on a smaller number of categories, such as street-, lodge-, and brothel-based sex workers. PMID:22745597

Association between treatment for gonorrhoea and chlamydia and lower condom use in a cross-sectional study of female sex workers in southern India.

PubMed

Legendre-Dugal, Marianne; Bradley, Janet; Rajaram, Subramanian Potty; Lowndes, Catherine M; Ramesh, Banadakoppa M; Washington, Reynold; Moses, Stephen; Blanchard, James; Alary, Michel

2016-05-18

To assess whether having received grey packets containing treatment for gonorrhoea and chlamydia was associated with condom use among female sex workers (FSWs) in 5 districts of southern India covered by the Avahan programme where both periodic presumptive treatment (PPT) and syndromic management were used to control these sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among FSWs. Cross-sectional study of FSWs recruited in the field in 5 districts of southern India (Bangalore, Belgaum, Bellary, Guntur and Mumbai) in 2006-2007. 1378 self-identified FSWs out of 1442 were approached to participate in the study (participation rate: 95.6%). The only exclusion criterion was to be aged <18 years. Consistent condom use (CCU) with new or occasional clients, and with the most recent repeat client as assessed using a questionnaire administered through face-to-face interviews. Using the Poisson regression to model the association between the number of grey packets received in the past 3-12 months and reported CCU, adjusting for factors associated with condom use and other potential confounders in our data, CCU was lowest among FSWs who had received ≥3 grey packets in the past 3-12 months with their new or occasional clients (adjusted prevalence ratio (APR): 0.70, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.84, p<0.001) and with the most recent repeat client (APR 0.63, 95% CI 0.51 to 0.78, p<0.001). Tests for trends showed that CCU with both types of clients decreased with the number of grey packets received (p<0.001). Since we could not distinguish grey packets used for PPT from those given for syndromic management, these results could be either due to a perception of protection conferred by PPT or by the fact that inconsistent condom users are more at risk for STIs. Further research on the potential disinhibiting effect of PPT is warranted. 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/

Association between treatment for gonorrhoea and chlamydia and lower condom use in a cross-sectional study of female sex workers in southern India

PubMed Central

Legendre-Dugal, Marianne; Bradley, Janet; Rajaram, Subramanian Potty; Lowndes, Catherine M; Ramesh, Banadakoppa M; Washington, Reynold; Moses, Stephen; Blanchard, James

2016-01-01

Objectives To assess whether having received grey packets containing treatment for gonorrhoea and chlamydia was associated with condom use among female sex workers (FSWs) in 5 districts of southern India covered by the Avahan programme where both periodic presumptive treatment (PPT) and syndromic management were used to control these sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among FSWs. Setting Cross-sectional study of FSWs recruited in the field in 5 districts of southern India (Bangalore, Belgaum, Bellary, Guntur and Mumbai) in 2006–2007. Participants 1378 self-identified FSWs out of 1442 were approached to participate in the study (participation rate: 95.6%). The only exclusion criterion was to be aged <18 years. Primary and secondary outcome measures Consistent condom use (CCU) with new or occasional clients, and with the most recent repeat client as assessed using a questionnaire administered through face-to-face interviews. Results Using the Poisson regression to model the association between the number of grey packets received in the past 3–12 months and reported CCU, adjusting for factors associated with condom use and other potential confounders in our data, CCU was lowest among FSWs who had received ≥3 grey packets in the past 3–12 months with their new or occasional clients (adjusted prevalence ratio (APR): 0.70, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.84, p<0.001) and with the most recent repeat client (APR 0.63, 95% CI 0.51 to 0.78, p<0.001). Tests for trends showed that CCU with both types of clients decreased with the number of grey packets received (p<0.001). Conclusions Since we could not distinguish grey packets used for PPT from those given for syndromic management, these results could be either due to a perception of protection conferred by PPT or by the fact that inconsistent condom users are more at risk for STIs. Further research on the potential disinhibiting effect of PPT is warranted. PMID:27194314

Integration of leprosy in general health system vis-à-vis leprosy endemicity, health situation and socioeconomic development: observations from Chhattisgarh & Kerala.

PubMed

Pandey, Aparna; Rathod, Harish

2010-06-01

This study looked at the integration of leprosy services in the GHS in context of health and socioeconomic situations using predefined indicators. It also looked at clients' perception of MDT services. The Indian states of Chhattisgarh and Kerala, which are at two extremes in leprosy endemicity, health situation and socioeconomic development, have been compared using predefined integration indicators related to the training of health workers, availability of MDT services, maintenance of MDT stock and involvement of Sub-centres in leprosy care. Data was collected by surveys of health facilities, sub-centres and communities in the two states, during 2006-2007. Information was collected by interviewing health personnel and clients, checking of records and on the spot observations using specifically designed formats. Results showed that integration is more inclusive in Chhattisgarh and has reached up to Sub-centre level. Both the community and health systems are sensitive and responsive to leprosy as it is perceived to be a major public health threat. But in Kerala, despite integration, it continues as a vertical programme with dependence on specialists and districts hospitals for diagnosis and treatment. MDT stock management is even poorer. Clients' perception towards MDT services are similar in both states.

A brief and critical review on hydrofluorosis in diverse species of domestic animals in India.

PubMed

Choubisa, Shanti Lal

2018-02-01

India is one of the fluoride-endemic countries where the maximum numbers of ground or drinking water sources are naturally fluoridated. In India, a total of 23, out of 36 states and union territories have drinking water contaminated with fluoride in varying concentration. In the present scenario, especially in rural India, besides the surface waters (perennial ponds, dams, rivers, etc.), bore wells and hand pumps are the principal drinking water sources for domestic animals such as cattle (Bos taurus), water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis), sheep (Ovis aries), goats (Capra hircus), horses (Equus caballus), donkeys (Equus asinus) and dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius). Out of 23 states, 17 states, namely Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha (Orissa), Punjab, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, have fluoride beyond the maximum permissible limit of 1.0 or 1.5 ppm in drinking water. This situation is a great concern for the animal health because fluoride is a slow toxicant and causes chronic diverse serious health hazards or toxic effects. Despite the fact that domestic animals are the basic income sources in rural areas and possess a significant contributory role not only in the agriculture sector but also in the strengthening of economy as well as in sustainable development of the country, research work on chronic fluoride intoxication (hydrofluorosis) due to drinking of fluoridated water in domestic animals rearing in various fluoride-endemic states is not enough as compared to work done in humans. However, some interesting and excellent research works conducted on different aspects of hydrofluorosis in domesticated animals rearing in different states are briefly and critically reviewed in the present communication. Author believes that this review paper not only will be more useful for researchers to do some more advance research work on fluoride

Kinship Institutions and Sex Ratios in India

PubMed Central

CHAKRABORTY, TANIKA; KIM, SUKKOO

2010-01-01

This article explores the relationship between kinship institutions and sex ratios in India at the turn of the twentieth century. Because kinship rules vary by caste, language, religion, and region, we construct sex ratios by these categories at the district level by using data from the 1901 Census of India for Punjab (North), Bengal (East), and Madras (South). We find that the male-to-female sex ratio varied positively with caste rank, fell as one moved from the North to the East and then to the South, was higher for Hindus than for Muslims, and was higher for northern Indo-Aryan speakers than for the southern Dravidian-speaking people. We argue that these systematic patterns in the data are consistent with variations in the institution of family, kinship, and inheritance. PMID:21308567

Non Formal Education for Agricultural Workers & Fishermen. A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pillai, K. Sivadasan

An attempt to integrate socioeconomic development with literacy through nonformal education programs in Kerala, India, involved illiterate and semi-literate adults (1050 men, 450 women) in two pilot literacy projects organized by the Sanghom (library organization), Mitraniketan, and state government. Two literacy primers were developed, using an…

Teleconnections of ENSO and IOD to summer monsoon and rice production potential of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jha, Somnath; Sehgal, Vinay Kumar; Raghava, Ramesh; Sinha, Mourani

2016-12-01

Regional trend of summer monsoon precipitation has been analyzed for broad physical regions of India namely, (i) Indo-Gangetic plain, (ii) Central and East India, (iii) Coastal and Peninsular India and (iv) Western India. A significantly drying trend has been found in the two regions namely, Indo-Gangetic plain and Central and East India with comparative seasonal rate of drying higher in the latter region. A complex relation between the regional trend of summer monsoon precipitation, global teleconnection parameters and rice production of the regions have been studied. El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean dipole (IOD) have a significant role in the precipitation anomaly of Indo-Gangetic plain unlike Central and East India where the ENSO only plays role as global teleconnection parameter. Rice production of Central and East India has been found to be affected adversely during the El Nino years. Central and East India is found to be the worst affected region compared to the Indo-Gangetic plain with respect to its fragile rainfed rice production potential and strong adverse teleconnection of El Nino on the rice production in this zone.

Morphological and molecular analysis calls for a reappraisal of the red rain cells of Kerala.

PubMed

Gangappa, Rajkumar; Burchell, Mark J; Hogg, Stuart I

2014-02-01

Early studies on the coloured particles that fell as red rain over southern India identified them as unicellular eukaryotes such as members of the red algae or fungi; however, the results of the present investigation are not consistent with this designation. Using transmission electron microscopy, we have demonstrated significant differences in the ultrastructure when compared with representative species from these other groups. Most notably, the red rain cells show no evidence of typical eukaryotic internal structures such as mitochondria or endoplasmic reticulum. Furthermore, comparisons based on elemental composition using energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, as well as Raman spectral signatures demonstrate significant dissimilarities in their molecular composition. The identity and origins of the red rain cells remain an enigma; however, our findings are more consistent with an unidentified prokaryote, and thus suggest that previous attempts at their identification should be reappraised.

Demand and supply factors affecting the rising overmedicalization of birth in India.

PubMed

Leone, Tiziana

2014-11-01

To understand the interaction between health systems and individual factors in determining the probability of a cesarean delivery in India. In a retrospective study, data from the 2007-2008 District Level Household and Facility Survey was used to determine the risk of cesarean delivery in six states (Punjab, Delhi, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu). Multilevel modeling was used to account for district and community effects. After controlling for key risk factors, the analysis showed that cesareans were more likely at private than public institutions (P<0.001). In terms of demand, higher education levels rather than wealth seemed to increase the likelihood of a cesarean delivery. District-level effects were significant in almost all states (P<0.001), demonstrating the need to control for health system factors. Supply factors might contribute more to the rise in cesarean delivery than does demand. Further research is needed to understand whether the quest for increased institutional deliveries in a country with high maternal mortality might be compromised by pressures for overmedicalization. Copyright © 2014 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geochemical characteristics of charnockite and high grade gneisses from Southern Peninsular Shield and their significance in crustal evolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sugavanam, E. B.; Vidyadharan, K. T.

1988-01-01

Presented here are the results of detailed investigations encompassing externsive structural mapping in the charnockite-high grade gneiss terrain of North Arcot district and the type area in Pallavaram in Tamil Nadu supported by petrography, mineral chemistry, major, minor and REE distribution patterns in various lithounits. This has helped in understanding the evolutionary history of the southern peninsular shield. A possible tectonic model is also suggested. The results of these studies are compared with similar rock types from parts of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Sri Lanka, Lapland and Nigeria which has brought about a well defined correlation in geochemical characteristics. The area investigated has an interbanded sequence of thick pile of charnockite and a supracrustal succession of shelf type sediments, layered igneous complex, basic and ultrabasic rocks involved in a complex structural, tectonic, igneous and metamorphic events.

Awareness regarding risk factors, symptoms and treatment facilities for cancer in selected states of India.

PubMed

Raj, Sherin; Piang, Lam Khan; Nair, K S; Tiwari, V K; Kaur, H; Singh, Bacchu

2012-01-01

To study the level of awareness and knowledge about cancers and associated risk factors among households in selected states of India. In the study 3070 households were interviewed from six states viz, West Bengal, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Mizoram. Knowledge of cancers other than those related to tobacco was very low (prostate 8%, colon 11% ) among the communities, with a poor awareness of warning signs and symptoms. The knowledge varied from state to state. It is found that the major source of information related to cancers was television (38%) followed by friends and relatives (36%). Only about 15 % of respondents had knowledge about cancer awareness camps organized in their districts but they did not have knowledge about the organizers of the camp. Findings suggested a strong need for strengthening of DCCP. It is important to create awareness among community through educational programs on cancer prevention, preventable cancer risk factors, benefits of early diagnosis, and availability of screening facilities. Integration of District Cancer Control activities with NRHM could be the most cost-effective strategy to prevent cancers and rural population.

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.

Climate change and threat of vector-borne diseases in India: are we prepared?

PubMed

Dhiman, Ramesh C; Pahwa, Sharmila; Dhillon, G P S; Dash, Aditya P

2010-03-01

It is unequivocal that climate change is happening and is likely to expand the geographical distribution of several vector-borne diseases, including malaria and dengue etc. to higher altitudes and latitudes. India is endemic for six major vector-borne diseases (VBD) namely malaria, dengue, chikungunya, filariasis, Japanese encephalitis and visceral leishmaniasis. Over the years, there has been reduction in the incidence of almost all the diseases except chikungunya which has re-emerged since 2005. The upcoming issue of climate change has surfaced as a new threat and challenge for ongoing efforts to contain vector-borne diseases. There is greater awareness about the potential impacts of climate change on VBDs in India and research institutions and national authorities have initiated actions to assess the impacts. Studies undertaken in India on malaria in the context of climate change impact reveal that transmission windows in Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and north-eastern states are likely to extend temporally by 2-3 months and in Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu there may be reduction in transmission windows. Using PRECIS model (driven by HadRM2) at the resolution of 50 x 50 Km for daily temperature and relative humidity for year 2050, it was found that Orissa, West Bengal and southern parts of Assam will still remain malarious and transmission windows will open up in Himachal Pradesh and north-eastern states etc. Impact of climate change on dengue also reveals increase in transmission with 2 C rise in temperature in northern India. Re-emergence of kala-azar in northern parts of India and reappearance of chikungunya mainly in southern states of India has also been discussed. The possible need to address the threat and efforts made in India have also been highlighted. The paper concludes with a positive lead that with better preparedness threat of climate change on vector-borne diseases may be negated.

The historic biogeography of India: isolation or contact?

PubMed

Briggs, J C

1989-01-01

Geophysical maps depicting continental movement have consistently shown India, as it moved northward, to be located far out in the Tethys Sea. India split off from the African east coast about 148 m.y.a. From that time onward, according to almost all geophysical accounts, India was isolated from all of other continents until the early Miocene when it made contact with Eurasia. But the biological data, both fossil and Recent, indicate that this concept cannot be correct. If India had really existed as an isolated, oceanic continent for about 100 m.y., it should have developed a peculiar biota with many endemic genera and families in its terrestrial and shallow marine habitats. But there are virtually no remains of organisms indicating that India was isolated for any substantial time (millions of years). Instead, we find that almost all Indian taxa were possessed in common with other continents. As time went on, the northern relationships became stronger and the southern ones weaker. Most of the recent geophysical accounts show India not making contact with Eurasia until the early Miocene, but fossil materials show that this event must have taken place by the early Eocene. It has been postulated that, as India moved northward, it created a biogeographic barrier that separated marine fish populations and resulted in the east-west provinces that are now apparent in the Indian Ocean. At the same time, the barrier effect was supposed to have resulted in the formation of sister species that are now located far apart. Information currently available indicates that most living, tropical marine species are probably not over 3 m.y. old. Consequently, the northward movement of India, which took place primarily between 148 and 50 m.y.a., could have no bearing on the relationships of modern species.

Geological indicators of a suspected seismic source from Peninsular India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Yogendra; John, Biju; P, Ganapathy G.; S, Divyalakshmi K.

2014-05-01

An increase in seismicity in Peninsular India during the last few decades has initiated various studies for identifying seismogenic structures and their behaviour. Even though few earthquakes occurred at well defined structures many of them occurred at unexpected locations where no previous seismicity reported. However, studies subsequent to the 1993 Latur earthquake as well as the studies at different parts of peninsular India, have led to the identification of pre-existing faults that have activated in the past. Studies elsewhere in the cratonic hinderland also show that the damaging earthquakes occur on pre-existing faults with a recurrence period of tens of thousands of year Studies subsequent to 1989 Wadakkancheri earthquake (M=4.3) identified Desamangalam fault which are capable of generating earthquakes. However, it is noted that a number of later events are occurring much south of the Desamangalam fault. We identified a set of NW-SE trending lineaments which are influencing the drainage pattern of the area. A network of paleochannels is also observed in the remote sensing analysis and field studies in this area. Regionally these lineaments meeting one of the major lineaments in central Kerala called Periyar lineament, in the south. Charnockite rocks constitutes the major rock type of the region. These rocks at places developed strong foliation similar to the lineament direction. Detailed field studies identified oblique movement (reverse and strike slip component) along NW-SE trending faults which are dipping south-west. The studies also find NNE-SSW trending vertical faults showing strike-slip movement. The damage zones of each of these faults bears different mineral precipitations and gouge injections of episodic nature. The presence of loose gouge may indicate the faulting is a much later development in the brittle regime. The sense of movement of the observed faults may indicate that the various river/drainage abandonment observed in the area are due to

Switching Logic for Converting Off-grid PV Customers to On-grid by Utilizing Off-grid Inverter and Battery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anishkumar, A. R.; Sreejaya, P.

2016-12-01

Kerala is a state in India having a very good potential for solar PV energy production. The domestic customers in Kerala using PV system are approximately 15 % and almost all of them are using the off-grid PV system. When these off grid customers move to on-grid system, off grid system accessories such as inverter and batteries become redundant. In this paper, a switching logic has been developed for the effective utilization of off grid accessories and reducing islanding power loss for on grid customers. An algorithm is proposed for the switching logic and it is verified using simulation results and hardware implementation.

Compliance to treatment among type 2 diabetics receiving care at peripheral mobile clinics in a rural block of Vellore District, Southern India

PubMed Central

Muliyil, Divya Elizabeth; Vellaiputhiyavan, Kanagalakshmi; Alex, Reginald; Mohan, Venkata Raghava

2017-01-01

Background: Providing treatment to patients with diabetes mellitus in rural areas at a cost they can afford is a public health challenge. Aims: This study aims to measure the rate of compliance to oral hypoglycemic agents among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus attending peripheral mobile clinics in rural South India. To study factors that impact glycemic control. Setting and Design: A cross-sectional study was done among patients attending peripheral mobile clinics in a rural block in Southern India. Materials and Methods: Pill counts were done to assess compliance. Participants' dietary intake was measured using a 24 h diet recall and their level of physical activity was measured using the WHO Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was measured for all participants. Statistical Analyses Used: Data were entered on EpiData and analyzed using SPSS. The prevalence of good glycemic control and good compliance was measured. A multiple linear regression was done to study factors affecting glycemic control. Results: Overall 52% of the participants were compliant to at least one drug and 50% had achieved good glycemic control. Compliance increased by 2.1% with every passing year since the diagnosis of diabetes. HbA1c reduced by 0.09% for every 10% increase in overall compliance. Conclusions: Levels of compliance and glycemic control achieved through this primary care team is comparable to those achieved through other systems. PMID:29302542

Possible detachment zone in Precambrian rocks of Kanjamalai Hills, Cauvery Suture Zone, Southern India: Implications to accretionary tectonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohanty, D. P.; Chetty, T. R. K.

2014-07-01

Existence of a possible detachment zone at Elampillai region, NW margin of Kanjamalai Hills, located in the northern part of Cauvery Suture Zone (CSZ), Southern India, is reported here for the first time. Detailed structural mapping provides anatomy of the zone, which are rarely preserved in Precambrian high grade terranes. The detachment surface separates two distinct rock units of contrasting lithological and structural characters: the upper and lower units. The detachment zone is characterized by a variety of fold styles with the predominance of tight isoclinal folds with varied plunge directions, limb rotations and the hinge line variations often leading to lift-off fold like geometries and deformed sheath folds. Presence of parasitic folding and associated penetrative strains seem to be controlled by differences in mechanical stratigraphy, relative thicknesses of the competent and incompetent units, and the structural relief of the underlying basement. Our present study in conjunction with other available geological, geochemical and geochronological data from the region indicates that the structures of the detachment zone are genetically related to thrust tectonics forming a part of subduction-accretion-collision tectonic history of the Neoproterozoic Gondwana suture.

Impact of post-mining subsidence on nitrogen transformation in southern tropical dry deciduous forest, India

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

Tripathi, N.; Singh, R.S.; Singh, J.S.

The goal of our research was to assess the impact of post-mining land subsidence, caused due to underground coal mining operations, on fine root biomass and root tips count; plant available nutrient status, microbial biomass N (MBN) and N-mineralization rates of a Southern tropical dry deciduous forest of Singareni Coalfields of India. The changes were quantified in all the three (rainy, winter and summer) seasons, in slope and depression microsites of the subsided land and an adjacent undamaged forest microsite. Physico-chemical characteristics were found to be altered after subsidence, showing a positive impact of subsidence on soil moisture, bulk density,more » water holding capacity, organic carbon content, total N and total P. The increase in all the parameters was found in depression microsites, while in slope microsites, the values were lower. Fine root biomass and root tips count increased in the subsided depression microsites, as demonstrated by increases of 62% and 45%, respectively. Soil nitrate-N and phosphate-P concentrations were also found to be higher in depression microsite, showing an increase of 35.68% and 24.74%, respectively. Depression microsite has also shown the higher MBN value with an increase over control. Net nitrification, net N-mineralization and MBN were increased in depression microsite by 29.77%, 25.72% and 34%, respectively. There was a positive relation of microbial N with organic C, fine root biomass and root tips.« less

Level of Satisfaction Among People Living with HIV (PLHIV) Attending the HIV Clinic of Tertiary Care Center in Southern India

PubMed Central

Vahab, Sanoj Abdul; Ramapuram, John; Bhaskaran, Unnikrishnan; Achappa, Basavaprabhu

2016-01-01

Introduction Patient satisfaction is an important issue for the health care sector. Hospitals routinely collect patient satisfaction data so that they can improve the quality of their services. There is a dearth of research in the field of satisfaction among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in India. Aim The aim of our study was to determine the level of satisfaction among PLHIV attending the HIV clinic of tertiary health centre in Southern India. Materials and Methods This descriptive cross-sectional study was done in the HIV clinic attached to Kasturba Medical College (KMC) Hospital, Mangalore, India from August 2012 - August 2013. PLHIV of age more than 18 years were included. During the study period 422 consecutive patients who consented for the study were enrolled. To determine patient satisfaction towards healthcare service, we used the Short Form Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (PSQ-18). Data was analysed using SPSS Version 11.5 statistical software. Results A total of 422 patients were included in the study out of whom 253(60%) were males and 169(40%) were females. Mean age of the patients was 37.08±7.2 years. The median CD4 count was 345 cells/mm3 (IQR 245-451.2). The mean score for general satisfaction was 4.43±0.48, for technical quality 4.77±0.26, for interpersonal manner 4.59±0.4, for communication 4.64±0.42, for financial aspects 3.20±0.78), for accessibility and convenience 4.50±0.72 and for time spent with the doctor was 4.59±0.45. Subscale scores for general satisfaction, technical quality, accessibility, interpersonal manner, finance and communication were higher in females when compared to males which were found to be statistically significant. Younger PLHIV (≤ 35 years) had significantly higher scores in technical quality, interpersonal manner and time spent with the doctor when compared to older PLHIV. Conclusion Patient satisfaction was highest for technical quality and it was lowest for financial aspects. If hospitals wish to

Effectiveness of Membrane Filtration to Improve Drinking Water: A Quasi-Experimental Study from Rural Southern India.

PubMed

Francis, Mark Rohit; Sarkar, Rajiv; Roy, Sheela; Jaffar, Shabbar; Mohan, Venkata Raghava; Kang, Gagandeep; Balraj, Vinohar

2016-11-02

Since point-of-use methods of water filtration have shown limited acceptance in Vellore, southern India, this study evaluated the effectiveness of decentralized membrane filtration 1) with safe storage, 2) without safe storage, versus 3) no intervention, consisting of central chlorination as per government guidelines, in improving the microbiological quality of drinking water and preventing childhood diarrhea. Periodic testing of water sources, pre-/postfiltration samples, and household water, and a biweekly follow up of children less than 2 years of age was done for 1 year. The membrane filters achieved a log reduction of 0.86 (0.69-1.06), 1.14 (0.99-1.30), and 0.79 (0.67-0.94) for total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and Escherichia coli, respectively, in field conditions. A 24% (incidence rate ratio, IRR [95% confidence interval, CI] = 0.76 [0.51-1.13]; P = 0.178) reduction in diarrheal incidence in the intervention village with safe storage and a 14% (IRR [95% CI] = 1.14 [0.75-1.77]; P = 0.530) increase in incidence for the intervention village without safe storage versus no intervention village was observed, although not statistically significant. Microbiologically, the membrane filters decreased fecal contamination; however, provision of decentralized membrane-filtered water with or without safe storage was not protective against childhood diarrhea. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Effectiveness of Membrane Filtration to Improve Drinking Water: A Quasi-Experimental Study from Rural Southern India

PubMed Central

Francis, Mark Rohit; Sarkar, Rajiv; Roy, Sheela; Jaffar, Shabbar; Mohan, Venkata Raghava; Kang, Gagandeep; Balraj, Vinohar

2016-01-01

Since point-of-use methods of water filtration have shown limited acceptance in Vellore, southern India, this study evaluated the effectiveness of decentralized membrane filtration 1) with safe storage, 2) without safe storage, versus 3) no intervention, consisting of central chlorination as per government guidelines, in improving the microbiological quality of drinking water and preventing childhood diarrhea. Periodic testing of water sources, pre-/postfiltration samples, and household water, and a biweekly follow up of children less than 2 years of age was done for 1 year. The membrane filters achieved a log reduction of 0.86 (0.69–1.06), 1.14 (0.99–1.30), and 0.79 (0.67–0.94) for total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and Escherichia coli, respectively, in field conditions. A 24% (incidence rate ratio, IRR [95% confidence interval, CI] = 0.76 [0.51–1.13]; P = 0.178) reduction in diarrheal incidence in the intervention village with safe storage and a 14% (IRR [95% CI] = 1.14 [0.75–1.77]; P = 0.530) increase in incidence for the intervention village without safe storage versus no intervention village was observed, although not statistically significant. Microbiologically, the membrane filters decreased fecal contamination; however, provision of decentralized membrane-filtered water with or without safe storage was not protective against childhood diarrhea. PMID:27601525

Bullying among trainee doctors in Southern India: a questionnaire study.

PubMed

Bairy, K L; Thirumalaikolundusubramanian, P; Sivagnanam, G; Saraswathi, S; Sachidananda, A; Shalini, A

2007-01-01

Workplace bullying is an important and serious issue in a healthcare setting because of its potential impact on the welfare of care-providers as well as the consumers. To gauge the extent of bullying among the medical community in India; as a subsidiary objective, to assess the personality trait of the bullying victims. A cross-sectional, anonymous, self-reported questionnaire survey was undertaken among a convenient sample of all the trainee doctors at a Government Medical College in Tamil Nadu, India. A questionnaire, in English with standard written explanation of bullying was used. Basic information like age, sex, job grade and the specialty in case of Postgraduates (PGs) were also collected. The results were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis and Chi-square test for comparison of frequencies. A total of 174 doctors (115 PGs and 59 junior doctors), took part in the study with a cent percent response. Nearly half of the surveyed population reported being subjected to bullying. Nearly 54 (53%) of the men and 35 (48%) of women were subjected to bullying. Significant proportions (P < 0.0001) of medical personnel and paramedical staff bullied the PGs and junior doctors, respectively. More than 85 (90%) of bullying incidents went unreported. A significant (P < 0.0001) percentage of PGs and junior doctors revealed a personality trait towards bully. Workplace bullying is common among trainee doctors and usually goes unreported.

Relative Contribution of Monsoon Precipitation and Pumping to Changes in Groundwater Storage in India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

A, A.; Gleeson, T. P.; Wada, Y.; Mishra, V.

2017-12-01

The availability and depletion of groundwater resources - a possible threat to food and water security - are impacted by both pumping and climate variability, although the relative importance of these two drivers is rarely quantified. Here we show that long-term change in the monsoon precipitation is a major driver of groundwater storage variability in most parts of India either directly by changing recharge or indirectly by changing abstraction. GRACE and observation well data show that groundwater storage has declined in north India with a rate of 2 cm/year and increased in the south India by 1 to 2 cm/year during the period of 2002-2013. A large fraction of total variability in groundwater storage is influenced by precipitation in northcentral and southern India. Groundwater storage variability in the northwestern India is mainly explained by variability in abstraction for irrigation, which is influenced by precipitation. Declines in precipitation in north India is linked with the Indian Ocean warming, suggesting a previously unrecognised teleconnection between ocean temperatures and groundwater storage. These results have strong implications for management of groundwater resources under current and future climate conditions in India.

Some representative species of the tribe Holochlorini (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae) and the description of two new species from India.

PubMed

Swaminathan, R; Nagar, Rajendra

2016-09-28

In the present paper two new species of the genus Holochlora (Phaneropterinae: Holochlorini) have been described viz., Holochlora umranensis sp. nov., collected from Meghalaya, the North-eastern province, India (Ri bhoi 90°55'15 to 91°16' latitude and 25°40' to 25°21' longitude, 993 MSL) and Holochlora alsigarhensis sp. nov., collected from Southern-western, Rajasthan, (Udaipur N 24 34'17 to E 73 41' 30'' and Latitude 24.5713, Longitude 73.6915, 582 MSL), as additions to the previously known species of the genus that were earlier collected from the southern parts of India. Among these, four species are being reported for the first time from India including: H. brevifissa, H. fruhstorferi, H. japonica and Rectimarginalis profunda Liu & Kang. The key morphological characters of the head, pronotum, tenth abdominal tergite, subgenital plate, cerci, titillator and the ovipositor have been illustrated with suitable line drawings to distinguish the known, reported and new species, along with a key to the genera and species.

Recent crustal movements and seismicity in the western coastal region of peninsular India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kailasam, L. N.

1983-09-01

Recent crustal movements, tectonics and seismicity of the western coastal region of peninsular India have been studied in detail in the very recent past. Prominent geomorphic features and large-scale manifestation of Holocene deformation and crustal movements have been noticed and studied over this coastal region from the Gulf of Cambay to the southernmost parts of Kerala, evidence for which is afforded in the form of Recent and sub-Recent raised beaches, sandbars, raised old terraces, pebble beds, etc. The sedimentary formations in this narrow coastal belt include Neogene and Quaternary sediments. The Bouguer gravity map of the western coastal tract shows some prominent gravity features extending into the offshore regions, suggestive of some significant tectonic and structural features. The seismic data in the offshore regions bring out some prominent roughly northwest-southeast as well as east-west faults and shears, in addition to prominent structural "highs" off the Bombay and Ratnagiri coast which have proved oil. The seismicity in this coastal tract as well as the faulted western margin of the western continental shelf in the Arabian Sea is generally of magnitude 3-6.

Fluoride in weathered rock aquifers of southern India: Managed Aquifer Recharge for mitigation.

PubMed

Brindha, K; Jagadeshan, G; Kalpana, L; Elango, L

2016-05-01

Climatic condition, geology, and geochemical processes in an area play a major role on groundwater quality. Impact of these on the fluoride content of groundwater was studied in three regions-part of Nalgonda district in Telangana, Pambar River basin, and Vaniyar River basin in Tamil Nadu, southern India, which experience semi-arid climate and are predominantly made of Precambrian rocks. High concentration of fluoride in groundwater above 4 mg/l was recorded. Human exposure dose for fluoride through groundwater was higher in Nalgonda than the other areas. With evaporation and rainfall being one of the major contributors for high fluoride apart from the weathering of fluoride rich minerals from rocks, the effect of increase in groundwater level on fluoride concentration was studied. This study reveals that groundwater in shallow environment of all three regions shows dilution effect due to rainfall recharge. Suitable managed aquifer recharge (MAR) methods can be adopted to dilute the fluoride rich groundwater in such regions which is explained with two case studies. However, in deep groundwater, increase in fluoride concentration with increase in groundwater level due to leaching of fluoride rich salts from the unsaturated zone was observed. Occurrence of fluoride above 1.5 mg/l was more in areas with deeper groundwater environment. Hence, practicing MAR in these regions will increase the fluoride content in groundwater and so physical or chemical treatment has to be adopted. This study brought out the fact that MAR cannot be practiced in all regions for dilution of ions in groundwater and that it is essential to analyze the fluctuation in groundwater level and the fluoride content before suggesting it as a suitable solution. Also, this study emphasizes that long-term monitoring of these factors is an important criterion for choosing the recharge areas.

North-East monsoon rainfall extremes over the southern peninsular India and their association with El Niño

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Prem; Gnanaseelan, C.; Chowdary, J. S.

2017-12-01

The present study investigates the relationship between extreme north-east (NE) monsoon rainfall (NEMR) over the Indian peninsula region and El Niño forcing. This turns out to be a critical science issue especially after the 2015 Chennai flood. The puzzle being while most El Niños favour good NE monsoon, some don't. In fact some El Niño years witnessed deficit NE monsoon. Therefore two different cases (or classes) of El Niños are considered for analysis based on standardized NEMR index and Niño 3.4 index with case-1 being both Niño-3.4 and NEMR indices greater than +1 and case-2 being Niño-3.4 index greater than +1 and NEMR index less than -1. Composite analysis suggests that SST anomalies in the central and eastern Pacific are strong in both cases but large differences are noted in the spatial distribution of SST over the Indo-western Pacific region. This questions our understanding of NEMR as mirror image of El Niño conditions in the Pacific. It is noted that the favourable excess NEMR in case-1 is due to anomalous moisture transport from Bay of Bengal and equatorial Indian Ocean to southern peninsular India. Strong SST gradient between warm western Indian Ocean (and Bay of Bengal) and cool western Pacific induced strong easterly wind anomalies during NE monsoon season favour moisture transport towards the core NE monsoon region. Further anomalous moisture convergence and convection over the core NE monsoon region supported positive rainfall anomalies in case-1. While in case-2, weak SST gradients over the Indo-western Pacific and absence of local low level convergence over NE monsoon region are mainly responsible for deficit rainfall. The ocean dynamics in the Indian Ocean displayed large differences during case-1 and case-2, suggesting the key role of Rossby wave dynamics in the Indian Ocean on NE monsoon extremes. Apart from the large scale circulation differences the number of cyclonic systems land fall for case-1 and case-2 have also contributed for

Caregiver Burden among Adults Caring for People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Southern India

PubMed Central

Chandran, Vishnu; Chowta, Nithyananda; Ramapuram, John; Bhaskaran, Unnikrishnan; Achappa, Basavaprabhu; Jose, Hyma

2016-01-01

Introduction In India, family caregivers provide bulk of care to People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Caregiver burden refers to the physical, emotional and financial hardships associated with providing care to a diseased individual. Attending to the needs of PLWHA can place a significant burden on family members. This may adversely affect their Quality of Life (QOL). Aim The main aim of our study was to assess the caregiver burden and QOL among the family members of PLWHA in Southern India. We also determined the impact of caregiver burden on QOL. Materials and Methods This facility based cross-sectional study was carried out at Kasturba Medical College (KMC) Mangalore. The study was conducted over a period of 18 months starting from October 2013. A total of 360 caregivers participated in our study. The data were collected by face-to-face interview. Caregiver burden was assessed using the Zarit Burden scale & WHOQOL-BREF scale was used to assess the QOL of caregivers. The collected data was entered and analysed using SPSS version 11.5. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The mean age of caregivers was 36.09± 10.18 years. Most of the caregivers were females 279 (77.5%). Majority of caregivers 184 (51.1%) belonged to Middle/Lower Middle socioeconomic class (Kuppuswamy class III). Majority of PLWHA 155 (43.1%) had Stage 2 disease. Mean CD4 count of the patients was 405.2± 240 cells/μL. In our study 88(24.4%) caregivers had moderate to severe burden and 36(10%) had very severe burden. Physical domain of QOL showed maximum score of 60.28±13.08, while a minimum score of 51.88 ± 14.20 was seen in social domain. With increase in caregiver burden, the mean QOL scores decreased which was statistically significant. Conclusion Our study highlights the need to counsel the caregivers on how to deal with PLWHA in the family. Family care plays a major role in the general wellbeing of PLWHA. Majority of national HIV programmes all

Literacy Acquisition in Indian Students: A Descriptive Study of Reading Achievement in One English Medium School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paige, David D.; Spagnoli, Victoria; Wood, Holly

2013-01-01

This study investigates the literacy skills of 193 students across grades three, five, seven, and nine in one private English medium school in Kerala, India. Students were assessed on their ability to read phonologically regular and irregular words, fluency with grade-level text, vocabulary knowledge, and comprehension skill. Results showed that…

Environmental radiation and potential ecological risk levels in the intertidal zone of southern region of Tamil Nadu coast (HBRAs), India.

PubMed

Punniyakotti, J; Ponnusamy, V

2018-02-01

Natural radioactivity content and heavy metal concentration in the intertidal zone sand samples from the southern region of Tamil Nadu coast, India, have been analyzed using gamma ray spectrometer and ICP-OES, respectively. From gamma spectral analysis, the average radioactivity contents of 238 U, 232 Th, and 40 K in the intertidal zone sand samples are 12.13±4.21, 59.03±4.26, and 197.03±26.24Bq/kg, respectively. The average radioactivity content of 232 Th alone is higher than the world average value. From the heavy metal analysis, the average Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn concentrations are 3.1, 80.24, 82.84, 23.66, 91.67, and 137.07ppm, respectively. The average Cr and Ni concentrations are lower, whereas other four metal (Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) concentrations are higher than world surface rock average values. From pollution assessment parameter values, the pollution level is "uncontaminated to moderately contaminated" in the study area. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genetic biodiversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in India.

PubMed

Singh, Urvashi Balbir; Arora, Jyoti; Suresh, Naga; Pant, Hema; Rana, Tanu; Sola, Christophe; Rastogi, Nalin; Pande, Jitendra Nath

2007-07-01

Spoligotyping was performed on 540 Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates in order to evaluate the genetic biodiversity of tubercle bacilli in India. One hundred and forty seven patterns were unique and 393 were grouped in 48 clusters. Comparison with an international spoligotype database showed that the most predominant clades among tuberculosis (TB) isolates were Central Asian (CAS) and East-African Indian (EAI) with shared-types (ST) ST26 and ST11 alone being responsible for 34% of all TB cases. Twenty one (3.8%) isolates belonged to the Beijing genotype. Marked variations were observed among circulating strains, STs belonging to CAS family predominated in the North, whereas the EAI family was more common in the Southern India. TB in India is predominantly caused by strains belonging to the principal genetic group 1 (PGG1), suggesting that most of the TB burden in India may be traced to ancestral clones of the tubercle bacilli. This study gives an insight into the global M. tuberculosis genetic biodiversity in India, the predominant spoligotypes and their impact on disease transmission.

A crowdsourced valuation of recreational ecosystem services using social media data: An application to a tropical wetland in India.

PubMed

Sinclair, Michael; Ghermandi, Andrea; Sheela, Albert M

2018-06-12

Online social media represent an extensive, opportunistic source of behavioral data and revealed preferences for ecosystem services (ES) analysis. Such data may allow to advance the approach, scale and timespan to which ES are assessed, mapping and valued. This is especially relevant in the context of developing regions whose decision support tools are often limited by a lack of resources and funding. This research presents an economic valuation tool for recreational ES, suitable at wide spatial scales, relying on crowdsourced metadata from social media with a proof of concept tested on an Indian tropical Ramsar wetland. We demonstrate how geotagged photographs from Flickr can be used in the context of a developing country to (i) map nature-based recreation patterns, (ii) value recreational ecosystem services, and (iii) investigate how recreational benefits are affected by changes in ecosystem quality. The case-study application is the Vembanad Lake in Kerala, India, and the adjacent backwaters. Geographic Information Systems are implemented to extract 4328 Flickr photographs that are used to map hot spots of recreation and infer the home location of wetland visitors from within Kerala state with good accuracy. An individual, single-site travel cost demand function is generated and estimated using both Poisson and Negative Binomial regressions, which results in mean consumer surplus estimates between Rs. 2227-3953 ($34-$62) per visit and annual domestic recreation benefits of Rs. 7.53-13.37 billion ($115.5-$205 million) in the investigated wetlands. Improvement in water quality to a level that supports wildlife and fisheries is projected to result in a Rs. 260 million ($4 million) annual increase in recreational benefits, while restoring previously encroached lake area would result in almost Rs. 50 million ($760,000) in yearly value increase. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A new species of freshwater crab of the genus Oziotelphusa Müller, 1887 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Gecarcinucidae) from Tamil Nadu, southern India.

PubMed

Raj, Smrithy; Kumar, Appukuttannair Biju; Ng, Peter K L

2017-12-10

A new species of gecarcinucid freshwater crab of the genus Oziotelphusa Müller, 1887, is described from stationary or slow-flowing bodies of water in Keeriparai near Nagercoil, in the state of Tamil Nadu in southern India. Oziotelphusa ravi, new species, is distinguished from its congeners by several distinct characters: the median tooth of the posterior margin of epistome forms a distinct bilobed tip in frontal view, the male pleonal somite 6 is narrowly trapezoidal and slightly wider than long with the lateral margins concave, the terminal segment of the male first gonopod is distinctly bent laterally (along the longitudinal axis) at an angle of about 45°, and the proximal part of the outer margin of the subterminal segment of the male first gonopod has a prominent deep concavity.

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.

Inclination shallowing in Eocene Linzizong sedimentary rocks from Southern Tibet: correction, possible causes and implications for reconstructing the India-Asia collision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wentao; Dupont-Nivet, Guillaume; Lippert, Peter C.; van Hinsbergen, Douwe J. J.; Hallot, Erwan

2013-09-01

A systematic bias towards low palaeomagnetic inclination recorded in clastic sediments, that is, inclination shallowing, has been recognized and studied for decades. Identification, understanding and correction of this inclination shallowing are critical for palaeogeographic reconstructions, particularly those used in climate models and to date collisional events in convergent orogenic systems, such as those surrounding the Neotethys. Here we report palaeomagnetic inclinations from the sedimentary Eocene upper Linzizong Group of Southern Tibet that are ˜20° lower than conformable underlying volcanic units. At face value, the palaeomagnetic results from these sedimentary rocks suggest the southern margin of Asia was located ˜10°N, which is inconsistent with recent reviews of the palaeolatitude of Southern Tibet. We apply two different correction methods to estimate the magnitude of inclination shallowing independently from the volcanics. The mean inclination is corrected from 20.5° to 40.0° within 95 per cent confidence limits between 33.1° and 49.5° by the elongation/inclination (E/I) correction method; an anisotropy-based inclination correction method steepens the mean inclination to 41.3 ± 3.3° after a curve fitting- determined particle anisotropy of 1.39 is applied. These corrected inclinations are statistically indistinguishable from the well-determined 40.3 ± 4.5º mean inclination of the underlying volcanic rocks that provides an independent check on the validity of these correction methods. Our results show that inclination shallowing in sedimentary rocks can be corrected. Careful inspection of stratigraphic variations of rock magnetic properties and remanence anisotropy suggests shallowing was caused mainly by a combination of syn- and post-depositional processes such as particle imbrication and sedimentary compaction that vary in importance throughout the section. Palaeolatitudes calculated from palaeomagnetic directions from Eocene sedimentary

AYURVEDIC RATIONALE OF THE SOUTHERN INDIAN VEGETABLE SOUP SAARU OR RASAM

PubMed Central

Vijayalakshmi, B.; Swamy, B.V Kumara; Shantha, T.R.

1998-01-01

Spices are historically known contributions to the world. The credit for identifying the spices with medicinal and culinary values goes to Ayurveda. Saaru or Rasam is a very popular soup used all over southern India. In this paper an attempt has been made to present the ayurvedic rationale behind formulating the receipt of saaru or rasam. PMID:22556843

Palaeomagnetism of the Palaeoproterozoic Boonadgin Dyke Suite, Yilgarn Craton: Possible connection with India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Y.; Li, Z. X.; Pisarevsky, S.; Kirscher, U.; Mitchell, R.; Stark, J. C.

2017-12-01

A palaeomagnetic study was carried out on the newly identified 1.9 Ga Boonadgin dyke swarm in the Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia. Ten dykes revealed a high-temperature characteristic remanent magnetisation (ChRM) with dual polarities, directing either SW shallow downward (4 sites) or NE shallow upward (6 sites). Our results reveal that the Yilgarn Craton was at an equatorial palaeolatitude at 1.9 Ga. Meanwhile, a paleopole from the ca. 1.9 Ga Dharwar dykes of South India, supported by a positive baked-contact test, puts India at a similar paleolatitude. The Boonadgin dyke swarm can be interpreted to represent an arm of a radiating dyke swarm that shared the same plume centre with coeval mafic dykes in the Dharwar and Bastar cratons of southern India. We therefore propose that the Western Australia Craton (WAC, consisting of the the Yilgarn and Pilbara cratons) and South India were connected at ca. 1.89 Ga.

Status of Research in Teacher Education: Go Ahead, Chase, Cherish or Perish

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gafoor, K. Abdul

2014-01-01

This presentation focuses on the need for invigorating research in teacher education (TE) with focus on problems in it at national and regional levels in India, especially Kerala. Starting with how teacher education in the region has failed to respond to larger societal changes around, it maintains that principal responsibility of reforming TE…

Tapioca Cardiomyopathy: Curse of Cassava Endomyocardial Fibrosis

PubMed Central

Anandan, Prem Krishna; Shukkarbhai, Patel Jigarkumar; George, Jimmy; Bhatt, Prabhavathi; Manjunath, Cholenahally Nanjappa

2015-01-01

Tropical endomyocardial fibrosis is a rare entity in the present era. Restrictive cardiomyopathy due to tapioca consumption is very rare, although it has been reported in India, especially in state of Kerala. We report a rare case of restrictive cardiomyopathy secondary to tapioca consumption in a 20-year-old male patient. PMID:28197237

Out-of-School Experience Categories Influencing Interest in Science of Upper Primary Students by Gender and Locale: Exploration on an Indian Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gafoor, K. Abdul; Narayan, Smitha

2012-01-01

In view of student shift away from science at advanced levels, and gender and locale based divergence in interest in studying physics, chemistry and biology, this study explores experience categories that significantly contribute to interest in science on a sample of upper primary school students from Kerala, India. A series of multiple regression…

Emergence of carp edema virus in cultured ornamental koi carp, Cyprinus carpio koi, in India.

PubMed

Swaminathan, T Raja; Kumar, Raj; Dharmaratnam, Arathi; Basheer, V S; Sood, Neeraj; Pradhan, P K; Sanil, N K; Vijayagopal, P; Jena, J K

2016-12-01

A disease outbreak was reported in adult koi, Cyprinus carpio koi, from a fish farm in Kerala, India, during June 2015. The clinical signs were observed only in recently introduced adult koi, and an existing population of fish did not show any clinical signs or mortality. Microscopic examination of wet mounts from the gills of affected koi revealed minor infestation of Dactylogyrus sp. in a few koi. In bacteriological studies, only opportunistic bacteria were isolated from the gills of affected fish. The histopathological examination of the affected fish revealed necrotic changes in gills and, importantly, virus particles were demonstrated in cytoplasm of gill epithelial cells in transmission electron microscopy. The tissue samples from affected koi were negative for common viruses reported from koi viz. cyprinid herpesvirus 3, spring viraemia of carp virus, koi ranavirus and red sea bream iridovirus in PCR screening. However, gill tissue from affected koi carp was positive for carp edema virus (CEV) in the first step of nested PCR, and sequencing of PCR amplicons confirmed infection with CEV. No cytopathic effect was observed in six fish cell lines following inoculation of filtered tissue homogenate prepared from gills of affected fish. In bioassay, the symptoms could be reproduced by inoculation of naive koi with filtrate from gill tissue homogenate of CEV-positive fish. Subsequently, screening of koi showing clinical signs similar to koi sleepy disease from different locations revealed that CEV infection was widespread. To our knowledge, this is the first report of infection with CEV in koi from India.

CDC Kerala 15: Developmental Evaluation Clinic (2-10 y)--developmental diagnosis and use of home intervention package.

PubMed

Nair, M K C; Lakshmi, M A; Latha, S; Lakshmi, Geetha; Harikumaran Nair, G S; Bhaskaran, Deepa; George, Babu; Leena, M L; Russell, Paul Swamidhas Sudhakar

2014-12-01

To describe the last 5 years' experience of Child Development Centre (CDC), Kerala Developmental Evaluation Clinic II for children between 2 and 10 y, referred for suspicion of developmental lag in the preschool years and scholastic difficulty in the primary classes with specific focus on developmental profile and the experience of the home based intervention package taught to the mothers. A team of evaluators including developmental therapist, preschool teacher with special training in clinical child development, speech therapist, special educator, clinical psychologist and developmental pediatrician assessed all the children referred to CDC Kerala. Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST-II), Vineland Social Maturity Scale (VSMS) and Intelligent Quotient (IQ) tests were administered to all children below 6 y and those above 6 with apparent developmental delay. Speech/delay (35.9%), behavior problem (15.4%), global delay/ intellectual disability (15.4%), learning problem (10.9%), pervasive developmental disorders (7.7%), seizure disorder (1.7%), hearing impairment (0.7%), and visual impairment (0.7%) were the clinical diagnosis by a developmental pediatrician. Each child with developmental problem was offered a home based intervention package consisting of developmental therapy and special education items, appropriate to the clinical diagnosis of the individual child and the same was taught to the mother. The experience of conducting the developmental evaluation clinic for children between 2 and 10 y has shown that a team consisting of developmental therapist, speech therapist, preschool teacher, special educator, clinical child psychologist and developmental pediatrician, using appropriate test results of the child could make a clinical diagnosis good enough for providing early intervention therapy using a home based intervention package.

Effects of socio-economic and demographic factors in delayed reporting and late-stage presentation among patients with breast cancer in a major cancer hospital in South India.

PubMed

Ali, Rabia; Mathew, Aleyamma; Rajan, B

2008-01-01

We analyzed the distribution of socio-economic and demographic (SEDs) factors among breast cancer patients and assessed their impact on the stage at diagnosis of the disease and symptom duration. Data for the year 2006 was collected from the Hospital Based Cancer Registry, Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), Trivandrum, Kerala, India. Patients (n=522) were included if they were from native Kerala state or adjoining Tamil Nadu. SEDS factors included age, residing district, religion, marital status, income, education and occupation. Other study variables were menopausal status, parity, listed symptoms with duration and stage at diagnosis. Association between SEDs factors by stage at diagnosis and duration of symptoms was tested using chi-square statistics, with odds ratios (OR) estimated through logistic regression modeling. Forty-five percent were reported at early stages and 53% at late stages. Elevated risks for late stage reporting among breast cancer patients were observed for women who were unmarried (OR=3.31; 95%CI: 1.10-9.96), widowed/divorced (OR=1.46; 95%CI: 0.89-2.37), with lower education (OR=2.72; 95%CI: 1.06-7.03 for illiterate women and OR=2.32; 95%CI: 1.05-5.13 for women with primary school education and OR=2.07; 95%CI: 1.02-4.21 for women with middle school education) and post-menopausal women (OR=1.45; 95%CI: 0.97-2.19). This analysis helped to identify the target population group for receiving health education for early detection of breast cancer.

Origin of Ti-rich garnets in the groundmass of Wajrakarur field kimberlites, southern India: insights from EPMA and Raman spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dongre, Ashish N.; Viljoen, K. S.; Rao, N. V. Chalapathi; Gucsik, A.

2016-04-01

Although Ti-rich garnets are commonly encountered in the groundmass of many alkaline igneous rocks, they are comparatively rare in kimberlites. Here we report on the occurrence of Ti-rich garnets in the groundmass of the P-15 and KL-3 kimberlites from the diamondiferous Wajrakarur field in the Eastern Dharwar craton of southern India. These garnets contain considerable Ti (11.7-23.9 wt.% TiO2), Ca (31.3-35.8 wt.% CaO), Fe (6.8-15.5 wt.% FeOT) and Cr (0.04-9.7 wt.% Cr2O3), but have low Al (0.2-5.7 wt.% Al2O3). In the case of the P-15 kimberlite they display a range in compositions from andradite to schorlomite, with a low proportion of grossular (andradite(17.7-49.9)schorlomite(34.6-49.5)-grossular(3.7-22.8)-pyrope(1.9-10.4)). A few grains also contain significant chromium and represent a solid solution between schorlomite and uvarovite. The Ti-rich garnets in the KL-3 kimberlite, in contrast, are mostly schorlomitic (54.9-90.9 mol %) in composition. The Ti-rich garnets in the groundmass of these two kimberlites are intimately associated with chromian spinels, perhaps suggesting that the garnet formed through the replacement of spinel. From the textural evidence, it appears unlikely that the garnets could have originated through secondary alteration, but rather seem to have formed through a process in which early magmatic spinels have reacted with late circulating, residual fluids in the final stages of crystallization of the kimberlite magma. Raman spectroscopy provides evidence for low crystallinity in the spinels which is likely to be a result of their partial transformation into andradite during their reaction with a late-stage magmatic (kimberlitic) fluid. The close chemical association of these Ti-rich garnets in TiO2-FeO-CaO space with those reported from ultramafic lamprophyres (UML) is also consistent with results predicted by experimental studies, and possibly implies a genetic link between kimberlite and UML magmas. The occurrence of Ti-rich garnets of

Quality variations in black musli (curculigo orchioides gaertn.).

PubMed

Mathew, P P Joy Samuel; Savithri, K E; Skaria, Baby P; Kurien, Kochurani

2004-07-01

Black musli (Curculigo orchioides Gaertn.) one of the ayurvedic dasapushpa and a rejuvenating and aphrodisiac drug. Is on the verge of extinction and needs to be conserved and cultivated. Large variations are also observed in the quality of the crude drug available in the market. Study on the quality of C. orchioides in natural habitat, under cultivation and in trade in south India showed that there was considerable variation with biotypes and habitats. Drugs collected form the natural habitat was superior in quality to that produced by cultivation. Among the market samples collected from the various Zones of kerala, those from the High Ranges were superior in most of the quality parameters, which indicated its superiority for high quality drug formulation. Among the southern states, Tamil Nadu samples ranked next to High Range samples in this respect. There exists large variability in the market samples and there is felt-need for proper standardization of the crude drug for ensuring quality in the drug formulations.

Capillary Leak Syndrome Following Snakebite Envenomation

PubMed Central

Udayabhaskaran, V.; Arun Thomas, E. T.; Shaji, Bhagya

2017-01-01

Capillary leak syndrome is a unique complication that follows Russell's viper envenomation. This syndrome has a very high fatality rate and is characterized by parotid swelling, chemosis, periorbital edema, hypotension, albuminuria, hypoalbuminemia, and hemoconcentration. This syndrome is frequently recognized from the southern parts of India, especially from the state of Kerala. It has been postulated that a vascular apoptosis inducing component of Russell's viper venom that is not neutralized by the commercially available anti-snake venom (ASV) is responsible for this complication as it occurs even after adequate doses of ASV administration in most cases. Acute kidney injury often requiring dialysis is invariably present in all patients because of reduced renal perfusion and ischemic acute tubular necrosis as a result of hypotension. Management mainly involves aggressive fluid resuscitation to maintain adequate tissue perfusion. There are no other proven effective treatment modalities, except a few reports of successful treatment with plasmapheresis. Methylprednisolone pulse therapy, terbutaline, aminophylline, and intravenous immunoglobulin are other treatment modalities tried. PMID:29142382

Homology difference analysis of invasive mealybug species Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley in Southern China with COI gene sequence variability.

PubMed

Wu, F Z; Ma, J; Hu, X N; Zeng, L

2015-02-01

The mealybug species Phenacoccus solenopsis (P. solenopsis) has caused much agricultural damage since its recent invasion in China. However, the source of this invasion remains unclear. This study uses molecular methods to clarify the relationships among different population of P. solenopsis from China, USA, Pakistan, India, and Vietnam to determine the geographic origin of the introduction of this species into China. P. solenopsis samples were collected from 25 different locations in three provinces of Southern China. Samples from the USA, Pakistan, and Vietnam were also obtained. Parts of the mitochondrial genes for cytochrome oxidase I (COI) were sequenced for each sample. Homologous DNA sequences of the samples from the USA and India were downloaded from Gen Bank. Two haplotypes were found in China. The first was from most samples from the Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan populations in the China and Pakistan groups, and the second from a few samples from the Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan populations in the China, Pakistan, India, and Vietnam groups. As shown in the maximum likelihood of trees constructed using the COI sequences, these samples belonged to two clades. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that most P. solenopsis mealybugs in Southern China are probably closely related to populations in Pakistan. The variation, relationship, expansion, and probable geographic origin of P. solenopsis mealybugs in Southern China are also discussed.

Decadal changes in the land use/land cover and shoreline along the coastal districts of southern Gujarat, India.

PubMed

Misra, A; Balaji, R

2015-07-01

The coastal zone along the districts of Surat, Navsari, and Valsad in southern Gujarat, India, is reported to be facing serious environmental challenges in the form of shoreline erosion, wetland loss, and man-made encroachments. This study assesses the decadal land use/ land cover (LULC) changes in these three districts for the years 1990, 2001, and 2014 using satellite datasets of Landsat TM, ETM, and OLI. The LULC changes are identified by using band ratios as a pre-classification step, followed by implementation of hybrid classification (a combination of supervised and unsupervised classification). An accuracy assessment is carried out for each dataset, and the overall accuracy ranges from 90 to 95%. It is observed that the spatial extents of aquaculture, urban built-up, and barren classes have appreciated over time, whereas the coverage of mudflats has depreciated due to rapid urbanization. The changes in the shoreline of these districts have also been analyzed for the same years, and significant changes are found in the form of shoreline erosion. The LULC maps prepared as well as the shoreline change analysis done for this study area will enable the local decision makers to adopt better land-use planning and shoreline protection measures, which will further aid in sustainable future developments in this region.

Socio-economic & demographic determinants of hypertension & knowledge, practices & risk behaviour of tribals in India.

PubMed

Laxmaiah, A; Meshram, I I; Arlappa, N; Balakrishna, N; Rao, K Mallikharjuna; Reddy, Ch Gal; Ravindranath, M; Kumar, Sharad; Kumar, Hari; Brahmam, G N V

2015-05-01

An increase in prevalence of hypertension has been observed in all ethnic groups in India. The objective of the present study was to estimate prevalence and determinants of hypertension among tribals and their awareness, treatment practices and risk behaviours in nine States of India. A community based cross-sectional study adopting multistage random sampling procedure was carried out. About 120 Integrated Tribal Development Authority villages were selected randomly from each State. From each village, 40 households were covered randomly. All men and women ≥ 20 yr of age in the selected households were included for various investigations. A total of 21141 men and 26260 women participated in the study. The prevalence of hypertension after age adjustment was 27.1 and 26.4 per cent among men and women, respectively. It was higher in the s0 tates of Odisha (50-54.4%) and Kerala (36.7-45%) and lowest in Gujarat (7-11.5%). The risk of hypertension was 6-8 times higher in elderly people and 2-3 times in 35-59 yr compared with 20-34 yr. Only <10 per cent of men and women were known hypertensives and more than half on treatment (55-68%). Men with general and abdominal obesity were at 1.69 (CI: 1.43-2.01) and 2.42 (CI: 2.01-2.91) times higher risk of hypertension, respectively, while it was 2.03 (CI=1.77-2.33) and 2.35 (CI 2.12-2.60) times higher in women. Those using tobacco and consuming alcohol were at a higher risk of hypertension compared with the non users. The study revealed high prevalence of hypertension among tribals in India. Age, literacy, physical activity, consumption of tobacco, alcohol and obesity were significantly associated with hypertension. Awareness and knowledge about hypertension and health seeking behaviour were low. Appropriate intervention strategies need to be adopted to increase awareness and treatment practices of hypertension among tribals.

Epidemiology of Bluetongue in India.

PubMed

Rao, P P; Hegde, N R; Reddy, Y N; Krishnajyothi, Y; Reddy, Y V; Susmitha, B; Gollapalli, S R; Putty, K; Reddy, G H

2016-04-01

Bluetongue (BT) is an insectborne endemic disease in India. Although infections are observed in domestic and wild ruminants, the clinical disease and mortality are observed only in sheep, especially in the southern states of the country. The difference in disease patterns in different parts of the country could be due to varied climatic conditions, sheep population density and susceptibility of the sheep breeds to BT. Over the five decades after the first report of BT in 1964, most of the known serotypes of bluetongue virus (BTV) have been reported from India either by virus isolation or by detection of serotype-specific antibodies. There have been no structured longitudinal studies to identify the circulating serotypes throughout the country. At least ten serotypes were isolated between 1967 and 2000 (BTV-1-4, 6, 9, 16-18, 23). Since 2001, the All-India Network Programme on Bluetongue and other laboratories have isolated eight different serotypes (BTV-1-3, 9, 10, 12, 16, 21). Genetic analysis of these viruses has revealed that some of them vary substantially from reference viruses, and some show high sequence identity with modified live virus vaccines used in different parts of the world. These observations have highlighted the need to develop diagnostic capabilities, especially as BT outbreaks are still declared based on clinical signs. Although virus isolation and serotyping are the gold standards, rapid methods based on the detection of viral nucleic acid may be more suitable for India. The epidemiological investigations also have implications for vaccine design. Although only a handful serotypes may be involved in causing outbreaks every year, the combination of serotypes may change from year to year. For effective control of BT in India, it may be pertinent to introduce sentinel and vector traps systems for identification of the circulating serotypes and to evaluate herd immunity against different serotypes, so that relevant strains can be included in vaccine

Depression is not an Inevitable Outcome of Disclosure Avoidance: HIV Stigma and Mental Health in a Cohort of HIV Infected Individuals from Southern India

PubMed Central

Steward, Wayne T.; Chandy, Sara; Singh, Girija; Panicker, Siju Thomas; Osmand, Thomas A.; Heylen, Elsa; Ekstrand, Maria L.

2010-01-01

Previous research has shown that HIV stigma in India can be characterized by a framework dividing manifestations into enacted (discrimination), vicarious (hearing stories of discrimination), felt normative (perceptions of stigma’s prevalence) and internalized stigma (personal endorsement of stigma beliefs). We examined if this framework could explain associations among stigma, efforts to avoid HIV serostatus disclosure, and depression symptoms in a cohort of 198 HIV-infected individuals from southern India who were followed for one year as part of a study of antiretroviral adherence. Prior studies had suggested that disclosure avoidance was a primary outcome of stigma and that impaired well-being was a primary outcome of disclosure avoidance. Analyses from our longitudinal research revealed that the pattern of associations among stigma, disclosure avoidance, and depression symptoms remained consistent over time. Enacted and vicarious stigmas were correlated with felt normative stigma beliefs. In turn, felt normative stigma was correlated with disclosure avoidance. And enacted stigma, internalized stigma, and disclosure avoidance were all associated with depression symptoms. However, even though the overall framework held together, internalized stigma and depression symptoms dropped significantly over time while other components remained unchanged. These findings suggest that, although HIV stigma may limit disclosure, it does not invariably lead to psychological maladjustment. Amidst ongoing perceptions and experiences of stigma, HIV-positive individuals can achieve significant improvements in their acceptance of the disease and in mental wellbeing. PMID:21218366

‘AROGYAPPACHA’ (TRICHOPUS ZEYLANICUS gaerin), THE ‘GINSENG’ OF KANI TRIBES OF AGASHYAR HILLS (KERALA) FOR EVER GREEN HEALH AND VITALITY

PubMed Central

Pushpangadan, P.; Rajasekharan, S.; Ratheshkumar, P.K.; Jawahar, C.R.; Nair, V. Velayudhan; Lakshmi, N.; Amma, L. Sarada

1988-01-01

‘Arogyappacha’ (Trichopus zeylanicus) found endemic to Agastyar hills of Kerala is used by the local ‘kani’ tribe as a health food for getting instant stamina, ever green health and vitality. The tonic effect of this plants is comparable to that of the famous health food/drug ‘Ginseng’. A critical survey of the Ayurveda classics, suggests that the ‘Arogyappacha’ may be the divine ‘Varahi’described by sushruta. Chemical and Pharmacological evaluation of the plant have been initiated. PMID:22557622

ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH BRIEF: DEVELOPMENT OF GAS CLEANING TECHNOLOGY: DEMONSTRATION OF ADVANCED ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR TECHNOLOGY (INDIA ESP TRAINING)

EPA Science Inventory

The Brief discusses a demonstration of advanced electrostatic precipitator (ESP) diagnostics and technologies in India. Six Indian ESP specialists were selected by Southern Research Institute and their consultants, with the concurrence of EPA's project officer, to attend a course...

Epidemiological correlates of breast cancer in South India.

PubMed

Babu, Giridhara Rathnaiah; Lakshmi, Srikanthi Bodapati; Thiyagarajan, Jotheeswaran Amuthavalli

2013-01-01

Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer in women globally and represents the second leading cause of cancer death among women (after lung cancer). India is going through epidemiologic transition. It is reported that the incidence of breast cancer is rising rapidly as a result of changes in reproductive risk factors, dietary habits and increasing life expectancy, acting in concert with genetic factors. In order to understand the existing epidemiological correlates of breast cancer in South India, a systematic review of evidence available on epidemiologic correlates of breast cancer addressing incidence, prevalence, and associated factors like age, reproductive factors, cultural and religious factors was performed with specific focus on screening procedures in southern India. An increase in breast cancer incidence due to various modifiable risk factors was noted, especially in women over 40 years of age, with late stage of presentation, lack of awareness about screening, costs, fear and stigma associated with the disease serving as major barriers for early presentation. Educational strategies should be aimed at modifying the life style, early planning of pregnancy, promoting breast feeding and physical activity. It is very important to obtain reliable data for planning policies, decision-making and setting up the priorities.

Assessing the impact of a school-based safe water intervention on household adoption of point-of-use water treatment practices in southern India.

PubMed

Freeman, Matthew C; Clasen, Thomas

2011-03-01

We assessed a pilot project by UNICEF and Hindustan Unilever Limited to improve the quality of drinking water for children in schools through adoption of improved drinking water practices among households in southern India. The intervention consisted of providing classrooms of 200 schools a commercial water purifier, and providing basic hygiene and water treatment information to students, parents, and teachers. We found no evidence that the intervention was effective in improving awareness or uptake of effective water treatment practices at home. A similar proportion of household members in the intervention and control groups boiled their water (P = 0.60), used a ceramic filtration system (P = 0.33), and used a cloth filter (P = 0.89). One year after the launch of the campaign, household ownership of the commercial purifier promoted at schools was higher in the intervention group (26%) than the control group (19%), but this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.53).

Resource distribution and group size in the common langur Semnopithecus entellus in southern India.

PubMed

Vasudev, Divya; Kumar, Ajith; Sinha, Anindya

2008-07-01

We investigated the influence of resource abundance and distribution on the group size and composition of the common langur Semnopithecus entellus in the contiguous forests of Bandipur National Park, Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary and Nagarahole National Park in southern India. We also explored any additional effect of predator pressure and the risk of take-over on the same attributes. Data on group composition and vegetation were collected from January to May 2006. The size and composition of 94 bisexual groups were obtained. The group size varied from 7 to 40 and the groups included unimale and multimale groups. Thirty-five all-male groups were encountered. Vegetation was sampled from 17 grids of dimension 1 km x 1 km, each containing twelve 25 m x 25 m plots. The list of food species was compiled from previous studies and observations made during the study period. The mean basal area of all the food trees within each plot and its coefficient of variation at the level of the grid were used to represent resource abundance and distribution, respectively. The number of adult females and males within groups were analyzed separately to test for differential effects on age-sex categories. Group size increased as resources became spatially more heterogeneous. The abundance of resources had a negative effect on group size. This study did not find evidence supporting the direct effect of predator presence or of the risk of take-over. Contrary to what were expected, adult males reacted more strongly and predictably to resources than did adult females. The group attributes and their relationship with food resource abundance and distribution differed between two sites in the study area possibly owing to langur subspecies differences.

Is the negative IOD during 2016 the reason for monsoon failure over southwest peninsular India?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2018-01-01

The study investigates the mechanism responsible for the deficit rainfall over southwest peninsular India during the 2016 monsoon season. Analysis shows that the large-scale variation in circulation pattern due to the strong, negative Indian Ocean Dipole phenomenon was the reason for the deficit rainfall. Significant reduction in the number of northward-propagating monsoon-organized convections together with fast propagation over the southwest peninsular India resulted in reduction in rainfall. On the other hand, their persistence for longer time over the central part of India resulted in normal rainfall. It was found that the strong convection over the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean creates strong convergence over that region. The combined effect of the sinking due to the well-developed Walker circulation originated over the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean and the descending limb of the monsoon Hadley cell caused strong subsidence over the western equatorial Indian Ocean. The tail of this large-scale sinking extended up to the southern parts of India. This hinders formation of monsoon-organized convections leading to a large deficiency of rainfall during monsoon 2016 over the southwest peninsular India.

India-Asia collision was at 24°N and 50 Ma: palaeomagnetic proof from southernmost Asia

PubMed Central

Meng, Jun; Wang, Chengshan; Zhao, Xixi; Coe, Rob; Li, Yalin; Finn, David

2012-01-01

How and when India collided with Asia is crucial for global climate and continental dynamics. We present new palaeomagnetic data showing that the Xigaze forearc basin of southern Tibet was located at 24.2±5.9°N during 54–57 Ma, providing a direct constraint on the position of the southernmost margin of Asia at this crucial stage. Our study suggests 1) the age and locus of the initial India-Asia collision are at ~50 Ma and ~24°N, respectively; 2) Tibet resisted India's northward push during the first ~16 Ma of initial impact from the collision and experienced little latitudinal displacement; and 3) Sometime a little after 34 Ma, Greater India was consumed and thicker Indian Craton subsequently made contact with Asia, resulting in ~6° northward drift of Asia. Our model has implications for the process by which the high proto-Tibetan plateau formed and for the two slowdowns of India's convergence rate with Asia. PMID:23226592

Self-Esteem and Emotional Intelligence among B.Ed Trainees of Tsunami Affected Coastal Belt

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Babu M, Sameer

2008-01-01

Through this study the author investigates the relationship between self-esteem and emotional intelligence among B.Ed trainees of Tsunami affected coastal belt of Alappey district of Kerala, India. Stream of study, marital status and age based comparisons were made among the B.Ed trainees. 92 B.Ed trainees were the participants in the study. It…

Meta-analysis of classical swine fever prevalence in pigs in India: A 5-year study

PubMed Central

Patil, S. S.; Suresh, K. P.; Saha, S.; Prajapati, A.; Hemadri, D.; Roy, P.

2018-01-01

Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the overall prevalence of classical swine fever (CSF) in pigs in India, through a systematic review and meta-analysis of published data. Materials and Methods: Consortium for e-Resources in Agriculture, India, Google Scholar, PubMed, annual reports of All India Coordinated Research Project on Animal Disease Monitoring and Surveillance, and All India Animal Disease database of NIVEDI (NADRES) were used for searching and retrieval of CSF prevalence data (seroprevalence, virus antigen, and virus nucleic acid detection) in India using a search strategy combining keywords and related database-specific subject terms from January 2011 to December 2015 in English only. Results: A total of 22 data reports containing 6,158 samples size from 18 states of India were used for the quantitative synthesis, and overall 37% (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.24, 0.51) CSF prevalence in India was estimated. The data were classified into 4 different geographical zones of the country: 20% (95% CI=0.05, 0.55), 31% (95% CI=0.18, 0.47), 55% (95% CI=0.32, 0.76), and 34% (95% CI=0.14, 0.62). CSF prevalence was estimated in northern, eastern, western, and southern regions, respectively. Conclusion: This study indicates that overall prevalence of CSF in India is much lower than individual published reports. PMID:29657420

Biology of Blepharida-group flea beetles with first notes on natural history of Podontia congregata Baly, 1865 an endemic flea beetle from southern India (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini)*

PubMed Central

Prathapan, Kaniyarikkal Divakaran; Chaboo, Caroline Simmrita

2011-01-01

Abstract The biology, host plants, and pest status of Podontia Dalman, 1824 species are reviewed. Natural history of Podontia congregata Baly, 1865 a flea beetle endemic to southern India, is reported for the first time. It is distributed from the Western Ghats Mountains westward to the plains. Clusiaceae is reported as a new host plant family for Blepharida-group species, with Garcinia gummi-gutta (L.) N. Robson (Clusiaceae) as the host plant for Podontia congregata. Pentatomid bugs attack the larvae but not eggs, pupae, or adults. A new egg parasitoid species, Ooencyrtus keralensis Hayat and Prathapan, 2010 (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), was discovered. Aspects of Podontia congregata host selection, life cycle, and larval fecal defenses are consistent with its inclusion in the Blepharida-genus group. PMID:22303106

Serodiagnosis of tuberculosis in Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in Southern India: a latent class analysis.

PubMed

Verma-Kumar, Shalu; Abraham, David; Dendukuri, Nandini; Cheeran, Jacob Varghese; Sukumar, Raman; Balaji, Kithiganahalli Narayanaswamy

2012-01-01

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a causative agent of chronic tuberculosis disease, is widespread among some animal species too. There is paucity of information on the distribution, prevalence and true disease status of tuberculosis in Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). The aim of this study was to estimate the sensitivity and specificity of serological tests to diagnose M. tuberculosis infection in captive elephants in southern India while simultaneously estimating sero-prevalence. Health assessment of 600 elephants was carried out and their sera screened with a commercially available rapid serum test. Trunk wash culture of select rapid serum test positive animals yielded no animal positive for M. tuberculosis isolation. Under Indian field conditions where the true disease status is unknown, we used a latent class model to estimate the diagnostic characteristics of an existing (rapid serum test) and new (four in-house ELISA) tests. One hundred and seventy nine sera were randomly selected for screening in the five tests. Diagnostic sensitivities of the four ELISAs were 91.3-97.6% (95% Credible Interval (CI): 74.8-99.9) and diagnostic specificity were 89.6-98.5% (95% CI: 79.4-99.9) based on the model we assumed. We estimate that 53.6% (95% CI: 44.6-62.8) of the samples tested were free from infection with M. tuberculosis and 15.9% (97.5% CI: 9.8 - to 24.0) tested positive on all five tests. Our results provide evidence for high prevalence of asymptomatic M. tuberculosis infection in Asian elephants in a captive Indian setting. Further validation of these tests would be important in formulating area-specific effective surveillance and control measures.

Examining the Determinants of Sexual Violence among Young, Married Women in Southern India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chibber, Karuna S.; Krupp, Karl; Padian, Nancy; Madhivanan, Purnima

2012-01-01

The prevalence of sexual violence is increasingly being studied in India. Yet the determinants of sexual violence, irrespective of physical violence, remain largely unexplored. Here the authors identify the determinants of sexual violence, and additionally, explore how the presence of physical violence modifies these determinants. A…

Eucalyptus water use greater than rainfall input - possible explanation from southern India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calder, I. R.; Rosier, P. T. W.; Prasanna, K. T.; Parameswarappa, S.

Hydrological and silvicultural studies carried out in southern India on the effects of plantations of Eucalyptus and other fast growing exotic tree species have determined the impacts of these plantations on water resources, erosion, soil nutrient status and growth rates at sites of differing rainfall and soil depth in Karnataka. Whilst providing new information on these issues, the studies also raised two important questions: what was the explanation for the anomalous result that the water use of 3400 mm from Eucalyptus plantations at Hosakote over a three year period exceeded the rainfall of 2100 mm over the same period and why were growth rates of woodlots on most farmer's fields higher than those of plantations on land owned by the Karnataka Forest Department? The records of the soil moisture depletion patterns under these plantations from the day of planting provide the basis for the answers to both questions: i) whilst roots are penetrating into deeper soil layers, they are able to extract from a reservoir of water additional to that available from the rainfall each year, ii) farmer's land on which short rooted agricultural crops have been grown previously is likely to have a much higher soil water status than land previously under forest or scrub vegetation. These new studies have also established that the development of the drying front under the Eucalyptus camaldulensis plantations is very rapid, indicating average root extension rates in excess of 2.5 m per year, whilst those under Tectona grandis and Artocarpus heterophyllus advanced at approximately half the rate. These results have obvious implications for the long term sustainability of growth rates from these plantations and the recharge of groundwater. The authors believe that this study may be the first to report neutron probe soil moisture depletion observations, from the date of planting, beneath tree plantations in a dry climate. The extent to which the roots were able to penetrate raises the

Patterns of tree growth in relation to environmental variability in the tropical dry deciduous forest at Mudumalai, southern India.

PubMed

Nath, Cheryl D; Dattaraja, H S; Suresh, H S; Joshi, N V; Sukumar, R

2006-12-01

Tree diameter growth is sensitive to environmental fluctuations and tropical dry forests experience high seasonal and inter-annual environmental variation. Tree growth rates in a large permanent plot at Mudumalai, southern India, were examined for the influences of rainfall and three intrinsic factors (size, species and growth form) during three 4-year intervals over the period 1988-2000. Most trees had lowest growth during the second interval when rainfall was lowest, and skewness and kurtosis of growth distributions were reduced during this interval. Tree diameter generally explained less than 10% of growth variation and had less influence on growth than species identity or time interval. Intraspecific variation was high, yet species identity accounted for up to 16% of growth variation in the community. There were no consistent differences between canopy and understory tree growth rates; however, a few subgroups of species may potentially represent canopy and understory growth guilds. Environmentally-induced temporal variations in growth generally did not reduce the odds of subsequent survival. Growth rates appear to be strongly influenced by species identity and environmental variability in the Mudumalai dry forest. Understanding and predicting vegetation dynamics in the dry tropics thus also requires information on temporal variability in local climate.

Intra-seasonal sea level variability along the west coast of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhage, Laxmikant; Strub, P. Ted

2016-11-01

The importance of local versus distant forcing is studied for the wind-driven intra-seasonal (30-120 day) sea level anomaly (SLA) variations along the west coast of India. Significant correlations of altimeter-derived SLA on the west coast are found with the mid-basin SLA east of Sri Lanka and SLA as far as Sumatra and the equator, with increased lags, connecting with the remote forcing from the equator in the form of reflected Rossby waves. The highest correlations between SLA on the west coast and winds are found with the winds at the southern tip of India. Coherence calculations help to identify the importance of a narrow band (40-60 day) for the interactions of winds with the intra-seasonal SLA variations. A multivariate regression model, along with the coherences within this narrower band, suggest the lags of SLA on the west coast with winds to range from 0 to 2 days with the local forcing to 11-13 days with the forcing along south east coast of India. Hovmöller diagrams illustrate the propagation of signals by estimating phase speed for Rossby waves (57 cm/s) across the Indian Ocean from Sumatra and Coastal Trapped Waves (CTWs) along the west coast of India (178 cm/s). Propagation from the south-east coast of India is not as robust as Rossby waves from Sumatra.

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

Integrated approach for demarcating subsurface pollution and saline water intrusion zones in SIPCOT area: a case study from Cuddalore in Southern India.

PubMed

Sankaran, S; Sonkamble, S; Krishnakumar, K; Mondal, N C

2012-08-01

This paper deals with a systematic hydrogeological, geophysical, and hydrochemical investigations carried out in SIPCOT area in Southern India to demarcate groundwater pollution and saline intrusion through Uppanar River, which flows parallel to sea coast with high salinity (average TDS 28, 870 mg/l) due to back waters as well as discharge of industrial and domestic effluents. Hydrogeological and geophysical investigations comprising topographic survey, self-potential, multi-electrode resistivity imaging, and water quality monitoring were found the extent of saline water intrusion in the south and pockets of subsurface pollution in the north of the study area. Since the area is beset with highly permeable unconfined quaternary alluvium forming potential aquifer at shallow depth, long-term excessive pumping and influence of the River have led to lowering of the water table and degradation of water quality through increased salinity there by generating reversal of hydraulic gradient in the south. The improper management of industrial wastes and left over chemicals by closed industries has led surface and subsurface pollution in the north of the study area.

Occupational safety measures and morbidity among welders in Vellore, Southern India

PubMed Central

Alexander, Vijay; Zechariah, Pradeep; Nair, Suryanarayan Rajendran; Kattula, Deepthi

2016-01-01

Background Welders in the unorganized occupational sector in the economically developing world are exposed to respiratory, skin, eye, ear, and neurological problems exacerbated by non-usage of personal protective equipment (PPE). Objective To study the frequency of health problems and the usage of PPE among welders in unorganized welding units in Vellore, India. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 150 welders to determine the frequency of skin, ear, eye, and respiratory morbidity and the usage of PPE. A group of 150 non-welders were chosen for comparison. Results Significant differences in the frequency of skin burns, redness, hyper pigmentation, itching, eye injuries, and sensorineural deafness were observed among the welders and non-welders (P < 0.001). Hypertension was noted in 12.6% of the welders as compared to 0.7% among the non-welders. None of the welders used appropriate PPE. For welders, low educational attainment was associated with an increased risk of eye injury (P < 0.05, OR = 0.29). There was also a significant difference between sensorineural deafness and a welder having less than 10 years of welding work experience (P < 0.001, OR = 18.18) which could probably be accounted for by the healthy worker effect. Conclusion Welders in this sample experienced a significant skin, eye, and ear morbidity accentuated by the non-usage of PPE. All worked without formal training and were unaware of the safe working guidelines that exist, but are not implemented for the welders in India. PMID:27682579

Differences between seven measures of self-reported numbers of clients of female sex workers in southern India: implications for individual- and population-level analysis.

PubMed

Deering, Kathleen N; Vickerman, P; Pickles, M; Moses, S; Blanchard, J F; Ramesh, B M; Isac, S; Boily, M-C

2013-02-01

Quantifying sexual activity of sub-populations with high-risk sexual behaviour is important in understanding HIV epidemiology. This study examined inconsistency of seven outcomes measuring self-reported clients per month (CPM) of female sex workers (FSWs) in southern India and implications for individual/population-level analysis. Multivariate negative binomial regression was used to compare key social/environmental factors associated with each outcome. A transmission dynamics model was used to assess the impact of differences between outcomes on population-level FSW/client HIV prevalence. Outcomes based on 'clients per last working day' produced lower estimates than those based on 'clients per typical day'. Although the outcomes were strongly correlated, their averages differed by approximately two-fold (range 39.0-79.1 CPM). The CPM measure chosen did not greatly influence standard epidemiological 'risk factor' analysis. Differences across outcomes influenced HIV prevalence predictions. Due to this uncertainty, we recommend basing population-based estimates on the range of outcomes, particularly when assessing the impact of interventions.

India.

PubMed

1985-05-01

In this discussion of India attention is directed to the following: the people; geography; history; government; political conditions; the economy; foreign relations (Pakistan and Bangladesh, China, and the Soviet Union); defense; and the relations between the US and India. In 1983 India's population was estimated at 746 million with an annual growth rate of 2.24%. The infant mortality rate was estimated at 116/1000 in 1984 with a life expectancy of 54.9 years. Although India occupies only 2.4% of the world's land area, it supports nearly 15% of the world's population. 2 major ethnic strains predominate in India: the Aryan in the north and the Dravidian in the south, although the lines between them are blurred. India dominates the South Asian subcontinent geographically. The people of India have had a continuous civilization since about 2500 B.C., when the inhabitants of the Indus River Valley developed an urban culture based on commerce, trade, and, to a lesser degree, agriculture. This civilization declined about 1500 B.C. and Aryan tribes originating in central Asia absorbed parts of its culture as they spread out over the South Asian subcontinent. During the next few centuries, India flourished under several successive empires. The 1st British outpost in South Asia was established in 1619 at Surat on the northwestern coast of India. The British gradually expanded their influence until, by the 1850s, they controlled almost the entire area of present-day India. Independence was attained on August 15, 1947, and India became a dominion within the Commonwealth of Nations with Jawaharlal Nehru as prime minister. According to its constitution, India is a "sovereign socialist secular democratic republic." Like the US, India has a federal form of government, but the central government in India has greater power in relation to its states, and government is patterned after the British parliamentary system. The Congress Party has ruled India since independence with the

77 FR 58470 - Irradiation Treatment; Location of Facilities in the Southern United States; Technical Amendment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-21

.... APHIS-2009-0100] RIN 0579-AD35 Irradiation Treatment; Location of Facilities in the Southern United... things, allow for irradiation treatment of mangoes from India upon arrival in the mainland United States... 20, 2012, we amended the regulations in Sec. 319.56-46 to allow for irradiation treatment of mangoes...

On the importance of Sri Lanka for sea-level variability along the west coast of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suresh, I.; Vialard, J.; Izumo, T.; Lengaigne, M.; Han, W.; McCreary, J. P., Jr.; Pillathu Moolayil, M.

2015-12-01

Earlier studies have illustrated the strong influence of remote forcing from the equator and the Bay of Bengal on the sea-level variability off the west coast of India, especially at the seasonal timescale. More recently, Suresh et al. [2013] demonstrated with a simple, linear, continuously-stratified (LCS) model that the equatorial zonal winds contribute to more than 60% of intraseasonal sea-level variability along the Indian west coast. In the present study, we quantify the contributions from various processes to the sea-level variability along the west coast of India at different timescales with the help of a LCS model through both idealized and realistic sensitivity experiments. We demonstrate that remote forcing dominates the sea-level variability along the west coast of India at intraseasonal to interannual timescales. Sri Lanka and the southern tip of India play an important role on Indian west coast sea-level variability at all timescales for two reasons: First, the geometry of the coast favors a strong alongshore wind-stress forcing of coastal Kelvin waves across timescales there. Second, Sri Lanka interacts with low-order meridional mode equatorial Rossby waves forced by equatorial winds or southern Bay of Bengal wind- stress curl. This interaction of coastal waveguide with equatorial waveguide creates a new pathway for the equatorial signals to arrive at the west coast of India, alternative to the "classical" coastal waveguide around the rim of the Bay of Bengal. Reference: Suresh, I., J. Vialard, M. Lengaigne, W. Han, J. McCreary, F. Durand, and P. M. Muraleedharan (2013), Origins of wind-driven intraseasonal sea level variations in the North Indian Ocean coastal waveguide, Geophys. Res. Lett., 40, 5740-5744, doi:10.1002/2013GL058312.

[Vaccines: producers in countries of the Southern hemisphere].

PubMed

Bertrand, J J

2007-08-01

Vaccine producers in southern hemisphere countries now contribute significantly to global output. In 2006 southern hemisphere countries accounted for more than 10% of the total worldwide production with a progression approximately 70% greater than all producers combined in the two-year period between 2004 and 2006. Though difficult to measure, production in volume is higher due to lower prices practiced in most of these countries. For many years before the 1980s, production was scattered among numerous limited-scale companies. Most were founded at the initiative of governments striving to cover the needs of the population for essential vaccines. A number of institutions and private structures such as Institut Pasteur Production, Connaught Laboratories, and Institut Merieux have also set up production facilities. Today's producers can be divided into two categories, i.e., local producers that produce mainly monovalent vaccines and worldwide producers with strong R&D investment programs. Local producers are located mainly in large southern hemisphere countries such as China, India, Brazil, and Indonesia as well as in eastern countries. For the most dynamic companies, international development is focused on southern hemisphere countries excluding North America and Europe. With the support international organization such as WHO, UNICEF and GAVI, alliances are now being formed and networks are being organized in an effort to ensure reliable supplies of high quality vaccines at affordable prices in developing countries. The contribution of these producers will increase for the greater benefit of the people living in the southern hemisphere.

Mineral chemistry of isotropic gabbros from the Manamedu Ophiolite Complex, Cauvery Suture Zone, southern India: Evidence for neoproterozoic suprasubduction zone tectonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2016-11-01

The dismembered units of the Neoproterozoic Manamedu Ophiolite Complex (MOC) in the Cauvery Suture Zone, southern India comprises a well preserved ophiolitic sequence of ultramafic cumulates of altered dunites, pyroxenites, mafic cumulates of gabbros, gabbro-norites and anorthosites in association with plagiogranites, isotropic gabbros, metadolerites, metabasalts/amphibolites and thin layers of ferruginous chert bands. The isotropic gabbros occur as intrusions in association with gabbroic anorthosites, plagiogranite and metabasalts/amphibolites. The gabbros are medium to fine grained with euhedral to subhedral orthopyroxenes, clinopyroxenes and subhedral plagioclase, together with rare amphiboles. Mineral chemistry of isotropic gabbros reveal that the clinopyroxenes are diopsidic to augitic in composition within the compositional ranges of En(42-59), Fs(5-12), Wo(31-50). They are Ca-rich and Na poor (Na2O < 0.77 wt%) characterized by high-Mg (Mg# 79-86) and low-Ti (TiO2 < 0.35 wt%) contents. The tectonic discrimination plots of clinopyroxene data indicate island arc signature of the source magma. Our study further confirms the suprasubduction zone origin of the Manamedu ophiolitic suite, associated with the subduction-collision history of the Neoproterozoic Mozambique ocean during the assembly of Gondwana supercontinent.

Prevalence of anaemia in pregnant & lactating women in India.

PubMed

Agarwal, K N; Agarwal, D K; Sharma, A; Sharma, K; Prasad, K; Kalita, M C; Khetarpaul, N; Kapoor, A C; Vijayalekshmi, L; Govilla, A K; Panda, S M; Kumari, P

2006-08-01

The prevalence of anaemia during pregnancy and lactation was significantly lower in the National Family Health Survey 1998-1999 (NFHS-2), using the hemocue method for haemoglobin estimation compared to earlier surveys. The present study selected seven States and used the same districts and villages studied in the NFHS-2, to see if the reported reduction in prevalence of anaemia was due to health and nutrition inputs and/or due to a different method for haemoglobin estimation. A total of 1,751 women (1,148 pregnant and 603 lactating- exclusively breastfeeding up to 3 months of age), from seven States- Himachal Pradesh and Haryana in north; Assam and Orissa in east; Kerala and Tamil Nadu in south and Madhya Pradesh in central India, were selected. Haemoglobin was estimated by the cyanmethaemoglobin method, so that comparison was possible with earlier studies. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, pregnancy, nutritional status and dietary intakes were collected. Prevalence as well as severity of anaemia was significantly higher in the present study as compared to the NFHS-2 study data. The difference could be due to haemocue method, which gives higher haemoglobin values. The contributing factors found on multiple regression analysis for anaemia in pregnancy and lactation were: literacy, occupation and standard living index of the study women; their awareness about anaemia, its prevention by regular consumption of ironfolate tablets and increase in food intake. Maternal height, age of marriage, parity and foetal loss also contributed to haemoglobin level. There were interstate differences; lower fertility, higher literacy and better diet was observed in Himachal Pradesh as compared to Haryana. The literacy and nutritional status of women in Tamil Nadu was lower than Kerala. The remaining 3 states had poor fertility, lower social living index and nutritional status with >90 per cent women being anaemic in pregnancy and lactation. Low prevalence of severe anaemia in

Serodiagnosis of Tuberculosis in Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) in Southern India: A Latent Class Analysis

PubMed Central

Dendukuri, Nandini; Cheeran, Jacob Varghese; Sukumar, Raman

2012-01-01

Background Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a causative agent of chronic tuberculosis disease, is widespread among some animal species too. There is paucity of information on the distribution, prevalence and true disease status of tuberculosis in Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). The aim of this study was to estimate the sensitivity and specificity of serological tests to diagnose M. tuberculosis infection in captive elephants in southern India while simultaneously estimating sero-prevalence. Methodology/Principal Findings Health assessment of 600 elephants was carried out and their sera screened with a commercially available rapid serum test. Trunk wash culture of select rapid serum test positive animals yielded no animal positive for M. tuberculosis isolation. Under Indian field conditions where the true disease status is unknown, we used a latent class model to estimate the diagnostic characteristics of an existing (rapid serum test) and new (four in-house ELISA) tests. One hundred and seventy nine sera were randomly selected for screening in the five tests. Diagnostic sensitivities of the four ELISAs were 91.3–97.6% (95% Credible Interval (CI): 74.8–99.9) and diagnostic specificity were 89.6–98.5% (95% CI: 79.4–99.9) based on the model we assumed. We estimate that 53.6% (95% CI: 44.6–62.8) of the samples tested were free from infection with M. tuberculosis and 15.9% (97.5% CI: 9.8 - to 24.0) tested positive on all five tests. Conclusions/Significance Our results provide evidence for high prevalence of asymptomatic M. tuberculosis infection in Asian elephants in a captive Indian setting. Further validation of these tests would be important in formulating area-specific effective surveillance and control measures. PMID:23166708

Occupational Heat Stress Impacts on Health and Productivity in a Steel Industry in Southern India.

PubMed

Krishnamurthy, Manikandan; Ramalingam, Paramesh; Perumal, Kumaravel; Kamalakannan, Latha Perumal; Chinnadurai, Jeremiah; Shanmugam, Rekha; Srinivasan, Krishnan; Venugopal, Vidhya

2017-03-01

Workers laboring in steel industries in tropical settings with high ambient temperatures are subjected to thermally stressful environments that can create well-known risks of heat-related illnesses and limit workers' productivity. A cross-sectional study undertaken in a steel industry in a city nicknamed "Steel City" in Southern India assessed thermal stress by wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) and level of dehydration from urine color and urine specific gravity. A structured questionnaire captured self-reported heat-related health symptoms of workers. Some 90% WBGT measurements were higher than recommended threshold limit values (27.2-41.7°C) for heavy and moderate workloads and radiational heat from processes were very high in blooming-mill/coke-oven (67.6°C globe temperature). Widespread heat-related health concerns were prevalent among workers, including excessive sweating, fatigue, and tiredness reported by 50% workers. Productivity loss was significantly reported high in workers with direct heat exposures compared to those with indirect heat exposures (χ 2  = 26.1258, degrees of freedom = 1, p  < 0.001). Change in urine color was 7.4 times higher among workers exposed to WBGTs above threshold limit values (TLVs). Preliminary evidence shows that high heat exposures and heavy workload adversely affect the workers' health and reduce their work capacities. Health and productivity risks in developing tropical country work settings can be further aggravated by the predicted temperature rise due to climate change, without appropriate interventions. Apart from industries enhancing welfare facilities and designing control interventions, further physiological studies with a seasonal approach and interventional studies are needed to strengthen evidence for developing comprehensive policies to protect workers employed in high heat industries.

Subclinical Hypothyroidism: A Prospective Observational Study from Southern India.

PubMed

Sridhar, Mathrubootham; Mahadevan, Shriraam; Vishwanathan, Latha; Subbarayan, Anbezhil

2018-03-15

To assess the natural history and progression of subclinical hypothyroidism and to study factors which help predict evolution of subclinical hypothyroidism into overt hypothyroidism. Longitudinal study in 40 children (2-16 yrs) presenting with subclinical hypothyroidism in a tertiary care unit in Chennai, India. Patients showing evidence of overt hypothyroidism or thyroid stimulating hormone ≥15 mIU/mL during follow-up were started on thyroxine. Others were followed up with 3-monthly thyroid function tests up to one year. At the end of our study period 3 (7.5%) were overtly hypothyroid, 16 (40%) remained as subclinical hypothyroid, and 21 (52.5%) became euthyroid. Evidence of auto- immunity at baseline was a significant (P<0.05) risk factor for progression to overt hypothyroidism. Subclinical hypothyroidism in children, with thyroid stimulating hormone upto 15 mIU/L and irrespective of thyroid autoimmunity, needs only periodic clinical and biochemical follow up. Thyroid autoimmunity may point to an increased probability of progression to overt hypothyroidism.

Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Trends and periodicities of regional drought projections in India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Vivek; Jain, Manoj Kumar

2017-04-01

Climate change is believed to be altering the hydrologic cycle of different regions worldwide. This may alter the occurrence and distribution of extreme events such as droughts and floods. India is one of the most drought affected country, it is therefore important to understand spatiotemporal variation of droughts in future due to climate change. In this paper, we have analyzed the spatiotemporal projections of droughts over India for 21st century using Global Climate Model (GCM) precipitation projections of ESM2G model under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) namely, RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5. K-means Clustering algorithm has been exploited to obtain homogeneous precipitation region in India for regional drought analysis. Further, temporal analysis of projected annual minimum SPI for year 2006 to 2100 has been performed for different homogeneous regions obtained using cluster analysis. Trend analysis of annual minimum SPI series has also been performed using Mann-Kendall and Sen's slope method. Furthermore, periodicity in SPI series have been examined using wavelet periodogram analysis. Findings of this paper suggest that major drought events for Northeastern and Southern India are likely to occur in second half of the 21st century while for all other parts of India, most of the major drought events are expected in first half of the 21st century. Also, wavelet periodicity analysis indicates inter-annual periodicities of projected droughts between 3 to 9.5 years in different regions of India.

Earthquake Hazard Assessment Based on Geological Data: An approach from Crystalline Terrain of Peninsular India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

John, B.

2009-04-01

Earthquake Hazard Assessment Based on Geological Data: An approach from Crystalline Terrain of Peninsular India Biju John National Institute of Rock Mechanics b_johnp@yahoo.co.in Peninsular India was for long considered as seismically stable. But the recent earthquake sequence of Latur (1993), Jabalpur (1997), Bhuj (2001) suggests this region is among one of the active Stable Continental Regions (SCRs) of the world, where the recurrence intervals is of the order of tens of thousands of years. In such areas, earthquake may happen at unexpected locations, devoid of any previous seismicity or dramatic geomorphic features. Even moderate earthquakes will lead to heavy loss of life and property in the present scenario. So it is imperative to map suspected areas to identify active faults and evaluate its activities, which will be a vital input to seismic hazard assessment of SCR area. The region around Wadakkanchery, Kerala, South India has been experiencing micro seismic activities since 1989. Subsequent studies, by the author, identified a 30 km long WNW-ESE trending reverse fault, dipping south (45°), that influenced the drainage system of the area. The macroscopic and microscopic studies of the fault rocks from the exposures near Desamangalam show an episodic nature of faulting. Dislocations of pegmatitic veins across the fault indicate a cumulative dip displacement of 2.1m in the reverse direction. A minimum of four episodes of faulting were identified in this fault based on the cross cutting relations of different structural elements and from the mineralogic changes of different generations of gouge zones. This suggests that an average displacement of 52cm per event might have occurred for each event. A cyclic nature of faulting is identified in this fault zone in which the inter-seismic period is characterized by gouge induration and fracture sealing aided by the prevailing fluids. Available empirical relations connecting magnitude with displacement and rupture

Spatial and temporal estimation of runoff in a semi-arid microwatershed of Southern India.

PubMed

Rejani, R; Rao, K V; Osman, M; Chary, G R; Pushpanjali; Reddy, K Sammi; Rao, Ch Srinivasa

2015-08-01

In a semi-arid microwatershed of Warangal district in Southern India, daily runoff was estimated spatially using Soil Conservation Service (SCS)-curve number (CN) method coupled with GIS. The groundwater status in this region is over-exploited, and precise estimation of runoff is very essential to plan interventions for this ungauged microwatershed. Rainfall is the most important factor governing runoff, and 75.8% of the daily rainfall and 92.1% of the rainy days which occurred were below 25 mm/day. The declines in rainfall and rainy days observed in recent years were 9.8 and 8.4%, respectively. The surface runoff estimated from crop land for a period of 57 years varied from 0 to 365 mm with a mean annual runoff of 103.7 mm or 14.1% of the mean annual rainfall. The mean annual runoff showed a significant reduction from 108.7 to 82.9 mm in recent years. The decadal variation of annual runoff from crop land over the years varied from 49.2 to 89.0% which showed the caution needed while planning watershed management works in this microwatershed. Among the four land use land cover conditions prevailing in the area, the higher runoff (20% of the mean annual rainfall) was observed from current fallow in clayey soil and lower runoff of 8.7% from crop land in loamy soil due to the increased canopy coverage. The drought years which occurred during recent years (1991-2007) in crop land have increased by 3.5%, normal years have increased by 15.6%, and the above normal years have decreased by 19.1%. This methodology can be adopted for estimating the runoff potential from similar ungauged watersheds with deficient data. It is concluded that in order to ensure long-term and sustainable groundwater utilization in the region, proper estimation of runoff and implementation of suitable water harvesting measures are the need of the hour.

Evaluation of Bacillus spp. as dough starters for Adhirasam - A traditional rice based fermented food of Southern India.

PubMed

Anisha, Anvar Hussain Noorul; Anandham, Rangasamy; Kwon, Soon Woo; Gandhi, Pandiyan Indira; Gopal, Nellaiappan Olaganathan

2015-01-01

Adhirasam is a cereal based, doughnut shaped, deep fried dessert consumed in the southern regions of India. The dough used to prepare adhirasam is fermented and contains rice flour and jaggery. The aim of the present study was to characterize the cultivable bacteria associated with this fermented dough and to identify a suitable starter culture for the production of quality adhirasam. In total, one hundred and seventy bacterial isolates were recovered from de Man Rogosa Sharp (MRS) agar, nutrient agar, lysogeny agar and tryptic soy agar media. Out of the 170 bacterial isolates, sixteen isolates were selected based on their ability to tolerate glucose and sucrose. All the bacterial isolates tolerated 15% glucose and 30% sucrose. Analyses of 16S rDNA gene sequences of the bacterial isolates showed that the dominant cultivable bacteria were members of the genus Bacillus. These strains were further used as starters and tested for their ability to ferment rice flour with jaggery to produce adhirasam dough. Organoleptic evaluation was carried out to choose the best starter strain. Adhirasam prepared from Bacillus subtilis isolates S4-P11, S2-G2-A1 and S1-G15, Bacillus tequilensis isolates S2-H16, S3-P9, S3-G10 and Bacillus siamensis isolate S2-G13 were highly acceptable to consumers. Adhirasam prepared using these starter cultures had superior product characteristics such as softness in texture, flavor and enhanced aroma and sweet taste.

Evaluation of Bacillus spp. as dough starters for Adhirasam - A traditional rice based fermented food of Southern India

PubMed Central

Anisha, Anvar Hussain Noorul; Anandham, Rangasamy; Kwon, Soon Woo; Gandhi, Pandiyan Indira; Gopal, Nellaiappan Olaganathan

2015-01-01

Abstract Adhirasam is a cereal based, doughnut shaped, deep fried dessert consumed in the southern regions of India. The dough used to prepare adhirasam is fermented and contains rice flour and jaggery. The aim of the present study was to characterize the cultivable bacteria associated with this fermented dough and to identify a suitable starter culture for the production of quality adhirasam. In total, one hundred and seventy bacterial isolates were recovered from de Man Rogosa Sharp (MRS) agar, nutrient agar, lysogeny agar and tryptic soy agar media. Out of the 170 bacterial isolates, sixteen isolates were selected based on their ability to tolerate glucose and sucrose. All the bacterial isolates tolerated 15% glucose and 30% sucrose. Analyses of 16S rDNA gene sequences of the bacterial isolates showed that the dominant cultivable bacteria were members of the genus Bacillus. These strains were further used as starters and tested for their ability to ferment rice flour with jaggery to produce adhirasam dough. Organoleptic evaluation was carried out to choose the best starter strain. Adhirasam prepared from Bacillus subtilis isolates S4-P11, S2-G2-A1 and S1-G15, Bacillus tequilensis isolates S2-H16, S3-P9, S3-G10 and Bacillus siamensis isolate S2-G13 were highly acceptable to consumers. Adhirasam prepared using these starter cultures had superior product characteristics such as softness in texture, flavor and enhanced aroma and sweet taste. PMID:26691480

Prevalence and factors related to rheumatic musculoskeletal disorders in rural south India: WHO-ILAR-COPCORD-BJD India Calicut study.

PubMed

Paul, Binoy J; Rahim, Asma A; Bina, Thomas; Thekkekara, Romy J

2013-08-01

To assess the prevalence and factors related to rheumatic musculoskeletal disorders (RMSD) in a rural population of south India. The cross-sectional study included all individuals, 15 years and above, in a rural unit of Calicut District in North Kerala. Data were collected using the validated World Health Organization - International League of Associations for Rheumatology - Community Oriented Program for the Control of Rheumatic Diseases - Bhigwan model questionnaire by trained volunteers. In Phase 1 details of demographic characteristics, major co-morbidities and perceived musculoskeletal aches and pains were elicited. Phases 2 and 3 further evaluated and diagnosed the subjects. Predictors for RMSD were assessed using binary logistic regression analysis. There were 4999 individuals in the study. The prevalence of RMSD was 24.9% (95% CI 23.73; 26.12%). Females constituted 50.7% of the population; 5.1% of the respondents were illiterate; 80.9% belonged to low-income groups. Diabetes mellitus and hypertension affected 4.1% and 5.4% of the subjects respectively. The predictors for RMSD in the population were female sex, age, illiteracy, married status, low-income group, vegetarian diet, current alcohol consumption, current tobacco use, history of injury or accidents, diabetes and hypertension. Symptom-related ill-defined rheumatism (10.39%) followed by osteoarthritis (3.85%) were the most prevalent in the Phase 3 rheumatological evaluation. There is an urgent need to introduce lifestyle modifications in high-risk groups and start rehabilitation for those affected. Community rheumatology in primary health care settings in rural areas needs to be strengthened by introducing national programs addressing RMSD at the grassroots level. © 2013 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Detrital zircon and igneous protolith ages of high-grade metamorphic rocks in the Highland and Wanni Complexes, Sri Lanka: Their geochronological correlation with southern India and East Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitano, Ippei; Osanai, Yasuhito; Nakano, Nobuhiko; Adachi, Tatsuro; Fitzsimons, Ian C. W.

2018-05-01

additional detritus derived from early to middle Neoproterozoic metamorphic rocks. The relic zircon core ages in the HC are comparable with those of the Trivandrum Block and Nagercoil Block of southern India. In contrast, those ages in the WC match the Achankovil Shear Zone and Southern Madurai Block of southern India. These comparisons are also supported by Th/U ratios of detrital zircon cores from paragneisses (Th/U ratios of >0.10 for the former and not only >0.10 but also ≤0.10 for the latter). Comparisons with the Lützow-Holm Complex of East Antarctica indicate that the geochronological characteristics of the HC and WC broadly match those of the Skallen Group, and the Ongul and Okuiwa Groups, respectively.

Pathology of fungal infections of the central nervous system: 17 years' experience from Southern India.

PubMed

Sundaram, C; Umabala, P; Laxmi, V; Purohit, A K; Prasad, V S S V; Panigrahi, M; Sahu, B P; Sarathi, M V; Kaul, S; Borghain, R; Meena, A K; Jayalakshmi, S S; Suvarna, A; Mohandas, S; Murthy, J M K

2006-10-01

To describe the pathology of central nervous system (CNS) fungal infections with particular reference to India. This was a retrospective study from 1988 to 2004 constituting 130 cases. The diagnosis was based on morphology of biopsy/autopsy material. These included aspergillosis (n=73), zygomycosis (n=40), cryptococcosis (n=2), rhodotorulosis (n=1), candidiasis (n=5), maduramycosis (n=1), pheohyphomycosis (n=3) and mixed infections (n=5). Predisposing risk factors were present in 49 (38%) patients only. The majority of the patients were immunocompetent. The commonest risk factor was diabetes mellitus, the commonest route of infection was from a contiguous site and the commonest pathology was granuloma. Culture positivity was seen in only 31%. Environmental factors in tropical countries such as India play a significant role in the pathogenesis of CNS fungal infections.

A review of the Southern Oscillation - Oceanic-atmospheric circulation changes and related rainfall anomalies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kousky, V. E.; Kagano, M. T.; Cavalcanti, I. F. A.

1984-01-01

The region of South America is emphasized in the present consideration of the Southern Oscillation (SO) oceanic and atmospheric circulation changes. The persistence of climate anomalies associated with El Nino-SO events is due to strong atmosphere-ocean coupling. Once initiated, the SO follows a certain sequence of events with clearly defined effects on tropical and subtropical rainfall. Excessive rainfall related to the SO in the central and eastern Pacific, Peru, Ecuador, and southern Brazil, are complemented by drought in Australia, Indonesia, India, West Africa, and northeast Brazil. El Nino-SO events are also associated with dramatic changes in the tropospheric flow pattern over a broad area of both hemispheres.

India

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2013-04-16

article title:  Aerosols over India     View Larger Image ... particulates, over the low-lying plains of northeastern India appear in dramatic contrast with the relatively pristine air of the ... October 15, 2001 - High concentrations of aerosols over India. project:  MISR category:  gallery ...

Elder abuse as a risk factor for psychological distress among older adults in India: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Evandrou, Maria; Falkingham, Jane C; Qin, Min; Vlachantoni, Athina

2017-10-22

This study examines the association between elder abuse and psychological distress among older adults in India and explores whether this association varies by the level of psychosocial and material resources. The study uses a cross-sectional survey design. The data are drawn from a representative sample of 9589 adults aged 60 and above in seven Indian states-Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal, Odisha, Maharashtra, Kerala and Tamil Nadu-in 2011. Secondary analysis, using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models, is conducted using the United Nations Population Fund project Building Knowledge Base on Ageing in India survey. Elder abuse (physical and/or emotional) emanating from family members in the previous month before the survey is examined. Multivariate models are run on the total analytical sample and for men and women separately. The overall prevalence of psychological distress among persons aged 60 and over living in the seven Indian States is 40.6%. Among those older persons who experienced some form of physical or emotional abuse or violence in the last month, the prevalence of psychological distress is much higher than that in the general older population, at 61.6% (p<0.001). The results show that the experience of abuse is negatively associated with the mental health of older adults, and this relationship persists even after controlling for demographic and socioeconomic factors (OR=1.60, 95% CI 1.22 to 2.09). The findings also suggest that household wealth has an inverse relationship with mental health, with the association between experiencing elder abuse and reporting poor mental health being strongest among older people in wealthy households. Elder abuse in India is currently a neglected phenomenon, and greater recognition of the link between abuse and mental health is critical to improve the well-being of vulnerable older adults, some of whom may be 'hidden' within well-off households. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless

Elder abuse as a risk factor for psychological distress among older adults in India: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Evandrou, Maria; Falkingham, Jane C; Qin, Min; Vlachantoni, Athina

2017-01-01

Objectives This study examines the association between elder abuse and psychological distress among older adults in India and explores whether this association varies by the level of psychosocial and material resources. Design The study uses a cross-sectional survey design. Setting The data are drawn from a representative sample of 9589 adults aged 60 and above in seven Indian states—Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal, Odisha, Maharashtra, Kerala and Tamil Nadu—in 2011. Statistical analyses Secondary analysis, using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models, is conducted using the United Nations Population Fund project Building Knowledge Base on Ageing in India survey. Elder abuse (physical and/or emotional) emanating from family members in the previous month before the survey is examined. Multivariate models are run on the total analytical sample and for men and women separately. Results The overall prevalence of psychological distress among persons aged 60 and over living in the seven Indian States is 40.6%. Among those older persons who experienced some form of physical or emotional abuse or violence in the last month, the prevalence of psychological distress is much higher than that in the general older population, at 61.6% (p<0.001). The results show that the experience of abuse is negatively associated with the mental health of older adults, and this relationship persists even after controlling for demographic and socioeconomic factors (OR=1.60, 95% CI 1.22 to 2.09). The findings also suggest that household wealth has an inverse relationship with mental health, with the association between experiencing elder abuse and reporting poor mental health being strongest among older people in wealthy households. Conclusions Elder abuse in India is currently a neglected phenomenon, and greater recognition of the link between abuse and mental health is critical to improve the well-being of vulnerable older adults, some of whom may be �

Discovery of the first ichthyosaur from the Jurassic of India: Implications for Gondwanan palaeobiogeography

PubMed Central

Pandey, Dhirendra K.; Alberti, Matthias; Fürsich, Franz T.; Thakkar, Mahesh G.; Chauhan, Gaurav D.

2017-01-01

An articulated and partially preserved skeleton of an ichthyosaur was found in the Upper Jurassic (Upper Kimmeridgian) Katrol Formation exposed at a site south of the village Lodai in Kachchh district, Gujarat (western India). Here we present a detailed description and inferred taxonomic relationship of the specimen. The present study revealed that the articulated skeleton belongs to the family Ophthalmosauridae. The new discovery from India further improves the depauperate fossil record of ichthyosaurs from the former Gondwanan continents. Based on the preserved length of the axial skeleton and anterior part of the snout and taking into account the missing parts of the skull and postflexural region, it is suggested that the specimen may represent an adult possibly reaching a length of 5.0–5.5 m. The widespread occurrence of ophthalmosaurids in the Upper Jurassic deposits of western Tethys, Madagascar, South America and India points to possible faunal exchanges between the western Tethys and Gondwanan continents through a southern seaway. PMID:29069082

The kinematic history of the Khlong Marui and Ranong Faults, southern Thailand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watkinson, Ian; Elders, Chris; Hall, Robert

2008-12-01

The Khlong Marui Fault (KMF) and Ranong Fault (RF) are major NNE-trending strike-slip faults which dissect peninsular Thailand. They have been assumed to be conjugate to the NW-trending Three Pagodas Fault (TPF) and Mae Ping Fault (MPF) in Northern Thailand, which experienced a diachronous reversal in shear sense during India-Eurasia collision. It follows that the KMF and RF are expected to show the opposite shear sense and a slip sense reversal at a similar time to the TPF and MPF. New field data from the KMF and RF reveal two phases of ductile dextral shear separated by Campanian magmatism. Paleocene to Eocene post-kinematic granites date the end of this phase, while a brittle sinistral phase deforms the granites, and has exhumed the ductile fault rocks. The timing of these movements precludes formation of the faults in response to Himalayan extrusion tectonics. Instead, they formed near the southern margin of a Late Cretaceous-Paleocene orogen, and may have been influenced by variations in the rate of subduction ahead of India and Australia. North-south compression prior to reactivation of the subduction zone around southern Sundaland in the Eocene caused widespread deformation in the over-riding plate, including sinistral transpression on the KMF and RF.

Socioeconomic dynamics of gender disparity in childhood immunization in India, 1992-2006.

PubMed

Prusty, Ranjan Kumar; Kumar, Abhishek

2014-01-01

Recent evidence indicated that gender disparity in child health is minimal and narrowed over time in India. However, considering the geographical and socio-cultural diversity in India, the gender gap may persist across disaggregated socioeconomic context which may be masked by average level. This study examines the dynamics of gender disparity in childhood immunization across regions, residence, wealth, caste and religion in India during 1992-2006. We used multi-waves of the cross-sectional data of National Family Health Survey conducted in India between 1992-93 and 2005-06. Gender disparity ratio was used to measure the gender gap in childhood immunization across the selected socioeconomic characteristics. Multinomial regression analysis was used to examine the gender gap after accounting for other covariates. Results indicate that, at aggregate level, gender disparity in full immunization is minimal and has stagnated during the study period. However, gender disparity--disfavouring female children--becomes apparent across the regions, poor households, and religion--particularly among Muslims. Adjusted gender disparity ratio indicates that, full immunization is lower among female than male children of the western region, poor household and among Muslims. Between 1992-93 and 2005-06, the disparity in full immunization had narrowed in the northern region whereas it had, astonishingly, increased in some of the western and southern states of the country. Our findings emphasize the need to integrate gender issues in the ongoing immunization programme in India, with particular attention to urban areas, developed states, and to the Muslim community.

Jasminum sambac flower absolutes from India and China--geographic variations.

PubMed

Braun, Norbert A; Sim, Sherina

2012-05-01

Seven Jasminum sambac flower absolutes from different locations in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu were analyzed using GC and GC-MS. Focus was placed on 41 key ingredients to investigate geographic variations in this species. These seven absolutes were compared with an Indian bud absolute and commercially available J. sambac flower absolutes from India and China. All absolutes showed broad variations for the 10 main ingredients between 8% and 96%. In addition, the odor of Indian and Chinese J. sambac flower absolutes were assessed.

A combined chemical and biological assessment of industrial contamination in an estuarine system in Kerala, India.

PubMed

Dsikowitzky, Larissa; Nordhaus, Inga; Sujatha, C H; Akhil, P S; Soman, Kunjupilai; Schwarzbauer, Jan

2014-07-01

The Cochin Backwaters in India are part of the Vembanad-Kol system, which is a protected wetland and one of the largest estuarine ecosystems in South Asia. The backwaters are a major supplier of fisheries resources and are developed as tourist destination. Periyar River discharges into the northern arm of the system and receives effluents from chemical, petrochemical and metal processing industries which release huge amounts of wastewaters after little treatment. We investigated water and sediment contamination in the industrial vicinity and at one station further away including organic and inorganic contaminants. In total 83 organic contaminants were found, e.g. well known priority pollutants such as endosulfan, hexachlorobenzene, DDT, hexachlorocyclohexane and their metabolites, which likely stem from the industrial manufacturing of organochlorine pesticides. Furthermore, several benzothiazole, dibenzylamine and dicyclohexylamine derivatives were detected, which indicated inputs from rubber producing facilities. Several of these compounds have not been reported as environmental contaminants so far. A comparison of organic contaminant and trace hazardous element concentrations in sediments with reported sediment quality guidelines revealed that adverse effects on benthic species are likely at all stations. The chemical assessment was combined with an investigation of macrobenthic diversity and community composition. Benthic organisms were completely lacking at the site with the highest trace hazardous element concentrations. Highest species numbers, diversity indices and abundances were recorded at the station with the greatest distance to the industrial area. Filter feeders were nearly completely lacking, probably leading to an impairment of the filter function in this area. This study shows that a combination of chemical and biological methods is an innovative approach to achieve a comprehensive characterization of industrial contamination, to evaluate

Review of the genus Signoretia (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Signoretiinae) of the Oriental region with description of nine new species.

PubMed

Viraktamath, C A

2016-11-17

Species of Signoretia Stål from the Oriental region are reviewed and types of five species described by Baker, two species described by Distant and one species described by Schmidt are illustrated. A checklist of 20 species of the genus from the Oriental region including 9 new species is given. The new species described and illustrated are Signoretia dulitensis sp. nov. (Malaysia: Mt Dulit), S. lunglei sp. nov. (India: Mizoram), S. mishmiensis sp. nov. (Myanmar: Mishmi Hills), S. quoinensis sp. nov. (Malaysia: Quoin Hill), S. rubra sp. nov. (Thailand: Chiang Mai), S. sahyadrica sp. nov. (India: Kerala), S. similaris sp. nov. (Vietnam: Fyan), S. sinuata sp. nov. (India: West Bengal) and S. takiyae sp. nov. (India: Andaman Is.). Both S. aureola Distant and S. maculata Baker are redescribed and illustrated. Lectotypes are designated for S. greeni Distant and S. aureola Distant.

Dental Caries Scenario Among 5, 12 and 15-Year-old Children in India- A Retrospective Analysis.

PubMed

Kundu, Hansa; Patthi, Basavaraj; Singla, Ashish; Jankiram, Chandrashekar; Jain, Swati; Singh, Khushboo

2015-07-01

Dental caries is the most prevalent dental disease and children are one of the most affected groups. Thus, the present study was conducted to assess the average dental caries prevalence across different WHO index age groups (5, 12 & 15 years) for the past fifteen years. Literature search was performed electronically in various search engines like google scholar, PubMed, Copernicus, etc. using Dental caries and India as MeSH terms. Articles from the past 15 years reporting on dental caries prevalence and experience in India were searched and this online searching strategy collected and listed 781 articles. After evaluating their titles and abstracts, only 30 articles fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria & were finally selected for complete review and data collection. Five articles which were hand searched were also included. Pooled estimates were calculated for different index age groups and different regions (Northern and Southern) separately with a confidence interval of 95% both for prevalence and experience of dental caries. The pooled prevalence of dental caries was found to be highest in 15 year olds followed by 5 and 12 years (62.02%, 48.11% & 43.34% respectively). Weighted mean was also found to be highest for 15 years, followed by 5 and 12 years (2.56±6.508, 2.49±7.78, 1.48±3.292 respectively). Pooled prevalence and weighted mean for the Northernern India region was found to be more in all the index age groups as compared to the Southernern India region. More than 40% of the children in India have shown dental caries in both primary and permanent teeth in the past 15 years. Also, Northernern region was found to be more affected by dental caries than Southern region. Since children are seen as the future of the nation, this data could be helpful in the planning of oral health care services by the concerned authorities in the community.

Dental Caries Scenario Among 5, 12 and 15-Year-old Children in India- A Retrospective Analysis

PubMed Central

Patthi, Basavaraj; Singla, Ashish; Jankiram, Chandrashekar; Jain, Swati; Singh, Khushboo

2015-01-01

Objectives Dental caries is the most prevalent dental disease and children are one of the most affected groups. Thus, the present study was conducted to assess the average dental caries prevalence across different WHO index age groups (5, 12 & 15 years) for the past fifteen years. Materials and Methods Literature search was performed electronically in various search engines like google scholar, PubMed, Copernicus, etc. using Dental caries and India as MeSH terms. Articles from the past 15 years reporting on dental caries prevalence and experience in India were searched and this online searching strategy collected and listed 781 articles. After evaluating their titles and abstracts, only 30 articles fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria & were finally selected for complete review and data collection. Five articles which were hand searched were also included. Pooled estimates were calculated for different index age groups and different regions (Northern and Southern) separately with a confidence interval of 95% both for prevalence and experience of dental caries. Results The pooled prevalence of dental caries was found to be highest in 15 year olds followed by 5 and 12 years (62.02%, 48.11% & 43.34% respectively). Weighted mean was also found to be highest for 15 years, followed by 5 and 12 years (2.56±6.508, 2.49±7.78, 1.48±3.292 respectively). Pooled prevalence and weighted mean for the Northernern India region was found to be more in all the index age groups as compared to the Southernern India region. Conclusion More than 40% of the children in India have shown dental caries in both primary and permanent teeth in the past 15 years. Also, Northernern region was found to be more affected by dental caries than Southern region. Since children are seen as the future of the nation, this data could be helpful in the planning of oral health care services by the concerned authorities in the community. PMID:26393229

Variation in cost and performance of routine immunisation service delivery in India

PubMed Central

Chatterjee, Susmita; Das, Palash; Nigam, Aditi; Nandi, Arindam; Brenzel, Logan; Ray, Arindam; Haldar, Pradeep; Aggarwal, Mahesh Kumar; Laxminarayan, Ramanan

2018-01-01

A comprehensive understanding of the costs of routine vaccine delivery is essential for planning, budgeting and sustaining India’s Universal Immunisation Programme. India currently allocates approximately US$25 per child for vaccines and operational costs. This budget is prepared based on historical expenditure data as information on cost is not available. This study estimated the cost of routine immunisation services based on a stratified, random sample of 255 public health facilities from 24 districts across seven states—Bihar, Gujarat, Kerala, Meghalaya, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The economic cost for the fiscal year 2013–2014 was measured by adapting an internationally accepted approach for the Indian context. Programme costs included the value of personnel, vaccines, transport, maintenance, training, cold chain equipment, building and other recurrent costs. The weighted average national level cost per dose delivered was US$2.29 including vaccine costs, and the cost per child vaccinated with the third dose of diphtheria–pertussis–tetanus (DPT) vaccine (a proxy for full immunisation) was US$31.67 (at 2017 prices). There was wide variation in the weighted average state-level cost per dose delivered inclusive of vaccine costs (US$1.38 to US$2.93) and, for the cost per DTP3 vaccinated child (US$20.08 to US$34.81). Lower costs were incurred by facilities and districts that provided the largest number of doses of vaccine. Out of the total cost, the highest amount (57%) was spent on personnel. This costing study, the most comprehensive conducted to date in India, provides evidence, which should help improve planning and budgeting for the national programme. The budget generally considers financial costs, while this study focused on economic costs. For using this study’s results for planning and budgeting, the collected data can be used to extract the relevant financial costs. Variation in cost per dose and doses administered across facilities

Accessing groundwater quality in lower part of Nagapattinam district, Southern India: using hydrogeochemistry and GIS interpolation techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gnanachandrasamy, G.; Ramkumar, T.; Venkatramanan, S.; Vasudevan, S.; Chung, S. Y.; Bagyaraj, M.

2015-03-01

The aim of this present study was to evaluate groundwater quality in the lower part of Nagapattinam district, Tamil Nadu, Southern India. A detailed geochemical study of groundwater region is described, and the origin of the chemical composition of groundwater has been qualitatively evaluated, using observations over a period of two seasons premonsoon (June) and monsoon (November) in the year of 2010. To attempt this goal, samples were analysed for various physico-chemical parameters such as temperature, pH, salinity, Na+, Ca2+, K+, Mg2+, Cl-, HCO3 - and SO4 2-. The abundance of major cations concentration in groundwater is as Na > Ca > Mg > K, while that of anions is Cl > SO4 > HCO3. The Piper trilinear diagram indicates Ca-Cl2 facies, and according to USSL diagram, most of the sample exhibits high salinity hazard (C3S1) type in both seasons. It indicates that high salinity (C3) and low sodium (S1) are moderately suitable for irrigation purposes. Gibbs boomerang exhibits most of the samples mainly controlled by evaporation and weathering process sector in both seasons. Irrigation status of the groundwater samples indicates that it was moderately suitable for agricultural purpose. ArcGIS 9.3 software was used for the generation of various thematic maps and the final groundwater quality map. An interpolation technique inverse distance weighting was used to obtain the spatial distribution of groundwater quality parameters. The final map classified the ground quality in the study area. The results of this research show that the development of the management strategies for the aquifer system is vitally necessary.

Faecal microbiota composition in vegetarians: comparison with omnivores in a cohort of young women in southern India.

PubMed

Kabeerdoss, Jayakanthan; Devi, R Shobana; Mary, R Regina; Ramakrishna, Balakrishnan S

2012-09-28

The effect of vegetarian diets on faecal microbiota has been explored largely through culture-based techniques. The present study compared the faecal microbiota of vegetarian and omnivorous young women in southern India. Faecal samples were obtained from thirty-two lacto-vegetarian and twenty-four omnivorous young adult women from a similar social and economic background. Macronutrient intake and anthropometric data were collected. Faecal microbiota of interest was quantified by real-time PCR with SYBR Green using primers targeting 16S rRNA genes of groups, including: Clostridium coccoides group (Clostridium cluster XIVa), Roseburia spp.-Eubacterium rectale, Bacteroides--Prevotella group, Bifidobacterium genus, Lactobacillus group, Clostridium leptum group (Clostridium cluster IV), Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Ruminococcus productus--C. coccoides, Butyrivibrio, Enterococcus species and Enterobacteriaceae. The groups were matched for age, socio-economic score and anthropometric indices. Intake of energy, complex carbohydrates and Ca were significantly higher in the omnivorous group. The faecal microbiota of the omnivorous group was enriched with Clostridium cluster XIVa bacteria, specifically Roseburia-E. rectale. The relative proportions of other microbial communities were similar in both groups. The butyryl-CoA CoA-transferase gene, associated with microbial butyrate production, was present in greater amounts in the faeces of omnivores, and the levels were highly correlated with Clostridium cluster XIVa and Roseburia-E. rectale abundance and to a lesser extent with Clostridium leptum and F. prausnitzii abundance and with crude fibre intake. Omnivores had an increased relative abundance of Clostridium cluster XIVa bacteria and butyryl-CoA CoA-transferase gene compared with vegetarians, but we were unable to identify the components of the diet responsible for this difference.

A study of 1177 odontogenic lesions in a South Kerala population

PubMed Central

Deepthi, PV; Beena, VT; Padmakumar, SK; Rajeev, R; Sivakumar, R

2016-01-01

Context: A study on odontogenic cysts and tumors. Aims: The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of odontogenic cysts and tumors and their distribution according to age, gender, site and histopathologic types of those reported over a period of 1998–2012 in a Tertiary Health Care Center at South Kerala. Settings and Design: The archives of Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, were retrospectively analyzed. Subjects and Methods: Archival records were reviewed and all the cases of odontogenic cysts and tumors were retrieved from 1998 to 2012. Statistical Analysis Used: Descriptive statistical analysis was performed using the computer software, Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) IBM SPSS Software version 16. Results: Of 7117 oral biopsies, 4.29% were odontogenic tumors. Ameloblastoma was the most common odontogenic tumor comprising 50.2% of cases, followed by keratocystic odontogenic tumor (24.3%). These tumors showed a male predilection (1.19: 1). Odontogenic tumors occurred in a mean age of 33.7 ± 16.8 years. Mandible was the most common jaw affected (76.07%). Odontogenic cysts constituted 12.25% of all oral biopsies. Radicular cyst comprised 75.11% of odontogenic cysts followed by dentigerous cyst (17.2%). Conclusions: This study showed similar as well as contradictory results compared to other studies, probably due to geographical and ethnic variations which is yet to be corroborated. PMID:27601809

Review of the genus Lanchnophorus (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Rhyparochromidae) with description of three new species and other nomenclatural changes.

PubMed

Kment, Petr; Carapezza, Attilio; Jindra, Zdeněk; Kondorosy, Előd

2017-01-25

The generic name Lanchnophorus Reuter, 1887, deemed for a long time to be unavailable as incorrect original spelling of Lachnophorus (in fact Lachnophorus Distant, 1903 is an unjustified emendation of the former), is restored as a valid name of the genus. Lachnesthus Bergroth, 1915, syn. nov. (new name for the preoccupied Lachnophorus Distant, 1903) is considered junior synonym of Lanchnophorus. The following nomenclatural changes are proposed: Lanchnophorus flavus (Scudder, 1971) comb. nov. = Lachnesthus chinai Scudder, nomen nudum; Lanchnophorus guttulatus Reuter, 1887, comb. restit. = Lachnophorus albidomaculatus Distant, 1913, syn. nov. = Lachnesthus rodriguezensis China, 1925, syn. nov.; Lanchnophorus leucospilus (Walker, 1872) comb. nov.; Lanchnophorus merula (Distant, 1903) comb. nov.; and Lanchnophorus singalensis (Dohrn, 1860) comb. nov. Three new species are described: Lanchnophorus gaoqingae Kment & Jindra sp. nov. from China (Yunnan), Lanchnophorus seminitens Kment & Carapezza sp. nov. from Socotra Island (Yemen), and Lanchnophorus webbi Kondorosy sp. nov. from India: Tamil Nadu. Bibliographies and known distribution of all the included species are reviewed. The following new country and state records are provided: L. flavus from Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Malawi, Niger, Zambia and Zimbabwe; L. leucospilus from China (Yunnan) and Laos, L. merula from India (Kerala/Tamil Nadu) and Thailand; L. singalensis from Angola, Benin, Mozambique, Namibia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, China (Hainan), Iran (Sistan and Ba-luchestan), Oman, Pakistan, India (Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan), Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand.

Spectrum of ocular firework injuries in children: A 5-year retrospective study during a festive season in Southern India.

PubMed

John, Deepa; Philip, Swetha Sara; Mittal, Rashmi; John, Sheeja Susan; Paul, Padma

2015-11-01

Ocular trauma is a major cause of acquired monocular blindness in children. Firework injuries account for 20% of ocular trauma. The purpose of our study was to document the profile of ocular firework injuries in children during the festive season of Diwali and to determine the prevalence of unilateral blindness in them. A retrospective chart analysis of ocular firework injury in children during the festival of Diwali from 2009 to 2013, conducted in a tertiary care eye center in Tamil Nadu, Southern India. Children below 18 years of age with ocular firework injuries who presented to the emergency department for 3 consecutive days - the day of Diwali, 1 day before, and 1 day after Diwali - were included in this study. Eighty-four children presented with firework-related ocular injuries during the study period. Male to female ratio was 4:1 with mean age 9.48 ± 4 years. Forty-four percentage required hospitalization. The prevalence of unilateral blindness in children due to fireworks was found to be 8% (95% confidence interval - 2-13%). Vision 2020 gives high priority to avoidable blindness, especially in children. In our study, for every 12 children who presented with firecracker injury, one resulted in unilateral blindness. This is an avoidable cause of blindness. Awareness needs to be created, and changes in policy regarding sales and handling of firecrackers including mandatory use of protective eyewear should be considered.

Spectrum of ocular firework injuries in children: A 5-year retrospective study during a festive season in Southern India

PubMed Central

John, Deepa; Philip, Swetha Sara; Mittal, Rashmi; John, Sheeja Susan; Paul, Padma

2015-01-01

Purpose: Ocular trauma is a major cause of acquired monocular blindness in children. Firework injuries account for 20% of ocular trauma. The purpose of our study was to document the profile of ocular firework injuries in children during the festive season of Diwali and to determine the prevalence of unilateral blindness in them. Materials and Methods: A retrospective chart analysis of ocular firework injury in children during the festival of Diwali from 2009 to 2013, conducted in a tertiary care eye center in Tamil Nadu, Southern India. Children below 18 years of age with ocular firework injuries who presented to the emergency department for 3 consecutive days - the day of Diwali, 1 day before, and 1 day after Diwali - were included in this study. Results: Eighty-four children presented with firework-related ocular injuries during the study period. Male to female ratio was 4:1 with mean age 9.48 ± 4 years. Forty-four percentage required hospitalization. The prevalence of unilateral blindness in children due to fireworks was found to be 8% (95% confidence interval - 2–13%). Conclusion: Vision 2020 gives high priority to avoidable blindness, especially in children. In our study, for every 12 children who presented with firecracker injury, one resulted in unilateral blindness. This is an avoidable cause of blindness. Awareness needs to be created, and changes in policy regarding sales and handling of firecrackers including mandatory use of protective eyewear should be considered. PMID:26669336

Y Chromosome Haplogroup Distribution in Indo-European Speaking Tribes of Gujarat, Western India

PubMed Central

Aggarwal, Aastha; Mitra, Siuli; Italia, Yazdi M.; Saraswathy, Kallur N.; Chandrasekar, Adimoolam

2014-01-01

The present study was carried out in the Indo-European speaking tribal population groups of Southern Gujarat, India to investigate and reconstruct their paternal population structure and population histories. The role of language, ethnicity and geography in determining the observed pattern of Y haplogroup clustering in the study populations was also examined. A set of 48 bi-allelic markers on the non-recombining region of Y chromosome (NRY) were analysed in 284 males; representing nine Indo-European speaking tribal populations. The genetic structure of the populations revealed that none of these groups was overtly admixed or completely isolated. However, elevated haplogroup diversity and FST value point towards greater diversity and differentiation which suggests the possibility of early demographic expansion of the study groups. The phylogenetic analysis revealed 13 paternal lineages, of which six haplogroups: C5, H1a*, H2, J2, R1a1* and R2 accounted for a major portion of the Y chromosome diversity. The higher frequency of the six haplogroups and the pattern of clustering in the populations indicated overlapping of haplogroups with West and Central Asian populations. Other analyses undertaken on the population affiliations revealed that the Indo-European speaking populations along with the Dravidian speaking groups of southern India have an influence on the tribal groups of Gujarat. The vital role of geography in determining the distribution of Y lineages was also noticed. This implies that although language plays a vital role in determining the distribution of Y lineages, the present day linguistic affiliation of any population in India for reconstructing the demographic history of the country should be considered with caution. PMID:24614885

Y chromosome haplogroup distribution in Indo-European speaking tribes of Gujarat, western India.

PubMed

Khurana, Priyanka; Aggarwal, Aastha; Mitra, Siuli; Italia, Yazdi M; Saraswathy, Kallur N; Chandrasekar, Adimoolam; Kshatriya, Gautam K

2014-01-01

The present study was carried out in the Indo-European speaking tribal population groups of Southern Gujarat, India to investigate and reconstruct their paternal population structure and population histories. The role of language, ethnicity and geography in determining the observed pattern of Y haplogroup clustering in the study populations was also examined. A set of 48 bi-allelic markers on the non-recombining region of Y chromosome (NRY) were analysed in 284 males; representing nine Indo-European speaking tribal populations. The genetic structure of the populations revealed that none of these groups was overtly admixed or completely isolated. However, elevated haplogroup diversity and FST value point towards greater diversity and differentiation which suggests the possibility of early demographic expansion of the study groups. The phylogenetic analysis revealed 13 paternal lineages, of which six haplogroups: C5, H1a*, H2, J2, R1a1* and R2 accounted for a major portion of the Y chromosome diversity. The higher frequency of the six haplogroups and the pattern of clustering in the populations indicated overlapping of haplogroups with West and Central Asian populations. Other analyses undertaken on the population affiliations revealed that the Indo-European speaking populations along with the Dravidian speaking groups of southern India have an influence on the tribal groups of Gujarat. The vital role of geography in determining the distribution of Y lineages was also noticed. This implies that although language plays a vital role in determining the distribution of Y lineages, the present day linguistic affiliation of any population in India for reconstructing the demographic history of the country should be considered with caution.

Can a primary remanence be retrieved from partially remagnetized Eocence volcanic rocks in the Nanmulin Basin (southern Tibet) to date the India-Asia collision?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wentao; Dupont-Nivet, Guillaume; Lippert, Peter C.; van Hinsbergen, Douwe J. J.; Dekkers, Mark J.; Guo, Zhaojie; Waldrip, Ross; Li, Xiaochun; Zhang, Xiaoran; Liu, Dongdong; Kapp, Paul

2015-01-01

Paleomagnetic dating of the India-Asia collision hinges on determining the Paleogene latitude of the Lhasa terrane (southern Tibet). Reported latitudes range from 5°N to 30°N, however, leading to contrasting paleogeographic interpretations. Here we report new data from the Eocene Linzizong volcanic rocks in the Nanmulin Basin, which previously yielded data suggesting a low paleolatitude ( 10°N). New zircon U-Pb dates indicate an age of 52 Ma. Negative fold tests, however, demonstrate that the isolated characteristic remanent magnetizations, with notably varying inclinations, are not primary. Rock magnetic analyses, end-member modeling of isothermal remanent magnetization acquisition curves, and petrographic observations are consistent with variable degrees of posttilting remagnetization due to low-temperature alteration of primary magmatic titanomagnetite and the formation of secondary pigmentary hematite that unblock simultaneously. Previously reported paleomagnetic data from the Nanmulin Basin implying low paleolatitude should thus not be used to estimate the time and latitude of the India-Asia collision. We show that the paleomagnetic inclinations vary linearly with the contribution of secondary hematite to saturation isothermal remanent magnetization. We tentatively propose a new method to recover a primary remanence with inclination of 38.1° (35.7°, 40.5°) (95% significance) and a secondary remanence with inclination of 42.9° (41.5°,44.4°) (95% significance). The paleolatitude defined by the modeled primary remanence—21°N (19.8°N, 23.1°N)—is consistent with the regional compilation of published results from pristine volcanic rocks and sedimentary rocks of the upper Linzizong Group corrected for inclination shallowing. The start of the Tibetan Himalaya-Asia collision was situated at 20°N and took place by 50 Ma.

Non-codified traditional medicine practices from Belgaum Region in Southern India: present scenario

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Traditional medicine in India can be classified into codified (Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy) and non-codified (folk medicine) systems. Both the systems contributing equally to the primary healthcare in India. The present study is aimed to understand the current scenario of medicinal practices of non-codified system of traditional medicine in Belgaum region, India. Methods The study has been conducted as a basic survey of identified non-codified traditional practitioners by convenience sampling with semi structured, open ended interviews and discussions. The learning process, disease diagnosis, treatment, remuneration, sharing of knowledge and socio-demographic data was collected, analysed and discussed. Results One hundred and forty traditional practitioners were identified and interviewed for the present study. These practitioners are locally known as “Vaidya”. The study revealed that the non-codified healthcare tradition is practiced mainly by elderly persons in the age group of 61 years and above (40%). 73% of the practitioners learnt the tradition from their forefathers, and 19% of practitioners developed their own practices through experimentation, reading and learning. 20% of the practitioners follow distinctive “Nadi Pariksha” (pulse examination) for disease diagnosis, while others follow bodily symptoms and complaints. 29% of the traditional practitioners do not charge anything, while 59% practitioners receive money as remuneration. Plant and animal materials are used as sources of medicines, with a variety of preparation methods. The preference ranking test revealed higher education and migration from villages are the main reasons for decreasing interest amongst the younger generation, while deforestation emerged as the main cause of medicinal plants depletion. Conclusion Patrilineal transfer of the knowledge to younger generation was observed in Belgaum region. The observed resemblance in disease diagnosis, plant collection and

Epidemiology of dental caries among adolescents in Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Veerasamy, Arthi; Kirk, Ray; Gage, Jeffrey

2016-06-01

Economic and dietary changes in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu have led to compromised oral health status of the adolescent population. Adequate epidemiological data are not available to address the prevention or treatment needs in this region of India. The aim of this study was to measure the prevalence and severity of dental caries among adolescents of Tamil Nadu, a southern state of India. The study sample included 974 adolescent school students (12-15 years of age) from both rural and urban areas of Tamil Nadu, India. The decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) index of these students was measured using the World Health Organization oral health survey method, in a quantitative cross-sectional study. The oral health survey indicated that the prevalence of dental caries among adolescents in rural and urban areas of Tamil Nadu was 61.4%, with an average DMFT score of 2.03. Multiple regression analyses indicated factors such as gender, mother's education, type of school and caste as significant predictors of dental caries. Female gender, Scheduled Caste and Tribes attending public schools in rural areas were identified as the more vulnerable populations to be affected by dental caries. Oral health policies should be targeted to these adolescent populations in the Tamil Nadu region. © 2016 FDI World Dental Federation.

Seroprevalence of Chikungunya in Southern Odisha

PubMed Central

Mohanty, Indrani; Dash, Muktikesh; Sahu, Susmita; Narasimham, M.V.; Panda, Pritilata; Padhi, Sanghamitra

2013-01-01

Background: The emergence of chikungunya (CHIK) infection was observed in Odisha, India in 2006. Thereafter many cases with symptoms suggestive of CHIK were reported from different districts of Southern-Odisha. This study was aimed to know the seroprevalence, clinical presentations and seasonal trends of CHIK infection in this region. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in a tertiary hospital of this region. Serum samples received in the Department of Microbiology from various districts of Southern-Odisha from April 2011 to March 2012 were included in the study. The samples were tested for CHIK and dengue Immunoglobin M (IgM) antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and malaria parasite by immunochromatographic test (ICT) method. Results: Out of the 678 serum samples tested, 174 were positive for CHIK, 15 for dengue and two samples were positive for both CHIK and dengue IgM antibodies. The most affected age group was 16-45 years. Females were more affected than males. Conclusion: The seroprevalence of CHIK among the suspected cases was 25.7%. Co-infection with CHIK and dengue was found to be 1.15%. The infection had spread to new areas during this outbreak. PMID:24479040

Revised model of the East Gondwana Break-up and formation of the Gateway between India and Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leitchenkov, German; Guseva, Julia; Ivanov, Sergey; Golynsky, Alexander

2017-04-01

The history of break-up and sea-floor spreading between India and Antarctica long remained vague mainly because of the data scarcity off both continents. Geophysical studies carried out recently in the Enderby Basin (Southern Indian Ocean) provided new information and advanced our knowledge on this problem. Magnetic surveys discovered there a prominent linear high-amplitude bipolar magnetic anomaly (HBMA), which stretched more than 1000 km westward from the southern Kerguelen Plateau. This anomaly was interpreted by many as the contact between stretched continental crust and oceanic crust. Gaina et al. (1987) suggested the existence of an abandoned spreading centre in the eastern Enderby Basin and inferred that the Elan Bank (established as a microcontinent) was isolated from the India margin by a ridge jump at about M0 chron (c. 120 Ma). South of an abandoned spreading centre, they identified a series of magnetic anomalies from M2 to M9. New magnetic data collected in the western Enderby Basin and revision of all available geophysical data gives a new notion on the geodynamics of the East Gondwana break-up and separation of India from Antarctica. According to a new model, the HBMA corresponds to M34o chrone and its increased intensity can be explained by the emplacement of the Kerguelen Hotspot and thickening of the oceanic (magmatic) crust at that time. A relationship between hot-spots and appearance of high-amplitude magnetic anomalies is observed elsewhere in the World Ocean. In our model, the continent-ocean boundary is located about 150 km landward of the HBMA, and anomalies from M4 to M0 are identified between these features. The ridge jump (which isolated the Elan Bank) occurred about 110 Ma ago when the Kerguelen Hotspot moved toward the India margin. This model is consistent with the interpretation of sea-floor spreading history off Western Australia. An earlier (around 120 Ma) ridge jump probably occurred in the area of the southern Kerguelen Plateau

Human development, poverty, health & nutrition situation in India.

PubMed

Antony, G M; Laxmaiah, A

2008-08-01

Human development index (HDI) is extensively used to measure the standard of living of a country. India made a study progress in the HDI value. Extreme poverty is concentrated in rural areas of northern States while income growth has been dynamic in southern States and urban areas. This study was undertaken to assess the trends in HDI, human poverty index (HPI) and incidence of poverty among Indian states, the socio-economic, health, and diet and nutritional indicators which determine the HDI, changes in protein and calorie adequacy status of rural population, and also trends in malnutrition among children in India. The variations in socio-economic, demographic and dietary indicators by grades of HDI were studied. The trends in poverty and nutrition were also studied. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate analysis were done to analyse data. While India's HDI value has improved over a time; our rank did not improve much compared to other developing countries. Human poverty has not reduced considerably as per the HPI values. The undernutrition among preschool children is still a major public health problem in India. The incidence of poverty at different levels of calorie requirement has not reduced in both rural and urban areas. The time trends in nutritional status of pre-school children showed that, even though, there is an improvement in stunting over the years, the trend in wasting and underweight has not improved much. Proper nutrition and health awareness are important to tackle the health hazards of developmental transition. Despite several national nutrition programmes in operation, we could not make a significant dent in the area of health and nutrition. The changing dietary practices of the urban population, especially the middle class, are of concern. Further studies are needed to measure the human development and poverty situation of different sections of the population in India using an index, which includes both income indicators and non income

Emerging vector-borne zoonoses: eco-epidemiology and public health implications in India.

PubMed

Dhiman, Ramesh C

2014-01-01

The diseases originating from animals or associated with man and animals are remerging and have resulted in considerable morbidity and mortality. The present review highlights the re-emergence of emerging mainly zoonotic diseases like chikungunya, scrub typhus, and extension of spatial distribution of cutaneous leishmaniasis from western Rajasthan to Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, and Haryana states; West Nile virus to Assam, and non-endemic areas of Japanese encephalitis (JE) like Maharashtra and JE to Delhi; Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever making inroads in Ahmedabad; and reporting fifth parasite of human malaria with possibility of zoonosis have been highlighted, which necessitates further studies for prevention and control. Emphasis has been given on understanding the ecology of reservoir hosts of pathogen, micro niche of vector species, climatic, socioeconomic risk factors, etc. Development of facilities for diagnosis of virus from insects, reservoirs, and human beings (like BSL4, which has been established in NIV, Pune), awareness about symptoms of new emerging viral and other zoonotic diseases, differential diagnosis, risk factors (climatic, ecological, and socioeconomic) and mapping of disease-specific vulnerable areas, and mathematical modeling for projecting epidemiological scenario is needed for preparedness of public health institutes. It is high time to understand the ecological link of zoonotic or anthroponotic diseases for updated risk maps and epidemiological knowledge for effective preventive and control measures. The public health stakeholders in India as well as in Southeast Asia should emphasize on understanding the eco-epidemiology of the discussed zoonotic diseases for taking preventive actions.

Quantitative assessment of direct and indirect landslide risk along transportation lines in southern India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaiswal, P.; van Westen, C. J.; Jetten, V.

2010-06-01

A quantitative approach for landslide risk assessment along transportation lines is presented and applied to a road and a railway alignment in the Nilgiri hills in southern India. The method allows estimating direct risk affecting the alignments, vehicles and people, and indirect risk resulting from the disruption of economic activities. The data required for the risk estimation were obtained from historical records. A total of 901 landslides were catalogued initiating from cut slopes along the railway and road alignment. The landslides were grouped into three magnitude classes based on the landslide type, volume, scar depth, run-out distance, etc and their probability of occurrence was obtained using frequency-volume distribution. Hazard, for a given return period, expressed as the number of landslides of a given magnitude class per kilometre of cut slopes, was obtained using Gumbel distribution and probability of landslide magnitude. In total 18 specific hazard scenarios were generated using the three magnitude classes and six return periods (1, 3, 5, 15, 25, and 50 years). The assessment of the vulnerability of the road and railway line was based on damage records whereas the vulnerability of different types of vehicles and people was subjectively assessed based on limited historic incidents. Direct specific loss for the alignments (railway line and road), vehicles (train, bus, lorry, car and motorbike) was expressed in monetary value (US), and direct specific loss of life of commuters was expressed in annual probability of death. Indirect specific loss (US) derived from the traffic interruption was evaluated considering alternative driving routes, and includes losses resulting from additional fuel consumption, additional travel cost, loss of income to the local business, and loss of revenue to the railway department. The results indicate that the total loss, including both direct and indirect loss, from 1 to 50 years return period, varies from US 90 840 to US

Quarries of Culture: An Ethnohistorical and Environmental Account of Sacred Sites and Rock Formations in Southern California's Mission Indian Country

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karr, Steven M.

2005-01-01

Sacred sites and Rock Formations throughout Southern California's India Country are described by Indians as ancestral markers, origin and place-name locales, areas of deity habitation, and power sources. Early ethnographers were keen to record the traditional stories and meanings related to them by their Native collaborators. Rock formations…

India. Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminar Abroad 1994 (India).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dickler, Paul

This curriculum packet on politics and international relations in India contains an essay, three lessons and a variety of charts, maps, and additional readings to support the unit. The essay is entitled "India 1994: The Peacock and the Vulture." The lessons include: (1) "The Kashmir Dispute"; (2) "India: Domestic Order and…

Impact of tsunami on texture and mineralogy of a major placer deposit in southwest coast of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babu, N.; Babu, D. S. Suresh; Das, P. N. Mohan

2007-03-01

The great Indonesian earth quake (26 December 2004) triggered a tsunami wave across the Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean basins and has brought a major havoc in several countries including India. The coastal segment between Thotapalli and Valiazhikal in Kerala state of southwest India, where considerably rich beach placer deposit with ilmenite percentage of more than 70% is concentrated, has been investigated to understand the impact of tsunami on coastal sediments. The grain size analysis flashes out the significant differences between the pre- and post-tsunami littoral environments. While the mineral grains collected during pre-tsunami period show well-sorted nature, the post-tsunami samples represent moderately to poorly sorted nature. Similarly, unimodal and bimodal distributions of the sediments have been recorded for pre- and post-tsunami sediments, respectively. Further, mineral assemblages corresponding to before and after this major wave activity clearly indicate the large-scale redistribution of sediments. The post-tsunami sediments register increasing trends of garnet, sillimanite and rutile. The total heavy mineral percentage of the post-tsunami sediment also shows an improved concentration, perhaps due to the large-scale transport of lighter fraction. Magnetite percentage of post-tsunami samples reflects higher concentration compared to the pre-tsunami samples, indicating the intensity of reworking process. X-ray diffraction patterns of ilmenite grains have confirmed the increased presence of pseduorutile, and pseudobrookite in post-tsunami samples, which could be due to the mixing of more altered grains. SEM examination of grains also confirms the significant alteration patterns on the ubiquitous mineral of placer body, the ilmenite. The reason for these textural, mineralogical and micromorphological changes in heavy minerals particularly in ilmenite, could be due to the churning action on the deeper sediments of onshore region or on the sediments

Management practices followed for draught cattle in the southern part of India.

PubMed

Akila, Natarajan; Chander, Mahesh

2010-02-01

A study was conducted to determine the management practices followed by the farmers for draught cattle in Tamil Nadu state, India. Methods of procurement of animals, use of female animals, breeds preferred, housing, health, disposal of animals, feeding, shoeing, purchase of animal-drawn implements and their maintenance were all assessed with 210 farmers from seven districts across different agro-climatic zones in Tamil Nadu. The results revealed that 86 % of the respondents purchased the draught cattle from the livestock markets, most were bullocks but 20 small farmers and 5 medium farmers used female animals for ploughing. Among the indigenous breeds, Kangeyam (33 %) and Hallikar (30 %) breeds were the most popular for work. Most farmers (69 %) provided a mixed type of housing (provision of housing only during the night time and the rainy season) for their draught cattle. The major health problem reported by 63 % of respondents was pyrexia. Almost all farmers sold their animals at the age of 8-10 years. The feeding practices for draught cattle were poor especially with the small farmers. The cattle were fed with mainly paddy straw and rice bran. Oilcakes and cotton seeds were given to the animals which work throughout the year mainly for ploughing and carting. The draught cattle were first shod at around 2.5 years of age. The majority of the farmers (71 %) used the traditional animal-drawn implements made by local artisans, and the farmers were not aware of the new implements to reduce the drudgery of work cattle, designed by the Agricultural Machinery Research Centre and Agricultural Engineering Departments located in India.

Influenza virus isolations at the Government of India Influenza Centre, Coonoor, during 1950-60.

PubMed

VEERARAGHAVAN, N

1961-01-01

In 1950, responding to an invitation by the World Health Organization to all its Member States to establish regional laboratories for the study, in collaboration with the World Influenza Centre, of the distribution and antigenic pattern of influenza viruses, the Government of India set up an Influenza Centre at the Pasteur Institute of Southern India, Coonoor. The author presents a study of the antigenic pattern and variation of the influenza virus strains isolated at the Government of India Influenza Centre during 1950-60. Of the 152 strains isolated, 135 were type A viruses (23 belonging to the A1/Liverpool/50 subtype, 5 to A1/Eire/55, 10 to A1/Ned/56 and 97 to A2/Asia/57), 15 were type B viruses, and 2 were type C viruses. Two striking facts that emerged from this study were the absence of the Scandinavian strains from the area in which the viruses were isolated and the total disappearance of old strains after a new one had appeared.

Three-dimensional lithospheric electrical structure of Southern Granulite Terrain, India and its tectonic implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patro, Prasanta K.; Sarma, S. V. S.; Naganjaneyulu, K.

2014-01-01

crustal as well as the upper mantle lithospheric electrical structure of the Southern Granulite Terrain (SGT) is evaluated, using the magnetotelluric (MT) data from two parallel traverses: one is an 500 km long N-S trending traverse across SGT and another a 200 km long traverse. Data space Occam 3-D inversion was used to invert the MT data. The electrical characterization of lithospheric structure in SGT shows basically a highly resistive (several thousands of Ohm meters) upper crustal layer overlying a moderately resistive (a few hundred Ohm meters) lower crustal layer which in turn is underlain by the upper mantle lithosphere whose resistivity shows significant changes along the traverse. The highly resistive upper crustal layer is interspersed with four major conductive features with three of them cutting across the crustal column, bringing out a well-defined crustal block structure in SGT with individual highly resistive blocks showing correspondence to the geologically demarcated Salem, Madurai, and Trivandrum blocks. The 3-D model also brought out a well-defined major crustal conductor located in the northern half of the Madurai block. The electrical characteristics of this south dipping conductor and its close spatial correlation with two of the major structural elements, viz., Karur-Oddanchatram-Kodaikanal Shear Zone and Karur-Kamban-Painavu-Trichur Shear Zone, suggest that this conductive feature is closely linked to the subduction-collision tectonic processes in the SGT, and it is inferred that the Archean Dharwar craton/neoproterozoic SGT terrain boundary lies south of the Palghat-Cauvery shear zone. The results also showed that the Achankovil shear zone is characterized by a well-defined north dipping conductive feature. The resistive block adjoining this conductor on the southern side, representing the Trivandrum block, is shown to be downthrown along this north dipping crustal conductor relative to the Madurai block, suggesting a northward movement of

Searching for signatures across microbial communities: Metagenomic analysis of soil samples from mangrove and other ecosystems.

PubMed

Imchen, Madangchanok; Kumavath, Ranjith; Barh, Debmalya; Azevedo, Vasco; Ghosh, Preetam; Viana, Marcus; Wattam, Alice R

2017-08-18

In this study, we categorize the microbial community in mangrove sediment samples from four different locations within a vast mangrove system in Kerala, India. We compared this data to other samples taken from the other known mangrove data, a tropical rainforest, and ocean sediment. An examination of the microbial communities from a large mangrove forest that stretches across southwestern India showed strong similarities across the higher taxonomic levels. When ocean sediment and a single isolate from a tropical rain forest were included in the analysis, a strong pattern emerged with Bacteria from the phylum Proteobacteria being the prominent taxon among the forest samples. The ocean samples were predominantly Archaea, with Euryarchaeota as the dominant phylum. Principal component and functional analyses grouped the samples isolated from forests, including those from disparate mangrove forests and the tropical rain forest, from the ocean. Our findings show similar patterns in samples were isolated from forests, and these were distinct from the ocean sediment isolates. The taxonomic structure was maintained to the level of class, and functional analysis of the genes present also displayed these similarities. Our report for the first time shows the richness of microbial diversity in the Kerala coast and its differences with tropical rain forest and ocean microbiome.

+Ophitoxaemia and myocardial infarction—the issues during primary angioplasty: a review

PubMed Central

Gupta, Prabha Nini; Thomas, Jinesh; Francis, Preetham Kumar; Shylaja, Sajith Vamadevan

2014-01-01

‘The Big four’ are the most poisonous snakes in India, and especially in Kerala. These include the cobra, the viper, the krait and the sea snake. Most of the poisonous snakebites in India occur in Kerala. We believe there are only a few reports of myocardial infarction after snakebites and most of these are viper bites. We believe this is the second case of primary angioplasty for a snakebite. There are at least a few potential issues in performing a primary angioplasty in a snakebite case, namely (1) Is it a thrombus or a spasm? (2) Are the bleeding parameters deranged? Will the patient tolerate tirofiban and other glycoprotein (GB) 2b3a inhibitors? Will he develop dangerous bleeding due to the high dose of heparin needed? Further, would we save the patient from myocardial infarction only to lose him to renal failure, both due to the nephrotoxicity of the venom, the kidney being further damaged by the contrast media used for the angioplasty? We discuss all these issues as they crossed our mind, and hope it will help further treatment in others. We would like to review the available literature on these points and describe a recent case of ours. PMID:25342187

Remote biomonitoring of temperatures in mothers and newborns: design, development and testing of a wearable sensor device in a tertiary-care hospital in southern India.

PubMed

Mony, Prem K; Thankachan, Prashanth; Bhat, Swarnarekha; Rao, Suman; Washington, Maryann; Antony, Sumi; Thomas, Annamma; Nagarajarao, Sheela C; Rao, Hiteshwar; Amrutur, Bharadwaj

2018-04-01

Newer technologies such as wearables, sensors, mobile telephony and computing offer opportunities to monitor vital physiological parameters and tackle healthcare problems, thereby improving access and quality of care. We describe the design, development and testing of a wearable sensor device for remote biomonitoring of body temperatures in mothers and newborns in southern India. Based on client needs and technological requirements, a wearable sensor device was designed and developed using principles of 'social innovation' design. The device underwent multiple iterations in product design and engineering based on user feedback, and then following preclinical testing, a techno-feasibility study and clinical trial were undertaken in a tertiary-care teaching hospital in Bangalore, India. Clinical trial phases I and IIa for evaluation of safety and efficacy were undertaken in the following sequence: 7 healthy adult volunteers; 18 healthy mothers; 3 healthy babies; 10 stable babies in the neonatal care intensive unit and 1 baby with morbidities. Time-stamped skin temperature readings obtained at 5 min intervals over a 1-hour period from the device secured on upper arms of mothers and abdomen of neonates were compared against readings from thermometers used routinely in clinical practice. Devices were comfortably secured on to adults and neonates, and data were efficiently transmitted via the gateway device for secure storage and retrieval for analysis. The mean skin temperatures in mothers were lower than the axillary temperatures by 2°C; and in newborns, there was a precision of -0.5°C relative to axillary measurements. While occasional minimal adverse events were noted in healthy volunteers, no adverse events were noted in mothers or neonates. This proof-of-concept study shows that this device is promising in terms of feasibility, safety and accuracy (with appropriate calibration) with potential for further refinements in device accuracy and pursuit of further

Comparison of knowledge and attitudes about antibiotics and resistance, and antibiotics self-practicing between Bachelor of Pharmacy and Doctor of Pharmacy students in Southern India

PubMed Central

Ahmad, Akram; Khan, Muhammad U.; Moorthy, Jagadeesan; Jamshed, Shazia Q.; Patel, Isha

2014-01-01

Background: There is limited research on pharmacy specialization based differences with regards to usage of antibiotics. Objective: To compare the knowledge, attitude and practice of Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) and Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students about usage and resistance of antibiotics in Southern India. Methods: This was a cross sectional study involving final year BPharm and PharmD students studying in two private institutions located in Andra Pradesh, India. The study was conducted for the period of 3 months. The questionnaire was divided into 5 components: demographics, knowledge about antibiotic use, attitude towards antibiotic use and resistance, self-antibiotic usage, and possible causes of antibiotic resistance. The study questionnaire was assessed for reliability. Data were analysed by employing Mann Whitney and chi square tests using SPSS version 19. Results: The sample size comprised of 137 students. The response rate was 76.11% for the study. There was a significant difference in the knowledge of antibiotic use in BPharm and PharmD students (Mean score: 5.09 vs 6.18, p<0.001). The overall attitude of PharmD students about antibiotic use and resistance was positive compared to BPharm students (Mean score: 3.05 vs 2.23, p<0.05). The self-antibiotic practices was higher in BPharm students than PharmD students (36.4% vs 20%, p<0.05). A significantly high number of PharmD students believed that empirical antibiotic therapy led to antibiotic resistance (19.5% versus 48%, P<0.05). Conclusion: PharmD students were more knowledgeable about antibiotic usage and resistance compared to BPharm students who did not have accurate and the much needed information about the same. Future interventions should be targeted towards educating the BPharm students so that they can implement the acquired knowledge in their practice. PMID:25883690

Community mobilisation and empowerment interventions as part of HIV prevention for female sex workers in Southern India: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

PubMed

Vassall, Anna; Chandrashekar, Sudhashree; Pickles, Michael; Beattie, Tara S; Shetty, Govindraj; Bhattacharjee, Parinita; Boily, Marie-Claude; Vickerman, Peter; Bradley, Janet; Alary, Michel; Moses, Stephen; Watts, Charlotte

2014-01-01

Most HIV prevention for female sex workers (FSWs) focuses on individual behaviour change involving peer educators, condom promotion and the provision of sexual health services. However, there is a growing recognition of the need to address broader societal, contextual and structural factors contributing to FSW risk behaviour. We assess the cost-effectiveness of adding community mobilisation (CM) and empowerment interventions (eg. community mobilisation, community involvement in programme management and services, violence reduction, and addressing legal policies and police practices), to core HIV prevention services delivered as part of Avahan in two districts (Bellary and Belgaum) of Karnataka state, Southern India. An ingredients approach was used to estimate economic costs in US$ 2011 from an HIV programme perspective of CM and empowerment interventions over a seven year period (2004-2011). Incremental impact, in terms of HIV infections averted, was estimated using a two-stage process. An 'exposure analysis' explored whether exposure to CM was associated with FSW's empowerment, risk behaviours and HIV/STI prevalence. Pathway analyses were then used to estimate the extent to which behaviour change may be attributable to CM and to inform a dynamic HIV transmission model. The incremental costs of CM and empowerment were US$ 307,711 in Belgaum and US$ 592,903 in Bellary over seven years (2004-2011). Over a 7-year period (2004-2011) the mean (standard deviation, sd.) number of HIV infections averted through CM and empowerment is estimated to be 1257 (308) in Belgaum and 2775 (1260) in Bellary. This translates in a mean (sd.) incremental cost per disability adjusted life year (DALY) averted of US$ 14.12 (3.68) in Belgaum and US$ 13.48 (6.80) for Bellary--well below the World Health Organisation recommended willingness to pay threshold for India. When savings from ART are taken into account, investments in CM and empowerment are cost saving. Our findings suggest that CM

New paleomagnetic results on ˜ ˜2367 Ma Dharwar giant dyke swarm, Dharwar craton, southern India: implications for Paleoproterozoic continental reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babu, N. Ramesh; Venkateshwarlu, M.; Shankar, Ravi; Nagaraju, E.; Parashuramulu, V.

2018-02-01

Here we report new paleomagnetic results and precise paleopole position of the extensional study on ˜ 2367 Ma mafic giant radiating dyke swarm in the Dharwar craton, southern India. We have sampled 29 sites on 12 dykes from NE-SW Karimnagar-Hyderabad dykes and Dhone-Gooty sector dykes, eastern Dharwar craton to provide unambiguous paleomagnetism evidence on the spectacular radiating dyke swarm and thereby strengthening the presence of single magmatic event at ˜ 2367 Ma. A total of 158 samples were subjected to detailed alternating field and thermal demagnetization techniques and the results are presented here along with previously reported data on the same dyke swarm. The remanent magnetic directions are showing two components, viz., seven sites representing four dykes show component (A) with mean declination of 94{{}°} and mean inclination of - 70{{}°} (k=87, α_{95}=10{{}°}) and corresponding paleopole at 16{{}°}N, 41{{}°}E (dp=15{{}°} and dm=17{{}°}) and 22 sites representing 8 dykes yielded a component (B) with mean declination of 41{{}°} and mean inclination of - 21{{}°} (k=41, α_{95}=9{{}°}) with a paleopole at 41{{}°}N, 200{{}°}E (dp=5{{}°} and dm=10{{}°}). Component (A) results are similar to the previously reported directions from the ˜ 2367 Ma dyke swarm, which have been confirmed fairly reliably to be of primary origin. The component (B) directions appear to be strongly overprinted by the 2080 Ma event. The grand mean for the primary component (A) combined with earlier reported studies gives mean declination of 97{{}°} and mean inclination of - 79{{}°} (k=55, α_{95}=3{{}°}) with a paleopole at 15{{}°}N, 57{{}°}E (dp=5{{}°}, dm=6{{}°}). Paleogeographical position for the Dharwar craton at ˜ 2367 Ma suggests that there may be a chance to possible spatial link between Dharwar dykes of Dharwar craton (India), Widgemooltha and Erayinia dykes of Yilgarn craton (Australia), Sebanga Poort Dykes of Zimbabwe craton (Africa) and Karelian

Community Mobilisation and Empowerment Interventions as Part of HIV Prevention for Female Sex Workers in Southern India: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

PubMed Central

Vassall, Anna; Chandrashekar, Sudhashree; Pickles, Michael; Beattie, Tara S.; Shetty, Govindraj; Bhattacharjee, Parinita; Boily, Marie-Claude; Vickerman, Peter; Bradley, Janet; Alary, Michel; Moses, Stephen; Watts, Charlotte

2014-01-01

Background Most HIV prevention for female sex workers (FSWs) focuses on individual behaviour change involving peer educators, condom promotion and the provision of sexual health services. However, there is a growing recognition of the need to address broader societal, contextual and structural factors contributing to FSW risk behaviour. We assess the cost-effectiveness of adding community mobilisation (CM) and empowerment interventions (eg. community mobilisation, community involvement in programme management and services, violence reduction, and addressing legal policies and police practices), to core HIV prevention services delivered as part of Avahan in two districts (Bellary and Belgaum) of Karnataka state, Southern India. Methods An ingredients approach was used to estimate economic costs in US$ 2011 from an HIV programme perspective of CM and empowerment interventions over a seven year period (2004–2011). Incremental impact, in terms of HIV infections averted, was estimated using a two-stage process. An ‘exposure analysis’ explored whether exposure to CM was associated with FSW’s empowerment, risk behaviours and HIV/STI prevalence. Pathway analyses were then used to estimate the extent to which behaviour change may be attributable to CM and to inform a dynamic HIV transmission model. Findings The incremental costs of CM and empowerment were US$ 307,711 in Belgaum and US$ 592,903 in Bellary over seven years (2004–2011). Over a 7-year period (2004–2011) the mean (standard deviation, sd.) number of HIV infections averted through CM and empowerment is estimated to be 1257 (308) in Belgaum and 2775 (1260) in Bellary. This translates in a mean (sd.) incremental cost per disability adjusted life year (DALY) averted of US$ 14.12 (3.68) in Belgaum and US$ 13.48 (6.80) for Bellary - well below the World Health Organisation recommended willingness to pay threshold for India. When savings from ART are taken into account, investments in CM and empowerment are

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

Emergence of the Asian genotype of DENV-1 in South India.

PubMed

Cecilia, D; Patil, J A; Kakade, M B; Walimbe, A; Alagarasu, K; Anukumar, B; Abraham, A

2017-10-01

A large outbreak of dengue occurred in Tamil Nadu, South India in 2012 with 12,000 cases and CFR of 0.5%. Molecular characterization of virus present in the sera of dengue patients was undertaken to determine if there were changes in the virus population. All four serotypes were circulating but DENV-1 was dominant, present in 52% of the serotyped samples. Furthermore, the genotype of only DENV-1 had changed; the Asian genotype had displaced the American/African. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Asian genotype was introduced from Singapore and shared 99% similarity with viruses, associated with large outbreaks in Singapore and Sri Lanka. We report for the first time the emergence of the Asian genotype of DENV-1 in southern India causing an extensive and severe outbreak. The study proves how movement of DENV can affect dengue outbreaks and underscores the need for close molecular monitoring of DENV. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adherence to antiretroviral therapy among children living with HIV in South India

PubMed Central

Mehta, K; Ekstrand, ML; Heylen, E; Sanjeeva, GN; Shet, A

2017-01-01

Adherence to ART, fundamental to treatment success, has been poorly studied in India. Caregivers of children attending HIV clinics in southern India were interviewed using structured questionnaires. Adherence was assessed using a visual analogue scale representing past-month adherence and treatment interruptions >48 hours during the past 3 months. Clinical features, correlates of adherence and HIV-1 viral-load were documented. Based on caregiver reports, 90.9% of the children were optimally adherent. In multivariable analysis, experiencing ART-related adverse effects was significantly associated with suboptimal adherence (p=0.01). The proportion of children who experienced virological failure was 16.5%. Virological failure was not linked to suboptimal adherence. Factors influencing virological failure included running out of medications (p=0.002) and the child refusing to take medications (p=0.01). Inclusion of drugs with better safety profiles and improved access to care could further enhance outcomes. PMID:26443264

A study on raindrop size distribution variability in before and after landfall precipitations of tropical cyclones observed over southern India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janapati, Jayalakshmi; seela, Balaji Kumar; Reddy M., Venkatrami; Reddy K., Krishna; Lin, Pay-Liam; Rao T., Narayana; Liu, Chian-Yi

2017-06-01

Raindrop size distribution (RSD) characteristics in before landfall (BLF) and after landfall (ALF) of three tropical cyclones (JAL, THANE, and NILAM) induced precipitations are investigated by using a laser-based (PARticleSIze and VELocity - PARSIVEL) disdrometer at two different locations [Kadapa (14.47°N, 78.82°E) and Gadanki (13.5°N, 79.2°E)] in semi-arid region of southern India. In both BLF and ALF precipitations of these three cyclones, convective precipitations have higher mass weighted mean diameter (Dm) and lower normalized intercept parameter (log10Nw) values than stratiform precipitations. The radar reflectivity (Z) and rain rate (R) relations (Z=A*Rb) showed distinct variations in BLF and ALF precipitations of three cyclones. BLF precipitation of JAL cyclone has a higher Dm than ALF precipitation. Whereas, for THANE and NILAM cyclones ALF precipitations have higher Dm than BLF. The Dm values of three cyclones (both in BLF and ALF) are smaller than the Dm values of the other (Atlantic and Pacific) oceanic cyclones. Interaction of different regions (eyewall, inner rainbands, and outer rainbands) of cyclones with the environment and underlying surface led to RSD variations between BLF and ALF precipitations through different microphysical (collision-coalescence, breakup, evaporation, and riming) processes. The immediate significance of the present work is that (i) it contributes to our understanding of cyclone RSD in BLF and ALF precipitations, and (ii) it provides the useful information for quantitative estimation of rainfall from Doppler weather radar observations.

Characteristics of the equatorial plasma drifts as obtained by using Canadian Doppler ionosonde over southern tip of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sripathi, S.; Singh, Ram; Banola, S.; Sreekumar, Sreeba; Emperumal, K.; Selvaraj, C.

2016-08-01

We present here characteristics of the Doppler drift measurements over Tirunelveli (8.73°N, 77.70°E; dip 0.5°N), an equatorial site over Southern India using Doppler interferometry technique of Canadian ionosonde. Three-dimensional bulk motions of the scatterers as reflected from the ionosphere are derived by using Doppler interferometry technique at selected frequencies using spaced receivers arranged in magnetic E-W and N-S directions. After having compared with Lowell's digisonde drifts at Trivandrum, we studied the temporal and seasonal variabilities of quiet time drifts for the year 2012. The observations showed higher vertical drifts during post sunset in the equinox followed by winter and summer seasons. The comparison of Doppler vertical drifts with the drifts obtained from (a) virtual height and (b) Fejer drift model suggests that Doppler vertical drifts are relatively higher as compared to the drifts obtained from model and virtual height methods. Further, it is seen that vertical drifts exhibited equinoctial asymmetry in prereversal enhancement quite similar to such asymmetry observed in the spread F in the ionograms and GPS L band scintillations. The zonal drifts, on the other hand, showed westward during daytime with mean drifts of ~150-200 m/s and correlated well with equatorial electrojet strength indicating the role of E region dynamo during daytime, while they are eastward during nighttime with mean drifts of ~100 m/s resembling F region dynamo process. Also, zonal drifts showed large westward prior to the spread F onset during autumn equinox than vernal equinox, suggesting strong zonal shears which might cause equinoctial asymmetry in spread F.

Regional and temporal variation in minor ions in groundwater of a part of a large river delta, southern India.

PubMed

Elumalai, Vetrimurugan; Brindha, K; Elango, L

2017-07-01

Impact of agricultural activities on groundwater can be determined from the concentration of nutrients present in groundwater. This study was carried out with the aim to assess the minor ions content of groundwater and to identify its sources, spatial, and seasonal variations in a part of the Cauvery River basin, southern India. Groundwater samples were collected from July 2007 to September 2009 and were analyzed for minor ions. These ions were in the order of dominance of nitrate> phosphate> bromide> fluoride> ammonium= nitrite> lithium. The concentration of ions tends to increase towards the coast except for fluoride. Increased concentration of ions identified in shallow wells than in deep wells with an exception of few locations indicates the impact of human activities. Relatively high concentration of agriculture-sourced nitrate was identified which pose a threat to groundwater suitability for agriculture and domestic usage. Combined influence of use of agrochemicals, improper sewage disposal, aquaculture activities, seawater intrusion due to heavy pumping near the coast, and natural weathering of aquifer materials are the major sources. Also, fine grain sediments of this area aid in poor flushing of the ions towards the sea resulting in accumulation of higher concentration of ions. A sustainable management strategy is essential to control the concentration of these ions, especially nitrate. Reduced use of fertilizers, increasing the rainfall recharge for diluting the pollutants in groundwater and maintaining the river flow for sufficiently longer period to reduce dependence on groundwater for irrigation can help to improve the situation.

Socioeconomic Dynamics of Gender Disparity in Childhood Immunization in India, 1992–2006

PubMed Central

Prusty, Ranjan Kumar; Kumar, Abhishek

2014-01-01

Background Recent evidence indicated that gender disparity in child health is minimal and narrowed over time in India. However, considering the geographical and socio-cultural diversity in India, the gender gap may persist across disaggregated socioeconomic context which may be masked by average level. This study examines the dynamics of gender disparity in childhood immunization across regions, residence, wealth, caste and religion in India during 1992–2006. Method We used multi-waves of the cross-sectional data of National Family Health Survey conducted in India between 1992–93 and 2005–06. Gender disparity ratio was used to measure the gender gap in childhood immunization across the selected socioeconomic characteristics. Multinomial regression analysis was used to examine the gender gap after accounting for other covariates. Result Results indicate that, at aggregate level, gender disparity in full immunization is minimal and has stagnated during the study period. However, gender disparity – disfavouring female children – becomes apparent across the regions, poor households, and religion - particularly among Muslims. Adjusted gender disparity ratio indicates that, full immunization is lower among female than male children of the western region, poor household and among Muslims. Between 1992–93 and 2005–06, the disparity in full immunization had narrowed in the northern region whereas it had, astonishingly, increased in some of the western and southern states of the country. Conclusion Our findings emphasize the need to integrate gender issues in the ongoing immunization programme in India, with particular attention to urban areas, developed states, and to the Muslim community. PMID:25127396

The Role of Parents in the Education of Children of Pre-School Age in Tropical Africa, India and the Maghreb Countries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France). Div. of Structures, Content, Methods and Techniques of Education.

The case studies summarized in this report are based on ethnographic surveys carried out mainly in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, and Senegal (collectively called "Tropical Africa" in the text). The surveys were also carried out in the Maghreb countries, especially Algeria and southern India. Their common objective…

Budget impact of polio immunization strategy for India: introduction of one dose of inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine and reductions in supplemental polio immunization.

PubMed

Khan, M M; Sharma, S; Tripathi, B; Alvarez, F P

2017-01-01

. Introduction of three doses of IPV with the existing polio immunization schedule will increase the budget requirement by $102 million but replacing OPV doses with IPV will increase the budget by about $59 million. Discontinuation of supplemental OPV immunization with replacement of OPV by IPV will reduce the Government of India's (GOI) polio immunization budget by $99 million. Although the overall cost of polio programme will decline with the adoption of IEAG's recommendations, state-level costs will vary widely. In states like Kerala, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, cost of polio immunization will increase while in Punjab and Jharkhand the costs will remain more or less constant. Significant cost reductions will happen in states with high intensity of supplemental polio immunizations (Bihar, Haryana and Delhi). The cost of procuring polio vaccines will more than double from $20 million to about $47 million requiring allocation of additional foreign exchanges. In some states (like Bihar), the decline in polio-related employment will be very high requiring reallocation of personnel from polio to other programmes. Copyright © 2016 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multiple introductions of a reassortant H5N1 avian influenza virus of clade 2.3.2.1c with PB2 gene of H9N2 subtype into Indian poultry.

PubMed

Tosh, Chakradhar; Nagarajan, Shanmugasundaram; Kumar, Manoj; Murugkar, Harshad V; Venkatesh, Govindarajulu; Shukla, Shweta; Mishra, Amit; Mishra, Pranav; Agarwal, Sonam; Singh, Bharati; Dubey, Prashant; Tripathi, Sushil; Kulkarni, Diwakar D

2016-09-01

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 viruses are a threat to poultry in Asia, Europe, Africa and North America. Here, we report isolation and characterization of H5N1 viruses isolated from ducks and turkeys in Kerala, Chandigarh and Uttar Pradesh, India between November 2014 and March 2015. Genetic and phylogenetic analyses of haemagglutinin gene identified that the virus belonged to a new clade 2.3.2.1c which has not been detected earlier in Indian poultry. The virus possessed molecular signature for high pathogenicity to chickens, which was corroborated by intravenous pathogenicity index of 2.96. The virus was a reassortant which derives its PB2 gene from H9N2 virus isolated in China during 2007-2013. However, the neuraminidase and internal genes are of H5N1 subtype. Phylogenetic and network analysis revealed that after detection in China in 2013/2014, the virus moved to Europe, West Africa and other Asian countries including India. The analyses further indicated multiple introductions of H5N1 virus in Indian poultry and internal spread in Kerala. One of the outbreaks in ducks in Kerala is linked to the H5N1 virus isolated from wild birds in Dubai suggesting movement of virus probably through migration of wild birds. However, the outbreaks in ducks in Chandigarh and Uttar Pradesh were from an unknown source in Asia which also contributed gene pools to the outbreaks in Europe and West Africa. The widespread incidence of the novel H5N1 HPAI is similar to the spread of clade 2.2 ("Qinghai-like") virus in 2005, and should be monitored to avoid threat to animal and public health. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Disparity in rainfall trend and patterns among different regions: analysis of 158 years' time series of rainfall dataset across India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saha, Saurav; Chakraborty, Debasish; Paul, Ranjit Kumar; Samanta, Sandipan; Singh, S. B.

2017-10-01

Rainfall anomaly during crop-growing season can have large impact on the agricultural output of a country, especially like India, where two-thirds of the crop land is rain-fed. In such situation, decreased agricultural production not only challenges food security of the country but directly and immediately hits the livelihood of its farming community. In a vast country like India, rainfall or its anomalies hardly follow a specific pattern, rather it is having high variability in spatial domain. This study focused on the trends of national and regional rainfall anomalies (wetness/dryness) along with their interrelationship using time series data of past 158 years. The significant reducing wetness trend (p < 0.05) over north mountainous India was prominent with an increasing trend over southern peninsular India (p < 0.10). However, long-term annual wetness was increasing over entire peninsular India. The results of change point tests indicate that major abrupt changes occurred between early to mid-twentieth century having regional variations. The regional interrelationship was studied using principal component, hierarchical clustering, and pair-wise difference test, which clearly indicated a significantly different pattern in rainfall anomalies for north east India (p = 0.022), north central India (p = 0.022), and north mountainous India (p = 0.011) from that of the all India. Result of this study affirmed high spatial variability in rainfall anomaly and most importantly established the unalike pattern in trends of regional rainfall vis-à-vis national level, ushering towards paradigm shift in rainfall forecast from country scale to regional scale for pragmatic planning.

Widening economic & social disparities: implications for India.

PubMed

Kurian, N J

2007-10-01

India is often characterized as an emerging economic super power. The huge demographic dividend, the high quality engineering and management talent, the powerful Indian diaspora and the emerging Indian transnational--kneeling the optimism. In contrast, there is another profile of India which is rather gloomy. This is the country with the largest number of the poor, illiterates and unemployed in the world. High infant mortality, morbidity and widespread anaemia among women and children continue. India suffers from acute economic and social disparities. This article addresses four dimensions of such disparities, viz. regional, rural-urban, social, and gender. There is empirical evidence to indicate that during the last two decades all these disparities have been increasing. As a result of economic reforms, the southern and western States experienced accelerated economic and social development as compared to northern and eastern States. This has led to widening gap in income, poverty and other indicators of development between the two regions. Rural-urban divide also widened in the wake of reforms. While large and medium cities experience unprecedented economic prosperity, the rural areas experience economic stagnation. As a result, there is widespread agrarian distress which results in farmers' suicide and rural unrest. Socially backward sections, especially scheduled castes and tribes (SCs and STs) have gained little from the new prosperity which rewards disproportionately those with assets, skills and higher education. STs have often been victims of development as a result of displacement. The gender gap in social and economic status, traditionally more in India as compared to other societies; has further widened by the economic reforms and globalization. The approach paper to the Eleventh Plan stresses the importance of more inclusive economic growth. It emphasizes the need for bridging the divides discussed in this article. Unless these are achieved in a time

Structuring Roles and Gender Identities Within Families Explaining Suicidal Behavior in South India.

PubMed

Lasrado, Reena A; Chantler, Khatidja; Jasani, Rubina; Young, Alys

2016-05-01

This paper examines the social structures, culture, gendered roles, and their implications for suicidal behavior in South India. Exploring the cultural process within the structures of family and society to understand suicide and attempted suicide from the perspectives of survivors, mental health professionals, and traditional healers has not been achieved in the existing suicide-related research studies conducted in India to date. This study aimed to explore the cultural implications of attempted suicide by examining the survivors' life stories, their perceptions, and service providers' interpretations of problem situation. A qualitative design was used drawing on constant comparison method and thematic analysis. The analysis was underpinned by the theoretical concepts of Bourdieu's work. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 survivors of attempted suicide, eight mental health professionals, and eight traditional healers from Southern India. The study found interactions among visible and invisible fields such as faith, power, control, culture, family, religion, and social systems to have strengthened the disparities in gender and role structures within families and societies and to have impacted survivors' dispositions to situations. The role of culture in causing suicide and attempted suicide is explained by unraveling the negative impact of interacting cultural and structural mechanisms.

Year-long simulation of gaseous and particulate air pollutants in India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kota, Sri Harsha; Guo, Hao; Myllyvirta, Lauri; Hu, Jianlin; Sahu, Shovan Kumar; Garaga, Rajyalakshmi; Ying, Qi; Gao, Aifang; Dahiya, Sunil; Wang, Yuan; Zhang, Hongliang

2018-05-01

Severe pollution events occur frequently in India but few studies have investigated the characteristics, sources, and control strategies for the whole country. A year-long simulation was carried out in India to provide detailed information of spatial and temporal distribution of gas species and particulate matter (PM). The concentrations of O3, NO2, SO2, CO, as well as PM2.5 and its components in 2015 were predicted using Weather Research Forecasting (WRF) and the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) models. Model performance was validated against available observations from ground based national ambient air quality monitoring stations in major cities. Model performance of O3 does not always meet the criteria suggested by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) but that of PM2.5 meets suggested criteria by previous studies. The performance of model was better on days with high O3 and PM2.5 levels. Concentrations of PM2.5, NO2, CO and SO2 were highest in the Indo-Gangetic region, including northern and eastern India. PM2.5 concentrations were higher during winter and lower during monsoon season. Winter nitrate concentrations were 160-230% higher than yearly average. In contrast, the fraction of sulfate in total PM2.5 was maximum in monsoon and least in winter, due to decrease in temperature and solar radiation intensity in winter. Except in southern India, where sulfate was the major component of PM2.5, primary organic aerosol (POA) fraction in PM2.5 was highest in all regions of the country. Fractions of secondary components were higher on bad days than on good days in these cities, indicating the importance of control of precursors for secondary pollutants in India.

Instantaneous deformation and kinematics of the India-Australia Plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delescluse, Matthias; Chamot-Rooke, Nicolas

2007-02-01

Active intraplate deformation of the India-Australia Plate is now being captured by far-field global positioning system (GPS) measurements as well as measurements on a few islands located within the deforming zone itself. In this paper, we combine global and regional geodetic solutions with focal mechanisms of earthquakes to derive the present-day strain field of the India-Australia Plate. We first compile an updated catalogue of 131 Indian intraplate earthquakes (M > 5) spanning the period between the two Asian mega earthquakes of Assam 1897 and Sumatra 2004. Using Haines and Holt's numerical approach applied to a fully deformable India-Australia Plate, we show that the use of GPS data only or earthquakes data only has severe drawbacks, related, respectively, to the small number of stations and the incompleteness of the earthquakes catalogue. The combined solution avoids underestimation of the strain inherent to the Kostrov summation of seismic moments and provides details that cannot be reached by pure GPS modelling. We further explore the role of heterogeneity of the India-Australia Plate and find that the best model, in terms of geodetic vectors fit, relative distribution of strain, style and direction of principal strain from earthquakes, is obtained using the surface heat-flow as a proxy for rheological weakness of the oceanic lithosphere. The present-day deformation is distributed around the Afanasy Nikitin Chain in the Central Indian Basin (CIB)-where it is almost pure shortening-and within the Wharton Basin (WB) off Sumatra-where it is almost pure lateral strike-slip. The northern portion of NinetyEast ridge (NyR) appears as a major discontinuity for both strain and velocity. The new velocity field gives an India/Australia rotation pole located at 11.3°S, 72.8°E (-0.301°Myr-1) overlapping with previous solutions, with continental India moving eastward at rates ranging from 13 mm yr-1 (southern India) to 26 mm yr-1 (northern India) with respect to

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