Anti-arthritic activity of ethanolic extract of Tridax procumbens (Linn.) in Sprague Dawley rats

PubMed Central

Petchi, R Ramesh; Vijaya, C; Parasuraman, S

2013-01-01

Objective: To determine the anti-arthritic effect of whole plant ethanolic extract of Tridax procumbens (Asteraceae) in female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats using the Freund's Complete Adjuvant (FCA) model. Materials and Methods: The plant was collected from different regions of Madurai District, Tamil Nadu, and the phytoconstituents were identified through chemical tests. Ethanol (95%) was used to obtain the whole plant extraction through Soxhlet extractor. Female SD rats were used for anti-arthritic screening. Arthritis was induced using FCA, and the anti-arthritic effect of the ethanolic extract of T. procumbens was studied at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg. The effects were compared with those of indomethacin (10 mg/kg). At the end of the study, the liver enzyme levels were determined and a radiological examination was carried out. Result: The preliminary phytochemical analysis of the ethanolic extract of T. procumbens indicated the presence of alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids and saponins. T. procumbens at 250 and 500 mg/kg significantly inhibited the FCA-induced arthritis in the rats. This was manifested by as a decrease in the paw volume. The arthritic control animals exhibited a significant decrease in body weight compared with control animals without arthritis. T. procumbens animals showed dose dependent reduction in decrees in body weight and arthritis. At the same time, T. procumbens significantly altered the biochemical and haematological changes induced by FCA (P < 0.05). The anti-arthritic effect of T. procumbens was comparable with that of indomethacin. Conclusion: The whole plant extract of T. procumbens showed significant anti-arthritic activity against FCA-induced arthritis in female SD rats. PMID:23798886

Antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic effects of an ethanolic extract of the whole plant of Tridax procumbens (Linn.) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

PubMed

Petchi, Ramesh R; Parasuraman, S; Vijaya, C

2013-09-01

To study the antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic effects of an ethanolic extract of the whole plant of Tridax procumbens (Asteraceae) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The whole plant of T. procumbens was collected in different regions of Madurai districts, Tamil Nadu. The air dried whole plant of T. procumbens was extracted with ethanol (95%) in a Soxhlet apparatus for 72 h. Diabetes was induced in male Wistar rats by streptozotocin (50 mg/jk, i.p.) and nicotinamide (120 mg/kg, i.p) injection. The dry mass of the extract was used for preliminary phytochemical and pharmacological analysis. Diabetic rats were treated with glibenclamide (0.25 mg/kg, p.o.) or T. procumbens extract (250 and 500 mg/k, p.o.) for 21 consecutive days. The blood samples were collected at regular intervals to access hypoglycemic effect of an ethanolic extract of the whole plant of T. procumbens. At the end of the experiment, serum lipid profile and liver enzymes levels were analyzed for all the experimental animals and compared with diabetic control. The preliminary phytochemical analysis of an ethanolic extract of the whole plant of T. procumbens indicated the presence of alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, and phenolic compounds. The ethanolic extract of the whole plant of T. procumbens at 250 and 500 mg/kg has significant antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic activities. The diabetic control animals exhibited a significant decrease in body weight compared with control animals. T. procumbens inhibited streptozotocin-induced weight loss and significantly alter the lipid levels. The ethanolic extract of the whole plant of T. procumbens showed significant antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic activities against streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats.

Antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic effects of an ethanolic extract of the whole plant of Tridax procumbens (Linn.) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

PubMed Central

Petchi, Ramesh R.; Parasuraman, S.; Vijaya, C.

2013-01-01

Objective: To study the antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic effects of an ethanolic extract of the whole plant of Tridax procumbens (Asteraceae) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Materials and Methods: The whole plant of T. procumbens was collected in different regions of Madurai districts, Tamil Nadu. The air dried whole plant of T. procumbens was extracted with ethanol (95%) in a Soxhlet apparatus for 72 h. Diabetes was induced in male Wistar rats by streptozotocin (50 mg/jk, i.p.) and nicotinamide (120 mg/kg, i.p) injection. The dry mass of the extract was used for preliminary phytochemical and pharmacological analysis. Diabetic rats were treated with glibenclamide (0.25 mg/kg, p.o.) or T. procumbens extract (250 and 500 mg/k, p.o.) for 21 consecutive days. The blood samples were collected at regular intervals to access hypoglycemic effect of an ethanolic extract of the whole plant of T. procumbens. At the end of the experiment, serum lipid profile and liver enzymes levels were analyzed for all the experimental animals and compared with diabetic control. Results: The preliminary phytochemical analysis of an ethanolic extract of the whole plant of T. procumbens indicated the presence of alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, and phenolic compounds. The ethanolic extract of the whole plant of T. procumbens at 250 and 500 mg/kg has significant antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic activities. The diabetic control animals exhibited a significant decrease in body weight compared with control animals. T. procumbens inhibited streptozotocin-induced weight loss and significantly alter the lipid levels. Conclusion: The ethanolic extract of the whole plant of T. procumbens showed significant antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic activities against streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats. PMID:24808679

Mapping of fluoride endemic areas and correlation studies of fluoride with other quality parameters of drinking water of Veppanapalli block of Dharmapuri district in Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Karthikeyan, G; Sundarraj, A Shunmuga; Elango, K P

2003-10-01

193 drinking water samples from water sources of 27 panchayats of Veppanapalli block of Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu were analysed for chemical quality parameters. Based on the fluoride content of the water sources, fluoride maps differentiating regions with high / low fluoride levels were prepared using Isopleth mapping technique. The interdependence among the important chemical quality parameters were assessed using correlation studies. The experimental results of the application of linear and multiple regression equations on the influence of hardness, alkalinity, total dissolved solids and pH on fluoride are discussed.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in southern districts of Tamil Nadu using IgG-ELISA.

PubMed

Sucilathangam, G; Palaniappan, N; Sreekumar, C; Anna, T

2012-10-01

The present study was conducted to assess the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in and around Tirunelveli by in-house IgG assay using ELISA. Serum samples from 175 immunodeficient and 175 immunocompetent patients were collected at Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu from May 2006 to October 2007. They were subjected into in-house IgG assay using enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA) in which tachyzoite soluble antigen derived from solubilised whole organisms was used. Out of 350 patients tested by IgG ELISA, 46 patients (13.14%) had antibodies for toxoplasmosis with mean OD value of 0.2 ± 0.073 and the OD value ranged from 0.144 to 0.444. Among the immunocompetent group of 175 patients, 19 patients (10.86%) had antibodies to toxoplasmosis whereas, in immunodeficient group of 175 patients, 27 patients (15.43%) had antibodies for toxoplasmosis. There was no statistical difference (P > 0.05) between the immunocompetent and immunodeficient group. The sensitivity and specificity of IgG ELISA in detecting toxoplasmosis was 90 and 100%, respectively. The overall seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in and around Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu was 13.14% based on IgG ELISA. The study has proved ELISA to be a sensitive and specific procedure for the serodiagnosis of toxoplasmosis.

Unmet Needs of Family Planning Among Women: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Rural Area of Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu, South India.

PubMed

Vishnu Prasad, R; Venkatachalam, J; Singh, Zile

2016-10-01

Global contraceptive usage was 63.3 % in 2010 which was 9 % more than that in 1990. NFHS-III 2005-2006 revealed that the contraceptive prevalence rate was 56 % while in the past decade it was 48 %. In India, female sterilization is the most commonly preferred method of contraception accounting for 76 %, while in Tamil Nadu it was 90 %. Thus, this study aims at measuring the prevalence of unmet needs of family planning and its determinants in a rural area of Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu. The study was carried out as a community-based cross-sectional study in Chunambed panchayat, a rural area in Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu, India, among 505 women of age group 15-49 years. Cluster random sampling was done to select the households to include in the study. In every household, all the available and eligible women were explained about the study and recruited after obtaining informed consent. Chi-square test was applied for finding the difference in proportion, and p value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. The prevalence of unmet need for family planning in our study population was nearly 31 %; it was even more for younger age groups and for the women whose family size was less. 51.7 % of the participants were currently using a contraceptive measure and very few of their partners used contraception. Government health facilities were the major source of contraceptive service and majority of our participants were well aware about the various contraceptive methods. Unmet needs of family planning were high in our study population, and the knowledge about the contraceptive use and family planning was found to be fairly adequate.

A cross-sectional survey of the models in Bihar and Tamil Nadu, India for pooled procurement of medicines.

PubMed

Chokshi, Maulik; Farooqui, Habib Hasan; Selvaraj, Sakthivel; Kumar, Preeti

2015-01-01

In India, access to medicine in the public sector is significantly affected by the efficiency of the drug procurement system and allied processes and policies. This study was conducted in two socioeconomically different states: Bihar and Tamil Nadu. Both have a pooled procurement system for drugs but follow different models. In Bihar, the volumes of medicines required are pooled at the state level and rate contracted (an open tender process invites bidders to quote for the lowest rate for the list of medicines), while actual invoicing and payment are done at district level. In Tamil Nadu, medicine quantities are also pooled at state level but payments are also processed at state level upon receipt of laboratory quality-assurance reports on the medicines. In this cross-sectional survey, a range of financial and non-financial data related to procurement and distribution of medicine, such as budget documents, annual reports, tender documents, details of orders issued, passbook details and policy and guidelines for procurement were analysed. In addition, a so-called ABC analysis of the procurement data was done to to identify high-value medicines. It was observed that Tamil Nadu had suppliers for 100% of the drugs on their procurement list at the end of the procurement processes in 2006, 2007 and 2008, whereas Bihar's procurement agency was only able to get suppliers for 56%, 59% and 38% of drugs during the same period. Further, it was observed that Bihar's system was fuelling irrational procurement; for example, fluconazole (antifungal) alone was consuming 23.4% of the state's drug budget and was being procured by around 34% of the districts during 2008-2009. Also, the ratios of procurement prices for Bihar compared with Tamil Nadu were in the range of 1.01 to 22.50. For 50% of the analysed drugs, the price ratio was more than 2, that is, Bihar's procurement system was procuring the same medicines at more than twice the prices paid by Tamil Nadu. Centralized, automated pooled procurement models like that of Tamil Nadu are key to achieving the best procurement prices and highest possible access to medicines.

Status of Higher Secondary School Libraries in Thiruvallur District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seenivasan, M.; Kumar, N. Ashok

2014-01-01

Libraries are the main sources of knowledge. They play a major role in fostering reading habit among school children. Hence, it is deemed interactive to study the status of higher secondary school libraries in Thiruvallur District, Tamil Nadu. For the Analysis 50 Higher Secondary Schools were selected randomly comprising of Government Higher…

Structural patterns in high grade terrain in parts of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sugavanam, E. B.; Vidyadharan, K. T.

1988-01-01

Detailed geological mapping in parts of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka has brought out vast areas occupied by highly deformed charnockite and high grade gneisses. These areas, similar to high grade shield terrains in other parts of the world have the impress of extensive tectonic reworking multideformation and polymetamorphism and are closely associated with layered ultramafics, shelf type sediments and different igneous events. In North Arcot and Charmapuri districts of Tamil Nadu and Kollegal taluk in Mysore district in Karnataka, charnockite is intensely cofolded with a supracrustal succession of layered ultramafics, pyroxene granulite, pink granolites, magnetite quartzite and khondalites. These areas have undergone five phases of deformation, five generations of basic dyke activities, four phases of migmatisation and two periods of metallogeny. Geochronological data ranges from 2900 m.y. to 750 m.y. In working out the tectanostratigraphy of the above areas the basic dykes of different generations have served as major time markers. In addition, the persistent strike continuity of linear bands of pyroxene granulite, pink granolite and magnetite quartzite has been of great utility in using them as structural markers for bringing out the complex structural history in these areas.

Seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in voluntary blood donors of Puducherry and surrounding districts of Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Stephen, Selvaraj; Pradeep, Jothimani; Anitharaj, Velmurugan; Janarthanam, Venkatraman

2017-12-01

Our objective is to study the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in the voluntary blood donors of Puducherry and surrounding districts of Tamil Nadu. A total of 275 healthy blood donors were screened for the presence of IgM and IgG antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii by ELISA test. Donor samples positive for IgM and/or IgG antibodies to T. gondii were subjected to IgG avidity ELISA. While, 54 out of 275 donors had IgG antibodies (19.66%), only one donor had IgM (0.36%) along with IgG. Among 54 IgG positive donors, only two had low avidity (3.7%), indicating recent exposure to the protozoa. Feasibility and cost effectiveness studies should be conducted throughout India to decide regarding screening of blood donors for toxoplasmosis.

Medicinal plants used by traditional healers in Kancheepuram District of Tamil Nadu, India

PubMed Central

Muthu, Chellaiah; Ayyanar, Muniappan; Raja, Nagappan; Ignacimuthu, Savarimuthu

2006-01-01

An ethnobotanical survey was undertaken to collect information from traditional healers on the use of medicinal plants in Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu during October 2003 to April 2004. The indigenous knowledge of local traditional healers and the native plants used for medicinal purposes were collected through questionnaire and personal interviews during field trips. The investigation revealed that, the traditional healers used 85 species of plants distributed in 76 genera belonging to 41 families to treat various diseases. The documented medicinal plants were mostly used to cure skin diseases, poison bites, stomachache and nervous disorders. In this study the most dominant family was Euphorbiaceae and leaves were most frequently used for the treatment of diseases. This study showed that many people in the studied parts of Kancheepuram district still continue to depend on medicinal plants at least for the treatment of primary healthcare. The traditional healers are dwindling in number and there is a grave danger of traditional knowledge disappearing soon since the younger generation is not interested to carry on this tradition. PMID:17026769

Towards a Better Health Care Delivery System: The Tamil Nadu model.

PubMed

Parthasarathi, R; Sinha, S P

2016-01-01

The Tamil Nadu model of public health is renowned for its success in providing quality health services at an affordable cost especially to the rural people. Tamil Nadu is the only state with a distinctive public health cadre in the district level and also the first state to enact a Public Health Act in 1939. Tamil Nadu has gained significant ground in the various aspects of health in the last few decades largely because of the significant reforms in its health sector which dates back to 1980s which saw rigorous expansion of rural health infrastructure in the state besides deployment of thousands of multipurpose health workers as village health nurses in rural areas. Effective implementation of Universal Immunization Programme, formation of Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation for regulating the drug procurement and promoting generic drugs, early incorporation of indigenous system of medicine into health care service, formulation of a health policy in 2003 by the state with special emphasis on low-income, disadvantaged communities alongside efficient implementation of The Tamil Nadu Health Systems Project (TNHSP) are the major factors which contributed for the success of the state. The importance of good political commitment and leadership in the health gains of the state warrants special mention. Moreover, the economic growth of the state, improved literacy rate, gender equality, and lowered fertility rate in the last few decades and contributions from the private sector have their share in the public health success of the state. In spite of some flaws and challenges, the Tamil Nadu Model remains the prototype health care delivery system in resource-limited settings which can be emulated by other states also toward a better health care delivery system.

Towards a Better Health Care Delivery System: The Tamil Nadu model

PubMed Central

Parthasarathi, R.; Sinha, S.P.

2016-01-01

The Tamil Nadu model of public health is renowned for its success in providing quality health services at an affordable cost especially to the rural people. Tamil Nadu is the only state with a distinctive public health cadre in the district level and also the first state to enact a Public Health Act in 1939. Tamil Nadu has gained significant ground in the various aspects of health in the last few decades largely because of the significant reforms in its health sector which dates back to 1980s which saw rigorous expansion of rural health infrastructure in the state besides deployment of thousands of multipurpose health workers as village health nurses in rural areas. Effective implementation of Universal Immunization Programme, formation of Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation for regulating the drug procurement and promoting generic drugs, early incorporation of indigenous system of medicine into health care service, formulation of a health policy in 2003 by the state with special emphasis on low-income, disadvantaged communities alongside efficient implementation of The Tamil Nadu Health Systems Project (TNHSP) are the major factors which contributed for the success of the state. The importance of good political commitment and leadership in the health gains of the state warrants special mention. Moreover, the economic growth of the state, improved literacy rate, gender equality, and lowered fertility rate in the last few decades and contributions from the private sector have their share in the public health success of the state. In spite of some flaws and challenges, the Tamil Nadu Model remains the prototype health care delivery system in resource-limited settings which can be emulated by other states also toward a better health care delivery system. PMID:27890982

Innovations and Challenges in Reducing Maternal Mortality in Tamil Nadu, India

PubMed Central

Padmanaban, P.; Mavalankar, Dileep V.

2009-01-01

Although India has made slow progress in reducing maternal mortality, progress in Tamil Nadu has been rapid. This case study documents how Tamil Nadu has taken initiatives to improve maternal health services leading to reduction in maternal morality from 380 in 1993 to 90 in 2007. Various initiatives include establishment of maternal death registration and audit, establishment and certification of comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn-care centres, 24-hour x 7-day delivery services through posting of three staff nurses at the primary health centre level, and attracting medical officers to rural areas through incentives in terms of reserved seats in postgraduate studies and others. This is supported by the better management capacity at the state and district levels through dedicated public-health officers. Despite substantial progress, there is some scope for further improvement of quality of infrastructure and services. The paper draws out lessons for other states and countries in the region. PMID:19489416

Validation of the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Vaginal Symptoms (ICIQ-VS) in two south- Asian languages.

PubMed

Ekanayake, Chanil D; Pathmeswaran, Arunasalam; Herath, Rasika P; Perera, H Suharshi S; Patabendige, Malitha; Wijesinghe, Prasantha S

2017-12-01

The multifaceted nature of pelvic floor disorders means that a systematic evaluation is required for optimal treatment outcome. It is also generally acknowledged that a valid tool is necessary to objectively assess symptoms reported by affected women. The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Vaginal Symptoms (ICIQ-VS) questionnaire was translated to Sinhala and Tamil and a validation study carried out among women attending gynecology clinics at North Colombo Teaching Hospital, Ragama, and the district general hospitals Mannar and Vavuniya. Content validity was assessed by the level of missing answers, which was < 4% and 2% for each item in Sinhala and Tamil, respectively. Construct validity was assessed by the ability of the questionnaire to differentiate between patients and controls. Both differentiated patients from controls on vaginal symptoms score (VSS) (p < 0.001), sexual symptoms score (SSS) (p < 0.01), and quality of life (QoL) (p < 0.001). There was a strong positive correlation between Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q) scores and VSS (Sinhala r s  = 0.64, p < 0.001, Tamil r s  = 0.65, p < 0.001), and QoL (Sinhala r s  = 0.49, p < 0.001, Tamil r s  = 0.60, p < 0.001). Internal consistency as assessed using Cronbach's coefficient alpha: 0.78 (0.76-0.78) and 0.83 (0.80-0.84) in Sinhala and Tamil, respectively. Test-retest reliability was assessed by weighted kappa scores (Sinhala 0.58-0.88 and Tamil 0.76-0.90). Both questionnaires were sensitive to change and showed that VSS and QoL improved following surgery (Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test p < 0.001). The validated Sinhala and Tamil translations of ICIQ-VS will be useful for assessing vaginal and sexual symptoms among women speaking Sinhala and Tamil.

High prevalence of tobacco use, alcohol use and overweight in a rural population in Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Kaur, P; Rao, S R; Radhakrishnan, E; Ramachandran, R; Venkatachalam, R; Gupte, M D

2011-01-01

Cardiovascular diseases are one of the leading causes of death in India. There is high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in urban Tamil Nadu. There are limited data on the prevalence of behavioral risk factors and overweight in rural Tamil Nadu. We estimated prevalence of behavioral risk factors, overweight and central obesity in a rural population in Tamil Nadu, India. We conducted a cross-sectional survey in 11 villages in Kancheepuram/Thiruvallur districts, Tamil Nadu. Study population included 10,500 subjects aged 25-64 years. We collected data on behavioral risk factors and anthropometric measurements. Body mass index (BMI) was categorized using the classification recommended for Asians. Central obesity was defined as waist circumference ≥90 cm for men and ≥80 cm for women. We computed proportions for all risk factors and used trend chi-square to examine trend. Among the 10,500 subjects, 4927 (47%) were males. Among males, 1852 (37.6%) were current smokers and 3073 (62.4%) were current alcohol users. Among females, 840 (15.1%) were smokeless tobacco users. BMI was ≥23.0 kg/m 2 for 1618 (32.8%) males and 2126 (38.2%) females. 867 (17.6%) males and 1323 (23.7%) females were centrally obese. Most commonly used edible oil was palm oil followed by sunflower oil and groundnut oil. We observed high prevalence of tobacco use, alcohol use and central obesity in the rural population in Tamil Nadu. There is need for health promotion programs to encourage adoption of healthy lifestyle and policy interventions to create enabling environment.

HIV risks among women who are married to men who have sex with men in India: a qualitative investigation.

PubMed

Tomori, Cecilia; Srikrishnan, Aylur K; Mehta, Shruti H; Nimmagadda, Nymisha; Anand, Santhanam; Vasudevan, Canjeevaram K; Celentano, David D; Solomon, Sunil S

2017-11-10

In countries such as India, men who have same-sex partnerships may marry women due to cultural pressures regardless of their sexual desires and preferences. The wives of such men may be at risk for HIV but limited existing research addresses this issue. This qualitative study used in-depth interviews to investigate HIV-related risk among married men who have sex with men (n = 34) and women who were aware of their husband's same-sex behaviour (n = 13) from six research sites in five states and a Union Territory in India: Delhi (Delhi), Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), Hyderabad (Telangana), Bengaluru (Karnataka), Chennai and Madurai (Tamil Nadu). Thematic analysis revealed that wives of men who have sex with men were at risk for HIV from their husbands' sexual practices, which are often hidden to avoid the potential consequences of stigmatisation, as well as from gender-based inequities that make husbands the primary decision-makers about sex and condom use, even when wives are aware of their husband's same-sex behaviour. Innovative interventions are needed to address HIV-related risk in couples where wives remain unaware of their husband's same-sex behaviour, and for wives who are aware but remain within these marriages.

Measurement of cosmic muon angular distribution and vertical integrated flux by 2 m × 2 m RPC stack at IICHEP-Madurai

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pethuraj, S.; Datar, V. M.; Majumder, G.; Mondal, N. K.; Ravindran, K. C.; Satyanarayana, B.

2017-09-01

The 50 kton INO-ICAL is a proposed underground high energy physics experiment at Theni, India (9o57'N, 77o16'E) to study the neutrino oscillation parameters using atmospheric neutrinos. The Resistive Plate Chamber (RPC) has been chosen as the active detector element for the ICAL detector. An experimental setup consisting of 12 layers of glass RPCs of size 2 m × 2 m has been built at IICHEP, Madurai to study the long term stability and performance of RPCs which are produced on a large scale in Indian industry. In this paper, the studies on the performance of RPCs are presented along with the angular distribution of muons at Madurai (9o56'N,78o00'E and Altitude ≈ 160 m from sea level).

Prevalence of disability in Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Velayutham, Banurekha; Kangusamy, Boopathi; Mehendale, Sanjay

2017-01-01

Information on disability is essential for the government to formulate policies, allocate adequate resources and implement appropriate programmes. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of disability and describe the types of disability by gender, age and geographical regions in Tamil Nadu, India. We analysed the 2011 Census cross-sectional survey data of Tamil Nadu. Age-adjusted disability rates and disability rates per 100 000 population were calculated. There were 1 179 963 disabled individuals in Tamil Nadu in 2011, a disability rate of 1635 per 100 000 population. Disability in movement, hearing and sight individually accounted for 24%, 19% and 11% of the total disability, respectively. Sixteen districts had disability rates above the state average. As age advanced, disability rates increased; the highest disability rate of 2533 per 100 000 was among people aged 60 years and above. The disability rates were higher in males compared to females (1819 v. 1451 per 100 000). Rural areas had higher disability areas compared to urban (1670 v. 1599 per 100 000). Currently married, working populations and literate populations had lower disability rates. Disability rate in the Scheduled Castes was higher at 1763 per 100 000 compared to the Scheduled Tribes and other social groups. Multiple disability was high in the age groups 0-19 years and 60 years and above. Physical or mental disability was observed in 1.6% of the population of Tamil Nadu. Research is warranted to identify underlying causes and interventions to reduce the burden of disability in the state.

Estimation of content of anti-TB drugs supplied at centres of the Revised National TB Control Programme in Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Ramachandran, Geetha; Chandrasekaran, Vedachalam; Hemanth Kumar, Agibothu Kupparam; Dewan, Puneet; Swaminathan, Soumya; Thomas, Aleyamma

2013-09-01

To determine the content of certain antituberculosis (TB) drugs supplied at TB treatment centres of the Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Eight districts across the state were selected, and the following drugs were collected from five settings (District TB centre, TB unit, designated microscopy centres, DOT providers) in each district: rifampicin (150 and 450 mg), isoniazid (300 mg), pyrazinamide (500 and 750 mg), ethambutol (400 and 600 mg), ethionamide (250 mg), levofloxacin (500 mg) and cycloserine (250 mg). A maximum of 10 tablets/capsules were collected from each setting. The drugs were coded prior to analysis. All drugs were assayed by validated spectrophotometric methods. The acceptable limits for drug content were taken as 90-110% of the stated content. More than 90% of tablets of rifampicin 450 mg, isoniazid 300 mg, pyrazinamide 500 and 750 mg, ethambutol 400 and 600 mg and ethionamide 250 mg were within acceptable limits. Eighty per cent of rifampicin 150 mg, 21% of cycloserine 250 mg and 87% of levofloxacin 500 mg were within acceptable limits. The mean cycloserine content was below the acceptable limit in all districts, the mean drug content being 200 mg (range: 108-245 mg). This systematic study showed that the stated drug content of cycloserine was not reached in all districts. Deterioration of cycloserine could be minimised by storing the drug in refrigerators. The geographical location of the districts had no influence on the drug content. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Utilization of Antenatal HealthCare Services among Fishermen Population in Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu: A Cross-sectional Study.

PubMed

Danasekaran, Raja; Raja, Pavithra; Ranganathan, Karnaboopathy

2017-01-01

Considering the global and national level commitments in improving the maternal health as well as reducing the maternal mortality, assessment of factors influencing the delivery of antenatal healthcare services becomes essential. The aim is to assess the utilization of antenatal health services and to identify the factors influencing their utilization among women of fishermen population in Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu. The cross-sectional study was carried out among the mothers in Kovalam area of Kanchipuram district. Details were collected using a pretested questionnaire and analyzed using statistical software. The study included 284 mothers, of which 35% were illiterates. Nearly 60.21% have got registered with the Government sector, 59.51% of the mothers had three or more antenatal visits, 64.08% have received two doses of tetanus toxoid, and 73.24% have taken iron and folic acid tablets. Factors which were identified to have statistically significant association with better utilization of antenatal health services were age >30 years, higher educational status, skilled workers, those having their first child, and higher socioeconomic class. This study has reported the fact that antenatal healthcare services were not utilized fully by the community and the fishermen population being a special group has to be given the needed attention from the healthcare delivery system.

Towards elimination of lymphatic filariasis: social mobilization issues and challenges in mass drug administration with anti-filarial drugs in Tamil Nadu, South India.

PubMed

Nandha, B; Krishnamoorthy, K; Jambulingam, P

2013-08-01

India is a signatory to World Health Assembly resolution for elimination of lymphatic filariasis (LF) and National Health Policy has set the goal of LF elimination by 2015. Annual mass drug administration (MDA) is ongoing in endemic districts since 1996-97. Compliance rate is a crucial factor in achieving elimination and was assessed in three districts of Tamil Nadu for 10th and 11th treatment rounds (TRs). An in-depth study assessed the impact of social mobilization by drug distributors (DDs) in two areas from each of the three districts. Overall coverage and compliance for assessed TRs were 76.3 and 67.7% which is below the optimum level to achieve LF elimination. Modifiable determinants continue to be the reason for non-consumption even in the 11th TR and 20.8% were systematic non-compliers. In 76.4% of the cases, DDs failed to adhere to three mandatory visits as per the guidelines. Number of visits by DDs in relation to low and high MDA coverage areas showed a significant relationship (P ≤ 0.000). MDA is limited to drug distribution alone and efforts by DDs in preparing the community were inadequate. Probable means to meet the challenges in preparation of the community is discussed.

Factors influencing the spatial distribution of Anopheles larvae in Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Arjunan, Naresh Kumar; Kadarkarai, Murugan; Kumar, Shobana; Pari, Madhiyazhagan; Thiyagarajan, Nataraj; Vincent, C Thomas; Barnard, Donald R

2015-12-01

Malaria causes extensive morbidity and mortality in humans and results in significant economic losses in India. The distribution of immature malaria-transmitting Anopheles mosquitoes was studied in 17 villages in Coimbatore District as a prelude to the development and implementation of vector control strategies that are intended to reduce the risk of human exposure to potentially infectious mosquitoes. Eight Anopheles species were recorded. The most numerous species were Anopheles vagus, Anopheles subpictus, and Anopheles hyrcanus. The location of mosquito development sites and the density of larvae in each village was evaluated for correlation with selected demographic, biologic, and land use parameters using remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) technology. We found the number of mosquito development sites in a village and the density of larvae in such sites to be positively correlated with human population density but not the surface area (km(2)) of the village. The number of mosquito development sites and the density of larvae in each site were not correlated. Data from this study are being used to construct a GIS-based mapping system that will enable the location of aquatic habitats with Anopheles larvae in the Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu, India as target sites for the application of vector control. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Measurement of cosmic muon angular distribution and vertical integrated flux by 2 m × 2 m RPC stack at IICHEP-Madurai

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

Pethuraj, S.; Datar, V.M.; Majumder, G.

2017-09-01

The 50 kton INO-ICAL is a proposed underground high energy physics experiment at Theni, India (9{sup o}57' N , 77{sup o}16' E ) to study the neutrino oscillation parameters using atmospheric neutrinos. The Resistive Plate Chamber (RPC) has been chosen as the active detector element for the ICAL detector. An experimental setup consisting of 12 layers of glass RPCs of size 2 m × 2 m has been built at IICHEP, Madurai to study the long term stability and performance of RPCs which are produced on a large scale in Indian industry. In this paper, the studies on the performancemore » of RPCs are presented along with the angular distribution of muons at Madurai (9{sup o}56' N ,78{sup o}00' E and Altitude ≈ 160 m from sea level).« less

Measles transmission following the tsunami in a population with a high one-dose vaccination coverage, Tamil Nadu, India 2004–2005

PubMed Central

Mohan, Arumugam; Murhekar, Manoj V; Wairgkar, Niteen S; Hutin, Yvan J; Gupte, Mohan D

2006-01-01

Background On 26 December 2004, a tsunami struck the coast of the state of Tamil Nadu, India, where one-dose measles coverage exceeded 95%. On 29 December, supplemental measles immunization activities targeted children 6 to 60 months of age in affected villages. On 30 December, Cuddalore, a tsunami-affected district in Tamil Nadu reported a cluster of measles cases. We investigated this cluster to estimate the magnitude of the problem and to propose recommendations for control. Methods We received notification of WHO-defined measles cases through stimulated passive surveillance. We collected information regarding date of onset, age, sex, vaccination status and residence. We collected samples for IgM antibodies and genotype studies. We modeled the accumulation of susceptible individuals over the time on the basis of vaccination coverage, vaccine efficacy and birth rate. Results We identified 101 measles cases and detected IgM antibodies against measles virus in eight of 11 sera. Cases were reported from tsunami-affected (n = 71) and unaffected villages (n = 30) with attack rates of 1.3 and 1.7 per 1000, respectively. 42% of cases in tsunami-affected villages had an onset date within 14 days of the tsunami. The median ages of case-patients in tsunami-affected and un-affected areas were 54 months and 60 months respectively (p = 0.471). 36% of cases from tsunami-affected areas were above 60 months of age. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that the sequences of virus belonged to genotype D8 that circulated in Tamil Nadu. Conclusion Measles virus circulated in Cuddalore district following the tsunami, although there was no association between the two events. Transmission despite high one-dose vaccination coverage pointed to the limitations of this vaccination strategy. A second opportunity for measles immunization may help reducing measles mortality and morbidity in such areas. Children from 6 month to 14 years of age must be targeted for supplemental immunization during complex emergencies. PMID:16984629

Measles transmission following the tsunami in a population with a high one-dose vaccination coverage, Tamil Nadu, India 2004-2005.

PubMed

Mohan, Arumugam; Murhekar, Manoj V; Wairgkar, Niteen S; Hutin, Yvan J; Gupte, Mohan D

2006-09-19

On 26 December 2004, a tsunami struck the coast of the state of Tamil Nadu, India, where one-dose measles coverage exceeded 95%. On 29 December, supplemental measles immunization activities targeted children 6 to 60 months of age in affected villages. On 30 December, Cuddalore, a tsunami-affected district in Tamil Nadu reported a cluster of measles cases. We investigated this cluster to estimate the magnitude of the problem and to propose recommendations for control. We received notification of WHO-defined measles cases through stimulated passive surveillance. We collected information regarding date of onset, age, sex, vaccination status and residence. We collected samples for IgM antibodies and genotype studies. We modeled the accumulation of susceptible individuals over the time on the basis of vaccination coverage, vaccine efficacy and birth rate. We identified 101 measles cases and detected IgM antibodies against measles virus in eight of 11 sera. Cases were reported from tsunami-affected (n = 71) and unaffected villages (n = 30) with attack rates of 1.3 and 1.7 per 1000, respectively. 42% of cases in tsunami-affected villages had an onset date within 14 days of the tsunami. The median ages of case-patients in tsunami-affected and un-affected areas were 54 months and 60 months respectively (p = 0.471). 36% of cases from tsunami-affected areas were above 60 months of age. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that the sequences of virus belonged to genotype D8 that circulated in Tamil Nadu. Measles virus circulated in Cuddalore district following the tsunami, although there was no association between the two events. Transmission despite high one-dose vaccination coverage pointed to the limitations of this vaccination strategy. A second opportunity for measles immunization may help reducing measles mortality and morbidity in such areas. Children from 6 month to 14 years of age must be targeted for supplemental immunization during complex emergencies.

Groundwater resource exploration in Salem district, Tamil Nadu using GIS and remote sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maheswaran, G.; Selvarani, A. Geetha; Elangovan, K.

2016-03-01

Since last decade, the value per barrel of potable groundwater has outpaced the value of a barrel of oil in many areas of the world. Hence, proper assessment of groundwater potential and management practices are the needs of the day. Establishing relationship between remote sensing data and hydrologic phenomenon can maximize the efficiency of water resources development projects. Present study focuses on groundwater potential assessment in Salem district, Tamil Nadu to investigate groundwater resource potential. At the same, all thematic layers important from ground water occurrence and movement point of view were digitized and integrated in the GIS environment. The weights of different parameters/themes were computed using weighed index overlay analysis (WIOA), analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy logic technique. Through this integrated GIS analysis, groundwater prospect map of the study area was prepared qualitatively. Field verification at observation wells was used to verify identified potential zones and depth of water measured at observation wells. Generated map from weighed overlay using AHP performed very well in predicting the groundwater surface and hence this methodology proves to be a promising tool for future.

Lithological mapping of Kanjamalai hill using hyperspectral remote sensing tools in Salem district, Tamil Nadu, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arulbalaji, Palanisamy; Balasubramanian, Gurugnanam

2017-07-01

This study uses advanced spaceborne thermal emission and reflection radiometer (ASTER) hyperspectral remote sensing techniques to discriminate rock types composing Kanjamalai hill located in the Salem district of Tamil Nadu, India. Kanjamalai hill is of particular interest because it contains economically viable iron ore deposits. ASTER hyperspectral data were subjected to principal component analysis (PCA), independent component analysis (ICA), and minimum noise fraction (MNF) to improve identification of lithologies remotely and to compare these digital data results with published geologic maps. Hyperspectral remote sensing analysis indicates that PCA (R∶G∶B=2∶1∶3), MNF (R∶G∶B=3∶2∶1), and ICA (R∶G∶B=1∶3∶2) provide the best band combination for effective discrimination of lithological rock types composing Kanjamalai hill. The remote sensing-derived lithological map compares favorably with a published geological map from Geological Survey of India and has been verified with ground truth field investigations. Therefore, ASTER data-based lithological mapping provides fast, cost-effective, and accurate geologic data useful for lithological discrimination and identification of ore deposits.

Predictors of maternal health services utilization by poor, rural women: a comparative study in Indian States of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Vora, Kranti Suresh; Koblinsky, Sally A; Koblinsky, Marge A

2015-07-31

India leads all nations in numbers of maternal deaths, with poor, rural women contributing disproportionately to the high maternal mortality ratio. In 2005, India launched the world's largest conditional cash transfer scheme, Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), to increase poor women's access to institutional delivery, anticipating that facility-based birthing would decrease deaths. Indian states have taken different approaches to implementing JSY. Tamil Nadu adopted JSY with a reorganization of its public health system, and Gujarat augmented JSY with the state-funded Chiranjeevi Yojana (CY) scheme, contracting with private physicians for delivery services. Given scarce evidence of the outcomes of these approaches, especially in states with more optimal health indicators, this cross-sectional study examined the role of JSY/CY and other healthcare system and social factors in predicting poor, rural women's use of maternal health services in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. Using the District Level Household Survey (DLHS)-3, the sample included 1584 Gujarati and 601 Tamil rural women in the lowest two wealth quintiles. Multivariate logistic regression analyses examined associations between JSY/CY and other salient health system, socio-demographic, and obstetric factors with three outcomes: adequate antenatal care, institutional delivery, and Cesarean-section. Tamil women reported greater use of maternal healthcare services than Gujarati women. JSY/CY participation predicted institutional delivery in Gujarat (AOR = 3.9), but JSY assistance failed to predict institutional delivery in Tamil Nadu, where mothers received some cash for home births under another scheme. JSY/CY assistance failed to predict adequate antenatal care, which was not incentivized. All-weather road access predicted institutional delivery in both Tamil Nadu (AOR = 3.4) and Gujarat (AOR = 1.4). Women's education predicted institutional delivery and Cesarean-section in Tamil Nadu, while husbands' education predicted institutional delivery in Gujarat. Overall, assistance from health financing schemes, good road access to health facilities, and socio-demographic and obstetric factors were associated with differential use of maternity health services by poor, rural women in the two states. Policymakers and practitioners should promote financing schemes to increase access, including consideration of incentives for antenatal care, and address health system and social factors in designing state-level interventions to promote safe motherhood.

Satellite based remote sensing technique as a tool for real time monitoring of leaf retention in natural rubber plantations affected by abnormal leaf fall disease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pradeep, B.; Meti, S.; James, J.

2014-11-01

Most parts of the traditional natural rubber growing regions of India, extending from Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu in the South to Kasaragod district of Kerala in the North received excess and prolonged rains during 2013. This led to severe incidence of Abnormal Leaf Fall (ALF) disease caused by the fungus, Phytophthora sp. The present study demonstrated the first time use of satellite remote sensing technique to monitor ALF disease by estimating Leaf Area Index (LAI) in natural rubber holdings in near real time. Leaf retention was monitored in between April and December 2012 and 2013 by estimating LAI using MODIS 15A2 product covering rubber holdings spread across all districts in the traditional rubber growing region of the country that was mapped using Resourcesat LISS III 2012 and 2013 data. It was found that as the monsoon advanced, LAI decreased substantially in both years, but the reduction was much more substantial and prolonged in many districts during 2013 than 2012 reflecting increased leaf fall due to ALF disease in 2013. The decline was more pronounced in central and northern Kerala than in the South. Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu is generally known to be free from ALF disease, but there was considerable leaf loss due to ALF in June 2012 and June and July 2013 even as the monsoon was unusually severe in 2013. Weighted mean LAI during for the entire period of April to December was estimated as a weighted average of LAI and per cent of total area under rubber in each district in the study area for the two years. This was markedly less in 2013 than 2012. The implications of poor leaf retention for biomass production (net primary productivity), carbon sequestration and rubber yield are discussed.

Empowerment of Fisher Women of Siluvaipatti Fishing Village of Tuticorin, Southeast Coast of India through Adult Education and ICT Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patterson, Jamila; Linden, Eva; Bierbrier, Christin; Lofgren, Inger; Wilhelmsson, Dan; Edward, J. K. Patterson

2008-01-01

This paper focuses on adult education and information and communication technologies (ICT) training to fisherwomen of Siluvaipatti fishing village in Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu State, southeastern India. The total families in this village are 209 with population 899 (Male: 442; Female: 457). The education level is generally good in…

Evaluation of water quality and hydrogeochemistry of surface and groundwater, Tiruvallur District, Tamil Nadu, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishna Kumar, S.; Hari Babu, S.; Eswar Rao, P.; Selvakumar, S.; Thivya, C.; Muralidharan, S.; Jeyabal, G.

2017-09-01

Water quality of Tiruvallur Taluk of Tiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu, India has been analysed to assess its suitability in relation to domestic and agricultural uses. Thirty water samples, including 8 surface water (S), 22 groundwater samples [15 shallow ground waters (SW) and 7 deep ground waters (DW)], were collected to assess the various physico-chemical parameters such as Temperature, pH, Electrical conductivity (EC), Total dissolved solids (TDS), cations (Ca, Mg, Na, K), anions (CO3, HCO3, Cl, SO4, NO3, PO4) and trace elements (Fe, Mn, Zn). Various irrigation water quality diagrams and parameters such as United states salinity laboratory (USSL), Wilcox, sodium absorption ratio (SAR), sodium percentage (Na %), Residual sodium carbonate (RSC), Residual Sodium Bicarbonate (RSBC) and Kelley's ratio revealed that most of the water samples are suitable for irrigation. Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) values suggest that the water is slightly corrosive and non-scale forming in nature. Gibbs plot suggests that the study area is dominated by evaporation and rock-water dominance process. Piper plot indicates the chemical composition of water, chiefly controlled by dissolution and mixing of irrigation return flow.

Attitudes and Health Behavior of Lawyers in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

PubMed Central

Barani, G.; Sabapathy, Pavithra

2015-01-01

The aim of the study is to evaluate the differences in the behavior and attitudes of male and female lawyers regarding their lifestyles and health habits. Lawyers were randomly chosen. Data was obtained through a structured questionnaire distributed among the lawyers of Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu. Lawyers are found to have unfavorable health practices related to use of tobacco and alcohol, exercise, diet, sleeping habits, and stress. This resulted in obesity, depression, and blood pressure. Many lawyers reported use of alcohol regularly, even as often as every day, and nearly half of them smoked. Many of the lawyers had poor feeding habit of skipping meals and eating snacks as breakfast. Most lawyers considered stressful situations to be unavoidable. Thus identifying individual lawyers with poor health behaviors and providing medical help are essential. PMID:26258166

Comparative Evaluation of Dental and Skeletal Fluorosis in an Endemic Fluorosed District, Salem, Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Ramesh, Maya; Malathi, N; Ramesh, K; Aruna, Rita Mary; Kuruvilla, Sarah

2017-11-01

High levels of fluoride in the drinking water, especially ground water, results in skeletal fluorosis which involves the bone and major joints. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of skeletal fluorosis to compare with dental fluorosis in an endemically fluorosed population in the District of Salem, Tamil Nadu. Institutional ethical clearance was obtained. A total of 206 patients who reported to the Department of Hematology for blood investigations were the participants in this study. Age, sex, place, weight, height, dental fluorosis, and skeletal complaints were noted down. Body mass index was calculated, and statistical analysis was performed. Dental fluorosis was present in 63.1% and absent in 36.9% of the samples reported. Skeletal fluorosis was present in 24.8% and was absent in 75.2%. A large number of the patients had knee pain and difficulty in bending. Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. Skeletal fluorosis and age were compared and P value was 0.00 and was significant. Dental fluorosis and skeletal fluorosis were compared and P value was found to be 0.000 and significant. There is a need to take measures to prevent dental and skeletal fluorosis among the residents of Salem district. Calcium balance should be maintained, and fluoride intake should be minimized to reduce the symptoms. The government should provide water with low fluoride level for drinking and cooking. Once the symptoms develop, treatment largely remains symptomatic, using analgesics and physiotherapy.

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.

Outcome of in-the-bag implanted square-edge polymethyl methacrylate intraocular lenses with and without primary posterior capsulotomy in pediatric traumatic cataract

PubMed Central

Verma, Neelam; Ram, Jagat; Sukhija, Jaspreet; Pandav, Surinder S.; Gupta, Amit

2011-01-01

Purpose: To study the outcome of in-the-bag implanted square-edge polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) intraocular lenses (IOL) with and without primary posterior capsulotomy in pediatric traumatic cataract. Materials and Methods: The study was undertaken in a tertiary care center. Thirty eyes of 30 children ranging in age from 4 to 16 years with traumatic cataract which underwent cataract extraction with capsular bag implantation of IOL were prospectively evaluated. Group A included 15 eyes of 15 children where primary posterior capsulotomy (PPC) and anterior vitrectomy with capsular bag implantation of square-edge PMMA IOL (Aurolab SQ3602, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India) was performed. Group B comprised 15 eyes of 15 children in which the posterior capsule was left intact. Postoperative visual acuity, visual axis opacification (VAO) and possible complications were analyzed. Results: Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 20/40 or better was achieved in 12 of 15 eyes in both groups. Amblyopia was the cause of no improvement in visual acuity in the remaining eyes. Visual axis opacification was significantly high in Group B as compared to Group A (P=0.001). Postoperative fibrinous uveitis occurred in most of the eyes in both groups. Pupillary capture was observed in one eye in each group. Conclusion: Primary posterior capsulotomy and anterior vitrectomy with capsular bag implantation of square-edge PMMA significantly helps to maintain a clear visual axis in children with traumatic cataract. PMID:21836338

Petrology and physical conditions of metamorphism of calcsilicate rocks from low- to high-grade transition area, Dharmapuri District, Tamil Nadu

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Narayana, B. L.; Natarajan, R.; Govil, P. K.

1988-01-01

Calc-silicate rocks comprising quartz, plagioclase, diopside, sphene, scapolite, grossularite-andradite and wollastonite occur as lensoid enclaves within the greasy migmatitic and charnockitic gneisses of the Archaean amphibolite- to granulite-facies transition zone in Dharmapuri district, Tamil Nadu. The calc-silicate rocks are characterized by the absence of K-feldspar and primary calcite, presence of large modal quartz and plagioclase and formation of secondary garnet and zoisite rims around scapolite and wollastonite. The mineral distributions suggest compositional layering. The chemical composition and mineralogy of the calc-silicate rocks indicate that they were derived from impure silica-rich calcareous sediments whose composition is similar to that of pelite-limestone mixtures. From the mineral assemblages the temperature, pressure and fluid composition during metamorphism were estimated. The observed mineral reaction sequences require a range of X sub CO2 values demonstrating that an initially CO2-rich metamorphic fluid evolved with time towards considerably more H2O-rich compositions. These variations in fluid composition suggest that there were sources of water-rich fluids external to the calc-silicate rocks and that mixing of these fluids with those of calc-silicate rocks was important in controlling fluid composition in calc-silicate rocks and some adjacent rock types as well.

Budgeting of major nutrients and the mitigation options for nutrient mining in semi-arid tropical agro-ecosystem of Tamil Nadu, India using NUTMON model.

PubMed

Surendran, U; Rama Subramoniam, S; Raja, P; Kumar, V; Murugappan, V

2016-04-01

Mining of nutrients from soil is a major problem in developing countries causing soil degradation and threaten long-term food production. The present study attempts to apply NUTrient MONitoring (NUTMON) model for carrying out nutrient budgeting to assess the stocks and flows of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) in defined geographical unit based on the inputs, viz., mineral fertilizers, manures, atmospheric deposition, and sedimentation, and outputs, viz., harvested crop produces, residues, leaching, denitrification, and erosion losses. The study area covers Coimbatore and Erode Districts, which are potential agricultural areas in western agro-ecological zone of Tamil Nadu, India. The calculated nutrient balances for both the districts at district scale, using NUTMON methodology, were negative for nitrogen (N -3.3 and -10.1 kg ha(-1)) and potassium (K -58.6 and -9.8 kg ha(-1)) and positive for phosphorus (P +14.5 and 20.5 kg ha(-1)). Soil nutrient pool has to adjust the negative balance of N and K; there will be an expected mining of nutrient from the soil reserve. A strategy was attempted for deriving the fertilizer recommendation using Decision Support System for Integrated Fertilizer Recommendation (DSSIFER) to offset the mining in selected farms. The results showed that when DSSIFER recommended fertilizers are applied to crops, the nutrient balance was positive. NUTMON-Toolbox with DSSIFER would serve the purpose on enhancing soil fertility, productivity, and sustainability. The management options to mitigate nutrient mining with an integrated system approach are also discussed.

Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy and its Associated Factors in a Rural Area of Villupuram District of Tamil Nadu, India

PubMed Central

Nadarajan, Balasubramanian; Krishna, Ramesh Babu; Lakshminarayanan, Subitha

2017-01-01

Introduction There is limited information on prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) among diabetic subjects and its associated factors in a rural setting in developing countries including India. The information will be useful for initiating early screening strategies for this group in the community. Aim To assess the prevalence and certain associated factors of DR among diabetic subjects in a rural area of Tamil Nadu, India. Materials and Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among 105 Type 2 diabetic subjects in Pakkam and Mandagapattu sub-center area of Kondur Primary Health Center in Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu, India. Data on associated factors which include sociodemographic factors, duration of disease, family history, and frequency of blood test, treatment regularity, hypertension, visual acuity and cataract were collected. Detailed eye examination including visual acuity, direct ophthalmoscope and Non Mydriatic Fundus Camera was done. Data was analysed by univariate analysis and described in proportion or percentages. Results The mean age of the study population was 56.69 years. About 47 (44.8%) of the subjects were more than 60 years of age followed by 44 subjects (41.9%) in age group 45-59 years. Fundus examination in at least one eye was seen in 83 people (79.0%). Prevalence of DR in any eye and both the eye was 32.53% (27/83) and 31.58% (24/76) respectively. Severity of DR was moderate (51.9%) followed by mild (44.4%) and severe (3.7%). DR prevalence was more among >60 years age group (p=0.032) and lesser education level (p=0.057). There was no association of DR with duration of disease, family history of diabetes, treatment regularity, presence of hypertension, visual acuity and cataract (p>0.05) Conclusion The prevalence of DR was inferred to be high and further larger follow up studies will explore the role of associated factors and its quantification in the causation of DR. PMID:28892938

Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy and its Associated Factors in a Rural Area of Villupuram District of Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Nadarajan, Balasubramanian; Saya, Ganesh Kumar; Krishna, Ramesh Babu; Lakshminarayanan, Subitha

2017-07-01

There is limited information on prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) among diabetic subjects and its associated factors in a rural setting in developing countries including India. The information will be useful for initiating early screening strategies for this group in the community. To assess the prevalence and certain associated factors of DR among diabetic subjects in a rural area of Tamil Nadu, India. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 105 Type 2 diabetic subjects in Pakkam and Mandagapattu sub-center area of Kondur Primary Health Center in Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu, India. Data on associated factors which include sociodemographic factors, duration of disease, family history, and frequency of blood test, treatment regularity, hypertension, visual acuity and cataract were collected. Detailed eye examination including visual acuity, direct ophthalmoscope and Non Mydriatic Fundus Camera was done. Data was analysed by univariate analysis and described in proportion or percentages. The mean age of the study population was 56.69 years. About 47 (44.8%) of the subjects were more than 60 years of age followed by 44 subjects (41.9%) in age group 45-59 years. Fundus examination in at least one eye was seen in 83 people (79.0%). Prevalence of DR in any eye and both the eye was 32.53% (27/83) and 31.58% (24/76) respectively. Severity of DR was moderate (51.9%) followed by mild (44.4%) and severe (3.7%). DR prevalence was more among >60 years age group (p=0.032) and lesser education level (p=0.057). There was no association of DR with duration of disease, family history of diabetes, treatment regularity, presence of hypertension, visual acuity and cataract (p>0.05). The prevalence of DR was inferred to be high and further larger follow up studies will explore the role of associated factors and its quantification in the causation of DR.

Dermatophilus congolensis infection in sheep and goats in Delta region of Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Chitra, M Ananda; Jayalakshmi, K; Ponnusamy, P; Manickam, R; Ronald, B S M

2017-11-01

The study was conducted to isolate and identify Dermatophilus congolensis (DC) using conventional and molecular diagnostic techniques in scab materials collected from skin infections of sheep and goats in the Delta region of Tamil Nadu. A total of 20 scab samples collected from 18 goats and 2 sheep from Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, and Tiruvarur districts of Tamil Nadu. Smears were made from softened scab materials and stained by either Gram's or Giemsa staining. Isolation was attempted on blood agar plates, and colonies were stained by Gram's staining for morphological identification. Identification was also done by biochemical tests and confirmed by 16S rRNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR), followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the amplified product. The peculiar laddering arrangement of coccoid forms in stained smears prepared from scab materials revealed the presence of DC. Isolated colonies from scab materials of sheep and goats on bovine blood agar plate were small, hemolytic, rough, adherent, and bright orange-yellow in color, but some colonies were white to cream color. Gram-staining of cultured organisms revealed Gram-positive branching filaments with various disintegration stages of organisms. 16S rRNA PCR yielded 500 bp amplicon specific for DC. Sequence analysis of a sheep DC isolate showed 99-100% sequence homology with other DC isolates available in NCBI database, and phylogenetic tree showed a close cluster with DC isolates of Congo, Nigeria, and Angola of Africa. Genes for virulence factors such as serine protease and alkaline ceramidase could not be detected by PCR in any of the DC strains isolated of this study. The presence of dermatophilosis in Tamil Nadu was established from this study.

Dermatophilus congolensis infection in sheep and goats in Delta region of Tamil Nadu

PubMed Central

Chitra, M. Ananda; Jayalakshmi, K.; Ponnusamy, P.; Manickam, R.; Ronald, B. S. M.

2017-01-01

Aim: The study was conducted to isolate and identify Dermatophilus congolensis (DC) using conventional and molecular diagnostic techniques in scab materials collected from skin infections of sheep and goats in the Delta region of Tamil Nadu. Materials and Methods: A total of 20 scab samples collected from 18 goats and 2 sheep from Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, and Tiruvarur districts of Tamil Nadu. Smears were made from softened scab materials and stained by either Gram’s or Giemsa staining. Isolation was attempted on blood agar plates, and colonies were stained by Gram’s staining for morphological identification. Identification was also done by biochemical tests and confirmed by 16S rRNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR), followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the amplified product. Results: The peculiar laddering arrangement of coccoid forms in stained smears prepared from scab materials revealed the presence of DC. Isolated colonies from scab materials of sheep and goats on bovine blood agar plate were small, hemolytic, rough, adherent, and bright orange-yellow in color, but some colonies were white to cream color. Gram-staining of cultured organisms revealed Gram-positive branching filaments with various disintegration stages of organisms. 16S rRNA PCR yielded 500 bp amplicon specific for DC. Sequence analysis of a sheep DC isolate showed 99-100% sequence homology with other DC isolates available in NCBI database, and phylogenetic tree showed a close cluster with DC isolates of Congo, Nigeria, and Angola of Africa. Genes for virulence factors such as serine protease and alkaline ceramidase could not be detected by PCR in any of the DC strains isolated of this study. Conclusion: The presence of dermatophilosis in Tamil Nadu was established from this study. PMID:29263591

Social capital, trust in health information, and acceptance of Measles-Rubella vaccination campaign in Tamil Nadu: A case-control study.

PubMed

Palanisamy, B; Gopichandran, V; Kosalram, K

2018-06-18

Parents' decision about vaccination of children is influenced by social relationships and sources of information. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of social capital and trust in health information on the status of Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign in Tamil Nadu. This was a case-control study carried out in Kancheepuram district in Tamil Nadu where the MR vaccination campaign offered by Government of Tamil Nadu had poor acceptance. Cases were parents of children who had refused the MR vaccine and controls were parents having children in the same age group who had accepted the vaccine. Data on social capital and trust in health information were collected by using social capital scale developed by the researchers and trust in the source of information was measured by using simple questions on the level of trust in the information source. Nonadministration of MR vaccine was high among young parents and parents of younger children. Vaccine acceptance was higher when it was offered at school (P < 0.000) and also among parents who trusted school teachers (P < 0.003) and other school children (P < 0.014) as source of information. MR vaccine acceptance was less among parents who trusted social media and WhatsApp information. Greater levels of health-related physical social capital led to greater vaccine hesitancy. Multivariate analysis revealed that greater the age of the child, better parental attitudes toward vaccination, poorer health-related physical social capital, and greater trust in health information provided by school teachers led to overall greater acceptance of the MR vaccine. Strong homogeneous bonding social capital had a negative influence on MR vaccine acceptance. Schools and school teachers played a vital role in influencing parental decision to vaccinate.

Prevalence and magnitude of acidosis sequelae to rice-based feeding regimen followed in Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Murugeswari, Rathinam; Valli, Chinnamani; Karunakaran, Raman; Leela, Venkatasubramanian; Pandian, Amaresan Serma Saravana

2018-04-01

In Tamil Nadu, a southern state of India, rice is readily available at a low cost, hence, is cooked (cooking akin to human consumption) and fed irrationally to cross-bred dairy cattle with poor productivity. Hence, a study was carried out with the objective to examine the prevalence of acidosis sequelae to rice-based feeding regimen and assess its magnitude. A survey was conducted in all the 32 districts of Tamil Nadu, by randomly selecting two blocks per districts and from each block five villages were randomly selected. From each of the selected village, 10 dairy farmers belonging to the unorganized sector, owning one or two cross-bred dairy cows in early and mid-lactation were randomly selected so that a sample size of 100 farmers per district was maintained. The feeding regimen, milk yield was recorded, and occurrence of acidosis and incidence of laminitis were ascertained by the veterinarian with the confirmative test to determine the impact of feeding cooked rice to cows. It is observed that 71.5% of farmers in unorganized sector feed cooked rice to their cattle. The incidence of acidosis progressively increased significantly (p<0.05) from 29.00% in cows fed with 0.5 kg of cooked rice to 69.23% in cows fed with more than 2.5 kg of cooked rice. However, the incidence of acidosis remained significantly (p<0.05) as low as 9.9% in cows fed feeding regimen without cooked rice which is suggestive of a correlation between excessive feeding cooked rice and onset of acidosis. Further, the noticeable difference in the incidence of acidosis observed between feeding cooked rice and those fed without rice and limited intake of oil cake indicates that there is a mismatch between energy and protein supply to these cattle. Among cooked rice-based diet, the incidence of laminitis increased progressively (p<0.05) from 9.2% to 37.9% with the increase in the quantum of cooked rice in the diet. The study points out the importance of protein supplementation in rice-based feeding regimen to set right the mismatched supply between nitrogen and fermentable organic matter in the rumen. This research has practical implications for animal health, welfare, nutrition, and management.

Prevalence and magnitude of acidosis sequelae to rice-based feeding regimen followed in Tamil Nadu, India

PubMed Central

Murugeswari, Rathinam; Valli, Chinnamani; Karunakaran, Raman; Leela, Venkatasubramanian; Pandian, Amaresan Serma Saravana

2018-01-01

Background and Aim In Tamil Nadu, a southern state of India, rice is readily available at a low cost, hence, is cooked (cooking akin to human consumption) and fed irrationally to cross-bred dairy cattle with poor productivity. Hence, a study was carried out with the objective to examine the prevalence of acidosis sequelae to rice-based feeding regimen and assess its magnitude. Materials and Methods A survey was conducted in all the 32 districts of Tamil Nadu, by randomly selecting two blocks per districts and from each block five villages were randomly selected. From each of the selected village, 10 dairy farmers belonging to the unorganized sector, owning one or two cross-bred dairy cows in early and mid-lactation were randomly selected so that a sample size of 100 farmers per district was maintained. The feeding regimen, milk yield was recorded, and occurrence of acidosis and incidence of laminitis were ascertained by the veterinarian with the confirmative test to determine the impact of feeding cooked rice to cows. Results It is observed that 71.5% of farmers in unorganized sector feed cooked rice to their cattle. The incidence of acidosis progressively increased significantly (p<0.05) from 29.00% in cows fed with 0.5 kg of cooked rice to 69.23% in cows fed with more than 2.5 kg of cooked rice. However, the incidence of acidosis remained significantly (p<0.05) as low as 9.9% in cows fed feeding regimen without cooked rice which is suggestive of a correlation between excessive feeding cooked rice and onset of acidosis. Further, the noticeable difference in the incidence of acidosis observed between feeding cooked rice and those fed without rice and limited intake of oil cake indicates that there is a mismatch between energy and protein supply to these cattle. Among cooked rice-based diet, the incidence of laminitis increased progressively (p<0.05) from 9.2% to 37.9% with the increase in the quantum of cooked rice in the diet. Conclusion The study points out the importance of protein supplementation in rice-based feeding regimen to set right the mismatched supply between nitrogen and fermentable organic matter in the rumen. This research has practical implications for animal health, welfare, nutrition, and management PMID:29805211

Prevalence of osteoarthritis of knee joint among adult population in a rural area of Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Venkatachalam, Jayaseelan; Natesan, Murugan; Eswaran, Muthurajesh; Johnson, Abel K Samuel; Bharath, V; Singh, Zile

2018-01-01

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common degenerative disorders among the elderly population; although aging is the most important cause, research has shown that it is a complex disease with many etiologies. It is not an inevitable part of aging but rather the result of a combination of factors, many of which can be modified or prevented. The objective of this study was to assess the burden and determinants of OA knee among the adult population. A community-based, cross-sectional study among 1986 adult persons living in a rural area in Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu, South India, was interviewed and examined from January 2014 to December 2014. Data collection was done by the postgraduates, trained health workers under the supervision of principal investigator. Written and informed consent was obtained before data collection. OA was diagnosed using the criteria laid down by the American College of Rheumatology, and it was validated and tested in the study area. A total of 1986 adult respondents were interviewed out of which 27.1% had OA of knee. Age more than 50 years, female gender, tobacco usage, illiteracy, lower socioeconomic class, positive family history of OA, diabetes, and hypertension were found to be associated with OA knee (P < 0.05). The burden of osteoarthritis knee was high in this region. Hence, effective preventive strategy has to be taken to minimize this burden.

Microbial diversity in firework chemical exposed soil and water samples collected in Virudhunagar district, Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Dhasarathan, P; Theriappan, P; Ashokraja, C

2010-03-01

Microbial diversity of soil and water samples collected from pyrochemicals exposed areas of Virdhunagar district (Tamil Nadu, India) was studied. Soil and water samples from cultivable area, waste land and city area of the same region were also studied for a comparative acount. There is a remarkable reduction in total heterotrophic bacterial population (THB) in pyrochemicals exposed soil and water samples (42 × 10(4) CFU/g and 5.6 × 10(4) CFU/ml respectively), compared to the THB of cultivable area soil and water samples (98 × 10(7) CFU/g and 38.6 × 10(7) CFU/ml). The generic composition the THB of the pyrochemicals exposed samples too exhibited considerable change compared to other samples. Pseudomonas sp. was the predominant one (41.6%) followed by Achromobacter sp. (25%) in pyrochemical exposed soil and Pseudomonas sp. was the predominant one (25%) in pyrochemical exposed water samples followed by Bacillus sp. (25%) and Micrococcus sp. (16.6%). It was observed that Cornybacterium sp. and Micrococcus sp. were absent completely in pyrochemical exposed soil and Achromobacter sp. was missing in the pyrochemical exposed water samples, which were present in the other samples. The outcome of this study clearly demonstrates that pollutants such as chemicals used in pyrotechniques affect the microbial biodiversity and suitable measures have to be taken to control the pollution level and to save biodiversity.

Hydrogeochemical processes and impact of tanning industries on groundwater quality in Ambur, Vellore district, Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Kanagaraj, G; Elango, L

2016-12-01

The present study was carried out to determine the hydrogeochemical processes and the impact of tanning industries on groundwater in Ambur, Vellore district, Tamil Nadu, India. Thirty groundwater samples were collected during pre monsoon (July 2015) and post monsoon (January 2016) from the open and shallow wells around this region and were analyzed for major ions and chromium. The major ion concentration follows the order of Na + > Ca 2+ > Mg 2+ > K + (cations) and Cl - > HCO 3 - > SO 4 2- > NO 3 - (anions) for both seasons. The high concentrations of Na + , Cl - , and Cr around the tannery regions indicate the impact of effluent discharged from tannery units. In general, the groundwater of this study area is of Na + -Cl - type, which is due to the mixing of tannery effluent and cation exchange process. Ionic ratio indicates that the silicate weathering influences the groundwater chemistry. The permissible limit of chromium in the groundwater exceeds in over 50 % of the sampling wells. The factor analysis reveals that the dominant source for ionic contents is due to tannery effluents and cation exchange processes. To overcome this situation, it is essential to improve the performance of the effluent treatment plants so as to remove the salinity of wastewater and to plan for rainfall recharge structures for improving the groundwater recharge.

Groundwater quality assessment using geospatial and statistical tools in Salem District, Tamil Nadu, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arulbalaji, P.; Gurugnanam, B.

2017-10-01

The water quality study of Salem district, Tamil Nadu has been carried out to assess the water quality for domestic and irrigation purposes. For this purpose, 59 groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), major anions (HCO3 -, CO3 -, F-, Cl-, NO2 - + NO3 -, and SO4 2-), major cations (Ca2+ Mg2+, Na+, and K+), alkalinity (ALK), and hardness (HAR). To assess the water quality, the following chemical parameters were calculated based on the analytical results, such as Piper plot, water quality index (WQI), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), magnesium hazard (MH), Kelly index (KI), and residual sodium carbonate (RSC). Wilcox diagram represents that 23% of the samples are excellent to good, 40% of the samples are good to permissible, 10% of the samples are permissible to doubtful, 24% of the samples are doubtful unsuitable, and only 3% of the samples are unsuitable for irrigation. SAR values shows that 52% of the samples indicate high-to-very high and low-to-medium alkali water. KI values indicate good quality (30%) and not suitable (70%) for irrigation purposes. RSC values indicate that 89% of samples are suitable for irrigation purposes. MH reveals that 17% suitable and 83% samples are not suitable for irrigation purposes and for domestic purposes the excellent (8%), good (48%), and poor (44%). The agricultural waste, fertilizer used, soil leaching, urban runoff, livestock waste, and sewages are the sources of poor water quality. Some samples are not suitable for irrigation purposes due to high salinity, hardness, and magnesium concentration. In general, the groundwater of the Salem district was polluted by agricultural activities, anthropogenic activities, ion exchange, and weathering.

Status of microbial diversity in agroforestry systems in Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Radhakrishnan, Srinivasan; Varadharajan, Mohan

2016-06-01

Soil is a complex and dynamic biological system. Agroforestry systems are considered to be an alternative land use option to help and prevent soil degradation, improve soil fertility, microbial diversity, and organic matter status. An increasing interest has emerged with respect to the importance of microbial diversity in soil habitats. The present study deals with the status of microbial diversity in agroforestry systems in Tamil Nadu. Eight soil samples were collected from different fields in agroforestry systems in Cuddalore, Villupuram, Tiruvanamalai, and Erode districts, Tamil Nadu. The number of microorganisms and physico-chemical parameters of soils were quantified. Among different microbial population, the bacterial population was recorded maximum (64%), followed by actinomycetes (23%) and fungi (13%) in different samples screened. It is interesting to note that the microbial population was positively correlated with the physico-chemical properties of different soil samples screened. Total bacterial count had positive correlation with soil organic carbon (C), moisture content, pH, nitrogen (N), and micronutrients such as Iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn). Similarly, the total actinomycete count also showed positive correlations with bulk density, moisture content, pH, C, N, phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn). It was also noticed that the soil organic matter, vegetation, and soil nutrients altered the microbial community under agroforestry systems. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

"How often? How much? Where from?" knowledge, attitudes, and practices of mothers and health workers to iron supplementation program for children under five in rural Tamil Nadu, south India.

PubMed

Kwon, Hye Jin; Ramasamy, Rajkumar; Morgan, Alison

2014-07-01

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) affects 70% of under-5 children in India. The primary prevention strategy is regular iron supplementation. Little is known about what helps families adhere to daily iron supplementation. Our study explored the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of mothers and village health workers (VHWs) involved in a community health program in one hill district of Tamil Nadu. We conducted 30 semistructured interviews and 3 group discussions involving mothers, VHWs, and community stakeholders. Knowledge of IDA was widespread, yet no children were receiving the iron supplementation as recommended. The main determinants to adherence included the perception of its need, the ease of access, and the activity of VHWs. Preventive care requiring daily supplements is challenging. Our study suggests that increasing community awareness of mild anemia, simplifying dosage instructions, and further strengthening the supportive environment for VHWs would help in reducing the prevalence of IDA. © 2013 APJPH.

Translation and validation of ICIQ-FLUTS for Tamil-speaking women.

PubMed

Ekanayake, Chanil D; Pathmeswaran, Arunasalam; Nishad, A A Nilanga; Samaranayake, Kanishka U; Wijesinghe, Prasantha S

2017-12-01

Research in to lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in women in South Asia is hampered by lack of validated tools. Our aim was to validate the International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire on Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (ICIQ-FLUTS) from English to Tamil. After translation to Tamil, a validation study was carried out among women attending the gynecology clinic at District General Hospital-Mannar. Content validity assessed by the level of missing data was <2%. Construct validity was assessed by the ability of the questionnaire to identify patients with incontinence (n = 45) from controls (n = 93) using the incontinence score [patients = 7.7 standard deviation (SD) = 4.7, controls = 1.4 SD = 2.2, p < 0.001] and those with symptomatic anterior wall prolapse (n = 16) from controls (n = 93) using voiding symptoms score (patients = 4.8 SD = 2.3, controls = 0.3 SD = 0.8, p < 0.001). Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's coefficient alpha score [0.80 (0.77-0.81)]. Test-retest reliability assessed by weighted kappa (κ) ranged from 0.73 to 0.87. Patients with incontinence (n = 30, pretreatment incontinence score = 7.9, SD = 4.9 versus posttreatment incontinence score = 3.3, SD = 3.1) and symptomatic anterior wall prolapse (n = 14, preoperative voiding symptoms score = 4.9 SD = 2.5 versus postoperative voiding symptoms score = 0.9 SD = 1.5) showed an improvement with treatment (Wilcoxon matched--pairs signed-rank test p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively). An incontinence score ≥ 3 (sensitivity = 86.7%, specificity = 78.4%) and a voiding symptoms score ≥ 3 (sensitivity = 87.5%, specificity = 96.2%) detected any form of incontinence and symptomatic anterior wall prolapse, respectively. Tamil translation of ICIQ-FLUTS retained the psychometric properties of the original English questionnaire and will be an invaluable tool to detect LUTS among Tamil-speaking women.

Attitudes towards Literary Tamil and Standard Spoken Tamil in Singapore

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saravanan, Vanithamani

2007-01-01

This is the first empirical study that focused on attitudes towards two varieties of Tamil, Literary Tamil (LT) and Standard Spoken Tamil (SST), with the multilingual state of Singapore as the backdrop. The attitudes of 46 Singapore Tamil teachers towards speakers of LT and SST were investigated using the matched-guise approach along with…

Economic and Disease Burden of Dengue Illness in India

PubMed Central

Shepard, Donald S.; Halasa, Yara A.; Tyagi, Brij Kishore; Adhish, S. Vivek; Nandan, Deoki; Karthiga, K. S.; Chellaswamy, Vidya; Gaba, Mukul; Arora, Narendra K.

2014-01-01

Between 2006 and 2012 India reported an annual average of 20,474 dengue cases. Although dengue has been notifiable since 1996, regional comparisons suggest that reported numbers substantially underrepresent the full impact of the disease. Adjustment for underreporting from a case study in Madurai district and an expert Delphi panel yielded an annual average of 5,778,406 clinically diagnosed dengue cases between 2006 and 2012, or 282 times the reported number per year. The total direct annual medical cost was US$548 million. Ambulatory settings treated 67% of cases representing 18% of costs, whereas 33% of cases were hospitalized, comprising 82% of costs. Eighty percent of expenditures went to private facilities. Including non-medical and indirect costs based on other dengue-endemic countries raises the economic cost to $1.11 billion, or $0.88 per capita. The economic and disease burden of dengue in India is substantially more than captured by officially reported cases, and increased control measures merit serious consideration. PMID:25294616

The Debate over Literary Tamil versus Standard Spoken Tamil: What Do Teachers Say?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saravanan, Vanithamani; Lakshmi, Seetha; Caleon, Imelda S.

2009-01-01

This study aims to determine the attitudes toward Standard Spoken Tamil (SST) and Literary Tamil (LT) of 46 Tamil teachers in Singapore. The teachers' attitudes were used as an indicator of the acceptance or nonacceptance of SST as a viable option in the teaching of Tamil in the classroom, in which the focus has been largely on LT. The…

Assessment of malocclusion severity and orthodontic treatment needs in 12-15-year-old school children of Namakkal District, Tamil Nadu, using Dental Aesthetic Index.

PubMed

Nagalakshmi, S; James, S; Rahila, C; Balachandar, K; Satish, R

2017-01-01

The present study was aimed to assess the severity of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment needs among 12-15-year-old schoolchildren in rural area of Namakkal district, Tamil Nadu, India, using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). A cross-sectional study was conducted among a sample of 1078 schoolchildren (12-15 years of age) who were selected by two-stage cluster sampling technique. Severity of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment needs were assessed according to the DAI using a specially designed survey pro forma with the aid of the WHO's Oral Health Survey: Basic Methods. Based on the distribution of data, analysis of variance and unpaired student t-test were used. Out of the total of 1078 children examined, 528 (49%) were males and 550 (57%) were females. The results indicate that 82.74% of the schoolchildren were found with little or no malocclusion requiring no orthodontic treatment. The gender-wise distribution of DAI score among children aged 12 years had significant difference between males (20.43 ± 3.67) and females (21.62 ± 4.335) (P = 0.015) and children aged 15 years also showed highly significant difference among gender (P = 0.000). Malocclusion not only impacts the appearance of the person but also affects the self-esteem and psychological well-being. This is the first step in understanding the treatment need so that further steps can be taken in preventive and interceptive care.

Biomass yielding potential of naturally regenerated Prosopis juliflora tree stands at three varied ecosystems in southern districts of Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Saraswathi, K; Chandrasekaran, S

2016-05-01

Fuel energy demand is of great concern in recent times due to the depletion of fossil fuel resources. Biomass serves as widely available primary renewable energy source. Hence, a study was performed to assess the above-ground biomass yielding capability of fuel wood tree Prosopis juliflora in three varied ecosystems viz., coastal, fallow land and riparian ecosystems in southern districts of Tamil Nadu. The results showed that the biomass production potential and above-ground net primary productivity of P. juliflora depend on the age of the tree stands and the nature of ecosystem. A higher biomass yield was observed for P. juliflora trees with 5 to 10 years old when compared to less than 5 years of their age. Among the three ecosystems, the maximum biomass production was recorded in riparian ecosystem. The stands with less than 5-year-old P. juliflora trees gave 1.40 t/ha, and 5- to 10-year-old tree stands produced 27.69 t/ha in riparian ecosystem. Above-ground net primary productivity of both the age groups was high in fallow land ecosystem. In riparian ecosystem, the wood showed high density and low sulphur content than the other two ecosystems. Hence, P. juliflora biomass can serve as an environmentally and economically feasible fuel as well as their utilization proffers an effective means to control its invasiveness.

Sexual function in women in rural Tamil Nadu: disease, dysfunction, distress and norms.

PubMed

Viswanathan, Shonima; Prasad, Jasmine; Jacob, K S; Kuruvilla, Anju

2014-01-01

We examined the nature, prevalence and explanatory models of sexual concerns and dysfunction among women in rural Tamil Nadu. Married women between 18 and 65 years of age, from randomly selected villages in Kaniyambadi block, Vellore district, Tamil Nadu, were chosen by stratified sampling technique. Sexual functioning was assessed using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). The modified Short Explanatory Model Interview (SEMI) was used to assess beliefs about sexual concerns and the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) was used to screen for common mental disorders. Sociodemographic variables and other risk factors were also assessed. Most of the women (277; 98.2%) contacted agreed to participate in the study. The prevalence of sexual dysfunction, based on the cut-off score on the FSFI, was 64.3%. However, only a minority of women considered it a problem (4.7%), expressed dissatisfaction (5.8%) or sought medical help (2.5%). The most common explanatory models offered for sexual problems included an unhappy marriage,stress and physical problems. Factors associated with lower FSFI included older age, illiteracy, as well as medical illness and sexual and marital factors such as menopause, poor quality of marital relationship, history of physical abuse and lack of privacy. The diagnosis of female sexual dysfunction needs to be nuanced and based on the broader personal and social context. Our findings argue that there is a need to use models that employ personal, local and contextual standards in assessing complex behaviours such as sexual function. Copyright 2014, NMJI.

Quantitative ethnomedicinal survey of medicinal plants given for cardiometabolic diseases by the non-institutionally trained siddha practitioners of Tiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Esakkimuthu, S; Mutheeswaran, S; Arvinth, S; Paulraj, M Gabriel; Pandikumar, P; Ignacimuthu, S

2016-06-20

The burden of cardiometabolic diseases such as dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, hypertension, visceral obesity and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases and the use of traditional medicine for the management of such diseases are high in India; hence there is a need to document and analyze such therapies. This study documented and analyzed the medicinal plants prescribed for cardiometabolic diseases by the non-institutionally trained siddha practitioners of Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu, India. The field survey was conducted between December 2014 to November 2015. Successive free listing assisted with field-walks was used to interview the informants. After assessing the sampling sufficiency using rarefaction curve analysis, indices such as Informant Consensus Factor (Fic) and Index of Agreement on Remedies (IAR) were calculated for the data. The indicators of informant's medicinal plant knowledge such as Shannon's index, equitability index, etc., were regressed with the demographic profile of the informants. For this study 70 non-institutionally trained Siddha medical practitioners were approached; the data from 36 practitioners who were treating cardiometabolic diseases were documented. This study recorded the use of 188 species which were used to prepare 368 formulations to treat illnesses categorized under cardiometabolic diseases. In this, 53.04% claims were singletons. Regression analysis showed that single species dominance was reduced and the diversity of medicinal plants was increased with the increase in the age and experience. Increase in the years of formal education increased the equitability in the uses. The plants such as Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (cardiovascular diseases), Allium sativum L. (dyslipidemia), Cuminum cyminum L. (hypertension), Macrotyloma uniflorum Verdc. (obesity) and Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (type 2 diabetes) were the highly cited medicinal plants. This survey has identified the plants most commonly used by Siddha practitioners of Tiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu, India for cardiometabolic diseases. The prevalence of chronic, non-communicable metabolic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension and obesity are increasing worldwide due to the rapid changes in the lifestyle. These ailments require a life-long care and in such instances, people tend to use complementary therapies in most cases, alongside with conventional therapies. In view of the high use of traditional therapies for treating cardiometabolic illnesses, this study supports the need for more research to evaluate the potential benefits of the treatments and to identify any safety concern. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Consensus analysis of sastric formulations used by non-institutionally trained siddha medical practitioners of Virudhunagar and Tirunelveli districts of Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Mutheeswaran, S; Pandikumar, P; Chellappandian, M; Ignacimuthu, S; Duraipandiyan, V; Logamanian, M

2014-04-11

Siddha system of traditional medicine has been practiced in Tamil Nadu. This system of medicine has a high number of non-institutionally trained practitioners but studies on their traditional medicinal knowledge are not adequate. The present study is aimed to document and analyze the sastric (traditional) formulations used by the non-institutionally trained siddha medical practitioners in Virudhunagar and Tirunelveli districts of Tamil Nadu, India. After obtaining prior informed consent, interviews were conducted with 115 non-institutionally trained siddha medical practitioners about the sastric formulations used by them for the treatment. Successive free listing method was adopted to collect the data and the data were analyzed by calculating Informant Consensus Factor (Fic) and Informant Agreement Ratio (IAR). The study documented data regarding 194 sastric formulations and they were classified into plant, mineral and animal based formulations. Quantitative analysis showed that 62.5% of the formulations were plant based, while the mineral based formulations had a high mean number of citations and versatile uses. Gastrointestinal (12.0%), kapha (11.3%) and dermatological (10.8%) ailments had a high percentage of citations. Jaundice had a high Fic value (0.750) followed by the dermatological ailments. The illness categories with high Fic values under each type of formulation were as follows: jaundice, aphrodisiac and urinary ailments (plant based); jaundice, cuts & wounds and dermatological ailments (mineral based); and hemorrhoids, kapha ailments and heart ailments (animal based formulations). The scientific studies conducted with important formulations under each illness category are discussed. The present study indicated the importance of some illnesses over the others and inclusion of new illnesses under each formulation. The ingredients used to prepare these formulations have shown varying degrees of scientific evidence; generally limited studies were available on the efficacy of them as formulations. Further in-depth studies on the formulations with high IAR value and Fic value of illness categories will be helpful to improve health status of the people. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of Groundwater quality in Krishnagiri and Vellore Districts in Tamil Nadu, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shanmugasundharam, A.; Kalpana, G.; Mahapatra, S. R.; Sudharson, E. R.; Jayaprakash, M.

2017-07-01

Groundwater quality is important as it is the main factor determining its suitability for drinking, domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes. The suitability of groundwater for drinking and irrigation has been assessed in north and eastern part of Krishnagiri district, South-western part of Vellore district and contiguous with Andhra Pradesh states, India. A total of 31 groundwater samples were collected in the study area. The groundwater quality assessment has been carried out by evaluating the physicochemical parameters such as pH, EC, TDS, {HCO}3^{ - }, Cl-, {SO}4^{2 - }, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+ and K+. The dominant cations are in the order of Na+ > K+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+ while the dominant anions have the trends of Cl- > {HCO}3^{ - } > {SO}4^{2 - } > CO3. The quality of the water is evaluated using Wilcox diagram and the results reveals that most of the samples are found to be suitable for irrigation. Based on these parameters, groundwater has been assessed in favor of its suitability for drinking and irrigation purpose.

A study to evaluate cephalometric hard tissue profile of Tamil population for orthognathic surgery.

PubMed

Nachiappan, S; Tharanikumar, S; Chandran, Ajay; Anusudha, P; Nandini, G D; Balasubramaniam, Murali

2015-08-01

The primary aim of this study is to compare, the cephalometric hard tissue profile values and analysis between Tamil and Caucasian population. The study also aims to create a better understanding in the facial proportions of Tamil Nadu population and to have better diagnosis and treatment planning for orthognathic surgery for Tamil population in Tamil Nadu.

A study to evaluate cephalometric hard tissue profile of Tamil population for orthognathic surgery

PubMed Central

Nachiappan, S.; Tharanikumar, S.; Chandran, Ajay; Anusudha, P.; Nandini, G. D.; Balasubramaniam, Murali

2015-01-01

The primary aim of this study is to compare, the cephalometric hard tissue profile values and analysis between Tamil and Caucasian population. The study also aims to create a better understanding in the facial proportions of Tamil Nadu population and to have better diagnosis and treatment planning for orthognathic surgery for Tamil population in Tamil Nadu. PMID:26538943

Documentation and quantitative analysis of local ethnozoological knowledge among traditional healers of Theni district, Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Chellappandian, M; Pandikumar, P; Mutheeswaran, S; Gabriel Paulraj, M; Prabakaran, S; Duraipandiyan, V; Ignacimuthu, S; Al-Dhabi, N A

2014-05-28

This study investigated the use of animals among the traditional healers in Theni district of Tamil Nadu, India. The data regarding the medicinal animals/animal products were documented and their usages were analyzed quantitatively. Based on free list interviews with the traditional healers, we documented the medicinal usage of animals/animal products and calculated the indices such as informant consensus factor (Fic) to determine the consensus over the species for an illness category, as well as the Index Agreement on Remedies (IAR) to determine the extent of potential utilization of each species. In this study, 69 medicinal animals/animal products were documented with the help of standardized questionnaires among the local healers. The results were tabulated and Fic value for each illness category was calculated. Three illness categories viz., jaundice (milk of Capra aegagrus hircus), orthopedics (egg white and meat of Gallus gallus domesticus) and pediatrics (milk of Equus africanus asinus) had got high Fic values. Fifteen illness categories had moderate Fic values. Highly cited animals in these illness categories were: Rusa unicolor (antiemetic), Reticulitermes spp. (diabetes), flesh of Varanus benghalensis (oral ailments), milk (eye ailments, fever) and urine (antidote) of Homo sepians, meat of Trachypithecus johnii (respiratory ailments), various parts of C. aegagrus hircus (blood ailments, coolants, diarrhea, pulmonary and urinary ailments), flesh of Chamaeleon zeyalnica (neural ailments), meat of Passer domesticus (aphrodisiac), curd and dung of Bos primigenius taurus (dermatological ailments), meat of G. domesticus (musculo-skeletal disorders, analgesic), meat of Lissemys punctata (hemorrhoids), and Pherthima posthuma (psychological ailments). Six illness categories had low Fic values. This study indicated that the animals are still being used by the local healers of Theni district, to treat various illnesses. Cross-disciplinary approaches to explore the full potential of animal-derived medicines will help to improve the health of local people. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Morbidity profile of elderly outpatients attending selected sub-district Siddha health facilities in Tamil Nadu, India

PubMed Central

Selvaraj, Kalaiselvi; Srinivasan, Manikandan; Duraisamy, Venkatachalam; Ramaswamy, Gomathi; Venugopal, Vinayagamurthy; Chinnakali, Palanivel

2016-01-01

Background: Recently, under National Health Mission alternate systems of Medicine are mainstreamed in public health care system. Effective action plan generation, logistic arrangement and roll out of these alternate systems of Medicine needs understanding on profile of morbidities among attendees who come to these facilities. Objectives: This study was planned to report profile of morbidities, age and sex differentials in specific morbidities among geriatric attendees in secondary level siddha health facilities. Materials and Methods: A facility based cross sectional study was conducted among elderly person (60 years and above) attending Siddha outpatient department (OPD) from two of the randomly selected sub district level siddha facilities in Erode district, Tamil Nadu, India. Information on socio-demographic variables like age, gender, education and clinical profile (diagnosis) were collected from records already maintained in the siddha OPD. Morbidities were summarized in terms of proportions based on age and gender. Age and sex specific differentials on specific morbidities were compared using ‘z’ test. Results: Of 2710 patients who visited these two siddha facilities during the reference period, 763 (28.1%) patients were elderly. Arthritis (45.2%), neuritis (8.8%), diabetes (6.6%), bronchial asthma (5.2%), hemiplegia (3.7%) were the top five morbidities diagnosed and treated among elderly attending the siddha OPD. There was a predilection towards elderly male for morbidities such as bronchial asthma and hemiplegia compared to elderly female. Similarly, higher proportions of lumbar spondylosis, hypertension and fungal skin diseases were reported among aged 80 years or more compared to elderly aged 60-79 years. Conclusion: Elderly constitute more than one fourth of outpatients load from siddha health facilities. Degenerative diseases like arthritis and non-communicable diseases were the common morbidities in this age group. Geriatric clinics and mobile clinics under siddha system may help in improving health care services. PMID:27621518

Study on the Prevalence of Leptospirosis among Fever Cases Reported from Private Clinics in the Urban areas of Villupuram District, Tamil Nadu, India

PubMed Central

Basker, Parasuraman; Kannan, Pichai; Kolandaswamy, Karumana Gounder

2014-01-01

Objectives To know the prevalence of leptospirosis cases reported in private clinics among fever cases in Villupuram District, Tamil Nadu, India to know its real magnitude of the problem and to diagnose Leptospirosis among fever cases from differential diagnosis. Methods 1502 Blood serum samples collected from three urban towns namely Kallakurichi (Latitude: 11° 73′ N; Longitude: 78° 97′ E), Villupuram (Latitude: 11° 75′ N; Longitude: 79° 92′ E) and Thindivanam (Latitude: 12° 25′ N; Longitude: 79° 65′ E) in fifteen clinics based on case definition of leptospirosis delineated by the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), Government of India. Samples were tested in the laboratory of the Zonal Entomological Team (ZET), Cuddalore with Macroscopic Slide Agglutination Test (MSAT) and Ig-M ELISA. Result There were 65 positive cases detected from 1502 blood serum samples in both MSAT and Ig-M ELISA. It could be known that there was 4% cases contributed from private clinics among fever cases. From this study, further it was known that all age groups of people affected irrespective of sexes based on their living condition associated with the environment prevailed of the disease. Conclusion From this study, it was quantified that 4% of cases reported in private clinics among fever cases and its findings ascertained both the importance of differential diagnosis as well as reports that should be included to the Government for knowing its real magnitude for planning. PMID:24955313

Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of leptospiral strains isolated from two geographic locations of Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Kanagavel, Murugesan; Princy Margreat, Alphonse Asirvatham; Arunkumar, Manivel; Prabhakaran, Shanmugarajan Gnanasekaran; Shanmughapriya, Santhanam; Natarajaseenivasan, Kalimuthusamy

2016-01-01

Here the rodent carrier status for the transmission of human leptospirosis in Tiruchirappalli, district, Tamil Nadu, India was assessed. The predominantly circulating leptospiral STs were recognized by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). A total of 113 rodents were trapped from different provinces of the Tiruchirappalli district. The most prevalent rodent was Bandicota bengalensis (37.2%), and of the total, 52.2% (n=59) rodents were found to be positive for leptospiral 16S rRNA. These results were validated with a leptospiral culture positivity of 45.8% (n=27). Three isolates from Chennai (2 rodents and 1 human) and 1 human isolate from Tiruchirappalli were included to understand the spatial variations and to track the source of human leptospirosis. The serogroup, serovar, and species level identification of all 31 isolates identified 28 to be Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Javanica and three as Leptospira interrogans serovar Autumnalis. MLST analysis defined all isolates to the existing ST profiles (ST145 and ST27) with the exception of 6 L. borgpetersenii (ST DR) isolates that showed variations in the sucA and pfkB loci. The DR ST was locally confined to Chatram province of Tiruchirappalli suggesting an epidemiological link. The predominant STs, ST145 and ST-DR form a group, indicating the presence of original strain that subsequently diverged evolutionarily into two STs. The variations between L. borgpetersenii in sucA and pfkB loci may be an indication that evolutionary changes transpired in Tiruchirappalli. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dengue epidemiology in Thanjavur and Trichy district, Tamilnadu--Jan 2011-Dec 2011.

PubMed

Bhuvaneswari, Chinnathambi Kalidoss; Raja, Ramalingam Senthil; Arunagiri, Kavita; Mohana, Shambasivam; Sathiyamurthy, Karuppanan; Krishnasamy, Kaveri; Gunasekaran, Palani

2011-06-01

Dengue infection is emerging as a serious public health problem in Tamil Nadu. An enhanced surveillance system can generate information on the epidemiology of the disease, which is essential for planning and development of relevant control/preventive measures against Dengue. A prospective descriptive study was undertaken between January 2011 to December 2011, by testing suspected Dengue patients attending Thanjavur Medical College and Trichy Hospital (TMCH, a major Government referral hospital in Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu, India) to define the magnitude of Dengue burden, the natural history of this disease in terms of clinical presentation and outcome of the infections in hospitalized Dengue patients. The sera collected from suspected patients were analyzed for Dengue specific IgM and IgG antibodies by IgM antibody capture enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using NIV kit and IgGPanBio Duo Rapid Immunochromatographic Card Test (Brisbane, Australia). The clinical case definition by World Health Organization was adopted to categorize the Dengue cases. The total number of samples screened during the period was 200, out of which 79 (39.5%) were positive for IgM and IgG antibodies and 65 (32%) for IgM antibodies only. By clinical evaluation, Dengue fever was diagnosed in 43 patients, 18 had hemorrhagic manifestations and four patients had progressed to DSS. Though (DSS+DHF) was present in 22 patients, all of them recovered well. In developing countries like India, building of laboratory with advanced capacity for diagnosis and combat-mode ready preparedness for the management of Dengue cases in emergency situation may reduce Dengue-related mortality.

Strategic Role of Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora in Promoting Separatism in Sri Lanka

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-13

Tamil Eelam and the Tamil genocide in Sri Lanka. This campaign tries to achieve its objectives through the boycott of Sri Lankan tourism and products...Lanka campaign.157 The boycott Sri Lanka campaign is not limited to tourism or products. The Tamil Youth Organization (TYO) is conducting a “Boycott...Sri Lankan sports are not accepted in international fora as they 155Tamils Against Genocide

Mental health in Tamil cinema.

PubMed

Mangala, R; Thara, R

2009-06-01

Tamil cinema is a vibrant part of the lives of many in south India. A chequered history and a phenomenal growth have made this medium highly influential not only in Tamil Nadu politics, but also in the social lives of the viewers. This paper provides an overview of the growth of Tamil cinema, and discusses in detail the way mental health has been handled by Tamil films. Cinema can be used very effectively to improve awareness about mental health issues.

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 Trivandrum block colliding against the Madurai block. The lithospheric upper mantle electrical structure of the SGT up to a depth of 100 km may be broadly divided into two distinctly different segments, viz., northern and southern segments. The northern lithospheric segment, over a major part, is characterized by a thick resistive upper mantle, while the southern one is characterized by a dominantly conductive medium suggesting a relatively thinned lithosphere in the southern segment.

Perception of a non-native speech contrast: Voiced and voiceless stops as perceived by Tamil speakers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tur, Sylwia

2004-05-01

The effect of linguistic experience plays a significant role in how speech sounds are perceived. The findings of many studies imply that the perception of non-native contrasts depends on their status in the native language of the listener. Tamil is a language with a single voicing category. All stop consonants in Tamil are phonemically voiceless, though allophonic voicing has been observed in spoken Tamil. The present study examined how native Tamil speakers and English controls perceived voiced and voiceless bilabial, alveolar, and velar stops in English. Voice onset time (VOT) was manipulated for editing of naturally produced stimuli with increasingly longer continuum. Perceptual data was collected from 16 Tamil and 16 English speakers. Experiment 1 was an AX task in which subjects responded same or different to 162 pairs of stimuli. Experiment 2 was a forced choice ID task in which subjects identified 99 individually presented stimuli as pa, ta, ka or ba, da, ga. Experiments show statistically significant differences between Tamil and English speakers in their perception of English stop consonants. Results of the study imply that the allophonic status of voiced stops in Tamil does not aid the Tamil speakers in perceiving phonemically voiced stops in English.

Seasonal Variation of Groundwater Quality in Erode District, Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Kavidha, R; Elangovan, K

2014-07-01

In recent years, the recurring environmental issues regarding hazardous waste, global climate change, stratospheric ozone depletion, groundwater contamination, disaster mitigation and removal of pollutant have become the focus of environmental attention. In the management of water resources, quality of water is just as important as its quantity. In order to assess the quality and/or suitability of groundwater for drinking and irrigation in Erode District, 144 water samples each in post-monsoon and pre-monsoon during the year 2007 were collected and analyzed for various parameters. These parameters were compared with IS: 10500-1991 drinking water standards. Out of 144 samples, 29 samples exceeded the permissible limit for both the monsoons, 71 samples were within the permissible limit for both the monsoons and the remaining samples exceeded the permissible limit for any one of the monsoon. During both monsoons, except some samples, most of the samples were suitable for drinking and irrigation.

Hydrochemical characteristics and groundwater quality assessment in Tirupur Region, Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arumugam, K.; Elangovan, K.

2009-10-01

Groundwater samples from 62 locations have been collected from Tirupur region viz. Avinashi, Tirupur and Palladam taluks of Coimbatore District. The extensive agricultural industrial activities and urbanization resulted in the contamination of the aquifer. To study the contamination of groundwater, water samples were collected in an area of 180 km2 and analysed for major cations and anions. Most of the locations are contaminated by higher concentration of EC, TDS, K and NO3. Major hydro chemical facies were identified using Piper trilinear diagram. Based on US salinity diagram, most of the samples fall in the field of C3S1, indicating high salinity and low sodium water, which can be used for almost all types of soil with little danger of exchangeable sodium. Majority of the samples are not suitable for domestic purposes and far from drinking water standards. However, PI values indicates that groundwater is suitable for irrigation.

Sex differentials in the risk factors of post traumatic stress disorder among tsunami survivors in Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

T T, Pyari; T K, Sundari Ravindran

2016-10-01

This study assessed if pre disaster, with-in disaster and post disaster factors predicted Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) differently, among men and women survivors of the 2004 Southeast Asian tsunami in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India. PTSD was identified using a validated tool, Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R) among the participants in a cross-sectional community based survey (n=485). Case control analysis of 299 subjects was done to determine the predictors of PTSD. The odds of having PTSD were 6.35 times higher in women than men. Higher odds for PTSD was seen among women who were married, aged over 40, belonged to low socioeconomic status and resided in heavily damaged areas. Protective odds for PTSD was found among women who had received more than three times of counseling services whereas men were not at risk if they were free from fear of recurrence of tsunami, when adjusted for other variables. Women were vulnerable to PTSD because of their socially constructed roles. It is important to consider gender based vulnerabilities while designing interventions to combat mental health problems among disaster affected communities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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.

Self-reported morbidity and health service utilization in rural Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Dodd, Warren; King, Nia; Humphries, Sally; Little, Matthew; Dewey, Cate

2016-07-01

In Tamil Nadu, India, improvements have been made toward developing a high-quality, universally accessible healthcare system. However, some rural residents continue to confront significant barriers to obtaining healthcare. The primary objective of this study was to investigate self-reported morbidity, health literacy, and healthcare preferences, utilization, and experiences in order to identify priority areas for government health policies and programs. Drawing on 66 semi-structured interviews and 300 household surveys (including 1693 individuals), administered in 26 rural villages in Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri district, we found that the prevalence of self-reported major health conditions was 22.3%. There was a large burden of non-communicable and chronic diseases, and the most common major morbidities were: connective tissue problems (7.6%), nervous system and sense organ diseases (5.0%), and circulatory and respiratory diseases (2.5%). Increased age and decreased education level were associated with higher odds of reporting most diseases. Low health literacy levels resulted in individuals seeking care only once pain interfered with daily activities. As such, individuals' health-seeking behaviour depended on which strategy was believed to result in the fastest return to work using the fewest resources. Although government facilities were the most common healthcare access point, they were mistrusted; 48.8% and 19.2% of respondents perceived inappropriate treatment protocols and corruption, respectively, at public facilities. Conversely, 93.3% of respondents reported high treatment cost as the main barrier to accessing private facilities. Our results highlight that addressing the chronic and non-communicable disease burdens amongst rural populations in this context will require health policies and village-level programs that address the low health literacy and the issues of rural healthcare accessibility and acceptability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Caries risk assessment among 12-13 year old school-going children of government and private schools of Tirupur district, Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Mitha, Madhu M; Nijesh, J E; Chaly, Preetha Elizabeth; Priyadharshini, Indra; Junaid, Mohammed; Vaishnavi, S

2016-01-01

Dental caries is as ancient as humankind and has the longest association with the dental profession, an association that is punctuated with agony and ecstasy. The agonizing fact is that despite several efforts toward total eradication, this disease is still prevalent. Nevertheless, an ecstatic success of the profession is the global decline in the incidence compared to the yesteryears' epidemics. Hence, predicting dental caries earlier is a boon. One such model to predict is cariogram developed by Bratthall in 1996. The aim of this study was to assess the caries risk among 12-13 year old school-going children of government and private schools of Tirupur district in Tamil Nadu using cariogram computer model. A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 136 study subjects of 12-13 year of age, who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were collected using a predesigned questionnaire and scored according to a standardized protocol. The Chi-square test was used to find differences between caries-related factors and cariogram group. The correlation was acquired using Spearman's correlation. Government school study subjects had 56% of chance of avoiding caries whereas the private school study subjects had 66% of chance of avoiding caries in future and the differences were statistically significant (P = 0.001). A negative correlation was observed between the chance to avoid dental caries and cariogram sectors. The majority of the study subjects from government school belonged to medium-risk category and private school subjects belonged to low-risk category which inferred that private school students have high chance to avoid dental caries compared to government study subjects.

Epidemiology and aetiological diagnosis of corneal ulceration in Madurai, south India

PubMed Central

Srinivasan, M; Gonzales, C.; George, C.; Cevallos, V.; Mascarenhas, J.; Asokan, B; Wilkins, J.; Smolin, G.; Whitcher, J.

1997-01-01

AIMS/BACKGROUND—To determine the epidemiological characteristics and risk factors predisposing to corneal ulceration in Madurai, south India, and to identify the specific pathogenic organisms responsible for infection.
METHODS—All patients with suspected infectious central corneal ulceration presenting to the ocular microbiology and cornea service at Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai, from 1 January to 31 March 1994 were evaluated. Sociodemographic data and information pertaining to risk factors were recorded, all patients were examined, and corneal cultures and scrapings were performed.
RESULTS—In the 3 month period 434 patients with central corneal ulceration were evaluated. A history of previous corneal injury was present in 284 patients (65.4%). Cornea cultures were positive in 297 patients (68.4%). Of those individuals with positive cultures 140 (47.1%) had pure bacterial infections, 139 (46.8%) had pure fungal infections, 15 (5.1%) had mixed bacteria and fungi, and three (1.0%) grew pure cultures of Acanthamoeba. The most common bacterial pathogen isolated was Streptococcus pneumoniae, representing 44.3% of all positive bacterial cultures, followed by Pseudomonas spp (14.4%). The most common fungal pathogen isolated was Fusarium spp, representing 47.1% of all positive fungal cultures, followed by Aspergillus spp (16.1%).
CONCLUSIONS—Central corneal ulceration is a common problem in south India and most often occurs after a superficial corneal injury with organic material. Bacterial and fungal infections occur in equal numbers with Streptococcus pneumoniae accounting for the majority of bacterial ulcers and Fusarium spp responsible for most of the fungal infections. These findings have important public health implications for the treatment and prevention of corneal ulceration in the developing world.

 PMID:9505820

Application of SAR remote sensing and crop modeling for operational rice crop monitoring in South and South East Asian Countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setiyono, T. D.; Holecz, F.; Khan, N. I.; Barbieri, M.; Maunahan, A. A.; Gatti, L.; Quicho, E. D.; Pazhanivelan, S.; Campos-Taberner, M.; Collivignarelli, F.; Haro, J. G.; Intrman, A.; Phuong, D.; Boschetti, M.; Prasadini, P.; Busetto, L.; Minh, V. Q.; Tuan, V. Q.

2017-12-01

This study uses multi-temporal SAR imagery, automated image processing, rule-based classification and field observations to classify rice in multiple locations in South and South Asian countries and assimilate the information into ORYZA Crop Growth Simulation Model (CGSM) to monitor rice yield. The study demonstrates examples of operational application of this rice monitoring system in: (1) detecting drought impact on rice planting in Central Thailand and Tamil Nadu, India, (2) mapping heat stress impact on rice yield in Andhra Pradesh, India, and (3) generating historical rice yield data for districts in Red River Delta, Vietnam.

Strategic Success Of SRI Lankan Government Against LTTE Remains Tentative Despite Military Success

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-13

conditions which allowed for a successful military campaign to defeat the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). During the final phase of the war, the...reasonably appease the Tamil population. 1 Introduction In 1948, Ceylon, an island country southeast of India, achieved independence from the...variety of groups claiming to represent the minority Tamil people in Sri Lanka argued for a separate Tamil state in northern and eastern Sri Lanka. The

Lung function parameters of healthy Sri Lankan Tamil young adults.

PubMed

Balasubramaniam, M; Sivapalan, K; Thuvarathipan, R

2014-06-01

To establish reference norms of lung function parameters for healthy Sri Lankan Tamil young adults. Cross sectional study of Tamil students at the Faculty of Medicine, Jaffna. Healthy non smoking students of Sri Lankan Tamil ethnic group were enrolled. Age, height, weight, BMI and spirometric measurements (Micro Quark) were recorded in 267 participants (137 females and 130 males). Height was significantly correlated with (p<0.05) all the lung function parameters except FEV1%, PEFR and MEF75 in males. Prediction equations were derived by regression analysis based on the height as an independent variable. Predicted lung function values for a particular age and height were lower than values predicted for Pakistanis, Kelatanese Malaysians and eastern Indians. The values were comparable to south Indians in Madras. Our FVC values of males and VC of females were closer to Sri Lankan Sinhalese. FEV1 and FEF25-75 in males were slightly higher and FVC, FEV1 and FEF25-75 in females were slightly lower in Tamils. When mean values were compared, these parameters were significantly higher in Tamil males (p<0.001) and significantly lower in Tamil females (p<0.001). These values will be useful in interpreting lung function parameters of the particular age group as there are no published norms for Sri Lankan Tamils. However, our study sample was confined to medical students of 20-28 years which may explain the differences with Sinhalese.

Application of lot quality assurance sampling for leprosy elimination monitoring--examination of some critical factors.

PubMed

Gupte, M D; Murthy, B N; Mahmood, K; Meeralakshmi, S; Nagaraju, B; Prabhakaran, R

2004-04-01

The concept of elimination of an infectious disease is different from eradication and in a way from control as well. In disease elimination programmes the desired reduced level of prevalence is set up as the target to be achieved in a practical time frame. Elimination can be considered in the context of national or regional levels. Prevalence levels depend on occurrence of new cases and thus could remain fluctuating. There are no ready pragmatic methods to monitor the progress of leprosy elimination programmes. We therefore tried to explore newer methods to answer these demands. With the lowering of prevalence of leprosy to the desired level of 1 case per 10000 population at the global level, the programme administrators' concern will be shifted to smaller areas e.g. national and sub-national levels. For monitoring this situation, we earlier observed that lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS), a quality control tool in industry was useful in the initially high endemic areas. However, critical factors such as geographical distribution of cases and adoption of cluster sampling design instead of simple random sampling design deserve attention before LQAS could generally be recommended. The present exercise was aimed at validating applicability of LQAS, and adopting these modifications for monitoring leprosy elimination in Tamil Nadu state, which was highly endemic for leprosy. A representative sample of 64000 people drawn from eight districts of Tamil Nadu state, India, with maximum allowable number of 25 cases was considered, using LQAS methodology to test whether leprosy prevalence was at or below 7 per 10000 population. Expected number of cases for each district was obtained assuming Poisson distribution. Goodness of fit for the observed and expected cases (closeness of the expected number of cases to those observed) was tested through chi(2). Enhancing factor (design effect) for sample size was obtained by computing the intraclass correlation. The survey actually covered a population of 62157 individuals, of whom 56469 (90.8%) were examined. Ninety-six cases were detected and this number far exceeded the critical value of 25. The number of cases for each district and the number of cases in the entire surveyed area both followed Poisson distribution. The intraclass correlation coefficients were close to zero and the design effect was observed to be close to one. Based on the LQAS exercises leprosy prevalence in the state of Tamil Nadu in India was above 7 per 10000. LQAS method using clusters was validated for monitoring leprosy elimination in high endemic areas. Use of cluster sampling makes this method further useful as a rapid assessment procedure. This method needs to be tested for its applicability in moderate and low endemic areas, where the sample size may need increasing. It is further possible to consider LQAS as a monitoring tool for elimination programmes with respect to other disease conditions.

Construction and validation of a Tamil logMAR chart.

PubMed

Varadharajan, Srinivasa; Srinivasan, Krithica; Kumaresan, Brindha

2009-09-01

To design, construct and validate a new Tamil logMAR visual acuity chart based on current recommendations. Ten Tamil letters of equal legibility were identified experimentally and were used in the chart. Two charts, one internally illuminated and one externally illuminated, were constructed for testing at 4 m distance. The repeatability of the two charts was tested. For validation, the two charts were compared with a standard English logMAR chart (ETDRS). When compared to the ETDRS chart, a difference of 0.06 +/- 0.07 and 0.07 +/- 0.07 logMAR was found for the internally and externally illuminated charts respectively. Limits of agreement between the internally illuminated Tamil logMAR chart and ETDRS chart were found to be (-0.08, 0.19), and (-0.07, 0.20) for the externally illuminated chart. The test - retest results showed a difference of 0.02 +/- 0.04 and 0.02 +/- 0.06 logMAR for the internally and externally illuminated charts respectively. Limits of agreement for repeated measurements for the internally illuminated Tamil logMAR chart were found to be (-0.06, 0.10), and (-0.10, 0.14) for the externally illuminated chart. The newly constructed Tamil logMAR charts have good repeatability. The difference in visual acuity scores between the newly constructed Tamil logMAR chart and the standard English logMAR chart was within acceptable limits. This new chart can be used for measuring visual acuity in the literate Tamil population.

Natural radionuclides in ceramic building materials available in Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Rajamannan, B; Viruthagiri, G; Suresh Jawahar, K

2013-10-01

The activity concentrations of radium, thorium and potassium can vary from material to material and they should be measured as the radiation is hazardous for human health. Thus, studies have been planned to obtain the radioactivity of ceramic building materials used in Cuddalore District, Tamilnadu, India. The radioactivity of some ceramic materials used in this region has been measured using a gamma-ray spectrometry, which contains an NaI(Tl) detector connected to multichannel analyzer. The specific activities of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K, from the selected ceramic building materials, were in the range of 9.89-30.75, 24.68-70.4, 117.19-415.83 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The radium equivalent activity, absorbed gamma dose rate (D) and annual effective dose rate associated with the natural radionuclides are calculated to assess the radiation hazards of the natural radioactivity in the ceramic building materials. It was found that none of the results exceeds the recommended limit value.

Organochlorine pesticide residues in ground water of Thiruvallur district, India.

PubMed

Jayashree, R; Vasudevan, N

2007-05-01

Modern agriculture practices reveal an increase in use of pesticides and fertilizers to meet the food demand of increasing population which results in contamination of the environment. In India crop production increased to 100% but the cropping area has increased marginally by 20%. Pesticides have played a major role in achieving the maximum crop production, but maximum usage and accumulation of pesticide residues was highly detrimental to aquatic and other ecosystem. The present study was chosen to know the level of organochlorines contamination in ground water of Thiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu, India. The samples were highly contaminated with DDT, HCH, endosulfan and their derivatives. Among the HCH derivatives, Gamma HCH residues was found maximum of 9.8 microg/l in Arumbakkam open wells. Concentrations of pp-DDT and op-DDT were 14.3 microg/l and 0.8 microg/l. The maximum residue (15.9 microg/l) of endosulfan sulfate was recorded in Kandigai village bore well. The study showed that the ground water samples were highly contaminated with organochlorine residues.

Tamil in Melbourne

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernandez, Sue; Clyne, Michael

2007-01-01

There have been few Australian studies of language maintenance amongst immigrant languages from the Indian subcontinent. The present study focuses on Tamil speakers in Melbourne from Sri Lanka or India, who are Hindus or Christians. Tamil is a pluricentric language that has been under the domination of English in these countries, at least amongst…

Tongue-Tied in Singapore: A Language Policy for Tamil?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schiffman, Harold F.

2003-01-01

Discusses the Tamil language situation in Singapore, which lends itself ideally to the study of minority-language maintenance. Examines attempts to maintain Tamil, a highly diglossic language in emigration and concludes that the well-meaning bilingual education system actually produces a situation of subtractive bilingualism. (Author/VWL)

Improving the U.S. Military’s Adaptability Against the Salafist-jihadi Threat

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-12

and bloodshed. Likewise, when the Sri Lankan government enacted a series of brutal and oppressive domestic policies against the Tamil population, the... Tamils nearly unanimously rallied behind the Tamil Tigers or LTTE in response. Similarly, it has been argued that the 9/11 terrorist attacks were

Ethnobotanics used in folk medicine of Tamil culture in Sri Lanka: a scientific review.

PubMed

Jesuthasan, Anternite Shanthi; Uluwaduge, Deepthi Inoka

2017-01-01

Tamil culture has recognized the potential use of plant herbs for prevention and treatment of different diseases. These folk remedies have been practiced by Sri Lankan Tamils even after modernization. This review focuses on frequently used medicinal plants among Sri Lankan Tamil communities, such as Cuminum cyminum, Azadirechta indica, Coriandrum sativum, Sesamum indicum, Zingiber officinale, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Moringa oleifera, Plectranthus amboinicus, Allium sativum and Curcuma longa, for their documented medicinal properties, which include antimicrobial, antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, hypocholesterolemic, antidiabetic and diuretic effects.

Sri Lankan Counterinsurgency Operations during Eelam War IV: Comparative Analysis of Galula and Rajapaksa Models to Determine Future Applicability

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-23

International Crisis Group. “The Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora after the LTTE.” http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/ asia / south - asia /sri-lanka/186...case of Sri Lanka, the support to the Tamils came from the Indian Tamil population. Both the insurgencies had strong Diasporas which supported the...www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/ asia / south - asia /sri-lanka/186%20The%20Sri%20 Lankan%20Tamil%20Diaspora%20after%20the%20LTTE.pdf (accessed 29 May 2012

The evolution of a Gondwanan collisional orogen: A structural and geochronological appraisal from the Southern Granulite Terrane, South India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plavsa, Diana; Collins, Alan S.; Foden, John D.; Clark, Chris

2015-05-01

Gondwana amalgamated along a suite of Himalayan-scale collisional orogens, the roots of which lace the continents of Africa, South America, and Antarctica. The Southern Granulite Terrane of India is a generally well-exposed, exhumed, Gondwana-forming orogen that preserves a record of the tectonic evolution of the eastern margin of the East African Orogen during the Ediacaran-Cambrian (circa 600-500 Ma) as central Gondwana formed. The deformation associated with the closure of the Mozambique Ocean and collision of the Indian and East African/Madagascan cratonic domains is believed to have taken place along the southern margin of the Salem Block (the Palghat-Cauvery Shear System, PCSS) in the Southern Granulite Terrane. Investigation of the structural fabrics and the geochronology of the high-grade shear zones within the PCSS system shows that the Moyar-Salem-Attur shear zone to the north of the PCSS system is early Paleoproterozoic in age and associated with dextral strike-slip motion, while the Cauvery shear zone (CSZ) to the south of the PCSS system can be loosely constrained to circa 740-550 Ma and is associated with dip-slip dextral transpression and north side-up motion. To the south of the proposed suture zone (the Cauvery shear zone), the structural fabrics of the Northern Madurai Block suggest four deformational events (D1-D4), some of which are likely to be contemporaneous. The timing of high pressure-ultrahigh temperature metamorphism and deformation (D1-D3) in the Madurai Block (here interpreted as the southern extension of Azania) is constrained to circa 550-500 Ma and interpreted as representing collisional orogeny and subsequent orogenic collapse of the eastern margin of the East African Orogen. The disparity in the nature of the structural fabrics and the timing of the deformation in the Salem and the Madurai Blocks suggest that the two experienced distinct tectonothermal events prior to their amalgamation along the Cauvery shear zone during the Ediacaran/Cambrian.

Civil Military Engagements Program: A Special Operations Solution to Threats Derived from Undergoverned Areas

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-12

2009, the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa declared victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. However, while the Tamil insurgency may...in the North, the Tamil minority feel that “Jaffna is being invaded by Sinhalese. We are losing our culture.”66 Continued media censorship, illegal

Status of Tamil Language in Singapore: An Analysis of Family Domain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kadakara, Shanmugam

2015-01-01

This paper addresses the phenomenon of Language Maintenance and Language Shift through a qualitative study of Tamil language in the family domain in Singapore. The influence of Singapore's bilingual policy and the institutional support offered for maintenance of Tamil language provide the context in which the central research problem of the status…

Health seeking narratives of unwell Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Melbourne Australia.

PubMed

Samuel, Sophia; Advocat, Jenny; Russell, Grant

2018-03-01

Sri Lankan Tamil refugees are among the largest group of refugees to resettle in Australia in the last decade. The aim of this study is to characterise the narratives of health-seeking among unwell Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Drawing on a qualitative, phenomenological perspective, we conducted in-depth interviews in Tamil and English with 12 participants who identified as being unwell for 6 months or more. Findings revealed three narratives of health-seeking: the search for the 'good life' that was lost or never experienced, seeking help from familiar channels in an unfamiliar context, and the desire for financial and occupational independence. These three narratives are undergirded by the metanarrative of a hope-filled recovery. These narratives of Tamil refugees' lived experience provide new insights into clinical care and health service delivery.

Iron status and anaemia in Sri Lankan secondary school children: A cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Allen, Angela; Allen, Stephen; Rodrigo, Rexan; Perera, Lakshman; Shao, Wei; Li, Chao; Wang, Duolao; Olivieri, Nancy; Weatherall, David J; Premawardhena, Anuja

2017-01-01

Iron deficiency, the most common micronutrient disorder and cause of anaemia globally, impairs growth, cognition, behaviour and resistance to infection. As part of a national survey of inherited haemoglobin variants in 7526 students from 72 secondary schools purposefully selected from the 25 districts of Sri Lanka, we studied 5912 students with a normal haemoglobin genotype. Median age was 16.0 (IQR 15.0-17.0) years and 3189 (53.9%) students were males. Most students were Sinhalese (65.7%), with fewer Tamils (23.1%) and Muslims (11.2%). Anaemia occurred in 470 students and was more common in females (11.1%) than males (5.6%). Haemoglobin, serum ferritin, transferrin receptor and iron were determined in 1196 students with low red cell indices and a structured sample of those with normal red cell indices (n = 513). The findings were weighted to estimate the frequencies of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia classified according to WHO criteria. Iron depletion (serum ferritin <15ug/ml) occurred in 19.2% and cellular iron deficiency (low serum ferritin and transferrin receptor >28.1 nmol/l) in 11.6% students. Iron deficiency anaemia (cellular iron deficiency with low haemoglobin) occurred in only 130/2794 (4.6%) females and 28/2789 (1.0%) males. Iron biomarkers were normal in 83/470 (14.6%) students with anaemia. In multiple regression analysis, the odds for iron depletion and cellular iron deficiency were about one-third in males compared with females, and the odds for iron deficiency anaemia were about one fifth in males compared to females. Tamil ethnicity and age <16 years increased the risk of all three stages of iron deficiency and living at high altitude significantly reduced the risk of iron depletion. Low iron status and anaemia remain common problems in Sri Lankan secondary school students especially females, younger students and the socioeconomically disadvantaged Tamil population. More research is needed to identify factors other than low iron status that contribute to anaemia in adolescents.

English Phonological Awareness in Bilinguals: A Cross-Linguistic Study of Tamil, Malay and Chinese English-Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dixon, L. Quentin; Chuang, Hui-Kai; Quiroz, Blanca

2012-01-01

To test the lexical restructuring hypothesis among bilingual English-language learners, English phonological awareness (PA), English vocabulary and ethnic language vocabulary (Mandarin Chinese, Malay or Tamil) were assessed among 284 kindergarteners (168 Chinese, 71 Malays and 45 Tamils) in Singapore. A multi-level regression analysis showed that…

Homosexuality - leaves from antiquity: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender population: A Tamil perspective.

PubMed

Somasundaram, Ottilingam; Tejus Murthy, A G

2016-01-01

Homosexuality has been present in human civilization from ancient times, and the condition as it existed in the Tamil land is described along with a reference to the terminology, concepts, and description. Some instances appear in the old Tamil classics and poems. The present legal status of this sexual orientation is also mentioned.

Prevalence of genetic thrombophilic polymorphisms in the Sri Lankan population--implications for association study design and clinical genetic testing services.

PubMed

Dissanayake, Vajira H W; Weerasekera, Lakshini Y; Gammulla, C Gayani; Jayasekara, Rohan W

2009-10-01

We investigated the prevalence of genotypes/alleles of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and haplotypes defined by them in three genes in which variations are associated with venous thromboembolism in 80 Sinhalese, 80 Sri Lankan Tamils and 80 Moors in the Sri Lankan population and compared the SNP data with that of other populations in Southern India and haplotype data with that of HapMap populations. The genes and polymorphisms investigated were Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) - 677C>T (rs1801133), 1298A>C (rs1801131), 1317T>C, 1793G>A (rs2274976); Factor V (F5) - 1691G>A (rs6025) and 4070A>G (rs1800595); and prothrombin (F2) - 20210G>A (rs1799963). The polymorphisms were genotyped using PCR/RFLP methods. The prevalence of the variant alleles of each polymorphism in the Sinhalese, Tamils, and Moors was MTHFR 677T: Sinhalese - 13%, Tamils - 9%, Moors - 9%. 1317T>C: Sinhalese - 0%; Tamils - 0%; Moors - 0%. 1793A: Sinhalese - 19%, Tamils - 19%, Moors - 19%. F5 1691A: Sinhalese - 2%, Tamils - 3%, Moors - 2%. 4070G: Sinhalese - 6%, Tamils - 5%, Moors - 8%. F2 20210A: Sinhalese - 0%, Tamils - 0%, Moors - 0%. The frequencies observed were similar to data from other South Indian populations; the haplotype data showed haplotypes unique to the Sri Lankan population when compared to HapMap populations. rs9651118 was identified as a SNP that splits the haplotypes harbouring the functionally significant 677T allele in the MTHFR gene. This data would be useful in planning genetic association studies in the Sri Lankan population and in deciding on which genetic variants should be tested in a clinical genetic testing service.

Role of Teacher Educational Institutions in Developing Personality of Student Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prakash, Srinivasan; Xavier S. J., S. Amaladoss

2014-01-01

Teacher Education is an integral part of any educational system. It should provide a platform in developing the holistic personality of a student teacher. This paper reports on personality of student teachers and the role of Teacher Educational institutions in developing it. The sample consists of 1,080 student teachers of Madurai revenue…

Homosexuality – leaves from antiquity: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender population: A Tamil perspective

PubMed Central

Somasundaram, Ottilingam; Tejus Murthy, A. G.

2016-01-01

Homosexuality has been present in human civilization from ancient times, and the condition as it existed in the Tamil land is described along with a reference to the terminology, concepts, and description. Some instances appear in the old Tamil classics and poems. The present legal status of this sexual orientation is also mentioned. PMID:28066015

Styling One's Own in the Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora: Implications for Language and Ethnicity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canagarajah, Suresh

2012-01-01

This study focuses on the ways youth in the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora in Canada, Britain, and the United States construct their ethnic identity when proficiency in their heritage language is limited. Though these youth claim only rudimentary proficiency in Tamil and identify English as their dominant language, they are nonetheless able to claim…

Meningococcal meningitis C in Tamil Nadu, public health perspectives.

PubMed

David, Kirubah Vasandhi; Pricilla, Ruby Angeline; Thomas, Beeson

2014-01-01

Meningococcal meningitis has rarely been reported in Tamil Nadu. We report here two children diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, on May 2014. The causative strain was Neisseria meningitidis serotype C. The role of the primary care physician in early diagnosis, appropriate referral, and preventive measures of this disease to the immediate family and community is stressed.

Reader for Advanced Spoken Tamil, Parts 1 and 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schiffman, Harold F.

Part 1 of this reader consists of transcriptions of five Tamil radio plays, with exercises, notes, and discussion. Part 2 is a synopsis grammar and a glossary. Both are intended for advanced students of Tamil who have had at least two years of instruction in the spoken language at the college level. The materials have been tested in classroom use…

Study on Entomological Surveillance and its Significance during a Dengue Outbreak in the District of Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, India

PubMed Central

Basker, Parasuraman; Kannan, Pichai; Porkaipandian, Rajagopal Thirugnanasambandam; Saravanan, Sivsankaran; Sridharan, Subramaniam; Kadhiresan, Mahaligam

2013-01-01

Objectives To study the significance of entomological surveillance, the house index (HI), container index (CI), and Breteau index (BI) were determined to estimate the degree of a major dengue outbreak in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India (Latitude: 8°42′N; Longitude: 77°42′E) in May 2012. Methods The HI, CI, and BI were determined in a primary health center (PHC) in the village of Maruthamputhur (Pappakudi taluk, Tirunelveli) by carrying out an antilarval (AL) work that involved door-to-door search for immature stages of Aedes spp. mosquitoes by trained field workers and volunteers. The work of field workers was evaluated by a junior and senior entomologist the following day. Results Before the AL work, the reported numbers of fever cases from Week 1 to 5 in Maruthamputhur were 211, 394, 244, 222, and 144 with two deaths. By contrast, after the AL work, these numbers were considerably reduced and there was no fever-related death (the HI was reduced from 48.2% to 1.6%, the CI from 28.6% to 0.4%, and the BI from 48.2 to 1.6). Conclusion Because no specific medicine and vaccines are available to treat dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever, entomological surveillance and its significance can be used to halt the outbreak of dengue as shown in this study. PMID:24159547

Is disability in leprosy still a burden? A cross-sectional study in a rural block in Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Ganesan, Dinesh Kumar; Muthunarayanan, Logaraj

2018-01-01

Leprosy, a disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, is an important cause of preventable disability. The present cross-sectional study was undertaken among leprosy-affected persons in a rural block in Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu, India in the year 2013. The sample included treatment completed leprosy affected persons ≥18 y of age. Persons with difficulty in cognition and those who were not willing to participate in the study were excluded. Subjects were also graded for any deformities of the body using World Health Organization (WHO) disability grading. The present study, carried out among 171 people affected with leprosy in a rural block, showed the lifetime prevalence of disability was 88.3% (95% confidence interval 83.4 to 93.1). The mean age of the study participants was 61.58±12.31 y with almost equal distribution of males (49.7%) and females (50.3%). WHO disability grading showed that 147 (86%) of the subjects were grade 2 (visible deformity) while only 4 (2.3%) were grade 1. It was found that education, occupation, income and duration since diagnosis had statistical significance with disability. Disability was observed more in males and the most common type of deformity was hand and foot deformity. Further studies are needed to assess those patients who completed treatment and recommends periodic neurological assessment of those in treatment.

Maritime Improvised Explosive Devices: A Threat Based Technology Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-12

Key Resources LTTE Tigers of Tamil Eelam MCM Mine Countermeasures MIED Maritime Improvised Explosive Device MMS Marine Mammal System MOTR... Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are considered experts in the maritime environment and provide the majority of historical examples of successful MIED attacks (Martin...Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) 2000 USS Sullivans (attempted) Small boat (suicide) Al Qaeda 2000 USS Cole bombing Small boat (suicide) Al Qaeda

The Role of Input Frequency and Semantic Transparency in the Acquisition of Verb Meaning: Evidence from Placement Verbs in Tamil and Dutch

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Narasimhan, Bhuvana; Gullberg, Marianne

2011-01-01

We investigate how Tamil- and Dutch-speaking adults and four- to five-year-old children use caused posture verbs ("lay/stand a bottle on a table") to label placement events in which objects are oriented vertically or horizontally. Tamil caused posture verbs consist of morphemes that individually label the causal and result subevents ("nikka…

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.

Corneal ulceration in south-east Asia III: prevention of fungal keratitis at the village level in south India using topical antibiotics.

PubMed

Srinivasan, M; Upadhyay, M P; Priyadarsini, B; Mahalakshmi, R; Whitcher, J P

2006-12-01

To determine whether topical antifungal prophylaxis distributed by paid village health workers (VHWs) in south India is necessary after corneal abrasion to prevent fungal keratitis in a population where half of the ulcers are fungal. Two panchayaths (village administrative units in Madurai district with a combined population of 48 039 were followed prospectively for 18 months by 15 VHWs who were trained to identify post-traumatic corneal abrasions. Patients fulfilling the eligibility criteria were randomised into two groups and treated with either 1% chloramphenicol and 1% clotrimazole ointment or 1% chloramphenicol and a placebo ointment three times a day for 3 days. Patients, doctors and VHWs were blinded to treatment. During the 18-month period, 1365 people reported to VHWs with ocular injuries, of whom 374 with corneal abrasions were eligible for treatment. Of these, 368 (98.5%) abrasions healed without complications. Two patients had mild localised allergic reactions to the ointment, two dropped out and two patients in the placebo group developed microscopic culture-negative corneal stromal infiltrates that healed in 1 week with natamycin drops. Both fungal and bacterial ulcers that occur after traumatic corneal abrasions seem to be effectively prevented in a village setting using only antibiotic prophylaxis.

Geochemical signatures of groundwater in the coastal aquifers of Thiruvallur district, south India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Senthilkumar, S.; Balasubramanian, N.; Gowtham, B.; Lawrence, J. F.

2017-03-01

An attempt has been made to identify the chemical processes that control the hydrochemistry of groundwater in the coastal aquifers of Thiruvallur coastal village of Thiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu, south India. The parameters such as pH, EC, TDS and major ion concentrations of Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl, HCO3, SO4 and NO3 of the groundwater were analyzed. Abundances of these ions are in the following order Na > Ca > Mg > K and HCO3 > Cl > SO4 > NO3. The dominant water types are in the order of NaCl> mixed CaMgCl > CaHCO3 > CaNaHCO3. Water types (mixed CaHCO3, mixed CaMgCl and NaCl) suggest that the mixing of high salinity water caused from surface contamination sources such as irrigation return flow, domestic wastewater and septic tank effluents with existing water followed by ion exchange reaction processes, silicate weathering and evaporation are responsible for the groundwater chemistry of the study area. The above statement is further supported by Gibbs plot where most of the samples fall within the evaporation zone.

Special Operations Research Topics 2016

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-01

relationships to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)? C10. The campaign against the Tamil Tigers: Does the campaign disprove the old adage...tribal relationships, can/should be leveraged to support this mission? C10. The campaign against the Tamil Tigers: Does the campaign dis- prove the...kill our way to victory,” but the successful campaign against the Tamil Tigers may be an example of that approach working in the past. The campaign

Defending Against Opposed Patterns of Resistant: Can Past Cultural Lessons in Armed Conflict Help U.S. Identify, Defend, Adapt, or Exploit Notions of Resistant With New Adversaries Like ISIS

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-01

14 Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka, 1976-2009...America as well as contemporary case studies of regional insurgent or terrorist groups (i.e. Tamil Tigers and Chechen Separatists). This paper...Contemporary examples focus on local insurgencies that were or are destabilizing a region, specifically the Tamil Tigers, Chechen separatists, and the

Genetic variation in South Indian castes: evidence from Y-chromosome, mitochondrial, and autosomal polymorphisms

PubMed Central

Watkins, WS; Thara, R; Mowry, BJ; Zhang, Y; Witherspoon, DJ; Tolpinrud, W; Bamshad, MJ; Tirupati, S; Padmavati, R; Smith, H; Nancarrow, D; Filippich, C; Jorde, LB

2008-01-01

Background Major population movements, social structure, and caste endogamy have influenced the genetic structure of Indian populations. An understanding of these influences is increasingly important as gene mapping and case-control studies are initiated in South Indian populations. Results We report new data on 155 individuals from four Tamil caste populations of South India and perform comparative analyses with caste populations from the neighboring state of Andhra Pradesh. Genetic differentiation among Tamil castes is low (RST = 0.96% for 45 autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) markers), reflecting a largely common origin. Nonetheless, caste- and continent-specific patterns are evident. For 32 lineage-defining Y-chromosome SNPs, Tamil castes show higher affinity to Europeans than to eastern Asians, and genetic distance estimates to the Europeans are ordered by caste rank. For 32 lineage-defining mitochondrial SNPs and hypervariable sequence (HVS) 1, Tamil castes have higher affinity to eastern Asians than to Europeans. For 45 autosomal STRs, upper and middle rank castes show higher affinity to Europeans than do lower rank castes from either Tamil Nadu or Andhra Pradesh. Local between-caste variation (Tamil Nadu RST = 0.96%, Andhra Pradesh RST = 0.77%) exceeds the estimate of variation between these geographically separated groups (RST = 0.12%). Low, but statistically significant, correlations between caste rank distance and genetic distance are demonstrated for Tamil castes using Y-chromosome, mtDNA, and autosomal data. Conclusion Genetic data from Y-chromosome, mtDNA, and autosomal STRs are in accord with historical accounts of northwest to southeast population movements in India. The influence of ancient and historical population movements and caste social structure can be detected and replicated in South Indian caste populations from two different geographic regions. PMID:19077280

Reclaiming reconciliation through community education for the Muslims and Tamils of post-war Jaffna, Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Duncan, Ross; Cardozo, Mieke Lopes

2017-03-01

This paper explores the possibilities and challenges for ethno-religious reconciliation through secondary school education in post-war Sri Lanka, with a specific focus on the Muslim and Tamil communities in the Northern city of Jaffna. In doing so, we position our paper within the growing field of 'education, conflict and emergencies' of which there has been a growing body of literature discussing this contentious relationship. The paper draws from an interdisciplinary and critical theoretical framework that aims to analyse the role of education for peacebuilding, through a multi-scalar application of four interconnected dimensions of social justice: redistribution, recognition, representation and reconciliation (or 4 R's, Novelli, Lopes Cardozo and Smith, 2015). We apply this framework to interpret primary data collected through an ethnographic study of two under-studied communities that have been disproportionately affected by the 1983 to 2009 civil war and displacement: the Northern Sri Lankan Muslims and Northern Sri Lankan Tamils. We find that structural inequalities in society are replicated in formal secondary school education and are perceived to be perpetuating ethno-religious conflict between Muslim and Tamil; second, through a multi-scalar analysis, formal peace education is perceived by respondents not to be meeting the needs of communities; and third, we observe how in response to failings of state peace education, an 'unofficial' Tamil-Muslim community education incorporating a social justice-based approach has emerged. This has facilitated a process of cross-community reconciliation between Muslim and Tamil through individual (teachers, students) and community (Muslim-Tamil community based organisations) agency. The paper concludes by offering suggestions for peace education policy and future research.

The Influence of Tamil Diaspora on Stability in Sri Lanka

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

homeland. The Tamil Eelam People’s Assembly as well as ex -combatant and intelligence groups continue to adhere to radical ideas of a re- emerging LTTE...Eelam People’s Assembly as well as ex -combatant and intelligence groups continue to adhere to radical ideas of a re-emerging LTTE insurgency. Also...ideas of a re-emerging LTTE insurgency. These diasporic groups access the local Tamil population, especially ex -combatants, with the motive of a

Occurrence of Bluetongue in ruminants in Tamil Nadu, South India.

PubMed

Reddy, Y Krishnamohan; Brindha, K; Ganesan, P I; Srinivas, K; Reddy, G S; Minakshi, P

2016-09-30

Tamil Nadu is located in the South-Eastern part of Indian peninsula, between 8.087° and 13.09°N and 76.50° and 80.27°E. Bluetongue (BT) was first reported in this region in sheep during 1982 with regular occurrence thereafter. In 1989-1990, 1997-1998 and 2005-2006, there was wide spread occurrence of BT resulting in huge mortality of sheep. The present study had the goal of isolating the BTV from outbreaks in sheep occurred in Tamil Naadu between 2003-2011 and comparing the VP2 gene sequences of the BTV isolates involved in such outbreaks. Serotypes 1, 2, 16, and 23 of the Bluetongue virus (BTV) have been isolated from sheep during BT outbreaks. BTV-16 has also been isolated in goats and cattle in the region; BTV-2 isolated in Tamil Nadu has homology with BTV-2 isolated in Africa; whereas the BTV-23 isolated in this area has homology with BTV-23 from South East Asia, indicating that both Eastern and Western topotypes of BTV are circulating in ruminant population in Tamil Nadu.

Normative data for stretched penile length in term neonates born in Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Prabhu, Sudha Rathna; Mahadevan, Shriraam; Bharath, R; Jagadeesh, Sujatha; Kumutha, J; Suresh, Seshadri

2014-07-01

To establish normative data for stretched penile length (SPL) in term male neonates born in Tamil Nadu. All live term male neonates delivered in a hospital during a given period were included. SPL was measured from the pubic ramus to the tip of the glans. Two consecutive measurements were taken and average was recorded. The mean SPL observed in our study was 2.83 ± 0.49 cm. This study helps establish normative values for SPL in neonates of Tamil Nadu origin.

DISCRIMINATION OF EMOTIONAL STATES AMONGST THE TAMILS

PubMed Central

Somasundaram, O.

1992-01-01

Leff has concluded from his analysis of the JPSS Study that the emotions of anxiety, depression and irritability are poorly discriminated amongst the population using non-Indo-European languages. The present author after analyzing similar data from the ICMR Multicentred Collaborative Study of Factors Associated with the Course and outcome of Schizophrenia that the Tamil population using Tamil, a non-Indo-European language is able to discriminate these emotions as well as the brethren speaking Hindi of lndo-European origin. PMID:21776093

Alteration of paraoxonase, arylesterase and lactonase activities in people around fluoride endemic area of Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Arulkumar, Mani; Vijayan, Raji; Penislusshiyan, Sakayanathan; Sathishkumar, Palanivel; Angayarkanni, Jayaraman; Palvannan, Thayumanavan

2017-08-01

Toxicity due to excess fluoride concentration in drinking water is of great concern in people who rely only on the ground water as their water source in many region of the world. We collected samples and examined the toxicity of fluoride in a population residing at Salem, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts of Tamil Nadu, India and measured HDL bound enzyme (PON1), erythrocyte membrane bound enzymes (acetylcholinesterase, AChE) and adenosine 5' triphosphatase (ATPases), plasma enzyme (butyrylcholinesterase, BChE) and rate limiting enzyme in heme biosynthesis (delta aminolevulinic acid dehydratase, δ-ALAD) activities. In fluorosis patients, formation of lipid peroxidation product was more in erythrocytes than in plasma. The observation further revealed that there was 50% reduction in the activity of HDL bound anti atherogenic enzyme-paraoxonase (PON1). The activities of membrane bound and signaling enzymes (acetylcholinesterase - AChE and adenosine 5' triphosphatase - ATPase) of erythrocyte were also diminished. These results suggested that there was defectiveness in the signaling and energy metabolism in fluorosis patients. Altered isoenzyme pattern of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in fluorosis samples was observed. Furthermore, the result suggested that both the heart (LDH 1) and liver (LDH 5) were most affected by fluoride toxicity. The study also provided reference values for tests which are used to predict the severity of fluoride toxicity. The toxic effect of fluoride was due to the collective effects on vital protective system rather than single factor. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Iron status and anaemia in Sri Lankan secondary school children: A cross-sectional survey

PubMed Central

Allen, Stephen; Rodrigo, Rexan; Perera, Lakshman; Shao, Wei; Li, Chao; Wang, Duolao; Olivieri, Nancy; Weatherall, David J.; Premawardhena, Anuja

2017-01-01

Background Iron deficiency, the most common micronutrient disorder and cause of anaemia globally, impairs growth, cognition, behaviour and resistance to infection. Methods/Results As part of a national survey of inherited haemoglobin variants in 7526 students from 72 secondary schools purposefully selected from the 25 districts of Sri Lanka, we studied 5912 students with a normal haemoglobin genotype. Median age was 16.0 (IQR 15.0–17.0) years and 3189 (53.9%) students were males. Most students were Sinhalese (65.7%), with fewer Tamils (23.1%) and Muslims (11.2%). Anaemia occurred in 470 students and was more common in females (11.1%) than males (5.6%). Haemoglobin, serum ferritin, transferrin receptor and iron were determined in 1196 students with low red cell indices and a structured sample of those with normal red cell indices (n = 513). The findings were weighted to estimate the frequencies of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia classified according to WHO criteria. Iron depletion (serum ferritin <15ug/ml) occurred in 19.2% and cellular iron deficiency (low serum ferritin and transferrin receptor >28.1 nmol/l) in 11.6% students. Iron deficiency anaemia (cellular iron deficiency with low haemoglobin) occurred in only 130/2794 (4.6%) females and 28/2789 (1.0%) males. Iron biomarkers were normal in 83/470 (14.6%) students with anaemia. In multiple regression analysis, the odds for iron depletion and cellular iron deficiency were about one-third in males compared with females, and the odds for iron deficiency anaemia were about one fifth in males compared to females. Tamil ethnicity and age <16 years increased the risk of all three stages of iron deficiency and living at high altitude significantly reduced the risk of iron depletion. Conclusions Low iron status and anaemia remain common problems in Sri Lankan secondary school students especially females, younger students and the socioeconomically disadvantaged Tamil population. More research is needed to identify factors other than low iron status that contribute to anaemia in adolescents. PMID:29155855

Test anxiety levels of board exam going students in Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Mary, Revina Ann; Marslin, Gregory; Franklin, Gregory; Sheeba, Caroline J

2014-01-01

The latest report by the National Crime Records Bureau has positioned Tamil Nadu as the Indian state with highest suicide rate. At least in part, this is happening due to exam pressure among adolescents, emphasizing the imperative need to understand the pattern of anxiety and various factors contributing to it among students. The present study was conducted to analyze the level of state anxiety among board exam attending school students in Tamil Nadu, India. A group of 100 students containing 50 boys and 50 girls from 10th and 12th grades participated in the study and their state anxiety before board exams was measured by Westside Test Anxiety Scale. We found that all board exam going students had increased level of anxiety, which was particularly higher among boys and 12th standard board exam going students. Analysis of various demographic variables showed that students from nuclear families presented higher anxiety levels compared to their desired competitive group. Overall, our results showing the prevalence of state anxiety among board exam going students in Tamil Nadu, India, support the recent attempt taken by Tamil Nadu government to improve student's academic performance in a healthier manner by appointing psychologists in all government schools.

Test Anxiety Levels of Board Exam Going Students in Tamil Nadu, India

PubMed Central

Ann Mary, Revina; Marslin, Gregory; Franklin, Gregory; Sheeba, Caroline J.

2014-01-01

The latest report by the National Crime Records Bureau has positioned Tamil Nadu as the Indian state with highest suicide rate. At least in part, this is happening due to exam pressure among adolescents, emphasizing the imperative need to understand the pattern of anxiety and various factors contributing to it among students. The present study was conducted to analyze the level of state anxiety among board exam attending school students in Tamil Nadu, India. A group of 100 students containing 50 boys and 50 girls from 10th and 12th grades participated in the study and their state anxiety before board exams was measured by Westside Test Anxiety Scale. We found that all board exam going students had increased level of anxiety, which was particularly higher among boys and 12th standard board exam going students. Analysis of various demographic variables showed that students from nuclear families presented higher anxiety levels compared to their desired competitive group. Overall, our results showing the prevalence of state anxiety among board exam going students in Tamil Nadu, India, support the recent attempt taken by Tamil Nadu government to improve student's academic performance in a healthier manner by appointing psychologists in all government schools. PMID:25143938

Lived spaces in history: a study in human geography in the context of Sangam texts.

PubMed

Ganesh, K N

2010-01-01

There has been considerable research work on early South India, particularly early Tamilakam, using archaeological, epigraphical and literary sources. Earlier, studies on early Tamilakam was almost exclusively based on the early Tamil texts, called as heroic or bardic poetry. However, a wealth of material has been generated by archaeological exploration, that have unearthed a mass of material from paleolithic, mesolithic, neolithic and the iron age megalithic, bordering on the early historic ages. A number of Tamil Brahmi label inscriptions have also been discovered. However, the largest number of archaeological finds have been megalithic burial sites and habitation sites are only in the process of being discovered. There are also difficulties in corroborating archaeological and epigraphic material with the enormous corpus of early Tamil texts. As a result, there is a tendency to dismiss the early Tamil texts as not conducive to historical analysis. The present article argues that we will still be able to use the material of the early Tamil texts using the tools provided by human geography, and suggests a methodology for making use of the literary material for further explorations in the early history of Tamilakam.

Documentation and quantitative analysis of the local knowledge on medicinal plants in Kalrayan hills of Villupuram district, Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Prabhu, S; Vijayakumar, S; Yabesh, J E Morvin; Ravichandran, K; Sakthivel, B

2014-11-18

The aim of the present study was to document the medicinal plants by the traditional medical practitioners from Kalrayan hills of Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu, India. Quantitatively analyses of the data were made to acquire some useful leads for further studies. Successive free listing was the method adopted for the interview. In this study, 54 traditional healer medical practitioners were included and their knowledge on medicinal plants was gathered. The data were assessed with the help of two indices viz., informant consensus factor (Fic) and Informant Agreement on Remedies (IAR). The present survey is in accordance with some of the aspects of our previous surveys. Regarding the demography of the informants, it exhibited unevenness in male-female ratio and majority of the informants were poorly educated. Practicing this system of medicine as part time job by majority of the informants might indicate the reduced social status of this medicinal system. The present study had recorded the usage of 81 species, which in turn yielded 1073 use reports. The major illness category 'aphrodisiac, hair care and endocrinal disorders' hold a high Fic values. Among the other illness categories, gastro-intestinal ailments, genito-urinary ailments and dermatological infection ailments have a high percentage of use reports. Eye ailments, general health, kapha ailments, psychological ailments and skeleton muscular system ailments were the other illness categories with high Fic values. Some of the claims viz., Argyrolobium roseum (aphrodisiac ailments), Rosa brunonii (eye ailments) Hibiscus surattensis (dermatological infections ailments), Bauhinia variegata (neurology Ailments), Cotinus coggygria (circulatory system/cardiovascular ailments) and Uvaria narum (gastro-intestinal ailments) which have relatively high consensus can be taken up for further biomedical studies, since no substantial studies have been conducted on them. Based on the results of our present study, we have highlighted some claims which are at high use in the study area but having little scientific support. Studies on such claims will provide scientific base to some extent which in turn will be useful to improve the health of indigenous people. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Voice disorder outcome profile (V-DOP)-translation and validation in Tamil language.

PubMed

Mahalingam, Shenbagavalli; Boominathan, Prakash; Subramaniyan, Balasubramaniyan

2014-11-01

This study sought to translate and validate the voice disorder outcome profile (V-DOP) for Tamil-speaking populations. It was implemented in two phases: the English language V-DOP developed for an Indian population was first translated into Tamil, a south Indian Dravidian language. Five Tamil language experts verified the translated version for exactness of meaning and usage. The expert's comments and suggestions were used to select the questions for the final V-DOP, thus establishing content validity. Then the translated V-DOP was administered to 95 subjects (75 in clinical and 20 in nonclinical group) for reliability (item-total correlation) and validity (construct) measures. The overall Cronbach coefficient α for V-DOP was 0.89 whereas the mean total V-DOP score was zero for the nonclinical group and 104.28 for the clinical group (standard deviation = 64.71). The emotional and functional domains indicated a statistically significant correlation (r = 0.91 and r = 0.90 respectively), followed by the physical domain (r = 0.82) with the total scores. A significant, but moderate correlation was obtained across V-DOP domains (r = 0.50 to 0.60; P < 0.05 and 0.01) and between total score and overall severity of V-DOP (r = 0.62; P < 0.01). Thus the self-perception measuring V-DOP in Tamil is a valid and reliable tool for evaluating the impact of voice disorders in Tamil-speaking population. Copyright © 2014 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Are learning strategies linked to academic performance among adolescents in two States in India? A tobit regression analysis.

PubMed

Areepattamannil, Shaljan

2014-01-01

The results of the fourth cycle of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) revealed that an unacceptably large number of adolescent students in two states in India-Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu-have failed to acquire basic skills in reading, mathematics, and science (Walker, 2011). Drawing on data from the PISA 2009 database and employing multivariate left-censored to bit regression as a data analytic strategy, the present study, therefore, examined whether or not the learning strategies-memorization, elaboration, and control strategies-of adolescent students in Himachal Pradesh (N = 1,616; Mean age = 15.81 years) and Tamil Nadu (N = 3,210; Mean age = 15.64 years) were linked to their performance on the PISA 2009 reading, mathematics, and science assessments. Tobit regression analyses, after accounting for student demographic characteristics, revealed that the self-reported use of control strategies was significantly positively associated with reading, mathematical, and scientific literacy of adolescents in Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. While the self-reported use of elaboration strategies was not significantly associated with reading literacy among adolescents in Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, it was significantly positively associated with mathematical literacy among adolescents in Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Moreover, the self-reported use of elaboration strategies was significantly and positively linked to scientific literacy among adolescents in Himachal Pradesh alone. The self-reported use of memorization strategies was significantly negatively associated with reading, mathematical, and scientific literacy in Tamil Nadu, while it was significantly negatively associated with mathematical and scientific literacy alone in Himachal Pradesh. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Origin and evolution of Gneiss-Charnockite rocks of Dharmapuri District, Tamil Nadu, India

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rao, D. Rameshwar; Narayana, B. L.

1988-01-01

A low- to high-grade transition area in Dharmapuri district was investigated petrologically and geochemically. The investigation confirmed the presence of a continuous section through a former lower crust, with felsic charnockites predominating the lower part and felsic gneisses the upper part. The structure of original gneisses is preserved in charnockites and the latter show petrographic evidence for prograde metamorphism. The prograde metamorphism is of isochemical nature as revealed by the similarity of compositions of tonalitic gneisses and tonalitic charnockites. However, the depletion of LIL elements particularly Rb, caused variation in K/Rb ratios from low values (345) in the gneisses in upper part to higher values (1775) in the charnockites in the lower crust. This variation in K/Rb ratio in a north to south traverse is related to the progressive break-down of hydrous minerals under decreasing H2O and increasing CO2 fluid conditions. Metasomatism and partial melting has also taken place to a limited extent along shear planes and weak zones. During cooling the H2O circulation affected substantial auto-regression in the transition zone resulting in the formation of second generation biotite.

THE CHINESE CONNECTION OF TAMIL MEDICINE

PubMed Central

Kumar, D. Suresh; Prasad, P.R. Krishna

1992-01-01

Description of a meridian-like channel is available in the Tamil medical text, Akattiyar Nayanaviti – 500, attributed to Akattiyar. Therefore, further studies are essential to trace the interaction between Chinese medicine and the medical practices of southern India. PMID:22556572

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-economic conditions in these States can be effectively utilised for the overall development. The present research paper is an assessment of the water and food situation in this region, in view of increasing needs associated with rise in population and change in environment. Detailed analysis of the water surpluses and deficiencies has been made using water balance model and suggestions for the better management have been presented.

Translational Implications of Tamil "Hamlets."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kanakaraj, S.

1994-01-01

Discusses the use of translation when teaching English as a Second Language in a Tamil context. Singles out the fencing episode in Shakespeare's "Hamlet" to illustrate the difficulties of translating cultural aspects. Concludes that successful translations of Shakespeare into Indian languages should involve collaboration between…

Molecular characterization of wild-type measles viruses in Tamil Nadu, India, during 2005-2006: relationship of genotype D8 strains from Tamil Nadu to global strains.

PubMed

Duraisamy, Raja; Rota, Paul A; Palani, Gunasekaran; Elango, Varalakshmi; Sambasivam, Mohana; Lowe, Luis; Lopareva, Elena; Ramamurty, Nalini

2012-02-01

Molecular characterization of measles viruses is a valuable tool for measuring the effectiveness of measles control and elimination programmes. WHO recommends that virological surveillance be conducted during all phases of measles control to document circulation of indigenous strains and trace future importation. This report describes the genetic characterization of wild type measles viruses from Tamil Nadu, India isolated between January 2005 and January 2006. In the study, 304 suspected measles cases (292 from 56 outbreaks and 12 sporadic cases) were investigated. Blood samples were collected from suspected measles outbreaks and 11 suspected sporadic cases and tested for the presence of measles and rubella specific IgM. Based on serological results, 53 outbreaks were confirmed as measles, 2 as a combination of measles and rubella, and 1 negative for both. Eight sporadic cases were confirmed as measles and one as rubella. Throat swab and urine samples were collected for virus isolation and 28 isolates were obtained. Sequencing and analysis showed that 3 isolates belonged to genotype D4 and 25 to genotype D8. Comparison of the genotype D8 sequences from Tamil Nadu with previously reported genotype D8 sequences from India and abroad showed six distinct clusters with Tamil Nadu strains forming two clusters. This study has established baseline molecular data and is the first report that describes genetic diversity of circulating measles strains in Tamil Nadu, a state in India. D8 has multiple lineages and this has been linked with importation of measles into the USA and UK. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Translation of oswestry disability index into Tamil with cross cultural adaptation and evaluation of reliability and validity(§).

PubMed

Vincent, Joshua Israel; Macdermid, Joy Christine; Grewal, Ruby; Sekar, Vincent Prabhakaran; Balachandran, Dinesh

2014-01-01

Prospective longitudinal validation study. To translate and cross-culturally adapt the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) to the Tamil language (ODI-T), and to evaluate its reliability and construct validity. ODI is widely used as a disease specific questionnaire in back pain patients to evaluate pain and disability. A thorough literature search revealed that the Tamil version of the ODI has not been previously published. The ODI was translated and cross-culturally adapted to the Tamil language according to established guidelines. 30 subjects (16 women and 14 men) with a mean age of 42.7 years (S.D. 13.6; Range 22 - 69) with low back pain were recruited to assess the psychometric properties of the ODI-T Questionnaire. Patients completed the ODI-T, Roland-Morris disability questionnaire (RMDQ), VAS-pain and VAS-disability at baseline and 24-72 hours from the baseline visit. The ODI-T displayed a high degree of internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.92. The test-retest reliability was high (n=30) with an ICC of 0.92 (95% CI, 0.84 to 0.96) and a mean re-test difference of 2.6 points lower on re-test. The ODI-T scores exhibited a strong correlation with the RMDQ scores (r = 0.82) p<0.01, VAS-P (r = 0.78) p<0.01 and VAS-D (r = 0.81) p<0.01. Moderate to low correlations were observed between the ODI-T and lumbar ROM (r = -0.27 to -0.53). All the hypotheses that were constructed apriori were supported. The Tamil version of the ODI Questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool that can be used to measure subjective outcomes of pain and disability in Tamil speaking patients with low back pain.

Village Level Tsunami Threat Maps for Tamil Nadu, SE Coast of India: Numerical Modeling Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MP, J.; Kulangara Madham Subrahmanian, D.; V, R. M.

2014-12-01

The Indian Ocean tsunami (IOT) devastated several countries of North Indian Ocean. India is one of the worst affected countries after Indonesia and Sri Lanka. In India, Tamil Nadu suffered maximum with fatalities exceeding 8,000 people. Historical records show that tsunami has invaded the shores of Tamil Nadu in the past and has made people realize that the tsunami threat looms over Tamil Nadu and it is necessary to evolve strategies for tsunami threat management. The IOT has brought to light that tsunami inundation and runup varied within short distances and for the disaster management for tsunami, large scale maps showing areas that are likely to be affected by future tsunami are identified. Therefore threat assessment for six villages including Mamallapuram (also called Mahabalipuram) which is famous for its rock-cut temples, from the northern part of Tamil Nadu state of India has been carried out and threat maps categorizing the coast into areas of different degree of threat are prepared. The threat was assessed by numerical modeling using TUNAMI N2 code considering different tsunamigenic sources along the Andaman - Sumatra trench. While GEBCO and C-Map data was used for bathymetry and for land elevation data was generated by RTK - GPS survey for a distance of 1 km from shore and SRTM for the inland areas. The model results show that in addition to the Sumatra source which generated the IOT in 2004, earthquakes originating in Car Nicobar and North Andaman can inflict more damage. The North Andaman source can generate a massive tsunami and an earthquake of magnitude more than Mw 9 can not only affect Tamil Nadu but also entire south east coast of India. The runup water level is used to demarcate the tsunami threat zones in the villages using GIS.

Reclaiming reconciliation through community education for the Muslims and Tamils of post-war Jaffna, Sri Lanka

PubMed Central

Duncan, Ross; Cardozo, Mieke Lopes

2017-01-01

This paper explores the possibilities and challenges for ethno-religious reconciliation through secondary school education in post-war Sri Lanka, with a specific focus on the Muslim and Tamil communities in the Northern city of Jaffna. In doing so, we position our paper within the growing field of ‘education, conflict and emergencies’ of which there has been a growing body of literature discussing this contentious relationship. The paper draws from an interdisciplinary and critical theoretical framework that aims to analyse the role of education for peacebuilding, through a multi-scalar application of four interconnected dimensions of social justice: redistribution, recognition, representation and reconciliation (or 4 R’s, Novelli, Lopes Cardozo and Smith, 2015). We apply this framework to interpret primary data collected through an ethnographic study of two under-studied communities that have been disproportionately affected by the 1983 to 2009 civil war and displacement: the Northern Sri Lankan Muslims and Northern Sri Lankan Tamils. We find that structural inequalities in society are replicated in formal secondary school education and are perceived to be perpetuating ethno-religious conflict between Muslim and Tamil; second, through a multi-scalar analysis, formal peace education is perceived by respondents not to be meeting the needs of communities; and third, we observe how in response to failings of state peace education, an ‘unofficial’ Tamil–Muslim community education incorporating a social justice-based approach has emerged. This has facilitated a process of cross-community reconciliation between Muslim and Tamil through individual (teachers, students) and community (Muslim–Tamil community based organisations) agency. The paper concludes by offering suggestions for peace education policy and future research. PMID:28690667

Rolling circle amplification-based analysis of Sri Lankan cassava mosaic virus isolates from Tamil Nadu, India, suggests a low level of genetic variability.

PubMed

Kushawaha, Akhilesh Kumar; Rabindran, Ramalingam; Dasgupta, Indranil

2018-03-01

Cassava mosaic disease is a widespread disease of cassava in south Asia and the African continent. In India, CMD is known to be caused by two single-stranded DNA viruses (geminiviruses), Indian cassava mosaic virus (ICMV) and Sri Lankan cassava mosdaic virus (SLCMV). Previously, the diversity of ICMV and SLCMV in India has been studied using PCR, a sequence-dependent method. To have a more in-depth study of the variability of the above viruses and to detect any novel geminiviruses associated with CMD, sequence-independent amplification using rolling circle amplification (RCA)-based methods were used. CMD affected cassava plants were sampled across eighty locations in nine districts of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Twelve complete sequence of coat protein genes of the resident geminiviruses, comprising 256 amino acid residues were generated from the above samples, which indicated changes at only six positions. RCA followed by RFLP of the 80 samples indicated that most samples (47) contained only SLCMV, followed by 8, which were infected jointly with ICMV and SLCMV. In 11 samples, the pattern did not match the expected patterns from either of the two viruses and hence, were variants. Sequence analysis of an average of 700 nucleotides from 31 RCA-generated fragments of the variants indicated identities of 97-99% with the sequence of a previously reported infectious clone of SLCMV. The evidence suggests low levels of genetic variability in the begomoviruses infecting cassava, mainly in the form of scattered single nucleotide changes.

Knowledge of antiretrovirals in preventing parentto-child-transmission of HIV: a cross-sectional study among women living with HIV in Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Rastogi, Saumya; Charles, Bimal; Sam, Asirvatham E

2012-01-01

India is amongst the top 10 countries in the world currently with the highest burden of pregnant women living with HIV and nearly 80% of these women do not receive antiretroviral (ARV) drugs to prevent parent-to-child transmission (PTCT) of HIV. The aim of this study was to estimate HIV-infected women's awareness on PTCT and knowledge of ARVs as a measure to prevent PTCT. This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study in which a total of 986 women with HIV aged 18 years and above were interviewed in 13 high HIV prevalence districts of Tamil Nadu, South India. Data were analysed using descriptive, bivariate and multivariate methods. Nearly one fifth (18.8%) of the women with HIV had not heard of PTCT and 40% did not know that ARVs could prevent PTCT. In addition, 39.3% were not aware of the timing of PTCT; 50.4% reported intrauterine and intrapartum and 13.7% mentioned breastfeeding period as the possible timings of PTCT of HIV. Multivariate analysis showed that single/never married women had lower knowledge of PTCT. Also, those who had undergone a prior training on reproductive and child health (RCH) and those who discussed RCH issues with their partners were more likely to have higher knowledge. Considering the risk of HIV transmission from HIV-infected women to their children, the knowledge level of PTCT among them is low. Appropriate strategies to generate awareness among women with HIV need be introduced to help them make informed decisions.

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.

Leptospirosis Seroprevalence among Blue Metal Mine Workers of Tamil Nadu, India

PubMed Central

Parveen, Sakkarai Mohamed Asha; Suganyaa, Baskar; Sathya, Muthu Sri; Margreat, Alphonse Asirvatham Princy; Sivasankari, Karikalacholan; Shanmughapriya, Santhanam; Hoffman, Nicholas E.; Natarajaseenivasan, Kalimuthusamy

2016-01-01

Leptospirosis is mainly considered an occupational disease, prevalent among agriculture, sewage works, forestry, and animal slaughtering populations. However, putative risk to miners and their inclusion in the high-risk leptospirosis group remain in need of rigorous analysis. Therefore, a study was conducted with the objective to assess the leptospirosis seroprevalence among miners of two districts of Tamil Nadu, India. A total of 244 sera samples from Pudukkottai miners (124) and Karur miners (120) were analyzed by microscopic agglutination test. Antibodies to leptospires were detected in 94 samples giving an overall seroprevalence of 38.5%. The seroprevalence was higher among Pudukkottai miners (65.3%) when compared with Karur miners (10.8%). Seroprevalence among control population (13%) was significantly less than that of the Pudukkottai miners marking a possible high-risk population group distinction. Subject sera most commonly reacted with organisms of the serogroup Autumnalis, and the pattern was similar in carrier animals of the study areas. Two leptospires were isolated from kidney samples of rats. The prevalence of Autumnalis among rodents and humans source tracked human leptospirosis among the miners. The study also determined that Pudukkottai miners are subjected to high-risk challenges such as exposure to water bodies on the way to the mines (odds ratio [OR] = 10.6), wet mine areas (OR = 10.6), rat infestation (OR = 4.6), and cattle rearing (OR = 10.4) and are thus frequently exposed to leptospirosis compared with Karur miners. Hence, control strategies targeting these populations will likely to prove to be effective remediation strategies benefiting Pudukkottai miners and workers in similar environments across occupations. PMID:27044567

Ethnic differences in the Goodenough-Harris draw-a-man and draw-a-woman tests.

PubMed

Dugdale, A E; Chen, S T

1979-11-01

The draw-a-man (DAM) and draw-a-woman (DAW) tests were given to 307 schoolchildren in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. The children were ethnically Malay, Chinese, or Indian (Tamil), and all came from lower socioeconomic groups. The standard scores of the Chinese children averaged 118 in the DAM and 112 in the DAW tests. These scores were significantly better than the American standards. Malay children scored significantly lower than Chinese, and Tamil children scored lower again. The nutritional status of the children had no influence on the scores. Chinese and Tamil children scored better in the DAM than the DAW, while in Malay boys the reverse was true. Malay children tended to emphasise clothing in the DAM, but Chinese and Tamil children scored better on items relating to facial features and body proportions. The Goodenough-Harris draw-a-person tests are obviously not culture-free, but the causes of ethnic differences have not been elucidated.

Genetic affinities of Sri Lankan populations.

PubMed

Kshatriya, G K

1995-12-01

Mythological and historical sketches of the Sri Lankan population indicate that it is heterogeneous and composed of diverse ethnic groups. Ancient chronicles of Sri Lanka relate the origin of the Sinhalese to the legend of Prince Vijaya, who arrived on the northwest coast of the island in 543 B.C. from northeast or northwest India. Further, because Sri Lanka occupies an important position on seaways, it has received a constant influx of people from various parts of the world (especially from the Middle East and Europe), including India. Taking into consideration mythological, historical, and linguistic records of Sri Lanka, I attempt to study the degree of gene diversity and genetic admixture among the population groups of Sri Lanka along with the populations of southern, northeastern, and northwestern India, the Middle East, and Europe. The genetic distance analysis was conducted using 43 alleles controlled by 15 codominant loci in 8 populations and 40 alleles controlled by 13 codominant loci in 11 populations. Both analyses give a similar picture, indicating that present-day Sinhalese and Tamils of Sri Lanka are closer to Indian Tamils and South Indian Muslims. They are farthest from Veddahs and quite distant from Gujaratis and Punjabis of northwest India and Bengalis of northeast India. Veddahs are distinct because they are confined to inhospitable dry zones and are hardly influenced by their neighbors. The study of genetic admixture revealed that the Sinhalese of Sri Lanka have a higher contribution from the Tamils of southern India (69.86% +/- 0.61) compared with the Bengalis of northeast India (25.41% +/- 0.51), whereas the Tamils of Sri Lanka have received a higher contribution from the Sinhalese of Sri Lanka (55.20% +/- 9.47) compared with the Tamils of India (16.63% +/- 8.73). Thus it is apparent that the contribution of Prince Vijaya and his companions, coming from northwest India, to the present-day Sinhalese must have been erased by the long-standing contribution (over 2000 years) of the population groups of India, especially those from Bengal and Tamil Nadu. Similarly, the Tamils of Sri Lanka are closer to the Sinhalese because they were always in close proximity to each other historically, linguistically, and culturally.

Physicochemical analysis of urinary stones from Dharmapuri district

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aslin Shamema, A.; Thanigai Arul, K.; Senthil Kumar, R.; Narayana Kalkura, S.

2015-01-01

Nephrolithiasis is a common disease caused by the multifactorial components such as geographical location, bacterial infection, low urine volume, and low intake of water. This disease induces severe metabolic abnormalities in the human body. As the prevalence of this disease was high in Dharmapuri district located in Tamil Nadu, urinary stones removed from the patients pertaining to this district were collected and to identify the toxic elements present in the stones. The presence of functional groups and phases of the stones were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The majority of stones were found to be calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) and mixed stones having minor existence of struvite and uric acid. Hexagonal shaped COM crystals, needle shaped uric acid crystals and layered arrangement of struvite crystals in the core region were revealed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) was used to determine the thermal stability and the hardness of the stone which was measured using Vickers hardness (HV). The presence of toxic elements in stones such as zirconium and mercury was identified using Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS). The EDS analysis showed higher concentration of zirconium in the core region compared to the periphery. The percentage of zirconium was relatively high compared to other toxic elements in the stones. The Vickers hardness results indicated that high HV values in the core region than the periphery and this might be due to the presence of zirconium.

Sri Lanka. Political violence and ethnic conflict.

PubMed

Rogers, J D; Spencer, J; Uyangoda, J

1998-07-01

In recent years, Sri Lanka has experienced 2 violent rebellions in which youths have played a prominent role, 1 in the majority Sinhala community and 1 in the minority Tamil community. The former was crushed, but the latter remains ongoing, with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who claim to represent the Tamil minority, battling the Sinhala-dominated government. Prospects for peace in the short- and medium term appear poor. These events have generated an impressive body of interdisciplinary interpretation, but several important topics have received relatively little attention. Most ongoing research is being carried out by anthropologists, historians, and political scientists, but psychological insights would offer important complementary perspectives.

Tamil Chola Bronzes and Swamimalai Legacy: Metal Sources and Archaeotechnology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srinivasan, Sharada

2016-08-01

This review explores the great copper alloy image casting traditions of southern India from archaeometallurgical and ethnometallurgical perspectives. The usefulness of lead isotope ratio and compositional analysis in the finger-printing and art historical study of more than 130 early historic, Pallava, Chola, later Chola, and Vijayanagara sculptures (fifth-eighteenth centuries) is highlighted, including Nataraja, Buddha, Parvati, and Rama images made of copper, leaded bronze, brass, and gilt copper. Image casting traditions at Swamimalai in Tamil Nadu are compared with artistic treatises and with the technical examination of medieval bronzes, throwing light on continuities and changes in foundry practices. Western Indian sources could be pinpointed for a couple of medieval images from lead isotope analysis. Slag and archaeometallurgical investigations suggest the exploitation of some copper and lead-silver sources in the Andhra and Karnataka regions in the early historic Satavahana period and point to probable copper sources for the medieval images in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. The general lower iron content in southern Indian bronzes perhaps renders the proximal copper-magnetite reserves of Seruvila in Sri Lanka as a less likely source. Given the lack of lead deposits in Sri Lanka, however, the match of the lead isotope signatures of a well-known Ceylonese Buddhist Tara in British Museum with a Buddha image from Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu may underscore ties between the island nation and the southern Indian Tamil regions.

Rhythmic Characteristics of Colloquial and Formal Tamil

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keane, Elinor

2006-01-01

Application of recently developed rhythmic measures to passages of read speech in colloquial and formal Tamil revealed some significant differences between the two varieties, which are in diglossic distribution. Both were also distinguished from a set of control data from British English speakers reading an equivalent passage. The findings have…

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.

Study of water supply & sanitation practices in India using geographic information systems: some design & other considerations in a village setting.

PubMed

Gopal, Srila; Sarkar, Rajiv; Banda, Kalyan; Govindarajan, Jeyanthi; Harijan, B B; Jeyakumar, M B; Mitta, Philip; Sadanala, M E; Selwyn, Tryphena; Suresh, C R; Thomas, V A; Devadason, Pethuru; Kumar, Ranjit; Selvapandian, David; Kang, Gagandeep; Balraj, Vinohar

2009-03-01

Availability of clean water and adequate sanitation facilities are of prime importance for limiting diarrhoeal diseases. We examined the water and sanitation facilities of a village in southern India using geographic information system (GIS) tools. Places of residence, water storage and distribution, sewage and places where people in the village defaecated were mapped and drinking water sources were tested for microbial contamination in Nelvoy village, Vellore district, Tamil Nadu. Water in the village was found to be microbiologically unfit for consumption. Analysis using direct observations supplemented by GIS maps revealed poor planning, poor engineering design and lack of policing of the water distribution system causing possible contamination of drinking water from sewage at multiple sites. Until appropriate engineering designs for water supply and sewage disposal to suit individual village needs are made available, point-of-use water disinfection methods could serve as an interim solution.

Financing of internal displacement: excerpts from the Sri Lankan experience.

PubMed

Amirthalingam, Kopalapillai; Lakshman, Rajith W D

2010-04-01

This paper investigates how internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka, financed their first year of displacement. We conducted extensive fieldwork in August 2007 in numerous welfare centres in Batticaloa that have received persons displaced from the Mutur divisional secretariat (DS) in the Trincomalee district. The sample was selected from the village of Sampur in Mutur DS. The displaced from Sampur are of Tamil origin and our findings reveal certain coping strategies that may be particular to this community, including the selling or mortgaging of gold jewellery to address the effects of displacement. We found that the IDPs in this region rely heavily on jewellery and other forms of savings to ensure their survival. There is also strong evidence to support the critically important coping role played by livelihoods. These coping strategies have enabled the IDP households in the present sample to live marginally above the poverty line.

Effect of autogenic relaxation on depression among menopausal women in rural areas of Thiruvallur District (Tamil Nadu).

PubMed

Sujithra, S

2014-01-01

An experimental study was conducted among 60 menopausal women, 30 each in experimental and control group who met inclusion criteria. The menopausal women were identified in both the groups and level of depression was assessed using Cornell Dysthmia rating scale. Simple random sampling technique by lottery method was used for selecting the sample. Autogenic relaxation was practiced by the menopausal women for four weeks. The findings revealed that in experimental group, after intervention of autogenic relaxation on depression among menopausal women, 23 (76.7%) had mild depression. There was a statistically significant effectiveness in experimental group at the level of p < 0.05. There was a statistically significant association between the effectiveness of autogenic relaxation on depression among menopausal women in the post-experimental group with the type of family at the level of p < 0.05.

Coverage of childhood vaccination among children aged 12-23 months, Tamil Nadu, 2015, India

PubMed Central

Murhekar, Manoj V.; Kamaraj, P.; Kanagasabai, K.; Elavarasu, G.; Rajasekar, T. Daniel; Boopathi, K.; Mehendale, Sanjay

2017-01-01

Background & objectives: District-Level Household Survey-4 (DLHS-4) indicated that during 2012-2013, only 56 per cent of children aged 12-23 months in Tamil Nadu were fully vaccinated, which were lesser than those reported in earlier national surveys. We, therefore, conducted cluster surveys to estimate coverage of childhood vaccination in the State, and also to identify the factors associated with low coverage. Methods: Cross-sectional surveys were conducted in 15 strata [municipal corporation non-slum (n=1), municipal corporation slum (n=1), hilly (n=1), rural (n=6) and urban (n=6)]. From each stratum, 30 clusters were selected using probability proportional to the population size linear systematic sampling; seven children aged 12-23 months were selected from each cluster and their mothers/care-takers were interviewed to collect information about vaccination status of the child. A child was considered fully vaccinated if he/she received bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), three doses of pentavalent, three doses of oral polio vaccine and one dose of measles vaccine, and appropriately vaccinated if all vaccine doses were given at right age and with right interval. Further, coverage of fully vaccinated children (FVC) as per vaccination cards or mothers’ recall, validated coverage of FVC (V-FVC) among those having cards, and coverage of appropriately vaccinated children (AVC) were estimated using survey data analysis module with appropriate sampling weights. Results: A total of 3150 children were surveyed, of them 2528 (80.3%) had vaccination card. The weighted coverage of FVC, V-FVC and AVC in the State was 79.9 per cent [95% confidence interval (CI): 78.2-81.5], 78.8 per cent (95% CI: 76.9-80.5) and 69.7 per cent (95% CI: 67.7-71.7), respectively. The coverage of individual vaccine ranged between 84 per cent (measles) and 99.8 per cent (BCG). About 12 per cent V-FVC were not vaccinated as per the vaccination schedule. Interpretation & conclusions: The coverage of FVC in Tamil Nadu was high, with about 80 per cent children completing primary vaccination. Efforts to increase vaccination coverage in the State need to focus on educating vaccinators about the need to adhere to the national vaccination schedule and strengthening supervision to ensure that children are vaccinated appropriately. PMID:28749402

Coverage of childhood vaccination among children aged 12-23 months, Tamil Nadu, 2015, India.

PubMed

Murhekar, Manoj V; Kamaraj, P; Kanagasabai, K; Elavarasu, G; Rajasekar, T Daniel; Boopathi, K; Mehendale, Sanjay

2017-03-01

District-Level Household Survey-4 (DLHS-4) indicated that during 2012-2013, only 56 per cent of children aged 12-23 months in Tamil Nadu were fully vaccinated, which were lesser than those reported in earlier national surveys. We, therefore, conducted cluster surveys to estimate coverage of childhood vaccination in the State, and also to identify the factors associated with low coverage. Cross-sectional surveys were conducted in 15 strata [municipal corporation non-slum (n=1), municipal corporation slum (n=1), hilly (n=1), rural (n=6) and urban (n=6)]. From each stratum, 30 clusters were selected using probability proportional to the population size linear systematic sampling; seven children aged 12-23 months were selected from each cluster and their mothers/care-takers were interviewed to collect information about vaccination status of the child. A child was considered fully vaccinated if he/she received bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), three doses of pentavalent, three doses of oral polio vaccine and one dose of measles vaccine, and appropriately vaccinated if all vaccine doses were given at right age and with right interval. Further, coverage of fully vaccinated children (FVC) as per vaccination cards or mothers' recall, validated coverage of FVC (V-FVC) among those having cards, and coverage of appropriately vaccinated children (AVC) were estimated using survey data analysis module with appropriate sampling weights. A total of 3150 children were surveyed, of them 2528 (80.3%) had vaccination card. The weighted coverage of FVC, V-FVC and AVC in the State was 79.9 per cent [95% confidence interval (CI): 78.2-81.5], 78.8 per cent (95% CI: 76.9-80.5) and 69.7 per cent (95% CI: 67.7-71.7), respectively. The coverage of individual vaccine ranged between 84 per cent (measles) and 99.8 per cent (BCG). About 12 per cent V-FVC were not vaccinated as per the vaccination schedule. The coverage of FVC in Tamil Nadu was high, with about 80 per cent children completing primary vaccination. Efforts to increase vaccination coverage in the State need to focus on educating vaccinators about the need to adhere to the national vaccination schedule and strengthening supervision to ensure that children are vaccinated appropriately.

Perspective-Shifts in Event Descriptions in Tamil Child Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Narasimhan, Bhuvana; Gullberg, Marianne

2006-01-01

Children are able to take multiple perspectives in talking about entities and events. But the nature of children's sensitivities to the complex patterns of perspective-taking in adult language is unknown. We examine perspective-taking in four- and six-year-old Tamil-speaking children describing placement events, as reflected in the use of a…

Validation of the Tamil version of short form Geriatric Depression Scale-15.

PubMed

Sarkar, Sonali; Kattimani, Shivananand; Roy, Gautam; Premarajan, K C; Sarkar, Siddharth

2015-01-01

Local language screening instruments can be helpful in early assessment of depression in the elderly in the community and primary care population. This study describes the validation of a Tamil version of Geriatric Depression Scale (short form 15 [GDS-15] item) in a rural population. A Tamil version of GDS-15 was developed using standardized procedures. The questionnaire was applied in a sample of elderly (aged 60 years and above) from a village in South India. All the participants were also assessed for depression by a clinical interview by a psychiatrist. A total of 242 participants were enrolled, 64.9% of them being females. The mean score on GDS-15 was 7.4 (±3.4), while the point prevalence of depression was 6.2% by clinical interview. The area under the receiver-operator curve was 0.659. The optimal cut-off for the GDS in this sample was found at 7/8 with sensitivity and specificity being 80% and 47.6%, respectively. The Tamil version of GDS-15 can be a useful screening instrument for assessment of depression in the elderly population.

Faecal microbiota of healthy adults in south India: Comparison of a tribal & a rural population.

PubMed

Ramadass, Balamurugan; Rani, B Sandya; Pugazhendhi, Srinivasan; John, K R; Ramakrishna, Balakrishnan S

2017-02-01

The relevance of the gut microbiota to human health is increasingly appreciated. The objective of this study was to compare the gut microbiota of a group of adult tribals with that of healthy adult villagers in Tamil Nadu, India. Faeces were collected from 10 healthy tribal adults (TAs) in the Jawadhi hills and from 10 healthy villagers [rural adults (RAs)] in Vellore district, Tamil Nadu. DNA was extracted, and 456 bp segments comprising hypervariable regions 3 and 4 of the 16S rRNA gene were amplified, barcoded and 454 sequenced. Totally 227,710 good-quality reads were analyzed. TAs consumed a millets-based diet, ate pork every day, and did not consume milk or milk products. RAs consumed a rice-based diet with meat intake once a week. In both groups, Firmicutes was the most abundant phylum, followed by Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria. The median Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio was 34.0 in TA and 92.9 in RA groups. Actinobacteria were significantly low in TA, possibly due to non-consumption of milk. Clostridium constituted the most abundant genus in both groups, but was significantly more abundant in TAs than RAs, while Streptococcus was significantly more abundant in RA (P<0.05). Analyses of genetic distance revealed that the microbiota were distinctly different between TA and RA, and principal component analysis using 550 distinct taxonomically identifiable sequences revealed a clear separation of microbiota composition in the two groups. Phylogenetic analysis of major microbiota indicated clustering of microbial groups at different major branch points for TAs and RAs. Phylum Firmicutes and genus Clostridium constituted the bulk of the faecal microbiota, while significant differences in composition between the groups were probably due to differences in diet and lifestyle.

A study on the tolerance level of farmers toward human-wildlife conflict in the forest buffer zones of Tamil Nadu

PubMed Central

Senthilkumar, K.; Mathialagan, P.; Manivannan, C.; Jayathangaraj, M. G.; Gomathinayagam, S.

2016-01-01

Aim: The aim of this work was to study the tolerance level of farmers toward different human-wildlife conflict (HWC) situations. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in 24 villages of nine blocks from Kancheepuram, Coimbatore, Erode, and Krishnagiri districts of Tamil Nadu by personally interviewing 240 farmers affected with four different HWC situations such as human-elephant conflict (HEC), human-wild pig conflict (HPC), human-gaur conflict (HGC), and human-monkey conflict (HMC). A scale developed for this purpose was used to find out the tolerance level of the farmers. Results: In general, the majority (61.70%) of the farmers had medium level of tolerance toward HWC, whereas 25.40% and 12.90% belonged to a high and low category, respectively. The mean tolerance level of the farmer’s encountering HMC is low (8.77) among the other three wild animal conflicts. In tackling HWC, the majority (55.00%) of the HEC farmers drove the elephant once it entered into their farmland. In the HPC, more than three-fourths of the respondents drove away the wild pig once they were found in farmlands. With regard to the HMC, a less number of them (1.70%) drove the monkey away if monkeys were spotted in their village. With regard to HGC, 95.00% of the respondents frightened the gaurs if their family members were threatened by gaurs. Conclusion: The present study suggests that that majority of the farmers had medium level of tolerance toward HWC. The tolerance level of the HMC farmers was lower than other three HWC affected farmers. This study emphasizes the need for necessary training to tackle the problem in an effective manner for wild animal conservation. PMID:27536037

Impact of rapid molecular diagnostic tests on time to treatment initiation and outcomes in patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Nair, Dina; Navneethapandian, Pooranaganga D; Tripathy, Jaya Prasad; Harries, Anthony D; Klinton, Joel S; Watson, Basilea; Sivaramakrishnan, Gomathi N; Reddy, Devarajulu S; Murali, Lakshmi; Natrajan, Mohan; Swaminathan, Soumya

2016-09-01

India is replacing culture and drug sensitivity testing (CDST) with rapid molecular tests for diagnosing MDR-TB. We assessed the impact of rapid tests on time to initiation of treatment and outcomes in patients with MDR-TB compared with CDST. A retrospective cohort study involving MDR-TB patients from six districts in Tamil Nadu state, who underwent CDST (2010-2011) and rapid tests (2012-2013). There were 135 patients in the CDST group and 389 in the rapid diagnostic test group. Median time from sputum receipt at the laboratory to initiation of MDR-TB treatment was 130 days (IQR 75-213) in the CDST group and 22 days (IQR 14-38) in the rapid diagnostic test group (p<0.001). Overall treatment success was 30% with CDST and 41% with rapid tests (p<0.05), but there was high loss to follow-up >30% in both groups and missing data were higher in CDST (13%) compared with rapid tests (3%). There were significantly higher risks of unfavourable treatment outcomes in males (aRR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1-1.5) and those with treatment initiation delays >30 days (aRR 1.3, 95% CI 1.0-1.6). Rapid molecular diagnostic tests shortened the time to initiate treatment which was associated with reduced unfavourable outcomes in MDR-TB patients. This supports the policy to scale up these tests in India. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Role of community group exposure in reducing sexually transmitted infection-related risk among female sex workers in India.

PubMed

Yadav, Diwakar; Ramanathan, Shreena; Goswami, Prabuddhagopal; Ramakrishnan, Lakshmi; Saggurti, Niranjan; Sen, Shrabanti; George, Bitra; Paranjape, Ramesh

2013-01-01

Empowering female sex workers (FSWs) to address structural barriers and forming community groups (CGs) through community mobilization are seen as essential components of HIV prevention programs in India. Taking the membership of a CG as an exposure intervention, we hypothesized whether participation in a CG lead to reduced sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and increased treatment-seeking behavior among FSWs in three selected states of India--Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. The propensity score matching (PSM) approach examined the effect of CG membership, as against no membership, on STI-related risk, described as selected outcome measures--presence of any STI, self-reported STI symptoms, and treatment-seeking behavior among FSWs. A cross sectional bio-behavioral survey was administered in 2009-2010 and covered 7,806 FSWs through two-stage probability-based conventional and time location cluster sampling in 23 administrative districts of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. Only 2,939 FSWs were reported to be members of a CG and among them 4.5% had any STIs. A majority of FSWs were aged above 24 years (86.4%), had ever been married (73%), operated from a public place for solicitation (81.5%), and had ever received HIV test results (75.6%). The average effect of CG exposure was reduction in STI prevalence by 4%, while self-reported STI symptom treatment-seeking behavior increased by 13.7%. FSWs who were exposed to a CG were at a substantially lower risk of STIs than those who were unexposed. The FSWs exposed to a CG had a higher chance of seeking STI treatment from public and private health facilities. Collectivization related challenges must be overcome to provide access to tailored STI prevention and care services.

Role of Community Group Exposure in Reducing Sexually Transmitted Infection-Related Risk among Female Sex Workers in India

PubMed Central

Yadav, Diwakar; Ramanathan, Shreena; Goswami, Prabuddhagopal; Ramakrishnan, Lakshmi; Saggurti, Niranjan; Sen, Shrabanti; George, Bitra; Paranjape, Ramesh

2013-01-01

Background Empowering female sex workers (FSWs) to address structural barriers and forming community groups (CGs) through community mobilization are seen as essential components of HIV prevention programs in India. Taking the membership of a CG as an exposure intervention, we hypothesized whether participation in a CG lead to reduced sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and increased treatment-seeking behavior among FSWs in three selected states of India — Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. Methods and Findings The propensity score matching (PSM) approach examined the effect of CG membership, as against no membership, on STI-related risk, described as selected outcome measures — presence of any STI, self-reported STI symptoms, and treatment-seeking behavior among FSWs. A cross sectional bio-behavioral survey was administered in 2009–2010 and covered 7,806 FSWs through two-stage probability-based conventional and time location cluster sampling in 23 administrative districts of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. Only 2,939 FSWs were reported to be members of a CG and among them 4.5% had any STIs. A majority of FSWs were aged above 24 years (86.4%), had ever been married (73%), operated from a public place for solicitation (81.5%), and had ever received HIV test results (75.6%). The average effect of CG exposure was reduction in STI prevalence by 4%, while self-reported STI symptom treatment-seeking behavior increased by 13.7%. Conclusion FSWs who were exposed to a CG were at a substantially lower risk of STIs than those who were unexposed. The FSWs exposed to a CG had a higher chance of seeking STI treatment from public and private health facilities. Collectivization related challenges must be overcome to provide access to tailored STI prevention and care services. PMID:24205210

A study on the tolerance level of farmers toward human-wildlife conflict in the forest buffer zones of Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Senthilkumar, K; Mathialagan, P; Manivannan, C; Jayathangaraj, M G; Gomathinayagam, S

2016-07-01

The aim of this work was to study the tolerance level of farmers toward different human-wildlife conflict (HWC) situations. This study was conducted in 24 villages of nine blocks from Kancheepuram, Coimbatore, Erode, and Krishnagiri districts of Tamil Nadu by personally interviewing 240 farmers affected with four different HWC situations such as human-elephant conflict (HEC), human-wild pig conflict (HPC), human-gaur conflict (HGC), and human-monkey conflict (HMC). A scale developed for this purpose was used to find out the tolerance level of the farmers. In general, the majority (61.70%) of the farmers had medium level of tolerance toward HWC, whereas 25.40% and 12.90% belonged to a high and low category, respectively. The mean tolerance level of the farmer's encountering HMC is low (8.77) among the other three wild animal conflicts. In tackling HWC, the majority (55.00%) of the HEC farmers drove the elephant once it entered into their farmland. In the HPC, more than three-fourths of the respondents drove away the wild pig once they were found in farmlands. With regard to the HMC, a less number of them (1.70%) drove the monkey away if monkeys were spotted in their village. With regard to HGC, 95.00% of the respondents frightened the gaurs if their family members were threatened by gaurs. The present study suggests that that majority of the farmers had medium level of tolerance toward HWC. The tolerance level of the HMC farmers was lower than other three HWC affected farmers. This study emphasizes the need for necessary training to tackle the problem in an effective manner for wild animal conservation.

Health camps in schools and content analysis of the school textbooks: A cross-sectional study in Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Geetha Priya, P R; Asokan, Sharath; Kandaswamy, D; Malliga, S; Arthi, G

2016-01-01

School textbooks have been considered as an effective platform for promoting oral health. The information on oral health in the Indian school textbooks has not been evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contents of school textbooks on oral health and to quantitatively analyze the school health camps and guest lectures/demonstrations conducted in the schools of three districts in Tamil Nadu. Twenty schools which participated in the study followed the Central Board of Secondary Education, matriculation, or the state board syllabus. A questionnaire was designed to collect information about the medical camps, dental camps, guest lectures, and demonstrations conducted in the last academic year from the schools. The questionnaires were distributed among the school teachers of grades I-V. They were asked to provide photocopies of the topics on oral health which were included in the syllabus. Content analysis of the information on oral health-related topics in the school textbooks was done. Descriptive statistics of the details of the camps and lectures was done using Pearson's Chi-square test (SPSS version 17) (SPSS Inc. Chicago, Illinois, USA). There was no significant difference in the number of medical camps (P = 0.445), dental camps (P = 0.055), and guest lectures (P = 0.069) organized among the three boards of schools. Basic information on the parts and type of teeth, tooth decay, and brushing were present in the textbooks of all three boards of schools. The school textbooks of all the three boards contained basic and adequate information on oral health. Periodic revisions of the content and quality of information in the school textbooks are essential. To make the information sticky for long-term, reinforcements in the form of school health education is needed.

Leptospirosis Seroprevalence Among Blue Metal Mine Workers of Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Parveen, Sakkarai Mohamed Asha; Suganyaa, Baskar; Sathya, Muthu Sri; Margreat, Alphonse Asirvatham Princy; Sivasankari, Karikalacholan; Shanmughapriya, Santhanam; Hoffman, Nicholas E; Natarajaseenivasan, Kalimuthusamy

2016-07-06

Leptospirosis is mainly considered an occupational disease, prevalent among agriculture, sewage works, forestry, and animal slaughtering populations. However, putative risk to miners and their inclusion in the high-risk leptospirosis group remain in need of rigorous analysis. Therefore, a study was conducted with the objective to assess the leptospirosis seroprevalence among miners of two districts of Tamil Nadu, India. A total of 244 sera samples from Pudukkottai miners (124) and Karur miners (120) were analyzed by microscopic agglutination test. Antibodies to leptospires were detected in 94 samples giving an overall seroprevalence of 38.5%. The seroprevalence was higher among Pudukkottai miners (65.3%) when compared with Karur miners (10.8%). Seroprevalence among control population (13%) was significantly less than that of the Pudukkottai miners marking a possible high-risk population group distinction. Subject sera most commonly reacted with organisms of the serogroup Autumnalis, and the pattern was similar in carrier animals of the study areas. Two leptospires were isolated from kidney samples of rats. The prevalence of Autumnalis among rodents and humans source tracked human leptospirosis among the miners. The study also determined that Pudukkottai miners are subjected to high-risk challenges such as exposure to water bodies on the way to the mines (odds ratio [OR] = 10.6), wet mine areas (OR = 10.6), rat infestation (OR = 4.6), and cattle rearing (OR = 10.4) and are thus frequently exposed to leptospirosis compared with Karur miners. Hence, control strategies targeting these populations will likely to prove to be effective remediation strategies benefiting Pudukkottai miners and workers in similar environments across occupations. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Faecal microbiota of healthy adults in south India: Comparison of a tribal & a rural population

PubMed Central

Ramadass, Balamurugan; Rani, B. Sandya; Pugazhendhi, Srinivasan; John, K.R.; Ramakrishna, Balakrishnan S.

2017-01-01

Background & objectives: The relevance of the gut microbiota to human health is increasingly appreciated. The objective of this study was to compare the gut microbiota of a group of adult tribals with that of healthy adult villagers in Tamil Nadu, India. Methods: Faeces were collected from 10 healthy tribal adults (TAs) in the Jawadhi hills and from 10 healthy villagers [rural adults (RAs)] in Vellore district, Tamil Nadu. DNA was extracted, and 456 bp segments comprising hypervariable regions 3 and 4 of the 16S rRNA gene were amplified, barcoded and 454 sequenced. Results: Totally 227,710 good-quality reads were analyzed. TAs consumed a millets-based diet, ate pork every day, and did not consume milk or milk products. RAs consumed a rice-based diet with meat intake once a week. In both groups, Firmicutes was the most abundant phylum, followed by Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria. The median Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio was 34.0 in TA and 92.9 in RA groups. Actinobacteria were significantly low in TA, possibly due to non-consumption of milk. Clostridium constituted the most abundant genus in both groups, but was significantly more abundant in TAs than RAs, while Streptococcus was significantly more abundant in RA (P<0.05). Analyses of genetic distance revealed that the microbiota were distinctly different between TA and RA, and principal component analysis using 550 distinct taxonomically identifiable sequences revealed a clear separation of microbiota composition in the two groups. Phylogenetic analysis of major microbiota indicated clustering of microbial groups at different major branch points for TAs and RAs. Interpretation & conclusions: Phylum Firmicutes and genus Clostridium constituted the bulk of the faecal microbiota, while significant differences in composition between the groups were probably due to differences in diet and lifestyle. PMID:28639601

Factors influencing trust in doctors: a community segmentation strategy for quality improvement in healthcare

PubMed Central

Gopichandran, Vijayaprasad; Chetlapalli, Satish Kumar

2013-01-01

Background Trust is a forward-looking covenant between the patient and the doctor where the patient optimistically accepts his/her vulnerability. Trust is known to improve the clinical outcomes. Objectives To explore the factors that determine patients’ trust in doctors and to segment the community based on factors which drive their trust. Setting Resource-poor urban and rural settings in Tamil Nadu, a state in southern India. Participants A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 625 adult community-dwelling respondents from four districts of Tamil Nadu, India, chosen by multistage sampling strategy. Outcome measures The outcomes were to understand the main domains of factors influencing trust in doctors and to segment the community based on which of these domains predominantly influenced their trust. Results Factor analysis revealed five main categories, namely, comfort with the doctor, doctor with personal involvement with the patient, behaviourally competent doctor, doctor with a simple appearance and culturally competent doctor, which explained 49.3% of the total variance. Using k-means cluster analysis the respondents were segmented into four groups, namely, those who have ‘comfort-based trust’, ‘emotionally assessed trust’, who were predominantly older and belonging to lower socioeconomic status, those who had ‘personal trust’, who were younger people from higher socioeconomic strata of the community and the group who had ‘objectively assessed trust’, who were younger women. Conclusions Trust in doctors seems to be influenced by the doctor's behaviuor, perceived comfort levels, personal involvement with the patient, and to a lesser extent by cultural competence and doctor's physical appearance. On the basis of these dimensions, the community can be segmented into distinct groups, and trust building can happen in a strategic manner which may lead to improvement in perceived quality of care. PMID:24302512

Bureaucratic Activism and Radical School Change in Tamil Nadu, India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niesz, Tricia; Krishnamurthy, Ramchandar

2013-01-01

In 2007, Activity Based Learning (ABL), a child-centered, activity-based method of pedagogical practice, transformed classrooms in all of the over 37,000 primary-level government schools in Tamil Nadu, India. The large scale, rapid pace, and radical nature of educational change sets the ABL initiative apart from most school reform efforts.…

Movement Actors in the Education Bureaucracy: The Figured World of Activity Based Learning in Tamil Nadu

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niesz, Tricia; Krishnamurthy, Ramchandar

2014-01-01

Tamil Nadu has gained international recognition for reforming its government school classrooms into active, child-centered learning environments. Our exploration of the history of the Activity Based Learning movement suggests that this reform was achieved by social movement actors serving in and through the state's administration. Participants in…

Improving the United States Efforts in Countering Violent Extremist Organizations in Sub-Saharan Africa

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-06

used against Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers and UNITAS will likely bring an end to the Lord’s Resistance Army. Because the leader of the LRA, Joseph Kony... Tamil Tigers and Angola’s UNITAS. The level of violence between the three organizations is comparable. The lone or hierarchical organization may be

Social Inclusion: Teachers as Facilitators in Peer Acceptance of Students with Disabilities in Regular Classrooms in Tamil Nadu, India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

David, Ruffina; Kuyini, Ahmed Bawa

2012-01-01

This study examined the impact of classroom teachers' attitudes towards inclusive education, teachers' self-efficacy and classroom practices on the social status of students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms in Tamil Nadu, India. Questionnaires, interviews and classroom observations were employed to gather data. The data analysis included…

Teacher's Professional Use of Information and Communication Technology in Secondary Schools in Tamil Nadu, India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nagamani, Deepa; Muthuswamy, Prema

2013-01-01

The purpose of the study is to evaluate secondary school teachers' abilities to use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in schools in Tamil Nadu, India. Questionnaires method was used for data collection. Around 200 questionnaires were distributed to secondary school teachers and headmasters, in which 157 were completed and returned.…

The Influence of Gujarati and Tamil L1s on Indian English: A Preliminary Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiltshire, Caroline R.; Harnsberger, James D.

2006-01-01

English as spoken as a second language in India has developed distinct sound patterns in terms of both segmental and prosodic characteristics. We investigate the differences between two groups varying in native language (Gujarati, Tamil) to evaluate to what extent Indian English (IE) accents are based on a single target phonological-phonetic…

Genetic affinity between diverse ethnoreligious communities of Tamil Nadu, India: a microsatellite study.

PubMed

Eaaswarkhanth, M; Vasulu, T S; Haque, Ikramul

2008-12-01

Historically, a number of local Hindu caste groups have converted to Islam and formed religious endogamous groups. Therefore the local caste groups and religious communities in a region are expected to show genetic relatedness. In this study we investigate the genetic relationship between Tamil-speaking (Dravidian language) Muslims (Sunni), six endogamous Hindu castes, and a tribal ethnic group (Irulars) using 13 CODIS (Combined DNA Index System) autosomal microsatellite markers. Muslims show the highest average heterozygosity (0.405) compared to the other groups. The neighbor-joining tree and the multidimensional-scaling plot show clustering of Tamil-speaking Muslims with three caste groups (Gounder, Paraiyar, and Vanniyar), whereas the Irular tribe is separated out of the cluster.

Translation and validation of chronic liver disease questionnaire (CLDQ) in Tamil language.

PubMed

Goel, Amit; Arivazhagan, Karunanithi; Sasi, Avani; Shanmugam, Vanathy; Koshi, Seleena; Pottakkat, Biju; Lakshmi, C P; Awasthi, Ashish

2017-05-01

Chronic liver disease questionnaire (CLDQ), a self-administered quality-of-life (QOL) instrument for chronic liver disease (CLD) patients, was originally developed in English language. We aimed to translate and validate CLDQ in Tamil language (CLDQ-T). CLDQ-T, prepared by two forward and two backward independent translations by four bilingual (Tamil and English) persons, and repeated iterative modifications, was validated in adult, native-Tamil patients with CLD. CLDQ-T was re-tested in some patients 2 weeks later. Convergent validity was assessed using Spearman's correlation, and discriminant validity by comparison with World Health Organization's brief QOL tool (WHOQOL-BREF). Reliability was assessed through internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation). Cutoff used for statistical significance was p<0.05. The study included 126 patients (age: mean [SD] 46 years [12.5]; male 104; cause: alcohol 42%, HBV 25%, HCV 4%, cryptogenic 29%; CTP class A 47%, B 37%, and C 16%). In convergent validity, all domains except the "abdominal domain" showed significant correlation between CLDQ-T and WHOQOL-BREF. Patients with severe disease had lower scores for all domains of CLDQ-T except the "abdominal" domain, but not for any of the domains for WHOQOL-BREF. Overall Cronbach's alpha was 0.942, and more than 0.7 for all the individual domains except the "activity" domain. On retesting in 44 (35%) patients, intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.879 for the overall CLDQ-T score and >0.700 for individual domains. CLDQ-T was easily understood and showed good performance characteristics in assessing QOL in Tamil-speaking patients with CLD.

Duty and Service: Life and Career of a Tamil Teacher of English in Sri Lanka

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayes, David

2010-01-01

This article discusses the life and career of a Tamil teacher of English working in the government education system in northern Sri Lanka. Based on data gathered in an extended life history interview, the article explores the teacher's own experiences of schooling, his reasons for entering teaching as a profession, his professional training, and…

Towards Homogeneity in Home Languages: Malay, Chinese Foochow and Indian Tamil Families in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ting, Su-Hie; Mahadhir, Mahanita

2009-01-01

This preliminary study examines the languages used by parents with their children in Malay, Chinese Foochow and Indian Tamil families to find out how the similarity or dissimilarity in parents' ethnic language influenced the choice of language transmitted to children and how far standard languages have permeated the family domain in Kuching City…

Reclaiming Reconciliation through Community Education for the Muslims and Tamils of Post-War Jaffna, Sri Lanka

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncan, Ross; Cardozo, Mieke Lopes

2017-01-01

This paper explores the possibilities and challenges for ethno-religious reconciliation through secondary school education in post-war Sri Lanka, with a specific focus on the Muslim and Tamil communities in the Northern city of Jaffna. In doing so, we position our paper within the growing field of "education, conflict and emergencies" of…

Head Teachers' Views of Oral Health Education in Schools in Tamil Nadu, India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veerasamy, Arthi; Gage, Jeffrey; Kirk, Ray

2018-01-01

Introduction: Children and young people in India have a high prevalence of dental decay. As part of a broader epidemiological study, we interviewed 10 head teachers to understand the status of, and challenges to, inclusion of oral health education in the curricula of public and private schools in Tamil Nadu, India. Objectives: The two main…

Genetic portrait of Tamil non-tribal and Irula tribal population using Y chromosome STR markers.

PubMed

Raghunath, Rajshree; Krishnamoorthy, Kamalakshi; Balasubramanian, Lakshmi; Kunka Mohanram, Ramkumar

2016-03-01

The 17 Y chromosomal short tandem repeat loci included in the AmpFlSTR® Yfiler™ PCR Amplification Kit were used to analyse the genetic diversity of 517 unrelated males representing the non-tribal and Irula tribal population of Tamil Nadu. A total of 392 unique haplotypes were identified among the 400 non-tribal samples whereas 111 were observed among the 117 Irula tribal samples. Rare alleles for the loci DYS458, DYS635 and YGATAH4.1 were also observed in both population. The haplotype diversity for the non-tribal and Irula tribal population were found to be 0.9999, and the gene diversity ranged from 0.2041 (DYS391) to 0.9612 (DYS385). Comparison of the test population with 26 national and global population using principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and determination of the genetic distance matrix using phylogenetic molecular analysis indicate a clustering of the Tamil Nadu non-tribal and Irula tribal population away from other unrelated population and proximity towards some Indo-European (IE) and Asian population. Data are available in the Y chromosome haplotype reference database (YHRD) under accession number YA004055 for Tamil non-tribal and YA004056 for the Irula tribal group.

Tamil merchant in ancient Mesopotamia.

PubMed

Palanichamy, Malliya Gounder; Mitra, Bikash; Debnath, Monojit; Agrawal, Suraksha; Chaudhuri, Tapas Kumar; Zhang, Ya-Ping

2014-01-01

Recent analyses of ancient Mesopotamian mitochondrial genomes have suggested a genetic link between the Indian subcontinent and Mesopotamian civilization. There is no consensus on the origin of the ancient Mesopotamians. They may be descendants of migrants, who founded regional Mesopotamian groups like that of Terqa or they may be merchants who were involved in trans Mesopotamia trade. To identify the Indian source population showing linkage to the ancient Mesopotamians, we screened a total of 15,751 mitochondrial DNAs (11,432 from the literature and 4,319 from this study) representing all major populations of India. Our results although suggest that south India (Tamil Nadu) and northeast India served as the source of the ancient Mesopotamian mtDNA gene pool, mtDNA of these ancient Mesopotamians probably contributed by Tamil merchants who were involved in the Indo-Roman trade.

Evidence for CO2-rich fluids in rocks from the type charnockite area near Pallavaram, Tamil Nadu

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansen, E.; Hunt, W.; Jacob, S. C.; Morden, K.; Reddi, R.; Tacy, P.

1988-01-01

Fluid inclusion and mineral chemistry data was presented for samples from the type charnockite area near Pallavaram (Tamil Nadu, India). The results indicate the presence of a dense CO2 fluid phase, but the data cannot distinguish between influx of this fluid from elsewhere or localized migration of CO2-rich fluids associated with dehydration melting.

Linguistic Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of Tamil Version of General Oral Health Assessment Index-Tml.

PubMed

Appukuttan, D P; Vinayagavel, M; Balasundaram, A; Damodaran, L K; Shivaraman, P; Gunasshegaran, K

2015-01-01

Oral health has an impact on quality of life hence for research purpose validation of a Tamil version of General Oral Health Assessment Index would enable it to be used as a valuable tool among Tamil speaking population. In this study, we aimed to assess the psychometric properties of translated Tamil version of General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI-Tml). Linguistic adaptation involved forward and backward blind translation process. Reliability was analyzed using test-retest, Cronbach alpha, and split half reliability. Inter-item and item-total correlation were evaluated using Spearman rank correlation. Convenience sampling was done, and 265 consecutive patients aged 20-70 years attending the outpatient department were recruited. Subjects were requested to fill a self-reporting questionnaire along with Tamil GOHAI version. Clinical examination was done on the same visit. Concurrent validity was measured by assessing the relationship between GOHAI scores and self-perceived oral health and general health status, satisfaction with oral health, need for dental treatment and esthetic satisfaction. Discriminant validity was evaluated by comparing the GOHAI scores with the objectively assessed clinical parameters. Exploratory factor analysis was done to examine the factor structure. Mean GOHAI-Tml was 52.7 (6.8, range 22-60, median 54). The mean number of negative impacts was 2 (2.4, range 0-11, median 1). The Spearman rank correlation for test-retest ranged from 0.8 to 0.9 (P < 0.001) for all the 12 items between visits. The Cronbach alpha for 265 samples was 0.8 suggesting good internal consistency and homogeneity between items. Item scale correlation ranged from 0.4 to 0.8 (P < 0.001). Concurrent and discriminant validity was established. Principal component analysis resulted in extraction of four factors which together accounted for 66.4% (7.9/12) variance. GOHAI-Tml has shown acceptable psychometric properties, so that it can be used as an efficient tool in identifying the impact of oral health on quality of life among the Tamil speaking population.

Costs analysis of a population level rabies control programme in Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Abbas, Syed Shahid; Kakkar, Manish; Rogawski, Elizabeth Tacket

2014-02-01

The study aimed to determine costs to the state government of implementing different interventions for controlling rabies among the entire human and animal populations of Tamil Nadu. This built upon an earlier assessment of Tamil Nadu's efforts to control rabies. Anti-rabies vaccines were made available at all health facilities. Costs were estimated for five different combinations of animal and human interventions using an activity-based costing approach from the provider perspective. Disease and population data were sourced from the state surveillance data, human census and livestock census. Program costs were extrapolated from official documents. All capital costs were depreciated to estimate annualized costs. All costs were inflated to 2012 Rupees. Sensitivity analysis was conducted across all major cost centres to assess their relative impact on program costs. It was found that the annual costs of providing Anti-rabies vaccine alone and in combination with Immunoglobulins was $0.7 million (Rs 36 million) and $2.2 million (Rs 119 million), respectively. For animal sector interventions, the annualised costs of rolling out surgical sterilisation-immunization, injectable immunization and oral immunizations were estimated to be $ 44 million (Rs 2,350 million), $23 million (Rs 1,230 million) and $ 11 million (Rs 590 million), respectively. Dog bite incidence, health systems coverage and cost of rabies biologicals were found to be important drivers of costs for human interventions. For the animal sector interventions, the size of dog catching team, dog population and vaccine costs were found to be driving the costs. Rabies control in Tamil Nadu seems a costly proposition the way it is currently structured. Policy makers in Tamil Nadu and other similar settings should consider the long-term financial sustainability before embarking upon a state or nation-wide rabies control programme.

Genetic admixture studies on four in situ evolved, two migrant and twenty-one ethnic populations of Tamil Nadu, south India.

PubMed

Suhasini, G; Sonaa, E; Shila, S; Srikumari, C R; Jayaraman, G; Ramesh, A

2011-08-01

We analysed the genetic structure of ≈ 1000 samples representing 27 ethnic groups settled in Tamil Nadu, south India, derived from two linguistic families (Dravidians and Indo-Europeans) representing four religious groups (Hinduism, Islam, Christianity and Jainism) using 11 mtDNA markers. Out of 27 ethnic groups, four are in situ populations (Anglo-Indian, Labbai Muslim, Nadar Christian and south Indian Jain) and two are migrants (Gypsy and north Indian Jain) from north India to Tamil Nadu, and 21 are native ethnic groups. Six of the markers we used were monomorphic (HaeIII663, HpaI3592, AluI5176, AluI7025, AluI13262, 9-bp deletion) and five markers were polymorphic (DdeI10394, AluI10397, HinfI12308, HincII13259 and HaeIII16517). Haplogroup frequencies, genetic affinities and admixture analysis are based on the genotype data of polymorphic markers observed in these populations. Haplogroup frequencies indicate that various ethnic groups entered Tamil Nadu during different time periods. Genetic affinities and admixture estimates revealed that the ethnic groups possessing advanced knowledge of farming cluster in a branch (C), and could be the late arrived settlers as agriculture, was introduced to this region at about 5 to 3 thousand years ago. In situ ethnic groups appear to have arisen at various times as a result of the prevailing dominant socio-cultural forces. Hierarchical Hindu caste system created many ethnic groups in the history of its existence; some of them became isolated for considerable period of time. Over all, among Tamil ethnic groups, in spite of caste systems' rigidity, built in flexibility in the system in the form of hypergamy and hypogamy had allowed maternal gene flow between them.

Costs Analysis of a Population Level Rabies Control Programme in Tamil Nadu, India

PubMed Central

Abbas, Syed Shahid; Kakkar, Manish; Rogawski, Elizabeth Tacket

2014-01-01

The study aimed to determine costs to the state government of implementing different interventions for controlling rabies among the entire human and animal populations of Tamil Nadu. This built upon an earlier assessment of Tamil Nadu's efforts to control rabies. Anti-rabies vaccines were made available at all health facilities. Costs were estimated for five different combinations of animal and human interventions using an activity-based costing approach from the provider perspective. Disease and population data were sourced from the state surveillance data, human census and livestock census. Program costs were extrapolated from official documents. All capital costs were depreciated to estimate annualized costs. All costs were inflated to 2012 Rupees. Sensitivity analysis was conducted across all major cost centres to assess their relative impact on program costs. It was found that the annual costs of providing Anti-rabies vaccine alone and in combination with Immunoglobulins was $0.7 million (Rs 36 million) and $2.2 million (Rs 119 million), respectively. For animal sector interventions, the annualised costs of rolling out surgical sterilisation-immunization, injectable immunization and oral immunizations were estimated to be $ 44 million (Rs 2,350 million), $23 million (Rs 1,230 million) and $ 11 million (Rs 590 million), respectively. Dog bite incidence, health systems coverage and cost of rabies biologicals were found to be important drivers of costs for human interventions. For the animal sector interventions, the size of dog catching team, dog population and vaccine costs were found to be driving the costs. Rabies control in Tamil Nadu seems a costly proposition the way it is currently structured. Policy makers in Tamil Nadu and other similar settings should consider the long-term financial sustainability before embarking upon a state or nation-wide rabies control programme. PMID:24587471

Mitochondrial DNA history of Sri Lankan ethnic people: their relations within the island and with the Indian subcontinental populations.

PubMed

Ranaweera, Lanka; Kaewsutthi, Supannee; Win Tun, Aung; Boonyarit, Hathaichanoke; Poolsuwan, Samerchai; Lertrit, Patcharee

2014-01-01

Located only a short distance off the southernmost shore of the Greater Indian subcontinent, the island of Sri Lanka has long been inhabited by various ethnic populations. Mainly comprising the Vedda, Sinhalese (Up- and Low-country) and Tamil (Sri Lankan and Indian); their history of settlements on the island and the biological relationships among them have remained obscure. It has been hypothesized that the Vedda was probably the earliest inhabitants of the area, followed by Sinhalese and Tamil from the Indian mainland. This study, in which 271 individuals, representing the Sri Lankan ethnic populations mentioned, were typed for their mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) hypervariable segment 1 (HVS-1) and part of hypervariable segment 2 (HVS-2), provides implications for their settlement history on the island. From the phylogenetic, principal coordinate and analysis of molecular variance results, the Vedda occupied a position separated from all other ethnic people of the island, who formed relatively close affiliations among themselves, suggesting a separate origin of the former. The haplotypes and analysis of molecular variance revealed that Vedda people's mitochondrial sequences are more related to the Sinhalese and Sri Lankan Tamils' than the Indian Tamils' sequences. MtDNA haplogroup analysis revealed that several West Eurasian haplogroups as well as Indian-specific mtDNA clades were found amongst the Sri Lankan populations. Through a comparison with the mtDNA HVS-1 and part of HVS-2 of Indian database, both Tamils and Sinhalese clusters were affiliated with Indian subcontinent populations than Vedda people who are believed to be the native population of the island of Sri Lanka.

Study of CNSL Processing Plants Located in Cuddalore District of Tamil Nadu, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhaskaran, E.

2017-06-01

Basic chemicals and their related products like petrochemicals, fertilisers, paints, varnishes, glass, perfumes, toiletries, pharmaceuticals, etc. form a very significant part of the Indian economy and account for about 3% of India's GDP. Among the most diversified industrial sectors, it covers an array of more than 70,000 commercial products. The chemicals sector accounts for about 14% in overall index of industrial production, 11% of total exports and about 7.2% of total imports. The total Foreign Direct Investment in Chemicals (excluding fertilizers) was US 7252 million from April 2011 to March 2012. For inclusive growth and sustainable development most of the Chemical manufacturers should adopt the Cluster Development Approach. The objective is to Study the Occupational Hazards in Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (CNSL) Oil Processing Industries in Panruti Block of Cuddalore District. The methodology adopted is collection of primary processing data during November 2012 from 14 CNSL Processing Industries in Panruti Block of Cuddalore District. Majority of Industries has not processed the CNSL oil as per standards and there is much scope for occupational hazards. In two processes the CNSL oil is let out in the tank constructed equal to ground height where there is possibility of workers getting trapped inside the high temperature CNSL oil. The electric motor is also placed in the ground so that there is possibility of current passing in the ground which leads to occupational hazards for the workers. To conclude, Cashew Shell Oil Processing Industries in Panruti Block of Cuddalore District needs is re-engineering in design and operation starting from Cashew Shell storage, extraction of shell oil from expeller, processing and packaging of CNSL in barrels for better safety from occupational hazards and Cyclones. Moreover for sustainable development, they should adopt cluster development approach, so that infrastructure interrelationships, technology interrelationships, procurement interrelationships, production interrelationships and marketing interrelationships will take place among CNSL manufacturers to decrease cost, increase quality, productivity and efficiency to compete in the world market.

Impact of implementation of NRHM program on NMR in Tamil Nadu (TN): a case study.

PubMed

Kumutha, J; Chitra, N; Vidyasagar, Dharmapuri

2014-12-01

The Government of India had set up the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in 2005 in an effort towards providing quality healthcare to the underserved rural areas and also to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. While the trends in child and maternal mortality show great progress by India since 1990 with steady decline in Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), a comparison of the predicted trend and target of MDGs show that India would fall short by a few points. In contrast, Tamil Nadu has reached its MDGs and is ensuring sustained progress in reducing child and maternal mortality with an effective implementation of the various schemes of NRHM. Tamil Nadu leads the way in ensuring universal health coverage leveraging the expertise and funds of NRHM by providing round the clock services, introducing new and innovative programs to improve outcomes and regular monitoring of the functional operation and outcomes to ensure effective implementation. Adopting the features of the Tamil Nadu model of healthcare system that caters to their particular state and effectively implementing the initiatives of NRHM would help the other states in considerably reducing the child and maternal mortality and also ensure early achievement of MDGs by the nation.

Integrated Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on Maize Farms and Farm Household Incomes in South India: A Case Study from Tamil Nadu. 9; Chapter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ponnusamy, Paramasivam; Vellingiri, Geethalakshmi; Danda, Raji Reddy; Arunachalam, Lakshmanan; Murthy, Dakshina; Prema, Sunandini; Gade, Sreenivas; McDermid, Sonali P.; Valdivia, Roberto O.

2015-01-01

South India is characterized by a wide variety of landscapes, soils and climatic zones. It is comprised of tropical, semi-arid, humid-moist, and high-altitude environments, which support a diversity of agricultural systems. Our study focused on the state of Tamil Nadu, which is characterized by a generally tropical climate, and receive rainfall during both the southwest monsoon season (SWM, June to September) and the northeast monsoon (NEM, September to December). Agriculture continues to be an important sector in the state economy, as more than 56 of the people depend on agriculture and allied sectors for their livelihood. Analysis of land-use patterns in Tamil Nadu reveals that in the past decade there has been a reduction in net sown area and current fallow, while the share of cultivable wastelands has increased. The area under cereals, pulses, and oilseeds had marginally declined, although area under commercial crops like turmeric, sugar-cane, banana, fruits, and vegetables has shown an increasing trend. The production performance of major crops like cereals, pulses, and oilseeds has not shown any significant increase. Demand and supply gap of important crops in Tamil Nadu for the year 2010 indicates that the state is lagging far behind in the production of various crops.

Traditional vocations and modern professions among Tamil Brahmans in colonial and post-colonial south India.

PubMed

Fuller, C J; Narasimhan, Haripriya

2010-01-01

Since the nineteenth century, Tamil Brahmans have been very well represented in the educated professions, especially law and administration, medicine, engineering and nowadays, information technology. This is partly a continuation of the Brahmans' role as literate service people, owing to their traditions of education, learning and literacy, but the range of professions shows that any direct continuity is more apparent than real. Genealogical data are particularly used as evidence about changing patterns of employment, education and migration. Caste traditionalism was not a determining constraint, for Tamil Brahmans were predominant in medicine and engineering as well as law and administration in the colonial period, even though medicine is ritually polluting and engineering resembles low-status artisans' work. Crucially though, as modern, English-language, credential-based professions that are wellpaid and prestigious, law, medicine and engineering were and are all deemed eminently suitable for Tamil Brahmans, who typically regard their professional success as a sign of their caste superiority in the modern world. In reality, though, it is mainly a product of how their old social and cultural capital and their economic capital in land were transformed as they seized new educational and employment opportunities by flexibly deploying their traditional, inherited skills and advantages.

Geospatial tool-based morphometric analysis using SRTM data in Sarabanga Watershed, Cauvery River, Salem district, Tamil Nadu, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arulbalaji, P.; Gurugnanam, B.

2017-11-01

A morphometric analysis of Sarabanga watershed in Salem district has been chosen for the present study. Geospatial tools, such as remote sensing and GIS, are utilized for the extraction of river basin and its drainage networks. The Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM-30 m resolution) data have been used for morphometric analysis and evaluating various morphometric parameters. The morphometric parameters of Sarabanga watershed have been analyzed and evaluated by pioneer methods, such as Horton and Strahler. The dendritic type of drainage pattern is draining the Sarabanga watershed, which indicates that lithology and gentle slope category is controlling the study area. The Sarabanga watershed is covered an area of 1208 km2. The slope of the watershed is various from 10 to 40% and which is controlled by lithology of the watershed. The bifurcation ratio ranges from 3 to 4.66 indicating the influence of geological structure and suffered more structural disturbances. The form factor indicates elongated shape of the study area. The total stream length and area of watershed indicate that mean annual rainfall runoff is relatively moderate. The basin relief expressed that watershed has relatively high denudation rates. The drainage density of the watershed is low indicating that infiltration is more dominant. The ruggedness number shows the peak discharges that are likely to be relatively higher. The present study is very useful to plan the watershed management.

Impact of vision impairment and self-reported barriers to vision care: The views of elders in Nuwara Eliya district, Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Holmes, W; Shajehan, R; Kitnasamy, S; Abeywickrama, C; Arsath, Y; Gnanaraj, F; Inbaraj, S; Jayakody, G; Durrant, K; Luchters, S

2018-05-01

The growing burden of vision impairment (VI) among older people is a development challenge in Asian countries. This study aimed to understand older people's views and experiences about the impact of VI and barriers to eye care to inform policies to address this challenge. We conducted 12 focus group discussions in 2013 with retired Tamil and Sinhala elders in Nuwara Eliya district, Sri Lanka (n = 107). Data were analysed thematically. Older people described the broad impacts VI has on their lives. They worry about becoming dependent. VI restricts their ability to contribute to their families and communities, access information, socialise, maintain their health, and earn. Barriers to eye care services include transport difficulties, costs of treatment, fear, lack of knowledge, waiting times, and health staff attitudes. Older people experience and fear the impacts of VI on their health and well-being. Eye health promotion and care services need strengthening and integration with the primary health care system to address the backlog and growing need among older people in an equitable way. Older people should be consulted about how to overcome the economic, social, and cultural barriers to access to eye care and to minimise the impact of VI. FGDs: focus group discussions; GBD: global burden of disease; NCDs: non-communicable diseases; VI: vision impairment.

Open access tools for quality-assured and efficient data entry in a large, state-wide tobacco survey in India.

PubMed

Shewade, Hemant Deepak; Vidhubala, E; Subramani, Divyaraj Prabhakar; Lal, Pranay; Bhatt, Neelam; Sundaramoorthi, C; Singh, Rana J; Kumar, Ajay M V

2017-01-01

A large state-wide tobacco survey was conducted using modified version of pretested, globally validated Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) questionnaire in 2015-22016 in Tamil Nadu, India. Due to resource constrains, data collection was carrid out using paper-based questionnaires (unlike the GATS-India, 2009-2010, which used hand-held computer devices) while data entry was done using open access tools. The objective of this paper is to describe the process of data entry and assess its quality assurance and efficiency. In EpiData language, a variable is referred to as 'field' and a questionnaire (set of fields) as 'record'. EpiData software was used for double data entry with adequate checks followed by validation. Teamviewer was used for remote training and trouble shooting. The EpiData databases (one each for each district and each zone in Chennai city) were housed in shared Dropbox folders, which enabled secure sharing of files and automatic back-up. Each database for a district/zone had separate file for data entry of household level and individual level questionnaire. Of 32,945 households, there were 111,363 individuals aged ≥15 years. The average proportion of records with data entry errors for a district/zone in household level and individual level file was 4% and 24%, respectively. These are the errors that would have gone unnoticed if single entry was used. The median (inter-quartile range) time taken for double data entry for a single household level and individual level questionnaire was 30 (24, 40) s and 86 (64, 126) s, respectively. Efficient and quality-assured near-real-time data entry in a large sub-national tobacco survey was performed using innovative, resource-efficient use of open access tools.

Study of Spiritual Intelligence and Adjustment Among Arts and Science College Students.

PubMed

Devi, R Kalpana; Rajesh, Nakulan V; Devi, M Anisha

2017-06-01

A study to evaluate the relationship between the spiritual intelligence and adjustment among the college students was conducted on a sample of 250 students in six various colleges of Tuticorin district, Tamil Nadu, India. Gender, religion, community, major subject, educational qualification of father and mother, student locality, college type, father and mother's occupation and monthly family income (n = 11 variables) were chosen for the study. Test of significance for spiritual intelligence and adjustment was studied and found them nonsignificant except student locality, found to be significant. Two valid and reliable instruments were used to assess student's spiritual intelligence and adjustment. Correlation and Chi-square analysis using structural equation model were used to analyze these data. Correlation analysis showed significant relationship between the variables among the college students (n = 250). Chi-square analysis of association between adjustments of college students showed that most variables are nonsignificant unlike father's educational qualification and mother's occupation. The results disclosed the significant positive relationship with spiritual intelligence and adjustment among adolescents.

Social capital and basic goods: the cautionary tale of drinking water in India.

PubMed

Motiram, Sripad; Osberg, Lars

2010-01-01

This study uses micro-data from the 1998-99 Indian Time Use Survey (ITUS; covering 77,593 persons in 18,591 households in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Orissa, and Haryana) to argue that time use data provides a natural metric for measuring "social capital" building activities and for distinguishing between the relative importance of "bonding" into groups or "bridging" within communities. The study examines the correlation between inequality in landownership, caste status, measures of local social capital, and whether or not a household will have to collect water. In India, the probability that a rural household fetches water is 4.8% and 9.1% lower in communities in which the average time spent on social interaction and community-based activities at the district-level doubles, but it is 18.9% greater when the time in group-based activities doubles. Inequalities in landownership and home ownership are associated with considerably larger differences in local tap water availability.

Assessment of Natural Radioactivity and radiation hazards in beach sand samples from Kanyakumari District, TamilNadu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ajithra, A. K.; Shanthi, G.

2016-07-01

Natural radionuclides of terrestrial origin have very long half - lives or driven from very long - lived parent radionuclides, which have been created in stellar processes before the earth formation. The study of natural radioactivity in marine and coastal environments is of significant importance for better understanding of oceanographic and sedimentological processes. The sampling sites are selected to cover randomly to cover the southern part. The soil samples have been collected in beach sides. In situ gamma measurements were conducted using a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector (coaxial cylinder of 50.1 mm in diameter and 44 mm in length) with a relative efficiency of 50% and an energy resolution (FWHM) of 1.8 keV at the 1.33 MeV reference transition of 60Co. The measurements shows that the values of the absorbed dose rates in air in the investigated area are lower than the recommended limit by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effect of Atomic Radiation.

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

PubMed

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

2010-07-01

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

Genetic counselling in tribals in India

PubMed Central

Mohanty, Dipika; Das, Kishalaya

2011-01-01

Genetic counselling in tribals unlike general population residing in cities and near villages is a difficult task due of their lower literacy and poor socio-economic status. However, sustained effort is essential with a close interaction in the local language, certain misbeliefs need to be removed gradually taking into account their socio-cultural background. The present communication deals with our experience in counselling for haemoglobinopathies during Neonatal Screening Programme undertaken for sickle cell disease in Kalahandi district of Orissa and Community Screening Programmes in primitive tribes of India in four States viz. Orissa, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. Counselling during neonatal screening programme was very well accepted demonstrating the benefit to the small babies as regards the morbidity. Premarital marriage counselling was also accepted by them. The success rate as followed up for 5 years is almost 50 per cent, the limitation being long follow up. Genetic counselling in these areas has to be continuous to achieve success and therefore the need for setting up of permanent centres in the tribal areas in India. PMID:22089621

Facets of morbid jealousy: With an anecdote from a historical Tamil romance

PubMed Central

Somasundaram, O.

2010-01-01

SUMMARY Morbid jealousy is a symptom which occurs in many psychiatric conditions. The complex emotional aspects of jealousy have been discussed by earlier authors. The clinical, cultural, social, and forensic aspects, are touched upon. Morbid jealousy is a favourite topic among novelists and dramatists. “Othello” is a classic example. This topic is covered in one of the famous historical romances of the Tamil author, Kalki. PMID:21180423

Role of Military in Post-Conflict Sri Lanka

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-01

state of Tamil Eelam based on the rights of self- determination .”30 They protested restricted citizenship and franchise rights for South Indian Tamils...Lankan terrorist organizations from August 1983 for several reasons,38 beginning with New Delhi’s objection to Sri Lanka’s pro -Western policy after 1977...nonTaxnom. (accessed August 15, 2011) 35 Government of Sri Lanka, “The Parliament of Sri Lanka, 1978 Constitution,” http://www.priu.gov.lk/ Cons

Handwritten recognition of Tamil vowels using deep learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ram Prashanth, N.; Siddarth, B.; Ganesh, Anirudh; Naveen Kumar, Vaegae

2017-11-01

We come across a large volume of handwritten texts in our daily lives and handwritten character recognition has long been an important area of research in pattern recognition. The complexity of the task varies among different languages and it so happens largely due to the similarity between characters, distinct shapes and number of characters which are all language-specific properties. There have been numerous works on character recognition of English alphabets and with laudable success, but regional languages have not been dealt with very frequently and with similar accuracies. In this paper, we explored the performance of Deep Belief Networks in the classification of Handwritten Tamil vowels, and conclusively compared the results obtained. The proposed method has shown satisfactory recognition accuracy in light of difficulties faced with regional languages such as similarity between characters and minute nuances that differentiate them. We can further extend this to all the Tamil characters.

Peace, justice and disabled women's advocacy: Tamil women with disabilities in rural post-conflict Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Kandasamy, Niro; Soldatic, Karen; Samararatne, Dinesha

2017-03-01

This article draws on grounded qualitative research with rural Tamil women who acquired a disability during the civil war in Sri Lanka and conceptualizes an intersectionality-peace framework. Three main themes were developed from the interviews: narratives of conflict, survival outcomes of social assistance and mobilization of cross-ethnic relationships. With the support of a local women's disability advocacy organization, Tamil women with disabilities were enabled to overcome social stigma and claim a positive identity as women with disabilities. The organization's focus on realizing disability rights created new opportunities for these highly marginalized rural women. The women were also supported to form cross-ethnic relationships with women who similarly faced multiple oppressions. These relationships transformed the women into 'agents of peace', using their newfound disability identity to foster cross-ethnic dialogue and create safe spaces in the post-conflict context.

Determinants of edible oil choice by households in Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Govindaraj, Gurrappa Naidu; Suryaprakash, Satrasala

2013-01-01

This study investigated the major determinants that influence the choice of edible oils by households across geographical zones in Tamil Nadu state, India. The primary data from 1,000 sample households were collected using a structured pre-tested questionnaire. Multinomial logit model was fitted for determining the factors. The results revealed that education, income, and households with a history of health problems were the important determinants that influenced the choice of low-saturated-fat oils, whereas the larger size households and weaker section households preferred low-priced palm oil. Income and education levels in Tamil Nadu state surged ahead in recent years. In consonance to these changes the nontraditional low-saturated fat containing sunflower oil demand will increase in many folds in coming years. Hence, besides traditional oils, sunflower oil production has to be stepped up on "mission mode" through appropriate production programs to meet the present and future edible oil demand domestically.

A Complete OCR System for Tamil Magazine Documents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kokku, Aparna; Chakravarthy, Srinivasa

We present a complete optical character recognition (OCR) system for Tamil magazines/documents. All the standard elements of OCR process like de-skewing, preprocessing, segmentation, character recognition, and reconstruction are implemented. Experience with OCR problems teaches that for most subtasks of OCR, there is no single technique that gives perfect results for every type of document image. We exploit the ability of neural networks to learn from experience in solving the problems of segmentation and character recognition. Text segmentation of Tamil newsprint poses a new challenge owing to its italic-like font type; problems that arise in recognition of touching and close characters are discussed. Character recognition efficiency varied from 94 to 97% for this type of font. The grouping of blocks into logical units and the determination of reading order within each logical unit helped us in reconstructing automatically the document image in an editable format.

A Survey on Cyber Security awareness among college students in Tamil Nadu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Senthilkumar, K.; Easwaramoorthy, Sathishkumar

2017-11-01

The aim of the study is to analyse the awareness of cyber security on college students in Tamil Nadu by focusing various security threats in the internet. In recent years cybercrime is an enormous challenge in all areas including national security, public safety and personal privacy. To prevent from a victim of cybercrime everyone must know about their own security and safety measures to protect by themselves. A well-structured questionnaire survey method will be applied to analyse the college student’s awareness in the area of cyber security. This survey will be going to conducted in major cities of Tamil Nadu by focusing various security threats like email, virus, phishing, fake advertisement, popup windows and other attacks in the internet. This survey examines the college students’ awareness and the level of awareness about the security issues and some suggestions are set forth to overcome these issues.

Allele frequency distribution for the variable number of tandem repeat locus D10S28 in Tamil Nadu (south India) population.

PubMed

Pandian, S K; Kumar, S; Krishnan, M; Dharmalingam, K; Damodaran, C

1995-09-01

Allele frequencies were determined in unrelated individuals of Tamil speaking population from the Madras City (Tamil Nadu, South India) area for the polymorphic DNA locus D10S28 using the probe TBQ7. Membranes hybridized with the probe YNH24 were subjected to deprobing and were subsequently hybridized with random priming - labeled, purified inserts of TBQ7. The sizes of the fragments were grouped to 100 bp as well as to arbitrary fixed bins (Federal Bureau of Investigation / Royal Canadian Mounted Police). There were 14 bins in the latter with the most common bin being 11 (1789-1924 bp) with a frequency of 9.8%. We observed a heterozygosity of 92% comparable to Caucasian populations. The data presented here can be used as the basis for utilizing this variable number of tandem repeats (TNTR) DNA marker for paternity determinations and forensic investigations.

Organ donation and transplantation-the Chennai experience in India.

PubMed

Shroff, S; Rao, S; Kurian, G; Suresh, S

2007-04-01

Tamil Nadu has been at the forefront of medical care in the country. It was the first state in the country that started a living kidney transplant program. It is also the first state to successfully start the cadaver programme after the passing of the "Transplantation of Human Organ Act" of 1994 and in the last 5 years has formed a network between hospitals for organ sharing. From the year 2000 to 2006 an organ sharing network was started in Tamil Nadu and the facilitator of this programme has been a non-government organization called MOHAN (acronym for Multi Organ Harvesting Aid Network) Foundation. The organs shared during the period number over 460 organs in two regions (both Tamil Nadu and Hyderabad). In Tamil Nadu the shared organs have included 166 Kidneys, 24 livers, 6 hearts, and 180 eyes. In 2003 sharing network was initiated by MOHAN in Hyderabad and to some extent the Tamil Nadu model was duplicated. with some success and 96 cadaver organs have been transplanted in the last 3 years. There are many advantages of organ sharing including the cost economics. At present there is a large pool of brain dead patients who could become potential organ donors in the major cities in India. Their organs are not being utilized for various support logistics. A multi-pronged strategy is required for the long term success of this program. These years in Tamil Nadu have been the years of learning, un-learning and relearning and the program today has matured slowly into what can perhaps be evolved as an Indian model. In all these years there have been various difficulties in its implementation and some of the key elements for the success of the program is the need to educate our own medical fraternity and seek their cooperation. The program requires trained counselors to be able to work in the intensive cares. The government's support is pivotal if this program to provide benefit to the common man. MOHAN Foundation has accumulated considerable experience to be able to evolve a model to take this program to the national level and more so as it recently has been granted 100% tax exemption on all donations to form a countrywide network for organ sharing.

Discrete-Event Simulation with Agents for Modeling of Dynamic Asymmetric Threats in Maritime Security

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a rebel group that has been fighting for an independent Tamil homeland in the north of Sri Lanka since 1976. The...date, and has destroyed numerous boats, even a warship in the Sri Lankan navy (SLN) [13]. The Abu Sayyaf group (ASG) is an example of the several...and other environments. Terence Tan is studying the application of conceptual-blending theory to agents, for naval tactical-plan generation in

MURDER IN TAMIL NADU(A Study of Murder Trials of 1968)1

PubMed Central

Somasundaram, O.

1980-01-01

SUMMARY The murder trials of 1968 in Tamil Nadu totalling 526 are studied and assessed on the pattern of the U. K. Home Office study. The results showed that there were six psychotic murderers, 16 murderers who attempted suicide, 483 ‘normal’ male murderers, 20 female murderers and 6 youthful murderers. Age, sex, method of killing and motives of the murderers are discussed. The implications of the study with reference to the penal institutions and prevention of crime are dealt with. PMID:22058483

Assessment of knowledge and attitude before and after a health education program in East Madurai primary school teachers with regard to emergency management of avulsed teeth.

PubMed

Taranath, M; Senaikarasi, R M; Manchanda, Kavita

2017-01-01

Children attend primary school from as early as 6 years to the mixed dentition stage of about 9 years and spend most of their time in school along with the teachers. School teachers are likely to be among the first to see a child immediately after an injury has occurred, and their knowledge regarding emergency procedures is critical to ensure good prognosis of the clinical treatment. The purpose of the study was to evaluate, by means of a questionnaire, the primary school teacher's knowledge and attitude with regard to emergency management of traumatized avulsed teeth and to test the effectiveness of a health education tool. A total of 214 primary school teachers from 24 government schools, in and around East Madurai Panchayat, participated in a 3-month long study. Baseline data were collected using a pretested questionnaire in the 1st month. Based on that data, a health educational tool was prepared. The final assessment was made using the same questionnaire in the 3rd month. Baseline data and final data were compared using Z-test. The knowledge level of 70.83% of primary school teachers was in the very good category after the health education tool, which was initially nil. Similarly, the attitude level also raised drastically with 0.90% initially in the very good category, and after the health education tool, it was 41.20%. From this study, the importance of the need for the steps to increase the knowledge about the emergency management of avulsion is clearly understood. Thus, the main implication of the study is that a health educational tool regarding the emergency management of avulsion is necessary for the primary school teachers during their teacher training program.

HIV, sexually transmitted infections and sexual behaviour of male clients of female sex workers in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, India: results of a cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Subramanian, Thilakavathi; Gupte, Mohan D; Paranjape, Ramesh S; Brahmam, Ginnela N V; Ramakrishnan, Lakshmi; Adhikary, Rajatashuvra; Kangusamy, Boopathi; Thomas, Beena E; Kallam, Srinivasan; Girish, C P K

2008-12-01

To characterize and describe patterns of HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STI) and sexual behaviour of male clients of female sex workers (FSW). A cross-sectional study was conducted among 4821 clients of FSW from 12 districts in three states in India: Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. A structured questionnaire was administered to elicit demographic characteristics and sexual behavioural patterns. Blood and urine samples were tested for HIV, syphilis and herpes simplex type 2 serology, gonococcal and chlamydial infection. The median age of clients surveyed was 30 years; 57% were married and 64% had a steady sexual partner; 61% had sex with more than one FSW and 39% had four or more sexual encounters in the past month. The prevalence of HIV ranged from 2.0% to 10.9%, syphilis ranged from 3.1% to 10.1%; gonorrhoea and chlamydia ranged between 0% and 4.5%. Clients older than 30 years [odds ratio (OR) 1.65; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.33-2.05] and having a different mix of commercial and non-commercial partners (OR 1.56; 95% CI 1.25-1.96) had a higher volume of sex acts with FSW. Inconsistent condom use with FSW was significantly associated with older clients (OR 4.2; 95% CI 3.33-5.29), illiteracy (OR 1.39; 95% CI 1.14-1.69), age <18 years at first paid sex (OR 1.83; 95% CI 1.24-2.70) and having different FSW partners in the past month (OR 1.64; 95% CI 1.23-2.18). Clients of FSW studied here constitute a significant bridge group for HIV and other STI, because of their high volume of different sexual partners and very low consistent condom use. HIV prevention programmes need to address male clients.

Serosurvey of rubella in five blocks of Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Ramamurty, Nalini; Murugan, S; Raja, D; Elango, Varalaksmi; Mohana; Dhanagaran, D

2006-01-01

Rubella, normally a mild, self-limiting disease characterized by rash, fever and lymphadenopathy, is a vaccine preventable disease. It carries little morbidity and apparently only minor complications in children. Infection during early pregnancy may lead to congenital rubella infection. Presence of rubella specific IgG in an unvaccinated population is a long term marker of previous rubella infection, which helps to assess the immune status of that population. Though many seroprevalence studies on rebella have been reported earlier from India, no study has been conducted in recent years. We undertook this study in 2003 in five blocks identified by the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), in the five districts of Tamil Nadu to assess the immune status to rubella in two age groups (1-5 yr boys and girls and 10-16 yr adolescent girls) before vaccination and draw strategies for future vaccination programme. A total of 300 blood samples were collected by vein puncture from girls and boys of 1-5 yr age and adolescent girls of 10-16 yr age. Samples were tested for the presence of rubella specific IgG antibody by ELISA. Of the 300 samples tested, 145 (48.3%) were negative for rubella IgG antibodies. The seronegativity was 82.2 per cent in 1-5 yr and 13.5 per cent in the 10-16 yr age groups, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). Large percentage of children, 82.2 per cent in the 1-5 yr age group and 13.5 per cent in 10-16 yr population were susceptible to rubella infection highlighting the fact that there was a risk of congenital rubella syndrome. There is a need to implement routine measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) immunization programme for under five children and mass scale one time immunization with monovalent rubella vaccine for adolescent girls.

Association between stigma, depression and quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) in South India - a community based cross sectional study.

PubMed

Charles, Bimal; Jeyaseelan, Lakshmanan; Pandian, Arvind Kumar; Sam, Asirvatham Edwin; Thenmozhi, Mani; Jayaseelan, Visalakshi

2012-06-21

India has around 2.27 million adults living with HIV/AIDS who face several challenges in the medical management of their disease. Stigma, discrimination and psychosocial issues are prevalent. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of severe stigma and to study the association between this, depression and the quality of life (QOL) of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) in Tamil Nadu. This was a community based cross sectional study carried out in seven districts of Tamil Nadu, India, among 400 PLHA in the year 2009. The following scales were used for stigma, depression and quality of life, Berger scale, Major Depression Inventory (MDI) scale and the WHO BREF scale. Both Stigma and QOL were classified as none, moderate or severe/poor based on the tertile cut off values of the scale scores. Depression was classified as none, mild, moderate and severe. Logistic regression analyses were performed to study the risk factors. Twenty seven per cent of PLHA had experienced severe forms of stigma. These were severe forms of personalized stigma (28.8%), negative self-image (30.3%), perceived public attitude (18.2%) and disclosure concerns (26%). PLHA experiencing severe depression were 12% and those experiencing poor quality of life were 34%. Poor QOL reported in the physical, psychological, social and environmental domains was 42.5%, 40%, 51.2% and 34% respectively. PLHA who had severe personalized stigma and negative self-image had 3.4 (1.6-7.0) and 2.1 (1.0-4.1) times higher risk of severe depression respectively (p < .001). PLHA who had severe depression had experienced 2.7(1.1-7.7) times significantly poorer QOL. Severe forms of stigma were equivalently prevalent among all the categories of PLHA. However, PLHA who had experienced severe depression had only developed poor QOL. A high level of social support was associated with a high level of QOL.

Genetic diversity based on 28S rDNA sequences among populations of Culex quinquefasciatus collected at different locations in Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Sakthivelkumar, S; Ramaraj, P; Veeramani, V; Janarthanan, S

2015-09-01

The basis of the present study was to distinguish the existence of any genetic variability among populations of Culex quinquefasciatus which would be a valuable tool in the management of mosquito control programmes. In the present study, population of Cx. quinquefasciatus collected at different locations in Tamil Nadu were analyzed for their genetic variation based on 28S rDNA D2 region nucleotide sequences. A high degree of genetic polymorphism was detected in the sequences of D2 region of 28S rDNA on the predicted secondary structures in spite of high nucleotide sequence similarity. The findings based on secondary structure using rDNA sequences suggested the existence of a complex genotypic diversity of Cx. quinquefasciatus population collected at different locations of Tamil Nadu, India. This complexity in genetic diversity in a single mosquito population collected at different locations is considered an important issue towards their influence and nature of vector potential of these mosquitoes.

Nonassociation of homocysteine gene polymorphisms with treatment outcome in South Indian Tamil Rheumatoid Arthritis patients.

PubMed

Muralidharan, Niveditha; Gulati, Reena; Misra, Durga Prasanna; Negi, Vir S

2018-02-01

The aim of the study was to look for any association of MTR 2756A>G and MTRR 66A>G gene polymorphisms with clinical phenotype, methotrexate (MTX) treatment response, and MTX-induced adverse events in South Indian Tamil patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A total of 335 patients with RA were investigated. MTR 2756A>G gene polymorphism was analyzed by PCR-RFLP, and MTRR 66A>G SNP was analyzed by TaqMan 5' nuclease assay. The allele frequencies were compared with HapMap groups. MTR 2756G allele was found to be associated with risk of developing RA. The allele frequencies of MTR 2756A>G and MTRR 66A>G SNPs in controls differed significantly when compared with HapMap groups. Neither of the SNPs influenced the MTX treatment outcome and adverse effects. Neither of the SNPs seems to be associated with MTX treatment outcome and adverse events in South Indian Tamil patients with RA.

Exploring posttraumatic growth in Tamil children affected by the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004.

PubMed

Exenberger, Silvia; Ramalingam, Panch; Höfer, Stefan

2016-10-13

Few studies explore posttraumatic growth (PTG) in children from Eastern cultures. To help address this gap, the present study examined PTG among 177 South Indian children aged 8-17 years who were affected by the 2004 Tsunami. The study identifies the underlying factor structure of the Tamil version of the Revised Posttraumatic Growth Inventory for Children (PTGI-C-R), and aims to explore the prevalence of PTG, the relationship between distress and growth, and gender and age differences in PTG. The results of the principal component analysis indicated a two-factor structure with an interpersonal and a person-centred dimension of growth. The total scores of the Tamil PTGI-C-R were positively associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and age. Moreover, there was a significant relationship between age and the person-centred growth subscale. Non-parametric tests found no gender differences in perceived growth. The role of socio-cultural factors on the nature of PTG is discussed. © 2016 International Union of Psychological Science.

Water resources of the Yap Islands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van der Brug, Otto

1984-01-01

The Yap Islands consist of four major islands, Yap, Gagil-Tamil, Maap, and Rumung. Of these, Yap Island has more than half the total land area, most of the population, and almost all of the economic development. The islands of Maap and Rumung together compose only 15 percent of the land area and population. Average annual rainfall over the Yap Islands amounts to 122 inches. Rainfall-runoff comparisons indicate that about half of the annual rainfall runs off to the ocean on Yap Island and Gagil-Tamil. Streams on Gagil-Tamil are perennial but streams on Yap Island are dry an average of 3 months per year due to geologic differences. Analyses of water samples from 23 sources show the good quality and the chemical similarity of surface and ground water. This report summarizes the hydrologic data collected and provides interpretations that can be used by the planning and public works officials of Yap to make decisions concerning development and management of their water resources.

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).

"No God and no Norway": collective resource loss among members of Tamil NGO's in Norway during and after the last phase of the civil war in Sri Lanka

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Studies on the mental health of refugees have tended to focus upon the impact of traumatic experiences in the country of origin, and acculturation processes in exile. The effects of crises in the country of origin on refugees living in exile have been little studied. This article examines how the final stages of the civil war in Sri Lanka in 2009 influenced members of pro-LTTE Tamil NGO's in Norway. Method Ethnographic fieldwork methods were employed within Tamil NGO's in the two largest cities in Norway between November 2008 and June 2011. Results The findings suggest that collective resources became severely drained as a result of the crisis, severely disrupting the fabric of social life. Public support from the majority community remained scarce throughout the crisis. Conclusions The study suggests that there is a need for public support to exile groups indirectly affected by man-made crises in their country of origin. PMID:21849029

A sustainable model for cochlear implantation in the developing world: perspectives from the Indian subcontinent.

PubMed

Sampath Kumar, Raghunandhan; Kameswaran, Mohan

2018-06-01

The overall prevalence of deafness in India is 0.2%, but the prevalence in the southern state of Tamil Nadu is much higher (around 0.6%) because of consanguinity. Especially in India, establishing cochlear implantation as a treatment modality for hearing loss has been a daunting task, but in the last decade, the cochlear implantation program has emerged as an unqualified success in many states, with over 20 000 cochlear implantations done till date. Several states are sponsoring free implants to children under the age of 6 years and below poverty line. Nearly 3000 cochlear implantations have been performed in Tamil Nadu under the Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme, with the goal to have a 'deafness free Tamil Nadu' by 2025. This scheme covers nearly 40 million people in rural areas. Valuable lessons have been learnt from this social experiment. One of the cornerstones of this scheme is the method to deliver habilitation via satellite centers in rural areas at the doorstep of the patient. The outcomes in peripheral centers were found to be statistically similar to those in the main center and correlated well with duration of habilitation. Opening up satellite centers for habilitation across the state of Tamil Nadu has greatly helped to improve the attendance and outcomes. The Indian model has been hugely successful and has helped start similar cochlear implantation programs in neighboring countries such as Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Relevance of water quality index for groundwater quality evaluation: Thoothukudi District, Tamil Nadu, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singaraja, C.

2017-09-01

The present hydrogeochemical study was confined to the Thoothukudi District in Tamilnadu, India. A total of 100 representative water samples were collected during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon and analyzed for the major cations (sodium, calcium, magnesium and potassium) and anions (chloride, sulfate, bicarbonate, fluoride and nitrate) along with various physical and chemical parameters (pH, total dissolved salts and electrical conductivity). Water quality index rating was calculated to quantify the overall water quality for human consumption. The PRM samples exhibit poor quality in greater percentage when compared with POM due to dilution of ions and agricultural impact. The overlay of WQI with chloride and EC corresponds to the same locations indicating the poor quality of groundwater in the study area. Sodium (Na %), sodium absorption ratio (SAR), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), residual sodium bicarbonate, permeability index (PI), magnesium hazards (MH), Kelly's ratio (KR), potential salinity (PS) and Puri's salt index (PSI) and domestic quality parameters such as total hardness (TH), temporary, permanent hardness and corrosivity ratio (CR) were calculated. The majority of the samples were not suitable for drinking, irrigation and domestic purposes in the study area. In this study, the analysis of salinization/freshening processes was carried out through binary diagrams such as of mole ratios of {SO}_{ 4}^{ 2- } /Cl- and Cl-/EC that clearly classify the sources of seawater intrusion and saltpan contamination. Spatial diagram BEX was used to find whether the aquifer was in the salinization region or in the freshening encroachment region.

GIS Based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis For Cement Plant Site Selection For Cuddalore District

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chhabra, A.

2015-12-01

India's cement industry is a vital part of its economy, providing employment to more than a million people. On the back of growing demands, due to increased construction and infrastructural activities cement market in India is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.96 percent during the period 2014-2019. In this study, GIS-based spatial Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) is used to determine the optimum and alternative sites to setup a cement plant. This technique contains a set of evaluation criteria which are quantifiable indicators of the extent to which decision objectives are realized. In intersection with available GIS (Geographical Information System) and local ancillary data, the outputs of image analysis serves as input for the multi-criteria decision making system. Moreover, the following steps were performed so as to represent the criteria in GIS layers, which underwent the GIS analysis in order to get several potential sites. Satellite imagery from LANDSAT 8 and ASTER DEM were used for the analysis. Cuddalore District in Tamil Nadu was selected as the study site as limestone mining is already being carried out in that region which meets the criteria of raw material for cement production. Several other criteria considered were land use land cover (LULC) classification (built-up area, river, forest cover, wet land, barren land, harvest land and agriculture land), slope, proximity to road, railway and drainage networks.

Public health interventions, barriers, and opportunities for improving maternal nutrition in India.

PubMed

Ramakrishnan, Usha; Lowe, Alyssa; Vir, Sheila; Kumar, Shuba; Mohanraj, Rani; Chaturvedi, Anuraag; Noznesky, Elizabeth A; Martorell, Reynaldo; Mason, John B

2012-06-01

Inadequate nutrient intake, early and multiple pregnancies, poverty, caste discrimination, and gender inequality contribute to poor maternal nutrition in India. While malnutrition is seen throughout the life cycle, it is most acute during childhood, adolescence, pregnancy, and lactation. Although nutrition policies are on the books and interventions are in place, child malnutrition and maternal undernutrition persist as severe public health problems. To evaluate the implementation of maternal nutrition programs in India. The research was conducted in two phases. Phase 1 consisted of a desk review of national and state policies pertinent to maternal nutrition and national-level key informant interviews with respondents who have a working knowledge of relevant organizations and interventions. Phase 2 utilized in-depth interviews and focus group discussions at the state, district, and community levels in eight districts of two states: Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. All data were analyzed thematically. India has a rich portfolio of programs and policies that address maternal health and nutrition; however, systematic weaknesses, logistical gaps, resource scarcity, and poor utilization continue to hamper progress. Elevating the priority given to maternal nutrition in government health programs and implementing strategies to improve women's status will help to address many of the challenges facing India's nutrition programs. Programs can be strengthened by promoting integration of services, ensuring effective procurement mechanisms for micronutrient and food supplements, establishing regional training facilities for improved program implementation, and strengthening program monitoring and evaluation.

Prevalence of intestinal and haemoprotozoan parasites of small ruminants in Tamil Nadu, India

PubMed Central

Velusamy, R.; Rani, N.; Ponnudurai, G.; Anbarasi, P.

2015-01-01

Aim: The aim of the present study is to assess the prevalence of intestinal and haemoprotozoan parasites of small ruminants (Sheep and Goats) in North Western part of Tamil Nadu, India. Materials and Methods: A total of 630 faecal samples (251-sheep, 379-goats) and 554 blood smears (242-sheep, 312-goats) were examined, for the presence of eggs of intestinal and haemoprotozoan parasites, respectively. The samples were received from the Veterinary college hospital and Veterinary dispensaries in North Western part of Tamil Nadu. Faecal samples were processed by sedimentation technique and examined under low power objective (×10), and blood smears were stained using Giemsa’s technique and examined under oil immersion (×100). Result: The analysis of data on the prevalence of intestinal and haemoprotozoan parasites of sheep and goats in North Western part of Tamil Nadu for the period from 2004 to 2013, showed an overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was found to be 67% and 35% in sheep and goats, respectively, whereas only 11% of sheep and 3% of goats had the haemoprotozoan parasitic infection. Highly, significant difference (p<0.01) in the prevalence of intestinal (χ2=65), and hemoprotozoan (χ2=15.4) parasitism was observed between sheep and goats. Intestinal parasites such as strongyles, Trichuris, Moniezia, amphistome, and coccidia were identified in which the highest prevalence was observed with coccidia, followed by strongyles, Monezia, Trichuris, and least with amphistome in both the sheep and goats. The haemoprotozoan parasites recorded were Theileria and Anaplasma species, of which, Anaplasma spp. being the highest and Theileria spp. the least prevalent in both the sheep and goats. The seasonal prevalence of intestinal parasites showed highest in rainy season, followed by moderate in winter and least with summer in both the sheep and goats, whereas the haemoprotozoan parasites recorded were the highest in summer followed by winter and least with rainy season. Conclusion: The present study suggests that North Western part of Tamil Nadu is highly endemic for intestinal parasites such as coccidia and strongyles and haemoprotozoans such as Anaplasma and Theileria species in small ruminants. PMID:27047018

Prevalence of intestinal and haemoprotozoan parasites of small ruminants in Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Velusamy, R; Rani, N; Ponnudurai, G; Anbarasi, P

2015-10-01

The aim of the present study is to assess the prevalence of intestinal and haemoprotozoan parasites of small ruminants (Sheep and Goats) in North Western part of Tamil Nadu, India. A total of 630 faecal samples (251-sheep, 379-goats) and 554 blood smears (242-sheep, 312-goats) were examined, for the presence of eggs of intestinal and haemoprotozoan parasites, respectively. The samples were received from the Veterinary college hospital and Veterinary dispensaries in North Western part of Tamil Nadu. Faecal samples were processed by sedimentation technique and examined under low power objective (×10), and blood smears were stained using Giemsa's technique and examined under oil immersion (×100). The analysis of data on the prevalence of intestinal and haemoprotozoan parasites of sheep and goats in North Western part of Tamil Nadu for the period from 2004 to 2013, showed an overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was found to be 67% and 35% in sheep and goats, respectively, whereas only 11% of sheep and 3% of goats had the haemoprotozoan parasitic infection. Highly, significant difference (p<0.01) in the prevalence of intestinal (χ(2)=65), and hemoprotozoan (χ(2)=15.4) parasitism was observed between sheep and goats. Intestinal parasites such as strongyles, Trichuris, Moniezia, amphistome, and coccidia were identified in which the highest prevalence was observed with coccidia, followed by strongyles, Monezia, Trichuris, and least with amphistome in both the sheep and goats. The haemoprotozoan parasites recorded were Theileria and Anaplasma species, of which, Anaplasma spp. being the highest and Theileria spp. the least prevalent in both the sheep and goats. The seasonal prevalence of intestinal parasites showed highest in rainy season, followed by moderate in winter and least with summer in both the sheep and goats, whereas the haemoprotozoan parasites recorded were the highest in summer followed by winter and least with rainy season. The present study suggests that North Western part of Tamil Nadu is highly endemic for intestinal parasites such as coccidia and strongyles and haemoprotozoans such as Anaplasma and Theileria species in small ruminants.

Psychometric properties of the Trust in Physician Scale in Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Kalsingh, Maria Jusler; Veliah, Geetha; Gopichandran, Vijayaprasad

2017-01-01

Trust in health care is of high intrinsic value. It also leads to positive outcomes such as better treatment adherence and disclosure of sensitive information. Therefore, there is a need to measure trust in health care objectively. To assess the psychometric properties of the Trust in Physician Scale in Tamil Nadu, India. The study was conducted in a private tertiary hospital setting in Tamil Nadu by a cross-sectional survey design. The Trust in Physician Scale and General Trust Scale were administered to 288 participants in the waiting area of a tertiary care hospital in Tamil Nadu. Descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, and Cronbach's alpha statistics were used to assess the validity and reliability of the scale. The respondents were predominantly men from rural areas, older than 35 years of age, and with lesser than 8 years of schooling. The questionnaire had acceptable internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha of 0.707 (95% confidence interval 0.654-0.755). Exploratory factor analysis divided the questionnaire into four domains. Seven items loaded into factor 1 which explained dependability and competence of the physician, two items loaded on factor 2, and one each in factors 3 and 4. The latter four items had very low item to total correlations and hence did not contribute much to the questionnaire. The Trust in Physician questionnaire needs to be modified to accurately measure the domains of trust in the context of the study area. More qualitative studies are required to understand the domains of trust in this cultural and social context.

Risk reduction and perceived collective efficacy and community support among female sex workers in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, India: the importance of context.

PubMed

Guha, Mohua; Baschieri, Angela; Bharat, Shalini; Bhatnagar, Tarun; Sane, Suvarna Sanjay; Godbole, Sheela V; S, Saravanamurthy P; Mainkar, Mandar Keshav; Williams, Joseph; Collumbien, Martine

2012-10-01

Empowering sex workers to mobilise and influence the structural context that obstructs risk reduction efforts is now seen an essential component of successful HIV prevention programmes. However, success depends on local programme environments and history. The authors analysed data from the Integrated Behavioural and Biological Assessment Round I cross-sectional survey among female sex workers in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. The authors used propensity score matching to estimate the impact of participation in intervention activities on reduction of risk (consistent condom use) and vulnerability (perceived collective efficacy and community support). Background levels of risk and vulnerability as well as intervention impact varied widely across the different settings. The effect size ATT of attending meetings/trainings on consistent condom use was as high as 21% in Tamil Nadu (outside of Chennai) where overall use was lowest at 51%. Overall, levels of perceived collective efficacy were low at the time of the survey; perceived community support was high in Tamil Nadu and especially in Chennai (93%) contrasting with 33% in Mumbai. Consistent with previous research, the context of Mumbai seems least conducive to vulnerability reduction, yet self-help groups had a significant impact on consistent condom use (ATT=10%) and were significantly associated with higher collective efficacy (ATT=31%). Significant risk reduction can be achieved by large-scale female sex worker interventions, but the impact depends on the history of programming, the complexity of the context in which sex work happens and pre-existing levels of support sex workers perceive from their peers.

One Health approach to cost-effective rabies control in India.

PubMed

Fitzpatrick, Meagan C; Shah, Hiral A; Pandey, Abhishek; Bilinski, Alyssa M; Kakkar, Manish; Clark, Andrew D; Townsend, Jeffrey P; Abbas, Syed Shahid; Galvani, Alison P

2016-12-20

Over 20,000 rabies deaths occur annually in India, representing one-third of global human rabies. The Indian state of Tamil Nadu has pioneered a "One Health" committee to address the challenge of rabies in dogs and humans. Currently, rabies control in Tamil Nadu involves postexposure vaccination of humans after dog bites, whereas potential supplemental approaches include canine vaccination and sterilization. We developed a data-driven rabies transmission model fit to human rabies autopsy data and human rabies surveillance data from Tamil Nadu. Integrating local estimates for canine demography and costs, we predicted the impact of canine vaccination and sterilization on human health outcomes and evaluated cost-effectiveness according to the WHO criteria for India, which correspond to thresholds of $1,582 and $4,746 per disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for very cost-effective and cost-effective strategies, respectively. We found that highly feasible strategies focused on stray dogs, vaccinating as few as 7% of dogs annually, could very cost-effectively reduce human rabies deaths by 70% within 5 y, and a modest expansion to vaccinating 13% of stray dogs could cost-effectively reduce human rabies by almost 90%. Through integration over parameter uncertainty, we find that, for a cost-effectiveness threshold above $1,400 per DALY, canine interventions are at least 95% likely to be optimal. If owners are willing to bring dogs to central point campaigns at double the rate that campaign teams can capture strays, expanded annual targets become cost-effective. This case study of cost-effective canine interventions in Tamil Nadu may have applicability to other settings in India and beyond.

One Health approach to cost-effective rabies control in India

PubMed Central

Shah, Hiral A.; Pandey, Abhishek; Bilinski, Alyssa M.; Kakkar, Manish; Clark, Andrew D.; Galvani, Alison P.

2016-01-01

Over 20,000 rabies deaths occur annually in India, representing one-third of global human rabies. The Indian state of Tamil Nadu has pioneered a “One Health” committee to address the challenge of rabies in dogs and humans. Currently, rabies control in Tamil Nadu involves postexposure vaccination of humans after dog bites, whereas potential supplemental approaches include canine vaccination and sterilization. We developed a data-driven rabies transmission model fit to human rabies autopsy data and human rabies surveillance data from Tamil Nadu. Integrating local estimates for canine demography and costs, we predicted the impact of canine vaccination and sterilization on human health outcomes and evaluated cost-effectiveness according to the WHO criteria for India, which correspond to thresholds of $1,582 and $4,746 per disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for very cost-effective and cost-effective strategies, respectively. We found that highly feasible strategies focused on stray dogs, vaccinating as few as 7% of dogs annually, could very cost-effectively reduce human rabies deaths by 70% within 5 y, and a modest expansion to vaccinating 13% of stray dogs could cost-effectively reduce human rabies by almost 90%. Through integration over parameter uncertainty, we find that, for a cost-effectiveness threshold above $1,400 per DALY, canine interventions are at least 95% likely to be optimal. If owners are willing to bring dogs to central point campaigns at double the rate that campaign teams can capture strays, expanded annual targets become cost-effective. This case study of cost-effective canine interventions in Tamil Nadu may have applicability to other settings in India and beyond. PMID:27994161

Authorship Identification for Tamil Classical Poem using Subspace Discriminant Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandian, A.; Ramalingam, V. V.; Manikandan, K.; Vishnu Preet, R. P.

2018-04-01

The Development of extensive perceiving confirmation of a creator's work consolidates stylometry examination that joins various fascinating issues. Extraction of specific kind of highlights from the substance draws in us with the chance to perceive the producers of obscure works. Center of this paper is to briefly recognize the creators of unidentified Tamil dataset in context of crafted by known creators. Content preparing is the technique for getting amazing data from the dataset that joins quantifiable highlights from the dataset. This paper proposes content preparing method to concentrate features and perform grouping on the same. Crafted by a unidentified sonnet or content can be discovered in light of performing arrangement on potential creators' past known work and building a classifier to characterize the obscure lyric or content in any dialect. This procedure can be additionally reached out to every single provincial dialect around the globe. Numerous writing analysts are thinking that it’s hard to sort ballads as the writers of them are not recognized. By playing out this procedure, creators of different lyrics in Tamil vernacular can be perceived which will be significant to the general public.

Nontronite mineral identification in nilgiri hills of tamil nadu using hyperspectral remote sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vigneshkumar, M.; Yarakkula, Kiran

2017-11-01

Hyperspectral Remote sensing is a tool to identify the minerals along with field investigation. Tamil Nadu has abundant minerals like 30% titanium, 52% molybdenum, 59% garnet, 69% dunite, 75% vermiculite and 81% lignite. To enhance the user and industry requirements, mineral extraction is required. To identify the minerals properly, sophisticated tools are required. Hyperspectral remote sensing provides continuous extraction of earth surface information in an accurate manner. Nontronite is an iron-rich mineral mainly available in Nilgiri hills, Tamil Nadu, India. Due to the large number of bands, hyperspectral data require various preprocessing steps such as bad bands removal, destriping, radiance conversion and atmospheric correction. The atmospheric correction is performed using FLAASH method. The spectral data reduction is carried out with minimum noise fraction (MNF) method. The spatial information is reduced using pixel purity index (PPI) with 10000 iterations. The selected end members are compared with spectral libraries like USGS, JPL, and JHU. In the Nontronite mineral gives the probability of 0.85. Finally the classification is accomplished using spectral angle mapper (SAM) method.

Identification of locally available structural material as co-substrate for organic waste composting in Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Springer, C; Heldt, N

2016-06-01

Owing to the lack in structural strength while composting certain kinds of organic wastes, 11 co-substrates were tested that are generally locally available in rural areas of northern Tamil Nadu, India. In addition to the classical composting parameters such as carbon/nitrogen ratio, moisture content, dry matter and organic dry matter, a compression test was conducted to evaluate the structural strength and the suitability as bulking agent for composting processes. Additionally, with respect to the climatic conditions in India, the water holding capacity was also evaluated. © The Author(s) 2016.

Landscape Heterogeneity mapping for Access to Tribal health care in Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brindha, B.; Prashanthi Devi, M.

2014-11-01

The Nilgiris district in Tamilnadu has a rich biodiversity in terms of flora, fauna and ethnic population. The district is basically a mountainous region, situated at an elevation of 2000 to 2,600 meters above MSL and constituting of several hill and Steep Mountain valleys. This region houses six tribes who are mainly forest dwellers and live in close settlements depending on the forest resources for their livelihood. The Tribes of Nilgiris have been diagnosed and monitored for Sickle cell Anemia which is a disease of major concern among these ethnic populations. This genetic disorder developed due to the sickling of Red Blood Cells has increased during the past few decades. The Tribes, as they live in close encounter with the forest regions and have strict social cultural barriers, face difficulty in availing treatment or counseling from the Sickle Cell Research Center (SCRC) and other NGOs like NAWA and AHWINI in the region. It was observed that many factors such as landscape terrain, climatic conditions and improper roads tend to hinder the access to appropriate health care. The SCRC in Gudalur region is a facility established to monitor the disease cases inspite of these influencing factors. On analyzing the year bound age wise classification among male and female patients, certain dropouts in cases were observed which may be due to inaccessible condition or migration of the patient. In our study, Landscape heterogeneity mapping for different climatic seasons was done in ArcGIS 10.1. For this, contour and terrain maps, road networks and villages were prepared and factors that determine Terrain Difficulty were assessed. Vegetation mapping using IRS satellite images for the study region was attempted and associated with the landscape map. A risk analysis was proposed based on terrain difficulty and access to the nearest Health care Center. Based on this, the above factors alternate routes were suggested to access the difficult areas.

Open access tools for quality-assured and efficient data entry in a large, state-wide tobacco survey in India

PubMed Central

Shewade, Hemant Deepak; Vidhubala, E; Subramani, Divyaraj Prabhakar; Lal, Pranay; Bhatt, Neelam; Sundaramoorthi, C.; Singh, Rana J.; Kumar, Ajay M. V.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: A large state-wide tobacco survey was conducted using modified version of pretested, globally validated Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) questionnaire in 2015–22016 in Tamil Nadu, India. Due to resource constrains, data collection was carrid out using paper-based questionnaires (unlike the GATS-India, 2009–2010, which used hand-held computer devices) while data entry was done using open access tools. The objective of this paper is to describe the process of data entry and assess its quality assurance and efficiency. Methods: In EpiData language, a variable is referred to as ‘field’ and a questionnaire (set of fields) as ‘record’. EpiData software was used for double data entry with adequate checks followed by validation. Teamviewer was used for remote training and trouble shooting. The EpiData databases (one each for each district and each zone in Chennai city) were housed in shared Dropbox folders, which enabled secure sharing of files and automatic back-up. Each database for a district/zone had separate file for data entry of household level and individual level questionnaire. Results: Of 32,945 households, there were 111,363 individuals aged ≥15 years. The average proportion of records with data entry errors for a district/zone in household level and individual level file was 4% and 24%, respectively. These are the errors that would have gone unnoticed if single entry was used. The median (inter-quartile range) time taken for double data entry for a single household level and individual level questionnaire was 30 (24, 40) s and 86 (64, 126) s, respectively. Conclusion: Efficient and quality-assured near-real-time data entry in a large sub-national tobacco survey was performed using innovative, resource-efficient use of open access tools. PMID:29092673

Lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) for monitoring a leprosy elimination program.

PubMed

Gupte, M D; Narasimhamurthy, B

1999-06-01

In a statistical sense, prevalences of leprosy in different geographical areas can be called very low or rare. Conventional survey methods to monitor leprosy control programs, therefore, need large sample sizes, are expensive, and are time-consuming. Further, with the lowering of prevalence to the near-desired target level, 1 case per 10,000 population at national or subnational levels, the program administrator's concern will be shifted to smaller areas, e.g., districts, for assessment and, if needed, for necessary interventions. In this paper, Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS), a quality control tool in industry, is proposed to identify districts/regions having a prevalence of leprosy at or above a certain target level, e.g., 1 in 10,000. This technique can also be considered for identifying districts/regions at or below the target level of 1 per 10,000, i.e., areas where the elimination level is attained. For simulating various situations and strategies, a hypothetical computerized population of 10 million persons was created. This population mimics the actual population in terms of the empirical information on rural/urban distributions and the distribution of households by size for the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Various levels with respect to leprosy prevalence are created using this population. The distribution of the number of cases in the population was expected to follow the Poisson process, and this was also confirmed by examination. Sample sizes and corresponding critical values were computed using Poisson approximation. Initially, villages/towns are selected from the population and from each selected village/town households are selected using systematic sampling. Households instead of individuals are used as sampling units. This sampling procedure was simulated 1000 times in the computer from the base population. The results in four different prevalence situations meet the required limits of Type I error of 5% and 90% Power. It is concluded that after validation under field conditions, this method can be considered for a rapid assessment of the leprosy situation.

Groundwater quality and its suitability for drinking and irrigational use in the Southern Tiruchirappalli district, Tamil Nadu, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selvakumar, S.; Ramkumar, K.; Chandrasekar, N.; Magesh, N. S.; Kaliraj, S.

2017-03-01

A total of 20 groundwater samples were collected from both dug and bore wells of southern Tiruchirappalli district and analyzed for various hydrogeochemical parameters. The analyzed physicochemical parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, bicarbonate, carbonate, sulfate, chloride, nitrate, and fluoride are used to characterize the groundwater quality and its suitability for drinking and irrigational uses. The results of the chemical analysis indicates that the groundwater in the study area is slightly alkaline and mainly contains Na+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ cations as well as HCO3 2-, Cl-, SO4 2-and NO3 - anions. The total dissolved solids mainly depend on the concentration of major ions such as Ca, Mg, Na, K, HCO3, Cl, and SO4. Based on TDS, 55 % of the samples are suitable for drinking and rest of the samples are unsuitable for drinking. The total hardness indicates that majority of the groundwater samples are found within the permissible limit of WHO. The dominant hydrochemical facies for groundwater are Ca-Mg-Cl, Ca-HCO3, and Ca-Cl type. The USSL graphical geochemical representation of groundwater quality suggests that majority of the water samples belongs to high medium salinity with low alkali hazards. The Gibb's plot indicates that the groundwater chemistry of the study area is mainly controlled by evaporation and rock-water interaction. Spearman's correlation and factor analysis were used to distinguish the statistical relation between different ions and contamination source in the study area.

Prevalence of fluorosis and identification of fluoride endemic areas in Manur block of Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu, South India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gopalakrishnan, Subarayan Bothi; Viswanathan, Gopalan; Siva Ilango, S.

2012-12-01

Prevalence of fluorosis is mainly due to the consumption of more fluoride through drinking water. It is necessary to identify the fluoride endemic areas to adopt remedial measures for the people under the risk of fluorosis. The objectives of this study were to identify the exact location of fluoride endemic areas in Manur block of Tirunelveli District and to estimate fluoride exposure level through drinking water for different age groups. Identification of fluoride endemic areas was performed through Isopleth and Google earth mapping techniques. Fluoride level in drinking water samples was estimated by fluoride ion selective electrode method. A systematic clinical survey conducted in 19 villages of Manur block revealed the rate of prevalence of fluorosis. From this study, it has been found that Alavanthankulam, Melapilliyarkulam, Keezhapilliyarkulam, Nadupilliyarkulam, Keezhathenkalam and Papankulam are the fluoride endemic villages, where the fluoride level in drinking water is above 1 mg/l. Consumption of maximum fluoride exposure levels of 0.30 mg/kg/day for infants, 0.27 mg/kg/day for children and 0.15 mg/kg/day for adults were found among the respective age group people residing in high fluoride endemic area. As compared with adequate intake level of fluoride of 0.01 mg/kg/day for infants and 0.05 mg/kg/day for other age groups, the health risk due to excess fluoride intake to the people of Alavanthankulam and nearby areas has become evident. Hence the people of these areas are advised to consume drinking water with optimal fluoride to avoid further fluorosis risks.

The distribution of carbapenem- and colistin-resistance in Gram-negative bacteria from the Tamil Nadu region in India.

PubMed

Manohar, Prasanth; Shanthini, Thamaraiselvan; Ayyanar, Ramankannan; Bozdogan, Bulent; Wilson, Aruni; Tamhankar, Ashok J; Nachimuthu, Ramesh; Lopes, Bruno S

2017-07-01

The occurrence of carbapenem- and colistin-resistance among Gram-negative bacteria is increasing worldwide. The aim of this study was to understand the distribution of carbapenem- and colistin-resistance in two areas in Tamil Nadu, India. The clinical isolates (n=89) used in this study were collected from two diagnostic centres in Tamil Nadu, India. The bacterial isolates were screened for meropenem- and colistin-resistance. Further, resistance genes blaNDM-1, blaOXA-48-like, blaIMP, blaVIM, blaKPC, mcr-1 and mcr-2 and integrons were studied. The synergistic effect of meropenem in combination with colistin was assessed. A total of 89 bacterial isolates were studied which included Escherichia coli (n=43), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n=18), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n=10), Enterobacter cloacae (n=6), Acinetobacter baumannii (n=5), Klebsiella oxytoca (n=4), Proteus mirabilis (n=2) and Salmonella paratyphi (n=1). MIC testing showed that 58/89 (65 %) and 29/89 (32 %) isolates were resistant to meropenem and colistin, respectively, whereas 27/89 (30 %) isolates were resistant to both antibiotics. Escherichia coli, K. pneumoniae, K. oxytoca, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter cloacae isolates were blaNDM-1-positive (n=20). Some strains of Escherichia coli, K. pneumoniae and K. oxytoca were blaOXA-181-positive (n=4). Class 1, 2 and 3 integrons were found in 24, 20 and 3 isolates, respectively. Nine NDM-1-positive Escherichia coli strains could transfer carbapenem resistance via plasmids to susceptible Escherichia coli AB1157. Meropenem and colistin showed synergy in 10/20 (50 %) isolates by 24 h time-kill studies. Our results highlight the distribution of carbapenem- and colistin-resistance in Gram-negative bacteria isolated from the Tamil Nadu region in South India.

Empirical Analysis of the Variability of Wind Generation in India: Implications for Grid Integration

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

Phadke, Amol; Abhyankar, NIkit; Rao, Poorvi

We analyze variability in load and wind generation in India to assess its implications for grid integration of large scale wind projects using actual wind generation and load data from two states in India, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. We compare the largest variations in load and net load (load ?wind, i.e., load after integrating wind) that the generation fleet has to meet. In Tamil Nadu, where wind capacity is about 53percent of the peak demand, we find that the additional variation added due to wind over the current variation in load is modest; if wind penetration reaches 15percent and 30percentmore » by energy, the additional hourly variation is less than 0.5percent and 4.5percent of the peak demand respectively for 99percent of the time. For wind penetration of 15percent by energy, Tamil Nadu system is found to be capable of meeting the additional ramping requirement for 98.8percent of the time. Potential higher uncertainty in net load compared to load is found to have limited impact on ramping capability requirements of the system if coal plants can me ramped down to 50percent of their capacity. Load and wind aggregation in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka is found to lower the variation by at least 20percent indicating the benefits geographic diversification. These findings suggest modest additional flexible capacity requirements and costs for absorbing variation in wind power and indicate that the potential capacity support (if wind does not generate enough during peak periods) may be the issue that has more bearing on the economics of integrating wind« less

Adaptation, translation and reliability of the Australian 'Juniors Enjoying Cricket Safely' injury risk perception questionnaire for Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Gamage, Prasanna J; Fortington, Lauren V; Finch, Caroline F

2018-01-01

Cricket is a very popular sport in Sri Lanka. In this setting there has been limited research; specifically, there is little knowledge of cricket injuries. To support future research possibilities, the aim of this study was to cross-culturally adapt, translate and test the reliability of an Australian-developed questionnaire for the Sri Lankan context. The Australian 'Juniors Enjoying Cricket Safely' (JECS-Aus) injury risk perception questionnaire was cross-culturally adapted to suit the Sri Lankan context and subsequently translated into the two main languages (Sinhala and Tamil) based on standard forward-back translation. The translated questionnaires were examined for content validity by two language schoolteachers. The questionnaires were completed twice, 2 weeks apart, by two groups of school cricketers (males) aged 11-15 years (Sinhala (n=24), Tamil (n=30)) to assess reliability. Test-retest scores were evaluated for agreement. Where responses were <100% agreement, Cohen's kappa (κ) statistics were calculated. Questions with moderate-to-poor test-retest reliability (κ<0.6) were reconsidered for modification. Both the Sinhala and Tamil questionnaires had 100% agreement for questions on demographic data, and 88%-100% agreement for questions on participation in cricket and injury history. Of the injury risk perception questions, 72% (Sinhala) and 90% (Tamil) questions showed a substantial (κ=0.61-0.8) and almost perfect (κ=0.81-1.0) test-retest agreement. The adapted and translated JECS-SL questionnaire demonstrated strong reliability. This is the first study to adapt the JECS-Aus questionnaire for use in a different population, providing an outcome measure for assessing injury risk perceptions in Sri Lankan junior cricketers.

Monitoring Environment with GIS for Part of Thiruvallur Town Using Cartosat 1 Stereo, Pan & Resourcesat Liss 4 MSS Merged Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamed, G. S.; Venkatchalam, R. V.; Ramamurthhy, M.; Gummidipoondi, R. J.; Ramillah, M.

2012-07-01

Thiruvallur town is about 44 km from Chennai in Tamil nadu state of India with a population of 130000 , covering 10.75 sq km area. It is about 2km from Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering and Technology. It was Taluk (Sub Division'.s) head quarters and from 1991 it was upgraded as District head quarters after the formation of Thiruvallur District. With rapid growth of town the Population density of Thiruvallur has increased in the past three decades from 300 persons/sq.km in 1951, to 6000 persons/sq.km in 1981 and now it is 12925 persons/sq.km in 2011. The creation of District administrative collector office, headquarters offices for police, judicial courts and Tamil Nadu and Federal Government development department's offices, establishment of multinationals major industries like Caterpillar, Kingfishers,Hindustan Motors, Mahendra Automobiles, Coco cola, Japanese Glass industry, Korean LOTO etc apart from mushrooming growth of about 41 Engineering, Nursing, Education, Medical, Naval, Arts and Science colleges, International Public schools,Governmentt, Private schools and Polytechnics added to the population of this Town. It is well connected by National Highways and Railways and upgraded as District Municipality. This resulted in urban drainage problem and conversion of Agriculture land and lakes for housing, establishment of major Govt and Private Hospitals including special units for Eye care, Cardiology, and Health Clinics, pharmacies etc. The effect of urbanization on environment of this once silent rural temple town which was supporting intensive agriculture activities , green with paddy fields is studied with high resolution satellite data is know the impact on health and environment changes from 2008 to 2011, using 2.5m resolution PAN stereo data of Cartosat 1 merged with 5.8 m resolution Multi Spectral data of LISS 4 of Resourcesat 1 of Indian Remote sensing satellites and Geo Eye satellite image of 2011 from Google Earth web site for the western part of Thiruvallur Municipality Area between North Western Thiruvallur town from the Temple Tank of Sri Veeraragavasamy temple to junction of National Highways connecting Thiruvallur to Tirupathi and Thiruvallur- Poondi- Uthukottai at the West. These data are used to create environment monitoring GIS to understand the use of High resolution Indian satellite data for local urban environmental planning to manage the health and environmental issues. ARC GIS 10 and Lieca photogrammetry software are used with satellite data to create different layer for creating GIS on urban infrastructure like houses, public buildings, roads, municipal surface drainage net work, underground sewerage drainage net work, drinking water pipe lines net work, landfills, solid waste disposal yards, pumping stations, degraded areas, heath services infrastructure, wet lands , low lying areas with bushes, abandoned lakes which are the breeding grounds for mosquito's in rainy season, etc These layers are correlated with the municipal ward map of this segment of the town. The stereo data of Cartosat 1 is useful for mapping the households, roads, agricultural fields, bushy areas, slopes to map the natural drainage of the area and for delineation of micro watersheds. When the layer of municipal ward maps are integrated with the GIS the drainage, drinking water lines, street names and house numbers etc can be added to the attribute data to make this as a complete Environment management GIS. The use of PAN merged data of Cartosat 1 with LISS 4, MSS Resourcesat 1 in natural colour and it's cost effectiveness is studied to explain the usefulness of creation of Environment Health GIS. The non stereo Geo Eye latest data from Google Earth web site or Cartosat 2 can be used for upgrading the land use changes and identify current environmental as on 2011.The study will provide GIS to monitor environmental issues with multi date large scale data for Thiruvallur Town.

How Persistent are Grammatical Gender Effects? The Case of German and Tamil.

PubMed

Sedlmeier, Peter; Tipandjan, Arun; Jänchen, Anastasia

2016-04-01

Does the language we speak shape the way we think? The present research concentrated on the impact of grammatical gender on cognition and examined the persistence of the grammatical gender effect by (a) concentrating on German, a three-gendered language, for which previous results have been inconsistent, (b) statistically controlling for common alternative explanations, (c) employing three tasks that differed in how closely they are associated with grammatical gender, and (d) using Tamil, a nongendered language, as a baseline for comparison. We found a substantial grammatical gender effect for two commonly used tasks, even when alternative explanations were statistically controlled for. However, there was basically no effect for a task that was only very loosely connected to grammatical gender (similarity rating of word pairs). In contrast to previous studies that found effects of the German and Spanish grammatical gender in English (a nongendered language), our study did not produce such effects for Tamil, again after controlling for alternative explanations, which can be taken as additional evidence for the existence of a purely linguistic grammatical gender effect. These results indicate that general grammatical gender effects exist but that the size of these effects may be limited and their range restricted.

Cognition related to domestic violence in India: implications for reproductive health programme.

PubMed

Anand, Sandip; Sinha, R K; Singh, Lakhan

2010-03-01

In India, the nature of interdependency between wife and husband is regarded as different from what it is in the west. It is observed that in Indian state of Bihar, there is co-existence of memory of domestic violence and attitudinal justification of domestic violence on all the dimensions of domestic violence. However, In Tamil Nadu, demographic transition is likely to create the differentiation and therefore significant co-existence of certain forms of attitude (attitudinal justification of beating for household chores, contraceptives, and sex refusal) and 'memories related to domestic violence' are not present there. Attitudinal assertion against domestic violence in the name of 'unfaithfulness' seems to be helping women both in Bihar & Tamil Nadu. However, in Tamil Nadu, if women raise her voice against beating by husband for sex refusal; her chance of facing domestic violence gets increased here. These kind of connect between violence and attitude is not present in Bihar. In Bihar, attitudinally if women assert their voice against violence for contraceptive decision making; it makes them to feel lesser amount of constant strain. The study shows the implications for reproductive health programme in India.

Genetic selection pressure in TLR9 gene may enforce risk for SLE in Indian Tamils.

PubMed

Yusuf, J H; Kaliyaperumal, D; Jayaraman, M; Ramanathan, G; Devaraju, P

2017-03-01

Objectives Lupus is a classical systemic autoimmune disease with genetics as one of the well known causative factors for the disease pathogenesis. Toll-like receptors are the major pattern recognition receptors associated with innate immunity and also act as an interface with the adaptive immunity. Genetic polymorphisms in genes encoding TLRs were implicated in the development of infections, malignancies and autoimmune diseases. TLR9 is a member of TLR family, and recognizes the CpG DNA motifs of pathogens. Though the incidence rate of lupus in Asians was reported to be low (30 - 50/100,000 population), poor disease prognosis due to higher incidence of renal complications and aggressive disease worsens the scenario. The ability of TLR9 to detect and elicit an immune response against double-stranded DNA makes TLR9 a relevant factor to be tested for its association with the clinical and serological phenotypes of lupus. However, lack of relevant genetic data on normative frequencies of the TLR9 (rs187084) polymorphism may serve as a constraint to derive the sample size to conduct case control association studies. Hence this study was conducted to establish the normative frequency of TLR9 (rs187084) polymorphism in Indian Tamils. Materials and methods The TLR9 (rs187084) polymorphism was screened in South Indian Tamils ( n = 208) by PCR-RFLP. Results and discussion We observed a higher occurrence of the mutant allele (65%) in South Indian Tamils. No gender disparity with respect to the mutant allele frequency was observed. The higher incidence of mutant allele in both genders suggests that this population had undergone a genetic selection pressure as an evolutionary genetic measure to withstand the prevailing endemic infections like TB and malaria. Though the enhanced expression of TLR9 was protective against infections, it may also influence the development of autoimmune diseases. Conclusion The higher incidence of theTLR9 (rs187084) over-expression mutation in Indian Tamils is suggestive of a genetic adaptation or selection pressure to withstand the prevailing endemic infectious and parasitic diseases. However, this genetic adaptation poses a greater risk to develop autoimmune diseases like SLE etc through complex gene environment interactions. The normative frequency of the TLR9 (rs187084) polymorphism established in our population could now be used to define the sample size for future case control studies.

Worlds apart 1: Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh. Reaping rewards of social development.

PubMed

Chhabra, R

1994-01-01

Tamil Nadu had a 1991 annual growth rate of 1.1% compared to a rate of over 2% in the northern states of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. The lower fertility and mortality in Tamil Nadu was achieved through a sustained, multifaceted social and economic effort and through promotion, reach, and quality of family planning in a short time period. Political leadership and media efforts since the 1960s have strengthened support for the small family norm, later marriage, and improved status of women. Infrastructure development includes roads and water supplies in every village, rural electrification, and a government center in every village. Tamil Nadu devotes over 33% of its total budget to health and education. Special emphasis was placed on a program initiated in 1982 to provide a nutritious midday meal in school to every child living in poverty. In 1994, this program cost Rs. 3350. The result has been increasing school enrollment, greater retention of female children, reductions in malnutrition, and opportunities for local part-time employment and increased social status in the community. In some locations, the meal program includes day care centers and meals for the aged. Another social program provides cash loans of Rs. 5000 to couples at first marriage who are over the age of 18 years with a completed high school degree. Rs. 300 are provided for nutritional support for the first two pregnancies. Rs. 10,000 are also given to girls whose family income is under Rs. 12,000 a year. Financial assistance is available for widows who remarry and for intercaste marriages. A new program provides a gold ring, educational expenses, and Rs. 20 for families with an only girl child or two girl children and which accept a permanent method of family planning. A negligible 20,000 couples joined the program, although about 15% of the total population was eligible. 50-55% of women receive state subsidies and loans. Collectives exist in 12,000 women's groups. Tamil Nadu's chief administrator prepared a 10-point program for the advancement of women. Some feminist groups have challenged the official presentation of government successes because of their concern that demographic successes would be achieved at the expense of care and respect for human aspects of population.

Prevalence of risk factors for non-communicable diseases in rural & urban Tamil Nadu

PubMed Central

Oommen, Anu Mary; Abraham, Vinod Joseph; George, Kuryan; Jose, V. Jacob

2016-01-01

Background & objectives: Surveillance of risk factors is important to plan suitable control measures for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The objective of this study was to assess the behavioural, physical and biochemical risk factors for NCDs in Vellore Corporation and Kaniyambadi, a rural block in Vellore district, Tamil Nadu, India. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out among 6196 adults aged 30-64 yr, with 3799 participants from rural and 2397 from urban areas. The World Health Organization-STEPS method was used to record behavioural risk factors, anthropometry, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and lipid profile. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess associations between risk factors. Results: The proportion of tobacco users (current smoking or daily use of smokeless tobacco) was 23 per cent in the rural sample and 18 per cent in the urban, with rates of smoking being similar. Ever consumption of alcohol was 62 per cent among rural men and 42 per cent among urban men. Low physical activity was seen among 63 per cent of the urban and 43 per cent of the rural sample. Consumption of fruits and vegetables was equally poor in both. In the urban sample, 54 per cent were overweight, 29 per cent had hypertension and 24 per cent diabetes as compared to 31, 17 and 11 per cent, respectively, in the rural sample. Physical inactivity was associated with hypertension, body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m2, central obesity and dyslipidaemia after adjusting for other factors. Increasing age, male sex, BMI ≥25 kg/m2 and central obesity were independently associated with both hypertension and diabetes. Interpretation & conclusions: Diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, physical inactivity and overweight were higher in the urban area as compared to the rural area which had higher rates of smokeless tobacco use and alcohol consumption. Smoking and inadequate consumption of fruits and vegetables were equally prevalent in both the urban and rural samples. There is an urgent need to address behavioural risk factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and inadequate intake of fruits and vegetables through primary prevention. PMID:28139545

Diagnostic pathways and direct medical costs incurred by new adult pulmonary tuberculosis patients prior to anti-tuberculosis treatment – Tamil Nadu, India

PubMed Central

Veesa, Karun Sandeep; John, Kamalabhai Russell; Moonan, Patrick K.; Kaliappan, Saravanakumar Puthupalayam; Manjunath, Krishna; Sagili, Karuna D.; Ravichandra, Chinnappareddy; Menon, Pradeep Aravindan; Dolla, Chandrakumar; Luke, Nancy; Munshi, Kaivan; George, Kuryan; Minz, Shantidani

2018-01-01

Background Tuberculosis (TB) patients face substantial delays prior to treatment initiation, and out of pocket (OOP) expenditures often surpass the economic productivity of the household. We evaluated the pre-diagnostic cost and health seeking behaviour of new adult pulmonary TB patients registered at Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in Vellore district, Tamil Nadu, India. Methods This descriptive study, part of a randomised controlled trial conducted in three rural Tuberculosis Units from Dec 2012 to Dec 2015, collected data on number of health facilities, dates of visits prior to the initiation of anti-tuberculosis treatment, and direct OOP medical costs associated with TB diagnosis. Logistic regression analysis examined the factors associated with delays in treatment initiation and OOP expenditures. Results Of 880 TB patients interviewed, 34.7% presented to public health facilities and 65% patients sought private health facilities as their first point of care. The average monthly individual income was $77.79 (SD 57.14). About 69% incurred some pre-treatment costs at an average of $39.74. Overall, patients experienced a median of 6 days (3–11 IQR) of time to treatment initiation and 21 days (10–30 IQR) of health systems delay. Age ≤ 40 years (aOR: 1.73; CI: 1.22–2.44), diabetes (aOR: 1.63; CI: 1.08–2.44) and first visit to a private health facility (aOR: 17.2; CI: 11.1–26.4) were associated with higher direct OOP medical costs, while age ≤ 40 years (aOR: 0.64; CI: 0.48–0.85) and first visit to private health facility (aOR: 1.79, CI: 1.34–2.39) were associated with health systems delay. Conclusion The majority of rural TB patients registering at PHCs visited private health facilities first and incurred substantial direct OOP medical costs and delays prior to diagnosis and anti-tuberculosis treatment initiation. This study highlights the need for PHCs to be made as the preferred choice for first point of contact, to combat TB more efficiently. PMID:29414980

Diagnostic pathways and direct medical costs incurred by new adult pulmonary tuberculosis patients prior to anti-tuberculosis treatment - Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Veesa, Karun Sandeep; John, Kamalabhai Russell; Moonan, Patrick K; Kaliappan, Saravanakumar Puthupalayam; Manjunath, Krishna; Sagili, Karuna D; Ravichandra, Chinnappareddy; Menon, Pradeep Aravindan; Dolla, Chandrakumar; Luke, Nancy; Munshi, Kaivan; George, Kuryan; Minz, Shantidani

2018-01-01

Tuberculosis (TB) patients face substantial delays prior to treatment initiation, and out of pocket (OOP) expenditures often surpass the economic productivity of the household. We evaluated the pre-diagnostic cost and health seeking behaviour of new adult pulmonary TB patients registered at Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in Vellore district, Tamil Nadu, India. This descriptive study, part of a randomised controlled trial conducted in three rural Tuberculosis Units from Dec 2012 to Dec 2015, collected data on number of health facilities, dates of visits prior to the initiation of anti-tuberculosis treatment, and direct OOP medical costs associated with TB diagnosis. Logistic regression analysis examined the factors associated with delays in treatment initiation and OOP expenditures. Of 880 TB patients interviewed, 34.7% presented to public health facilities and 65% patients sought private health facilities as their first point of care. The average monthly individual income was $77.79 (SD 57.14). About 69% incurred some pre-treatment costs at an average of $39.74. Overall, patients experienced a median of 6 days (3-11 IQR) of time to treatment initiation and 21 days (10-30 IQR) of health systems delay. Age ≤ 40 years (aOR: 1.73; CI: 1.22-2.44), diabetes (aOR: 1.63; CI: 1.08-2.44) and first visit to a private health facility (aOR: 17.2; CI: 11.1-26.4) were associated with higher direct OOP medical costs, while age ≤ 40 years (aOR: 0.64; CI: 0.48-0.85) and first visit to private health facility (aOR: 1.79, CI: 1.34-2.39) were associated with health systems delay. The majority of rural TB patients registering at PHCs visited private health facilities first and incurred substantial direct OOP medical costs and delays prior to diagnosis and anti-tuberculosis treatment initiation. This study highlights the need for PHCs to be made as the preferred choice for first point of contact, to combat TB more efficiently.

Association between stigma, depression and quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) in South India – a community based cross sectional study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background India has around 2.27 million adults living with HIV/AIDS who face several challenges in the medical management of their disease. Stigma, discrimination and psychosocial issues are prevalent. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of severe stigma and to study the association between this, depression and the quality of life (QOL) of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) in Tamil Nadu. Methods This was a community based cross sectional study carried out in seven districts of Tamil Nadu, India, among 400 PLHA in the year 2009. The following scales were used for stigma, depression and quality of life, Berger scale, Major Depression Inventory (MDI) scale and the WHO BREF scale. Both Stigma and QOL were classified as none, moderate or severe/poor based on the tertile cut off values of the scale scores. Depression was classified as none, mild, moderate and severe. Logistic regression analyses were performed to study the risk factors. Results Twenty seven per cent of PLHA had experienced severe forms of stigma. These were severe forms of personalized stigma (28.8%), negative self-image (30.3%), perceived public attitude (18.2%) and disclosure concerns (26%). PLHA experiencing severe depression were 12% and those experiencing poor quality of life were 34%. Poor QOL reported in the physical, psychological, social and environmental domains was 42.5%, 40%, 51.2% and 34% respectively. PLHA who had severe personalized stigma and negative self-image had 3.4 (1.6-7.0) and 2.1 (1.0-4.1) times higher risk of severe depression respectively (p < .001). PLHA who had severe depression had experienced 2.7(1.1-7.7) times significantly poorer QOL. Conclusions Severe forms of stigma were equivalently prevalent among all the categories of PLHA. However, PLHA who had experienced severe depression had only developed poor QOL. A high level of social support was associated with a high level of QOL. PMID:22720691

Assessment of hydrogeochemical status of groundwater in a coastal region of Southeast coast of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chidambaram, S.; Sarathidasan, J.; Srinivasamoorthy, K.; Thivya, C.; Thilagavathi, R.; Prasanna, M. V.; Singaraja, C.; Nepolian, M.

2018-03-01

A study was conducted in a coastal region of Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu, India, to identify the hydrogeochemical processes controlling the groundwater chemistry. The major geological units of the study area are sandstone, clay, alluvium, and laterite soils of Tertiary and Quaternary age. A total of 64 groundwater samples were measured for major ions and stable isotopes. Higher electrical conductivity values indicate the poor quality groundwater along the coastal region. Saline water intrusion mainly affects the hydrochemical composition of the aquifer water reflected by Na-Cl-type waters. Cl-/(Cl- + HCO3 -) ratio also indicates the mixing of fresh groundwater with saline water. The results of δD and δ18O analyses show that isotopic compositions of groundwater ranges from - 7.7 to - 2.1‰ for δ18O and from - 55.6 to - 18.5‰ for δD. Correlation and factor analysis were carried out to find the association of ions and to determine the major factors controlling the groundwater chemistry of the region. The study indicates that ion exchange, weathering, salt water intrusion along the coast, and anthropogenic impacts are the major controlling factors for the groundwater chemistry of the region.

Antibacterial potential of silver nanoparticles against isolated urinary tract infectious bacterial pathogens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacob Inbaneson, Samuel; Ravikumar, Sundaram; Manikandan, Nachiappan

2011-12-01

The silver nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical reduction method and the nanoparticles were characterized using ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. The synthesized silver nanoparticles were investigated to evaluate the antibacterial activity against urinary tract infectious (UTIs) bacterial pathogens. Thirty-two bacteria were isolated from mid urine samples of 25 male and 25 female patients from Thondi, Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu, India and identified by conventional methods. Escherichia coli was predominant (47%) followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (22%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (19%), Enterobacter sp. (6%), Proteus morganii (3%) and Staphylococcus aureus (3%). The antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles was evaluated by disc diffusion assay. P. aeruginosa showed maximum sensitivity (11 ± 0.58 mm) followed by Enterobacter sp. (8 ± 0.49 mm) at a concentration of 20 μg disc-1 and the sensitivity was highly comparable with the positive control kanamycin and tetracycline. K. pneumoniae, E. coli, P. morganii and S. aureus showed no sensitivity against all the tested concentrations of silver nanoparticles. The results provided evidence that, the silver nanoparticles might indeed be the potential sources to treat urinary tract infections caused by P. aeruginosa and Enterobacter sp.

Mapping the genetic diversity of HLA haplotypes in the Japanese populations

PubMed Central

Saw, Woei-Yuh; Liu, Xuanyao; Khor, Chiea-Chuen; Takeuchi, Fumihiko; Katsuya, Tomohiro; Kimura, Ryosuke; Nabika, Toru; Ohkubo, Takayoshi; Tabara, Yasuharu; Yamamoto, Ken; Yokota, Mitsuhiro; Akiyama, Koichi; Asano, Hiroyuki; Asayama, Kei; Haga, Toshikazu; Hara, Azusa; Hirose, Takuo; Hosaka, Miki; Ichihara, Sahoko; Imai, Yutaka; Inoue, Ryusuke; Ishiguro, Aya; Isomura, Minoru; Isono, Masato; Kamide, Kei; Kato, Norihiro; Katsuya, Tomohiro; Kikuya, Masahiro; Kohara, Katsuhiko; Matsubara, Tatsuaki; Matsuda, Ayako; Metoki, Hirohito; Miki, Tetsuro; Murakami, Keiko; Nabika, Toru; Nakatochi, Masahiro; Ogihara, Toshio; Ohnaka, Keizo; Ohkubo, Takayoshi; Rakugi, Hiromi; Satoh, Michihiro; Shiwaku, Kunihiro; Sugimoto, Ken; Tabara, Yasuharu; Takami, Yoichi; Takayanagi, Ryoichi; Takeuchi, Fumihiko; Tsubota-Utsugi, Megumi; Yamamoto, Ken; Yamamoto, Koichi; Yamasaki, Masayuki; Yasui, Daisaku; Yokota, Mitsuhiro; Teo, Yik-Ying; Kato, Norihiro

2015-01-01

Japan has often been viewed as an Asian country that possesses a genetically homogenous community. The basis for partitioning the country into prefectures has largely been geographical, although cultural and linguistic differences still exist between some of the districts/prefectures, especially between Okinawa and the mainland prefectures. The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) region has consistently emerged as the most polymorphic region in the human genome, harbouring numerous biologically important variants; nevertheless the presence of population-specific long haplotypes hinders the imputation of SNPs and classical HLA alleles. Here, we examined the extent of genetic variation at the MHC between eight Japanese populations sampled from Okinawa, and six other prefectures located in or close to the mainland of Japan, specifically focusing at the haplotypes observed within each population, and what the impact of any variation has on imputation. Our results indicated that Okinawa was genetically farther to the mainland Japanese than were Gujarati Indians from Tamil Indians, while the mainland Japanese from six prefectures were more homogeneous than between northern and southern Han Chinese. The distribution of haplotypes across Japan was similar, although imputation was most accurate for Okinawa and several mainland prefectures when population-specific panels were used as reference. PMID:26648100

Fasting practices in Tamil Nadu and their importance for patients with diabetes.

PubMed

Kannan, Subramanian; Mahadevan, Shriraam; Seshadri, Krishna; Sadacharan, Dhalapathy; Velayutham, Kumaravel

2016-01-01

Religious practices and cultural customs related to eating habits have a significant impact on lifestyle and health of the community. The Ramadan fasting in Muslims and its influence on various metabolic parameters such as diabetes have been reasonably studied. However, literature related to Hindu religious customs related to fasting and food patterns during various festivals and its effect on diabetes are scarce. This article is an attempt to describe the Hindu religious customs related to fasting and food practices from the State of Tamil Nadu (South India) and to raise the awareness among physicians about its relationship with diabetes which may help in managing their diabetic patients in a better way.

Fasting practices in Tamil Nadu and their importance for patients with diabetes

PubMed Central

Kannan, Subramanian; Mahadevan, Shriraam; Seshadri, Krishna; Sadacharan, Dhalapathy; Velayutham, Kumaravel

2016-01-01

Religious practices and cultural customs related to eating habits have a significant impact on lifestyle and health of the community. The Ramadan fasting in Muslims and its influence on various metabolic parameters such as diabetes have been reasonably studied. However, literature related to Hindu religious customs related to fasting and food patterns during various festivals and its effect on diabetes are scarce. This article is an attempt to describe the Hindu religious customs related to fasting and food practices from the State of Tamil Nadu (South India) and to raise the awareness among physicians about its relationship with diabetes which may help in managing their diabetic patients in a better way. PMID:27867892

TNAURice: Database on rice varieties released from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University

PubMed Central

Ramalingam, Jegadeesan; Arul, Loganathan; Sathishkumar, Natarajan; Vignesh, Dhandapani; Thiyagarajan, Katiannan; Samiyappan, Ramasamy

2010-01-01

We developed, TNAURice: a database comprising of the rice varieties released from a public institution, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore, India. Backed by MS-SQL, and ASP-Net at the front end, this database provide information on both quantitative and qualitative descriptors of the rice varities inclusive of their parental details. Enabled by an user friendly search utility, the database can be effectively searched by the varietal descriptors, and the entire contents are navigable as well. The database comes handy to the plant breeders involved in the varietal improvement programs to decide on the choice of parental lines. TNAURice is available for public access at http://www.btistnau.org/germdefault.aspx. PMID:21364829

TNAURice: Database on rice varieties released from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University.

PubMed

Ramalingam, Jegadeesan; Arul, Loganathan; Sathishkumar, Natarajan; Vignesh, Dhandapani; Thiyagarajan, Katiannan; Samiyappan, Ramasamy

2010-11-27

WE DEVELOPED, TNAURICE: a database comprising of the rice varieties released from a public institution, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore, India. Backed by MS-SQL, and ASP-Net at the front end, this database provide information on both quantitative and qualitative descriptors of the rice varities inclusive of their parental details. Enabled by an user friendly search utility, the database can be effectively searched by the varietal descriptors, and the entire contents are navigable as well. The database comes handy to the plant breeders involved in the varietal improvement programs to decide on the choice of parental lines. TNAURice is available for public access at http://www.btistnau.org/germdefault.aspx.

Communal proactive coping strategies among Tamil refugees in Norway: A case study in a naturalistic setting

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background An exclusive focus on individual or family coping strategies may be inadequate for people whose major point of concern may be collective healing on a more communal level. Methods To our knowledge, the current study is the first to make use of ethnographic fieldwork methods to investigate this type of coping as a process in a natural setting over time. Participant observation was employed within a Tamil NGO in Norway between August 2006 and December 2008. Results Tamil refugees in Norway co-operated to appraise their shared life situation and accumulate resources communally to improve it in culturally meaningful ways. Long term aspirations were related to both the situation in the homeland and in exile. However, unforeseen social events created considerable challenges and forced them to modify and adapt their coping strategies. Conclusions We describe a form of coping previously not described in the scientific literature: Communal proactive coping strategies, defined as the process by which group members feel collectively responsible for their future well-being and co-operate to promote desired outcomes and prevent undesired changes. The study shows that proactive coping efforts occur in a dynamic social setting which may force people to use their accumulated proactive coping resources in reactive coping efforts. Theoretical and clinical implications are explored. PMID:21521494

Prevalence of Dental Caries, Oral Hygiene Knowledge, Status, and Practices among Visually Impaired Individuals in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

John, James Rufus; Daniel, Breena; Paneerselvam, Dakshaini; Rajendran, Ganesh

2017-01-01

Aim . To assess the prevalence of dental caries, oral hygiene knowledge, status, and practices among visually impaired individuals in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Materials and Methods . A cross-sectional study was conducted among 404 visually impaired individuals in Chennai city, Tamil Nadu. Four schools were randomly selected for conducting the study. The oral hygiene status, prevalence of caries, and knowledge and attitude towards oral care among visually impaired individuals were collected and analysed. Results . In the present study, whilst 42% of individuals had fair oral hygiene status, 33% had good hygiene followed by 25% having poor oral hygiene. The overall mean number of DMFT was estimated to be 4.5 ± 2.7. The mean number of decayed teeth was 3.1 ± 2.2, mean number of missing teeth was 0.8 ± 1.4, and mean number of filled teeth was 0.5 ± 1.3. Conclusion . Whilst oral hygiene status was found to be relatively fair, there was a high rate of dental caries among the sample population. This shows that there is lack of knowledge regarding oral health maintenance. Therefore, early identification of caries coupled with effective oral health promotion programs providing practical knowledge to visually impaired students would prove beneficial.

Associated factors with cervical pre-malignant lesions among the married fisher women community at Sadras, Tamil Nadu

PubMed Central

Ganesan, Sornam; Subbiah, Vasantha N.; Michael, Jothi Clara J.

2015-01-01

Objective: To identify the associated factors of cervical pre-malignant lesions among the married fisher women residing in the coastal areas of Sadras, Tamil Nadu. Methods: The study was conducted in five fishermen communities under Sadras, a coastal area in Tamil Nadu, India. Two hundred and fifty married fisher women residing in the area. Quantitative descriptive approach with a cross-sectional study design was used. Data were collected using a structured interview schedule for identifying the associated factors and Pap smear test was performed for identifying the pre-malignant cervical lesions among the married fisher women. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Among 250 women, about six (2.4%) of them presented with pre-cancerous lesions such as atypical squamous cell of undifferentiated significance (ASCUS) — five (2%) and mild dysplasia one (0.4%). Majority of the women, about 178 (71.2%) women, had abnormal cervical findings. Statistical analysis showed a significant association of risk factors such as advanced age, lack of education, low socioeconomic status, using tobacco, multiparity, premarital sex, extramarital relationship, using cloth as sanitary napkin, etc. Conclusion: The study findings clearly show the increased vulnerable state of the fisher women for acquiring cervical cancer as they had many risk factors contributing to the same. PMID:27981091

Prevalence of early childhood caries and its risk factors in 18-72 month old children in Salem, Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Stephen, Arokiaraj; Krishnan, Ramesh; Ramesh, Maya; Kumar, Vasaviah Suresh

2015-01-01

Early childhood caries (ECC) is one of the most common dental diseases among the preschoolers, leading to suboptimal health. A study was planned to evaluate the prevalence of ECC in preschool children in the age group between 18 and 72 months and its relationship with parent's education and socioeconomic status of the family. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 2771 children selected randomly, in the age group 18-72 months and attending playschools and primary schools in urban, semi-urban, and rural areas of Salem, Tamil Nadu. A modified Winter et al. questionnaire and a proforma were used for collecting information on each child. The completed questionnaire and proformas were statistically analyzed and evaluated. The statistical analysis was done using Student's t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) to obtain mean values. The prevalence of ECC in Salem was 16% with a mean dfs of 5.23 ± 1. Prevalence was high among the children of low socioeconomic status group and the children of working mothers, with a mean dfs of 10.47. The prevalence of ECC was 16% in Salem, Tamil Nadu. ECC was seen more in children of working mothers, lower parental education, and lower socioeconomic groups.

HMM-based lexicon-driven and lexicon-free word recognition for online handwritten Indic scripts.

PubMed

Bharath, A; Madhvanath, Sriganesh

2012-04-01

Research for recognizing online handwritten words in Indic scripts is at its early stages when compared to Latin and Oriental scripts. In this paper, we address this problem specifically for two major Indic scripts--Devanagari and Tamil. In contrast to previous approaches, the techniques we propose are largely data driven and script independent. We propose two different techniques for word recognition based on Hidden Markov Models (HMM): lexicon driven and lexicon free. The lexicon-driven technique models each word in the lexicon as a sequence of symbol HMMs according to a standard symbol writing order derived from the phonetic representation. The lexicon-free technique uses a novel Bag-of-Symbols representation of the handwritten word that is independent of symbol order and allows rapid pruning of the lexicon. On handwritten Devanagari word samples featuring both standard and nonstandard symbol writing orders, a combination of lexicon-driven and lexicon-free recognizers significantly outperforms either of them used in isolation. In contrast, most Tamil word samples feature the standard symbol order, and the lexicon-driven recognizer outperforms the lexicon free one as well as their combination. The best recognition accuracies obtained for 20,000 word lexicons are 87.13 percent for Devanagari when the two recognizers are combined, and 91.8 percent for Tamil using the lexicon-driven technique.

Associated factors with cervical pre-malignant lesions among the married fisher women community at Sadras, Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Ganesan, Sornam; Subbiah, Vasantha N; Michael, Jothi Clara J

2015-01-01

To identify the associated factors of cervical pre-malignant lesions among the married fisher women residing in the coastal areas of Sadras, Tamil Nadu. The study was conducted in five fishermen communities under Sadras, a coastal area in Tamil Nadu, India. Two hundred and fifty married fisher women residing in the area. Quantitative descriptive approach with a cross-sectional study design was used. Data were collected using a structured interview schedule for identifying the associated factors and Pap smear test was performed for identifying the pre-malignant cervical lesions among the married fisher women. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Among 250 women, about six (2.4%) of them presented with pre-cancerous lesions such as atypical squamous cell of undifferentiated significance (ASCUS) - five (2%) and mild dysplasia one (0.4%). Majority of the women, about 178 (71.2%) women, had abnormal cervical findings. Statistical analysis showed a significant association of risk factors such as advanced age, lack of education, low socioeconomic status, using tobacco, multiparity, premarital sex, extramarital relationship, using cloth as sanitary napkin, etc. The study findings clearly show the increased vulnerable state of the fisher women for acquiring cervical cancer as they had many risk factors contributing to the same.

Prevalence of Dental Caries, Oral Hygiene Knowledge, Status, and Practices among Visually Impaired Individuals in Chennai, Tamil Nadu

PubMed Central

Daniel, Breena; Paneerselvam, Dakshaini; Rajendran, Ganesh

2017-01-01

Aim. To assess the prevalence of dental caries, oral hygiene knowledge, status, and practices among visually impaired individuals in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 404 visually impaired individuals in Chennai city, Tamil Nadu. Four schools were randomly selected for conducting the study. The oral hygiene status, prevalence of caries, and knowledge and attitude towards oral care among visually impaired individuals were collected and analysed. Results. In the present study, whilst 42% of individuals had fair oral hygiene status, 33% had good hygiene followed by 25% having poor oral hygiene. The overall mean number of DMFT was estimated to be 4.5 ± 2.7. The mean number of decayed teeth was 3.1 ± 2.2, mean number of missing teeth was 0.8 ± 1.4, and mean number of filled teeth was 0.5 ± 1.3. Conclusion. Whilst oral hygiene status was found to be relatively fair, there was a high rate of dental caries among the sample population. This shows that there is lack of knowledge regarding oral health maintenance. Therefore, early identification of caries coupled with effective oral health promotion programs providing practical knowledge to visually impaired students would prove beneficial. PMID:28458691

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.

Taboos Related to Dog Bite in an Urban Area of Kancheepuram District of Tamil Nadu, India

PubMed Central

Chinnaian, Sivagurunathan; Ramachandran, Umadevi; Ravi, Rama; Pandurangan, Mohan Kumar

2015-01-01

Background India is known for its diverse social and cultural backgrounds with wide range of myths and misconceptions related to diseases/illnesses. One such belief is certain food taboos and diet restrictions practiced following dog bite, which is widely prevalent. Materials and Methods This is a community based cross- sectional study conducted among adults population in Anakaputhur area of Kancheepuram district. The sample size was estimated to be 275 based on previous study data and simple random sampling method was used for data collection. Data collected was analysed using SPSS version 16 and results described using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test was used for finding statistical association. Results About 84.4% of the study participants said that some kind of restrictions should be followed in case of dog bite, among them 68.7% said non vegetarian foods should be avoided. About 81 % of those bitten by dogs followed some form of food restrictions. Nearly 93.6% of those bitten did follow certain restrictions, based on advice of family members/relatives while about 6.4% of the study group followed restrictions based on advice by ‘medical personnel’. Illiterates and those educated up to high school; participants with no history of animal bite in their family, were more at risk of having misconceptions (p<0.05). Pet owners have more misconceptions compared to non pet owners. Conclusion This study reveals the existence of certain food taboos in case of dog bite among the study population. These practices and taboos are of no use and can be harmful at times. It is important to clear these misconceptions through appropriate health education measures for better health seeking behaviour and management. PMID:26393149

Identification of major sources controlling groundwater chemistry from a hard rock terrain — A case study from Mettur taluk, Salem district, Tamil Nadu, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srinivasamoorthy, K.; Chidambaram, S.; Prasanna, M. V.; Vasanthavihar, M.; Peter, John; Anandhan, P.

2008-02-01

The study area Mettur forms an important industrial town situated NW of Salem district. The geology of the area is mainly composed of Archean crystalline metamorphic complexes. To identify the major process activated for controlling the groundwater chemistry an attempt has been made by collecting a total of 46 groundwater samples for two different seasons, viz., pre-monsoon and post-monsoon. The groundwater chemistry is dominated by silicate weathering and (Na + Mg) and (Cl + SO4) accounts of about 90% of cations and anions. The contribution of (Ca + Mg) and (Na + K) to total cations and HCO3 indicates the domination of silicate weathering as major sources for cations. The plot for Na to Cl indicates higher Cl in both seasons, derived from Anthropogenic (human) sources from fertilizer, road salt, human and animal waste, and industrial applications, minor representations of Na also indicates source from weathering of silicate-bearing minerals. The plot for Na/Cl to EC indicates Na released from silicate weathering process which is also supported by higher HCO3 values in both the seasons. Ion exchange process is also activated in the study area which is indicated by shifting to right in plot for Ca + Mg to SO4 + HCO3. The plot of Na-Cl to Ca + Mg-HCO3-SO4 confirms that Ca, Mg and Na concentrations in groundwater are derived from aquifer materials. Thermodynamic plot indicates that groundwater is in equilibrium with kaolinite, muscovite and chlorite minerals. Saturation index of silicate and carbonate minerals indicate oversaturation during pre-monsoon and undersaturation during post-monsoon, conforming dissolution and dilution process. In general, water chemistry is guided by complex weathering process, ion exchange along with influence of Cl ions from anthropogenic impact.

Spatiotemporal analysis of projected impacts of climate change on the major C3 and C4 crop yield under representative concentration pathway 4.5: Insight from the coasts of Tamil Nadu, South India

PubMed Central

A, Ramachandran; Praveen, Dhanya; R, Jaganathan; D, RajaLakshmi; K, Palanivelu

2017-01-01

India's dependence on a climate sensitive sector like agriculture makes it highly vulnerable to its impacts. However, agriculture is highly heterogeneous across the country owing to regional disparities in exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. It is essential to know and quantify the possible impacts of changes in climate on crop yield for successful agricultural management and planning at a local scale. The Hadley Centre Global Environment Model version 2-Earth System (HadGEM-ES) was employed to generate regional climate projections for the study area using the Regional Climate Model (RCM) RegCM4.4. The dynamics in potential impacts at the sub-district level were evaluated using the Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5 (RCPs). The aim of this study was to simulate the crop yield under a plausible change in climate for the coastal areas of South India through the end of this century. The crop simulation model, the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) 4.5, was used to understand the plausible impacts on the major crop yields of rice, groundnuts, and sugarcane under the RCP 4.5 trajectory. The findings reveal that under the RCP 4.5 scenario there will be decreases in the major C3 and C4 crop yields in the study area. This would affect not only the local food security, but the livelihood security as well. This necessitates timely planning to achieve sustainable crop productivity and livelihood security. On the other hand, this situation warrants appropriate adaptations and policy intervention at the sub-district level for achieving sustainable crop productivity in the future. PMID:28753605

Spatiotemporal analysis of projected impacts of climate change on the major C3 and C4 crop yield under representative concentration pathway 4.5: Insight from the coasts of Tamil Nadu, South India.

PubMed

A, Ramachandran; Praveen, Dhanya; R, Jaganathan; D, RajaLakshmi; K, Palanivelu

2017-01-01

India's dependence on a climate sensitive sector like agriculture makes it highly vulnerable to its impacts. However, agriculture is highly heterogeneous across the country owing to regional disparities in exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. It is essential to know and quantify the possible impacts of changes in climate on crop yield for successful agricultural management and planning at a local scale. The Hadley Centre Global Environment Model version 2-Earth System (HadGEM-ES) was employed to generate regional climate projections for the study area using the Regional Climate Model (RCM) RegCM4.4. The dynamics in potential impacts at the sub-district level were evaluated using the Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5 (RCPs). The aim of this study was to simulate the crop yield under a plausible change in climate for the coastal areas of South India through the end of this century. The crop simulation model, the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) 4.5, was used to understand the plausible impacts on the major crop yields of rice, groundnuts, and sugarcane under the RCP 4.5 trajectory. The findings reveal that under the RCP 4.5 scenario there will be decreases in the major C3 and C4 crop yields in the study area. This would affect not only the local food security, but the livelihood security as well. This necessitates timely planning to achieve sustainable crop productivity and livelihood security. On the other hand, this situation warrants appropriate adaptations and policy intervention at the sub-district level for achieving sustainable crop productivity in the future.

Integrated health of the girl child.

PubMed

Ghosh, S

1995-01-01

This article discusses factors that affect the well-being and health of female children in India: sex ratio, literacy, food intake, morbidity, mortality, early marriage, maternal mortality, nutrition, prenatal care and delivery, family planning responsibilities, and access to health services. India has recognized within its Constitution and other government documents and programs equality for women, but practices lag behind principles. A National Action Plan was formulated for the period 1991-2000 for the girl child. Women themselves must change their attitudes about themselves and their female children. Several pilot programs have demonstrated the potential to empower girls to be outspoken, vocal, and enthusiastic. Girls in India are disadvantaged even before their birth. Patriarchal norms reinforce the view of girls as a bad investment. Women are blamed for not bearing a son, despite the evidence that males carry the deciding gender-specific chromosome. Tamil Nadu districts are known for their female infanticide. The declining sex ratio is attributed to the higher death rate among females younger than 35 years. Females until recently had a lower life expectancy than males. Sex ratios vary between states. The only state with a positive female sex ratio is Kerala. Males outnumber females by almost 10% in most of the northern and eastern states. Illiteracy among women is high in about 100 districts. Female school enrollment is 50% less than male enrollment. Females suffer from higher rates of malnutrition, morbidity, and death. Girls' adolescent growth spurt is delayed until 18 years. Maternal mortality accounts for the largest proportion of deaths among women of reproductive age. The most common reason for abortion is "too many children." Lower socioeconomic status is associated with lower nutrition. Women do not have control over their fertility. Women are limited in their access to reproductive health care.

Factors influencing timely initiation and completion of gestational diabetes mellitus screening and diagnosis - a qualitative study from Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Nielsen, Karoline Kragelund; Rheinländer, Thilde; Kapur, Anil; Damm, Peter; Seshiah, Veerasamy; Bygbjerg, Ib C

2017-08-01

In 2007, universal screening for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) was introduced in Tamil Nadu, India. To identify factors hindering or facilitating timely initiation and completion of the GDM screening and diagnosis process, our study investigated how pregnant women in rural and urban Tamil Nadu access and navigate different GDM related health services. The study was carried out in two settings: an urban private diabetes centre and a rural government primary health centre. Observations of the process of screening and diagnosis at the health centres as well as semi-structured interviews with 30 pregnant women and nine health care providers were conducted. Data was analysed using qualitative content analysis. There were significant differences in the process of GDM screening and diagnosis in the urban and rural settings. Several factors hindering or facilitating timely initiation and completion of the process were identified. Timely attendance required awareness, motivation and opportunity to attend. Women had to attend the health centre at the right time and sometimes at the right gestational age to initiate the test, wait to complete the test and obtain the test report in time to initiate further action. All these steps and requirements were influenced by factors within and outside the health system such as getting right information from health care providers, clinic timings, characteristics of the test, availability of transport, social network and support, and social norms and cultural practices. Minimising and aligning complex stepwise processes of prenatal care and GDM screening delivery and attention to the factors influencing it are important for further improving and expanding GDM screening and related services, not only in Tamil Nadu but in other similar low and middle income settings. This study stresses the importance of guidelines and diagnostic criteria which are simple and feasible on the ground.

Tick infestation on sheep, goat, horse and wild hare in Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Soundararajan, C; Nagarajan, K; Muthukrishnan, S; Arul Prakash, M

2018-03-01

The prevalence of tick infestation and their predilection sites on sheep, goat, horse and wild hare were studied at various places of Tamil Nadu, India. The prevalence of tick infestation in Madras red sheep, Tellicherry goat and horse was 77.11, 78.21 and 13.33%, respectively. Sheep were heavily infested with Haemaphysalis bispinosa followed by Hyalomma isaaci , Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides and H . anatolicum . The ticks from goats were identified as H . bispinosa , R . haemaphysaloides , H . isaaci and R . sanguineus . Horses were infested with Otobus megnini and R . sanguineus . The ticks on wild hare ( Lepus nigricollis ) were identified as R . haemaphysaloides and H . bispinosa . Wild hare acts as a source of infestation to the sheep and goats since these animals shared the same field.

Distribution of larval and pupal stages of Simulium (Diptera: Simuliidae) flies in the Nilgiris hills of Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Soundararajan, C; Nagarajan, K; Arul Prakash, M

2017-09-01

Endemicity of onchocerciasis (river blindness) in humans is linked to the location of Simulium spp. (black fly). The distribution of immature stages of Simulium in Sholur, Pykara, Gudalur, Coonoor and Kotagiri streams of the Nilgiris hills of Tamil Nadu was investigated during the months of May and July 2012. Out of these five streams, only Sholur was infested with larval and pupal stages of Simulium spp. Out of six plants collected from various water bodies, larval and pupal stages were found on the leaves and stems of an aquatic plant Nasturtium officinale and on the roots and leaves of Pennisetum glandulosum. The stages of Simulium were observed only during the summer month of May.

Population movements to a growth-pole: the case of Hosur, Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Heins, J J; Meijer, E N

1990-08-01

This study examines the characteristics of population growth in Hosur, a small town in Tamil Nadu, India. "A special feature of the population in Hosur is the phenomenon of bachelors living together, mostly young men who have migrated from big cities. Commuting is not important in the mobility pattern of Hosur, less than ten per cent of employees in the industrial areas travelling daily from outside. Only one-third of the non-migrant labour force has access to the more attractive jobs in the modern factories, while short-term wage labour plays an important role in the labour structure of commuters. The demographic future of Hosur is not connected strongly with commuting patterns, but more with the spatial behaviour of the bachelors." excerpt

A Push on Job Anxiety for Employees on Managing Recent Difficult to Understand Computing Equipment in the Modern Issues in Indian Banking Quarter.

PubMed

Gopalakrishnan, Ragunathan; Swarnalatha, Chellapa

2015-01-01

Stress management can be defined as intervention planned to decrease the force of stressors in the administrative center. These can have a human being focus, aimed at raising an individual's ability to cope with stressors and the implementation of the CRM is essential to establish a better performance of the banking sector. Since managing stress and customer relationship management are becoming crucial in the field of management the work has forecasted them in a wide range of dimensions. This paper organizes few preliminary concepts of stress and critically analyzes the CRM strategy implemented by banking sector. Hence the employees of the Banking Industry have been asked to give their opinion about the CRM strategy adopted by banks. In order to provide the background of the employees, the profile of the employees has been discussed initially. The profile of the employees along with their opinion on the CRM practices adopted at Banking Industries has been discussed. In our work progresses we have been taken of two main parameters for consideration and it detriment in which area stress are mainly responds, and also the paper envelopes certain valuable stress management tactics and techniques that are particularly compassionate for people who have been working in the banking sector. Also an attempt to diagnose the impact of underside stress of day to day life in mounting a bigger level stress upon the employees has been made. Further development has been made with a detailed parametric analysis of employee stress conducted with the wide range of key parameters and several rounds of experiments have been conducted with techniques as Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Garrett ranking, and ANOVA; the work ensures to pave way for an accurate measure in customer handling. The questionnaire is planned to be distributed to 175 employees in the Madurai district banks.

A Push on Job Anxiety for Employees on Managing Recent Difficult to Understand Computing Equipment in the Modern Issues in Indian Banking Quarter

PubMed Central

Gopalakrishnan, Ragunathan; Swarnalatha, Chellapa

2015-01-01

Stress management can be defined as intervention planned to decrease the force of stressors in the administrative center. These can have a human being focus, aimed at raising an individual's ability to cope with stressors and the implementation of the CRM is essential to establish a better performance of the banking sector. Since managing stress and customer relationship management are becoming crucial in the field of management the work has forecasted them in a wide range of dimensions. This paper organizes few preliminary concepts of stress and critically analyzes the CRM strategy implemented by banking sector. Hence the employees of the Banking Industry have been asked to give their opinion about the CRM strategy adopted by banks. In order to provide the background of the employees, the profile of the employees has been discussed initially. The profile of the employees along with their opinion on the CRM practices adopted at Banking Industries has been discussed. In our work progresses we have been taken of two main parameters for consideration and it detriment in which area stress are mainly responds, and also the paper envelopes certain valuable stress management tactics and techniques that are particularly compassionate for people who have been working in the banking sector. Also an attempt to diagnose the impact of underside stress of day to day life in mounting a bigger level stress upon the employees has been made. Further development has been made with a detailed parametric analysis of employee stress conducted with the wide range of key parameters and several rounds of experiments have been conducted with techniques as Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Garrett ranking, and ANOVA; the work ensures to pave way for an accurate measure in customer handling. The questionnaire is planned to be distributed to 175 employees in the Madurai district banks. PMID:26558290

Giving birth: the voices of women in Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Corbett, Cheryl A; Callister, Lynn Clark

2012-09-01

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study is to describe the perceptions of childbearing women living in Tamil Nadu, India. This study can increase cultural understanding and foster cultural competence in nurses caring for Indian women. Women were invited to share their childbearing experiences. Following institutional review board approval, interviews were held with 22 women who had given birth in the previous 18 months to a viable infant. The women were grateful for the opportunity to share their perspectives with an interested nurse investigator. Data collection proceeded concurrently with data analysis. Themes were generated collaboratively by the research team. This research provides insights into the perspectives of mothers living in Tamil Nadu, India. Themes included anticipating becoming a mother, following the advice of mothers-in-law and other "wise" women, fear of childbirth related to lack of knowledge, and valuing support during labor and birth. Others included having the greater blessing of giving birth to a son, making the transition to motherhood, following postpartum rituals/ceremonies, and having a desire to give their child the best that life circumstances allow. Nurses should be sensitive to the social determinants of health, which frame giving birth. Listening to the voices of women is helpful in guiding clinical practice. Understanding of childbirth practices in culturally diverse women is essential. Potentially harmful practices can be changed through appropriate educational offerings.

Eloquent bodies: conflict and ritual in northern Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Derges, Jane

2009-04-01

It is increasingly apparent that hostilities continue in the aftermath of war and conflict, where presuppositions of peace and safety are rarely reflected on the ground. In Sri Lanka, the 2002 ceasefire agreement between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has recently collapsed. This collapse developed slowly over a period of several years, beginning with cautious optimism before descending into deep pessimism with increasingly high levels of violence brought about by the absence of any real progress. Efforts to rebuild and reintegrate both rural and urban communities in the north of the country have had to take place within an atmosphere of silence, suspicion and a marked escalation towards the renewed outbreak of war. This article, following sixteen months of fieldwork in the northern Jaffna peninsula, examines how Tamil youths - many of whom were imprisoned and tortured during the war - have transformed a well-known ritual that has seen a dramatic increase since occupation of the far north by government troops in 1996. The ritual, previously an act of devotion to a popular Tamil god, Murugan, has transformed into a demonstration of strength and youthful challenge. This article examines how toleration of ritual pain can be contrasted with the pain and suffering of war, and articulated not only for the self, but also for the entire community.

Increasing condom use and declining STI prevalence in high-risk MSM and TGs: evaluation of a large-scale prevention program in Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Subramanian, Thilakavathi; Ramakrishnan, Lakshmi; Aridoss, Santhakumar; Goswami, Prabuddhagopal; Kanguswami, Boopathi; Shajan, Mathew; Adhikary, Rajat; Purushothaman, Girish Kumar Chethrapilly; Ramamoorthy, Senthil Kumar; Chinnaswamy, Eswaramurthy; Veeramani, Ilaya Bharathy; Paranjape, Ramesh Shivram

2013-09-17

This paper presents an evaluation of Avahan, a large scale HIV prevention program that was implemented using peer-mediated strategies, condom distribution and sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinical services among high-risk men who have sex with men (HR-MSM) and male to female transgender persons (TGs) in six high-prevalence state of Tamil Nadu, in southern India. Two rounds of large scale cross-sectional bio-behavioural surveys among HR-MSM and TGs and routine program monitoring data were used to assess changes in program coverage, condom use and prevalence of STIs (including HIV) and their association to program exposure. The Avahan program for HR-MSM and TGs in Tamil Nadu was significantly scaled up and contacts by peer educators reached 77 percent of the estimated denominator by the end of the program's fourth year. Exposure to the program increased between the two rounds of surveys for both HR-MSM (from 66 percent to 90 percent; AOR = 4.6; p < 0.001) and TGs (from 74.5 percent to 83 percent; AOR = 1.82; p < 0.06). There was an increase in consistent condom use by HR-MSM with their regular male partners (from 33 percent to 46 percent; AOR = 1.9; p < 0.01). Last time condom use with paying male partners (up from 81 percent to 94 percent; AOR = 3.6; p < 0.001) also showed an increase. Among TGs, the increase in condom use with casual male partners (18 percent to 52 percent; AOR = 1.8; p < 0.27) was not significant, and last time condom use declined significantly with paying male partners (93 percent to 80 percent; AOR = 0.32; p < 0.015). Syphilis declined significantly among both HR-MSM (14.3 percent to 6.8 percent; AOR = 0.37; p < 0.001) and TGs (16.6 percent to 4.2 percent; AOR = 0.34; p < 0.012), while change in HIV prevalence was not found to be significant for HR-MSM (9.7 percent to 10.9 percent) and TGs (12 percent to 9.8 percent). For both groups, change in condom use with commercial and non-commercial partners was found to be strongly linked with exposure to the Avahan program. The Avahan program for HR-MSM and TGs in Tamil Nadu achieved a high coverage, resulting in improved condom use by HR-MSM with their regular and commercial male partners. Declining STI prevalence and stable HIV prevalence reflect the positive effects of the prevention strategy. Outcomes from the program logic model indiacte the effectiveness of the program for HR-MSM and TGs in Tamil Nadu.

Extracellular biosynthesis of silver nanoparticle using Streptomyces sp. 09 PBT 005 and its antibacterial and cytotoxic properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saravana Kumar, P.; Balachandran, C.; Duraipandiyan, V.; Ramasamy, D.; Ignacimuthu, S.; Al-Dhabi, Naif Abdullah

2015-02-01

The application of microorganisms for the synthesis of nanoparticles as an eco-friendly and promising approach is welcome due to its non-toxicity and simplicity. The aim of this study was to synthesize silver nanoparticle using Streptomyces sp. (09 PBT 005). 09 PBT 005 was isolated from the soil sample of the agriculture field in Vengodu, Thiruvannamalai district, Tamil Nadu, India. 09 PBT 005 was subjected to molecular characterization by 16S rRNA sequence analysis. It was found that 09 PBT 005 belonged to Streptomyces sp. The isolate Streptomyces sp. 09 PBT 005 was inoculated in fermentation medium and incubated at 30 ºC for 12 days in different pH conditions. The 0.02 molar concentration showed good antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria at pH-7. The synthesis of silver nanoparticles was investigated by UV-Vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared analysis. The synthesized AgNPs sizes were found to be in the dimensions ranging between 198 and 595 nm. The cytotoxicity of the synthesized nanoparticles was studied against A549 adenocarcinoma lung cancer cell line. It showed 83.23 % activity at 100 μl with IC 50 value of 50 μl. This method will be useful in the biosynthesis of nanoparticles.

Seroepidemiological study of toxoplasmosis in southern districts of Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Sucilathangam, G; Anna, T

2016-06-01

The current study was conducted with the objectives of estimating the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and associated socio-demographic, clinical and behavioural characteristics in and around Tirunelveli. Serum samples from 175 immunodeficient and 175 immunocompetent patients were collected and were analyzed by in-house enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A questionnaire survey was administered for all study participants to gather information on risk factors. The present study revealed that anti- T. gondii IgG antibodies were detected in 13.14 % which constitutes 15.43 % in immunocompromised and 10.86 % in immunocompetent patients. There was a significant difference between sex of the study population and drinking water source. Seroprevalence was increased in the male (19.12 %, p = 0.0075, OR 2.316, 95 % CI 1.2362-4.3405) than the female and with river water consumption other than bore water (12.5 %, p = 0.0483, OR 0.857, 95 % CI 0.1853-3.4641). No significant relations were observed between anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies and age, residence, diet and animal contact in the study population. Toxoplasmosis will remain a problem, mainly in risk groups such as pregnant women and immunocompromised patients. Improvement can only be attained by increasing prevention and reducing the risk factors.

Impact of migration on new case detection rates in leprosy in Gudiyatham Taluk, Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Samuel, P; Bushanam, J D R S; Ebenezer, M; Richard, J

2012-01-01

Migration of persons affected by leprosy was hinted at as early as 1929 (Bhaskara Rao 1930). All new cases of leprosy in Isfahan Province (Iran) were found to be migrants (Asilian et al 2005). Chudasama (2007) suspected increase in leprosy cases in Surat district to migration. These suggest migration contributes to new cases. This study was done to find out 1. Extent of migration among new cases, 2. Characteristics of migrants, 3. Occupational pattern 4.Reasons for migration. 5. Place of origin of migrants 6. Assimilation of migrants into the society. Trained staff collected information regarding migration using special questionnaire from all 222 new untreated cases from the field area of Community Health department during 2004 to 2008. Migrants were 10.4%. Distribution of place of residence, age, gender, marital status, education, mode of detection, Ridley-Jopling and MB/PB classifications of migrants were not significantly different from that of nonmigrants. Grade 2 deformities were more among migrants. All migrants found occupation. Mostly men migrated for job and women for joining their husbands. The role of migration in increasing the number of new cases cannot be minimized. Enhanced efforts should be made to provide adequate medical, health and rehabilitation services for them also.

Gestational diabetes mellitus: advocating for policy change in India.

PubMed

Madhab, Anand; Prasad, Vishwa Mohan; Kapur, Anil

2011-11-01

A multimedia awareness and advocacy campaign for mainstreaming gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the public health domain is described. The multimedia campaign has created awareness about the relevance of GDM to women's health and the health of future generations through direct contact, reaching out to over half a million people in 7 districts of 4 states in northern India. Using mass media, over 3.7 million people have received information on GDM. Through multistakeholder forums, more than 1000 key stakeholders have been encouraged to mainstream GDM into the existing health delivery system. The Indian Ministry of Health has introduced free screening for GDM among the 5 services offered to pregnant women below the poverty line in the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) program. In addition, several state governments, such as in Bihar, Delhi, Jharkhand, and Punjab, have pledged similar initiatives addressing GDM; the Government of Tamil Nadu is already implementing such a policy. Policy development is a complex process that requires action on many fronts. By showcasing evidence, raising awareness, creating public opinion through dialogue and discussion, media can help build a positive environment and momentum for effective policy creation as well as service utilization. Copyright © 2011 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Contact screening and chemoprophylaxis in India's Revised Tuberculosis Control Programme: a situational analysis.

PubMed

Banu Rekha, V V; Jagarajamma, K; Wares, F; Chandrasekaran, V; Swaminathan, S

2009-12-01

India's Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) recommends screening of all household contacts of smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) cases for tuberculosis (TB) disease, and 6-month isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) for asymptomatic children aged <6 years. To assess the implementation of child contact screening and IPT administration under the RNTCP. A cross-sectional study conducted in four randomly selected TB units (TUs), two in an urban (Chennai City) and two in a rural (Vellore District) area of Tamil Nadu, South India, from July to September 2008. The study involved the perusal of TB treatment cards of source cases (new or retreatment smear-positive PTB patients started on treatment), interview of source cases and focus group discussions (FGDs) among health care workers. Interviews of 253 PTB patients revealed that of 220 contacts aged <14 years, only 31 (14%) had been screened for TB, and that of 84 household children aged <6 years, only 16 (19%) had been initiated on IPT. The treatment cards of source cases lacked documentation of contact details. FGDs revealed greater TB awareness among urban health care workers, but a lack of detailed knowledge about procedures. Provision for documentation using a separate IPT card and focused training may help improve the implementation of contact screening and IPT.

Managed aquifer recharge by a check dam to improve the quality of fluoride-rich groundwater: a case study from southern India.

PubMed

Gowrisankar, G; Jagadeshan, G; Elango, L

2017-04-01

In many regions around the globe, including India, degradation in the quality of groundwater is of great concern. The objective of this investigation is to determine the effect of recharge from a check dam on quality of groundwater in a region of Krishnagiri District of Tamil Nadu State, India. For this study, water samples from 15 wells were periodically obtained and analysed for major ions and fluoride concentrations. The amount of major ions present in groundwater was compared with the drinking water guideline values of the Bureau of Indian Standards. With respect to the sodium and fluoride concentrations, 38% of groundwater samples collected was not suitable for direct use as drinking water. Suitability of water for agricultural use was determined considering the electrical conductivity, sodium adsorption ratio, sodium percentage, permeability index, Wilcox and United States Salinity Laboratory diagrams. The influence of freshwater recharge from the dam is evident as the groundwater in wells nearer to the check dam was suitable for both irrigation and domestic purposes. However, the groundwater away from the dam had a high ionic composition. This study demonstrated that in other fluoride-affected areas, the concentration can be reduced by dilution with the construction of check dams as a measure of managed aquifer recharge.

Knowledge, value, opinion and practice about usage of pit and fissure sealant among dental professionals in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Nagappan, N; Dhamodhar, M Dinesh; Nithin, M G; Kumar, E Senthil

2015-12-01

A study was aimed to assess the knowledge, value, opinion, and practice regarding the use of dental sealants among private dental practitioners in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. A self-administrated questionnaire were distributed to 192 private dental practitioners in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India by using simple random sampling. A convenience sampling technique was employed. The questionnaire consisted of 28 items, which included information about knowledge, value, opinion, and practice regarding dental sealants. The questionnaire was obtained from the study by San Martin et al. 2013 and Kailash Asawa et al. 2014. Frequency distribution was tabulated. For frequency distribution strongly, strongly agree, and agree were combined as "agree" and strongly disagree and disagree were combined as "disagree." There were no changes in "neutral." Among the 196 study subjects 56.2% were males and 43.8% were females with their clinical experience of 52.1% for <5 years, 35.4% for 5-10 years, and 13.5% for >15 years. The mean scores for knowledge, value, opinion, and practice were 41.8 ± 3.7, 18.7 ± 2.8, 18.1 ± 1.4, and 12.9 ± 2.3, respectively. The results suggest that dental practitioners had satisfactory knowledge about pit and fissure sealant and had neutral attitudes about sealants being effective. Dental practitioners adequately used the pit and fissure sealants but they did not follow the standardized procedures and specific guidelines.

Increasing condom use and declining STI prevalence in high-risk MSM and TGs: evaluation of a large-scale prevention program in Tamil Nadu, India

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background This paper presents an evaluation of Avahan, a large scale HIV prevention program that was implemented using peer-mediated strategies, condom distribution and sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinical services among high-risk men who have sex with men (HR-MSM) and male to female transgender persons (TGs) in six high-prevalence state of Tamil Nadu, in southern India. Methods Two rounds of large scale cross-sectional bio-behavioural surveys among HR-MSM and TGs and routine program monitoring data were used to assess changes in program coverage, condom use and prevalence of STIs (including HIV) and their association to program exposure. Results The Avahan program for HR-MSM and TGs in Tamil Nadu was significantly scaled up and contacts by peer educators reached 77 percent of the estimated denominator by the end of the program’s fourth year. Exposure to the program increased between the two rounds of surveys for both HR-MSM (from 66 percent to 90 percent; AOR = 4.6; p < 0.001) and TGs (from 74.5 percent to 83 percent; AOR = 1.82; p < 0.06). There was an increase in consistent condom use by HR-MSM with their regular male partners (from 33 percent to 46 percent; AOR = 1.9; p < 0.01). Last time condom use with paying male partners (up from 81 percent to 94 percent; AOR = 3.6; p < 0.001) also showed an increase. Among TGs, the increase in condom use with casual male partners (18 percent to 52 percent; AOR = 1.8; p < 0.27) was not significant, and last time condom use declined significantly with paying male partners (93 percent to 80 percent; AOR = 0.32; p < 0.015). Syphilis declined significantly among both HR-MSM (14.3 percent to 6.8 percent; AOR = 0.37; p < 0.001) and TGs (16.6 percent to 4.2 percent; AOR = 0.34; p < 0.012), while change in HIV prevalence was not found to be significant for HR-MSM (9.7 percent to 10.9 percent) and TGs (12 percent to 9.8 percent). For both groups, change in condom use with commercial and non-commercial partners was found to be strongly linked with exposure to the Avahan program. Conclusion The Avahan program for HR-MSM and TGs in Tamil Nadu achieved a high coverage, resulting in improved condom use by HR-MSM with their regular and commercial male partners. Declining STI prevalence and stable HIV prevalence reflect the positive effects of the prevention strategy. Outcomes from the program logic model indiacte the effectiveness of the program for HR-MSM and TGs in Tamil Nadu. PMID:24044766

Medico-botanical study of Yercaud hills in the eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Parthipan, M; Aravindhan, V; Rajendran, A

2011-04-01

The study reports medicinal plant survey was conceded in Yercaud hills ranges of Eastern Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India. The study primarily based on field surveys conducted throughout the hills, where dwellers provided information on plant species used as medicine, plant parts used to prepare the remedies and ailments to which the remedies were prescribed. The study resulted about 48- plant species belonging to 45- genera and 29- families of medicinal plants related to folk medicine used by the local people. Among them the most common plants viz., Asparagus racemosus Willd., Cissus quadrangularis L., Gymnema sylvestre R. Br., Hemidesmus indicus (L.) R. Br., Justisia adhatoda L., Ocimum sanctum L., Phyllanthes amarus Schum. & Thonn., Piper nigrum L., Solanum nigrum L., Tinospora cordifolia (Thunb.) Miers, Tridax procumbens L. and Zingiber officinale Roscoe which are used in their daily life to cure various ailments.

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.

Identification of Ancylostoma ceylanicum in children from a tribal community in Tamil Nadu, India using a semi-nested PCR-RFLP tool.

PubMed

George, Santosh; Kaliappan, Saravanakumar Puthupalayam; Kattula, Deepthi; Roy, Sheela; Geldhof, Peter; Kang, Gagandeep; Vercruysse, Jozef; Levecke, Bruno

2015-04-01

It is generally assumed that hookworm infections in humans are caused by Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale. However, previous studies have also reported the presence of the animal hookworm A. ceylanicum in human stools. We determined hookworm infections in children in a tribal community in Tamil Nadu, India, using a semi-nested PCR-RFLP approach. The results indicate that human species account for a majority of the hookworm infections (N. americanus 39/41 [95%]; A. duodenale 6/41 [15%]), whereas the animal hookworm A. ceylanicum only accounts for a minority of the infections (5%; 2/41). The results emphasize the need to consider zoonotic ancylostomiasis while developing strategies to control hookworm infections. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Sarcoptic mange infestation in rabbits in an organized farm at Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Arul Prakash, M; Soundararajan, C; Nagarajan, K; Tensingh Gnanaraj, P; Ramesh Saravanakumar, V

2017-06-01

Sarcoptes scabiei are burrowing mites which causes major constraints in rabbit production. Eighty-eight rabbits were examined for mange infestation at University Research Farm, Tamil Nadu. Overall incidence of mange infestation in rabbit was 23.6 %. On microscopical examination, the mite was identified as Sacoptes scabiei var cuniculi. Among the breeds, Soviet Chinchilla were found to be infested more (57.14 %) followed by New Zealand White (28.57 %) and White Giant (28.57 %). Among the age groups, adults (33.33 %) were heavily infested than the grower (21.88 %) whereas, suckling had no infestation of mange. Among the sex, males (21.95 %) were heavily infested than the females (14.89 %). Lesions were mostly found on the edges of ear, nose, face and legs and characterized by loss of hair, thickening of the skin, irregular dried dirty encrusted scabs with erythema and disfigurement of face and ear.

Challenges in diagnosing and treating snakebites in a rural population of Tamil Nadu, India: The views of clinicians.

PubMed

Williams, Harry F; Vaiyapuri, Rajendran; Gajjeraman, Prabu; Hutchinson, Gail; Gibbins, Jonathan M; Bicknell, Andrew B; Vaiyapuri, Sakthivel

2017-05-01

Snakebites cause death, disability and economic devastation to their victims, people who live almost exclusively in rural areas. Annually an estimated two million venomous bites cause as many as 100,000 deaths worldwide as well as hundreds of thousands of deformities and amputations. Recent studies suggest that India has the highest incidence of snakebite and associated deaths worldwide. In this study, we interviewed 25 hospital-based clinicians who regularly treat snakebites in Tamil Nadu, India, in order to gauge their opinions and views on the diagnostic tools and treatment methods available at that time, the difficulties encountered in treating snakebites and improvements to snakebite management protocols they deem necessary. Clinicians identified the improvement of community education, training of medical personnel, development of standard treatment protocols and improved medication as priorities for the immediate future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination in Marine Sediments of East Coast of Tamil Nadu Affected by Different Pollution Sources.

PubMed

Harikrishnan, N; Ravisankar, R; Chandrasekaran, A; Suresh Gandhi, M; Kanagasabapathy, K V; Prasad, M V R; Satapathy, K K

2017-08-15

The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of heavy metals in the sediments of Periyakalapet to Parangipettai coast, east coast of Tamil Nadu, by using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) technique. The average heavy metal concentrations in the sediment samples were found in the order Al>Fe>Ca>Ti>K>Mg>Mn>Ba>V>Cr>Zn>La>Ni>Pb>Co>Cd>Cu. The average heavy metal concentrations were below the world crustal average. The degree of contamination by heavy metals was evaluated using pollution indices. The results of pollution indices revealed that titanium (Ti) and cadmium (Cd) were significantly enriched in sediments. Pearson correlation analysis was performed among heavy metal concentrations to know the existing relationship between them. Multivariate statistical technique was employed to identify the heavy metal pollution sources. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

‘Too many girls, too much dowry’: son preference and daughter aversion in rural Tamil Nadu, India

PubMed Central

DIAMOND-SMITH, NADIA; LUKE, NANCY; MCGARVEY, STEPHEN

2013-01-01

The southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu has experienced a dramatic decline in fertility, accompanied by a trend of increased son preference. This paper reports on findings from qualitative interviews with women in rural villages about their fertility decision-making. Specifically addressed are the reasons behind increasing son preference and the consequences of this change. Findings suggest that daughter aversion, fuelled primarily by the perceived economic burden of daughters due to the proliferation of dowry, is playing a larger role in fertility decision-making than son preference. The desire for a son is often trumped by the worry over having many daughters. Women use various means of controlling the sex of their children, which in this study appear to be primarily female infanticide. It is important to distinguish between son preference and daughter aversion and to examine repercussions of low fertility within this setting. PMID:18821352

Social, cultural and economical determinants of diabetes mellitus in Kalutara district, Sri Lanka: a cross sectional descriptive study.

PubMed

Pubudu De Silva, Ambepitiyawaduge; Padmal De Silva, Sudirikku Hennadige; Liyanage, Isurujith Kongala; Rajapakse, Lalini Chandika; Jayasinghe, Kosala Saroj Amarasiri; Katulanda, Prasad; Wijeratne, Chandrika Neelakanthi; Wijeratne, Sumedha

2012-12-13

Sri Lanka is a country that is expected to face a high burden of diabetes mellitus (DM). There is a paucity of data on social and demographic determinants of DM, especially in the plantation sector. To describe social and economic correlates and inequalities of DM in Kalutara District. A cross sectional descriptive study was carried out among adults over the age of 35 years. A sample of 1300 individuals was selected using stratified random cluster sampling method from 65 Grama Niladari Divisions (GND), which were representative of urban, rural and plantation sectors. Twenty households were randomly selected from each division and one adult was randomly selected from each household. Data were collected using a pre-tested questionnaire. Fasting plasma blood sugar of ≥126mg/dl was used to define DM. Significance of prevalence of diseases and risk factors across different socio-economic strata were determined by chi square test for trend. Of 1234 adults who were screened (628 males), 202 (14.7%) had DM. Higher DM proportions (16.1%) were seen in the highest income quintile and in those educated up to Advanced Levels (AL) and above (17.3%). Prevalence in the urban, rural and plantation sectors were 23.6%, 15.5% and 8.5% respectively. Prevalence among Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims were 14.4%, 29.0% and 20.0% respectively. There was a gradient in prevalence according to the unsatisfactory basic needs index of the GND with the highest proportion (20.7%) observed in the richest GND. The highest social status quintile demonstrated the highest proportion (17.4%) with diabetes mellitus. There is a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus in the more affluent and educated segments of society. There is also a higher prevalence among urban compared to rural and estates. Sri Lanka is in an early stage of the epidemic where the wealthy people are at a higher risk of DM.

Empowering women and health care.

PubMed

Shiva, M

1993-02-01

Women health workers have made great contributions to the health of their community for many years. In India, women physicians have established some hospitals, e.g., Christian Medical Colleges in Ludhiana and Vellore. Some such hospitals operate in remote areas to serve the poor and the suffering. Women health workers of Jamkhed, Deen Bandhu of Pachod, have proved that village women can improve the health status of their community, particularly that of women and children, if they receive encouragement to learn health care skills In India, community health care lies mainly with women (e.g., nursing personnel and in rural areas). Yet, despite their competence and experience, few become physicians, health project directors, and administrators because the society continues to be patriarchal and discriminates against females. Women need to become empowered to ensure equal opportunities for training and promotion and equal wages for equal work. In Bangladesh, use of bicycles to visit houses allows women paramedical workers from Gonasasthya Kendra, Sawar, freedom and imparts confidence. People must identify customs, practices, laws, attitudes, religious misrepresentations, and policies that discriminate against women and then oppose them. They should set these changes in motion at home, in villages, and from district to national, and even global levels. In India, society blames the mother for having a girl, but the man donates the chromosome determining sex. In Gandhigram, a woman physician and her peers have effected an apparent change in attitude toward the birth of a girl. Now the people confer equal happiness to her birth as they do to a boy's birth. Yet, female infanticides still occur in some villages of Salem District of Tamil Nadu. Sex determination tests often lead to abortion of female fetuses. Once a woman marries she has no right to her maternal home and often suffers from domestic violence. Many people resist legislation to grant women more rights, e.g., property rights. Various media promote women's empowerment.

Removal of elevated level of chromium in groundwater by the fabricated PANI/Fe3O4 nanocomposites.

PubMed

Ramachandran, Aruna; Prasankumar, T; Sivaprakash, S; Wiston, Biny R; Biradar, Santhosh; Jose, Sujin

2017-03-01

In this work, we report the reduction of chromium concentration in the polluted groundwater samples from Madurai Kamaraj University area, India, where the dissolved salts in groundwater are reported as serious health hazards for its inhabitants. The water samples have intolerable amounts of total dissolved solids (TDS) and chromium is a prominent pollutant among them. Chromium reduction was achieved by treating the polluted groundwater with PANI/Fe 3 O 4 nanocomposites synthesized by in situ polymerization method. Further experimentation showed that the nanocomposites exhibit better chromium removal characteristics upon increasing the aniline concentration during the synthesis. We were able to reduce chromium concentration in the samples from 0.295 mg L -1 to a tolerable amount of 0.144 mg L -1 . This work is expected to open doors for chromium-free groundwater in various regions of India, when improved to an industrial scale.

Role of Community in Swachh Bharat Mission. Their Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Sanitary Latrine Usage in Rural Areas, Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Anuradha, R; Dutta, Ruma; Raja, J Dinesh; Lawrence, D; Timsi, J; Sivaprakasam, P

2017-01-01

In most developing countries, open defecation is the 'way of life'. This practice is considered as the most serious health and environmental hazard. Prime Minister of India launched the "Swachh Bharat Mission" to accelerate the efforts for achieving universal sanitation coverage and to put focus on sanitation. To find the knowledge, attitude and practices of sanitary latrines usage in rural area, Tamil Nadu. This was a cross sectional study conducted among rural population in Kuthambakkam village, Tamil Nadu. There were a total of 1175 households in Kuthambakkam village. These households were serially numbered and of these a sample of 275 households were selected for the study using simple random sampling technique by lottery method. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information regarding the background characteristics, their knowledge, attitude and practices towards sanitary latrines usage. Descriptive statistics were calculated for background variables, the prevalence of sanitary latrines usage and open air defecation. Association between factors responsible for open air defecation was found by using chi square test. The prevalence of usage of household sanitary latrine and community latrines was 62.5% and 4.3% respectively. The prevalence of open air defecation among the study participants was 33.1%.Significant association was found between low standard of living and open air defecation practice. To solve the problem of underutilization of sanitary latrines, planning and conducting Information Education Communication activities is very essential. Effective political and administrative support is needed to scale up the sanitation program.

Assessment of Regional Pediatric Computed Tomography Dose Indices in Tamil Nadu

PubMed Central

Saravanakumar, A.; Vaideki, K.; Govindarajan, K. N.; Jayakumar, S.; Devanand, B.

2017-01-01

The aim of this article is to assess Tamil Nadu pediatric computed tomography (CT) diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) by collecting radiation dose data for the most commonly performed CT examinations. This work was performed for thirty CT scanners installed in various parts of the Tamil Nadu region. The patient cohort was divided into two age groups: <1 year, and 1–5 years. CT dose indices were measured using a 10 cm3 pencil ion chamber with pediatric head and body polymethyl methacrylate phantoms. Dose data such as volumetric CT dose index (CTDIv) and dose length product (DLP) on a minimum of twenty average-sized pediatric patients in each category were recorded to calculate a mean site CTDIv and DLP value. The rounded 75th percentile was used to calculate a pediatric DRL for each hospital, and then region by compiling all results. Data were collected for 3600 pediatric patients. Pediatric CT DRL for two age groups: <1 year (CTDIv and DLP of head [20 mGy, 352 mGy.cm], chest [7 mGy, 120 mGy.cm] and abdomen [12 mGy, 252 mGy.cm]), and 1–5 years (CTDIv and DLP of head [38 mGy, 505 mGy.cm], chest [8 mGy, 132 mGy.cm] and abdomen [14 mGy, 270 mGy.cm]) for select procedures have been calculated. Proposed pediatric DRLs of CTDIv and DLP for head procedure were lower, and for chest and abdomen procedures were higher than European pediatric DRLs for both age groups. PMID:28405108

Assessment of Regional Pediatric Computed Tomography Dose Indices in Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Saravanakumar, A; Vaideki, K; Govindarajan, K N; Jayakumar, S; Devanand, B

2017-01-01

The aim of this article is to assess Tamil Nadu pediatric computed tomography (CT) diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) by collecting radiation dose data for the most commonly performed CT examinations. This work was performed for thirty CT scanners installed in various parts of the Tamil Nadu region. The patient cohort was divided into two age groups: <1 year, and 1-5 years. CT dose indices were measured using a 10 cm 3 pencil ion chamber with pediatric head and body polymethyl methacrylate phantoms. Dose data such as volumetric CT dose index (CTDI v ) and dose length product (DLP) on a minimum of twenty average-sized pediatric patients in each category were recorded to calculate a mean site CTDI v and DLP value. The rounded 75 th percentile was used to calculate a pediatric DRL for each hospital, and then region by compiling all results. Data were collected for 3600 pediatric patients. Pediatric CT DRL for two age groups: <1 year (CTDI v and DLP of head [20 mGy, 352 mGy.cm], chest [7 mGy, 120 mGy.cm] and abdomen [12 mGy, 252 mGy.cm]), and 1-5 years (CTDI v and DLP of head [38 mGy, 505 mGy.cm], chest [8 mGy, 132 mGy.cm] and abdomen [14 mGy, 270 mGy.cm]) for select procedures have been calculated. Proposed pediatric DRLs of CTDI v and DLP for head procedure were lower, and for chest and abdomen procedures were higher than European pediatric DRLs for both age groups.

Increased Utilization of Primary Health Care Centers for Birthing Care in Tamil Nadu, India: A Visible Impact of Policies, Initiatives, and Innovations.

PubMed

Pandian, Jayanthi; Suresh, Saradha; Desikachari, B R; Padmanaban, P

2013-01-01

Tamil Nadu has been showing an increasing trend in institutional deliveries since early 1990's and has now achieved near 100%. Among the institutional deliveries, a change was observed since 2006, wherein primary health centers (PHCs) showed a four-fold increase in deliveries, while other public and private health facilities showed a decline, despite equal access to all categories of health facilities. What led to this increased utilization of PHCs for birthing care? Policies, documents, and published reports of the Government of Tamil Nadu (GoTN) were reviewed and interviews were conducted with the various stakeholders involved in providing birthing care in the PHCs. This study analyzes the impact of the policies and supply side initiatives and innovations which led to increase utilization of the PHCs for birthing care. Scaling up of 24 × 7 services in all PHCs, upgrading PHCs with good infrastructure, human resources, and women friendly services have helped to boost the image of the PHCs. Pro-women policies like maternity benefit schemes, birth companionship, providing food, and compulsory stay for 48 h following delivery have attracted women towards PHC. Innovative strategies like maternity picnics and use of expected date of delivery (EDD) chart for follow-up have made women choose PHCs, while periodic reviews and support to staff has improved service delivery. Women centered policies, efficient managerial systems, quality care, and innovative marketing of services have together contributed to increased utilization of PHCs for birthing. Other states could explore the possibility of replicating this model to make optimal use the PHC facilities.

Singapore Language Enhancer: Identity Included

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wee, Desmond

2009-01-01

This article explores the rhetoric of the four official languages (English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil) in Singapore and the domestic aversion towards Chinese "dialects" and colloquial "Singlish". The "Speak Mandarin Campaign" alongside the "Speak Good English Movement" represent a display of intercultural…

Apatite fission-track thermochronometric constraints on the exhumation and evolution of the southeastern Indian (Tamil Nadu) passive margin and the role of structural inheritance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Grave, Johan; Glorie, Stijn; Singh, Tejpal; Van Ranst, Gerben; Nachtergaele, Simon

2017-04-01

After rifting from Gondwana in the Late Jurassic - Early Cretaceous, and subsequent opening of the Indian Ocean basin, the continental margins of India developed into typical passive margins. Extensional tectonic forces and thermal subsidence gave rise to the formation of both on-shore and off-shore basins along the southeastern passive margin of the Indian continent, along the Tamil Nadu coast. There, basins such as the Cauvery and Krishna-Godavari basin, accumulated Meso- and Cenozoic (Early Cretaceous to recent) detrital sediments coming off the rifted blocks and the Tamil Nadu hinterland. In places, deep rift basins have accumulated up to over 3000 m of sediments. The continental basement of Tamil Nadu is chiefly composed of metamorphic rocks of the Archean to Palaeoproterozoic Eastern Dharwar Craton and the coeval Southern Granulite Terrane (e.g. Peucat et al., 2013). Several crustal scale shear zones crosscut this assemblage and at least some are considered to represent Gondwanan sutures (Santosh et al., 2012). Smaller, younger granitoid plutons intrude the basement at several locations and most of these are of Late Neoproterozoic age (Glorie et al., 2014). In this work metamorphic basements rocks and the younger granitoids were sampled for a apatite fission-track (AFT) thermochronometric study. A North-South profile from Chennai to Thanjavur mainly transects the Salem block of the Southern Granulite Terrane, and crosscuts several crustal scale shear zones, such as the Cauvery, Salem-Attur and Gangavalli shear zones. Apatites from over 30 samples were used in this study. AFT ages all range between about 190 and 120 Ma (Jurassic - Early Cretaceous). These mainly represent the slow, shallow exhumation of the basement during the rift and early drift phase of the Indian plate from Gondwana. AFT mean track lengths vary between 11 and 13 µm and are typical of slowly exhumed basement. Thermal history modelling (using the QTQt software by Gallagher, 2012) confirms that internal regions of fault blocks experienced a slow and steady cooling to ambient temperatures throughout the Meso-Cenozoic, while younger samples, mainly positioned closeby or inside the shear zones, additionally record a more moderate to rapid cooling since the Early Cenozoic.

Prevalence and risk factors of HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection in urban and rural areas in Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Solomon, S; Kumarasamy, N; Ganesh, A K; Amalraj, R E

1998-02-01

We aim to study the factors associated with the prevalence of HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection in the urban and rural areas of Tamil Nadu, India. The population of Tamil Nadu is approximately 60 million. Between April 94 and March 95, 992 samples from 5 representative urban centres and 1071 samples from 5 representative rural centres were collected and studied. A questionnaire was administered privately and it preceded collection of each sample. Samples were screened using ELISA and antibodies to HIV-1 and HIV-2 were confirmed using Western blot. The study was anonymous and unlinked. The prevalence of HIV infection in urban and rural areas was 7.2% (95% CI=6.1 to 8.31%); HIV-1 antibodies were found in 7.4% (95% CI=5.8 to 9.2%) of urban and 7.0% (95% CI=5.6 to 8.7%) of rural population; HIV-2 antibodies were found in 0.8% of urban and 0.3% of rural population. Heterosexual transmission, more so among those with multiple partner sex, was the main mode; higher prevalence of HIV infection among divorced/single individuals both in urban (21.1%) and rural (26.1%) was found. HIV infection among housewives stood at 4.1% (urban) and 3.8% (rural). The strength of association between STDs and HIV was observed to be greater in rural subjects (OR=8.89; 95% CI=5.11 to 15.57) than in urban subjects (OR=1.9; 95% CI=1.14 to 3.18). The prevalence of condom use was found to be less than 2% in the study subjects. HIV-2 is not as widely prevalent in Tamil Nadu as HIV-1. In our study the most common risk factors for HIV infection that emerged were (a) having multiple sexual partners, and (b) history of STDs or Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) reactivity. Mobility of individuals between urban and rural areas has furthered the dissemination of HIV infection. Low condom usage among study subjects questions the effectiveness of the existing AIDS awareness and education programme. The study indicates the importance of placing equal emphasis on HIV prevention in rural India. HIV infection among housewives in urban and rural areas is indicative of gender inequalities and the importance of empowering women to prevent infection from spouse.

Enhanced defluoridation and facile separation of magnetic nano-hydroxyapatite/alginate composite.

PubMed

Pandi, Kalimuthu; Viswanathan, Natrayasamy

2015-09-01

In this research study, a new magnetic biosorbent was developed by the fabrication of magnetic Fe3O4 particles on nano-hydroxyapatite(n-HAp)/alginate (Alg) composite (Fe3O4@n-HApAlg composite) for defluoridation in batch mode. The synthesized Fe3O4@n-HApAlg biocomposite possess an enhanced defluoridation capacity (DC) of 4050 mgF(-)/kg when compare to n-HApAlg composite, Fe3O4@n-HAp composite, n-HAp and Fe3O4 which possesses the DCs of 3870, 2469, 1296 and 1050 mgF(-)/kg respectively. The structural changes of the sorbent, before and after fluoride sorption were studied using FTIR, XRD and SEM with EDAX techniques. There are various physico-chemical parameters such as contact time, pH, co-existing anions, initial fluoride concentration and temperature were optimized for maximum fluoride removal. The equilibrium data was well modeled by Freundlich, Langmuir, Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) and Temkin isotherms. The present system follows Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm model. The thermodynamic parameters reveals that the feasibility, spontaneity and endothermic nature of fluoride sorption. The performance and efficiency of the adsorbent material was examined with water samples collected from fluoride endemic areas namely Reddiyarchatram and Ammapatti in Dindigul District of Tamil Nadu using standard protocols. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Isolation, screening and partial purification of antimicrobial antibiotics from soil Streptomyces sp. SCA 7.

PubMed

Saravana Kumar, P; Duraipandiyan, V; Ignacimuthu, S

2014-09-01

Thirty-seven actinomycetes strains were isolated from soil samples collected from an agriculture field in Vengodu, Thiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu, India (latitude: 12° 54' 0033″, North; longitude: 79° 78' 5216″, East; elevation: 228.6/70.0 ft/m). The isolates were assessed for antagonistic activity against five Gram-positive bacteria, seven Gram-negative bacteria, and two pathogenic fungi. During the initial screening, 43% of the strains showed weak activity, 16% showed moderate activity, 5% showed good activity, and 35% showed no antagonistic activity. Among the strains tested, SCA 7 showed strong antimicrobial activity. Maximum biological activity was obtained on modified nutrient glucose agar (MNGA) medium. The mycelia of SCA 7 were extracted with methanol and tested against microbial pathogens using the disc diffusion method. The crude extract was purified partially using column chromatography and assessed for antimicrobial activity. Fraction 10 showed good activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis (31.25 μg/mL) and Malassezia pachydermatis (500 μg/mL) and the active principle (fraction 10) was identified as 2,4-bis (1,1-dimethylethyl) phenol. Based on morphological, physiological, biochemical, cultural, and molecular characteristics (16S rDNA sequencing), this strain was identified as Streptomyces sp. SCA 7. It could be used in the development of new substances for pharmaceutical or agricultural purposes. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Grounding a natural background level for fluoride in a potentially contaminated crystalline aquifer in south India.

PubMed

Sajil Kumar, P J

2017-12-01

Fluoride contamination is one of the most alarming issues for those countries that depend on groundwater drinking water supply. A careful examination of the hydrogeochemical conditions and routine monitoring of fluoride level are therefore quintessential. Estimation of natural background level (NBL) of fluoride becomes significant information for assessing the current and future contamination episodes. Vellore District in Tamil Nadu is a hard rock terrain known for its F-rich groundwater. In this study, we attempted to form a benchmark for fluoride using hydrochemical pre-selection (based on TDS and NO 3 ) and cumulative probability plots (CPP). Principle components analysis is (PCA) applied to evaluate the corresponding factor grouping of the total of 68 samples, which is later mapped using geostatistical tool in ArcGIS. From the CPP, we derived the NBL of F as 0.75 mg/L. This value is compared with the observed concentration in each sample and they were spatially plotted based on the NBL. Resultant plot suggests that W-NW part of the study area has exceeded and E-EW regions are below the NBL of F. Spatial variation of the factor scores also supported this observation. Grounding an NBL and extending it to other parts of the potential contaminated aquifers are highly recommended for better understanding and management of the water supply systems.

Ethnicity, Communal Relations, and Education in Sri Lanka (Ceylon).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharma, C. L.

The author provides a brief cultural history of Sri Lanka (Ceylon), giving particular attention to the relations between the Sinhalese majority and the Tamil minority and the effects that differing religions, languages, cultures, and educational opportunities have had on that relationship. (IRT)

A content analysis of advertisements related to oral health in children's Tamil television channels--a preliminary report.

PubMed

Sukumaran, Aparna; Diwakar, Madankumar P; Shastry, Shivakumar M

2012-05-01

This study was conducted to examine the nature, content, and duration of advertisements broadcasted during children's Tamil television channels and to determine the extent to which television advertising changes during school holiday and non-holiday periods and between prime time and non-prime time broadcast. Television broadcasts on two main children's Tamil television channels were video-recorded over 16 days between 17.00-19.00 hours (non-prime time) and 19.00-21.00 hours (prime time). For each commercial, the type of product advertised, as well as the duration (in seconds), was recorded. Advertisements were categorized as 'food' and 'non-food'. The former category was further subdivided into 'sugar-rich foods' and 'other foods'. The sugar-rich foods were further categorized as liquid, solid and sticky, and slowly dissolving sugars. Commercials related to the promotion of oral health products and non-food products were also recorded. Among the total of 128 h of television programmes recorded, advertising accounted for 10.15% (13.01 hours). The advertisement of sugar-rich food products, non-food and oral hygiene products occupied 50.36%, 38.41% and 1.90%, respectively, of the total advertising time. Solid and sticky products made up 100% of advertisements in this category on Chithiram television channel, compared with 62.5% of advertisements on Chutti television channel. It was concluded that the advertising of sugar-rich foods, particularly solid and sticky food products, was broadcasted more in Chithiram television channel, during school holidays and during prime time. © 2011 The Authors. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry © 2011 BSPD, IAPD and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Increased Utilization of Primary Health Care Centers for Birthing Care in Tamil Nadu, India: A Visible Impact of Policies, Initiatives, and Innovations

PubMed Central

Pandian, Jayanthi; Suresh, Saradha; Desikachari, B. R.; Padmanaban, P.

2013-01-01

Background: Tamil Nadu has been showing an increasing trend in institutional deliveries since early 1990's and has now achieved near 100%. Among the institutional deliveries, a change was observed since 2006, wherein primary health centers (PHCs) showed a four-fold increase in deliveries, while other public and private health facilities showed a decline, despite equal access to all categories of health facilities. What led to this increased utilization of PHCs for birthing care? Material and Methods: Policies, documents, and published reports of the Government of Tamil Nadu (GoTN) were reviewed and interviews were conducted with the various stakeholders involved in providing birthing care in the PHCs. This study analyzes the impact of the policies and supply side initiatives and innovations which led to increase utilization of the PHCs for birthing care. Results: Scaling up of 24 × 7 services in all PHCs, upgrading PHCs with good infrastructure, human resources, and women friendly services have helped to boost the image of the PHCs. Pro-women policies like maternity benefit schemes, birth companionship, providing food, and compulsory stay for 48 h following delivery have attracted women towards PHC. Innovative strategies like maternity picnics and use of expected date of delivery (EDD) chart for follow-up have made women choose PHCs, while periodic reviews and support to staff has improved service delivery. Conclusion: Women centered policies, efficient managerial systems, quality care, and innovative marketing of services have together contributed to increased utilization of PHCs for birthing. Other states could explore the possibility of replicating this model to make optimal use the PHC facilities. PMID:26664836

Psychosocial wellbeing and physical health among Tamil schoolchildren in northern Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Hamilton, Alexander; Foster, Charlie; Richards, Justin; Surenthirakumaran, Rajendra

2016-01-01

Mental disorders contribute to the global disease burden and have an increased prevalence among children in emergency settings. Good physical health is crucial for mental well-being, although physical health is multifactorial and the nature of this relationship is not fully understood. Using Sri Lanka as a case study, we assessed the baseline levels of, and the association between, mental health and physical health in Tamil school children. We conducted a cross sectional study of mental and physical health in 10 schools in Kilinochchi town in northern Sri Lanka. All Grade 8 children attending selected schools were eligible to participate in the study. Mental health was assessed using the Sri Lankan Index for Psychosocial Stress - Child Version. Physical health was assessed using Body Mass Index for age, height for age Z scores and the Multi-stage Fitness Test. Association between physical and mental health variables was assessed using scatterplots and correlation was assessed using Pearson's R. There were 461 participants included in the study. Girls significantly outperformed boys in the MH testing t (459) = 2.201, p < 0.05. Boys had significantly lower average Body Mass Index for age and height for age Z scores than girls (BMI: t (459) = -4.74, p <0.001; Height: t (459) = -3.54, p < 0.001). When compared to global averages, both sexes underperformed in the Multi-Stage Fitness Test, and had a higher prevalence of thinness and stunting. We identified no meaningful association between the selected variables. Our results do not support the supposition that the selected elements of physical health are related to mental health in post-conflict Sri Lanka. However, we identified a considerable physical health deficit in Tamil school children.

Language barrier and its relationship to diabetes and diabetic retinopathy.

PubMed

Zheng, Yingfeng; Lamoureux, Ecosse L; Chiang, Pei-Chia Peggy; Anuar, Ainur Rahman; Ding, Jie; Wang, Jie Jin; Mitchell, Paul; Tai, E-Shyong; Wong, Tien Y

2012-09-13

Language barrier is an important determinant of health care access and health. We examined the associations of English proficiency with type-2 diabetes (T2DM) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Asian Indians living in Singapore, an urban city where English is the predominant language of communication. This was a population-based, cross-sectional study. T2DM was defined as HbA1c ≥6.5%, use of diabetic medication or a physician diagnosis of diabetes. Retinal photographs were graded for the severity of DR including vision-threatening DR (VTDR). Presenting visual impairment (VI) was defined as LogMAR visual acuity > 0.30 in the better-seeing eye. English proficiency at the time of interview was assessed. The analyses included 2,289 (72.1%) English-speaking and 885 (27.9%) Tamil-speaking Indians. Tamil-speaking Indians had significantly higher prevalence of T2DM (46.2 vs. 34.7%, p < 0.001) and, among those with diabetes, higher prevalence of DR (36.0 vs. 30.6%, p < 0.001), VTDR (11.0 vs. 6.5%, p < 0.001), and VI (32.4 vs. 14.6%) than English speaking Indians. Oaxaca decomposition analyses showed that the language-related discrepancies (defined as the difference in prevalence between persons speaking different languages) in T2DM, DR, and VTDR could not be fully explained by socioeconomic measures. In an English dominant society, Tamil-speaking Indians are more likely to have T2DM and diabetic retinopathy. Social policies and health interventions that address language-related health disparities may help reduce the public health impact of T2DM in societies with heterogeneous populations.

Susceptibility to SLE in South Indian Tamils may be influenced by genetic selection pressure on TLR2 and TLR9 genes.

PubMed

Devaraju, Panneer; Gulati, Reena; Antony, Paul T; Mithun, C B; Negi, Vir S

2015-03-01

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disorder with complex etiology. Genetics plays an important role in lupus pathogenesis through its influence on clinical and autoantibody phenotype of the disease. Toll like receptors (TLR) recognize molecular patterns of pathogens and activate the innate immune system. Their ability to identify nucleic acids makes them suitable candidates for investigation of their role in lupus pathogenesis. Hence, this study was carried out to analyze the G to A and C to T transitions in TLR2 and TLR9 genes respectively and to test their association with lupus susceptibility, clinical and autoantibody phenotypes in South Indian Tamils. Three hundred SLE patients fulfilling ACR 2012 criteria for SLE and 460 age, sex similar, ethnicity matched controls were recruited as cases and controls. TLR2 (R753Q) and TLR9 (-1237C/T) polymorphisms were analyzed by real time PCR. The TLR2 gene remained monomorphic in patients and controls, the frequency of the homozygous wild type allele being 100% and 99.6% respectively. Hence, it did not confer susceptibility to SLE. The more frequent T allele of TLR9 gene conferred a significant risk to develop SLE (p=0.011, OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.1-2.6). Both the polymorphisms did not influence clinical or autoantibody phenotype of the disease. Prevailing endemic infections in the Indian subcontinent may have exerted a selection pressure resulting in TLR2 gene remaining monomorphic and the TLR9 adapting to a mutation for its increased expression. These may have an additive effect in the presence of other genetic and environmental risk factors to confer susceptibility to SLE in South Indian Tamils. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Origin of Cretaceous phosphorites from the onshore of Tamil Nadu, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purnachandra Rao, V.; Kessarkar, Pratima M.; Nagendra, R.; Babu, E. V. S. S. K.

2007-12-01

Cretaceous phosphorites from the onshore of Tamil Nadu have been investigated for their origin and compared with those in the offshore. Cretaceous phosphorites occur as light brown to yellowish brown or white nodules in Karai Shale of the Uttatur Group in the onshore Cauvery basin. Nodules exhibit phosphatic nucleus encrusted by a chalky shell of carbonate. The nucleus of the nodules consists of light and dark coloured laminae, phosphate peloids/coated grains and detrital particles interspersed between the laminae. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies reveal trapping and binding activity of microbial filaments. A mat structure with linearly arranged microbial filaments and hollow, cell-based coccoid cyanobacterial mat are present. Nodules contain abundant carbonate fluorapatite, followed by minor calcite, quartz and feldspar. The P2O5 content of the phosphorites ranges from 18 to 26%. The CaO/P2O5, Sr and F contents are higher than that of pure carbonate fluorapatite. Concentrations of Si, Al, K, Fe, and Ti are low. We suggest that the nuclei of the nodules represent phosphate clasts related to phosphate stromatolites formed at intertidal conditions. At high energy levels the microbial mats were disintegrated into phosphate clasts, coated with carbonate and then reworked into Karai Shale. On the other hand, Quaternary phosphorites occur as irregular to rounded, grey coloured phosphate clasts at water depths between 180 and 320m on the continental shelf of Tamil Nadu. They exhibit grain-supported texture. Despite Quaternary in age, they also resemble phosphate stromatolites of intertidal origin and reworked as phosphate clasts onto the shelf margin depressions. Benthic microbial mats probably supplied high phosphorus to the sediments. Availability of excess phosphorus seems to be a pre-requisite for the formation of phosphate stromatolites.

Knowledge and Awareness of Familial Hypercholesterolaemia among Registered Medical Practitioners in Tamil Nadu: Are They Suboptimal?

PubMed Central

Balasubramanian, Shanthi; Pang, Jing; Watts, Gerald F

2016-01-01

Introduction Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is the most common monogenic disorder causing premature Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). However, the majority of people with FH are undiagnosed and under treated. Aim To determine awareness, knowledge and practices of registered medical practitioners regarding FH in India. Materials and Methods Physicians from a southern state of India (Tamil Nadu) who see the general cases were requested to complete a structured online survey questionnaire based on the outcomes on screening, diagnostic and service aspects of FH. Results A total of 133 physicians were surveyed, 27.9% perceived themselves to have above average familiarity with FH and 71.4% correctly described FH. 41.4% of physicians were unaware and unsure whether they had FH patients under their care. The awareness of specific aspects of FH were as follows: heritability 35.3%, prevalence 31.6%, typical lipid profile 34.6%, CVD relating to FH13.5%, genetic testing 33.1%, cascade screening 41.4%, preventive, management and referral services for FH 12.8%, 49.6% of them thought that the age for screening young people for FH should be 13 to 18 years. 84.2% selected GP’s as the most effective health care provider for the early detection and care of FH as being useful. 69.2% selected interpretive commenting on lipid profile to highlight patients at risk of FH. 91.7% and 19.5% of physicians identified statins as monotherapy and statin with ezetimibe as combination therapy for FH, respectively. Conclusion The study identified substantial deficit in the awareness and knowledge of FH among primary care physicians in Tamil Nadu. Extensive and continuous medical education programs are required to close the gap in coronary prevention. PMID:27437273

Language barrier and its relationship to diabetes and diabetic retinopathy

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Language barrier is an important determinant of health care access and health. We examined the associations of English proficiency with type-2 diabetes (T2DM) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Asian Indians living in Singapore, an urban city where English is the predominant language of communication. Methods This was a population-based, cross-sectional study. T2DM was defined as HbA1c ≥6.5%, use of diabetic medication or a physician diagnosis of diabetes. Retinal photographs were graded for the severity of DR including vision-threatening DR (VTDR). Presenting visual impairment (VI) was defined as LogMAR visual acuity > 0.30 in the better-seeing eye. English proficiency at the time of interview was assessed. Results The analyses included 2,289 (72.1%) English-speaking and 885 (27.9%) Tamil- speaking Indians. Tamil-speaking Indians had significantly higher prevalence of T2DM (46.2 vs. 34.7%, p < 0.001) and, among those with diabetes, higher prevalence of DR (36.0 vs. 30.6%, p < 0.001), VTDR (11.0 vs. 6.5%, p < 0.001), and VI (32.4 vs. 14.6%) than English speaking Indians. Oaxaca decomposition analyses showed that the language-related discrepancies (defined as the difference in prevalence between persons speaking different languages) in T2DM, DR, and VTDR could not be fully explained by socioeconomic measures. Conclusions In an English dominant society, Tamil-speaking Indians are more likely to have T2DM and diabetic retinopathy. Social policies and health interventions that address language-related health disparities may help reduce the public health impact of T2DM in societies with heterogeneous populations. PMID:22974298

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 Orissa as compared to Assam was due to availability and consumption of iron folate tablets. The antenatal services in the first trimester and checkup by a doctor, along with availability and consumption of iron folate tablets over 3 months in all the States influenced haemoglobin levels. Despite the measures taken to control anaemia in pregnancy and lactation in the last two decades, the severity of nutritional anaemia continues to remain a public health issue of great magnitude, suggesting that these measures have been largely ineffective. The present findings also showed interstate differences particularly in fertility, women education, nutrition status and occupation; availability of antenatal services and iron folate tablets as possible factors responsible for differences in prevalence of anaemia.

Data on nearshore wave process and surficial beach deposits, central Tamil Nadu coast, India.

PubMed

Joevivek, V; Chandrasekar, N

2017-08-01

The chronicles of nearshore morphology and surficial beach deposits provide valuable information about the nature of the beach condition and the depositional environment. It imparts an understanding about the spatial and temporal relationship of nearshore waves and its influence over the distribution of beach sediments. This article contains data about wave and sediment dynamics of the ten sandy beaches along the central Tamil Nadu coast, India. This present dataset comprises nearshore wave parameters, breaker wave type, beach morphodynamic state, grain size distribution and weight percentage of heavy and light mineral distribution. The dataset will figure out the beach morphology and hydrodynamic condition with respect to the different monsoonal season. This will act as a field reference to realize the coastal dynamics in an open sea condition. The nearshore entities were obtained from the intensive field survey between January 2011 and December 2011, while characteristics of beach sediments are examined by the chemical process in the laboratory environment.

A community-based survey of visible congenital anomalies in rural Tamil Nadu

PubMed Central

Sridhar, K.

2009-01-01

An extensive community-based survey of visible congenital defects covering 12.8 million children in rural Tamil Nadu state was conducted during the years 2004–05. A door-to-door survey was done utilizing the existing health care delivery system. More than 10,000 village health nurses were involved to collect the data. All children between the ages of 0 and 15 years were seen. The children with defects were seen by a medical officer and diagnosis was made as per chart. A total of 1.30% of children were born with some visible anomalies. The male:female ratio was 1.3:1. There was a family history in 9% and consanguinity in 32%. More than 5% mothers had taken some medication in the first trimester of pregnancy out of which anti-convulsants were 3.4%. Facial clefts showed a lower incidence of 1 in 1976 live births with peak incidence between March and June. Cleft palate alone showed a higher percentage (30%) than other studies. PMID:19884674

Verbs and attention to relational roles in English and Tamil*

PubMed Central

SETHURAMAN, NITYA; SMITH, LINDA B.

2013-01-01

English-learning children have been shown to reliably use cues from argument structure in learning verbs. However, languages pair overtly expressed arguments with verbs to varying extents, raising the question of whether children learning all languages expect the same, universal mapping between arguments and relational roles. Three experiments examined this question by asking how strongly early-learned verbs by themselves, without their corresponding explicitly expressed arguments, point to ‘conceptual arguments’ – the relational roles in a scene. Children aged two to four years and adult speakers of two languages that differ structurally in terms of whether the arguments of a verb are explicitly expressed more (English) or less (Tamil) frequently were compared in their mapping of verbs, presented without any overtly expressed arguments, to a range of scenes. The results suggest different developmental trajectories for language learners, as well as different patterns of adult interpretation, and offer new ways of thinking about the nature of verbs cross-linguistically. PMID:22289295

Access to healthcare interpreter services: where are we and where do we need to go?

PubMed

Bischoff, Alexander; Hudelson, Patricia

2010-07-01

Due to international migration, health care professionals in Switzerland increasingly encounter language barriers in communication with their patients. In order to examine health professionals' attitudes and practices related to healthcare interpreting, we sent a self-administered questionnaire to heads of medical and nursing departments in public healthcare services in the canton of Basel-Stadt (N = 205, response rate 56%). Strategies used to communicate with foreign-language speaking patients differed, depending on the patient's language. While nearly half of respondents relied on patients' relatives to translate for Albanian, Tamil, Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, Portuguese and Turkish, a third did so for Spanish, and a fourth did so for Arabic. Eleven percent relied on professional interpreters for Spanish and 31% did so for Tamil and Arabic. Variations in strategies used appear to mainly reflect the availability of bilingual staff members for the different languages. Future efforts should focus on sensitizing health professionals to the problems associated with use of ad hoc interpreters, as well as facilitating access to professional interpreters.

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.

A baseline study on the concentration of trace elements in the surface sediments off Southwest coast of Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Godson, Prince S; Magesh, N S; Peter, T Simon; Chandrasekar, N; Krishnakumar, S; Vincent, Salom Gnana Thanga

2018-01-01

Forty two surface sediment samples were collected in order to document baseline elemental concentration along the Southwest coast of Tamil Nadu, India. The elements detected were Manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni) and Lead (Pb). The concentration of Fe and Mn was primarily controlled by the riverine input. The source of Pb and Zn is attributed to leaded petrol and anti-biofouling paints. The calculated index (EF, Igeo and CF) suggests that the sediments of the study area are significantly enriched with all elements except Pb. The contamination factor showed the order of Mn>Zn>Fe>Cu>Ni>Pb. The sediment pollution index (SPI) revealed that the sediments belonged to low polluted to dangerous category. The correlation matrix and dendrogram showed that the elemental distribution was chiefly controlled by riverine input as well as anthropogenic activity in the coast. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dental caries and the associated factors influencing it in tribal, suburban and urban school children of Tamil Nadu, India: a cross sectional study.

PubMed

John, J Baby; Asokan, Sharath; Aswanth, K P; Priya, P R Geetha; Shanmugaavel, A K

2015-02-20

The study was planned to assess the prevalence of dental caries among tribal, suburban and urban children of Tiruchengode and Erode of Tamil Nadu state, India. The objective of the study was to assess the association of dental caries with family background, dental service availability, transportation and knowledge on preventive dental measures among these three groups. Cross-sectional study. A total of 1028 school children in the age range of 9-12 years from various government schools located in Palamalai and Kolli Hills (tribal), Tiruchengode (suburban) and Erode (urban), Tamil Nadu, were included in the study. Decayed, filled, and missing teeth (DMFT), decayed and filled teeth (dft) and Significant Caries Index were recorded. A specially prepared questionnaire was used to record all the data regarding oral hygiene practices, socioeconomic background, dental treatment availability, parent's education level were used for the study. ANOVA t-test and post hoc test were used for comparing quantitative variables between the 3 subgroups. The tribal school children had 89.3% caries prevalence, where as it was 77% in suburban and 55% in urban school children. The mean DMFT score among tribal, suburban and urban school children were statistically significant different (P=0.001) between the three groups. There was a highly significant difference (P=0.001) in the mean DMFT score based on brushing frequency. There was a statistically significant difference (P=0.018) in the mean DMFT scores in the urban group based on the mothers education status. There were no statistically significant differences in the mean DMFT scores based on the presence or absence of television in their house and the parents' income. Oral hygiene practices, dietary habits and access to dental care services played an important role in prevalence of dental caries. It was observed that the socioeconomic status, parents' educational status and mass media influenced the oral health of these children but without a significant contribution. Significance for public healthIt was observed from the present study that the socioeconomic status, parents' educational status, media and family structure influence the oral health of children in under-privileged communities. Oral hygiene practices, dietary habits and access to dental care services also play an important role in the prevalence of dental caries among children. Children of government schools in Tamil Nadu, India, don't get adequate information on oral health, related diseases and methods of prevention. Oral health education and health promotion should be mandatory for all school children.

Assessing Linguistic Competence: Verbal Inflection in Child Tamil

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lakshmanan, Usha

2006-01-01

Within child language acquisition research, there has been a fair amount of controversy regarding children's knowledge of the grammatical properties associated with verbal inflection (e.g., tense, agreement, and aspect). Some researchers have proposed that the child's early grammar is fundamentally different from the adult grammar, whereas others…

Verbs and Attention to Relational Roles in English and Tamil

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sethuraman, Nitya; Smith, Linda B.

2013-01-01

English-learning children have been shown to reliably use cues from argument structure in learning verbs. However, languages pair overtly expressed arguments with verbs to varying extents, raising the question of whether children learning all languages expect the same, universal mapping between arguments and relational roles. Three experiments…

The seeds of creativity and the soil of poet Kannadasan

PubMed Central

Somasundaram, O.

2011-01-01

The links betweencreative genius and insanity have been studied by numerous experts and famous writers. Recent studies by several psychiatrists have revealed an increase in psychopathology in creative artists, especially writers and poets. The cyclothymic temperamental traits of a Tamil poet, Kannadasan, are studied here. PMID:21431020

A Software Development Approach for Computer Assisted Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cushion, Steve

2005-01-01

Over the last 5 years we have developed, produced, tested, and evaluated an authoring software package to produce web-based, interactive, audio-enhanced language-learning material. That authoring package has been used to produce language-learning material in French, Spanish, German, Arabic, and Tamil. We are currently working on increasing…

A Guerilla War At Sea: The Sri Lankan Civil War

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-09

support export crop agriculture. During the coffee and tea growing economic bubbles in the mid nineteenth century approximately one million Tamils were...but tended to limit economic growth on the island, such as the nationalization of the nation‟s oil companies in the 1960s.19 Obsessed with the

Cognitive Correlates of Vocabulary Growth in English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farnia, Fataneh; Geva, Esther

2011-01-01

This study modeled vocabulary trajectories in 91 English language learners (ELLs) with Punjabi, Tamil, or Portuguese home languages, and 50 English monolinguals (EL1) from Grades 1 to 6. The concurrent and longitudinal relationships between phonological awareness and phonological short-term memory and vocabulary were examined. ELLs underperformed…

A Study in Content Language Acquisition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broer, Kathleen

2003-01-01

This study examines how young second language learners acquire academic language. Among the main language groups represented were Punjabi, Hindi, Tamil, Estonian, Serbian, Arabic as well as 23 other language groups. I monitored over 75 students, in grades 1, 2 and 4. I was interested in exploring what strategies best promoted coherence in…

Assessment of the impact of textile effluents on microbial diversity in Tirupur district, Tamil Nadu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prabha, Shashi; Gogoi, Anindita; Mazumder, Payal; Ramanathan, AL.; Kumar, Manish

2017-09-01

The expedited advent of urbanization and industrialization for economic growth has adversely affected the biological diversity, which is one of the major concerns of the developing countries. Microbes play a crucial role in decontaminating polluted sites and degrades pollution load of textile effluent. The present study was based on identification of microbial diversity along the Noyaal river of Tirupur area. River water samples from industrial and non-industrial sites and effluent samples of before and after treatment were tested and it was found that microbial diversity was higher in the river water at the industrial site (Kasipalayam) as compared to the non-industrial site (Perur). Similarly, the microbial populations were found to be high in the untreated effluent as compared to the treated one by conventional treatment systems. Similar trends were observed for MBR treatment systems as well. Pseudomonas sp ., Achromobacter sp. (bacterial species) and Aspergillus fumigates (fungal species), found exclusively at the industrial site have been reported to possess decolorization potential of dye effluent, thus can be used for treatment of dye effluent. The comparison of different microbial communities from different dye wastewater sources and textile effluents was done, which showed that the microbes degrade dyestuffs, reduce toxicity of wastewaters, etc. From the study, it can be concluded that the microbial community helps to check on the pollutants and minimize their affect. Therefore, there is a need to understand the systematic variation in microbial diversity with the accumulation of pollution load through monitoring.

Lupus vulgaris and tuberculosis verrucosa cutis (TBVC)--a clinical, pathological and epidemiological study of 71 cases.

PubMed

Padmavathy, L; Lakshmana Rao, L; Pari, T; Ethirajan, N; Krishnaswamy, B

2008-10-01

The epidemiological aspects and diagnostic problems encountered in a rural set up are largely unknown. The present study on cutaneous tuberculosis encompassing clinical, pathological and epidemiological aspects was undertaken at Rajah Muthiah Medical college and Hospital (RMMC&H), a teaching hospital mainly catering to the health needs of a predominantly rural population from villages and hamlets around Chidambaram, a taluq headquarters, located in Cuddalore district ofTamil Nadu. During the period of study, 5744 cases (82%) of pulmonary tuberculosis and 1261 (18%) of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis were encountered. Cutaneous tuberculosis accounted for 117 (1.67%) of tuberculosis cases. Of the seventy-one patients with cutaneous tuberculosis, 39 had lupus vulgaris and 32 with TBVC. Lupus vulgaris was more prevalent with male pre-ponderance. The maximum incidence was seen in the second decade of life. Both LV and TBVC showed a male pre-ponderance, M:F ratio being 3:2 and 2:1 in LV and TBVC respectively. A majority of patients with LV (27 cases; 69.2%) and TBVC (31 cases; 96.8%) manifested with a single site of involvement. Lower extremities were more commonly involved among patients hailing from poor economic strata who were not habituated to the use of footwear while working out doors. Over crowding was also a contributing factor. The relationships between BCG vaccination and Mantoux test with cutaneous tuberculosis, association with pulmonary tuberculosis in addition to the underlying predisposing socio-economic factors are discussed.

Understanding public drug procurement in India: a comparative qualitative study of five Indian states

PubMed Central

Singh, Prabal Vikram; Tatambhotla, Anand; Kalvakuntla, Rohini; Chokshi, Maulik

2013-01-01

Objective To perform an initial qualitative comparison of the different procurement models in India to frame questions for future research in this area; to capture the finer differences between the state models through 53 process and price parameters to determine their functional efficiencies. Design Qualitative analysis is performed for the study. Five states: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Odisha, Punjab and Maharashtra were chosen to ensure heterogeneity in a number of factors such as procurement type (centralised, decentralised or mixed); autonomy of the procurement organisation; state of public health infrastructure; geography and availability of data through Right to Information Act (RTI). Data on procurement processes were collected through key informant analysis by way of semistructured interviews with leadership teams of procuring organisations. These process data were validated through interviews with field staff (stakeholders of district hospitals, taluk hospitals, community health centres and primary health centres) in each state. A total of 30 actors were interviewed in all five states. The data collected are analysed against 52 process and price parameters to determine the functional efficiency of the model. Results The analysis indicated that autonomous procurement organisations were more efficient in relation to payments to suppliers, had relatively lower drug procurement prices and managed their inventory more scientifically. Conclusions The authors highlight critical success factors that significantly influence the outcome of any procurement model. In a way, this study raises more questions and seeks the need for further research in this arena to aid policy makers. PMID:23388196

Care Seeking Behaviour and Barriers to Accessing Services for Sexual Health Problems among Women in Rural Areas of Tamilnadu State in India.

PubMed

Puthuchira Ravi, Rejoice; Athimulam Kulasekaran, Ravishankar

2014-01-01

Background. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) may be either asymptomatic or symptomatic. Regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms all STIs can lead to major complications if left untreated. Objective. To assess the care seeking behaviour and barriers to accessing services for sexual health problems among young married women in rural areas of Thiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu state in India. Methods. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in 28 villages selected using multistage sampling technique for selecting 605 women in the age group of 15-24 years during July 2010-April 2011. Results. The prevalence rate of reproductive tract infections (RTIs) and STIs was observed to be 14.5% and 8.8%, respectively, among the study population. Itching/irritation over vulva, thick white discharge, discharge with unpleasant odor, and frequent and uncomfortable urination were most commonly experienced symptoms of sexual health problems. Around three-fourth of the women received treatment for sexual health problems. Perception of symptoms as normal, feeling shy, lack of female health workers, distance to health facility, and lack of availability of treatment were identified as major barriers for not seeking treatment for RTIs/STIs. Conclusion. Family tradition and poor socioeconomic conditions of the family appear to be the main reasons for not utilizing the health facility for sexual health problems. Integrated approach is strongly suggested for creating awareness to control the spread of sexual health problems among young people.

Cluster Randomized Trial to Compare Spectacle Delivery Systems at Outreach Eye Camps in South India

PubMed Central

Ramasamy, Dhivya; Joseph, Sanil; Valaguru, Vijayakumar; Mitta, Vinod P.; Ravilla, Thulasiraj D; Cotch, Mary Frances

2014-01-01

Purpose To study the optimal method for delivery of spectacles at eye camps to maximize procurement and use. Methods A cluster randomized controlled trial, undertaken in the catchment districts of Aravind Eye Hospital – Theni, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Community eye camps (n = 21) were allocated to offer one of three types of service for purchase of spectacles to correct refractive error: (1) Issuance of a prescription only; (2) booking orders for spectacles with subsequent delivery; (3) on-the-spot fitting and dispensing of spectacles. Follow-up questionnaires were administered 6 weeks after interventions to assess patient outcomes. The primary outcome measured was spectacle procurement at follow-up 6 weeks post-screening. Secondary outcomes included use of and satisfaction with spectacles. Reasons for purchase/non-purchase were also assessed. Results Compared to those who were issued only a prescription and adjusting for distance from base hospital, spectacle procurement was significantly higher for those allowed to book spectacles for subsequent delivery (odds ratio, OR, 8.79, 95% confidence interval, CI, 4.61–16.78) and for those receiving spectacles on the spot (OR 13.97, 95% CI 8.12–24.05). Among those with spectacles at 6 weeks, spectacle use was nearly universal and satisfaction with spectacles varied between 92 and 94% among the three different dispensing modalities. Conclusion Making spectacles available on the spot is important to ensure procurement in a context where availability and access to dispensing opticians is poor. PMID:24070102

Cluster randomized trial to compare spectacle delivery systems at outreach eye camps in South India.

PubMed

Ramasamy, Dhivya; Joseph, Sanil; Valaguru, Vijayakumar; Mitta, Vinod P; Ravilla, Thulasiraj D; Cotch, Mary Frances

2013-10-01

To study the optimal method for delivery of spectacles at eye camps to maximize procurement and use. A cluster randomized controlled trial, undertaken in the catchment districts of Aravind Eye Hospital - Theni, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Community eye camps (n = 21) were allocated to offer one of three types of service for purchase of spectacles to correct refractive error: (1) Issuance of a prescription only; (2) booking orders for spectacles with subsequent delivery; (3) on-the-spot fitting and dispensing of spectacles. Follow-up questionnaires were administered 6 weeks after interventions to assess patient outcomes. The primary outcome measured was spectacle procurement at follow-up 6 weeks post-screening. Secondary outcomes included use of and satisfaction with spectacles. Reasons for purchase/non-purchase were also assessed. Compared to those who were issued only a prescription and adjusting for distance from base hospital, spectacle procurement was significantly higher for those allowed to book spectacles for subsequent delivery (odds ratio, OR, 8.79, 95% confidence interval, CI, 4.61-16.78) and for those receiving spectacles on the spot (OR 13.97, 95% CI 8.12-24.05). Among those with spectacles at 6 weeks, spectacle use was nearly universal and satisfaction with spectacles varied between 92 and 94% among the three different dispensing modalities. Making spectacles available on the spot is important to ensure procurement in a context where availability and access to dispensing opticians is poor.

Understanding public drug procurement in India: a comparative qualitative study of five Indian states.

PubMed

Singh, Prabal Vikram; Tatambhotla, Anand; Kalvakuntla, Rohini; Chokshi, Maulik

2013-01-01

To perform an initial qualitative comparison of the different procurement models in India to frame questions for future research in this area; to capture the finer differences between the state models through 53 process and price parameters to determine their functional efficiencies. Qualitative analysis is performed for the study. Five states: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Odisha, Punjab and Maharashtra were chosen to ensure heterogeneity in a number of factors such as procurement type (centralised, decentralised or mixed); autonomy of the procurement organisation; state of public health infrastructure; geography and availability of data through Right to Information Act (RTI). Data on procurement processes were collected through key informant analysis by way of semistructured interviews with leadership teams of procuring organisations. These process data were validated through interviews with field staff (stakeholders of district hospitals, taluk hospitals, community health centres and primary health centres) in each state. A total of 30 actors were interviewed in all five states. The data collected are analysed against 52 process and price parameters to determine the functional efficiency of the model. The analysis indicated that autonomous procurement organisations were more efficient in relation to payments to suppliers, had relatively lower drug procurement prices and managed their inventory more scientifically. The authors highlight critical success factors that significantly influence the outcome of any procurement model. In a way, this study raises more questions and seeks the need for further research in this arena to aid policy makers.

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.

Care Seeking Behaviour and Barriers to Accessing Services for Sexual Health Problems among Women in Rural Areas of Tamilnadu State in India

PubMed Central

Puthuchira Ravi, Rejoice; Athimulam Kulasekaran, Ravishankar

2014-01-01

Background. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) may be either asymptomatic or symptomatic. Regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms all STIs can lead to major complications if left untreated. Objective. To assess the care seeking behaviour and barriers to accessing services for sexual health problems among young married women in rural areas of Thiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu state in India. Methods. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in 28 villages selected using multistage sampling technique for selecting 605 women in the age group of 15–24 years during July 2010–April 2011. Results. The prevalence rate of reproductive tract infections (RTIs) and STIs was observed to be 14.5% and 8.8%, respectively, among the study population. Itching/irritation over vulva, thick white discharge, discharge with unpleasant odor, and frequent and uncomfortable urination were most commonly experienced symptoms of sexual health problems. Around three-fourth of the women received treatment for sexual health problems. Perception of symptoms as normal, feeling shy, lack of female health workers, distance to health facility, and lack of availability of treatment were identified as major barriers for not seeking treatment for RTIs/STIs. Conclusion. Family tradition and poor socioeconomic conditions of the family appear to be the main reasons for not utilizing the health facility for sexual health problems. Integrated approach is strongly suggested for creating awareness to control the spread of sexual health problems among young people. PMID:26316973

Language Teacher Burnout and School Type

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mukundan, Jayakaran; Zare, Pezhman; Zarifi, Abdolvahed; Manaf, Umi Kalthom Abdul; Sahamid, Husniah

2015-01-01

The present study was an attempt to explore the level of burnout among primary school teachers in Malaysia. In addition, the study tried to determine if the school type has any significant influence on teachers' burnout level. To this end, 714 primary school teachers participated in the study. They were teaching at Malay (SK), Tamil (SJKT), and…

Ethnic Differences in the Goodenough-Harris Draw-a-Man and Draw-a-Woman Tests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dugdale, A. E.; Chen, S. T.

1979-01-01

The draw-a-man (DAM) and draw-a-woman (DAW) tests were given to 307 school children in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. The children were ethnically Malay, Chinese, or Indian (Tamil), and all came from lower socioeconomic groups. Journal availability: British Medical Journal, 1172 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02134. (Author)

Counselling in Areas of Armed Conflict: The Case Jaffna, Sri Lanka.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Veer, Guus; Somasundaram, Daya; Damian S.

2003-01-01

Counseling is discussed in relation to traditional resources of the Tamil community for dealing with psychosocial and mental health problems. Describes some problems of clients affected by the armed conflict, approaches of local counselors and mental health professionals, and training offered to future Sri Lankan counselors who want to work with…

Ethnicity in Research with Young Children: Invitation/Barrier

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jesuvadian, Mercy Karuniah; Wright, Susan

2014-01-01

This paper explores special issues that a novice, minority researcher encountered at a multi-racial research site. The first author's personal experiences as a female, Tamil-speaking Indian Singaporean shaped the research process and its reception at the research site. In this paper, she observes that, while her ethnic membership operated as a…

Peace Education in Conflict Zones--Experience from Northern Sri Lanka

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Simon; Lewer, Nick

2008-01-01

In September 2005, adult students from Kilinochchi, located in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)-controlled Wanni region of northern Sri Lanka, were awarded University of Bradford, UK, validated postgraduate certificates or diplomas in conflict resolution and peace preparedness. The diploma is, we think, a landmark in peace education…

Language Politics and Global City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wee, Lionel

2014-01-01

The state in Singapore has long insisted that Singaporeans be bilingual in English and an officially assigned ethnic mother tongue. English is to serve as the inter-ethnic lingua franca and facilitate economic competitiveness. The official mother tongue (Mandarin for the Chinese, Malay for the Malays, and Tamil for the Indians) is to serve as a…

Embellishment of Student Leadership in Learning Multiplication at Primary Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singaravelu, G.

2006-01-01

The present study enlightens the efficacy of Student Leadership method in learning Multiplication in Mathematics at primary level. Single group experimental method was adopted for the study. Forty learners studying in Standard III in Panchayat union primary School, Muthupettai in South Tamil Nadu, India have been selected as sample for the study.…

English-Medium Instruction in Japanese Universities: Policy Implementation and Constraints

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chin Leong, Patrick N. G.

2017-01-01

English-medium instruction (EMI) is gaining momentum in Japan as politicians constantly highlight the need for Japanese universities to cultivate students with English skills to participate in the global market. Adopting a framework on the failure of policy implementation [Schiffman, H. (2007). Tamil language policy in Singapore. The role of…

The Politics of Citizenship and Difference in Sri Lankan Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sorensen, Birgitte Refslund

2008-01-01

This article explores the formation of citizenship in Tamil-medium minority schools in Sri Lanka. It is argued that although the new curriculum aims to construct an inclusive notion of national citizenship, the influence of politics on education in reality creates dominant experiences of discrimination and marginalization. I argue, however, that…

Phytochemicals of selected plant species of the Apocynaceae and Asclepiadaceae from Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A concern about the declining supply of petroleum products has led to a renewed interest in evaluating plant species as potential alternate sources of energy. Five species of the Apocynaceae and three species of the Asclepiadaceae from the Western Ghats were evaluated as alternative sources of energ...

"Fresh off the Boat?" Racial Microaggressions That Target South Asian Canadian Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poolokasingham, Gauthamie; Spanierman, Lisa B.; Kleiman, Sela; Houshmand, Sara

2014-01-01

The present study sought to examine South Asian Canadian undergraduate students' (N = 7) experiences with racial microaggressions at a research-intensive Canadian university. Participants ranged in age from 19-23 years and comprised various ethnic groups (e.g., Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, and Tamil). Data were collected during a…

Other: Multiraciality, Community, and Cross-Racial Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, Maneka Deanna

2017-01-01

In this article, I use what Baszile terms "critical autobiographical reflection" to examine my experiences as a Black and Tamil American woman who engages in language and literacy research with Latinx adolescents. I describe my encounters with two types of research policing in which perceptions of my racial identity are used to challenge…

Drinking habits in ancient India

PubMed Central

Somasundaram, Ottilingam; Raghavan, D. Vijaya; Murthy, A. G. Tejus

2016-01-01

Consumption of one or other form of intoxicating substances has been present throughout the history of the world. This article traces such use in the Indian subcontinent, both in North and South India. References to the use of intoxicants are to be found in the Vedas, the Great Epics, and the ancient Tamil literature. PMID:26985113

A Study in Content Area Language Acquisition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broer, Kathleen

2003-01-01

This study was conducted at a public school with a population of over 900 students. Among the main language groups represented were Punjabi, Hindi, Tamil, Estonian, Serbian, Arabic as well as 23 other language groups. The author monitored over 75 students, in grades 1, 2 and 4. She was interested in exploring what strategies best promoted…

Cartographic Mismatches and Language Policy: The Case of Hindi in Singapore

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jain, Ritu; Wee, Lionel

2018-01-01

In this paper, we present Singapore's language policy as a case of flexible responsiveness to demographic and societal shifts as a result of high migration. The particular need to accommodate the enhanced linguistic diversity among the linguistically heterogeneous Indians, previously served by Tamil, has led to the "semiofficial"…

Communication Strategies and Psychological Processes Underlying Lexical Simplification.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumaravadivelu, B.

1988-01-01

Analyzes interlanguage written discourse produced by advanced Tamil-speaking learners of English as a second language. Eight communication strategies are discussed, including: 1) extended use of lexical items; 2) lexical paraphrase; 3) word coinage; 4) native language (L1) equivalence; 5) literal translation of L1 idiom; 6) L1 mode of emphasis; 7)…

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.

Diversity and community structure of butterfly of Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Rajagopal, T; Sekar, M; Manimozhi, A; Baskar, N; Archunan, G

2011-03-01

Investigation was carried out on the diversity of butterfly fauna in selected localities of conservation and breeding center of Arignar Anna Zoological Park (AAZP), Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Atotal of 56 species were recorded, 15 of them belonged to Pieridae, 12 Nymphalidae, 9 Satyridae, 8 Papilionidae, 7 Danaidae, 3 Lycaenidae and 1 species each belonged to the families Acraeidae and Hesperidae. Qualitatively and quantitatively Pieridae family were comparatively dominant than that of other families. The notable addition to the 25 more species listed during this observation were compared to previous field survey. Comparison of butterfly species distribution between the different localities revealed that butterfly species richness was higher at mountain region with 52 species and lowest of 25 species at public visiting areas. Visitor's activities may be that reason for effects on butterfly distribution and lack of vegetation. Each five endemic and protected species (i.e. endangered) listed under the Wildlife (Protection)Act were highlighted greater conservation importances of the AAZP. It is suggest that butterfly species diversity generally increase with increase in vegetation and declines with the increase in disturbance.

Impact of leachate on groundwater pollution due to non-engineered municipal solid waste landfill sites of erode city, Tamil Nadu, India

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Leachate and groundwater samples were collected from Vendipalayam, Semur and Vairapalayam landfill sites in Erode city, Tamil Nadu, India, to study the possible impact of leachate percolation on groundwater quality. Concentrations of various physicochemical parameters including heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Fe and Zn) were determined in leachate samples and are reported. The concentrations of Cl-, NO3-, SO42-, NH4+ were found to be in considerable levels in the groundwater samples particularly near to the landfill sites, likely indicating that groundwater quality is being significantly affected by leachate percolation. Further they were proved to be the tracers for groundwater contamination near Semur and Vendipalayam dumpyards. The presence of contaminants in groundwater particularly near the landfill sites warns its quality and thus renders the associated aquifer unreliable for domestic water supply and other uses. Although some remedial measures are suggested to reduce further groundwater contamination via leachate percolation, the present study demands for the proper management of waste in Erode city. PMID:23369323

Access to Healthcare Interpreter Services: Where Are We and Where Do We Need to Go?

PubMed Central

Bischoff, Alexander; Hudelson, Patricia

2010-01-01

Due to international migration, health care professionals in Switzerland increasingly encounter language barriers in communication with their patients. In order to examine health professionals’ attitudes and practices related to healthcare interpreting, we sent a self-administered questionnaire to heads of medical and nursing departments in public healthcare services in the canton of Basel-Stadt (N = 205, response rate 56%). Strategies used to communicate with foreign-language speaking patients differed, depending on the patient’s language. While nearly half of respondents relied on patients’ relatives to translate for Albanian, Tamil, Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, Portuguese and Turkish, a third did so for Spanish, and a fourth did so for Arabic. Eleven percent relied on professional interpreters for Spanish and 31% did so for Tamil and Arabic. Variations in strategies used appear to mainly reflect the availability of bilingual staff members for the different languages. Future efforts should focus on sensitizing health professionals to the problems associated with use of ad hoc interpreters, as well as facilitating access to professional interpreters. PMID:20717543

Occurrence of mycotoxins in livestock feeds and feed stuffs of Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Sarathchandra, G; Muralimanohar, B

2013-07-01

The livestock feed and feed ingredients were screened for the presence of aflatoxin B1, citrinin, penicillic Acid, T2, ochratoxin A and zearalenone. The samples were collected from different livestock farmers/farms of Tamil Nadu. Mycotoxins were determined in all the samples. The present study clearly indicates high occurrence of citrinin highly predominant followed by Aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin A in feedstuffs and feeds. Aflatoxins B1, citrinin, ochratoxin A were the most common mycotoxins observed. The aflatoxin B1 levels ranged between 50 to 80 microg kg(-1), ochratoxin A levels ranged between 20 to 160 microg kg(-1), Citrinin levels ranged between 20 to 350 microg kg(-1), penicillic acid levels ranged between 20 to 30 microg kg(-1), T2 Toxin levels ranged between 75 to 450 microg kg(-1) and zearalenone levels ranged between 150 to 1000 microg kg(-1) respectively. The results of the study warrant the need for sustained monitoring of these commodities periodically and evolve policies which discourage the marketing of toxin contaminated feeds as existing in the developed countries.

Empowering the people: development of an HIV peer education model for low literacy rural communities in India.

PubMed

Van Rompay, Koen K A; Madhivanan, Purnima; Rafiq, Mirriam; Krupp, Karl; Chakrapani, Venkatesan; Selvam, Durai

2008-04-18

Despite ample evidence that HIV has entered the general population, most HIV awareness programs in India continue to neglect rural areas. Low HIV awareness and high stigma, fueled by low literacy, seasonal migration, gender inequity, spatial dispersion, and cultural taboos pose extra challenges to implement much-needed HIV education programs in rural areas. This paper describes a peer education model developed to educate and empower low-literacy communities in the rural district of Perambalur (Tamil Nadu, India). From January to December 2005, six non-governmental organizations (NGO's) with good community rapport collaborated to build and pilot-test an HIV peer education model for rural communities. The program used participatory methods to train 20 NGO field staff (Outreach Workers), 102 women's self-help group (SHG) leaders, and 52 barbers to become peer educators. Cartoon-based educational materials were developed for low-literacy populations to convey simple, comprehensive messages on HIV transmission, prevention, support and care. In addition, street theatre cultural programs highlighted issues related to HIV and stigma in the community. The program is estimated to have reached over 30,000 villagers in the district through 2051 interactive HIV awareness programs and one-on-one communication. Outreach workers (OWs) and peer educators distributed approximately 62,000 educational materials and 69,000 condoms, and also referred approximately 2844 people for services including voluntary counselling and testing (VCT), care and support for HIV, and diagnosis and treatment of sexually-transmitted infections (STI). At least 118 individuals were newly diagnosed as persons living with HIV (PLHIV); 129 PLHIV were referred to the Government Hospital for Thoracic Medicine (in Tambaram) for extra medical support. Focus group discussions indicate that the program was well received in the communities, led to improved health awareness, and also provided the peer educators with increased social status. Using established networks (such as community-based organizations already working on empowerment of women) and training women's SHG leaders and barbers as peer educators is an effective and culturally appropriate way to disseminate comprehensive information on HIV/AIDS to low-literacy communities. Similar models for reaching and empowering vulnerable populations should be expanded to other rural areas.

Genetic trend for growth and wool performance in a closed flock of Bharat Merino sheep at sub temperate region of Kodai hills, Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Mallick, P K; Thirumaran, S M K; Pourouchottamane, R; Rajapandi, S; Venkataramanan, R; Nagarajan, G; Murali, G; Rajendiran, A S

2016-03-01

The study was conducted at Southern Regional Research Center, ICAR-Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (CSWRI), Mannavanur, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu to estimate genetic trends for birth weight (BWT), weaning weight (3WT), 6 months weight (6WT), and greasy fleece weight (GFY) in a Bharat Merino (BM) flock, where selection was practiced for 6WT and GFY. The data for this study represents a total of 1652 BM lambs; progeny of 144 sires spread over 15 years starting from 2000 to 2014, obtained from the BM flock of ICAR-SRRC (CSWRI), Mannavanur, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, India. The genetic trends were calculated by regression of average predicted breeding values using software WOMBAT for the traits BWT, 3WT, 6WT and GFY versus the animal's birth year. The least square means were 3.28±0.02 kg, 19.08±0.23 kg, 25.00±0.35 kg and 2.13±0.07 kg for BWT, 3WT, 6WT and GFY, respectively. Genetic trends were positive and highly significant (p<0.01) for BWT, while the values for 3WT, 6WT and GFY though positive, were not significant. The estimates of genetic trends in BWT, 3WT, 6WT and GFY were 5 g, 0.8 g, 7 g and 0.3 g/year gain and the fit of the regression shows 55%, 22%, 42% and 12% coefficient of determination with the regressed value, respectively. In this study, estimated mean predicted breeding value (kg) in BWT and 3WT, 6WT and GFY were 0.067, 0.008, 0.036 and -0.003, respectively. Estimates of genetic trends indicated that there was a positive genetic improvement in all studied traits and selection would be effective for the improvement of body weight traits and GFY of BM sheep.

High rates of ofloxacin resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis among both new and previously treated patients in Tamil Nadu, South India.

PubMed

Selvakumar, N; Kumar, Vanaja; Balaji, S; Prabuseenivasan, S; Radhakrishnan, R; Sekar, Gomathi; Chandrasekaran, V; Kannan, T; Thomas, Aleyamma; Arunagiri, S; Dewan, Puneet; Swaminathan, Soumya

2015-01-01

Periodic drug resistance surveillance provides useful information on trends of drug resistance and effectiveness of tuberculosis (TB) control measures. The present study determines the prevalence of drug resistance among new sputum smear positive (NSP) and previously treated (PT) pulmonary TB patients, diagnosed at public sector designated microscopy centers (DMCs) in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. In this single-stage cluster-sampling prevalence survey, 70 of 700 DMCs were randomly selected using a probability-proportional to size method. A cluster size of 24 for NSP and a varying size of 0 to 99 for PT cases were fixed for each selected DMC. Culture and drug susceptibility testing was done on Lowenstein-Jensen medium using the economic variant of proportion sensitivity test for isoniazid (INH), rifampicin (RMP), ofloxacin (OFX) and kanamycin (KAN). Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) status was collected from patient records. From June 2011 to August 2012, 1524 NSP and 901 PT patients were enrolled. Any RMP resistance and any INH resistance were observed in 2.6% and 15.1%, and in 10.4% and 30% respectively in NSP and PT cases. Among PT patients, multi drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) was highest in the treatment failure (35%) group, followed by relapse (13%) and treatment after default (10%) groups. Extensively drug resistant TB (XDRTB) was seen in 4.3% of MDR-TB cases. Any OFX resistance was seen in 10.4% of NSP, 13.9% of PT and 29% of PT MDR-TB patients. The HIV status of the patient had no impact on drug resistance levels. RMP resistance was present in 2.6% of new and 15.1% of previously treated patients in Tamil Nadu. Rates of OFX resistance were high among NSP and PT patients, especially among those with MDR-TB, a matter of concern for development of new treatment regimens for TB.

High Rates of Ofloxacin Resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis among Both New and Previously Treated Patients in Tamil Nadu, South India

PubMed Central

Selvakumar, N.; Kumar, Vanaja; Balaji, S.; Prabuseenivasan, S.; Radhakrishnan, R.; Sekar, Gomathi; Chandrasekaran, V.; Kannan, T.; Thomas, Aleyamma; Arunagiri, S.; Dewan, Puneet; Swaminathan, Soumya

2015-01-01

Periodic drug resistance surveillance provides useful information on trends of drug resistance and effectiveness of tuberculosis (TB) control measures. The present study determines the prevalence of drug resistance among new sputum smear positive (NSP) and previously treated (PT) pulmonary TB patients, diagnosed at public sector designated microscopy centers (DMCs) in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. In this single-stage cluster-sampling prevalence survey, 70 of 700 DMCs were randomly selected using a probability-proportional to size method. A cluster size of 24 for NSP and a varying size of 0 to 99 for PT cases were fixed for each selected DMC. Culture and drug susceptibility testing was done on Lowenstein-Jensen medium using the economic variant of proportion sensitivity test for isoniazid (INH), rifampicin (RMP), ofloxacin (OFX) and kanamycin (KAN). Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) status was collected from patient records. From June 2011 to August 2012, 1524 NSP and 901 PT patients were enrolled. Any RMP resistance and any INH resistance were observed in 2.6% and 15.1%, and in 10.4% and 30% respectively in NSP and PT cases. Among PT patients, multi drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) was highest in the treatment failure (35%) group, followed by relapse (13%) and treatment after default (10%) groups. Extensively drug resistant TB (XDRTB) was seen in 4.3% of MDR-TB cases. Any OFX resistance was seen in 10.4% of NSP, 13.9% of PT and 29% of PT MDR-TB patients. The HIV status of the patient had no impact on drug resistance levels. RMP resistance was present in 2.6% of new and 15.1% of previously treated patients in Tamil Nadu. Rates of OFX resistance were high among NSP and PT patients, especially among those with MDR-TB, a matter of concern for development of new treatment regimens for TB. PMID:25738956

Diabetic retinopathy and its risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes attending rural primary healthcare facilities in Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Fredrick, Tony; Kaur, Prabhdeep; Murhekar, Manoj V; Jayaraman, Yuvaraj; Kolandaswamy, K; Rao, Sudha Ramachandra; David, Joseph K

2016-01-01

India has a high burden of diabetic retinopathy ranging from 12.2% to 20.4% among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A T2DM management programme was initiated in the public sector in Tamil Nadu. We estimated the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy and its associated risk factors. We did a cross-sectional survey among patients with T2DM attending two primary health centres for treatment and follow-up in Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu in January- March 2013. We did a questionnaire-based survey, and measured blood pressure and biochemical parameters (serum creatinine, plasma glucose, etc.) of the patients. We examined their eyes by direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy and defined diabetic retinopathy using a modified classification by Klein et al. We calculated the proportion and 95% CI for the prevalence and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for risk factors associated with diabetic retinopathy. Among the 270 patients, the mean (SD) age was 54.5 (10) years. The median duration of T2DM was 48 months. The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy was 29.6%. Overall, 65.9% of patients had hypertension, 14.4% had nephropathy (eGFR <60 mg/dl) and 67.4% had neuropathy. Among patients with comorbid conditions, 60%, 48%, 32%, and 3% were already diagnosed to have hypertension, neuropathy, retinopathy, and nephropathy, respectively. The risk factors for diabetic retinopathy were hypertension (AOR 3.2, 95% CI 1.7-6.3), duration of T2DM >5 years (AOR 6.5, 95% CI 3.6-11.7), poor glycaemic control (AOR 2.4, 95% CI 1.4-4.4), and nephropathy (AOR 2.3, 95% CI 1.1-4.6). There was a high burden of undetected retinopathy and other comorbid conditions among patients with T2DM. Early detection of comorbid conditions and glycaemic control can be improved by training care-providers and educating patients.

Climate change projections for Tamil Nadu, India: deriving high-resolution climate data by a downscaling approach using PRECIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bal, Prasanta Kumar; Ramachandran, A.; Geetha, R.; Bhaskaran, B.; Thirumurugan, P.; Indumathi, J.; Jayanthi, N.

2016-02-01

In this paper, we present regional climate change projections for the Tamil Nadu state of India, simulated by the Met Office Hadley Centre regional climate model. The model is run at 25 km horizontal resolution driven by lateral boundary conditions generated by a perturbed physical ensemble of 17 simulations produced by a version of Hadley Centre coupled climate model, known as HadCM3Q under A1B scenario. The large scale features of these 17 simulations were evaluated for the target region to choose lateral boundary conditions from six members that represent a range of climate variations over the study region. The regional climate, known as PRECIS, was then run 130 years from 1970. The analyses primarily focus on maximum and minimum temperatures and rainfall over the region. For the Tamil Nadu as a whole, the projections of maximum temperature show an increase of 1.0, 2.2 and 3.1 °C for the periods 2020s (2005-2035), 2050s (2035-2065) and 2080s (2065-2095), respectively, with respect to baseline period (1970-2000). Similarly, the projections of minimum temperature show an increase of 1.1, 2.4 and 3.5 °C, respectively. This increasing trend is statistically significant (Mann-Kendall trend test). The annual rainfall projections for the same periods indicate a general decrease in rainfall of about 2-7, 1-4 and 4-9 %, respectively. However, significant exceptions are noticed over some pockets of western hilly areas and high rainfall areas where increases in rainfall are seen. There are also indications of increasing heavy rainfall events during the northeast monsoon season and a slight decrease during the southwest monsoon season. Such an approach of using climate models may maximize the utility of high-resolution climate change information for impact-adaptation-vulnerability assessments.

Diversity among clients of female sex workers in India: comparing risk profiles and intervention impact by site of solicitation. implications for the vulnerability of less visible female sex workers.

PubMed

Suryawanshi, Dipak; Bhatnagar, Tarun; Deshpande, Sucheta; Zhou, Weiwei; Singh, Pankaj; Collumbien, Martine

2013-01-01

It seems generally accepted that targeted interventions in India have been successful in raising condom use between female sex workers (FSWs) and their clients. Data from clients of FSWs have been under-utilised to analyse the risk environments and vulnerability of both partners. The 2009 Integrated Biological and Behavioural Assessment survey sampled clients of FSWs at hotspots in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu (n=5040). The risk profile of clients in terms of sexual networking and condom use are compared across usual pick-up place. We used propensity score matching (PSM) to estimate the average treatment effect on treated (ATT) of intervention messages on clients' consistent condom use with FSW. Clients of the more hidden sex workers who solicit from home or via phone or agents had more extensive sexual networks, reporting casual female partners as well as anal intercourse with male partners and FSW. Clients of brothel-based sex workers, who were the least educated, reported the fewest number/categories of partners, least anal sex, and lowest condom use (41%). Consistent condom use varied widely by state: 65% in Andhra Pradesh, 36% in Maharashtra and 29% in Tamil Nadu. Exposure to intervention messages on sexually transmitted infections was lowest among men frequenting brothels (58%), and highest among men soliciting less visible sex workers (70%). Exposure had significant impact on consistent condom use, including among clients of home-based sex workers (ATT 21%; p=0.001) and among men soliciting other more hidden FSW (ATT 17%; p=0.001). In Tamil Nadu no impact could be demonstrated. Commercial sex happens between two partners and both need to be, and can be, reached by intervention messages. Commercial sex is still largely unprotected and as the sex industry gets more diffuse a greater focus on reaching clients of sex workers seems important given their extensive sexual networks.

Diversity among Clients of Female Sex Workers in India: Comparing Risk Profiles and Intervention Impact by Site of Solicitation. Implications for the Vulnerability of Less Visible Female Sex Workers

PubMed Central

Suryawanshi, Dipak; Bhatnagar, Tarun; Deshpande, Sucheta; Zhou, Weiwei; Singh, Pankaj; Collumbien, Martine

2013-01-01

Background It seems generally accepted that targeted interventions in India have been successful in raising condom use between female sex workers (FSWs) and their clients. Data from clients of FSWs have been under-utilised to analyse the risk environments and vulnerability of both partners. Methods The 2009 Integrated Biological and Behavioural Assessment survey sampled clients of FSWs at hotspots in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu (n=5040). The risk profile of clients in terms of sexual networking and condom use are compared across usual pick-up place. We used propensity score matching (PSM) to estimate the average treatment effect on treated (ATT) of intervention messages on clients’ consistent condom use with FSW. Results Clients of the more hidden sex workers who solicit from home or via phone or agents had more extensive sexual networks, reporting casual female partners as well as anal intercourse with male partners and FSW. Clients of brothel-based sex workers, who were the least educated, reported the fewest number/categories of partners, least anal sex, and lowest condom use (41%). Consistent condom use varied widely by state: 65% in Andhra Pradesh, 36% in Maharashtra and 29% in Tamil Nadu. Exposure to intervention messages on sexually transmitted infections was lowest among men frequenting brothels (58%), and highest among men soliciting less visible sex workers (70%). Exposure had significant impact on consistent condom use, including among clients of home-based sex workers (ATT 21%; p=0.001) and among men soliciting other more hidden FSW (ATT 17%; p=0.001). In Tamil Nadu no impact could be demonstrated. Conclusion Commercial sex happens between two partners and both need to be, and can be, reached by intervention messages. Commercial sex is still largely unprotected and as the sex industry gets more diffuse a greater focus on reaching clients of sex workers seems important given their extensive sexual networks. PMID:24023877

Differences in willingness to pay for an extraction, a filling, and cleaning teeth at various levels of oral health-related quality of life, as measured by oral impacts on daily performance, among older adults in Singapore.

PubMed

Nair, Rahul; Yee, Robert

2016-12-01

To examine the differences in Willingness to pay (WTP) for an extraction, a filling, and cleaning of teeth among older adults with varying levels of Oral Health-related Quality of Life (OHQoL). OHQoL has been used extensively to measure utilities as reported by individuals of interest. Currently there are no reports that examine the WTP of individuals at various levels of OHQoL. A convenience sample of adults 60 years or older were recruited. Besides other domains, questionnaires were used to assess WTP (extraction, filling, and cleaning of teeth), OHQoL (using Oral Impacts on Daily Performance-OIDP), McArthur scale, and access to care. Tamil ethnicity was related to higher WTP for an extraction (mean ratio, 1.63-3.98; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]), increase of age in years was related to lower WTP for extraction (mean ratio, 0.96-1.00 [95%CI]) and increasing OIDP score was related to lower WTP for extractions (mean ratio, 0.80-0.99 [95%CI]). Tamil ethnicity was associated with higher WTP for fillings (mean ratio, 2.69-6.44 [95%CI]); higher age in years was associated with lower WTP for fillings (mean ratio, 0.94-0.99 [95%CI]), and higher OIDP scores was trending to be associated to lower WTP for filling (mean ratio, 0.80-1.00 [95%CI]). Tamil Ethnicity was also associated with higher WTP for cleaning (mean ratio, 2.14-7.19 [95%CI]), higher age in years was also associated with cleaning (mean ratio, 0.94-0.99 [95%CI]). Individuals with higher OIDP scores tended to have lower WTP for extraction, filling and cleaning; with significant differences reported for extraction. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Global analysis of genetic variation in human arsenic (+ 3 oxidation state) methyltransferase (AS3MT)

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

Fujihara, Junko; Soejima, Mikiko; Yasuda, Toshihiro

2010-03-15

Human arsenic (+ 3 oxidation state) methyltransferase (AS3MT) is known to catalyze the methylation of arsenite. The objective of this study was to investigate the diversity of the AS3MT gene at the global level. The distribution of 18 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in AS3MT was performed in 827 individuals from 10 populations (Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Mongolian, Tibetans, Sri Lankan Tamils, Sri Lankan Sinhalese, Nepal Tamangs, Ovambo, and Ghanaian). In the African populations, the A allele in A6144T was not observed; the allele frequencies of C35587 were much lower than those in other populations; the allele frequencies of A37616 and C37950more » were relatively higher than those in other populations. Among Asian populations, Mongolians showed a different genotype distribution pattern. A lower C3963 and T6144 frequencies were observed, and, in the C37616A and T37950C polymorphism, the Mongolian population showed higher A37616 and C37950 allele frequencies than other Asian populations, similarly to the African populations. A total of 66 haplotypes were observed in the Ovambo, 48, in the Ghanaian, 99, in the Japanese, 103, in the Korean, 103, in the South Chinese, 20, in the Sri Lankan Tamil, 12, in the Sri Lankan Sinhalese, 21, in the Nepal Tamang, 50, in the Tibetan, and 45, in the Mongolian populations. The D' values between the SNP pairs were extremely high in the Sri Lankan Sinhalese population. Relatively higher D' values were observed in Mongolian and Sri Lankan Tamil populations. Network analysis showed two clusters that may have different origins, African and Asians (Chinese and/or Japanese). The present study is the first to demonstrate the existence of genetic heterogeneity in a world wide distribution of 18 SNPs in AS3MT.« less

Outbreak of scrub typhus in Puducherry & Tamil Nadu during cooler months

PubMed Central

Stephen, Selvaraj; Sangeetha, Balakrishnan; Ambroise, Stanley; Sarangapani, Kengamuthu; Gunasekaran, Dhandapany; Hanifah, Mohamed; Somasundaram, Subramanian

2015-01-01

Background & objectives: The southern part of India has witnessed an increase in scrub typhus (ST) during the past ten years. ST outbreaks occurred during winter months but at intervals of one to three years. With only a few reports of ST in Puducherry, this study was undertaken to look for the persistence of ST cases in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu in the winter months. Methods: During relatively cooler months of September, 2012 to March, 2013, a total of 45 patients with fever and clinical suspicion of ST and who provided both acute and convalescent blood samples were included. Total WBC, platelet counts, serum creatinine, liver enzymes levels and a rapid immunochromatographic test (RICT) for ST were first done. Paired serum samples were analysed by two specific tests - ST IgM and IgG ELISA- and a non-specific, but widely used Weil-Felix (WF) test. Results: Of the 45 patients, 21 adults and seven children were confirmed as ST based on clinical and laboratory findings, and positivity in specific serological test(s). Setting ST IgM and IgG ELISA as reference, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) for RICT were 91.67, 85.71 per cent; 90.48, 100 per cent; 91.67, 100 per cent and 90.48, 80.95 per cent, respectively. Similarly, for WF the values were 83.33, 75 per cent; 95.24, 100 per cent; 95.24, 100 per cent and 83.33, 70.83 per cent, respectively. Interpretation & conclusions: ST continues to persist in the cooler months in Puducherry and neighbouring Tamil Nadu with fever and myalgia as prominent features. None of the tests evaluated in this study was found to be ideal, but ST IgM/IgG ELISA was useful for batch testing and the non-specific WF test can be used in resource poor settings. PMID:26658595

Hospital and urban effluent waters as a source of accumulation of toxic metals in the sediment receiving system of the Cauvery River, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Devarajan, Naresh; Laffite, Amandine; Ngelikoto, Patience; Elongo, Vicky; Prabakar, Kandasamy; Mubedi, Josué I; Piana, Pius T M; Wildi, Walter; Poté, John

2015-09-01

Hospital and urban effluents contain a variety of toxic and/or persistent substances in a wide range of concentrations, and most of these compounds belong to the group of emerging contaminants. The release of these substances into the aquatic ecosystem can lead to the pollution of water resources and may place aquatic organisms and human health at risk. Sediments receiving untreated and urban effluent waters from the city of Tiruchirappalli in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, are analyzed for potential environmental and human health risks. The sediment samples were collected from five hospital outlet pipes (HOP) and from the Cauvery River Basin (CRB) both of which receive untreated municipal effluent waters (Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India). The samples were characterized for grain size, organic matter, toxic metals, and ecotoxicity. The results highlight the high concentration of toxic metals in HOP, reaching values (mg kg(-1)) of 1851 (Cr), 210 (Cu), 986 (Zn), 82 (Pb), and 17 (Hg). In contrast, the metal concentrations in sediments from CRB were lower than the values found in the HOP (except for Cu, Pb), with maximum values (mg kg(-1)) of 75 (Cr), 906 (Cu), 649 (Zn), 111 (Pb), and 0.99 (Hg). The metal concentrations in all sampling sites largely exceed the Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQGs) and the Probable Effect Concentration (PEC) for the Protection of Aquatic Life recommendation. The ecotoxicity test with ostracods exposed to the sediment samples presents a mortality rate ranging from 22 to 100 % (in sediments from HOP) and 18-87 % (in sediments from CRB). The results of this study show the variation of toxic metal levels as well as toxicity in sediment composition related to both the type of hospital and the sampling period. The method of elimination of hospital and urban effluents leads to the pollution of water resources and may place aquatic organisms and human health at risk.

Prediction of heavy rainfall over Chennai Metropolitan City, Tamil Nadu, India: Impact of microphysical parameterization schemes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, K. S.; Bonthu, Subbareddy; Purvaja, R.; Robin, R. S.; Kannan, B. A. M.; Ramesh, R.

2018-04-01

This study attempts to investigate the real-time prediction of a heavy rainfall event over the Chennai Metropolitan City, Tamil Nadu, India that occurred on 01 December 2015 using Advanced Research Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF-ARW) model. The study evaluates the impact of six microphysical (Lin, WSM6, Goddard, Thompson, Morrison and WDM6) parameterization schemes of the model on prediction of heavy rainfall event. In addition, model sensitivity has also been evaluated with six Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) and two Land Surface Model (LSM) schemes. Model forecast was carried out using nested domain and the impact of model horizontal grid resolutions were assessed at 9 km, 6 km and 3 km. Analysis of the synoptic features using National Center for Environmental Prediction Global Forecast System (NCEP-GFS) analysis data revealed strong upper-level divergence and high moisture content at lower level were favorable for the occurrence of heavy rainfall event over the northeast coast of Tamil Nadu. The study signified that forecasted rainfall was more sensitive to the microphysics and PBL schemes compared to the LSM schemes. The model provided better forecast of the heavy rainfall event using the logical combination of Goddard microphysics, YSU PBL and Noah LSM schemes, and it was mostly attributed to timely initiation and development of the convective system. The forecast with different horizontal resolutions using cumulus parameterization indicated that the rainfall prediction was not well represented at 9 km and 6 km. The forecast with 3 km horizontal resolution provided better prediction in terms of timely initiation and development of the event. The study highlights that forecast of heavy rainfall events using a high-resolution mesoscale model with suitable representations of physical parameterization schemes are useful for disaster management and planning to minimize the potential loss of life and property.

Organizing an NGO-Sponsored English-Medium School in South India: Lessons Learned

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibb, Gordon S.

2012-01-01

This paper describes lessons learned from the first-year education efforts of Rising Star Outreach of India, a U.S.-based nongovernmental charitable organization (NGO) working with leprosy colonies in Tamil Nadu, India. In 2008, Rising Star Outreach established a residential school to provide English-medium schooling for 180 colony children in…

How Persistent Are Grammatical Gender Effects? The Case of German and Tamil

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sedlmeier, Peter; Tipandjan, Arun; Jänchen, Anastasia

2016-01-01

Does the language we speak shape the way we think? The present research concentrated on the impact of grammatical gender on cognition and examined the persistence of the grammatical gender effect by (a) concentrating on German, a three-gendered language, for which previous results have been inconsistent, (b) statistically controlling for common…

Interactive Multimedia Instruction versus Traditional Training Programmes: Analysis of Their Effectiveness and Perception

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shanthy, T. Rajula; Thiagarajan, R.

2011-01-01

In this article, the practicability of introduction of computer multimedia as an educational tool was compared with the traditional approach for training sugarcane growers in ratoon management practices in three villages of Tamil Nadu state, India using pre-test, post-test control group experimental design. A CD-ROM was developed as a multimedia…

Combined effect of seaweed (Sargassum wightii) and Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis on the coastal mosquito,Anopheles sundaicus, in Tamil Nadu, India

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Studies were made of the extract of Sargassum wightii combined with Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) for control of the malaria vector Anopheles sundaicus. Treatment of mosquito larvae with 0.001% S. wightii extract indicated median lethal concentrations (LC50) of 88, 73, 134, 156, and...

Speaking Conflict: Ideological Barriers to Bilingual Policy Implementation in Civil War Sri Lanka

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Christina P.

2015-01-01

This article presents a holistic view of ideological barriers to bilingual policy implementation in Sri Lanka, a conflict-ridden postcolonial nation-state. I examine Sinhalese youth and adults' Tamil as a second language (TSL) learning and speaking practices across three contexts: a multilingual school, a program for government servants, and an…

Syncretism as a Creative Act of Mind: The Narratives of Children from Four Faith Communities in London

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gregory, E.; Lytra, V.; Choudhury, H.; Ilankuberan, A.; Kwapong, A.; Woodham, M.

2013-01-01

In this paper, we illustrate how young children from four faith communities (Tamil Hindu/Saiva, Bangladeshi Muslim, Polish Catholic and Ghanaian Pentecostal) new to London bring together and juxtapose an array of different languages, literacies, learning and discourse styles, communicative resources and experience to create unique personal…

From "Time Pass" to Transformative Force: School-Based Human Rights Education in Tamil Nadu, India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bajaj, Monisha

2012-01-01

This article presents data collected at the level of practice to highlight one non-governmental organization's approach to human rights education and how household-, school-, and community-level factors mediated student impact. Findings suggest that a variety of factors at the three levels contribute to the program's successful implementation in…

Tail of the Dragon: Sri Lankan Efforts to Subdue the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-05-31

will ask its outcome, not its cause.1 Seneca , A.D. 65 This stunningly beautiful island nation--formerly known as the Dominion of Ceylon--boasts a... Tragedy of Sri Lanka (1992). Finally, an excellent collection of essays published by the Brookings Institution, Creating Peace in Sri Lanka: Civil War

Fiji Hindustani. Working Papers in Linguistics, Vol. 7, No. 3, May-June 1975.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siegel, Jeffrey

More than 250,000 of Fiji's citizens are descendants of Indian indentured laborers of diverse origins. There are still distinct social groups based on language, religion, and place of origin. However, nearly all Fiji Indians speak one language called Fiji Hindustani. Other languages, such as Gujarati, Panjabi, Tamil, and Telugu, are still spoken,…

Verbs and Syntactic Frames in Children's Elicited Actions: A Comparison of Tamil- and English-Speaking Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sethuraman, Nitya; Laakso, Aarre; Smith, Linda B.

2011-01-01

We directly compare children learning argument expressing and argument dropping languages on the use of verb meaning and syntactic cues, by examining enactments of transitive and intransitive verbs given in transitive and intransitive syntactic frames. Our results show similarities in the children's knowledge: (1) Children were somewhat less…

78 FR 70278 - Automotive Trade Mission to New Delhi, Pune and Chennai, India

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-25

... companies in these sectors. The mission will visit three cities, New Delhi, Pune and Chennai, where... State of Maharashtra's second largest city after Mumbai, has been a hub for the engineering industry in... Madras, is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located on the Coromandel Coast off the...

Students Perceived Value towards Quality of Distance Education in Tamil Nadu

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeyaraj, P.; Sugumar, D.; Thandavamoorthy, K.; Xavier, S. Joseph

2014-01-01

The quality of education of any distance learning programme is maintained by various ways, such as: quality of study material, internal and external evaluation, and student support methods and so on. The above aspects should be available in aspects to the Post graduate degree students. In this research Ex Post Facto research with field survey is…

Corresponding Values and Colonising Discourses: Situating "Hindu Children" and Their Values in Relation to Hegemonic Norwegian Discourses about Religious Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicolaisen, Tove

2012-01-01

This article discusses the relationship between values expressed by "Hindu children" in Norway and hegemonic "Norwegian values". The discussion is based on interviews with children from the Indian Punjabi and the Sri Lankan Tamil traditions and on observations in religious education (RE) lessons. The children emphasise the…

Lost Opportunities: The Language Skills of Linguistic Minorities in England and Wales.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carr-Hill, Roy; Passingham, Steve; Wolf, Alison; Kent, Naomi

A study investigated the English language needs of five minority language communities in England (Bengali, Gujerati, Punjabi Urdu, Punjabi Gurmukhi, Chinese) and four refugee groups (Bosnians, Kurds, Somalis, Tamils). Data were gathered from 997 individuals in the language groups and 176 in the refugee groups using a test of listening, reading,…

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam, Aum Shinrikyo, Al Qaeda, and the Syrian Crisis: Nonstate Actors Acquiring WMD

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-01

Qaeda’s Tactics and Targets (Alexandria, VA: Tempest Publishing, 2003), 52; Jason Burke, Al-Qa’ida Casting a Shadow of Terror (London: I.B. Tauris...Aimee Ibrahim. The al-Qaeda Theat: An Analytical Guide to al Qaeda’s Tactics and Targets. Alexandria, VA: Tempest Publishing, 2003. Warrick, Joby

Improving Student Learning via Mobile Phone Video Content: Evidence from the BridgeIT India Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wennersten, Matthew; Quraishy, Zubeeda Banu; Velamuri, Malathi

2015-01-01

Past efforts invested in computer-based education technology interventions have generated little evidence of affordable success at scale. This paper presents the results of a mobile phone-based intervention conducted in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in 2012-13. The BridgeIT project provided a pool of audio-visual learning…

Weaving Indigenous Agricultural Knowledge with Formal Education to Enhance Community Food Security: School Competition as a Pedagogical Space in Rural Anchetty, India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shukla, Shailesh; Barkman, Janna; Patel, Kirit

2017-01-01

Like many socially and economically disadvantaged farming communities around the world, the Anchetty region of Tamil Nadu, India, has been experiencing serious food security challenges mainly due to the loss of traditional foods such as small millets and associated crops (SMAC) and associated indigenous agricultural knowledge (IAK). Drawing on…

Typical School Day Experiences of Indian Children in Different Contexts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaya, N.; Malar, G.

2003-01-01

Notes that India has experienced conditions that have lead to significant illiteracy, but that commitment to education can be found in lesser-known parts of India today. Profiles three schools in Tamil Nadu and describes a typical school day for a student with special needs, a student in a tribal setting, and a student in a rural setting. (TJQ)

Similarities of L1 (Mother Tongue) in Terms of Grammar and Language Structure in Translation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Subramaniam, Vijayaletchumy

2011-01-01

Malaysian philosophy, purpose and objective of the education system are rooted and based on policies stated in the National Education Policy 1956 and Education Act 1961. Whereas the Education Ordinance 1952 urged all Chinese and Tamil schools to be given an equal opportunity to learn English and Malay language together with their L1 (mother…

Assessing Perceived Credibility of Web Sites in a Terrorism Context: The PFLP, Tamil Tigers, Hamas, and Hezbollah

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spinks, Brandon Todd

2009-01-01

The purpose of the study was to contribute to the overall understanding of terrorist organizations' use of the Internet and to increase researchers' knowledge of Web site effectiveness. The methodological approach was evaluation of the perceived credibility of Web sites based on existing criteria derived from information users. The Web sites of…

The Actions of Headmasters and Headmistresses in Fostering Parent & Family Involvement in Low-Income Schools in Tamil Nadu, India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shekar, Anupama

2013-01-01

Decades of research has examined the contribution of parent involvement to children's educational outcomes. Research has also attempted to identify meaningful involvement practices, taking place at home or in school and, as a result, measuring its effects on school, school staff and parents themselves. Despite the extensive research base, very…

Indian Women and Television. A Study on the Women Viewers of Madras, India.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krishnaswamy, Chitra

This study was conducted to determine how women in the Indian State of Tamil Nadu--where both regional and national network television are available for viewing--perceive the role of television in helping the cause of women. A television content analysis was done for two subsequent weeks, focusing on the portrayal of women in the programs, and the…

Knowledge, Stigma, and Behavioral Outcomes among Antiretroviral Therapy Patients Exposed to Nalamdana's Radio and Theater Program in Tamil Nadu, India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nambiar, Devaki; Ramakrishnan, Vimala; Kumar, Paresh; Varma, Rajeev; Balaji, Nithya; Rajendran, Jeeva; Jhona, Loretta; Chandrasekar, Chokkalingam; Gere, David

2011-01-01

Arts-based programs have improved HIV-related knowledge, attitudes, and behavior in general and at-risk populations. With HIV transformed into a chronic condition, this study compares patients at consecutive stages of receiving antiretroviral treatment, coinciding with exposure to a radio-and-theater-based educational program (unexposed [N = 120],…

A Uniform Approach to National Suicide Bomber Incident Response and Recovery

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

33 D. ELEMENTS OF MOTIVATION.................................................................35 E. THE TAMIL TIGER INFLUENCE...34 Ibid., 11. 35 Ibid., 8-12. 12 support of common objectives. Use of the Incident Command System (ICS) is an important element across multi... elements : • Initial strategic focus: to drive overt and covert United States forces from Muslim lands in the Near and Middle East. Covert American

Two Sides of the Same Coin or Different Coins Altogether Counterinsurgency from Indigenous Government and Occupier Perspectives

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-01

India in the distant past. It does not mean the erroneous Nazi theory of a non- Jewish Caucasian, especially of Nordic type, held to be part of the...Sinhalese and Tamils were exposed to each other’s languages in national insignia , currency, postage stamps, road signs, and official documents as well as

Spatial and Temporal Variation of Meteorological Drought in the Parambikulam-Aliyar Basin, Tamil Nadu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manikandan, M.; Tamilmani, D.

2015-09-01

The present study aims to investigate the spatial and temporal variation of meteorological drought in the Parambikulam-Aliyar basin, Tamil Nadu using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) as an indicator of drought severity. The basin was divided into 97 grid-cells of 5 × 5 km with each grid correspondence to approximately 1.03 % of total area. Monthly rainfall data for the period of 40 years (1972-2011) from 28 rain gauge stations in the basin was spatially interpolated and gridded monthly rainfall was created. Regional representative of SPI values calculated from mean areal rainfall were used to analyse the temporal variation of drought at multiple time scales. Spatial variation of drought was analysed based on highest drought severity derived from the monthly gridded SPI values. Frequency analyse was applied to assess the recurrence pattern of drought severity. The temporal analysis of SPI indicated that moderate, severe and extreme droughts are common in the basin and spatial analysis of drought severity identified the areas most frequently affected by drought. The results of this study can be used for developing drought preparedness plan and formulating mitigation strategies for sustainable water resource management within the basin.

Prevalence and Predictors of Self-Reported Consistent Condom Usage among Male Clients of Female Sex Workers in Tamil Nadu, India

PubMed Central

Charles, Bimal; Sam, Asirvatham Edwin

2014-01-01

Clients of female sex workers (FSWs) possess a high potential of transmitting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections from high risk FSWs to the general population. Promotion of safer sex practices among the clients is essential to limit the spread of HIV/AIDS epidemic. The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence of consistent condom use (CCU) among clients of FSWs and to assess the factors associated with CCU in Tamil Nadu. 146 male respondents were recruited from the hotspots who reportedly had sex with FSWs in exchange for cash at least once in the past one month. Data were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate methods. Overall, 48.6 and 0.8 percent clients consistently used condoms in the past 12 months with FSWs and regular partners, respectively. Logistic regression showed that factors such as education, peers' use of condoms, and alcohol consumption significantly influenced clients' CCU with FSWs. Strategies for safe sex-behaviour are needed among clients of FSWs in order to limit the spread of HIV/AIDS epidemic in the general population. The role of peer-educators in experience sharing and awareness generation must also be emphasized. PMID:26316978

Mitigation of non-point source of fluoride on groundwater by dug well recharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganesan, G.; Lakshmanan, E.

2017-12-01

Groundwater used for drinking purpose is affected in many regions due to the presence of excess fluoride. The excess intake of fluoride through drinking water causes fluorosis to human in many states of India, including Tamil Nadu. The present study was carried out with the objective of assessing hydrogeochemistry of groundwater and the feasibility of dug well recharge to reduce the fluoride concentration in Vaniyar river basin, Tamil Nadu, India. The major source for fluoride in groundwater of this area is the epidote hornblende gneissic and charnockite which are the major rocks occurring in this region. As a pilot study a cost effective induced recharge structure was constructed at Papichettipatty village in the study region. The study shows that the groundwater level around the recharge site raised up to 2 m from 14.5 m (bgl) and fluoride concentration has decreased from 3.8 mg/l to 0.9 mg/l due to dilution. The advantage of this induced recharge structure is of its low cost, the ease of implementation, improved groundwater recharge and dilution of fluoride in groundwater. An area of about 1.5 km2 has benefited due to this dug well recharge system.

Ethnoveterinary medicine of the Shervaroy Hills of Eastern Ghats, India as alternative medicine for animals.

PubMed

Usha, Swaminathan; Rajasekaran, Chandrasekaran; Siva, Ramamoorthy

2016-01-01

The Eastern Ghats of India is well known for its wealth of natural vegetation and Shervaroy is a major hill range of the Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu. Ethnomedicinal studies in the Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu or the Shervaroy Hills have been carried out by various researchers. However, there is not much information available on ethnoveterinary medicine in the Eastern Ghats of India. The aim of this study was to examine the potential use of folk plants as alternative medicine for cattle to cure various diseases in the Shervaroy Hills of the Eastern Ghats. Based on interactions with traditional medicine practitioners, it has been observed that a total of 21 medicinal plants belonging to 16 families are used to cure various diseases such as mastitis, enteritis, arthritis, stomatitis, salivation from the mouth, wounding, and conjunctivitis in animals. It has been observed that the traditional knowledge of ethnoveterinary medicine is now confined only among the surviving older people and a few practitioners in the tribal communities of the Shervaroy Hills. Unfortunately, no serious attempts have been made to document and preserve this immense treasure of traditional knowledge.

Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Regional Study: Tamil Nadu

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

Cochran, Jaquelin M; Palchak, Joseph D; Ehlen, Annaliese K

This chapter on Tamil Nadu is one of six state chapters included in Appendix C of 'Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Vol. II - Regional Study' (the Regional Study). The objective of the state chapters is to provide modeling assumptions, results, and next steps to use and improve the model specific to each state. The model has inherent uncertainties, particularly in how the intrastate transmission network and RE generation projects will develop (e.g., locations, capacities). The model also does not include information on contracts or must-run status of particular plantsmore » for reliability purposes. By providing details on the higher spatial resolution model of 'Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Vol. II - Regional Study' (the Regional Study), which better represents the impact of congestion on least-cost scheduling and dispatch, provides a deeper understanding of the relationship among renewable energy (RE) location, transmission, and system flexibility with regard to RE integration, compared to 'Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Vol. I - National Study.'« less

A community health programme in rural Tamil Nadu, India: the need for gender justice for women.

PubMed

Jacob, Mini Elizabeth; Abraham, Sulochana; Surya, Susila; Minz, Shantidani; Singh, Daisy; Abraham, Vinod Joseph; Prasad, Jasmin; George, Kuryan; Kuruvilla, Anju; Jacob, K S

2006-05-01

This article highlights the efforts of the Community Health and Development (CHAD) Programme of Christian Medical College to address the issues of gender discrimination and improve the status of women in the Kaniyambadi Block, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. The many schemes that are specifically for women and general projects for the community from which women can also benefit represent a multi-pronged approach whose aim is the improvement of women's health, education and employment in the context of community development. However, despite five decades of work with a clear bias in favour of women, the improvement in health and the empowerment of women has lagged behind that achieved by men. We believe this is because the community, with its strong male bias, utilises the health facilities and education and employment programmes more for the benefit of men and boys than women and girls. The article argues for a change of approach, in which gender and women's issues are openly discussed and debated with the community. It would appear that nothing short of social change will bring about an improvement in the health of women and a semblance of gender equality in the region.

Groundwater quality and its suitability for domestic and agricultural use in Tondiar river basin, Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Ramesh, K; Elango, L

2012-06-01

Assessment of suitability of groundwater for domestic and agricultural purposes was carried out in Tondiar river basin, Tamil Nadu, India. The study area covers an area of 315 km(2) and lies in a semiarid region. Groundwater is the major source for domestic and agricultural activity in this area. Groundwater samples were collected from 45 wells during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon period in the year 2006. The water samples were analysed for physical and chemical characteristics. Suitability of groundwater for irrigation was evaluated based on salinity hazard, sodium percent, sodium adsorption ratio, residual sodium carbonate, US salinity diagram, Wilcox's diagram, Kelly's ratio and permeability index. Ca-HCO(3), mixed Ca-Mg-Cl and Na-Cl were the dominant groundwater types. High hardness and electrical conductivity in this area makes the groundwater unsuitable for drinking and agricultural purposes. Concentration of trace elements (Mn, Cu, Zn, Pb and Ni) did not exceed the permissible limit for drinking and agricultural purposes. Majority of the groundwater samples were unsuitable for domestic and agricultural purposes except for 31% and 36%, which were suitable for drinking and irrigation purposes, respectively.

Measurement of natural radioactivity in building materials of Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India using gamma-ray spectrometry.

PubMed

Ravisankar, R; Vanasundari, K; Chandrasekaran, A; Rajalakshmi, A; Suganya, M; Vijayagopal, P; Meenakshisundaram, V

2012-04-01

The natural level of radioactivity in building materials is one of the major causes of external exposure to γ-rays. The primordial radionuclides in building materials are one of the sources of radiation hazard in dwellings made of these materials. By the determination of the radioactivity level in building materials, the indoor radiological hazard to human health can be assessed. This is an important precautionary measure whenever the dose rate is found to be above the recommended limits. The aim of this work was to measure the specific activity concentration of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in commonly used building materials from Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India, using gamma-ray spectrometer. The radiation hazard due to the total natural radioactivity in the studied building materials was estimated by different approaches. The concentrations of the natural radionuclides and the radium equivalent activity in studied samples were compared with the corresponding results of different countries. From the analysis, it is found that these materials may be safely used as construction materials and do not pose significant radiation hazards. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.

Limits to Self-Organising Systems of Learning--The Kalikuppam Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitra, Sugata; Dangwal, Ritu

2010-01-01

What and how much can children learn without subject teachers? In an attempt to find a limit to self organized learning, we explored the capacity of 10-14 year old Tamil-speaking children in a remote Indian village to learn basic molecular biology, initially on their own with a Hole-in-the-Wall public computer facility, and later with the help of…

Impact of Education Campaign on Community-Based Vector Control in Hastening the Process of Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis in Tamil Nadu, South India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nandha, B.; Krishnamoorthy, K.

2012-01-01

Globally mosquito-borne lymphatic filariasis (LF) is targeted for elimination by 2020. Towards this goal, the scope of community-based vector control as a supplementary strategy to mass drug administration (MDA) was assessed through an intensive education campaign and evaluated using pre- and post-educational surveys in an intervention and…

Bridging Faith, Languages and Learning in London: A Faith Teacher Reflects upon Pedagogy in Religious Instruction Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lytra, Vally; Gregory, Eve; Ilankuberan, Arani

2016-01-01

In this article, we examine a faith teacher's reflections on faith literacy teaching and learning and how they shaped his pedagogy in the context of Hindu/Saiva religious instruction classes for students of Sri Lankan Tamil heritage. The data are part of a larger multi-site three-year team ethnography of children's faith literacy learning in…

The Maintenance of Sri Lankan Languages in Australia--Comparing the Experience of the Sinhalese and Tamils in the Homeland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perera, Nirukshi

2015-01-01

In the study of language maintenance and shift for migrant groups in Australia, scholars have tended to focus on how personal factors or aspects of life in the host society shape language maintenance patterns. In this study, I explore how factors originating in the homeland affect language maintenance for Sri Lankan migrants in Australia. The aim…

Growing Pains: The Impact of Disaster-Related and Daily Stressors on the Psychological and Psychosocial Functioning of Youth in Sri Lanka

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernando, Gaithri A.; Miller, Kenneth E.; Berger, Dale E.

2010-01-01

Daily stressors may mediate the relation between exposure to disaster-related stressors and psychological and psychosocial distress among youth in disaster-affected countries. A sample of 427 Sri Lankan Sinhalese, Tamil, and Muslim youth (mean age = 14.5) completed a survey with measures of exposure to disaster-related stressors and daily…

The Status of Information and Communication Technology in a Coastal Village: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Govindaraju, P.; Mabel, M. Maani

2010-01-01

Kovalam is one of the coastal villages in Southern Tamil Nadu, India, and the principal livelihood of the villagers is fishing. The village is equipped with a VKC (Village Knowledge Center), initiated by the local Parish Council, to serve the people with the e-governance, e-agriculture, eeducation, e-health and other services at free of cost. This…

Utilization of Social Media Platforms for Educational Purposes among the Faculty of Higher Education with Special Reference to Tamil Nadu

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vivakaran, Mangala Vadivu; Neelamalar, M.

2018-01-01

Social media tools are observed to play a vital role in the renovation of the conventional teaching and learning practices across the globe. Though primarily developed for online social communication, social media platforms tend to possess suitable tools that can be used for instructional purposes in order to initiate active learning among…

Developing Strategic Leaders for the War After Next

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-13

communication (via the internet) have intensified trans-border relations, leading to social and political mobilizations beyond traditional geographical and...think and act. This type of experience can best be learned by focused study, actual experience in a global environment (governmental, social , or...the country: Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi, and Bengali. It is much the same for China with four major sub- languages: Mandarin, Cantonese

Agency perspectives on transition to participatory forest management: a case study from Tamil Nadu, India

Treesearch

Jagannadha Matta; Janaki Alavalapati; John Kerr; Evan Mercer

2005-01-01

India’s Joint Forest Management (JFM) policy, in which government forest agencies and local communities jointly manage forests, has been touted as a successful strategy in helping both forests and people. Its efficacy in the field, however, is uneven. Although government forest departments are charged with implementing JFM, very little is known about their perspectives...

Mid Holocene Evidence of High Energy Events in the Geological Record: Sedimentary Deposits from Cauvery Delta Coast, SE Coast of India.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karthikeyan, A.; Seshachalam, S.; Jonathan, M. P.; Roy, P. D.

2014-12-01

The Cauvery Basin is one of the important sedimentary basins of southern India and provides information on geological processes since the Cretaceous. Most of the studies in the basin have been carried out on the sediments representing Cretaceous with less emphasis on the Quaternary period with marine high energy event. In the present study, we present the sedimentological and micro fauna assemblages in the 150 cm long trench from the Kameshwaram village, Nagapattinam District, South East Coast of India, in order to reconstruct the past event. OSL and Carbon dating of sand layer sediments from the Cauvery Basin provide the first proxy-record of marine event from the region over the Mid Holocene. A multi proxy approach using trench sediments from Cauvery Delta Coast, East coast of Tamil Nadu provides a high resolution record of high energy event. The dating of the event layer indicates 6 and 8 kyrs also below the layer shell layer was preserved, the radio carbon date of the shell layer was 6545 BC. A combination of sedimentological parameters of grain size, sorting, geochemical analysis (XRF) of Fe, Mn, Ti, Cr, Cu, Ni, Sr, Zr and foraminifera species like Ammonia beccarri, Ammonia dentate and Asterorotalia trispinosa were identified. The sediment layers have thinning-up sequences and it starts from 130 cm to the bottom of the layer 150 cm which included shell debris, and rip-up clasts. In addition, characteristic variations in elemental content at the bottom units of Zr, Ti, Ca is showing higher concentration, which is an indicator of high-energy depositional event often associated with an increase in Ti (2.08 % to 16.016 %) and Sr (116 ppm to 275 ppm). Ca on the other hand suggests a marine influence and Fe, Mn, Cr, Ni values are showing lower concentration indicating that the high marine energy event had inundated the Nagapattinam district in SE coast of India. Based on the multiproxy evidences, we conclude that this could be a major marine event during the Mid Holocene period in this region, which is being studied in detail in other parts of the coastal region in SE coast of India.

Empowering the people: Development of an HIV peer education model for low literacy rural communities in India

PubMed Central

Van Rompay, Koen KA; Madhivanan, Purnima; Rafiq, Mirriam; Krupp, Karl; Chakrapani, Venkatesan; Selvam, Durai

2008-01-01

Background Despite ample evidence that HIV has entered the general population, most HIV awareness programs in India continue to neglect rural areas. Low HIV awareness and high stigma, fueled by low literacy, seasonal migration, gender inequity, spatial dispersion, and cultural taboos pose extra challenges to implement much-needed HIV education programs in rural areas. This paper describes a peer education model developed to educate and empower low-literacy communities in the rural district of Perambalur (Tamil Nadu, India). Methods From January to December 2005, six non-governmental organizations (NGO's) with good community rapport collaborated to build and pilot-test an HIV peer education model for rural communities. The program used participatory methods to train 20 NGO field staff (Outreach Workers), 102 women's self-help group (SHG) leaders, and 52 barbers to become peer educators. Cartoon-based educational materials were developed for low-literacy populations to convey simple, comprehensive messages on HIV transmission, prevention, support and care. In addition, street theatre cultural programs highlighted issues related to HIV and stigma in the community. Results The program is estimated to have reached over 30 000 villagers in the district through 2051 interactive HIV awareness programs and one-on-one communication. Outreach workers (OWs) and peer educators distributed approximately 62 000 educational materials and 69 000 condoms, and also referred approximately 2844 people for services including voluntary counselling and testing (VCT), care and support for HIV, and diagnosis and treatment of sexually-transmitted infections (STI). At least 118 individuals were newly diagnosed as persons living with HIV (PLHIV); 129 PLHIV were referred to the Government Hospital for Thoracic Medicine (in Tambaram) for extra medical support. Focus group discussions indicate that the program was well received in the communities, led to improved health awareness, and also provided the peer educators with increased social status. Conclusion Using established networks (such as community-based organizations already working on empowerment of women) and training women's SHG leaders and barbers as peer educators is an effective and culturally appropriate way to disseminate comprehensive information on HIV/AIDS to low-literacy communities. Similar models for reaching and empowering vulnerable populations should be expanded to other rural areas. PMID:18423006

Enacting English Language Ownership in the Outer Circle: A Study of Singaporean Indians' Orientations to English Norms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rubdy, Rani; Mckay, Sandra Lee; Alsagoff, Lubna; Bokhorst-Heng, Wendy D.

2008-01-01

Singapore is unique in that it has not only embraced English as one of its official languages, but has made the language of its colonizers the "de facto" working language of the nation and the sole medium of instruction in all its schools, while assigning its other three official languages, Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil, an L2 status in the…

Bridging the Gap: Prospects for Reform and Reconciliation in Post-Conflict Sri Lanka

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

Province governor’s post , held by an ex -military officer, with a civilian administrator. The international community, along with the Tamil political...GAP: PROSPECTS FOR REFORM AND RECONCILIATION IN POST -CONFLICT SRI LANKA by Chaminda Arjuna Bandara Tennakoon December 2016 Thesis Advisor...RECONCILIATION IN POST -CONFLICT SRI LANKA 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6. AUTHOR(S) Chaminda Arjuna Bandara Tennakoon 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS

Looking Up: Conditions for Insurgent Airpower in Unconventional Warfare

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

development of insurgent air capabilities, it does not expound on the idea. This study examines the conditions needed to build an insurgent air...of UW, insurgencies, and air operations, the study forms theorized conditions and employment imperatives for insurgent air. It then tests these...theorized conditions and imperatives against two historic case studies , Hmong pilots in Laos and the Tamil Air Tigers in Sri Lanka. This study concludes

Violent Systems: Defeating Terrorists, Insurgents, and Other Non-State Adversaries

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-03-01

LTTE must be proactive in dealing with donor organizations in the Tamil Diaspora, whereas it takes a defensive, or even reactive, approach to...processing system that influence action, be they conscious or not, be they rational or not, be they distributed across an organization or not. They must...heuristics and biases, ecological rationality, fast and frugal heuristics, metaphor and analogy, the storytelling mind, “hot” emotional cognition

The Effective Use of Elements of National Power in Counterinsurgency: A Study on the Lessons from Sri Lanka 1983-2004 and 2005-2009

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-10

book by Asoka Bandarage titled, The Separatist Conflict in Sri Lanka: Terrorism, Ethnicity, Political Economy examined the conflict in Sri Lanka...population, including the Tamil Diaspora, 23 Asoka Bandarage, The Separatist Conflict in Sri Lanka...Books Bandarage, Asoka . The Separatist Conflict in Sri Lanka: Terrorism, Ethnicity, Political Economy. New York: IUniverse, Inc., 2009. Books LLC

Direct Torque Control of a Three-Phase Voltage Source Inverter-Fed Induction Machine

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-01

factors, FOC acquires all advantages of DC machine control and frees itself from the mechanical commutation drawbacks. Furthermore, FOC leads to high...of three-phase induction motor using microcontroller,” S.R.M Engineering College, Tamil Nadu, India , June/July 2006. [5] Texas Instruments Europe...loop. Direct flux control is possible through the constant magnetic field orientation achieved through commutator action. These two primary factors

No CAG repeat expansion of polymerase gamma is associated with male infertility in Tamil Nadu, South India

PubMed Central

Poongothai, J.

2013-01-01

Mitochondria contains a single deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) polymerase, polymerase gamma (POLG) mapped to long arm of chromosome 15 (15q25), responsible for replication and repair of mitochondrial DNA. Exon 1 of the human POLG contains CAG trinucleotide repeat, which codes for polyglutamate. Ten copies of CAG repeat were found to be uniformly high (0.88) in different ethnic groups and considered as the common allele, whereas the mutant alleles (not -10/not -10 CAG repeats) were found to be associated with oligospermia/oligoasthenospermia in male infertility. Recent data suggested the implication of POLG CAG repeat expansion in infertility, but are debated. The aim of our study was to explore whether the not -10/not -10 variant is associated with spermatogenic failure. As few study on Indian population have been conducted so far to support this view, we investigated the distribution of the POLG CAG repeats in 61 infertile men and 60 normozoospermic control Indian men of Tamil Nadu, from the same ethnic background. This analysis interestingly revealed that the homozygous wild type genotype (10/-10) was common in infertile men (77% - 47/61) and in normozoospermic control men (71.7% - 43/60). Our study failed to confirm any influence of the POLG gene polymorphism on the efficiency of the spermatogenesis. PMID:24339545

Factors associated with high stress levels in adults with diabetes mellitus attending a tertiary diabetes care center, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

PubMed Central

Sendhilkumar, Muthappan; Tripathy, Jaya Prasad; Harries, Anthony D.; Dongre, Amol R.; Deepa, Mohan; Vidyulatha, Ashok; Poongothai, Subramanian; Venkatesan, Ulaganathan; Anjana, Ranjit Mohan; Mohan, Viswanathan

2017-01-01

Objective: We aimed to determine perceived stress levels among adults aged >20 years with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) in a tertiary care diabetes center, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, assess their association with sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and assess the possible risk factors for stress and coping strategies. Methods: A mixed-methods (triangulation design) study with quantitative methodology (survey) and qualitative methodology (interviews) was carried out. Stress levels were assessed among type 2 DM patients attending a diabetes clinic using a 5-point perceived stress scale-10. One-on-one interviews were carried out with 376 participants with DM having high/very high stress levels to understand the reasons for perceived stress and explore their coping mechanisms. Results: The prevalence of high/very high stress was 35% among DM patients. Age 30–40 years, working in professional jobs, and lack of physical activity were factors significantly associated with stress. The perceived major stress inducers were related to family, work, financial issues, and the disease itself. Conclusions: This study showed high levels of stress in more than one-third of DM patients. Potential solutions include regular, formal assessment of stress levels in the clinic, providing integrated counseling and psychological care for DM patients, and promoting physical activity. PMID:28217499

Prevalence of Amblyomma gervaisi ticks on captive snakes in Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Catherine, B R; Jayathangaraj, M G; Soundararajan, C; Bala Guru, C; Yogaraj, D

2017-12-01

Ticks are the important ectoparasites that occur on snakes and transmit rickettsiosis, anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis. A total of 62 snakes (Reticulated python, Indian Rock Python, Rat snakes and Spectacled cobra) were examined for tick infestation at Chennai Snake Park Trust (Guindy), Arignar Anna Zoological Park (Vandalur) and Rescue centre (Velachery) in Tamil Nadu from September, 2015 to June, 2016. Ticks from infested snakes were collected and were identified as Amblyomma gervaisi (previously known as Aponomma gervaisi ). Overall occurrence of tick infestation on snakes was 66.13%. Highest prevalence of tick infestation was observed more on Reticulated Python ( Python reticulatus , 90.91%) followed by Indian Rock Python ( Python molurus , 88.89%), Spectacled cobra ( Naja naja, 33.33%) and Rat snake ( Ptyas mucosa, 21.05%). Highest prevalence of ticks were observed on snakes reared at Chennai Snake Park Trust, Guindy (83.33%), followed by Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Vandalur (60.00%) and low level prevalence of 37.50% on snakes at Rescue centre, Velachery. Among the system of management, the prevalence of ticks were more on captive snakes (70.37%) than the free ranging snakes (37.5%). The presences of ticks were more on the first quarter when compared to other three quarters and were highly significant ( P  ≤ 0.01).

Drainage morphometric analysis for assessing form and processes of the watersheds of Pachamalai hills and its adjoinings, Central Tamil Nadu, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prabhakaran, A.; Jawahar Raj, N.

2018-03-01

The present study attempts to understand the form and geomorphic/hydrologic processes of the 20 watersheds of the Pachamalai hills and its adjoinings located in Tamil Nadu State of southern India from the analysis of its drainage morphometric characteristics. Survey of India's topographic sheets of 1:50,000 is the data source from which stream networks and watersheds of the study area were demarcated followed by the analysis of their morphometric characteristics using ArcGIS software. The results of the analysis formed the basis for deducing the form and processes of the watersheds of the study area. The form of the watersheds inferred from the analysis includes shape, length, slope steepness and length, degree of branching of streams, dissection and elongation of watersheds. The geomorphic/hydrologic processes inferred include denudation rate, potential energy, intensity of erosion, mean annual run off, mean discharge, discharge rate, rock resistivity and infiltration potential, amount of sediment transported, mean annual rainfall, rainfall intensity, lagtime, flash flood potential, flood discharge per unit area, sediment yield and speed of the water flow in the streams. The understanding of variations of form and processes mentioned can be used towards prioritizing the watersheds for development, management and conservation planning.

Loss to follow-up among children in pre-ART care under the National AIDS Programme, Tamil Nadu, South India

PubMed Central

Kumar, A. M. V.; Chinnakali, P.; Rajendran, M.; Valan, A. S.; Rewari, B. B.; Swaminathan, S.

2017-01-01

Setting: Children aged <15 years constitute 7% of all people living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in India. A previous study from an antiretroviral therapy (ART) centre in south India reported 82% loss to follow-up (LTFU) among children in pre-ART care (2006–2011). Objective: To assess the proportion of LTFU within 1 year of registration among HIV-infected children (aged < 15 years) registered in all 43 ART centres in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, during the year 2012. Design: This was a retrospective cohort study involving a review of programme records. Results: Of 656 children registered for HIV care, 20 (3%) were not assessed for ART eligibility. Of those remaining, 226 (36%) were not ART eligible and entered pre-ART care. Among these, at 1 year of registration, 50 (22%) were LTFU, 40 (18%) were transferred out and 136 (60%) were retained in care at the same centre. The child's age, sex, World Health Organization stage or occurrence of opportunistic infection were not associated with LTFU. Conclusion: One in five children registered under pre-ART care were lost to follow-up. Stronger measures to prevent LTFU and reinforce retrieval actions are necessary in the existing National HIV Programme. PMID:28695080

Coenurus cerebralis and its pathology in an organized farm of Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Soundararajan, C; Sivakumar, T; Balachandran, C

2017-06-01

Coenurosis is a disease of the central nervous system in sheep. A survey was carried out to assess the occurrence of Coenurus cerebralis in Madras red sheep. A prevalence rate of 12.30 % observed when 122 slaughtered Madras red sheep were examined in an organized farm during 2002 to 2007 at Livestock Research Station, Kattupakkam, Tamil Nadu, India. The skulls of the animals were opened to know the prevalence of Coenurus cyst in the brain. Out of 12.30 %, only 3.28 % sheep showed clinical signs while the remaining were apparently healthy (9.02 %). C. cerebralis cysts were observed in cerebrum, cerebellum and on spinal cord, averaging 66.67, 26.67 and 6.66 %, respectively. Among different age groups of sheep, highest infection rate was observed in rams (20.69 %) followed by ewes (10.00 %), young males (9.09 %) and young females (8.33 %). Males (17.50 %, 7/40) were more infected compared to the female sheep (9.76 %, 8/82). Grossly, ventral cerebrum was congested and depression in sulci was noticed. Posterior portion of the skull showed severe congestion and haemorrhage. Severe congestion was also noticed on the gyri of right cerebral hemisphere.

Genetic variation of coat protein gene among the isolates of Rice tungro spherical virus from tungro-endemic states of the India.

PubMed

Mangrauthia, Satendra K; Malathi, P; Agarwal, Surekha; Ramkumar, G; Krishnaveni, D; Neeraja, C N; Madhav, M Sheshu; Ladhalakshmi, D; Balachandran, S M; Viraktamath, B C

2012-06-01

Rice tungro disease, one of the major constraints to rice production in South and Southeast Asia, is caused by a combination of two viruses: Rice tungro spherical virus (RTSV) and Rice tungro bacilliform virus (RTBV). The present study was undertaken to determine the genetic variation of RTSV population present in tungro endemic states of Indian subcontinent. Phylogenetic analysis based on coat protein sequences showed distinct divergence of Indian RTSV isolates into two groups; one consisted isolates from Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh), Cuttack (Orissa), and Puducherry and another from West Bengal, Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu), and Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu). The results obtained from phylogenetic study were further supported with the SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphism), INDELs (insertion and deletion) and evolutionary distance analysis. In addition, sequence difference count matrix revealed 2-68 nucleotides differences among all the Indian RTSV isolates taken in this study. However, at the protein level these differences were not significant as revealed by Ka/Ks ratio calculation. Sequence identity at nucleotide and amino acid level was 92-100% and 97-100%, respectively, among Indian isolates of RTSV. Understanding of the population structure of RTSV from tungro endemic regions of India would potentially provide insights into the molecular diversification of this virus.

Loss to follow-up among children in pre-ART care under the National AIDS Programme, Tamil Nadu, South India.

PubMed

Devi, N P; Kumar, A M V; Chinnakali, P; Rajendran, M; Valan, A S; Rewari, B B; Swaminathan, S

2017-06-21

Setting: Children aged <15 years constitute 7% of all people living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in India. A previous study from an antiretroviral therapy (ART) centre in south India reported 82% loss to follow-up (LTFU) among children in pre-ART care (2006-2011). Objective: To assess the proportion of LTFU within 1 year of registration among HIV-infected children (aged < 15 years) registered in all 43 ART centres in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, during the year 2012. Design: This was a retrospective cohort study involving a review of programme records. Results: Of 656 children registered for HIV care, 20 (3%) were not assessed for ART eligibility. Of those remaining, 226 (36%) were not ART eligible and entered pre-ART care. Among these, at 1 year of registration, 50 (22%) were LTFU, 40 (18%) were transferred out and 136 (60%) were retained in care at the same centre. The child's age, sex, World Health Organization stage or occurrence of opportunistic infection were not associated with LTFU. Conclusion: One in five children registered under pre-ART care were lost to follow-up. Stronger measures to prevent LTFU and reinforce retrieval actions are necessary in the existing National HIV Programme.

Cross-cultural adaptation of Jefferson scale of empathy-health professions students version: An experience with developing the Tamil translation.

PubMed

Jeyashree, Kathiresan; Kathirvel, Soundappan; Prathibha, Muthu K

2017-01-01

Empathy is a key cognitive attribute among healthcare professionals that fosters better patient- healthcare provider relationships. The Jefferson scale of empathy (JSE) measures self-rated empathy among various groups of healthcare professionals-health professionals, medical students and health professions students (HPS). The authors present the experience in translating the JSE-HPS version into an Indian regional language with insights into the issues faced in every step. With official permission from the Thomas Jefferson University, the authors embarked on the translation proceeding through forward translation (three rounds of modification), back translation (two independent translates), and synthesis of a final translated version. While targeting literary accuracy, the simplicity and comprehensibility of the instrument by the study population were also ensured. Variations in regional dialects and accents across the population were considered. The back-translated version was evaluated for semantic, content, cultural, and technical equivalence. It was then pretested on ten students followed by a group discussion with them to ensure the comprehensibility of the tool and the differences between written and spoken language were addressed through necessary modifications. The Tamil translation of the HPS version of JSE is now approved by and officially available with the Thomas Jefferson University.

Burden, distribution and impact of domestic accidents in a semi-urban area of coastal Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Stalin, P; Senthilvel, V; Kanimozhy, K; Singh, Zile; Rajkamal, R; Purty, Anil J

2015-01-01

The objectives of this study are to determine the prevalence of domestic accidents, describe the factors associated with domestic accidents and assess the medical and economical consequences of domestic accidents. Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in a semi-urban area of Tamil Nadu during February 2013. A total of 3947 study participants were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Study variables included were socio-demography, housing conditions, epidemiological factors, medical and economical consequences of domestic accidents. Means and proportions were calculated. The prevalence of domestic accidents was 12.7%. Out of 500 domestic accidents, falls (54.4%) was the most common type of domestic accident. Females and the respondents in age group of 21-40 years were more commonly affected. About 60% of victims received treatment. Mean duration of hospital stay, mean amount of money spent for treatment and mean number of days away from routine work for falls category were 16 days, US$25 and 8 days, respectively, which are higher than other types of accidents. The burden and impact of domestic accidents was high. Therefore, in order to prevent and control domestic accidents, promotion of house safety measures and creation of awareness among the community using IEC programmes have to be undertaken.

Factors associated with high stress levels in adults with diabetes mellitus attending a tertiary diabetes care center, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Sendhilkumar, Muthappan; Tripathy, Jaya Prasad; Harries, Anthony D; Dongre, Amol R; Deepa, Mohan; Vidyulatha, Ashok; Poongothai, Subramanian; Venkatesan, Ulaganathan; Anjana, Ranjit Mohan; Mohan, Viswanathan

2017-01-01

We aimed to determine perceived stress levels among adults aged >20 years with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) in a tertiary care diabetes center, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, assess their association with sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and assess the possible risk factors for stress and coping strategies. A mixed-methods (triangulation design) study with quantitative methodology (survey) and qualitative methodology (interviews) was carried out. Stress levels were assessed among type 2 DM patients attending a diabetes clinic using a 5-point perceived stress scale-10. One-on-one interviews were carried out with 376 participants with DM having high/very high stress levels to understand the reasons for perceived stress and explore their coping mechanisms. The prevalence of high/very high stress was 35% among DM patients. Age 30-40 years, working in professional jobs, and lack of physical activity were factors significantly associated with stress. The perceived major stress inducers were related to family, work, financial issues, and the disease itself. This study showed high levels of stress in more than one-third of DM patients. Potential solutions include regular, formal assessment of stress levels in the clinic, providing integrated counseling and psychological care for DM patients, and promoting physical activity.

"Yes" to abortion but "no" to sexual rights: the paradoxical reality of married women in rural Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Ravindran, T K Sundari; Balasubramanian, P

2004-05-01

This study in rural Tamil Nadu, India, explored the reasons why many married women in India undergo induced abortions rather than use reversible contraception to space or limit births in terms of women's sexual and reproductive rights within marriage, and in the context of gender relations between couples more generally. It is based on in-depth interviews with two generations of ever-married women, some of whom had had abortions and others who had not, from 98 rural hamlets. The respondents were 66 women and 44 of their husbands. Non-consensual sex, sexual violence and women's inability to refuse their husband's sexual demands appeared to underlie the need for abortion in both younger and older women. Many men seemed to believe that sex within marriage was their right, and that women had no say in the matter. The findings raise questions about the presumed association between legal abortion and the enjoyment of reproductive and sexual rights. A large number of women who had abortions in this study were denied their sexual rights but were permitted, even forced, to terminate their pregnancies for reasons unrelated to their right to choose abortion. The study brings home the need for activism to promote women's sexual rights and a campaign against sexual violence in marriage.

Color-Coded Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interviews (C-ACASI) for Poorly Educated Men and Women in a Semi-rural Area of South India: “Good, Scary and Thrilling”

PubMed Central

Bhatnagar, Tarun; Brown, Joelle; Saravanamurthy, P. Sakthivel; Kumar, Raju Mohan; Detels, Roger

2013-01-01

It is challenging to collect accurate and complete data on sensitive issues such as sexual behaviors. Our objective was to explore experience and perceptions regarding the use of a locally programmed color-coded audio computer-assisted self interview (C-ACASI) system among men and women in a semi-rural setting in south India. We conducted a mixed-methods cross-sectional survey using semi-structured interviews among 89 truck drivers and 101 truck driver wives who had participated earlier in the C-ACASI survey across a predominantly rural district in Tamil Nadu. To assess the color-coded format used, descriptive quantitative analysis was coupled with thematic content analysis of qualitative data. Only 10 % of participants had ever used a computer before. Nearly 75 % did not report any problem in using C-ACASI. The length of the C-ACASI survey was acceptable to 98 % of participants. Overall, 87 % of wives and 73 % of truck drivers stated that C-ACASI was user-friendly and felt comfortable in responding to the sensitive questions. Nearly all (97 %) participants reported that using C-ACASI encouraged them to respond honestly compared to face-to-face personal interviews. Both the drivers and wives expressed that C-ACASI provided confidentiality, privacy, anonymity, and an easy mechanism for responding truthfully to potentially embarrassing questions about their personal sexual relationships. It is feasible and acceptable to use C-ACASI for collecting sensitive data from poorly computer-literate, non-English-speaking, predominantly rural populations of women and men. Our findings support the implementation of effective and culturally sensitive C-ACASI for data collection, albeit with additional validation. PMID:23361948

Gastroprotective effect of Senecio candicans DC on experimental ulcer models.

PubMed

Hariprasath, Lakshmanan; Raman, Jegadeesh; Nanjian, Raaman

2012-03-06

Senecio candicans DC (Asteraceae) is used as a remedy for gastric ulcer and stomach pain in the Nilgiris district, Tamil Nadu for which no scientific evidence exists. The present study was performed to evaluate the gastroprotective effects and acute oral toxicity of aqueous leaf extract of Senecio candicans (AESC) in experimental models. The antiulcerogenic activity of AESC was performed in two different ulcer models viz., pylorus-ligated model and ethanol-induced model using Wistar albino rats. Acute toxicity study was also performed to get information on the admissible dose for treatment of ulcer. Preliminary phytochemical screening of AESC was performed to find the active principles present, which are thus responsible for the antiulcerogenic activity. DPPH assay was performed to confirm the antioxidant activity of AESC. The acute toxicity study did not show any mortality up to 2500mg/kg b.w. of AESC. Both the ulcer models showed gastroprotective effect comparable to that of the standard Omeprazole. The results of antioxidant enzymes, histopathology sections, ATPase and mucus content of gastric secretion showed that several mechanisms are involved in the gastroprotective effect. The preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids and steroids in AESC. The DPPH assay confirmed the antioxidant activity of AESC. The traditional consumption of AESC for the treatment of gastric ulcer is thus true, the antioxidant constituents present in the extract plays a major role in the gastroprotective activity, but since Senecio species are known for the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, a detailed study in future is required to describe the safe dose for a prolonged period. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Diabetes knowledge and self-efficacy among rural women in Gujarat, India.

PubMed

Mehta, Naaman V; Trivedi, Mayur; Maldonado, Luis E; Saxena, Deepak; Humphries, Debbie L

2016-01-01

Type II diabetes has risen dramatically among rural women in India, specifically in the states of Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. Recent studies suggest that rural Indian women's low level of self-efficacy, or confidence in their ability to carry out tasks, such as managing diabetes, is a key reason for this increase. Therefore, this study utilizes the Health Belief Model to analyze whether increased awareness of diabetes leads to a positive increase in levels of self-efficacy among diabetic women in two rural villages of Gujarat. A cross-sectional study of 126 known cases of women with diabetes was carried out in the villages of Rajpur and Valam in the Mehsana District in the state of Gujarat, India, to assess the relationship between diabetes knowledge and self-efficacy. The instrument was adapted from the Michigan Diabetes Research and Training Center's Diabetes Empowerment Scale-Short Form and Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Assessment of the Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar. Participants' mean knowledge score was 10.77±2.86 out of a possible 24 points, for a mean percentage of 45%. The median self-efficacy score for the women was 7 with an interquartile range of 3. The age-adjusted multiple regression analysis demonstrated a significant positive correlation between knowledge and self-efficacy (p<0.001). The observations of this study suggest a positive correlation between diabetes knowledge and self-efficacy. Future diabetes educational interventions in India should place a greater emphasis on increasing knowledge among rural women. Specifically, these interventions should emphasize the major gaps in knowledge regarding causes of diabetes, complications and treatment procedures. Educational interventions that are catered more towards rural women will be critical for improving their self-efficacy.

Stigma and social participation in Southern India: differences and commonalities among persons affected by leprosy and persons living with HIV/AIDS.

PubMed

Stevelink, S A M; van Brakel, W H; Augustine, V

2011-12-01

Stigma is a common phenomenon worldwide and infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS and leprosy are often associated with high levels of stigma. Several studies have been conducted concerning the effects of stigma and the impact on social participation, but comparative studies are rare. The objective of this study was to identify differences and similarities between HIV/AIDS and leprosy-related stigma. From April till July 2009, 190 questionnaire-based interviews were conducted to assess the levels of internalized stigma (Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness scale), perceived stigma (Explanatory Model Interview Catalogue stigma scale) and social participation (Participation scale) in a cross-sectional sample of people affected by leprosy (PL) and people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA). Respondents were selected from several hospitals, charity projects and during home visits in Vellore district, Tamil Nadu. Our results showed that both PLHA (n = 95) and leprosy-affected respondents (n = 95) faced a substantial burden of internalized and perceived stigma, with the former reporting a significantly higher level of stigma. As a result, PLHA faced more frequent and also more severe participation restrictions than PL. Especially, restrictions in work-related areas were reported by the majority of the respondents. In conclusion, PLHA faced a significantly higher level of stigma and participation restriction than PL. However, the latter also reported a substantial burden of stigma and participation restrictions. The study suggests that it may be possible to develop joint interventions based on the commonalities found. More research is needed to define these more precisely and to test the effectiveness of such joint interventions in reducing stigma and improving social participation.

Incidence of Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis in India.

PubMed

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

2008-07-01

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

Color-coded audio computer-assisted self-interviews (C-ACASI) for poorly educated men and women in a semi-rural area of South India: "good, scary and thrilling".

PubMed

Bhatnagar, Tarun; Brown, Joelle; Saravanamurthy, P Sakthivel; Kumar, Raju Mohan; Detels, Roger

2013-07-01

It is challenging to collect accurate and complete data on sensitive issues such as sexual behaviors. Our objective was to explore experience and perceptions regarding the use of a locally programmed color-coded audio computer-assisted self interview (C-ACASI) system among men and women in a semi-rural setting in south India. We conducted a mixed-methods cross-sectional survey using semi-structured interviews among 89 truck drivers and 101 truck driver wives who had participated earlier in the C-ACASI survey across a predominantly rural district in Tamil Nadu. To assess the color-coded format used, descriptive quantitative analysis was coupled with thematic content analysis of qualitative data. Only 10% of participants had ever used a computer before. Nearly 75% did not report any problem in using C-ACASI. The length of the C-ACASI survey was acceptable to 98% of participants. Overall, 87% of wives and 73% of truck drivers stated that C-ACASI was user-friendly and felt comfortable in responding to the sensitive questions. Nearly all (97%) participants reported that using C-ACASI encouraged them to respond honestly compared to face-to-face personal interviews. Both the drivers and wives expressed that C-ACASI provided confidentiality, privacy, anonymity, and an easy mechanism for responding truthfully to potentially embarrassing questions about their personal sexual relationships. It is feasible and acceptable to use C-ACASI for collecting sensitive data from poorly computer-literate, non-English-speaking, predominantly rural populations of women and men. Our findings support the implementation of effective and culturally sensitive C-ACASI for data collection, albeit with additional validation.

Dhaksha, the Unmanned Aircraft System in its New Avatar-Automated Aerial Inspection of INDIA'S Tallest Tower

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, K. S.; Rasheed, A. Mohamed; Krishna Kumar, R.; Giridharan, M.; Ganesh

2013-08-01

DHAKSHA, the unmanned aircraft system (UAS), developed after several years of research by Division of Avionics, Department of Aerospace Engineering, MIT Campus of Anna University has recently proved its capabilities during May 2012 Technology demonstration called UAVforge organised by Defence Research Project Agency, Department of Defence, USA. Team Dhaksha with its most stable design outperformed all the other contestants competing against some of the best engineers from prestigi ous institutions across the globe like Middlesex University from UK, NTU and NUS from Singapore, Tudelft Technical University, Netherlands and other UAV industry participants in the world's toughest UAV challenge. This has opened up an opportunity for Indian UAVs making a presence in the international scenario as well. In furtherance to the above effort at Fort Stewart military base at Georgia,USA, with suitable payloads, the Dhaksha team deployed the UAV in a religious temple festival during November 2012 at Thiruvannamalai District for Tamil Nadu Police to avail the instant aerial imagery services over the crowd of 10 lakhs pilgrims and also about the investigation of the structural strength of the India's tallest structure, the 300 m RCC tower during January 2013. The developed system consists of a custom-built Rotary Wing model with on-board navigation, guidance and control systems (NGC) and ground control station (GCS), for mission planning, remote access, manual overrides and imagery related computations. The mission is to fulfill the competition requirements by using an UAS capable of providing complete solution for the stated problem. In this work the effort to produce multirotor unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for civilian applications at the MIT, Avionics Laboratory is presented

Girl prostitution in India.

PubMed

Mukhopadhyay, K K

1995-01-01

This article discusses the nature, magnitude, causes, and consequences of female child prostitution in India and offers measures for control and prevention of girl prostitution. Data are obtained from the 6-city study of prostitution and the author's own research. An estimated 85% of all prostitutes in Calcutta and Delhi entered the work at an early age. The numbers are rising. The promotion of tourism is linked with prostitution. Girl prostitutes are primarily located in low-middle income areas and business districts and are known by officials. Brothel keepers regularly recruit young girls. An estimated 33% of prostitutes are young girls. In Bangalore, Calcutta, Delhi, and Hyderabad, there are an estimated 10,000 girl prostitutes. UNICEF estimates about 300,000 child prostitutes. Girl prostitutes are grouped as common prostitutes, singers and dancers, call girls, religious prostitutes or devdasi, and caged brothel prostitutes. Religious prostitutes are mainly found in the South. Caged ones are found in Bombay. A little over 50% of prostitutes come from other countries, such as Nepal and Bangladesh. The girls tend to come from urban slums and poor rural areas. High prostitute supply regions include Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengel states. About 85% are Hindus, and about 66% are from scheduled castes and tribes. Bangalore and Bombay have a higher proportion of girl prostitutes. The causes of prostitution include ill treatment by parents, bad company, family prostitutes, social customs, inability to arrange marriage, lack of sex education, media, prior incest and rape, early marriage and desertion, lack of recreational facilities, ignorance, and acceptance of prostitution. Economic causes include poverty and economic distress. Psychological causes include desire for physical pleasure, greed, and dejection. Most enter involuntarily. A brief profile is given of the life of a prostitute.

Cellulase production by pink pigmented facultative methylotrophic strains (PPFMs).

PubMed

Jayashree, Shanmugam; Lalitha, Rajendran; Vadivukkarasi, Ponnusamy; Kato, Yuko; Seshadri, Sundaram

2011-07-01

Pink pigmented facultative methylotrophs (PPFM) isolated from water samples of Cooum and Adyar rivers in Chennai and soil samples of forests located in various districts of Tamil Nadu, India were screened for cellulase production using carboxymethylcellulose agar (CMC agar) medium. The strains showed wide variations in the production of clearing zones around the colonies on CMC agar medium flooded with Congo red. CMCase and filter paper assays were used to quantitatively measure the cellulase activity of 13 PPFM strains. Among the strains, Methylobacterium gregans, MNW 60, MHW 109, MSF 34, and MSF 40 showed cellulolytic activity ranging from 0.73 to 1.16 U mL(-1) with wide temperature (35-65°C) and pH (5 to 8) tolerance. SDS-PAGE analysis of the crude enzyme of PPFM strain MNW 60 exhibited several protein bands, and zymogram analysis revealed two dimeric cellulase bands with molecular mass of ~92 and 42 kDa. Scanning electron microscopic studies revealed significant morphological differences between the cells grown in normal and CMC amended medium. The strain MNW 60 was identified as Methylobacterium sp. based on biochemical, physiological, and morphological analyses, and the methylotrophic nature was authenticated by the presence of mxaF gene, encoding methanol dehydrogenase as a key indicator enzyme of methylotrophs, with 99% similarity to Methylobacterium lusitanum. With the 16S ribosomal RNA sequence showing 97% similarity to M. lusitanum strain MP2, this can be proposed as a novel taxon of the genus Methylobacterium. The study forms the first detailed report on the extracellular cellulase production by pink pigmented Methylobacterium sp., and it is expected that this might be the basis for further studies on cellulase production by PPFMs to explore the molecular mechanism, strain improvement, and large-scale cellulase production for its application.

Organizational health and the achievement level of students in science at the secondary-level schools in Sri Lanka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pakkeer-Jaufar, Pakkeer Cadermohideen

This study sought to identify those organizational health factors that might have overriding influence on the achievement level of students in science in Sri Lankan secondary schools. This study involved 752 students, 33 science teachers, and 10 principals from two different districts, Ampara and Colombo, in Sri Lanka. Ten Tamil medium, secondary level, public schools were selected to participate in this study. Data were collected using four types of instruments: a questionnaire for pupils; interview schedules for science teachers and principals; checklists for classroom/school facilities, science laboratory facilities, and science practicals; and a science achievement test. The analysis focused on the collective perceptions of students, science teachers, and principals. Regression and path analyses were used as major analysis techniques, and the qualitative data provided by science teachers and principals were considered for a crosschecking of the quantitative inferences. The researcher found teacher affiliation, academic emphasis, and instructional leadership of the principal, in descending order, were the overriding influential factors on the achievement level of students in science in Sri Lankan secondary schools. At the same time a similar descending order was found in their mean values and qualities. The researcher concluded that increasing the quality of the organizational health factors in Sri Lankan secondary schools would result in improved better achievement in science. The findings further indicate that instructional leadership of the principal had both direct and indirect effects on students' achievement in science when academic emphasis and teacher affiliation were taken into account. In addition, the resource support of the principal did not make any difference in students' science achievement and the findings stress the availability of the resources for individual students instead of assuming the general facilities of the school are available to all students of the school.

Sri Lanka: Background and U.S. Relations

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-04

too many concessions were being made to the LTTE in peace negotiations . An EU Election Observation Mission noted some problems with the conduct of...against government forces by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a rebel group that sought to establish a separate state or internal self-rule...coalition of the SLFP and the staunch Marxist People’s Liberation Front (JVP), won a slim majority in 2004 parliamentary elections and defeated the

Genetic characterization, nickel tolerance, biosorption, kinetics, and uptake mechanism of a bacterium isolated from electroplating industrial effluent.

PubMed

Nagarajan, N; Gunasekaran, P; Rajendran, P

2015-04-01

Electroplating industries in Madurai city produce approximately 49,000 L of wastewater and 1200 L of sludge every day revealing 687-5569 ppm of nickel (Ni) with other contaminants. Seventeen Ni-tolerant bacterial strains were isolated from nutrient-enriched effluents. Among them one hyper Ni accumulating strain was scored and identified as Bacillus cereus VP17 on the basis of morphology, biochemical tests, 16S rDNA gene sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis. Equilibrium data of Ni(II) ions using the bacterium as sorbent at isothermal conditions (37 °C) and pH 6 were best adjusted by Langmuir (R(2) = 0.6268) and Freundlich models (R(2) = 0.9505). Experimental validation reveals Ni sorption takes place on a heterogeneous surface of the biosorbent, and predicted metal sorption capacity is 434 ppm. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model fitted the biosorption kinetic data better than the pseudo-first-order kinetic model (R(2) = 0.9963 and 0.3625). Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy studies of the bacterial strain with and without Ni(II) ion reveals the biosorption mechanism. The results conclude possibilities of using B. cereus VP17 for Ni bioremediation.

Prevalence of non-strabismic anomalies of binocular vision in Tamil Nadu: report 2 of BAND study.

PubMed

Hussaindeen, Jameel Rizwana; Rakshit, Archayeeta; Singh, Neeraj Kumar; George, Ronnie; Swaminathan, Meenakshi; Kapur, Suman; Scheiman, Mitchell; Ramani, Krishna Kumar

2017-11-01

Population-based studies on the prevalence of non-strabismic anomalies of binocular vision in ethnic Indians are more than two decades old. Based on indigenous normative data, the BAND (Binocular Vision Anomalies and Normative Data) study aims to report the prevalence of non-strabismic anomalies of binocular vision among school children in rural and urban Tamil Nadu. This population-based, cross-sectional study was designed to estimate the prevalence of non-strabismic anomalies of binocular vision in the rural and urban population of Tamil Nadu. In four schools, two each in rural and urban arms, 920 children in the age range of seven to 17 years were included in the study. Comprehensive binocular vision assessment was done for all children including evaluation of vergence and accommodative systems. In the first phase of the study, normative data of parameters of binocular vision were assessed followed by prevalence estimates of non-strabismic anomalies of binocular vision. The mean and standard deviation of the age of the sample were 12.7 ± 2.7 years. The prevalence of non-strabismic anomalies of binocular vision in the urban and rural arms was found to be 31.5 and 29.6 per cent, respectively. Convergence insufficiency was the most prevalent (16.5 and 17.6 per cent in the urban and rural arms, respectively) among all the types of non-strabismic anomalies of binocular vision. There was no gender predilection and no statistically significant differences were observed between the rural and urban arms in the prevalence of non-strabismic anomalies of binocular vision (Z-test, p > 0.05). The prevalence of non-strabismic anomalies of binocular vision was found to be higher in the 13 to 17 years age group (36.2 per cent) compared to seven to 12 years (25.1 per cent) (Z-test, p < 0.05). Non-strabismic binocular vision anomalies are highly prevalent among school children and the prevalence increases with age. With increasing near visual demands in the higher grades, these anomalies could significantly impact the reading efficiency of children. Thus, it is recommended that screening for anomalies of binocular vision should be integrated into the conventional vision screening protocol. © 2016 Optometry Australia.

Oral Health Related Quality of Life among Tamil Speaking Adults Attending a Dental Institution in Chennai, Southern India.

PubMed

Appukuttan, Deva Priya; Tadepalli, Anupama; Victor, Dhayanand John; Dharuman, Smriti

2016-10-01

Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) indicates an individual's perception of how their well-being and quality of life is influenced by oral health. It facilitates treatment planning, assessing patient centred treatment outcomes and satisfaction. The study aimed to identify the factors influencing OHRQoL among Tamil speaking South Indian adult population. Non-probability sampling was done and 199 subjects aged 20-70 years were recruited for this observational study. The subjects were requested to fill a survey form along with the validated Tamil General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI-Tml) questionnaire in the waiting area following which clinical examination was done by a single experienced Periodontist. The mean score with standard deviation for physical dimension was 4.34±0.96, psychological dimension was 4.03±1.13 and pain was 4.05±1.09 on GOHAI. Greater impacts were seen for psychosocial dimensions like pleased with the appearance of teeth/denture Q7 (3.7±1.2), worried about the problems with teeth/denture Q9 (3.7±1) and pain or discomfort in teeth Q12 (3.8±1). Functions like swallowing Q3 (4.5±0.8) and speaking Q4 (4.6±0.7) were minimally affected. As age increased subjects perceived more negative impacts as indicated by lower ADD-GOHAI and higher SC-GOHAI scores (p<0.01). Subjects complaining of bad breath, bleeding gums and Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) problems, reported poor OHRQoL (p<0.05). It was observed that as self-perceived oral and general health status deteriorated, OHRQoL also worsened (p<0.01). Subjects with missing teeth, cervical abrasion, restorations, gingival recession and mobility had more impacts on OHRQoL (p<0.05). Subjects diagnosed with periodontitis had lower OHRQoL as reported on the scale than gingivitis subjects (p<0.01). In this study minimal impact was seen in all the three dimensions assessed with GOHAI. Factors like age, education, employment status, income, self-reported oral health, self-perceived general health, satisfaction with oral health, perceived need for treatment and denture wearing status influenced perceived OHRQoL. Bad breath, bleeding gums, TMJ problems, more number of missing teeth, decayed teeth, cervical abrasion, gingival recession and mobility were associated with poor OHRQoL.

Human trafficking for organ removal in India: a victim-centered, evidence-based report.

PubMed

Budiani-Saberi, Debra A; Raja, Kallakurichi Rajendiran; Findley, Katie C; Kerketta, Ponsian; Anand, Vijay

2014-02-27

Enhancements in the national transplant law to prohibit commercial transplants in India have curbed the trade. Yet, the human rights abuse of human trafficking for organ removal (HTOR) continues in various transplant centers throughout India. Beginning in September 2010 until May 2012, in-depth interviews were conducted with 103 victims of HTOR in India in which victims described their experiences of a commercial kidney removal in compelling detail. Victims were located in Tamil Nadu, and reference is made to the broader study that included 50 additional victims in small towns and villages in West Bengal and Karnataka. Fourteen cases (14%) in Tamil Nadu and an additional 20 cases (40%) from West Bengal and Karnataka occurred between 2009 to May 2012. The cases in Tamil Nadu ranged in age from 19 to 55 years, with an average age of 33 years in Erode and 36 years in Chennai. Fifty-seven percent of the victims in Erode are female, and 87% of the victims in Chennai are female. Twelve percent of the individuals were widowed or abandoned, 79% were married, and 91% were parents with an average of two kids. Of those interviewed, 28% had no formal education, 19% had some primary schooling, 22% had some secondary schooling, and no individuals reported schooling above high school. All victims interviewed lived in abject poverty with monthly income levels well below the national average. The majority of victims reported long lasting health, economic, social, and psychological consequences. No matter the reason expressed for an organ sale, all victims reported that they would not have agreed to the organ removal if their economic circumstances were not so dire. One hundred percent of the victims interviewed expressed that they need assistance to cope with these consequences. Human trafficking for an organ removal continues in private transplant centers throughout India, service to foreign patients is ongoing, and victims' consequences are long lasting. A rights-based response to HTOR that invokes a universal commitment to prevent, protect, and suppress its continued practice is recommended. The United Nations Trafficking Protocol is the key international instrument to address trafficking of persons, including for organ removal. India has signed the UN Trafficking Protocol and should ratify it to better address this form of human trafficking.

Quantification of Water Energy Nexus for Sustainable Development at Local Level: Case Study of Tamil Nadu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grover, S.; Tayal, S.

2014-12-01

Interdependency between water and energy is generally transacted in trade-off mode; where either of the resource gets affected because of the other. Generally this trade-off is commonly known as water-energy nexus. Many studies have been undertaken in various parts of the world using various approaches to tease out the intricate nexus. This research has adopted a different approach to quantify the inter-dependency. The adopted approach made an attempt to tease out the nexus from demand side for both the resources. For water demand assessment PODIUM Sim model was used and for other parameters available secondary data was used. Using this approach percentage share of water for energy and energy for water was estimated. For an informed decision making and sustainable development, assessment was carried out at state level as most of the policies are made specifically for the state. The research was done for the southernmost state of India, Tamil Nadu which is a rapidly growing industrial hub. Tamil Nadu is energy and water intensive state and the analysis shows that the share of water demand from energy sector compared to water demand from other major sectors is miniscule. While, the energy demand in water sector for various processes in different sectors compared to energy demand as total has a comparable share of range 15-25%. This analysis indicated the relative risk sectors face in competition for the resource. It point outs that water sector faces fierce competition with other sectors for energy. Moreover, the results of the study has assessed that state has negative water balance, which may make access to water more energy intensive with time. But, a projection into future scenario with an assumption based on the ongoing policy program of improving irrigation efficiency was made. It provided a solution of a potential positive equilibrium which conserves both water and energy. This scenario gave promising results which indicated less of water demand from agricultural sector which is the most water intensive sector in the state, less requirement of energy for irrigation and improvement in overall water balance of the state.With the changing climate and growing population, resources at crisis can be managed sustainably if this nexus is decoded to understand the interdependency.

A Follow-Up Study of People in Ontario Completing Level 3 of the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) Program. Report to the Ontario Region LINC Advisory Committee.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hart, Doug; Cumming, Alister

The report details results of a survey of students who had completed Level 3 of the Ontario (Canada) Language Instruction fore Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program. The initial followup study included 103 native speakers of Arabic, 208 speakers of Cantonese, 198 of Polish, 40 of Somali, 155 of Spanish, and 196 of Tamil. Ten from each group except…

Discriminatory Analysis. 1. Survey Of Discriminatory Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

1950-10-01

Biomt, 18, 56-98, MORANT, G. M., 1926b. Studies of Palaeolithic man. I. The Chancelade skull and its relation to the modern 103 ............ Eskimo...study of the Hokien and the Tamil skull." Biom., 180 1)47 1927a. Studies of Palaeolithic man. II. A biometric study of Neanderthaloid skulls and of their...Studies of Palaeolithic man. III. The Rhodesian skull and its relations to Neanderthaloid and modern types. Ann. Eugen., 3, 337-360. 1929a. A

JPRS Report, Near East and South Asia.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-07-16

Mohana Ranga Rao was murdered, there was virtually to Tamil Nadu as Prime Minister and Opposition leader no Government in the State with Mr. Rama Rao ... Rao Saturday he had no objections to the government accused the TDP [Teluga Desam Party] leaders of viti- making public anything concerning his talks...Minister P. Chidambaram’s Rao and Mr. Upendra would be held responsible if demand that the minutes of the meeting Mr. Karu- violence erupted or anything

Assessing Quality of Life using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) in Subjects with and without Orthodontic Treatment need in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Mary, A Vinita; Mahendra, Jaideep; John, Joseph; Moses, Joyson; Ebenezar, A V Rajesh; Kesavan, R

2017-08-01

Dental ailments like malocclusion affect not only the functional ability and aesthetic appearance of the person but also the psychological aspect of the individual. The aim of the present study was to the find relationship between quality of life and dental malocclusion among school going adolescents in Tamil Nadu, India. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 342 subjects of age range 14-19 years. Oral health status was assessed using WHO basic oral health survey (2013), orthodontic treatment needs according to Index of Orthodontic Treatment Needs (IOTN) and oral health quality of life using Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14). A total of 342 subjects were interviewed and examined. The mean DMFT score was 1.86±2.77. A 203 (59.4%) did not require any orthodontic treatment while 139 (40.6%) had orthodontic treatment need ranging from mild to very severe. It was seen that malocclusion affected some aspects of OHIP-14 significantly namely functional limitation, psychological discomfort and psychological disability. The comparison of OHIP-14 scores between treatment needed and treatment not needed was highly significant (p<0.001). Hence, it is stated that there is an urgent need to educate the school children and in turn their parents regarding the malocclusion for its treatment to prevent any effect on quality of life of the young adults.

Size distribution and roundness of clasts within pseudotachylytes of the Gangavalli Shear Zone, Salem, Tamil Nadu: An insight into its origin and tectonic significance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behera, Bhuban Mohan; Thirukumaran, V.; Soni, Aishwaraya; Mishra, Prasanta Kumar; Biswal, Tapas Kumar

2017-06-01

Gangavalli (Brittle) Shear Zone (Fault) near Attur, Tamil Nadu exposes nearly 50 km long and 1-3 km wide NNE-SSW trending linear belt of cataclasites and pseudotachylyte produced on charnockites of the Southern Granulite Terrane. Pseudotachylytes, as well as the country rock, bear the evidence of conjugate strike slip shearing along NNE-SSW and NW-SE directions, suggesting an N-S compression. The Gangavalli Shear Zone represents the NNE-SSW fault of the conjugate system along which a right lateral shear has produced seismic slip motion giving rise to cataclasites and pseudotachylytes. Pseudotachylytes occur as veins of varying width extending from hairline fracture fills to tens of meters in length. They carry quartz as well as feldspar clasts with sizes of few mm in diameter; the clast sizes show a modified Power law distribution with finer ones (<1000 {\\upmu }m2) deviating from linearity. The shape of the clasts shows a high degree of roundness (>0.4) due to thermal decrepitation. In a large instance, devitrification has occurred producing albitic microlites that suggest the temperature of the pseudotachylyte melt was >1000^{circ }\\hbox {C}. Thus, pseudotachylyte veins act as a proxy to understand the genetic process involved in the evolution of the shear zone and its tectonic settings.

Bioprospecting marine actinomycetes for multidrug-resistant pathogen control from Rameswaram coastal area, Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Wahaab, Femina; Subramaniam, Kalidass

2018-01-01

A potent Streptomyces bacillaris strain RAM25C4 was isolated for controlling methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and multidrug-resistant bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A total of 131 actinomycetes were isolated from the Rameswaram coastal region, Tamil Nadu, India. Among 131 actinomycetes, maximum number of actinomycetes (55%) isolated at the distance of 3-6 m from seashore. Out of 131 actinomycetes, 85% of the actinomycetes exhibited different degree of antagonistic activity against test pathogens. The antagonistic activity evaluated using actinomycetes direct culture filtrate and culture filtrate extracts. Among these culture filtrate, extracts had supreme antagonistic activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria and the solvent ethyl acetate was the best for extracting secondary metabolites from actinomycetes. In HPTLC analysis, the presence of macrolides, terpenoids, and quinolones was identified in RAM25C4 extract. In GC-MS analysis, various potent compounds such as phenolic compound-2,6-di-tert-butylphenol, alkaloid compound-1H, 5H, pyrrolo (1' 2':3, 4) imidazo, and quinolone compound-1,4-benzenediol, 2,5-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl) were identified in the ethyl acetate extract of RAM25C4. The phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequence of RAM25C4 isolate was deposited in NCBI with name Streptomyces bacillaris strain RAM25C4 and accession number KM513543.

Snakebite and Its Socio-Economic Impact on the Rural Population of Tamil Nadu, India

PubMed Central

Vaiyapuri, Sakthivel; Vaiyapuri, Rajendran; Ashokan, Rajesh; Ramasamy, Karthikeyan; Nattamaisundar, Kameshwaran; Jeyaraj, Anburaj; Chandran, Viswanathan; Gajjeraman, Prabu; Baksh, M. Fazil; Gibbins, Jonathan M.; Hutchinson, E. Gail

2013-01-01

Background Snakebite represents a significant health issue worldwide, affecting several million people each year with as many as 95,000 deaths. India is considered to be the country most affected, but much remains unknown about snakebite incidence in this country, its socio-economic impact and how snakebite management could be improved. Methods/Principal Findings We conducted a study within rural villages in Tamil Nadu, India, which combines a household survey (28,494 people) of snakebite incidence with a more detailed survey of victims in order to understand the health and socio-economic effects of the bite, the treatments obtained and their views about future improvements. Our survey suggests that snakebite incidence is higher than previously reported. 3.9% of those surveyed had suffered from snakebite and the number of deaths corresponds to 0.45% of the population. The socio-economic impact of this is very considerable in terms of the treatment costs and the long-term effects on the health and ability of survivors to work. To reduce this, the victims recommended improvements to the accessibility and affordability of antivenom treatment. Conclusions Snakebite has a considerable and disproportionate impact on rural populations, particularly in South Asia. This study provides an incentive for researchers and the public to work together to reduce the incidence and improve the outcomes for snake bite victims and their families. PMID:24278244

Breast-feeding initiation time and neonatal mortality risk among newborns in South India.

PubMed

Garcia, C R; Mullany, L C; Rahmathullah, L; Katz, J; Thulasiraj, R D; Sheeladevi, S; Coles, C; Tielsch, J M

2011-06-01

To examine the association between breast-feeding initiation time and neonatal mortality in India, where breast-feeding initiation varies widely from region to region. Data were collected as part of a community-based, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of the impact of vitamin A supplementation in rural villages of Tamil Nadu, India. Multivariate binomial regression analysis was used to estimate the association between neonatal mortality and breast-feeding initiation time (<12 h, 12 to 24 h, >24 h) among infants surviving a minimum of 48 h. Among 10 464 newborns, 82.1% were first breast-fed before 12 h, 13.8% were breast-fed between 12 and 24 h, and 4.1% were breast-fed after 24 h. After adjusting for birth weight, gestational age and other covariates, late initiators (>24 h) were at ∼78% higher risk of death (relative risk=1.78 (95% confidence interval (CI)=1.03 to 3.10)). There was no difference in mortality risk when comparing babies fed in the first 12 h compared with the second 1  h after birth. Late (>24 h) initiation of breast-feeding is associated with a higher risk of neonatal mortality in Tamil Nadu. Emphasis on breast-feeding promotion programs in low-resource settings of India where early initiation is low could significantly reduce neonatal mortality.

JPRS Report, Near East & South Asia, India.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-10-03

Delhi, 28 Aug-The first high-level contacts LTTE is "essentially India’s creation" and that in Tamil [et] new D el 2 ue ft hgleve l contactsb tween the...mindedness about police forces have become useless. The separatist ele - philosophy, ments have, of course, divided the Hindus and the Muslims and now are...old Ramayana has stopped. The Manusmirity is referred to Saudi Arabian "once again raises the issue of a modern only in antihuman contexts. The West

A Study on Effect of Technological Change on the Frequency of Child Labour in the Indian Match Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velayutham, C. Muthu; Palanivel, R. V.; Anbarasan, R.; Sinthuja, M.

2012-08-01

The Indian match industry in the southern state of Tamil Nadu has been characterized by child labour and a stagnant technology for over half a century. We investigate the technological changes and industrial restructuring, catalyzed by the changing duty structure that has moved the match industry towards greater mechanization. Our examination indicates that increased mechanization in the production processes has implied greater demand for skilled labour and a decline in child labour.

Re-integration of Former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Combatants into Civilian Society in Post-War Sri Lanka

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-01

University of Balochistan, Quetta, Pakistan , 2009 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS IN...Indira Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India . She did this because Sri Lanka adopted a U.S.-biased policy from 1977 onwards after opening its...economy under President J. R. Jayawardena, when the India was an ally of Soviet Union.4 Gradually, the LTTE was developed under the blessings of

[Teenagers' drawings in transcultural consultations].

PubMed

Simon, Amalini; Titia Rizzi, Alice

The place of teenagers' drawings has been studied as part of a transcultural consultation, based on the creativity of the children of migrants. When speaking is difficult, drawings enable teenagers to show another dimension of their internal world. Aravin, a young Tamil boy, who lacked the necessary words, was able to express all the complexity of his thoughts through his drawings, finally being able to formulate in the group the difficult situations which he was drawing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Improving student learning via mobile phone video content: Evidence from the BridgeIT India project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wennersten, Matthew; Quraishy, Zubeeda Banu; Velamuri, Malathi

2015-08-01

Past efforts invested in computer-based education technology interventions have generated little evidence of affordable success at scale. This paper presents the results of a mobile phone-based intervention conducted in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in 2012-13. The BridgeIT project provided a pool of audio-visual learning materials organised in accordance with a system of syllabi pacing charts. Teachers of Standard 5 and 6 English and Science classes were notified of the availability of new videos via text messages (SMS), which they downloaded onto their phones using an open-source application and showed, with suggested activities, to students on a TV screen using a TV-out cable. In their evaluation of this project, the authors of this paper found that the test scores of children who experienced the intervention improved by 0.36 standard deviations in English and 0.98 standard deviations in Science in Andhra Pradesh, relative to students in similar classrooms who did not experience the intervention. Differences between treatment and control schools in Tamil Nadu were less marked. The intervention was also cost-effective, relative to other computer-based interventions. Based on these results, the authors argue that is possible to use mobile phones to produce a strong positive and statistically significant effect in terms of teaching and learning quality across a large number of classrooms in India at a lower cost per student than past computer-based interventions.

A REVIEW ON VARIATION OF NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY ALONG THE SOUTHEAST COAST OF TAMIL NADU FOR THE PAST 4 DECADES (1974-2016).

PubMed

Sankaran Pillai, G; Chandrasekaran, S; Sivasubramanian, K; Baskaran, R; Venkatraman, B

2018-04-01

This review deals with natural radioactivity variation along the southeast coast of Tamil Nadu for the past four decades (1974-2016). About 40 research works have been conducted along the coast since 1974 in various environmental matrices using a variety of experimental methods. For these measurements researchers are adopted different experimental methods. The measured gamma dose rate ranged from 30 to 8700 nGy/h. The mean specific activity of 238U, 232Th and 40K was found to be 58.8 ± 28.7, 465.2 ± 147.3 and 311.2 ± 27.8 Bq/kg, respectively. The calculated annual exposure rate ranged from 0.29 to 12.8 mSv/y with the mean value of 3.7 mSv/y which is above the global average of 2.4 mSv/y as reported by United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) (Report to General Assembly, Annex B Exposures of the public and workers from various sources of radiation. United Nations, New York (2008)). Plant food items recorded low 210Po activities as compared to seafood organisms. Grain size, season and place of sampling have a decisive bearing on coastal radioactivity. Therefore, it is concluded from the review data that there is an appreciable elevation in background radiation level in the coastal region. This review suggests that new radiological surveys using improved methodology that cover the entire coastal stretch are needed.

Maternal Risk Factors and Periodontal Disease: A Cross-sectional Study among Postpartum Mothers in Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Govindasamy, Rohini; Dhanasekaran, Manikandan; Varghese, Sheeja S; Balaji, V R; Karthikeyan, B; Christopher, Ananthi

2017-11-01

It is inconclusive that periodontitis is an independent risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes. This study aims to investigate the association between maternal periodontitis and preterm and/or low birth weight babies. This was a prospective cross-sectional study. After prior informed consent, 3500 postpartum mothers were selected from various hospitals in Tamil Nadu and categorized into the following groups: group-1 - Normal term normal birth weight ( n = 1100); Group-2 - Preterm normal birth weight ( n = 400); Group-3 - preterm low birth weight (PTLBW) ( n = 1000); and Group-4 - Normal term low birth weight ( n = 1000). Periodontal examination was done, and risk factors were ascertained by means of questionnaire and medical records. Comparison between case groups and control groups were done, odds ratio (OR) was calculated, and statistical significance were assessed by Chi-square tests. To control for the possible confounders, all variables with P < 0.05 were selected and entered into multivariate regression model, and OR and 95% confidence limits were again estimated. SPSS-15 software was used. Periodontitis was diagnosed in 54.8%, 52.3%, 53.8%, 59.4%, respectively. On comparison between the groups, none of periodontal parameters showed significant association except for the crude association observed in Group-4 for mild periodontitis (OR - 1.561; P = 0.000) and PTLBW. Periodontitis is not a significant independent risk factor, and obstetric factors contribute a major risk for preterm and/or low birth weight babies.

Association of Neck Circumference and Obesity with Blood Pressure among Adolescents in Urban and Rural Population in North Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Rajagopalan, Archana; Balaji, Nisha

2017-01-01

Since a few studies exist on the association of neck circumference (NC) and obesity with blood pressure (BP) among adolescents in India, we found it highly relevant to measure the NC and body mass index (BMI) using them as indicators of upper body subcutaneous fat and obesity and relate them to BP in a rural and urban adolescent population in North Tamil Nadu. This is a community-based cross-sectional study of descriptive design where 500 students from urban and rural areas were selected, and their BMI, NC, and BP were measured using standardized instruments. Among urban and rural population high and normal NC positively correlated with BMI, systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP), indicating that the data clearly reflects increase in BMI, SBP, and DBP values with increase in NC or vice versa. The correlation was statistically significant ( P < 0.001) significantly higher BMI ( P < 0.01), SBP ( P < 0.05), and NC ( P < 0.001) was observed in urban population than rural. DBP was not significantly different in rural and urban population. 95 th percentile values are significantly higher than rest in both urban and rural population. Only the 95 th percentile values correlate and reflect similar changes in BMI, SBP, and DBP. Our studies indicate a strong association of elevation in BP with high NC and increase in BMI. Overweight and obesity were positively correlated with increase in SBP and DBP.

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.

Oral Health Related Quality of Life among Tamil Speaking Adults Attending a Dental Institution in Chennai, Southern India

PubMed Central

Tadepalli, Anupama; Victor, Dhayanand John; Dharuman, Smriti

2016-01-01

Introduction Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) indicates an individual’s perception of how their well-being and quality of life is influenced by oral health. It facilitates treatment planning, assessing patient centred treatment outcomes and satisfaction. Aim The study aimed to identify the factors influencing OHRQoL among Tamil speaking South Indian adult population. Materials and Methods Non-probability sampling was done and 199 subjects aged 20-70 years were recruited for this observational study. The subjects were requested to fill a survey form along with the validated Tamil General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI-Tml) questionnaire in the waiting area following which clinical examination was done by a single experienced Periodontist. Results The mean score with standard deviation for physical dimension was 4.34±0.96, psychological dimension was 4.03±1.13 and pain was 4.05±1.09 on GOHAI. Greater impacts were seen for psychosocial dimensions like pleased with the appearance of teeth/denture Q7 (3.7±1.2), worried about the problems with teeth/denture Q9 (3.7±1) and pain or discomfort in teeth Q12 (3.8±1). Functions like swallowing Q3 (4.5±0.8) and speaking Q4 (4.6±0.7) were minimally affected. As age increased subjects perceived more negative impacts as indicated by lower ADD-GOHAI and higher SC-GOHAI scores (p<0.01). Subjects complaining of bad breath, bleeding gums and Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) problems, reported poor OHRQoL (p<0.05). It was observed that as self-perceived oral and general health status deteriorated, OHRQoL also worsened (p<0.01). Subjects with missing teeth, cervical abrasion, restorations, gingival recession and mobility had more impacts on OHRQoL (p<0.05). Subjects diagnosed with periodontitis had lower OHRQoL as reported on the scale than gingivitis subjects (p<0.01). Conclusion In this study minimal impact was seen in all the three dimensions assessed with GOHAI. Factors like age, education, employment status, income, self-reported oral health, self-perceived general health, satisfaction with oral health, perceived need for treatment and denture wearing status influenced perceived OHRQoL. Bad breath, bleeding gums, TMJ problems, more number of missing teeth, decayed teeth, cervical abrasion, gingival recession and mobility were associated with poor OHRQoL. PMID:27891472

Dimensions of social capital of families with thalassemia in an indigenous population in Tamil Nadu, India - a qualitative study.

PubMed

Palanisamy, Bharathi; Kosalram, Kalpana; Gopichandran, Vijayaprasad

2017-06-24

Studies have shown that social capital is positively associated with health, and the association is context-based. Indigenous populations with poor access to health care largely depend on social capital for their health care needs. This study was conducted to explore the dimensions and types of social capital and its utilization by families with thalassemia for their health and well-being in an indigenous population in Tamil Nadu, India. The participants in the study were parents who had children with thalassemia, belonged to an indigenous community in Tamil Nadu, were poor and marginalized, and had poor access to health care. Different dimensions and types of social capital were examined with the help of qualitative in-depth interviews using a phenomenological approach. A total of 8 in-depth interviews were conducted and transcribed. Thematic analysis of the data was performed. The social capital identified through the in-depth interviews consisted of various levels of family support, financial support from relatives and neighbors, the provision of information from formal and informal networks, and trust in the physician. Indigenous communities are close-knit due to their geographical remoteness and limited accessibility. Family ties were a form of social capital that encouraged bonding, and provided support and care to the children affected by thalassemia. The bonding also helped to meet the regular requirement of blood donation for the children. Relatives and neighbors were an asset that served as a bridge for the families affected, helping them in times of immediate and urgent financial need, making it easier to sustain long-term treatment and providing emotional support. There were informal networks that bridged parents belonging to indigenous and non-indigenous communities, with the latter providing the former with information to help them choose better health care at an affordable cost. The other formal links were the ties between the parents and nongovernmental organizations, such as the local thalassemia association, which connected members belonging to different areas. It was these ties that were of the greatest assistance to the families affected in coping with the disease, enabling them to sustain the treatment, and assisting them to choose and carry out the complicated bone marrow transplantation, which is the definitive treatment for this condition. The bonding, bridging, and linking dimensions of social capital help communities cope with thalassemia, the more so in indigenous and marginalized communities.

Age, nutritional status and INH acetylator status affect pharmacokinetics of anti-tuberculosis drugs in children.

PubMed

Ramachandran, G; Hemanth Kumar, A K; Bhavani, P K; Poorana Gangadevi, N; Sekar, L; Vijayasekaran, D; Banu Rekha, V V; Ramesh Kumar, S; Ravichandran, N; Mathevan, G; Swaminathan, S

2013-06-01

The currently recommended dosages of rifampicin (RMP), isoniazid (INH), pyrazinamide (PZA) and ethambutol in children are extrapolated from adult pharmacokinetic studies, and have not been adequately evaluated in children. To describe the pharmacokinetics of RMP, INH and PZA given thrice weekly in children with tuberculosis (TB), and to relate pharmacokinetics to treatment outcomes. Eighty-four human immunodeficiency virus negative children with TB aged 1-12 years in Chennai and Madurai, India, were recruited. Phenotypic INH acetylator status was determined. Nutritional status was assessed using Z scores. During the intensive phase of anti-tuberculosis treatment, a complete pharmacokinetic study was performed after directly observed administration of drugs. At 2 and 6 months, drug levels were measured 2 h post-dose. Drug concentrations were measured using high performance liquid chromatography and pharmacokinetic variables were calculated. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to explore factors impacting drug levels and treatment outcomes. Children aged <3 years had significantly lower RMP, INH and PZA concentrations than older children, and 90% of all children had sub-therapeutic RMP Cmax (<8 μg/ml). Age, nutritional status and INH acetylator status influenced drug levels. Peak RMP and INH concentrations were important determinants of treatment outcome. Recommendations for anti-tuberculosis treatment in children should take these factors into consideration.

Number of sputum specimens during treatment follow-up of tuberculosis patients: two or one?

PubMed Central

Kumar, A. M. V.; Claassens, M.; Banurekha, V. V.; Gomathi, N. S.; Venkatesan, P.; Swaminathan, S.

2013-01-01

Setting: National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis clinics in Chennai and Madurai, India. Objective: To examine the pattern of serial smears (negative-negative [NN], negative-positive [NP], positive-negative [PN], positive-positive [PP]) during treatment follow-up of culture-confirmed new smear-positive tuberculosis (TB) patients, and the proportion of culture-negatives in each category. Design: We reviewed the records and extracted follow-up smear (fluorescent microscopy) and culture (Löwenstein-Jensen) results of patients enrolled in clinical trials from January 2000 to August 2012 and treated with the Category I regimen (2EHRZ3/4HR3). Data entry and analysis were performed using EpiData. Results: Among 520 patients (176 infected with the human immunodeficiency virus), the proportions of culture-negative patients with NN, discordant (PN or NP) and PP patterns were approximately 98%, 80% and 40%, respectively. The smear-positive culture-negative phenomenon was more frequent in follow-up smear results graded 1+, followed by 2+ and 3+. Conclusion: There is justification for discontinuing the examination of second specimens during treatment follow-up among TB patients. However, a positive result on the first smear needs to be confirmed by a second positive result before making clinical management decisions. The World Health Organization may need to reconsider its recommendation on this issue. PMID:26393051

Maritime Interdiction in Counterinsurgency: The Role of the Sri Lankan Navy in the Defeat of the Tamil Tigers

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

impact on the Army’s ability to conduct operations by severing supply lines and lowering morale. By the end of Eelam II, the LTTE had built its force to...Service, Library of Congress, 2007) 161 Chris Smith, In the Shadow of a Ceasefire: The Impacts of Small Arms Availability and Misuse in Sri Lanka...Jaffna) and by April 2000, it controlled the strategically important Elephant Pass (one of only two land routes into the Jaffna Peninsula).180 The

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 note on the new species of the genus Isopsera (Orthoptera: Phaneropteridae: Phaneropterinae) from India.

PubMed

Nagar, Rajendra; Mal, Jhabar; Swaminathan, R

2015-05-29

A new species of the genus, Isopsera: Isopsera arcuata Nagar, Mal, Swaminathan sp. nov. (Orthoptera:Phaneropteridae Burmeister, 1838; Phaneropterinae Burmeister, 1838) is described. The holotype (♂) was collected from South India: Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu). The geographical location had the following specifications: 12⁰58 N 77⁰35E 930MSL South India. The described species differs from the two closely related species, I. caligula Ingrisch and I. spinosa Ingrisch, based on the structure of the male sub-genital plate, cerci and stridulatory file on the left tegmen.

The impact of lymphatic filariasis on labour inputs in southern India: results of a multi-site study.

PubMed

Ramaiah, K D; Radhamani, M P; John, K R; Evans, D B; Guyatt, H; Joseph, A; Datta, M; Vanamail, P

2000-06-01

A multi-site study was undertaken, in the rural areas of three districts in Tamil Nadu state, in southern India, to examine the impact of acute and chronic forms of lymphatic filariasis, caused by infection with Wuchereria bancrofti, on labour inputs. More than half of the acute episodes of adenolymphangitis (ADL) observed in the study communities caused total disability. The mean (S.D.) time that each ADL case was able to allocate to economic activity each day during these acute episodes was much less than seen in the controls matched for sex, age and occupation [0.97 (2.36) v. 4.48 (3.82) h; P < 0.01]. The acute disease also severely affected domestic activities, with female ADL cases spending only 1.54 (2.12) h/day on domestic activity, compared with 4.18 (2.61) h by controls. The subjects with chronic filariasis also spent significantly less time in economic activity than their matched controls [4.40 (3.79) v. 5.13 (3.83) h/day; P < 0.01). Although the acute episodes have a dramatic effect on the productivity of the affected individual, the labour loss caused by chronic disease is more serious, as the manifestations of chronic disease mostly affect the most productive age-groups, persist for life and are mostly irreversible. The adverse impact of acute and chronic filariasis was observed in males and females, farmers and non-farmers and during the rainy, winter and summer seasons. It is estimated that about 3.8% of the potential labour inputs of the men and 0.77% of those of the women were lost because of lymphatic filariasis. In addition to this loss, the total economic burden of the disease must include the costs of treatment and other health care and of the resources spent on control programmes. Estimates of the disease burden are likely to be useful in determining the costs and benefits of the recently launched campaign to eliminate lymphatic filariasis.

Depression in an older adult rural population in India.

PubMed

Sinha, Sati P; Shrivastava, Saurabh R; Ramasamy, Jegadeesh

2013-10-01

With a rapidly aging society, geriatric mental health is emerging as an important public health concern. According to the WHO, prevalence of depression in adults aged ≥60 years in developed and developing countries was 0.5 million and 4.8 million respectively in 2004. In India, increased life expectancy led to a rise in the older adult population between 2001 and 2011, expected to reach 324 million by 2050. To estimate the prevalence of depression and assess association between sociodemographic parameters and depression among older adults in a rural Indian community. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in February and March 2012 in the rural village of Sembakkam, Kancheepuram District in the state of Tamil Nadu, India; the village has a population of 5948, 3.1% of whom are aged ≥60 years. Universal sampling technique was employed, in which every household in the community was visited and all elderly persons were selected. After obtaining written informed consent (a thumbprint was taken if the person was illiterate), participants were assessed face to face for depression using the Short Form Geriatric Depression Scale. The inclusion criterion was a score >24 on the mini-mental state examination. Final sample size was 103. Study variables included sociodemographic parameters such as age, sex, education, occupation, socioeconomic status, and marital status. Data entry and statistical analysis used SPSS version 17. Of 103 respondents interviewed, 73 (70.9%) were aged 60-69 years and 58 (56.3%) were male. Forty-four (42.7%) individuals (17 males, 27 females) were found to be depressed; 23 (22.3%) with mild depression, 14 (13.6%) moderate depression and 7 (6.8%) severe depression. Female sex and widowhood were significantly associated with depression. Depression, particularly mild depression, is common in this rural population of older adults, particularly among women and widowed elderly. These study findings can help program managers implement a more comprehensive strategy in this community for timely interventions to promote mental health and prevent geriatric depression.

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. In future, higher studies are required to confirm our findings.

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.

Assessing heavy metal toxicity in sediments of Chennai Coast of Tamil Nadu using Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (EDXRF) with statistical approach.

PubMed

Tholkappian, M; Ravisankar, R; Chandrasekaran, A; Jebakumar, J Prince Prakash; Kanagasabapathy, K V; Prasad, M V R; Satapathy, K K

2018-01-01

The concentration of some heavy metals: Al, Ca, K, Fe, Ti, Mg, Mn, V, Cr, Zn, Ni and Co in sediments from Pulicat Lake to Vadanemmeli along Chennai Coast, Tamil Nadu has been determined using EDXRF technique. The mean concentrations of Mg, Al, K, Ca, Ti, Fe, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, and Zn were found to be 1918, 25436, 9832, 9859, 2109, 8209, 41.58, 34.14, 160.80, 2.85. 18.79 and 29.12 mg kg -1 respectively. These mean concentrations do not exceed the world crustal average. The level of pollution attributed to heavy metals was evaluated using several pollution indicators in order to determine anthropogenically derived contaminations. Enrichment Factor (EF), Geoaccumulation Index (I geo ), Contamination Factor (CF) and Pollution Load Index (PLI) were used in evaluating the contamination status of sediments. Enrichment Factors (EF) reveal the anthropogenic sources of V, Cr, Ni and Zn Geoaccumulation Index (I geo ) results reveal that the study area is not contaminated by the heavy metals. Similar results were also obtained by using pollution load index (PLI). The results of pollution indices indicates that most of the locations were not polluted by heavy metals. Multivariate statistical analysis performed using principal components and clustering techniques were used to identify the source of the heavy metals. The result of statistical procedures indicate that heavy metals in sediments are mainly of natural origin. This study provides a relatively novel technique for identifying and mapping the distribution of metal pollutants and their sources in sediment.

Stress and Stressors among Medical Undergraduate Students: A Cross-sectional Study in a Private Medical College in Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Anuradha, R; Dutta, Ruma; Raja, J Dinesh; Sivaprakasam, P; Patil, Aruna B

2017-01-01

Medical education is perceived as being stressful, and a high level of stress may have a negative effect on cognitive functioning and learning of students in a medical school. To (a) assess the perceived stress among medical undergraduate students, (b) identify the sources of stress, and (c) find an association of perceived stress with sociodemographic characteristics and various stressors. A cross-sectional study was conducted among medical undergraduate students in a private medical college in Tamil Nadu. A total of 750 medical students from 1 st year to final year were invited to participate in the study. Self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data regarding sociodemographic profile, perceived stress using perceived stress scale-14 and academic, psychosocial and environmental stressors. Descriptive statistics was used to describe the sociodemographic characteristics, sources of stress and perceived stress. Logistic regression analyses were carried out to assess determinants of stress. The overall response rate was 93.33% (700 out of 750 students). The mean perceived stress score was 25.64 ± 5.44. Higher age-group, year of studying bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery, vastness of academic curriculum, fear of poor performance in examination, lack of recreation, loneliness, family problem, and accommodation away from home were important determinants of perceived stress. The perceived stress was higher among higher age group and final year medical students. Academic, psychosocial, and environmental stressors are associated with perceived stress. Reframing the academic curriculum and examination patterns, incorporating recreational and sports activities, and establishment of counseling cells in the institution is needed.

Bacteriological profile of neonatal sepsis in a secondary care hospital in rural Tamil Nadu, Southern India.

PubMed

Pavan Kumar, Doniparthi Venkata; Mohan, Jesinth; Rakesh, P S; Prasad, Jasmine; Joseph, Lenikumar

2017-01-01

Neonatal sepsis is a leading cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity in the world. The objective of the current study was to detect the common causative microorganisms of neonatal sepsis and their antimicrobial resistance patterns in a rural secondary hospital in Tamil Nadu, India. Neonates (0-28 days) admitted to this newborn care unit from October 2013 to September 2015, with a diagnosis of probable sepsis were studied. All the enrolled babies had blood cultures taken and were followed up till final outcome, which was discharge or death, irrespective of culture result. Univariate analysis was performed for factors associated with culture positivity, generating odds ratios, and confidence intervals. Among the 107 babies with a diagnosis of probable sepsis, 28 (26.2%) had shown bacteria in culture. The majority (94.4%) were of early-onset sepsis. The predominant organisms were Staphylococcus aureus (10/28) and Klebsiella (6/28). 100% of Gram-negative bacilli and 90% of Staphylococcus were resistant to Ampicillin. Gentamicin resistance among Gram-negative bacilli and Staphylococcus was 52.9% and 20%, respectively, while third-generation cephalosporin resistance was 31.2% and 20%, respectively. Among the neonates diagnosed as probable sepsis, idiopathic prematurity ( P = 0.007) was found to have a statistically significant association with culture-positive sepsis. The culture positivity rate among the neonates with probable sepsis in the current study was 26%. An alarmingly high degree of antibiotic resistance observed calls for robust infection control practices and an urgent evaluation and development of individual and national antibiotic policies for neonatal sepsis.