Diverse Diurnal and Seasonal Sapflux Responses in Three Co-occurring Species from East Himalayan Wet Temperate Forests in Sikkim Himalaya, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, M.; Joseph, G.; Krishnaswamy, J.

2016-12-01

In a first attempt from Eastern Himalaya, we investigate diurnal and seasonal variability in transpiration by three dominant co-occurring species, Symplocos sps (SYP), Eurya sps (EU) & Castanopsis sps (CNP) from a regenerating East-Himalyan wet temperate forest stand located at 2150 amsl in the Fambonglho Wildlife Sanctuary in Sikkim, India. We installed 13 trees (5 SYP, 5 EU & 3 CNP) with Granier's thermal dissipation method (TDM)-based sapflow sensors (different depths of sapwood in one tree of each species for radial sapflow profile and at 2ndcm depth for remaining trees) for the dry season from November 2013 - May 2014. Environmental variables like temperature, relative humidity, soil water potential, rainfall and streamflow were measured using dataloggers-based sensors. Radially, SYP and EU showed higher sapflux density (SFD) in the outer xylem, whereas CNP had highest SFD near the inner xylem. Diurnally, both SYP and EU exhibited bi-modal peaks (early-morning and late-afternoon) during the moist months, and unimodal peaks (noon) in the relatively drier months; indicating probable controls of soil moisture on transpiration. CNP showed only unimodal peak (noon). Higher SFD was observed at the sensor placed on the north-facing side, across all species, indicating circumferential variability. As the dry season progressed, SYP and EU exhibited decreasing transpiration, whereas Castnopsis showed consistently high rates (probably due to deeper rooting depths). Discrete weighted-mean method was used calculating whole-tree sapflow in the trees with depth sensors. Results suggest that SYP and EU exhibit similar transpiration characteristics possibly due their similar eco-physiological traits (secondary species); in contrast to CNP (canopy species). CNP showed relatively higher sapflow than reported from Central Himalaya, indicative of evolution under a relatively wetter climate. Vapour pressure deficit and solar radiation act as drivers of transpiration, which seems to

Teacher Education in Northeast India--Status, Weaknesses and Alternatives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhattacharjee, D. S.

2011-01-01

Northeast India comprises of a cluster of eight states--Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. The region is usually stereotyped as underdeveloped. Geographically, the region is surrounded by international border with part of Nepal, Bhutan, China, Myanmar and Bangladesh. Prevalence of insurgency and…

Chromobacterium violaceum septicaemia from north India.

PubMed

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

2004-12-01

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

Fluid-assisted Ductile Deformation in the Main Central Thrust, Sikkim Himalaya, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakraborty, S.; Majumdar, A. S.; Mukul, M.

2016-12-01

The disparity in the definition and position of the Main Central Thrust (MCT), a major crustal scale fault-zone (FZ) in the Himalaya have hindered detailed studies on its geometry, kinematics, deformation mechanisms and role of fluid aiding in deformation within the MCTFZ. To resolve these ambiguities, we have mapped the MCT using a ductile fault-zone model, characterized by a fault core (FC) of maximum-grain size reduction flanked by relatively less deformed hanging-wall (HWDZ) and footwall damage zones (FWDZ). The mineralogical and compositional variations from protolith to FC are analysed by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF). The study reveals in the structurally lowest exposure near Rongli, Sikkim, India the MCTFZ outcrops with 120m thick FC flanked by 1.2km HWDZ and 1.3km FWDZ. The modal proportion of quartz progressively increases from protolith ( 32%) to the FC ( 90%), coupled with decrease in proportion of feldspars ( 60% to 9%) and biotite ( 6% to 2%). Volume-conservative mass balance calculations show an increase in SiO2 concentration (in wt%), coupled with a decrease in other major and minor element concentrations like Al2O3, TiO2, Fe2O3, Na2O and CaO in the FC relative to the protolith composition. Similar trend was observed for Al2O3 and TiO2 conservative isocon analyses with volume gain of 138% and 55% respectively from the protolith to the FC. The extensive mineralogical and compositional changes from the protolith to the FC indicate fluid-induced element mobilization in the MCTFZ. Evidences of reaction softening, as observed by the transformation of mechanically stronger minerals like feldspar and hornblende to weaker sericite and biotite respectively, attest to deformation in the presence of fluid. The fluid enriches the FC with easily deformable quartz along with reduction in proportion of relatively less deformable feldspar. The presence of fluid facilitates deformation of quartz in MCTFZ at lower temperatures by hydrolytic

Identification of yeast strains isolated from marcha in Sikkim, a microbial starter for amylolytic fermentation.

PubMed

Tsuyoshi, Naoko; Fudou, Ryosuke; Yamanaka, Shigeru; Kozaki, Michio; Tamang, Namrata; Thapa, Saroj; Tamang, Jyoti P

2005-03-15

Marcha or murcha is a traditional amylolytic starter used to produce sweet-sour alcoholic drinks, commonly called jaanr in the Himalayan regions of India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet (China). The aim of this study was to examine the microflora of marcha collected from Sikkim in India, focusing on yeast flora and their roles. Twenty yeast strains were isolated from six samples of marcha and identified by genetic and phenotypic methods. They were first classified into four groups (Group I, II, III, and IV) based on physiological features using an API test. Phylogenetic, morphological, and physiological characterization identified the isolates as Saccharomyces bayanus (Group I); Candida glabrata (Group II); Pichia anomala (Group III); and Saccharomycopsis fibuligera, Saccharomycopsis capsularis, and Pichia burtonii (Group IV). Among them, the Group I, II, and III strains produced ethanol. The isolates of Group IV had high amylolytic activity. Because all marcha samples tested contained both starch degraders and ethanol producers, it was hypothesized that all four groups of yeast (Group I, II, III, and IV) contribute to starch-based alcohol fermentation.

Lateral variation of seismic attenuation in Sikkim Himalaya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thirunavukarasu, Ajaay; Kumar, Ajay; Mitra, Supriyo

2017-01-01

We use data from local earthquakes (mb ≥ 3.0) recorded by the Sikkim broad-band seismograph network to study the frequency-dependent attenuation of the crust and uppermost mantle. These events have been relocated using body wave phase data from local and regional seismograms. The decay of coda amplitudes at a range of central frequencies (1 to 12 Hz) has been measured for 74 earthquake-receiver pairs. These measurements are combined to estimate the frequency-dependent coda Q of the form Q( f) = Q0 f η. The estimated Q0 values range from 80 to 200, with an average of 123 ± 29; and η ranges from 0.92 to 1.04, with an average of 0.98 ± 0.04. To study the lateral variation of Q0 and η, we regionalized the measured Q values by combining all the earthquake-receiver path measurements through a back projection algorithm. We consider a single back-scatter model for the coda waves with elliptical sampling and parametrize the sampled area using 0.2° square grids. A nine-point spatial smoothening (similar to spatial Gaussian filter) is applied to stabilize the inversion. This is done at every frequency to observe the spatial variation of Q( f) and subsequently combined to obtain η variations. Results of our study reveal that the Sikkim Himalaya is characterized by low Q0 (80-100) compared to the foreland basin to its south (150-200) and the Nepal Himalaya to its west (140-160). The low Q and high η in Sikkim Himalaya is attributed to extrinsic scattering attenuation from structural heterogeneity and active faults within the crust, and intrinsic attenuation due to anelasticity in the hotter lithosphere beneath the actively deforming mountain belt. Similar low Q and high η values had also been observed in northwest and Garhwal-Kumaun Himalaya.

Semester System of Evaluation in the Colleges of Sikkim

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhutia, Yodida; Subba, Nar Maya

2015-01-01

University and colleges have adopted semester system in undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Sikkim since 2008. Semester system facilitates intense academic period and also prompt evaluation. The system is also very useful to track and maintain an individual performance record of all the students through an intensive interactive process…

Genetic population structure of the malaria vector Anopheles baimaii in north-east India using mitochondrial DNA

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Anopheles baimaii is a primary vector of human malaria in the forest settings of Southeast Asia including the north-eastern region of India. Here, the genetic population structure and the basic population genetic parameters of An. baimaii in north-east India were estimated using DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase sub unit II (COII) gene. Methods Anopheles baimaii were collected from 26 geo-referenced locations across the seven north-east Indian states and the COII gene was sequenced from 176 individuals across these sites. Fifty-seven COII sequences of An. baimaii from six locations in Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand from a previous study were added to this dataset. Altogether, 233 sequences were grouped into eight population groups, to facilitate analyses of genetic diversity, population structure and population history. Results A star-shaped median joining haplotype network, unimodal mismatch distribution and significantly negative neutrality tests indicated population expansion in An. baimaii with the start of expansion estimated to be ~0.243 million years before present (MYBP) in north-east India. The populations of An. baimaii from north-east India had the highest haplotype and nucleotide diversity with all other populations having a subset of this diversity, likely as the result of range expansion from north-east India. The north-east Indian populations were genetically distinct from those in Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand, indicating that mountains, such as the Arakan mountain range between north-east India and Myanmar, are a significant barrier to gene flow. Within north-east India, there was no genetic differentiation among populations with the exception of the Central 2 population in the Barail hills area that was significantly differentiated from other populations. Conclusions The high genetic distinctiveness of the Central 2 population in the Barail hills area of the north-east India should be confirmed and its

Dimension and Socio-demographic Correlates of Domestic Violence: A study from Northeast India.

PubMed

Borah, Prasanta Kr; Kundu, Azad S; Mahanta, Jagadish

2017-05-01

Present study was aimed to find out dimension and socio-demographic correlates of domestic violence in Assam, Sikkim and Meghalaya, Northeast India. Two districts from each state were selected at random and women aged 18-35 years from rural and urban localities were interviewed to obtain relevant information. The study included a total of 2249 participants (Rural = 1577 and Urban = 672) from Assam (650), Sikkim (1148) and Meghalaya (451). Domestic violence was recorded in 26.4% of study participants and highest in Meghalaya. Of all types, psychological violence was predominant. A number of socio-demographic factors have been identified as independent predictors for domestic violence in pooled and state specific analysis. Findings of our study may help in formulating strategies to prevent domestic violence.

Composition of gallbladder bile in healthy individuals and patients with gallstone disease from north and South India.

PubMed

Jayanthi, V; Sarika, S; Varghese, Joy; Vaithiswaran, V; Sharma, Malay; Reddy, Mettu Srinivas; Srinivasan, Vijaya; Reddy, G M M; Rela, Mohamed; Kalkura, S

2016-09-01

Gallstones (GS) in south India (SI) are predominantly pure pigment or mixed, while in North India (NI), these are either pure cholesterol or mixed. While cholesterol rich gallbladder (GB) bile predicts cholesterol GS, constituent of bile in primary pigment GS is not known. We compared the composition of GB bile from healthy liver donors and patients with GS from north and south India. Gallbladder bile from healthy liver donors from north (10) and south India (8) served as controls. Cases were patients from north (21) and south India (17) who underwent cholecystectomy for GS disease. Gallbladder bile from both cases and controls was analyzed for cholesterol, lecithin (phospholipid), and bile salts. Gallstones were classified as cholesterol, mixed, and pigment based on morphology and biochemical analysis. The median cholesterol concentration in control bile from north was significantly high compared to south (p<0.001) with no difference in lecithin and bile salts (p NS). Except for one sample each from north and south, the cholesterol solubility of controls was within the critical micellar zone. Mixed GS were most frequent in north India (61.9 %) while pigment GS dominated in south (61.9 %). The median cholesterol concentration in bile samples of cholecystectomy patients from north India was significantly high GS (p < 0.00001) with significant lowering of bile salts and lecithin (p < 0.00001). In south India, patients with mixed GS had high cholesterol content in bile compared to controls and patients with pigment GS; bile in latter had significantly higher concentration of bile salt compared to controls and mixed GS. The ternary plot confirmed the composition of GB bile from north and south India. Gallbladder bile in controls and patients with GS from north India had significantly high cholesterol concentration. In south India, patients with mixed GS had cholesterol rich bile while pigment GS had higher concentrations of bile salts.

STS-56 Earth observation of Karakorum Range of north India

NASA Image and Video Library

1993-04-17

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

Disjunctive Grade Variation from Greenschist to Granulite Facies, Siyom Valley, Eastern Arunachal Pradesh, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clarke, G. L.; Bhowmik, S. K.; Aitchison, J. C.; Ireland, T. R.

2014-12-01

The Siyom Valley section in eastern Arunachal Pradesh exposes an inverted metamorphic succession (Nandini & Thakur, 2011), metapelitic assemblages increasing in grade northwards from chlorite, through biotite, garnet-staurolite and kyanite-bearing schist to kyanite-sillimanite migmatite. Grade changes are mostly controlled by shallowly north, and northwest-dipping fault structures. Two textural stages of garnet growth can be identified in the ilmenite-bearing amphibolite facies rocks, staurolite having formed late in, or after, deformation responsible for the main penetrative foliation (S2). Kyanite and rutile inclusions in garnet indicate that their growth in migmatite preceded that of matrix sillimanite, ilmenite and cordierite, though unrecrystallized kyanite is also common in the feldspathic matrix. Preliminary data indicate the pronounced tectonic thinning of metasedimentary protoliths during exhumation, and the probability of a pronounced step in grade in the middle part of the river section. Similarities with sections in the Sikkim (Dasgupta et al., 2004) and western Arunachal Pradesh (Goswami et al., 2009) Himalaya reflect the lateral continuity of the south-vergent thrusts that controlled the exhumation of the high-grade rocks, with debate concerning the location and significance of the Main Central Thrust zone begging protolith and metamorphic age data. Dasgupta, S.,Ganguly, J. & Neogi, S., 2004. Inverted metamorphic sequence in the Sikkim Himalayas: crystallization history, P-T gradient and implications. Journal of Metamorphic Geology, 22, 395-412. Goswami, S., Bhowmik, S.K. & Dasgupta, S., 2009. Petrology of a non-classical Barrovian inverted metamorphic sequence from the western Arunachal Himalaya, India. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 36, 390-406. Nandini, P. & Thakur, S.S., 2011. Metamorphic evolution of the Lesser Himalayan Crystalline Sequence, Siyom Valley, NE Himalaya, India. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 40, 1089-1100

Weight concerns and food habits of adolescent girls in two contrasting ecological regions: A comparative study in India.

PubMed

Som, Nivedita; Mishra, Shailendra Kumar; Mukhopadhyay, Susmita

2016-01-01

To compare the incidence of weight concerns and food habits between two ethnically different groups of adolescent girls residing in two distinct ecological settings: the plains of Kolkata and the mountains of Sikkim. Two separate cross-sectional studies were conducted within a period of five years in urban hilly areas of Sikkim and the city of Kolkata, India. A total of 506 girls aged 14-19 years were selected from the study areas of Sikkim (n=224) and Kolkata (n=282). Girls were interviewed for weight concerns and food habits along with socio-demographic characteristics. Weight concerns were assessed with four variables such as, perceptions about own body weight, felt dissatisfied with own body weight, urge for dieting and use of weight reduction diet. Food habits included consumption of major foods during the past one week. Bivariate analyses showed that Kolkata girls perceived themselves as overweight, remained dissatisfied with body weight, expressed perceived need for dieting and followed weight reduction diet more compared to the girls of Sikkim. Food habits indicated that all Sikkimese girls preferred to consume cereals regularly, while Kolkata girls consumed vegetables, pulses, fish, fruits, bread and butter and fried foods more than Sikkimese girls. Multivariate analyses showed that place of residence was significantly (p<0.05) associated with both weight concerns and food habits of girls. Diversity in culture, ethnicity and socio-economic standard perhaps develop the disparity in food habits and weight concerns between girls of urban hilly areas of Sikkim and the city of Kolkata. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of sudden stratospheric warming and quasi biennial oscillation on western disturbance over north India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Remya, R.; Kottayil, Ajil; Mohanakumar, K.

2017-07-01

This study demonstrates the variability in Western Disturbance during the sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) period and its eventual influence on the north Indian weather pattern. The modulations in the north Indian winter under the two phases of the Quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) during SSW periods are also examined. The analysis has been carried out by using the ERA interim reanalysis dataset for different pressure levels in the stratosphere and upper troposphere during the time period of 1980-2010. The daily minimum surface temperature data published by India Meteorological Department from 1969 to 2013 has been used for the analysis of temperature anomaly over north India during SSW. The period of intense stratospheric warming witnesses a downward propagation and intensification of kinetic energy from stratosphere to upper troposphere over the Mediterranean and Caspian Sea. When QBO is in easterly phase, the cooling over north India is much larger when compared to the westerly phase during instances of SSW. SSW coincident with the easterly phase of QBO causes an intensified subtropical jet over the mid-latitude regions. The modulation in circulation pattern in stratosphere and upper troposphere when ENSO occurs during SSW period is also analysed separately. This study provides the link among SSW, Western Disturbances and the north Indian cooling during winter season.

Politics, Society and Cosmology in India's North East

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brara, Vijalakshmi N.

Perched on the north eastern border of India, Manipur has evolved from a collection of heterogeneous principalities into a homogeneous society with a well-developed state structure. The author uses Clifford Geertz's concept of the theatre state to help analyse contemporary politics and ethnic relations in this region. The Meiteis, who are mainly Hindus, inhabit the Manipur Valley, whilst various Naga and Kuki tribes, who are predominantly Christians, live in the surrounding hills.

Genetic affinities of north and northeastern populations of India: inference from HLA-based study.

PubMed

Agrawal, S; Srivastava, S K; Borkar, M; Chaudhuri, T K

2008-08-01

India is like a microcosm of the world in terms of its diversity; religion, climate and ethnicity which leads to genetic variations in the populations. As a highly polymorphic marker, the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system plays an important role in the genetic differentiation studies. To assess the genetic diversity of HLA class II loci, we studied a total of 1336 individuals from north India using DNA-based techniques. The study included four endogamous castes (Kayastha, Mathurs, Rastogies and Vaishyas), two inbreeding Muslim populations (Shias and Sunnis) from north India and three northeast Indian populations (Lachung, Mech and Rajbanshi). A total of 36 alleles were observed at DRB1 locus in both Hindu castes and Muslims from north, while 21 alleles were seen in northeast Indians. At the DQA1 locus, the number of alleles ranged from 11 to 17 in the studied populations. The total number of alleles at DQB1 was 19, 12 and 20 in the studied castes, Muslims and northeastern populations, respectively. The most frequent haplotypes observed in all the studied populations were DRB1*0701-DQA1*0201-DQB1*0201 and DRB1*1501-DQA1*0103-DQB1*0601. Upon comparing our results with other world populations, we observed the presence of Caucasoid element in north Indian population. However, differential admixturing among Sunnis and Shias with the other north Indians was evident. Northeastern populations showed genetic affinity with Mongoloids from southeast Asia. When genetic distances were calculated, we found the north Indians and northeastern populations to be markedly unrelated.

Bacterial and archeal community composition in hot springs from Indo-Burma region, North-east India.

PubMed

Panda, Amrita Kumari; Bisht, Satpal Singh; De Mandal, Surajit; Kumar, Nachimuthu Senthil

2016-12-01

Bacterial and archaeal diversity of two alkaline Indian hot springs, Jakrem (Meghalaya) and Yumthang (Sikkim), were studied. Thirteen major bacterial phyla were identified of which Firmicutes, Chloroflexi and Thermi were dominant in Jakrem and Proteobacteria in Yumthang. The dominant genera were Clostridium, Chloroflexus and Meiothermus at Jakrem (water temperature 46 °C, pH 9) and Thiobacillus, Sulfuritalea at Yumthang (water temperature 39 °C, pH 8) hot springs. The four Euryarchaeota taxa that were observed in both the hot springs were Methanoculleus, Methanosaeta, Methanosarcina and Methanocorposculum. Elstera litoralis, Thiovirga sp., Turneriella sp. were observed for the first time in association with hot springs along with Tepidibacter sp., Ignavibacterium sp., Teribacillus sp. and Dechloromonas sp. Individual bacterial phyla were found to be specifically correlated with certain physico-chemical factors such as temperature, dissolved SiO 2 , elemental S, total sulphide, calcium concentrations in hot spring water. Bacterial reads involved in sulfur cycle were identified in both16S rRNA gene library and sulfur metabolism may play key physiological functions in this hot spring. Members within Desulfobacterales and Thermodesulfovibrionaceae were identified and hypothesized their role in regulating sulfur cycle. The presence of many taxonomically unsolved sequences in the 16S rRNA gene tag datasets from these hot springs could be a sign of novel microbe richness in these less known hot water bodies of Northeastern India.

Sociodemographic profile of children with Kawasaki disease in North India.

PubMed

Prakash, Jeya; Singh, Surjit; Gupta, Anju; Bharti, Bhavneet; Bhalla, A K

2016-03-01

Kawasaki disease (KD) is now the commonest cause of acquired heart disease in children in developed countries. KD occurs all over the world, including developing countries. The present study steps out to explore our hypothesis, driven by clinical observation over the last 18 years, whether children with KD in North India are of a higher socioeconomic status than children with other rheumatologic diseases. One hundred consecutive children with KD, registered in Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic before January 2011, were enrolled as cases. Children with other rheumatologic diseases were taken as controls. Assessment of socioeconomic status was done by administering the Aggarwal scale. Data were collected through interview. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS package version 16. On univariate analysis, male sex, higher educational status of parents, urban residence, immunization status being complete, and higher scores on Aggarwal scale were found to be significantly associated with KD. On multivariate analysis, only male sex and urban residence were found to be significantly associated with KD (p < 0.001). Families of children with KD tend to have a better sociodemographic profile when compared with other pediatric rheumatologic disorders in North India. These results, however, need to be replicated in a multicentric study for any firm conclusions to be drawn.

Analysis and trends of precipitation lapse rate and extreme indices over north Sikkim eastern Himalayas under CMIP5ESM-2M RCPs experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Vishal; Goyal, Manish Kumar

2016-01-01

This paper draws attention to highlight the spatial and temporal variability in precipitation lapse rate (PLR) and precipitation extreme indices (PEIs) through the mesoscale characterization of Teesta river catchment, which corresponds to north Sikkim eastern Himalayas. A PLR rate is an important variable for the snowmelt runoff models. In a mountainous region, the PLR could be varied from lower elevation parts to high elevation parts. In this study, a PLR was computed by accounting elevation differences, which varies from around 1500 m to 7000 m. A precipitation variability and extremity were analysed using multiple mathematical functions viz. quantile regression, spatial mean, spatial standard deviation, Mann-Kendall test and Sen's estimation. For this reason, a daily precipitation, in the historical (years 1980-2005) as measured/observed gridded points and projected experiments for the 21st century (years 2006-2100) simulated by CMIP5 ESM-2 M model (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 Earth System Model 2) employing three different radiative forcing scenarios (Representative Concentration Pathways), utilized for the research work. The outcomes of this study suggest that a PLR is significantly varied from lower elevation to high elevation parts. The PEI based analysis showed that the extreme high intensity events have been increased significantly, especially after 2040s. The PEI based observations also showed that the numbers of wet days are increased for all the RCPs. The quantile regression plots showed significant increments in the upper and lower quantiles of the various extreme indices. The Mann-Kendall test and Sen's estimation tests clearly indicated significant changing patterns in the frequency and intensity of the precipitation indices across all the sub-basins and RCP scenario in an intra-decadal time series domain. The RCP8.5 showed extremity of the projected outcomes.

Identification of species and genetic variation in Taenia isolates from human and swine of North India.

PubMed

Singh, Satyendra K; Prasad, Kashi N; Singh, Aloukick K; Gupta, Kamlesh K; Chauhan, Ranjeet S; Singh, Amrita; Singh, Avinash; Rai, Ravi P; Pati, Binod K

2016-10-01

Taenia solium is the major cause of taeniasis and cysticercosis/neurocysticercosis (NCC) in the developing countries including India, but the existence of other Taenia species and genetic variation have not been studied in India. So, we studied the existence of different Taenia species, and sequence variation in Taenia isolates from human (proglottids and cysticerci) and swine (cysticerci) in North India. Amplification of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (cox1) was done by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. We identified two species of Taenia i.e. T. solium and Taenia asiatica in our isolates. T. solium isolates showed similarity with Asian genotype and nucleotide variations from 0.25 to 1.01 %, whereas T. asiatica displayed nucleotide variations ranged from 0.25 to 0.5 %. These findings displayed the minimal genetic variations in North Indian isolates of T. solium and T. asiatica.

Factors associated with tobacco use among adolescents in India: results from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, India (2000-2003).

PubMed

Oswal, Kunal C

2015-03-01

To differentiate between the different types of tobacco users and analyze the association between types of tobacco users and factors like pocket money and peer and parental influence across most of the state in India using the data obtained from Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) between 2000 and 2004. The GYTS data encompassed a representative 2-stage probability sample of students aged 13 to 15 years across 24 states and 2 union territories in India. These students were interviewed using an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire. A very strong association between users and pocket money was found in most of the states, with northeastern states having a very strong association-Sikkim, odds ratio (OR) = 8.43 (confidence interval [CI] = 6.08-11.69), and Manipur, OR = 5.58 (CI = 3.60-8.65)-after adjusting for close friend being smoker, close friend being smokeless tobacco user, parental influence, age, and gender. This study found a strong association between tobacco use by adolescents and having pocket money and close friends being tobacco users. © 2012 APJPH.

Rapid spread of HIV among injecting drug users in north-eastern states of India.

PubMed

Sarkar, S; Das, N; Panda, S; Naik, T N; Sarkar, K; Singh, B C; Ralte, J M; Aier, S M; Tripathy, S P

1993-01-01

Manipur, a north-eastern state of India bordering Myanmar, has experienced very rapid transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among its vast drug-injecting population. Seroprevalence among intravenous drug users increased from 0 per cent in September 1989 to 50 per cent within six months. With a minimum injecting population of 15,000 and seropositivity of over 50 per cent, the infection quickly spread to the population at large. One per cent of antenatal mothers tested seropositive by 1991. Forming part of the area of South-East Asia known as the Golden Triangle, and producing opium and its derivatives, Myanmar shares a long international border with four States of the region, and populations with a common language and culture move freely across borders. Two other north-eastern states of India bordering Myanmar have faced a similar epidemic within a short period of time. As a result of serosurveillance for HIV since 1986, the epidemic could be detected at an early stage. The present paper provides an account of the results of ongoing comprehensive studies conducted in the north-eastern states of India on drug-related HIV infection, already a serious problem, but possibly still restricted to that region of the country. The prevalence of intravenous drug users, their HIV serological status, the demographic profile, risk behaviour, the spread of the infection to other groups and the problems of harm minimization are also covered.

Recent trends in rainfall and temperature over North West India during 1871-2016

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saxena, Rani; Mathur, Prasoon

2018-03-01

Rainfall and temperature are the most important environmental factors influencing crop growth, development, and yield. The northwestern (NW) part of India is one of the main regions of food grain production of the country. It comprises of six meteorological subdivisions (Haryana, Punjab, West Rajasthan, East Rajasthan, Gujarat and Saurashtra, Kutch and Diu). In this study, attempts were made to study variability and trends in rainfall and temperature during 30-year climate normal periods (CN) and 10-year decadal excess or deficit rainfall frequency during the historical period from 1871 to 2016. The Mann-Kendall and Spearman's rank correlation (Spearman's rho) tests were used to determine significance of trends. Least square linear fitting method was adopted to find out the slopes of the trend lines. The long-term mean annual rainfall over North West India is 587.7 mm (standard deviation of 153.0 mm and coefficient of variation 26.0). There was increasing trend in minimum and maximum temperatures during post monsoon season in entire study period and current climate normal period (1991-2016) due to which the sowing of rabi season crops may be delayed and there may be germination problem too. There was a non-significant decreasing trend in rainfall during monsoon season and an increasing trend in rainfall during post monsoon over North West India during entire study period. During current CN5 (1991-2016), all the subdivision (except the Saurashtra region) showed a decreasing trend in rainfall during monsoon season which is a matter of concern for kharif crops and those rabi crops which are grown as rainfed on conserved soil moisture. The decadal annual and seasonal frequencies of excess and deficit years results revealed that the annual total deficit rainfall years (24) exceeded total excess rainfall years (22) in North West India during the entire study period. While during the current decadal period (2011 to 2016), single year was the excess year and 2 years were

Analysis of bacterial and fungal communities in Marcha and Thiat, traditionally prepared amylolytic starters of India.

PubMed

Sha, Shankar Prasad; Jani, Kunal; Sharma, Avinash; Anupma, Anu; Pradhan, Pooja; Shouche, Yogesh; Tamang, Jyoti Prakash

2017-09-08

Marcha and thiat are traditionally prepared amylolytic starters use for production of various ethnic alcoholic beverages in Sikkim and Meghalaya states in India. In the present study we have tried to investigate the bacterial and fungal community composition of marcha and thiat by using high throughput sequencing. Characterization of bacterial community depicts phylum Proteobacteria is the most dominant in both marcha (91.4%) and thiat (53.8%), followed by Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. Estimates of fungal community composition showed Ascomycota as the dominant phylum. Presence of Zygomycota in marcha distinguishes it from the thiat. The results of NGS analysis revealed dominance of yeasts in marcha whereas molds out numbers in case of thiat. This is the first report on microbial communities of traditionally prepared amylolytic starters of India using high throughput sequencing.

Prevalence survey of dermatological conditions in mountainous north India.

PubMed

Grills, Nathan; Grills, Claire; Spelman, Tim; Stoove, Mark; Hellard, Margaret; El-Hayek, Carol; Singh, Rajesh

2012-05-01

Dermatological conditions account for a substantial proportion of the global burden of disease in low and middle income countries (Bickers D, Lim H, Margolis D, et al. The burden of skin diseases: 2004. A joint project of the American Academy of Dermatology Association and the Society for Investigative Dermatology. J Am Acad Dermatol 2006; 55: 490-500) and place major pressures on primary healthcare centers (Satimia F, McBride S, Leppard B. Prevalence of skin disease in rural Tanzania and factors influencing the choice of health care, modern or traditional. Arch Dermatol 1998; 134: 1363-1366). In mountainous North India, where limited resources are available for skin care, no dermatological data exists on prevalence, treatment patterns, or associations. The study aimed to measure prevalence and treatment of dermatological conditions and associated factors in Uttarakhand so to inform delivery of dermatological care and prevention programs in India. Single stage cluster randomized sampling generated seven cluster units or villages. Household members (n = 1275) from each cluster were interviewed, and where possible, examined and offered treatment. Dermatological conditions were prevalent (45.3%), with 33% being of infectious etiology. Atopic dermatitis (9.2%), scabies (4.4%), tinea corporis (4.1%), and pityriasis alba (3.6%) were most prevalent. Multivariate analysis showed that cohabitation with animals (OR = 1.62, 95% CI-1.35, 1.95) was a predictor of any skin diseases. A health practitioner was not consulted in 64.7% of dermatological conditions, and where consulted, approximately 69% received inappropriate or ineffective treatments. Excessive spending on dermatological care was commonplace. Limitations associated with cross-sectional cluster methodology included the underrepresentation of seasonal conditions and conditions of short duration. Caste proved difficult to randomize across clusters given villages were often composed according to caste. These

Gender inequality and the risk of HIV among married couples in North India.

PubMed

Bloom, Shelah S; Agrawal, Alpna; Singh, Kaushalendra K; Suchindran, Chirayath M

2015-01-01

This study investigated the distribution and determinants of HIV risks among married couples in North India. Gender inequality emerged as a potential driver of HIV risks in this region. Data collection took place in 2003 in a probability survey of 3385 couples living in India's most populous state - Uttar Pradesh - and Uttaranchal. Couples' analyses utilizing generalized estimating equations showed that compared with husbands, wives were less knowledgeable about HIV (OR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.27-0.36), more likely to consider themselves at risk for infection (OR = 6.86, 95% CI = 4.65-10.13), and less likely to feel that a wife had the right to refuse sex with her husband (OR = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.44-0.58). The proportion of husbands reporting non-marital sex in the past year was 7.1% and transactional sex in the past year, 2.2%. Among their wives, 73.4% were unaware of their husbands' non-marital sexual behaviors and only 28.9% of husbands reported condom use during their last non-marital sexual encounter. Logistic regression analyses showed that husbands' alcohol use, husbands' mobility, and urban residence were positively associated with husbands' non-marital sexual behaviors adjusting for other covariates. The data demonstrate that HIV prevention programs among couples in North India should consider both sexual risks and gender inequalities which potentially fuel HIV spread in this region.

Cephalometric norms for orthognathic surgery for North India (Eastern Uttar Pradesh).

PubMed

Gulati, Rajeev; Jain, Shikha

2011-01-01

The present study was aimed at development of the cephalometric norms for orthognathic surgery for the population of eastern Uttar Pradesh in North India. This study was conducted at a dental college. The study sample consisted of 50 males and 50 females. Each lateral cephalogram was taken in occlusion and subsequently traced. All reference points, landmarks, and measurements were made according to cephalometrics for orthognathic surgery (COGS) system. The statistical analysis involved calculation of mean and standard deviation for each of the 23 parameters assessed for each subject. The data was subsequently compared with COGS study by using Normal (Z) test. The norms were derived for the purvanchal population of North India and these were found to be quite distinct compared to those obtained from COGS study with respect to specific parameters. Male subjects indicated greater prominence of chin relative to the face, decreased posterior divergence, infraeruption of upper and lower molar as well as lower incisors, decreased total effective length of the maxilla, tendency towards Class III occlusion, and procumbent lower incisors. Female subjects, however, indicated increased anterior cranial base length, greater prominence of chin relative to the face, prognathic maxilla and mandible, increased middle third facial height, infraerupted lower incisors, increased mandibular body length, and procumbent lower incisors.

Seasonal prediction skill of winter temperature over North India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiwari, P. R.; Kar, S. C.; Mohanty, U. C.; Dey, S.; Kumari, S.; Sinha, P.

2016-04-01

The climatology, amplitude error, phase error, and mean square skill score (MSSS) of temperature predictions from five different state-of-the-art general circulation models (GCMs) have been examined for the winter (December-January-February) seasons over North India. In this region, temperature variability affects the phenological development processes of wheat crops and the grain yield. The GCM forecasts of temperature for a whole season issued in November from various organizations are compared with observed gridded temperature data obtained from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for the period 1982-2009. The MSSS indicates that the models have skills of varying degrees. Predictions of maximum and minimum temperature obtained from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) climate forecast system model (NCEP_CFSv2) are compared with station level observations from the Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE). It has been found that when the model temperatures are corrected to account the bias in the model and actual orography, the predictions are able to delineate the observed trend compared to the trend without orography correction.

Aerosol Radiative Forcing over North India during Pre-Monsoon Season using WRF-Chem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Misra, A.; Kumar, K.; Michael, M.; Tripathi, S. N.

2013-12-01

Study of aerosols is important for a fair understanding of the Earth climate system. This requires knowledge of the physical, chemical, optical, and morphological properties of aerosols. Aerosol radiative forcing provides information on the effect of aerosols on the Earth radiation budget. Radiative forcing estimates using model data provide an opportunity to examine the contribution of individual aerosol species to overall radiative forcing. We have used Weather Research and Forecast with Online Chemistry (WRF-Chem) derived aerosol concentration data to compute aerosol radiative forcing over north India during pre-monsoon season of 2008, 2009, and 2010. WRF-Chem derived mass concentrations are converted to number concentrations using standard procedure. Optical Properties of Aerosol and Cloud (OPAC) software package is used to compute extinction and scattering coefficients, and asymmetry parameter. Computations are performed at different altitudes and the obtained values are integrated to get the column optical properties. Santa Barbara Discrete Ordinate Radiative Transfer (SBDART) model is used to calculate the radiative forcing at surface and top-of-atmosphere. Higher values of aerosol radiative forcing are observed over desert region in western Indian state of Rajasthan, and Punjab of Pakistan. Contribution of individual aerosol species to atmospheric radiative forcing is also assessed. Dust radiative forcing is high over western India. Radiative forcing due to BC and water-soluble (WASO) aerosols are higher over north-west Indian states of Punjab and Haryana, and the Indo-Gangetic Basin. A pool of high WASO optical depth and radiative forcing is observed over the Indo-Bangladesh border. The findings of aerosol optical depth and radiative forcing are consistent with the geography and prevailing aerosol climatology of various regions. Heating rate profiles due to total aerosols and only due to BC have been evaluated at selected stations in north India. They show

Genomic diversity and affinities in population groups of North West India: an analysis of Alu insertion and a single nucleotide polymorphism.

PubMed

Saini, J S; Kumar, A; Matharoo, K; Sokhi, J; Badaruddoza; Bhanwer, A J S

2012-12-15

The North West region of India is extremely important to understand the peopling of India, as it acted as a corridor to the foreign invaders from Eurasia and Central Asia. A series of these invasions along with multiple migrations led to intermixture of variable populations, strongly contributing to genetic variations. The present investigation was designed to explore the genetic diversities and affinities among the five major ethnic groups from North West India; Brahmin, Jat Sikh, Bania, Rajput and Gujjar. A total of 327 individuals of the abovementioned ethnic groups were analyzed for 4 Alu insertion marker loci (ACE, PV92, APO and D1) and a Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) rs2234693 in the intronic region of the ESR1 gene. Statistical analysis was performed to interpret the genetic structure and diversity of the population groups. Genotypes for ACE, APO, ESR1 and PV92 loci were found to be in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in all the ethnic groups, while significant departures were observed at the D1 locus in every investigated population after Bonferroni's correction. The average heterozygosity for all the loci in these ethnic groups was fairly substantial ranging from 0.3927 ± 0.1877 to 0.4333 ± 0.1416. Inbreeding coefficient indicated an overall 10% decrease in heterozygosity in these North West Indian populations. The gene differentiation among the populations was observed to be of the order of 0.013. Genetic distance estimates revealed that Gujjars were close to Banias and Jat Sikhs were close to Rajputs. Overall the study favored the recent division of the populations of North West India into largely endogamous groups. It was observed that the populations of North West India represent a more or less homogenous genetic entity, owing to their common ancestral history as well as geographical proximity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Channel flow and localized fault bounded slice tectonics (LFBST): Insights from petrological, structural, geochronological and geospeedometric studies in the Sikkim Himalaya, NE India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakraborty, Sumit; Mukhopadhyay, Dilip K.; Chowdhury, Priyadarshi; Rubatto, Daniela; Anczkiewicz, Robert; Trepmann, Claudia; Gaidies, Fred; Sorcar, Nilanjana; Dasgupta, Somnath

2017-06-01

One of the enduring debates in the study of the Himalayan orogen (and continental collision zones in general) is whether the salient observed features are explained (a) by localized deformation along discrete, narrow fault zones/ductile shear zones separating individual blocks or slices (e.g. critical taper or wedge tectonic models), or (b) by distributed deformation dominated by wide zones of visco-plastic flow in the solid or a partially molten state (e.g. channel flow models). A balanced cross-section from Sikkim in the eastern Himalaya that is based on structural data and is drawn to satisfy petrological and geophysical constraints as well, is used in combination with information from petrology, geochronology, geospeedometry and microstructural data to address this question. We discuss that any tectonic model needs to be thermally, rheologically, geometrically and temporally viable in order to qualify as a suitable description of a system; models such as channel flow and critical taper are considered in this context. It is shown that channel flow models may operate with or without an erosional porthole (channel with tunnel and funnel mode vs. channels with only the tunnel mode) and that the predicted features differ significantly between the two. Subsequently, we consider a large body of data from Sikkim to show that a channel flow type model (in the tunneling without funneling mode), such as the ones of Faccenda et al. (2008), describes features formed at high temperatures very well, while features formed at lower temperatures are more consistent with the operation of localized, fault-bounded, slice tectonics, (LFBST, be it in the form of critical taper, wedge tectonics, or something else). Thus, the two modes are not competing, but collaborating, processes and both affect a given rock unit at different points of time during burial, metamorphism and exhumation. A transitional stage separates the two end-member styles of tectonic evolution. The proposed models

Solar power potential of North-east India - A case study for Silchar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maisanam, Anil; Biswas, Agnimitra; Sharma, Kaushal Kumar

2018-04-01

High energy demand has necessitated search for all possible sources of energy. Conventional energy source is having negative impact on our environment, therefore our attention is focused on renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, hydro, which are considered to be clean and sustainable energy sources. India has set an ambitious target of producing 175 GW of energy using solar energy. Therefore, it is necessary to estimate the solar potential to observe the feasibility of such project. North-east India is an underdeveloped region of India and due to its geographical location and difficult terrain, many regions are still not electrified. Such regions can be electrified by installing renewable energy based power plants, which can also generate number of jobs hence improving the quality of life and economic condition of the region. The objective of this paper is to estimate the solar power potential of Silchar (Assam, India) and perform a feasibility study for installation of solar-based power plant in the region. In this paper, solar radiation on tilted surface is estimated by using an anisotropic sky model. This radiation data has been used to estimate the PV power output. Finally, feasibility of the PV plant has been verified by mapping with a practical load demand.

Permian biogeography of the Indian subcontinent with special reference to the marine fauna

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Trilochan

Permian biogeography of the Indian subcontinent is discussed in the light of brachiopods and associated fossils from different localities. The discussion is based primarily on the Permian "biome" concept of Waterhouse and Bonham-Carter (1975), wherein three biomes are proposed: group A of subpolar, group B of temperate, and group C of tropical character. Data on the occurrence of Permian brachiopods and associated fossils are given for the Salt Range, Karakoram, and Himalayan regions of India, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, and Peninsular India with respect to the age of the fauna. Marine Permian localities of the Himalayan region include those of Ladakh, Zanskar, Lahaul and Spiti, Kashmir, Bhadarwah-Bhallesh-Chamba, Kinnaur, Garhwal, Kumaun, Darjeeling, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. Permian marine localities of Peninsular India, which forms a part of central Gondwanaland, include those of Bap, Badhaura, Umaria, Manendragarh, and Daltonganj, where marine transgression occurred in Early Permian time. The faunas of these localities are discussed with respect to their age, which falls into two groups, Early and Late Permian. It is suggested that widespread colder climatic conditions prevailed in the Indian subcontinent during the early Early Permian. Similar conditions continued in most of the localities until the late Early Permian, except at west Karakoram (Shaksgam valley), Zanskar, north Tibet (central and western part), and the Salt Range. However, during the Late Permian, climatic conditions were varied. Cold climatic conditions prevailed in north Tibet (central part), Kumaun Tethyan Himalaya, and south Tibet; temperate conditions occurred in west Karakoram (Shaksgam valley), Zanskar, Lahaul and Spiti, Bhadarwah-Bhallesh-Chamba, north Nepal, and north Sikkim; and tropical conditions occurred in the Salt Range, east Karakoram, Ladakh, Kashmir, and north Tibet (western and eastern parts). At a few localities there appear to be some anomalies that might be due to lack of

Cancer: scenario and relationship of different geographical areas of the globe with special reference to North East-India.

PubMed

Sharma, Jagannath Dev; Kalit, Manoj; Nirmolia, Tulika; Saikia, Sidhartha Protim; Sharma, Arpita; Barman, Debanjana

2014-01-01

Cancer is becoming the most important public health burden around the globe. As per the GLOBOCAN 2008 estimates, about 12.7 million cancer cases and 7.6 million cancer deaths were estimated to have occurred in 2008. The burden of cancer cases for India in the year 2020 is calculated to be 1,148,757 (male 534,353; female 614,404) compared to 979,786 in 2010. The pattern of cancer incidence is varying among geographical regions, esophageal cancer for example being high in China, lung cancer in USA, and gallbladder cancer in Chile. The question remains why? Is it due to the diversity in genome pool, food habits, risk factor association and role of genetic susceptibility or some other factors associated with it? In India, the North East (NE)-India region is seeing a marked increase in cancer incidence and deaths, with a very different cancer incidence pattern compared to mainland India. The genome pool of the region is also quite distinct from the rest of India. Northeastern tribes are quite distinct from other groups; they are more closely related to East Asians than to other Indians. In this paper an attempt was made to see whether there is any similarity among the pattern of cancer incidence cases for different sites of NE-India region to South or East-Asia. Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), Pearson Correlation coefficient test was assessed to evaluate the linkage of North-East India region to other regions. A p value <0.05 was considered as statistically significant. The results clearly shows that there are similarities in occurrence of cancer incidence patterns for various cancer sites of NE-India with South and East-Asian regions, which may lead to the conclusion that there might be a genetic linkage between these regions.

Prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Beijing genotype and its association with drug resistance in North India.

PubMed

Mathuria, Jitendra P; Srivastava, Govind N; Sharma, Pragya; Mathuria, Bharat L; Ojha, Sanjay; Katoch, Vishwa M; Anupurba, Shampa

The global presence and rapid dissemination of Beijing genotype of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, makes it an important issue of public health. Its presence and association with multi-drug resistance has been shown in many settings. In present study we tried to find its prevalence and association with drug resistance in North India. One hundred and twenty four M. tuberculosis isolates were analyzed with spoligotyping, further drug susceptibility testing was done by 1% proportional method. Out of these, 11 (8.9%) M. tuberculosis isolates were identified as Beijing and 113 (91.1%) as non-Beijing genotypes. While looking at their drug susceptibility patterns, 6 (54.5%) & 22 (19.5%) were found to be multi drug resistant (MDR) among Beijing and non-Beijing isolates respectively. Our study concluded that the Beijing strains were not so common in north India and these strains do not fully associate with MDR. Copyright © 2017 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Tangled Weave: Tracing Outcomes of Education in Rural Women's Lives in North India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghose, Malini; Mullick, Disha

2015-01-01

This paper is based on the findings of a research study which traced 56 rural women learners 15 years after they had participated in an empowerment and education programme in North India. It attempts to understand, from the perspectives of women from marginalised communities, the ways in which participating in the programme had been empowering for…

Solar Disinfection Improves Drinking Water Quality to Prevent Diarrhea in Under-Five Children in Sikkim, India

PubMed Central

Rai, BB; Pal, Ranabir; Kar, Sumit; Tsering, Dechen C

2010-01-01

Background: Solar radiations improve the microbiological quality of water and offer a method for disinfection of drinking water that requires few resources and no expertise and may reduce the prevalence of diarrhea among under-five children. Aims and Objectives: To find out the reduction in the prevalence of diarrhea in the under-five children after consumption of potable water treated with solar disinfection method. Materials and Methods: This was a population-based interventional prospective study in the urban slum area of Mazegoan, Jorethang, south Sikkim, during the period 1st May 2007 to 30th November 2007 on 136 children in the under-five age group in 102 households selected by random sampling. Main outcome measure was the assessment of the reduction of the prevalence of diarrhea among under-five children after consumption of potable water treated with solar disinfection method practiced by the caregivers in the intervention group keeping water in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles as directed by the investigators. The data were collected by the interview method using a pre-tested questionnaire prepared on the basis of socio-demographics and prevalence of diarrhea. The data were subjected to percentages and chi-square tests, which were used to find the significance. Results: After four weeks of intervention among the study group, the diarrhea prevalence was 7.69% among solar disinfection (SODIS) users, while 31.82% prevalence was observed among non-users in that period; the reduction in prevalence of diarrhea was 75.83%. After eight weeks of intervention, the prevalence of diarrhea was 7.58% among SODIS users and 31.43% among non-users; the reduction in diarrhea was 75.88% in the study group. The findings were found to be statistically significant. Conclusions: In our study, we observed that the prevalence of diarrhea decreased significantly after solar disinfection of water was practiced by the caregivers keeping potable water in PET bottles in the

The prevalence and distribution of gastrointestinal parasites of stray and refuge dogs in four locations in India.

PubMed

Traub, Rebecca J; Pednekar, Riddhi P; Cuttell, Leigh; Porter, Ronald B; Abd Megat Rani, Puteri Azaziah; Gatne, Mukulesh L

2014-09-15

A gastrointestinal parasite survey of 411 stray and refuge dogs sampled from four geographical and climactically distinct locations in India revealed these animals to represent a significant source of environmental contamination for parasites that pose a zoonotic risk to the public. Hookworms were the most commonly identified parasite in dogs in Sikkim (71.3%), Mumbai (48.8%) and Delhi (39.1%). In Ladakh, which experiences harsh extremes in climate, a competitive advantage was observed for parasites such as Sarcocystis spp. (44.2%), Taenia hydatigena (30.3%) and Echinococcus granulosus (2.3%) that utilise intermediate hosts for the completion of their life cycle. PCR identified Ancylostoma ceylanicum and Ancylostoma caninum to occur sympatrically, either as single or mixed infections in Sikkim (Northeast) and Mumbai (West). In Delhi, A. caninum was the only species identified in dogs, probably owing to its ability to evade unfavourable climatic conditions by undergoing arrested development in host tissue. The expansion of the known distribution of A. ceylanicum to the west, as far as Mumbai, justifies the renewed interest in this emerging zoonosis and advocates for its surveillance in future human parasite surveys. Of interest was the absence of Trichuris vulpis in dogs, in support of previous canine surveys in India. This study advocates the continuation of birth control programmes in stray dogs that will undoubtedly have spill-over effects on reducing the levels of environmental contamination with parasite stages. In particular, owners of pet animals exposed to these environments must be extra vigilant in ensuring their animals are regularly dewormed and maintaining strict standards of household and personal hygiene. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genetic similarity between Taenia solium cysticerci collected from the two distant endemic areas in North and North East India.

PubMed

Sharma, Monika; Devi, Kangjam Rekha; Sehgal, Rakesh; Narain, Kanwar; Mahanta, Jagadish; Malla, Nancy

2014-01-01

Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis is a major public health problem in developing countries. This study reports genotypic analysis of T. solium cysticerci collected from two different endemic areas of North (Chandigarh) and North East India (Dibrugarh) by the sequencing of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene. The variation in cox1 sequences of samples collected from these two different geographical regions located at a distance of 2585 km was minimal. Alignment of the nucleotide sequences with different species of Taenia showed the similarity with Asian genotype of T. solium. Among 50 isolates, 6 variant nucleotide positions (0.37% of total length) were detected. These results suggest that population in these geographical areas are homogenous. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Visual Impairment Registry of Patients from North Kolkata, Eastern India: A Hospital-based Study.

PubMed

Bandyopadhyay, Sabyasachi; Bandyopadhyay, Samir Kumar; Biswas, Jaya; Saha Dutta Chowdhury, Mita; Dey, Asim Kumar; Chakrabarti, Asim

2018-01-01

To study the demographic profile, severity and causes of visual impairment among registered patients in a tertiary care hospital in north Kolkata, eastern India, and to assess the magnitude of under-registration in that population. This is a retrospective analytical study. A review of all visually impaired patients registered at our tertiary care hospital during a ten-year period from January 2005 to December 2014, which is entitled for certification of people of north Kolkata, eastern India (with a population denominator of 1.1 million), was performed. Overall, 2472 eyes of 1236 patients were analyzed in terms of demographic characteristics, cause of visual impairment, and percentage of visual disability as per the guidelines established by the government of India. Male patients (844, 68.28%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 65.69-70.87) registered more often than female patients (392; 31.72%, P = 0.0004). The registration rate for visual impairment was 11.24 per 100,000 per annum; this is not the true incidence rate, as both new patients and those visiting for renewal of certification were included in the study. Optic atrophy was the most common cause of visual impairment (384 eyes, 15.53%; 95% CI, 14.1-16.96). Commonest cause of visual impairment was optic atrophy followed by microphthalmos. Under-registration is a prevalent problem as the registration system is voluntary rather than mandatory, and female patients are more likely to be unregistered in this area.

Dd-antigen-antibody system in five caste groups in north India.

PubMed

Berry, V; Kaur, H

1991-12-01

Antigen Dd, a polymorphic antigen found in extracts of certain human dandruff specimens, was investigated in five caste groups of north India. The incidence of antigen Dd-positive type varied from 21.21 per cent in Brahmins to 29.08 per cent in the Jat Sikhs of Punjab. However, a high frequency (45%) was observed in the Sunni Muslims of Kashmir, which differed significantly, when compared with different caste groups of Punjab. Family studies on 44 families indicated its inherited nature, the mode of inheritance being autosomal dominant.

Control on frontal thrust progression by the mechanically weak Gondwana horizon in the Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Subhajit; Bose, Santanu; Mandal, Nibir; Das, Animesh

2018-03-01

This study integrates field evidence with laboratory experiments to show the mechanical effects of a lithologically contrasting stratigraphic sequence on the development of frontal thrusts: Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) and Daling Thrust (DT) in the Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya (DSH). We carried out field investigations mainly along two river sections in the DSH: Tista-Kalijhora and Mahanadi, covering an orogen-parallel stretch of 20 km. Our field observations suggest that the coal-shale dominated Gondwana sequence (sandwiched between the Daling Group in the north and Siwaliks in the south) has acted as a mechanically weak horizon to localize the MBT and DT. We simulated a similar mechanical setting in scaled model experiments to validate our field interpretation. In experiments, such a weak horizon at a shallow depth perturbs the sequential thrust progression, and causes a thrust to localize in the vicinity of the weak zone, splaying from the basal detachment. We correlate this weak-zone-controlled thrust with the DT, which accommodates a large shortening prior to activation of the weak zone as a new detachment with ongoing horizontal shortening. The entire shortening in the model is then transferred to this shallow detachment to produce a new sequence of thrust splays. Extrapolating this model result to the natural prototype, we show that the mechanically weak Gondwana Sequence has caused localization of the DT and MBT in the mountain front of DSH.

White grain mycetoma caused by Scedosporium apiospermum in North India: a case report.

PubMed

Gupta, Munesh Kumar; Banerjee, Tuhina; Kumar, Dhirendra; Rastogi, Amit; Tilak, Ragini

2013-12-01

Mycetoma is chronic granulomatous infection of skin and subcutaneous tissue caused by both bacteria and fungi. We report a case of mycetoma caused by Scedosporium apiospermum in the right foot of a 45-year-old farmer in north India. The patient had a history of trauma in the sole of the right foot followed by discharge of white granules along with proximal progression. Scedosporium apiospermum was identified based on colony characteristics and microscopic features on slide culture. Mycetoma is a progressive disease. Foot is commonly affected in persons who walk barefoot, especially in south India. Untreated mycetoma progress and involve the underlying fasciae and tissues along with bones often resulting in loss of limb. By prompt and reliable diagnosis with corresponding antimicrobial administration, we can prevent further progression and limb disability.

Diabetes mellitus: Trends in northern India

PubMed Central

Gutch, Manish; Razi, Syed Mohd; Kumar, Sukriti; Gupta, Keshav Kumar

2014-01-01

Diabetes mellitus is becoming a global health issue with more than 80% diabetics living in developing countries. India accounts for 62.4 million diabetics (2011). Indian Council of Medical Research India Diabetes Study (ICMR-INDIAB) study showed highest weighted prevalence rate in the north India among all studied regions. Diabetes in north India has many peculiarities in all aspects from risk factors to control programmers. North Indians are becoming more prone for diabetes and dyslipidemia because rapid westernization of living style and diet due rapid migration to metropolitan cities for employment. North Indian diabetes is plagued with gender bias against females, poor quality of health services, myths, and lack of disease awareness compounded with small number of prevention and awareness programmers that too are immature to counteract the growing pandemic. PMID:25285295

High-performance Thin-layer Chromatographic-densitometric Quantification and Recovery of Bioactive Compounds for Identification of Elite Chemotypes of Gloriosa superba L. Collected from Sikkim Himalayas (India).

PubMed

Misra, Ankita; Shukla, Pushpendra Kumar; Kumar, Bhanu; Chand, Jai; Kushwaha, Poonam; Khalid, Md; Singh Rawat, Ajay Kumar; Srivastava, Sharad

2017-10-01

Gloriosa superba L. (Colchicaceae) is used as adjuvant therapy in gout for its potential antimitotic activity due to high colchicine(s) alkaloids. This study aimed to develop an easy, cheap, precise, and accurate high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) validated method for simultaneous quantification of bioactive alkaloids (colchicine and gloriosine) in G. superba L. and to identify its elite chemotype(s) from Sikkim Himalayas (India). The HPTLC chromatographic method was developed using mobile phase of chloroform: acetone: diethyl amine (5:4:1) at λ max of 350 nm. Five germplasms were collected from targeted region, and on morpho-anatomical inspection, no significant variation was observed among them. Quantification data reveal that content of colchicine ( R f : 0.72) and gloriosine ( R f : 0.61) varies from 0.035%-0.150% to 0.006%-0.032% (dry wt. basis). Linearity of method was obtained in the concentration range of 100-400 ng/spot of marker(s), exhibiting regression coefficient of 0.9987 (colchicine) and 0.9983 (gloriosine) with optimum recovery of 97.79 ± 3.86 and 100.023% ± 0.01%, respectively. Limit of detection and limit of quantification were analyzed, respectively, as 6.245, 18.926 and 8.024, 24.316 (ng). Two germplasms, namely NBG-27 and NBG-26, were found to be elite chemotype of both the markers. The developed method is validated in terms of accuracy, recovery, and precision studies as per the ICH guidelines (2005) and can be adopted for the simultaneous quantification of colchicine and gloriosine in phytopharmaceuticals. In addition, this study is relevant to explore the chemotypic variability in metabolite content for commercial and medicinal purposes. An easy, cheap, precise, and accurate high performance thin layer chromatographic (HPTLC) validated method for simultaneous quantification of bioactive alkaloids (colchicine and gloriosine) in G. superba L.Five germplasms were collected from targeted region, and on morpho anatomical

Larvicidal activity of few select indigenous plants of North East India against disease vector mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae).

PubMed

Dohutia, C; Bhattacharyya, D R; Sharma, S K; Mohapatra, P K; Bhattacharjee, K; Gogoi, K; Gogoi, P; Mahanta, J; Prakash, A

2015-03-01

Mosquitoes are the vectors of several life threatening diseases like dengue, malaria, Japanese encephalitis and lymphatic filariasis, which are widely present in the north-eastern states of India. Investigations on five local plants of north-east India, selected on the basis of their use by indigenous communities as fish poison, were carried out to study their mosquito larvicidal potential against Anopheles stephensi (malaria vector), Stegomyia aegypti (dengue vector) and Culex quinquefasciatus (lymphatic filariasis vector) mosquitoes. Crude Petroleum ether extracts of the roots of three plants viz. Derris elliptica, Linostoma decandrum and Croton tiglium were found to have remarkable larvicidal activity; D. elliptica extract was the most effective and with LC50 value of 0.307 μg/ml its activity was superior to propoxur, the standard synthetic larvicide. Half-life of larvicidal activity of D. elliptica and L. decandrum extracts ranged from 2-4 days.

Natural and human impact on the land use and soil properties of the Sikkim Himalayas piedmont in India.

PubMed

Prokop, P; Płoskonka, D

2014-06-01

Natural and human causes of change in land use and soil properties were studied in the Sikkim Himalayas piedmont over the last 150 years, with a special emphasis on the period 1930-2010. Analysis of historical reports, combined with the visual interpretation of topographic maps and satellite images, indicates that the land reforms related to the location of tea gardens caused rapid deforestation of the higher elevated terraces in the late 19th century. Continuous population growth between 1930 and 2010 caused a shift in the major land use changes from the terraces to the floodplains. As a consequence, a gradual extension of tea plantation and forestry development helped in stabilizing the land use of the terraces, while the parallel deforestation of mountain catchments and floodplains for rice cultivation intensified fluvial activity. The enlargement of river-channel area by about 42% between 1930 and 2010 excluded a large part of the floodplains from cultivation and increased risk of soil degradation. The replacement of natural forest by monocultural tea and rice cultivation influenced the physical and chemical properties of the soil. Statistically significant changes were observed only in some chemical properties of the topsoil. Tea cultivation reduced the total carbon content by 26% and total nitrogen content by 33% in the surface soil horizon. The influence of rice tillage on the soil properties is masked by the fluvial activity. The combined effect of flooding and rice cultivation is reflected in the lower content of total carbon and nitrogen in the surface of the soil, namely, 76% and 77% respectively. Taking into account the long-term nature of the plantation, the soil still has the capability to support tea production. The productivity of rice depends partly on fertilization levels and partly on the natural deposition of fresh sediment eroded from mountains. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identifying predictors of childhood anaemia in north-east India.

PubMed

Dey, Sanku; Goswami, Sankar; Dey, Tanujit

2013-12-01

The objective of this study is to examine the factors that influence the occurrence of childhood anaemia in North-East India by exploring dataset of the Reproductive and Child Health-II Survey (RCH-II). The study population consisted of 10,137 children in the age-group of 0-6 year(s) from North-East India to explore the predictors of childhood anaemia by means of different background characteristics, such as place of residence, religion, household standard of living, literacy of mother, total children ever born to a mother, age of mother at marriage. Prevalence of anaemia among children was taken as a polytomous variable. The predicted probabilities of anaemia were established via multinomial logistic regression model. These probabilities provided the degree of assessment of the contribution of predictors in the prevalence of childhood anaemia. The mean haemoglobin concentration in children aged 0-6 year(s) was found to be 11.85 g/dL, with a standard deviation of 5.61 g/dL. The multiple logistic regression analysis showed that rural children were at greater risk of severe (OR = 2.035; p = 0.003) and moderate (OR = 1.23; p = 0.003) anaemia. All types of anaemia (severe, moderate, and mild) were more prevalent among Hindu children (OR = 2.971; p = 0.000), (OR = 1.195; p = 0.010), and (OR = 1.201; p = 0.011) than among children of other religions whereas moderate (OR = 1.406; p = 0.001) and mild (OR = 1.857; p=0.000) anaemia were more prevalent among Muslim children. The fecundity of the mother was found to have significant effect on anaemia. Women with multiple children were prone to greater risk of anaemia. The multiple logistic regression analysis also confirmed that children of literate mothers were comparatively at lesser risk of severe anaemia. Mother's age at marriage had a significant effect on anaemia of their children as well.

Under the banyan tree--exclusion and inclusion of people with mental disorders in rural North India.

PubMed

Mathias, Kaaren; Kermode, Michelle; San Sebastian, Miguel; Koschorke, Mirja; Goicolea, Isabel

2015-05-01

Social exclusion is both cause and consequence of mental disorders. People with mental disorders (PWMD) are among the most socially excluded in all societies yet little is known about their experiences in North India. This qualitative study aims to describe experiences of exclusion and inclusion of PWMD in two rural communities in Uttar Pradesh, India. In-depth interviews with 20 PWMD and eight caregivers were carried out in May 2013. Interviews probed experiences of help-seeking, stigma, discrimination, exclusion, participation, agency and inclusion in their households and communities. Qualitative content analysis was used to generate codes, categories and finally 12 key themes. A continuum of exclusion was the dominant experience for participants, ranging from nuanced distancing, negative judgements and social isolation, and self-stigma to overt acts of exclusion such as ridicule, disinheritance and physical violence. Mixed in with this however, some participants described a sense of belonging, opportunity for participation and support from both family and community members. These findings underline the urgent need for initiatives that increase mental health literacy, access to services and social inclusion of PWMD in North India, and highlight the possibilities of using human rights frameworks in situations of physical and economic violence. The findings also highlight the urgent need to reduce stigma and take actions in policy and at all levels in society to increase inclusion of people with mental distress and disorders.

Spectrum of clinical disease in a series of 135 hospitalised HIV-infected patients from north India

PubMed Central

Sharma, SK; Kadhiravan, Tamilarasu; Banga, Amit; Goyal, Tarun; Bhatia, Indrish; Saha, PK

2004-01-01

Background Literature on the spectrum of opportunistic disease in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients from developing countries is sparse. The objective of this study was to document the spectrum and determine the frequency of various opportunistic infections (OIs) and non-infectious opportunistic diseases, in hospitalised HIV-infected patients from north India. Methods One hundred and thirty five consecutive, HIV-infected patients (age 34 ± 10 years, females 17%) admitted to a tertiary care hospital in north India, for the evaluation and management of an OI or HIV-related disorder between January 2000 and July 2003, were studied. Results Fever (71%) and weight loss (65%) were the commonest presenting symptoms. Heterosexual transmission was the commonest mode of HIV-acquisition. Tuberculosis (TB) was the commonest OI (71%) followed by candidiasis (39.3%), Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PCP) (7.4%), cryptococcal meningitis and cerebral toxoplasmosis (3.7% each). Most of the cases of TB were disseminated (64%). Apart from other well-recognised OIs, two patients had visceral leishmaniasis. Two cases of HIV-associated lymphoma were encountered. CD4+ cell counts were done in 109 patients. Majority of the patients (82.6%) had CD4+ counts <200 cells/μL. Fifty patients (46%) had CD4+ counts <50 cells/μL. Only 50 patients (37%) received antiretroviral therapy. Twenty one patients (16%) died during hospital stay. All but one deaths were due to TB (16 patients; 76%) and PCP (4 patients; 19%). Conclusions A wide spectrum of disease, including both OIs and non-infectious opportunistic diseases, is seen in hospitalised HIV-infected patients from north India. Tuberculosis remains the most common OI and is the commonest cause of death in these patients. PMID:15555069

Gender-Based Power and Couples' HIV Risk in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, North India

PubMed Central

Agrawal, Alpna; Bloom, Shelah S.; Suchindran, Chirayath; Curtis, Sian; Angeles, Gustavo

2015-01-01

Context Gender inequality is a long-recognized driver of the HIV epidemic. However, few studies have investigated the association between gender-based power and HIV risk in India, which has the world's third largest HIV epidemic. Methods Population-based data collected in 2003 from 3,385 couples residing in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, North India, were used to examine associations between gender-based power (wife's autonomy and husband's inequitable gender attitudes) and indicators of couples' HIV risk (whether the husband had had premarital sex with someone other than his eventual spouse, extramarital sex in the past year or STI symptoms in the past year). Structural equation modeling was used to create composite variables for the gender-based power measures and test their associations with HIV risk measures. Results Twenty-four percent of husbands had had premarital sex, 7% had had extramarital sex in the past year and 6% had had STI symptoms in the past year. Structural equation models indicated that wives who reported higher levels of autonomy were less likely than other wives to have husbands who had had extramarital sex in the past year (direct association) and STI symptoms in the past year (indirect association). Moreover, husbands who endorsed more inequitable gender attitudes were more likely than others to report having had premarital sex with someone other than their spouse, which in turn was associated with having had extramarital sex and STI symptoms in the past year. Conclusions If the associations identified in this study reflect a causal relationship between gender-based power and HIV risk behavior, then HIV prevention programs that successfully address inequitable gender roles may reduce HIV risks in North India. PMID:25565347

Gender-based power and couples' HIV risk in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, north India.

PubMed

Agrawal, Alpna; Bloom, Shelah S; Suchindran, Chirayath; Curtis, Siân; Angeles, Gustavo

2014-12-01

Gender inequality is a long-recognized driver of the HIV epidemic. However, few studies have investigated the association between gender-based power and HIV risk in India, which has the world's third largest HIV epidemic. Population-based data collected in 2003 from 3,385 couples residing in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, North India, were used to examine associations between gender-based power (wife's autonomy and husband's inequitable gender attitudes) and indicators of couples' HIV risk (whether the husband had had premarital sex with someone other than his eventual spouse, extramarital sex in the past year or STI symptoms in the past year). Structural equation modeling was used to create composite variables for the gender-based power measures and test their associations with HIV risk measures. Twenty-four percent of husbands had had premarital sex, 7% had had extramarital sex in the past year and 6% had had STI symptoms in the past year. Structural equation models indicated that wives who reported higher levels of autonomy were less likely than other wives to have husbands who had had extramarital sex in the past year (direct association) or STI symptoms in the past year (indirect association). Moreover, husbands who endorsed more inequitable gender attitudes were more likely than others to report having had premarital sex with someone other than their spouse, which in turn was associated with having had extramarital sex and STI symptoms in the past year. If the associations identified in this study reflect a causal relationship between gender-based power and HIV risk behavior, then HIV prevention programs that successfully address inequitable gender roles may reduce HIV risks in North India.

e-Agriculture Prototype for Knowledge Facilitation among Tribal Farmers of North-East India: Innovations, Impact and Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raj, Saravanan

2013-01-01

Purpose: This case study deals with the implementation methodology, innovations and lessons of the ICT initiative in providing agricultural extension services to the rural tribal farming community of North-East India. Methodology: This study documents the ICT project implementation challenges, impact among farmers and briefly indicates lessons of…

The Effect of Early Childhood Developmental Program Attendance on Future School Enrollment in Rural North India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hazarika, Gautam; Viren, Vejoya

2013-01-01

This paper examines the effect of prior participation in early childhood developmental programs, considered endogenous, upon 7-18 years olds' school enrollment in rural North India. Analyses by age group of data from the World Bank's 1997-98 Survey of Living Conditions in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar reveal that 7-10 year olds, 11-14 year olds, and…

Wildlife conservation in fragmented tropical forests: A case of South Garo Hills, Meghalaya, North East India

Treesearch

Ashish Kumar; Bruce G. Marcot; Rohitkumar Patel

2017-01-01

This volume presents findings on, and implications for, wildlife conservation in the tropical forests in Garo Hills of Meghalaya state in the North East India. A companion volume presented the findings on forest fragmentation due to practice of slash and burn agriculture in the region. Both of the volumes summarize work completed over more than a decade on...

Lead distribution in coastal and estuarine sediments around India.

PubMed

Chakraborty, Sucharita; Chakraborty, Parthasarathi; Nath, B Nagender

2015-08-15

This study describes the geochemical distribution of lead (Pb) and identifies the critical factors that significantly control Pb distribution and speciation in coastal and estuarine sediments around India by using published data from the literature. Crustal sources influence the abundance of Pb in coastal sediment from the south-east and central-west coast of India. Parts of north-east, north-west, and south-west coast of India were polluted by Pb. Distribution of Pb in sediments, from the north-east and north-west coasts of India, were controlled by Fe-Mn oxyhydroxide mineral phases of the sediments. However, organic carbon (OC) seemed to be a dominant factor in controlling the distribution of Pb in sediments from the central-east and south-west coasts of India. The outcome of this study may help in decision-making to predict the levels of Pb from natural and anthropogenic sources and to control Pb pollution in coastal and estuarine sediments around India. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimating the intra-cluster correlation coefficient for evaluating an educational intervention program to improve rabies awareness and dog bite prevention among children in Sikkim, India: A pilot study.

PubMed

Auplish, Aashima; Clarke, Alison S; Van Zanten, Trent; Abel, Kate; Tham, Charmaine; Bhutia, Thinlay N; Wilks, Colin R; Stevenson, Mark A; Firestone, Simon M

2017-05-01

Educational initiatives targeting at-risk populations have long been recognized as a mainstay of ongoing rabies control efforts. Cluster-based studies are often utilized to assess levels of knowledge, attitudes and practices of a population in response to education campaigns. The design of cluster-based studies requires estimates of intra-cluster correlation coefficients obtained from previous studies. This study estimates the school-level intra-cluster correlation coefficient (ICC) for rabies knowledge change following an educational intervention program. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 226 students from 7 schools in Sikkim, India, using cluster sampling. In order to assess knowledge uptake, rabies education sessions with pre- and post-session questionnaires were administered. Paired differences of proportions were estimated for questions answered correctly. A mixed effects logistic regression model was developed to estimate school-level and student-level ICCs and to test for associations between gender, age, school location and educational level. The school- and student-level ICCs for rabies knowledge and awareness were 0.04 (95% CI: 0.01, 0.19) and 0.05 (95% CI: 0.2, 0.09), respectively. These ICCs suggest design effect multipliers of 5.45 schools and 1.05 students per school, will be required when estimating sample sizes and designing future cluster randomized trials. There was a good baseline level of rabies knowledge (mean pre-session score 71%), however, key knowledge gaps were identified in understanding appropriate behavior around scared dogs, potential sources of rabies and how to correctly order post rabies exposure precaution steps. After adjusting for the effect of gender, age, school location and education level, school and individual post-session test scores improved by 19%, with similar performance amongst boys and girls attending schools in urban and rural regions. The proportion of participants that were able to correctly order post

Tension Among Women in North India: An Idiom of Distress and a Cultural Syndrome.

PubMed

Weaver, Lesley Jo

2017-03-01

The existing literature on Indian ethnopsychology has long asserted that somatization is a key aspect of experiences of distress. The study of idioms of distress arose out of work done in India (Nichter in Cult Med Psychiatry 5(4):379-408, 1981), but ironically, little subsequent work has systematically explored idioms of distress in this part of the world. This ethnographic study focused on the term tension (tenśan) and its relation to a cultural syndrome among women in urban North India. This syndrome appears to involve rapid-onset anger, irritation, rumination, and sleeplessness as key symptoms. It is often linked to specific circumstances such as domestic conflict and is associated with the stresses of modern urban life. People who report more symptoms of tension had consistently higher scores on the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist-25 for depression and anxiety. In this cultural context where psychiatric care is highly stigmatized, the language of tension can aid providers of mental healthcare (many of whom, in India, are not psychiatrists or psychologists) to identify and communicate effectively with potential patients whose mental healthcare needs might otherwise go unaddressed.

Gender inequality and the risk of HIV among married couples in North India

PubMed Central

Bloom, Shelah S.; Agrawal, Alpna; Singh, Kaushalendra K.; Suchindran, Chirayath M.

2014-01-01

This study investigated the distribution and determinants of HIV risks among married couples in North India. Gender inequality emerged as a potential driver of HIV risks in this region. Data collection took place in 2003 in a probability survey of 3,385 couples living in India’s most populous state – Uttar Pradesh – and Uttaranchal. Couples’ analyses utilizing generalized estimating equations showed that compared with husbands, wives were less knowledgeable about HIV (OR=0.31, 95% CI= 0.27–0.36), more likely to consider themselves at risk for infection (OR=6.86, 95% CI= 4.65–10.13), and less likely to feel that a wife had the right to refuse sex with her husband (OR=0.50, 95% CI= 0.44–0.58). The proportion of husbands reporting non-marital sex in the past year was 7.1% and transactional sex in the past year, 2.2%. Among their wives, 73.4% were unaware of their husbands’ non-marital sexual behaviors and only 28.9% of husbands reported condom use during their last non-marital sexual encounter. Logistic regression analyses showed that husbands’ alcohol use, husbands’ mobility, and urban residence were positively associated with husbands’ non-marital sexual behaviors adjusting for other covariates. The data demonstrate that HIV prevention programs among couples in North India should consider both sexual risks and gender inequalities which potentially fuel HIV spread in this region. PMID:25562412

High-performance Thin-layer Chromatographic-densitometric Quantification and Recovery of Bioactive Compounds for Identification of Elite Chemotypes of Gloriosa superba L. Collected from Sikkim Himalayas (India)

PubMed Central

Misra, Ankita; Shukla, Pushpendra Kumar; Kumar, Bhanu; Chand, Jai; Kushwaha, Poonam; Khalid, Md.; Singh Rawat, Ajay Kumar; Srivastava, Sharad

2017-01-01

Background: Gloriosa superba L. (Colchicaceae) is used as adjuvant therapy in gout for its potential antimitotic activity due to high colchicine(s) alkaloids. Objective: This study aimed to develop an easy, cheap, precise, and accurate high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) validated method for simultaneous quantification of bioactive alkaloids (colchicine and gloriosine) in G. superba L. and to identify its elite chemotype(s) from Sikkim Himalayas (India). Methods: The HPTLC chromatographic method was developed using mobile phase of chloroform: acetone: diethyl amine (5:4:1) at λmax of 350 nm. Results: Five germplasms were collected from targeted region, and on morpho-anatomical inspection, no significant variation was observed among them. Quantification data reveal that content of colchicine (Rf: 0.72) and gloriosine (Rf: 0.61) varies from 0.035%–0.150% to 0.006%–0.032% (dry wt. basis). Linearity of method was obtained in the concentration range of 100–400 ng/spot of marker(s), exhibiting regression coefficient of 0.9987 (colchicine) and 0.9983 (gloriosine) with optimum recovery of 97.79 ± 3.86 and 100.023% ± 0.01%, respectively. Limit of detection and limit of quantification were analyzed, respectively, as 6.245, 18.926 and 8.024, 24.316 (ng). Two germplasms, namely NBG-27 and NBG-26, were found to be elite chemotype of both the markers. Conclusion: The developed method is validated in terms of accuracy, recovery, and precision studies as per the ICH guidelines (2005) and can be adopted for the simultaneous quantification of colchicine and gloriosine in phytopharmaceuticals. In addition, this study is relevant to explore the chemotypic variability in metabolite content for commercial and medicinal purposes. SUMMARY An easy, cheap, precise, and accurate high performance thin layer chromatographic (HPTLC) validated method for simultaneous quantification of bioactive alkaloids (colchicine and gloriosine) in G. superba L.Five germplasms were

Level of literacy and dementia: A secondary post-hoc analysis from North-West India.

PubMed

Raina, Sunil Kumar; Chander, Vishav; Kumar, Dinesh; Raina, Sujeet; Bhardwaj, Ashok

2014-10-01

A relation between literacy and dementia has been studied in past and an association has been documented. This is in spite of some studies pointing to the contrary. The current study was aimed at investigating the influence of level of literacy on dementia in a sample stratified by geography (Migrant, Urban, Rural and Tribal areas of sub-Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, India). The study was based on post-hoc analysis of data obtained from a study conducted on elderly population (60 years and above) from selected geographical areas (Migrant, Urban, Rural and Tribal) of Himachal Pradesh state in North-west India. Analysis of variance revealed an effect of education on cognitive scores [F = 2.823, P =0.01], however, post-hoc Tukey's HSD test did not reveal any significant pairwise comparisons. The possibility that education effects dementia needs further evaluation, more so in Indian context.

Delhi, India

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

Delhi is the second largest metropolis in India, with a population of 16 million. Located in northern India along the banks of the Yamuna River, Delhi has the status of a federally-administered union territory. Within it is the district of New Delhi, India's capital. Delhi is one of the oldest continually inhabited cites in the world, with traces of human occupation dating to the second millennium BC. The image was acquired September 22, 2003, covers an area of 30.6 x 34.8 km, and is located near 28.6 degrees north latitude, 77.2 degrees east longitude.

The image was acquired on August 4, 2005, covers an area of 55.8 x 55.8 km, and is located at 68.6 degrees north latitude, 134.7 degrees west longitude.

The U.S. science team is located at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. The Terra mission is part of NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

Spatial heterogeneity of aerosol optical and radiative properties obtained from multiple satellite retrievals over the Sub-Himalayan region of North-East India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pathak, Binita; Bhuyan, Pradip; Biswas, Jhuma; Dahutia, Papori

North East India, nestled between the southeastern Tibetan Plateau on the north, the Indo Myanmar range of hills to the east, plains of Bangladesh to the south and the Indo-Gangetic plains (IGP) to the west has a unique topography and population inhabitation pattern. In recent decades, along with other parts of south Asia NE India has undergone rapid industrial and economic development. Lifestyle changes have increasingly added to the anthropogenic burden on the atmosphere in the plains while biomass burning due to shifting cultivation in the hills is a major source of particulate and gaseous pollution. Studies have suggested that during the Asian summer monsoon, boundary layer pollution from India, Southeast Asia and south China are lifted to the upper tropospheric region by convection followed by westward transport over the Middle East and the Mediterranean. The spatio-temporal variation of aerosol optical (viz. AOD, AAI, AAOD, AE, FMF, columnar mass concentration (CMC)) and radiative properties are studied using data from multiple satellite sensors: MODIS, OMI, TOMS, CERES at various locations within the NE India (22-30°N, 86-98°E) for the period 2000-2012. Significant spatio-temporal variation of aerosol optical and radiative properties is observed within the region. For example, Guwahati, the metropolitan city, shows maximum value of AOD, followed by Dhubri the location situated at the western corridor of north-east India. Minimum AOD is observed at the high altitude locations Thimphu and Tawang. Temporally AOD is overriding in March, April, May (MAM) at almost all the observation locations. The minimum AOD over the region in October-November (ON) is associated with the topography and local meteorology. AAI >0.5 at all the locations indicates presence of significant amount of absorbing aerosols. The peak AAI and AAOD in MAM at all the location is associated with the peak biomass burning activity and long range transportation from other locations of India and

Outbreak of chickenpox in a Union Territory of North India.

PubMed

Singh, M P; Chandran, C; Sarwa, A; Kumar, A; Gupta, M; Raj, A; Ratho, R K

2015-01-01

Primary infection with a varicella-zoster virus (VZV) leads to chickenpox. Though the incidence of the disease has decreased in many developed countries due to the introduction of the varicella vaccine, outbreaks continue to occur in developing countries. The present study reports an outbreak of varicella in an urbanised village in the vicinity of Chandigarh City in North India in November 2013. The outbreak was confirmed by the detection of VZV IgM antibodies in serum samples of clinically suspected patients. Vesicular fluid samples were collected from 8 patients with active lesions and tested for VZV DNA by polymerase chain reaction. Blood samples were also collected from 17 healthy controls residing in the same locality and tested for the presence of VZV IgM and IgG antibodies. A total of 18 cases occurred, and the majority of them (67%) were <15 years of age. Of 17 samples collected from patients with the clinically suspected disease, 13 (76.5%) showed the presence of VZV IgM antibodies. Of the healthy controls, 6 were VZV IgM positive and 4 of them developed symptomatic disease on follow-up. VZV DNA was positive in 5/8 (62.5%) of the patients. In one patient, VZV DNA was detected in the absence of an IgM antibody response. The introduction of varicella vaccine in the universal immunisation programme of India may help to prevent these outbreaks; however, the cost-benefit analysis needs to be carried out before making such policies.

Multiple Stakeholder Perspectives on Cancer Stigma in North India.

PubMed

Gupta, Adyya; Dhillon, Preet K; Govil, Jyotsna; Bumb, Dipika; Dey, Subhojit; Krishnan, Suneeta

2015-01-01

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. A large proportion of cancer deaths are preventable through early detection but there are a range of social, emotional, cultural and financial dimensions that hinder the effectiveness of cancer prevention and treatment efforts. Cancer stigma is one such barrier and is increasingly recognized as an important factor influencing health awareness and promotion, and hence, disease prevention and control. The impact and extent of stigma on the cancer early detection and care continuum is poorly understood in India. To evaluate cancer awareness and stigma from multiple stakeholder perspectives in North India, including men and women from the general population, health care professionals and educators, and cancer survivors. A qualitative study was conducted with in-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs) among 39 individuals over a period of 3 months in 2014. Three groups of participants were chosen purposively - 1) men and women who attended cancer screening camps held by the Indian Cancer Society, Delhi; 2) health care providers and 3) cancer survivors. Most participants were unaware of what cancers are in general, their causes and ways of prevention. Attitudes of families towards cancer patients were observed to be positive and caring. Nevertheless, stigma and its impact emerged as a cross cutting theme across all groups. Cost of treatment, lack of awarenes and beliefs in alternate medicines were identified as some of the major barriers to seeking care. This study suggests a need for spreading awareness, knowledge about cancers and assessing associated impact among the people. Also Future research is recommended to help eradicate stigma from the society and reduce cancer-related stigma in the Indian context.

Traditional Practicing with Arsenic Rich Water in Fish Industries Leads to Health Hazards in West Bengal and North-Eastern States of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kashyap, C. A.

2014-12-01

The supply of good quality food is main necessity for economic and social health of urban and rural population throughout the globe. This study comes to know the severity of As in the west Bengal and north-eastern states of the India. Over the 75% large population of India lives in villages and associated with farming and its related work. West Bengal is the densest populated area of India, fish and rice is the staple food as well as in north-eastern states. For the fulfil demand of fish large population the area are used fisheries as the business. Arsenic contamination in ground water is major growing threat to worldwide drinking water resources. High As contamination in water have been reported in many parts of the world Chandrasekharam et al., 2001; Smedley and Kinniburgh, 2002; Farooq et al., 2010). In context to West Bengal and north-east states of India arsenic is main problem in the food chain. These areas are very rich in arsenic many fold higher concentrations of Arsenic than their respective WHO permissible limits have been reported in the water. Over the 36 million people in Bengal delta are at risk due to drinking of As contaminated water (Nordstrom, 2002). The highest concentration of arsenic (535 μg/L Chandrashekhar et al. 2012) was registered from Ngangkha Lawai Mamang Leikai area of Bishnupur district which is fifty fold of the WHO limit for arsenic and tenfold of Indian permissible limit. With the continuous traditional practicing (As rich water pond) and untreated arsenic rich water in fish industries leads to health hazards. A sustainable development in aquaculture should comprise of various fields including environmental, social, cultural and economic aspects. A scientific study has to be needed for the overcome on this problem and rain harvested water may be used for reduce the arsenic problems in fisheries.

Occupational stress among tunnel workers in Sikkim

PubMed Central

Basnet, Pragyan; Gurung, Shoyeta; Pal, Ranabir; Kar, Sumit; Bharati, Dharamvir Ranjan

2010-01-01

Background: Job stress has been linked to a wide range of adverse effects on mental, physical and organizational health. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the impact of job stress on mental, physical and social health of the underground construction workers in Sikkim. Materials and Methods: The study population comprised of tunnel workers and a comparable group of controls. Using the interview technique, data was collected using the SF-36 General Health Survey Questionnaire. Results: The study population comprised of individuals of whom more than half were below 40 years of age and was comparable to the group of controls. Majority reported good health, while poor health was reported by 22 % of the subjects under study Compared to their health status last year, 52% rated their health as somewhat worse. Majority reported that their physical health problems limited them in activities of daily life, viz., running, lifting heavy objects, participation in strenuous sports, climbing several flights of stairs, bending, stooping or kneeling and walking more than a mile, during the past four weeks. More than half of them had severe body ache in the past four weeks that interfered with both work outside home and housework. This was true for emotional problems also, which interfered with their normal social activities involving family, friends, neighbors or groups. The associations of occupational stress with physical, emotional and social life and with limitation of day-to-day activities among tunnel workers were found to be statistically significant. Conclusion: The results emphasize the importance of assessment of the effects of job stress and of fulfilling the need of underground workers for optimum preventive measures. PMID:21694786

Ethnomedicinal plants used by traditional healers of North Tripura district, Tripura, North East India.

PubMed

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

2015-05-26

Information about ethnomedicinal plants used by traditional healers in Tripura, India is very much limited. As there is rapid erosion of traditional knowledge in the state, needs has arisen to document the diversity of medicinal plants, their preparation and associated diseases. Attempts have been made to explore the herbal medicines used by the traditional healers belonging to the various communities in North Tripura district of Tripura, India and document the associated traditional knowledge on the utilisation of medicinal plants. The study was based on ethnomedicinal field survey covering a period of 1 year from February 2012 to February 2013. The ethnomedicinal information was collected by using semi-structured questionnaires from different healers and knowledge holders. Collected data were analysed through informant consensus factor, Index of Specialisation and Relative frequency of citation to determine culturally significant plants. A total of 75 species of plants under 68 genera belonging to 43 families were collected during the study for the treatment of 15 disease categories. Leaves were the most frequently used plant parts and most of the medicines were prepared in the form of extract and administered orally. FIC values of the present study indicated that there was a high agreement in the use of plants in the treatment of digestive system disorders and respiratory system disorders among the healers. Plants having high ISu are Justicia adhatoda, Pajanelia longifolia, Catharanthus roseus etc. The present study highlighted certain species having higher priority indices for further phytochemical investigation. Counselling of traditional health practitioners should be taken into consideration in order to smooth continuation and extension of traditional medical knowledge and practice for ensuring safe and effective therapy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Resurgence of diphtheria in rural areas of North Karnataka, India.

PubMed

Parande, Mahantesh V; Roy, Subarna; Mantur, B G; Parande, Aisha M; Shinde, Rupali S

2017-01-01

A diphtheria outbreak was identified from Vijayapura (formerly Bijapur) district in the South Indian state of Karnataka in 2011. There was a surge in the number of throat swab samples received under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) in North Karnataka since then. A microbiological study was undertaken to generate information on the status of resurgence of the disease in the region. Throat swabs from 432 suspected cases of diphtheria during 2012-2015 were obtained from government hospitals and primary health centres of 8 districts in North Karnataka and were processed for the culture and identification of Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Polymerase chain reaction for the presence of toxin gene (toxA and toxB) was carried out on the isolates. Antibiotic sensitivity tests were performed on the isolates with a panel of 14 antibiotics. Thirty-eight (8.79%) out of 432 samples yielded C. diphtheriae on culture. All isolates possessed the diphtheria toxin gene. Out of the 38 confirmed cases, whereas 21 (55.26%) were between 1 and 5 years of age, 14 (36.84%) were aged between 5 and 10 years. Male children were three times more than females in confirmed cases. No information was available on the immunisation status of the cases. Emergence of resistance to penicillin was found with minimum inhibitory concentration reaching up to 6.00 μg/ml. Our study identified an upsurge in cases of diphtheria in North Karnataka, particularly in Vijayapura District, and to the best of our knowledge, reports the emergence of penicillin resistance for the first time in India. The study calls for enhanced surveillance for the disease, making antidiphtheritic serum available in key hospitals in the region and serves to provide a baseline for future assessment of the impact of the recently launched 'Mission Indradhanush' programme in strengthening Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).

Estimating gross primary productivity of a tropical forest ecosystem over north-east India using LAI and meteorological variables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deb Burman, Pramit Kumar; Sarma, Dipankar; Williams, Mathew; Karipot, Anandakumar; Chakraborty, Supriyo

2017-10-01

Tropical forests act as a major sink of atmospheric carbon dioxide, and store large amounts of carbon in biomass. India is a tropical country with regions of dense vegetation and high biodiversity. However due to the paucity of observations, the carbon sequestration potential of these forests could not be assessed in detail so far. To address this gap, several flux towers were erected over different ecosystems in India by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology as part of the MetFlux India project funded by MoES (Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India). A 50 m tall tower was set up over a semi-evergreen moist deciduous forest named Kaziranga National Park in north-eastern part of India which houses a significant stretch of local forest cover. Climatically this region is identified to be humid sub-tropical. Here we report first generation of the in situ meteorological observations and leaf area index (LAI) measurements from this site. LAI obtained from NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) is compared with the in situ measured LAI. We use these in situ measurements to calculate the total gross photosynthesis (or gross primary productivity, GPP) of the forest using a calibrated model. LAI and GPP show prominent seasonal variation. LAI ranges between 0.75 in winter to 3.25 in summer. Annual GPP is estimated to be 2.11 kg C m^{-2} year^{-1}.

Genetic differentiation and population structure of five ethnic groups of Punjab (North-West India).

PubMed

Singh, Gagandeep; Talwar, Indu; Sharma, Rubina; Matharoo, Kawaljit; Bhanwer, A J S

2016-12-01

The state of Punjab in the North-West part of India has acted as the main passage for all the major human invasions into the Indian subcontinent. It has resulted in the mixing of foreign gene pool into the local populations, which led to an extensive range of genetic diversity and has influenced the genetic structure of populations in Punjab, North-West India. The present study was conducted to examine the genetic structure, relationships, and extent of genetic differentiation in five Indo-European speaking ethnic groups of Punjab. A total of 1021 unrelated samples belonging to Banias, Brahmins, Jat Sikhs, Khatris, and Scheduled castes were analyzed for four human-specific Ins/Del polymorphic loci (ACE, APO, PLAT, and D1) and three restriction fragment length polymorphisms ESR (PvuII), LPL (PvuII), and T2 (MspI) using Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All the loci were found to be polymorphic among the studied populations. The frequency of the Alu insertion at APO locus was observed to exhibit the highest value (82.6-96.3 %), whereas D1 exhibited the lowest (26.5-45.6 %) among all the ethnic groups. The average heterozygosity among the studied populations ranged from 0.3816 in Banias to 0.4163 in Khatris. The F ST values ranged from 0.0418 to 0.0033 for the PLAT and LPL loci, respectively, with an average value being 0.0166. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Banias and Khatris are genetically closest to each other. The Jat Sikhs are genetically close to Brahmins and are distant from the Banias. The Jat Sikhs, Banias, Brahmins, and Khatris are genetically very distant from the Scheduled castes. Overall, Uniform allele frequency distribution patterns, high average heterozygosity values, and a small degree of genetic differentiation in this study suggest a genetic proximity among the selected populations. A low level of genetic differentiation was observed in the studied population groups indicating that genetic drift might have been small or negligible in shaping

Market potential and opportunities for commercialization of traditional meat products in North East Hill Region of India.

PubMed

Kadirvel, G; Banerjee, Bandita B; Meitei, Surajit; Doley, S; Sen, Arnab; Muthukumar, M

2018-02-01

The North Eastern (NE) India is renowned for its preference for animal-based food. This region is known for its traditional meat products. However, the popularity of these products remains confined to the specific community/location. The knowledge on the traditional preparation methods is generally passed across generations through practice and word of mouth. The traditional style of preparation and the specific ingredients added to each product makes them unique. In this review, an attempt has been made to identify the initiatives, opportunities, and market potential for commercialization of the traditional meat products. These unique features and properties of the traditional meat products have been highlighted. The commercialization of these products will enhance entrepreneurship development and ensure quality ethnic products to the consumer in the NE hill region of India.

Market potential and opportunities for commercialization of traditional meat products in North East Hill Region of India

PubMed Central

Kadirvel, G.; Banerjee, Bandita B.; Meitei, Surajit; Doley, S.; Sen, Arnab; Muthukumar, M.

2018-01-01

The North Eastern (NE) India is renowned for its preference for animal-based food. This region is known for its traditional meat products. However, the popularity of these products remains confined to the specific community/location. The knowledge on the traditional preparation methods is generally passed across generations through practice and word of mouth. The traditional style of preparation and the specific ingredients added to each product makes them unique. In this review, an attempt has been made to identify the initiatives, opportunities, and market potential for commercialization of the traditional meat products. These unique features and properties of the traditional meat products have been highlighted. The commercialization of these products will enhance entrepreneurship development and ensure quality ethnic products to the consumer in the NE hill region of India. PMID:29657390

Craniofacial anthropometry in newborns of Sikkimese origin.

PubMed

Sinha, P; Tamang, B K; Chakraborty, S

2014-06-01

Head and face dimensions vary according to race and geographical zone. Hereditary factors also greatly affect the size and shape of the head. There are important medical applications of craniofacial data specific to different racial and ethnic groups. Various cranial and facial anthropometric parameters were assessed in singleton, healthy, full-term newborns of Sikkimese origin in a tertiary care hospital in Sikkim, India. The data were then analysed to determine statistically significant differences between sexes. Forty-five newborns were included in the study. Both male and female newborns were observed to be hyperbrachycephalic and hyperleptoprosopic. The only significant difference between the sexes was in commissural length, which was observed to be greater in male newborns. Craniofacial parameters in Sikkimese newborns vary in comparison with those of other newborns from around the world. Larger studies are needed in order to reveal sex-related variations. Similar studies on various racial groups in North-East India are needed to establish standards for populations with East Asian features.

Multiple Stakeholder Perspectives on Cancer Stigma in North India

PubMed Central

Gupta, Adyya; Dhillon, Preet K; Govil, Jyotsna; Bumb, Dipika; Dey, Subhojit; Krishnan, Suneeta

2017-01-01

Background Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. A large proportion of cancer deaths are preventable through early detection but there are a range of social, emotional, cultural and financial dimensions that hinder the effectiveness of cancer prevention and treatment efforts. Cancer stigma is one such barrier and is increasingly recognized as an important factor influencing health awareness and promotion, and hence, disease prevention and control. The impact and extent of stigma on the cancer early detection and care continuum is poorly understood in India. Objectives To evaluate cancer awareness and stigma from multiple stakeholder perspectives in North India, including men and women from the general population, health care professions and educators, and cancer survivors. Materials and Methods A qualitative study was conducted with in-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs) among 39 individuals over a period of 3 months in 2014. Three groups of participants were chosen purposively - 1) men and women who attended cancer-screening camps held by the Indian Cancer Society, Delhi; 2) health care providers and 3) cancer survivors. Results Most participants were unaware of what cancers are in general, their causes and ways of prevention. Attitudes of families towards cancer patients were observed to be positive and caring. Nevertheless, stigma and its impact emerged as a cross cutting theme across all groups. Cost of treatment followed by lack of awareness, beliefs in alternate medicines were identified as some of the major barriers to seeking care. Conclusions This study suggests a need for spreading awareness, knowledge about cancers and assessing associated impact among the people. Also future research is recommended to help eradicate stigma from the society and reduce cancer-related stigma in the Indian context. PMID:26320509

Inventory and recently increasing GLOF susceptibility of glacial lakes in Sikkim, Eastern Himalaya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aggarwal, Suruchi; Rai, S. C.; Thakur, P. K.; Emmer, Adam

2017-10-01

Climatic changes alter the climate system, leading to a decrease of glacier mass volumes and swelling glacial lakes. This study provides a new inventory of glacial and high-altitude lakes for Sikkim, Eastern Himalaya, and evaluates the susceptibility of lakes to Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF). By using satellite data of high spatial resolution (5 m), we obtain 1104 glacial and high-altitude lakes with total area 30.498 km2, of which 472 have an area > 0.01 km2. Applying pre-defined GLOF susceptibility criteria on these 472 lakes yields 21 lakes susceptible to GLOF, which all increased in area from 1972-2015. Using Analytic Hierarchy Processes (AHP), the pairwise comparison matrix further reveals that 5 of these glacial lakes have low, 14 have medium and 2 have high GLOF susceptibility. Especially these 16 glacial lakes with high and medium GLOF susceptibility may threaten downstream communities and infrastructure and need further attention.

Gut bacterial diversity of the tribes of India and comparison with the worldwide data

PubMed Central

Dehingia, Madhusmita; Thangjam devi, Kanchal; Talukdar, Narayan C.; Talukdar, Rupjyoti; Reddy, Nageshwar; Mande, Sharmila S.; Deka, Manab; Khan, Mojibur R.

2015-01-01

The gut bacteria exert phenotypic traits to the host but the factors which determine the gut bacterial profile (GBP) is poorly understood. This study aimed to understand the effect of ethnicity and geography on GBP of Mongoloid and Proto-Australoid tribes of India. Fecal bacterial diversity was studied in fifteen tribal populations representing four geographic regions (Assam, Telangana, Manipur and Sikkim) by DGGE followed by NGS analysis on Illumina MiSeq platform. Geography and diet had significant effect on GBP of the Indian tribes which was dominated by Prevotella. The effects were more prominent with lower taxonomic levels, indicating probable functional redundancy of the core GBP. A comparison with the worldwide data revealed that GBP of the Indian population was similar to the Mongolian population (Mongolia). The bacterial genera Faecalibacterium, Eubacterium, Clostridium, Blautia, Ruminococcus and Roseburia were found to be core genera in the representative populations of the world. PMID:26689136

Morpho-physiological analysis of tolerance to aluminum toxicity in rice varieties of North East India

PubMed Central

Awasthi, Jay Prakash; Saha, Bedabrata; Regon, Preetom; Sahoo, Smita; Chowra, Umakanta; Pradhan, Amit; Roy, Anupam; Panda, Sanjib Kumar

2017-01-01

Aluminum (Al) is the third most abundant metal in earth crust, whose chemical form is mainly dependent on soil pH. The most toxic form of Al with respect to plants is Al3+, which exists in soil pH <5. Acidic soil significantly limits crop production mainly due to Al3+ toxicity worldwide, impacting approximately 50% of the world’s arable land (in North-Eastern India 80% soil are acidic). Al3+ toxicity in plants ensues root growth inhibition leading to less nutrient and water uptake impacting crop productivity as a whole. Rice is one of the chief grains which constitutes the staple food of two-third of the world population including India and is not untouched by Al3+ toxicity. Al contamination is a critical constraint to plant production in agricultural soils of North East India. 24 indigenous Indica rice varieties (including Badshahbhog as tolerant check and Mashuri as sensitive check) were screened for Al stress tolerance in hydroponic plant growth system. Results show marked difference in growth parameters (relative growth rate, Root tolerance index, fresh and dry weight of root) of rice seedlings due to Al (100 μM) toxicity. Al3+ uptake and lipid peroxidation level also increased concomitantly under Al treatment. Histochemical assay were also performed to elucidate uptake of aluminum, loss of membrane integrity and lipid peroxidation, which were found to be more in sensitive genotypes at higher Al concentration. This study revealed that aluminum toxicity is a serious harmful problem for rice crop productivity in acid soil. Based on various parameters studied it’s concluded that Disang is a comparatively tolerant variety whereas Joymati a sensitive variety. Western blot hybridization further strengthened the claim, as it demonstrated more accumulation of Glutathione reductase (GR) protein in Disang rice variety than Joymati under stressed condition. This study also observed that the emergence of lethal toxic symptoms occurs only after 48h irrespective of the

Three dimensional topography correction applied to magnetotelluric data from Sikkim Himalayas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Sushil; Patro, Prasanta K.; Chaudhary, B. S.

2018-06-01

Magnetotelluric (MT) method is one of the powerful tools to investigate the deep crustal image of mountainous regions such as Himalayas. Topographic variations due to irregular surface terrain distort the resistivity curves and hence may not give accurate interpretation of magnetotelluric data. The two-dimensional (2-D) topographic effects in Transverse Magnetic (TM) mode is only galvanic whereas inductive in Transverse Electric (TE) mode, thus TM mode responses is much more important than TE mode responses in 2-D. In three-dimensional (3-D), the topography effect is both galvanic and inductive in each element of impedance tensor and hence the interpretation is complicated. In the present work, we investigate the effects of three-dimensional (3-D) topography for a hill model. This paper presents the impedance tensor correction algorithm to reduce the topographic effects in MT data. The distortion caused by surface topography effectively decreases by using homogeneous background resistivity in impedance correction method. In this study, we analyze the response of ramp, distance from topographic edges, conductive and resistive dykes. The new correction method is applied to the real data from Sikkim Himalayas, which brought out the true nature of the basement in this region.

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Vitamin C Deficiency in North and South India: A Two Centre Population Based Study in People Aged 60 Years and Over

PubMed Central

Ravindran, Ravilla D.; Vashist, Praveen; K. Gupta, Sanjeev; S. Young, Ian; Maraini, Giovanni; Camparini, Monica; Jayanthi, R.; John, Neena; Fitzpatrick, Kathryn E.; Chakravarthy, Usha; Ravilla, Thulasiraj D.; Fletcher, Astrid E.

2011-01-01

Background Studies from the UK and North America have reported vitamin C deficiency in around 1 in 5 men and 1 in 9 women in low income groups. There are few data on vitamin C deficiency in resource poor countries. Objectives To investigate the prevalence of vitamin C deficiency in India. Design We carried out a population-based cross-sectional survey in two areas of north and south India. Randomly sampled clusters were enumerated to identify people aged 60 and over. Participants (75% response rate) were interviewed for tobacco, alcohol, cooking fuel use, 24 hour diet recall and underwent anthropometry and blood collection. Vitamin C was measured using an enzyme-based assay in plasma stabilized with metaphosphoric acid. We categorised vitamin C status as deficient (<11 µmol/L), sub-optimal (11–28 µmol/L) and adequate (>28 µmol/L). We investigated factors associated with vitamin C deficiency using multivariable Poisson regression. Results The age, sex and season standardized prevalence of vitamin C deficiency was 73.9% (95% confidence Interval, CI 70.4,77.5) in 2668 people in north India and 45.7% (95% CI 42.5,48.9) in 2970 from south India. Only 10.8% in the north and 25.9% in the south met the criteria for adequate levels. Vitamin C deficiency varied by season, and was more prevalent in men, with increasing age, users of tobacco and biomass fuels, in those with anthropometric indicators of poor nutrition and with lower intakes of dietary vitamin C. Conclusions In poor communities, such as in our study, consideration needs to be given to measures to improve the consumption of vitamin C rich foods and to discourage the use of tobacco. PMID:22163038

Using U-Th-Pb petrochronology to determine rates of ductile thrusting: Time windows into the Main Central Thrust, Sikkim Himalaya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mottram, Catherine M.; Parrish, Randall R.; Regis, Daniele; Warren, Clare J.; Argles, Tom W.; Harris, Nigel B. W.; Roberts, Nick M. W.

2015-07-01

Quantitative constraints on the rates of tectonic processes underpin our understanding of the mechanisms that form mountains. In the Sikkim Himalaya, late structural doming has revealed time-transgressive evidence of metamorphism and thrusting that permit calculation of the minimum rate of movement on a major ductile fault zone, the Main Central Thrust (MCT), by a novel methodology. U-Th-Pb monazite ages, compositions, and metamorphic pressure-temperature determinations from rocks directly beneath the MCT reveal that samples from 50 km along the transport direction of the thrust experienced similar prograde, peak, and retrograde metamorphic conditions at different times. In the southern, frontal edge of the thrust zone, the rocks were buried to conditions of 550°C and 0.8 GPa between 21 and 18 Ma along the prograde path. Peak metamorphic conditions of 650°C and 0.8-1.0 GPa were subsequently reached as this footwall material was underplated to the hanging wall at 17-14 Ma. This same process occurred at analogous metamorphic conditions between 18-16 Ma and 14.5-13 Ma in the midsection of the thrust zone and between 13 Ma and 12 Ma in the northern, rear edge of the thrust zone. Northward younging muscovite 40Ar/39Ar ages are consistently 4 Ma younger than the youngest monazite ages for equivalent samples. By combining the geochronological data with the >50 km minimum distance separating samples along the transport axis, a minimum average thrusting rate of 10 ± 3 mm yr-1 can be calculated. This provides a minimum constraint on the amount of Miocene India-Asia convergence that was accommodated along the MCT.

Sustained progress, but no room for complacency: Results of 2015 HIV estimations in India

PubMed Central

Pandey, Arvind; Dhingra, Neeraj; Kumar, Pradeep; Sahu, Damodar; Reddy, D.C.S.; Narayan, Padum; Raj, Yujwal; Sangal, Bhavna; Chandra, Nalini; Nair, Saritha; Singh, Jitenkumar; Chavan, Laxmikant; Srivastava, Deepika Joshi; Jha, Ugra Mohan; Verma, Vinita; Kant, Shashi; Bhattacharya, Madhulekha; Swain, Pushpanjali; Haldar, Partha; Singh, Lucky; Bakkali, Taoufik; Stover, John; Ammassari, Savina

2017-01-01

Background & objectives: Evidence-based planning has been the cornerstone of India's response to HIV/AIDS. Here we describe the process, method and tools used for generating the 2015 HIV estimates and provide a summary of the main results. Methods: Spectrum software supported by the UNAIDS was used to produce HIV estimates for India as a whole and its States/Union Territories. This tool takes into consideration the size and HIV prevalence of defined population groups and programme data to estimate HIV prevalence, incidence and mortality over time as well as treatment needs. Results: India's national adult prevalence of HIV was 0.26 per cent in 2015. Of the 2.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS, the largest numbers were in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka. New HIV infections were an estimated 86,000 in 2015, reflecting a decline by around 32 per cent from 2007. The declining trend in incidence was mirrored in most States, though an increasing trend was detected in Assam, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Sikkim, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh. AIDS-related deaths were estimated to be 67,600 in 2015, reflecting a 54 per cent decline from 2007. There were variations in the rate and trend of decline across India for this indicator also. Interpretation & conclusions: While key indicators measured through Spectrum modelling confirm success of the National AIDS Control Programme, there is no room for complacency as rising incidence trends in some geographical areas and population pockets remain the cause of concern. Progress achieved so far in responding to HIV/AIDS needs to be sustained to end the HIV epidemic. PMID:29168464

Scrub Typhus in a Tertiary Care Hospital in North India.

PubMed

Sharma, Navneet; Biswal, Manisha; Kumar, Abhay; Zaman, Kamran; Jain, Sanjay; Bhalla, Ashish

2016-08-03

Scrub typhus, a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi, has become endemic in many parts of India. We studied the clinical profile of this infection in 228 patients that reported to this tertiary care center from July 2013 to December 2014. The median age of patients was 35 years (interquartile range = 24.5-48.5 years), and 111 were males and 117 females. A high-grade fever occurred in 85%, breathlessness in 42%, jaundice in 32%, abdominal pain in 28%, renal failure in 11%, diarrhea in 10%, rashes in 9%, and seizures in 7%. Common laboratory abnormalities at presentation were a deranged hepatic function in 61%, anemia in 54%, leukopenia in 15%, and thrombocytopenia in 90% of our patients. Acute kidney injury (32%), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (25%), and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) (16%) were the commonest complications. A hepatorenal syndrome was seen in 38% and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) in 20% patients. The overall case fatality rate was 13.6%. In univariate analysis, ARDS requiring mechanical ventilation, acute kidney injury requiring hemodialysis, hypotension requiring inotropic support, central nervous system dysfunction at presentation, and MODS were inversely associated with survival. Survival was significantly higher in patients that presented with a duration of fever < 10 days compared with those that presented ≥ 12 days (P < 0.05) after onset. In conclusion, scrub typhus has become a leading infectious disease in north India and an important cause of infectious fever. An increasing awareness of this disease coupled with prompt management will go a long way in reducing both morbidity and mortality from this disease. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Modeling and forecasting rainfall patterns of southwest monsoons in North-East India as a SARIMA process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narasimha Murthy, K. V.; Saravana, R.; Vijaya Kumar, K.

2018-02-01

Weather forecasting is an important issue in the field of meteorology all over the world. The pattern and amount of rainfall are the essential factors that affect agricultural systems. India experiences the precious Southwest monsoon season for four months from June to September. The present paper describes an empirical study for modeling and forecasting the time series of Southwest monsoon rainfall patterns in the North-East India. The Box-Jenkins Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) methodology has been adopted for model identification, diagnostic checking and forecasting for this region. The study has shown that the SARIMA (0, 1, 1) (1, 0, 1)4 model is appropriate for analyzing and forecasting the future rainfall patterns. The Analysis of Means (ANOM) is a useful alternative to the analysis of variance (ANOVA) for comparing the group of treatments to study the variations and critical comparisons of rainfall patterns in different months of the season.

Gender differences in infant survival: a secondary data analysis in rural North India.

PubMed

Chowdhury, Ranadip; Taneja, Sunita; Mazumder, Sarmila; Bhandari, Nita; Strand, Tor A

2017-08-11

To examine gender differences in infant survival on the first day of life, in the first week of life, and in the neonatal and post-neonatal periods by socio-demographic and economic variables. Secondary data analysis was performed on data from a cluster randomised trial on the effect of implementation of the Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness programme, India. The study setting was Palwal and Faridabad, districts of Haryana, a state in North India. Multiple logistic regression models taking the cluster design into account were used to estimate gender differences in mortality in different periods of infancy. A total of 60 480 infants were included in these analyses. Of 4060 infant deaths, 2054 were female (7.2% of all females born) and 2006 were male (6.3% of all males born). The death rate was significantly higher in females in the post-neonatal period but not during the neonatal period. The odds of death at 29-180 days and at 181-365 days were 1.4 (95% CI 1.3 to 1.6) and 1.7 (95% CI: 1.4 to 2.0) higher in females compared with males, respectively. This increase was seen across all socio-demographic and economic strata. Gender differences during the post-neonatal period are a major threat to the survival and health of female infants in India. Programmes need to identify measures that can specifically reduce female mortality. Clinical trials NCT00474981. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Magnitude of crustal shortening and structural framework of the easternmost Himalayan orogen, northern Indo-Burma Ranges of northeastern India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haproff, P. J.; Yin, A.

2016-12-01

Along-strike variation in crustal shortening throughout the Himalayan orogen has been attributed to (1) diachronous, eastward-increasing convergence, or (2) localized controls including pre-collisional stratigraphic configuration and climate. In this study, we present new geologic maps and balanced cross-sections across the easternmost segment of the Himalayan orogen, the N-S-trending N. Indo-Burma Ranges of northeastern India. First order structures are NE-dipping, km-wide ductile thrust shear zones with mylonitic fabrics indicating top-to-the SW motion. Major structures include the Mayodia klippe and Hunli window, generated during folding of the SW-directed Tidding thrust and duplexing of Lesser Himalayan rocks (LHS) at depth. Reconstruction of two balanced cross-sections yields minimum shortening estimates of 70% (48 km) and 71% (133 km), respectively. The widths of the orogen for each transect are 21 km and 54 km, respectively. Our percent strain values are comparable to that of western Arunachal Himalaya, reflecting eastward-increasing strain due to counterclockwise rotation of India during convergence or along-strike variation in India's subduction angle. However, shortening magnitudes much less than that of the Sikkim (641 km), Bhutan (414-615 km), and western Arunachal Himalaya (515-775 km) could signal eastward increasing shortening of a unique Himalayan stratigraphic framework, evidenced by few GHC rocks, absence of Tethyan strata, and an extensive subduction mélange and forearc complex.

Maternal tetanus toxoid vaccination and neonatal mortality in rural north India.

PubMed

Singh, Abhishek; Pallikadavath, Saseendran; Ogollah, Reuben; Stones, William

2012-01-01

Preventable neonatal mortality due to tetanus infection remains common. We aimed to examine antenatal vaccination impact in a context of continuing high neonatal mortality in rural northern India. Using the third round of the Indian National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2005-06, mortality of most recent singleton births was analysed in discrete-time logistic model with maternal tetanus vaccination, together with antenatal care utilisation and supplementation with iron and folic acid. 59% of mothers reported receiving antenatal care, 48% reported receiving iron and folic acid supplementation and 68% reported receiving two or more doses of tetanus toxoid (TT) vaccination. The odds of all-cause neonatal death were reduced following one or more antenatal dose of TT with odds ratios (OR) of 0.46 (95% CI 0.26 to 0.78) after one dose and 0.45 (95% CI 0.31 to 0.66) after two or more doses. Reported utilisation of antenatal care and iron-folic acid supplementation did not influence neonatal mortality. In the statistical model, 16% (95% CI 5% to 27%) of neonatal deaths could be attributed to a lack of at least two doses of TT vaccination during pregnancy, representing an estimated 78,632 neonatal deaths in absolute terms. Substantial gains in newborn survival could be achieved in rural North India through increased coverage of antenatal TT vaccination. The apparent substantial protective effect of a single antenatal dose of TT requires further study. It may reflect greater population vaccination coverage and indicates that health programming should prioritise universal antenatal coverage with at least one dose.

Prediction of fog/visibility over India using NWP Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Aditi; George, John P.; Iyengar, Gopal Raman

2018-03-01

Frequent occurrence of fog in different parts of northern India is common during the winter months of December and January. Low visibility conditions due to fog disrupt normal public life. Visibility conditions heavily affect both surface and air transport. A number of flights are either diverted or cancelled every year during the winter season due to low visibility conditions, experienced at different airports of north India. Thus, fog and visibility forecasts over plains of north India become very important during winter months. This study aims to understand the ability of a NWP model (NCMRWF, Unified Model, NCUM) with a diagnostic visibility scheme to forecast visibility over plains of north India. The present study verifies visibility forecasts obtained from NCUM against the INSAT-3D fog images and visibility observations from the METAR reports of different stations in the plains of north India. The study shows that the visibility forecast obtained from NCUM can provide reasonably good indication of the spatial extent of fog in advance of one day. The fog intensity is also predicted fairly well. The study also verifies the simple diagnostic model for fog which is driven by NWP model forecast of surface relative humidity and wind speed. The performance of NWP model forecast of visibility is found comparable to that from simple fog model driven by NWP forecast of relative humidity and wind speed.

Genetic assessment of ornamental fish species from North East India.

PubMed

Dhar, Bishal; Ghosh, Sankar Kumar

2015-01-25

Ornamental fishes are traded with multiple names from various parts around the world, including North East India. Most are collected from the wild, due to lack of species-specific culture or breeding, and therefore, such unmanaged collection of the wild and endemic species could lead to severe threats to biodiversity. Despite many regulatory policies, trade of threatened species, including the IUCN listed species have been largely uncontrolled, due to species identification problems arising from the utilization of multiple trade names. So, the development of species-specific DNA marker is indispensable where DNA Barcoding is proved to be helpful in species identification. Here, we investigated, through DNA Barcoding and morphological assessment, the identification of 128 ornamental fish specimens exported from NE India from different exporters. The generated sequences were subjected to similarity match in BOLD-IDS as well as BLASTN, and analysed using MEGA5.2 for species identification through Neighbour-Joining (NJ) clustering, and K2P distance based approach. The analysis revealed straightforward identification of 84 specimens into 35 species, while 44 specimens were difficult to distinguish based on CO1 barcode alone. However, these cases were resolved through morphology, NJ and distanced based method and found to be belonging to 16 species. Among the 51 identified species, 14 species represented multiple trade names; 17 species belonged to threatened category. Species-level identification through DNA Barcoding along with traditional morphotaxonomy reflects its efficacy in regulating ornamental fish trade and therefore, appeals for their conservation in nature. The use of trade names rather than the zoological name created the passage for trafficking of the threatened species and demands immediate attention for sustaining wildlife conservation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Burden Among Caregivers of Children Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus in North India

PubMed Central

Chauhan, Ramesh Chand; Rai, Sanjay Kumar; Kant, Shashi; Lodha, Rakesh; Kumar, Nand; Singh, Neelima

2016-01-01

Background: Due to wider access to and free antiretroviral therapy (ART) program, the number of children dying due to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related causes has declined and the nature and duration of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS caregiving has also dramatically altered. The care of children living with HIV/AIDS (CLHA) places a significant additional burden on the caregivers. Aims: This study was conducted to assess the perceived burden among caregivers of children living with HIV in North India. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study among 156 CLHA-caregiver dyads in North India was conducted from June 2010 to May 2011. Data were collected by using a pretested structured interview schedule. The caregiver burden was measured with a 36-item scale adapted from Burden Assessment Schedule of Schizophrenia Research Foundation (BASS). Child characteristics, caregiver characteristics, caregiving burden, the knowledge of caregivers, and issues related to health care, nutrition, education, and psychological aspects were studied. Results: Caregivers had a mean age of 35.9 ± 10.2 years. Women accounted for over three-fourth (76.9%) of the caregivers. Nearly two-third of them (65.4%) reported as living with HIV. The mean caregiver burden score was 68.7 ± 2.9. A majority of the caregivers reported either low or moderate burden. Standardized percentage score was high in the domains of physical and mental health, external support, patients’ behavior, and caregivers’ strategy and seemed to be comparatively less in the other domains such as support of the patient and taking responsibility. Conclusions: Caring of children is a universal practice but there is a need of special care for children living with HIV. The majority of caregivers who were usually the mothers perceived the burden and need to be assisted in caring for the child. Stigma and discrimination with HIV infection further increased the burden as caregivers did

Rural Palliative Care in North India: Rapid Evaluation of a Program Using a Realist Mixed Method Approach.

PubMed

Munday, Daniel F; Haraldsdottir, Erna; Manak, Manju; Thyle, Ann; Ratcliff, Cathy M

2018-01-01

Palliative care has not developed widely in rural North India. Since 2010, the Emmanuel Hospitals Association (EHA) has been developing a model of palliative care appropriate for this setting, based on teams undertaking home visits with the backup of outpatient and inpatient services. A project to further develop the model operated from 2012 to 2015 supported by funding from the UK. This study aims to evaluate the EHA palliative care project. Rapid evaluation method using a mixed method realist approach at the five project hospital sites. An overview of the project was obtained by analyzing project documents and key informant interviews. Questionnaire data from each hospital were collected, followed by interviews with staff, patients, and relatives and observations of home visits and other activities at each site. Descriptive analysis of quantitative and thematic analysis of qualitative data was undertaken. Each site was measured against the Indian Minimum Standards Tool for Palliative Care (IMSTPC). Each team followed the EHA model, with local modifications. Services were nurse led with medical support. Eighty percent of patients had cancer. Staff demonstrated good palliative care skills and patients and families appreciated the care. Most essential IMSTPC markers were achieved but morphine licenses were available to only two teams. Remarkable synergy was emerging between palliative care and community health. Hospitals planned to fund palliative care through income from surgical services. Excellent palliative care appropriate for rural north India is delivered through the EHA model. It could be extended to other similar sites.

Declining Groundwater Levels in North India: Understanding Sources of Irrigation Inefficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Keeffe, J.; Buytaert, W.; Mijic, A.; Brozovic, N.

2014-12-01

Over the last half century, the green revolution has transformed India from a famine-prone, drought-susceptible country, into the world's third largest grain producer and one of the most intensely irrigated regions on the planet. This is in no small part due to the country's vast water resources along with an increase in tubewells and more advanced abstraction methods. While agricultural intensification has had undeniable benefits, it has, and continues to have a significant impact on water resources. Unless solutions which take into consideration the ever evolving socio-economic, hydrological and climatic conditions are found, India's agricultural future looks bleak.This research examines the irrigation behaviour of farmers, using data collected during field work in the State of Uttar Pradesh within the Ganges Basin of North India. Significant differences in farmer behaviour and irrigation practices are highlighted, not only between State districts but between individual farmers. This includes the volume of irrigation water applied and the price paid, as well as differences in the yields of crops produced. Analyses of results suggest that this is due to a number of factors, particularly the source of irrigation water. Study areas which had access to cheaper, but crucially less reliable, canal water were found to invest in more efficient water saving technologies in order to reduce the overall cost of irrigation during periods where less expensive canal water is not available. As a result, overall water use and irrigation cost is lower and yields are higher despite very similar climatic conditions. While cheap canal water is not an option for all farmers, the results show that the introduction of more efficient water saving technologies, despite the significant capital expenditure is a viable option for many farmers and costs can be recovered in a relatively short space of time. In addition, the reduction of declining water levels mean that water is abstracted from

Gujarat, Western India

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Extremely high sediment loads are delivered to the Arabian Sea along the coast of Pakistan (upper left) and western India. In the case of the Indus River (far upper left) this sedimentation, containing large quantities of desert sand, combines with wave action to create a large sand-bar like delta. In the arid environment, the delta lacks much vegetation, but contains numerous mangrove-lined channels. This true-color image from May 2001 shows the transition from India's arid northwest to the wetter regions farther south along the coast. The increase in vegetation along the coast is brought about by the moisture trapping effect of the Western Ghats Mountain Range that runs north-south along the coast. Heavy sediment is visible in the Gulf of Kachchh (north) and the Gulf of Khambhat(south), which surround the Gujarat Peninsula.

Maternal Tetanus Toxoid Vaccination and Neonatal Mortality in Rural North India

PubMed Central

Singh, Abhishek; Pallikadavath, Saseendran; Ogollah, Reuben; Stones, William

2012-01-01

Objectives Preventable neonatal mortality due to tetanus infection remains common. We aimed to examine antenatal vaccination impact in a context of continuing high neonatal mortality in rural northern India. Methods and Findings Using the third round of the Indian National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2005–06, mortality of most recent singleton births was analysed in discrete-time logistic model with maternal tetanus vaccination, together with antenatal care utilisation and supplementation with iron and folic acid. 59% of mothers reported receiving antenatal care, 48% reported receiving iron and folic acid supplementation and 68% reported receiving two or more doses of tetanus toxoid (TT) vaccination. The odds of all-cause neonatal death were reduced following one or more antenatal dose of TT with odds ratios (OR) of 0.46 (95% CI 0.26 to 0.78) after one dose and 0.45 (95% CI 0.31 to 0.66) after two or more doses. Reported utilisation of antenatal care and iron-folic acid supplementation did not influence neonatal mortality. In the statistical model, 16% (95% CI 5% to 27%) of neonatal deaths could be attributed to a lack of at least two doses of TT vaccination during pregnancy, representing an estimated 78,632 neonatal deaths in absolute terms. Conclusions Substantial gains in newborn survival could be achieved in rural North India through increased coverage of antenatal TT vaccination. The apparent substantial protective effect of a single antenatal dose of TT requires further study. It may reflect greater population vaccination coverage and indicates that health programming should prioritise universal antenatal coverage with at least one dose. PMID:23152814

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

PubMed Central

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

2014-01-01

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

Efficacy and well-being in rural north India: The role of social identification with a large-scale community identity

PubMed Central

Khan, Sammyh S; Hopkins, Nick; Tewari, Shruti; Srinivasan, Narayanan; Reicher, Stephen David; Ozakinci, Gozde

2014-01-01

Identifying with a group can contribute to a sense of well-being. The mechanisms involved are diverse: social identification with a group can impact individuals' beliefs about issues such as their connections with others, the availability of social support, the meaningfulness of existence, and the continuity of their identity. Yet, there seems to be a common theme to these mechanisms: identification with a group encourages the belief that one can cope with the stressors one faces (which is associated with better well-being). Our research investigated the relationship between identification, beliefs about coping, and well-being in a survey (N = 792) administered in rural North India. Using structural equation modelling, we found that social identification as a Hindu had positive and indirect associations with three measures of well-being through the belief that one can cope with everyday stressors. We also found residual associations between participants' social identification as a Hindu and two measures of well-being in which higher identification was associated with poorer well-being. We discuss these findings and their implication for understanding the relationship between social identification (especially with large-scale group memberships) and well-being. We also discuss the application of social psychological theory developed in the urban West to rural north India. © 2014 The Authors. European Journal of Social Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. PMID:26160989

Explanatory models in patients with first episode depression: a study from north India.

PubMed

Grover, Sandeep; Kumar, Vineet; Chakrabarti, Subho; Hollikatti, Prabhakar; Singh, Pritpal; Tyagi, Shikha; Kulhara, Parmanand; Avasthi, Ajit

2012-09-01

The purpose of this work was to study the explanatory models of patients with first episode depression presenting to a tertiary care hospital located in North-western India. One hundred sixty four consecutive patients with diagnosis of first episode depression (except severe depression with psychotic symptoms) according to the International Classification of Diseases-10th Revision (ICD-10) and ≥18 years of age were evaluated for their explanatory models using the causal models section of Explanatory Model Interview Catalogue (EMIC). The most common explanations given were categorized into Karma-deed-heredity category (77.4%), followed by psychological explanations (62.2%), weakness (50%) and social causes (40.2%). Among the various specific causes the commonly reported explanations by at least one-fourth of the sample in decreasing order were: will of god (51.2%), fate/chance (40.9%), weakness of nerves (37.8%), general weakness (34.7%), bad deeds (26.2%), evil eye (24.4%) and family problems (21.9%). There was some influence of sociodemographic features on the explanations given by the patients. From the study, it can be concluded that patients with first episode depression have multiple explanatory models for their symptoms of depression which are slightly different than those reported in previous studies done from other parts of India. Understanding the multiple explanatory models for their symptoms of depression can have important treatment implications. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Traditional uses of herbal vapour therapy in Manipur, North East India: an ethnobotanical survey.

PubMed

Ningthoujam, Sanjoy Singh; Das Talukdar, Anupam; Potsangbam, Kumar Singh; Choudhury, Manabendra Dutta

2013-05-02

Vapour-based medicines are an aspect of traditional medicine in North East India. However, no collective studies on this therapy in the region have been attempted. With the changing perception of traditional knowledge, documenting these herbal preparations and the subsequent development of baseline data for applications in further ethnopharmacological research are needed. To survey and document the plant species associated with vapour therapy in Manipur, North East India, and to evaluate these traditional practices. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect information from the Meitei community in the Imphal valley and the Jiribam area in Manipur. Traditional disease concepts were studied along with their corresponding medical terminologies. Plant samples collected from fields, healers' private collections and home gardens were identified. Evaluation of the ethnobotanical data was performed with a modified fidelity level index. In the study, 41 traditional disease complexes were treated by 13 different routes of administration using 48 mono-ingredient and 17 multi-ingredient compositions. Preparation methods included boiling in water (28%), burning the materials (48%), crushing the materials to release the aroma (21%) and slight heating of the materials (3%). Some of the mono-ingredient recipes reported in the study were observed to have similar uses in other parts of the world, whereas polyherbal remedies were found to be unique without any similar report. Many compositions mentioned in the paper are still used by the Meitei community. Traditional healers follow their own criteria for selecting medicinal plants. Plants recorded in this ethnobotanical study can suggest methods for selecting and identifying potentially effective plants for future drug candidates. Scientific characterisation of the herbal remedies can contribute to the endorsement of traditional vapour-based therapies in the modern health care systems. Findings from these "new usage

Spatial Correlations of Malaria Incidence Hotspots with Environmental Factors in Assam, North East India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handique, Bijoy K.; Khan, Siraj A.; Dutta, Prafulla; Nath, Manash J.; Qadir, Abdul; Raju, P. L. N.

2016-06-01

Malaria is endemic and a major public health problem in north east (NE) region of India and contributes about 8-12 % of India's malaria positives cases. Historical morbidity pattern of malaria in terms of API (Annual Parasite Incidence) in the state of Assam has been used for delineating the malaria incidence hotspots at health sub centre (HSC) level. Strong spatial autocorrelation (p < 0.01) among the HSCs have been observed in terms of API (Annual Parasite Incidence). Malaria incidence hot spots in the state could be identified based on General G statistics and tested for statistical significance. Spatial correlation of malaria incidence hotspots with physiographic and climatic parameters across 6 agro-climatic zones of the state reveals the types of land cover pattern and the range of elevation contributing to the malaria outbreaks. Analysis shows that villages under malaria hotspots are having more agricultural land, evergreen/semi-evergreen forests with abundant waterbodies. Statistical and spatial analyses of malaria incidence showed a significant positive correlation with malaria incidence hotspots and the elevation (p < 0.05) with villages under malaria hotspots are having average elevation ranging between 17 to 240 MSL. This conforms to the characteristics of two dominant mosquito species in the state Anopheles minimus and An. baimai that prefers the habitat of slow flowing streams in the foot hills and in forest ecosystems respectively.

Assessment of radiological protection systems among diagnostic radiology facilities in North East India.

PubMed

Singh, Thokchom Dewan; Jayaraman, T; Arunkumar Sharma, B

2017-03-01

This study aims to assess the adequacy level of radiological protection systems available in the diagnostic radiology facilities located in three capital cities of North East (NE) India. It further attempts to understand, using a multi-disciplinary approach, how the safety codes/standards in diagnostic radiology framed by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to achieve adequate radiological protection in facilities, have been perceived, conceptualized, and applied accordingly in these facilities. About 30 diagnostic radiology facilities were randomly selected from three capitals of states in NE India; namely Imphal (Manipur), Shillong (Meghalaya) and Guwahati (Assam). A semi-structured questionnaire developed based on a multi-disciplinary approach was used for this study. It was observed that radiological practices undertaken in these facilities were not exactly in line with safety codes/standards in diagnostic radiology of the AERB and the IAEA. About 50% of the facilities had registered/licensed x-ray equipment with the AERB. More than 80% of the workers did not use radiation protective devices, although these devices were available in the facilities. About 85% of facilities had no institutional risk management system. About 70% of the facilities did not carry out periodic quality assurance testing of their x-ray equipment or surveys of radiation leakage around the x-ray room, and did not display radiation safety indicators in the x-ray rooms. Workers in these facilities exhibited low risk perception about the risks associated with these practices. The majority of diagnostic radiology facilities in NE India did not comply with the radiological safety codes/standards framed by the AERB and IAEA. The study found inadequate levels of radiological protection systems in the majority of facilities. This study suggests a need to establish firm measures that comply with the radiological safety codes/standards of the

Serological Evidence of Lyssavirus Infection among Bats in Nagaland, a North-Eastern State in India.

PubMed

Mani, R S; Dovih, D P; Ashwini, M A; Chattopadhyay, B; Harsha, P K; Garg, K M; Sudarshan, S; Puttaswamaiah, R; Ramakrishnan, U; Madhusudana, S N

2017-06-01

Bats are known to be reservoirs of several medically important viruses including lyssaviruses. However, no systematic surveillance for bat rabies has been carried out in India, a canine rabies endemic country with a high burden of human rabies. Surveillance for rabies virus (RABV) infection in bats was therefore carried out in Nagaland, a north-eastern state in India at sites with intense human-bat interfaces during traditional bat harvests. Brain tissues and sera from bats were tested for evidence of infection due to RABV. Brain tissues were subjected to the fluorescent antibody test for detection of viral antigen and real-time reverse transcriptase PCR for presence of viral RNA. Bat sera were tested for the presence of rabies neutralizing antibodies by the rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test. None of the bat brains tested (n = 164) were positive for viral antigen or viral RNA. However, rabies neutralizing antibodies were detected in 4/78 (5·1%) bat sera tested, suggesting prior exposure to RABV or related lyssaviruses. The serological evidence of lyssaviral infection in Indian bats may have important implications in disease transmission and rabies control measures, and warrant extensive bat surveillance to better define the prevalence of lyssaviral infection in bats.

New discovery of coral rubbings in the north-western Gulf of Kachchh, Gujarat, Western India — GIS based evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sesh Serebiah, J.; Rajkumar, M.; Sun, Jun; Venmathi Maran, B. A.; Saravanakumar, A.; Thivakaran, G. A.

2011-06-01

The Gulf of Kachchh in western India, with its arid climate, large semi-diurnal tidal amplitudes, negative water balance and near-pristine water quality, is being extensively developed as oil importing bases for economic reasons in connection with its proximity to the oil exporting countries of the Middle East. Besides, new coral rubbings were sighted in Jakhau, north-western Gulf of Kachchh. Dredging in Mandvi of the north Gulf covering 3.5 km2 revealed a similar assortment of live corals with their associated flora and fauna. These pioneering observations demonstrate that there exist live corals of young polyps-colony of Favia sp. belonging to the family Faviidae in the north-western Gulf of Kachchh. The environmental parameters there were carefully recorded as: surface water temperature (°C) varying from 29 to 31.8, salinity (ppt), pH, dissolved oxygen (mgL-1) and total suspended solids (mgL-1) in the ranges of 37-43.5, 7.7-8.45, 5.4-6.8 and 11-31, respectively.

India.

PubMed

1985-05-01

In this discussion of India attention is directed to the following: the people; geography; history; government; political conditions; the economy; foreign relations (Pakistan and Bangladesh, China, and the Soviet Union); defense; and the relations between the US and India. In 1983 India's population was estimated at 746 million with an annual growth rate of 2.24%. The infant mortality rate was estimated at 116/1000 in 1984 with a life expectancy of 54.9 years. Although India occupies only 2.4% of the world's land area, it supports nearly 15% of the world's population. 2 major ethnic strains predominate in India: the Aryan in the north and the Dravidian in the south, although the lines between them are blurred. India dominates the South Asian subcontinent geographically. The people of India have had a continuous civilization since about 2500 B.C., when the inhabitants of the Indus River Valley developed an urban culture based on commerce, trade, and, to a lesser degree, agriculture. This civilization declined about 1500 B.C. and Aryan tribes originating in central Asia absorbed parts of its culture as they spread out over the South Asian subcontinent. During the next few centuries, India flourished under several successive empires. The 1st British outpost in South Asia was established in 1619 at Surat on the northwestern coast of India. The British gradually expanded their influence until, by the 1850s, they controlled almost the entire area of present-day India. Independence was attained on August 15, 1947, and India became a dominion within the Commonwealth of Nations with Jawaharlal Nehru as prime minister. According to its constitution, India is a "sovereign socialist secular democratic republic." Like the US, India has a federal form of government, but the central government in India has greater power in relation to its states, and government is patterned after the British parliamentary system. The Congress Party has ruled India since independence with the

Cost of Delivering Health Care Services in Public Sector Primary and Community Health Centres in North India.

PubMed

Prinja, Shankar; Gupta, Aditi; Verma, Ramesh; Bahuguna, Pankaj; Kumar, Dinesh; Kaur, Manmeet; Kumar, Rajesh

2016-01-01

With the commitment of the national government to provide universal healthcare at cheap and affordable prices in India, public healthcare services are being strengthened in India. However, there is dearth of cost data for provision of health services through public system like primary & community health centres. In this study, we aim to bridge this gap in evidence by assessing the total annual and per capita cost of delivering the package of health services at PHC and CHC level. Secondly, we determined the per capita cost of delivering specific health services like cost per antenatal care visit, per institutional delivery, per outpatient consultation, per bed-day hospitalization etc. We undertook economic costing of fourteen public health facilities (seven PHCs and CHCs each) in three North-Indian states viz., Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. Bottom-up costing method was adopted for collection of data on all resources spent on delivery of health services in selected health facilities. Analysis was undertaken using a health system perspective. The joint costs like human resource, capital, and equipment were apportioned as per the time value spent on a particular service. Capital costs were discounted and annualized over the estimated life of the item. Mean annual costs and unit costs were estimated along with their 95% confidence intervals using bootstrap methodology. The overall annual cost of delivering services through public sector primary and community health facilities in three states of north India were INR 8.8 million (95% CI: 7,365,630-10,294,065) and INR 26.9 million (95% CI: 22,225,159.3-32,290,099.6), respectively. Human resources accounted for more than 50% of the overall costs at both the level of PHCs and CHCs. Per capita per year costs for provision of complete package of preventive, curative and promotive services at PHC and CHC were INR 170.8 (95% CI: 131.6-208.3) and INR162.1 (95% CI: 112-219.1), respectively. The study estimates can be used

Comparison of stress and burnout among anesthesia and surgical residents in a tertiary care teaching hospital in North India.

PubMed

Gandhi, K; Sahni, N; Padhy, S K; Mathew, P J

2017-10-23

The residents undergoing training at hospitals in our country face challenges in terms of infrastructure and high workload with undefined working hours. The aim of the study was to compare the stress and burnout levels in trainee doctors doing residency in surgical fields and anesthesia at a tertiary care academic center in North India. A comparative, observational study was conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital in North India. After Ethics Committee approval, 200 residents (100 each from surgical branches and anesthesia) were required to fill a questionnaire with information about age, sex, year of residency, marital status, and the Perceived Stress Scale-10, and Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire-12. Burnout and perceived stress were compared between residents of anesthesia and surgical specialties. Residents of both surgical and anesthesia branches scored high in perceived stress, namely 21 and 18, respectively. The score was significantly higher in surgical residents (P = 0.03) and increased progressively with the year of residency. The majority of residents (90% surgical, 80% anesthesia) felt that they were being overloaded with work. However, only 20%-30% of respondents felt that there was lack of development of individual skills and still fewer (<10%) reported giving up in view of difficulties. There is high level of stress and overload dimension of burnout among the residents of anesthesia and surgical branches at our tertiary care academic institution and the surgical residents score marginally higher than anesthesia residents.

Epidemiologic lessons: chickenpox outbreak investigation in a rural community around Chandigarh, North India.

PubMed

Singh, Mini Pritam; Singh, Gagandeep; Kumar, Amit; Singh, Amarjeet; Ratho, Radha Kanta

2011-01-01

Primary infection with Varicella Zoster virus (VZV) leads to Varicella or chickenpox. The epidemiology of Varicella has changed dramatically since the introduction of the Varicella vaccine in 1995. The routine childhood immunization in a few countries in the western world like Germany and the United States has reduced the incidence of the disease, associated complications, hospital admissions and deaths related to its complications. However, chickenpox outbreaks are common in naive unvaccinated communities in India. We report an outbreak of chickenpox that occurred in a village situated on the outskirts of Chandigarh city in North India in the winter of 2007. The outbreak was confirmed by the detection of VZV IgM by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) on serum samples from the patients. In patients showing active lesions, Giemsa and indirect immunofluorescence was carried out on scrapings from vesicular lesions. A total of 162 cases occurred in the present outbreak. The serum samples were collected from 20 patients, and all of them showed positive serology for VZV IgM antibodies while 19 showed a positive VZV IgG result by ELISA. The scrapings were collected from two patients showing active lesions, and both were positive by the Tzanck smear examination, and VZV antigen could be demonstrated by immunofluorescence. There is an urgent need to identify naive communities and unvaccinated individuals at risk. Also, there is a need for regular training programmes of health workers posted in peripheral centers so that highly contagious communicable diseases can be picked up in time and such outbreaks can be prevented.

Molecular epidemiology of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in ruminants in different parts of India.

PubMed

Sonawane, Ganesh G; Narnaware, Shirish D; Tripathi, Bhupendra N

2016-03-01

Paratuberculosis is an economically important, chronic, and incurable disease in ruminants, caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). Understanding the genetic variability of MAP strains is important in diagnosis, epidemiological investigation, and the formation of strategies for prevention and control of the disease. In the present study, a total of 61 MAP isolates obtained from different parts and species of India were typed using IS1311 polymerase chain reaction-restriction endonuclease analysis (PCR-REA) to analyze the genetic difference(s), if any, between them and the host adaptation. Based on PCR-REA results, bison B type was detected in 54 (87%) MAP isolates obtained from cattle, sheep, and goats. Of these, 19 were from sheep of the Rajasthan (n=17) and Bareilly (n=2), North India regions, 28 were from cattle of Chennai, South India (n=3), Bareilly, North India (n=3), and Nagpur, West India (n=22), and seven goat isolates from Bareilly, North India region. The 'C' type strain was detected in only seven cattle isolates obtained from the Bareilly region. The study revealed that in India, bison B-type MAP strains were prevalent in most of the ruminant species. These results have important epidemiological implications with regard to control and prevention of paratuberculosis in India. Copyright © 2015 Asian African Society for Mycobacteriology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Snow and glacier cover assessment in the high mountains of Sikkim Himalaya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pramod Krishna, Akhouri

2005-08-01

This study highlights the assessment of snow and glacier cover for possible inferences of global climate change impacts in high mountains like the Himalaya. The test catchment of the River Tista lies in the Sikkim state of the Indian Himalayan region, with steep mountains crossing nearly all ecozones, from subtropical to glacial. River flows are highly fluctuating, especially during the peak rainy season and snowmelt periods. Annual rainfall patterns are non-uniform and can cause large floods. Runoff and discharge downstream are highly dependent upon snow and glacier extent. The temporary storage of frozen water brings about a delay in seasonal runoff. Snow cover built up in the higher regions during the winter months melts in the spring-summer-autumn cycles and contributes to groundwater recharge. A spatial baseline inventory of snow cover/glacier, the permanent snowline and its short-term temporal changes in the remote high-mountain areas have been analysed using multidate Indian Remote Sensing Satellite data of 1992 to 1997. A geographic information system-based overlay has led to inferences on snow cover characteristics and the alignment, dimension, slope disposition, heights of the snout and associated features of each of the glaciers. Snow and glacier recession are to be monitored in future on a long-term basis to derive correlations with climate-change parameters.

2001 Bhuj, India, earthquake engineering seismoscope recordings and Eastern North America ground-motion attenuation relations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cramer, C.H.; Kumar, A.

2003-01-01

Engineering seismoscope data collected at distances less than 300 km for the M 7.7 Bhuj, India, mainshock are compatible with ground-motion attenuation in eastern North America (ENA). The mainshock ground-motion data have been corrected to a common geological site condition using the factors of Joyner and Boore (2000) and a classification scheme of Quaternary or Tertiary sediments or rock. We then compare these data to ENA ground-motion attenuation relations. Despite uncertainties in recording method, geological site corrections, common tectonic setting, and the amount of regional seismic attenuation, the corrected Bhuj dataset agrees with the collective predictions by ENA ground-motion attenuation relations within a factor of 2. This level of agreement is within the dataset uncertainties and the normal variance for recorded earthquake ground motions.

Effective smoke-free policies in achieving a high level of compliance with smoke-free law: experiences from a district of North India.

PubMed

Goel, Sonu; Ravindra, Khaiwal; Singh, Rana J; Sharma, Deepak

2014-07-01

Compliance survey of smoke-free law is an effective means of measuring progress towards a smoke-free society. They also help policy makers to take action where strengthening measures are required. India has a comprehensive tobacco control law known as Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA 2003) which prohibits smoking in public places and requires display of 'No smoking' signages with proper specifications at conspicuous points. However, its implementation and enforcement are still a matter of concern. To ascertain the level of compliance with smoke-free law in public places of a district of North India. A cross sectional study was conducted in the months of November-December 2011 in district SAS Nagar Mohali of North India. The public places including hotels/restaurants/bars/shopping malls, government offices, educational institutions, healthcare facilities and transit stations were surveyed. The study tool was adapted from the guide on 'Assessing compliance with smoke-free law' developed jointly by the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. The overall compliance rate towards section 4 of COTPA was 92.3%. No active smoking was observed in 94.2% of the public places. In 90% of the public places 'No Smoking' signage were displayed as per COTPA. Health and educational institutions had maximum compliance with the smoke-free law while transit sites showed the least compliance. Compliance to the smoke-free law was high in the study. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Consumption of indigenous medicines by pregnant women in North India for selecting sex of the foetus: what can it lead to?

PubMed

Neogi, Sutapa Bandyopadhyay; Negandhi, Preeti H; Ganguli, Abhijit; Chopra, Sapna; Sandhu, Navraj; Gupta, Ravi Kant; Zodpey, Sanjay; Singh, Amarjeet; Singh, Arun; Gupta, Rakesh

2015-09-04

Sex ratio is an important indicator of development. Despite all the measures undertaken for improvement, it remains an issue of concern in India, with Haryana having a very low sex ratio in the country. Studies have been conducted indicating that consumption of indigenous drugs used for sex selection (SSD) could be strongly associated with adverse effects on the foetal development, including congenital malformations. Some samples of SSDs were collected from parts of North India and analysed in a standard laboratory for its components. Thirty SSDs used by the local community were procured from various sources in north India through a rigorous process of collection. These were subjected to laboratory tests to investigate the presence of phytoestrogen and testosterone. Following sample extraction, thin layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography were carried out for analysing phytoestrogen content. SSDs were available in various forms such as powder, tablets, mostly from faith healers. Around 87% of the samples collected from sources like doctors, quacks and faith healers were to be taken by the pregnant women after conception; 63% drugs were strongly positive for phytoestrogens (genistein, daidzein, formononetin) and 20% drugs were positive for testosterone. The average dose of the components as calculated after analyses was as follows: daidzein--14.1 mg/g sample, genistein--8.6 mg/g sample, formononetin--5 mg/g sample. These SSDs could be potentially detrimental to the growth and development of the foetus. This is likely to have implications on the health of the community. In view of the results obtained in our study, we strongly attest the importance in curbing this harmful practice by banning the supply of the drugs as well as by advocating behavioural changes in the community.

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

PubMed

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

2015-01-01

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

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

PubMed

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

2014-07-01

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

Cost of Delivering Health Care Services in Public Sector Primary and Community Health Centres in North India

PubMed Central

Gupta, Aditi; Verma, Ramesh; Bahuguna, Pankaj; Kumar, Dinesh; Kaur, Manmeet; Kumar, Rajesh

2016-01-01

Background With the commitment of the national government to provide universal healthcare at cheap and affordable prices in India, public healthcare services are being strengthened in India. However, there is dearth of cost data for provision of health services through public system like primary & community health centres. In this study, we aim to bridge this gap in evidence by assessing the total annual and per capita cost of delivering the package of health services at PHC and CHC level. Secondly, we determined the per capita cost of delivering specific health services like cost per antenatal care visit, per institutional delivery, per outpatient consultation, per bed-day hospitalization etc. Methods We undertook economic costing of fourteen public health facilities (seven PHCs and CHCs each) in three North-Indian states viz., Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. Bottom-up costing method was adopted for collection of data on all resources spent on delivery of health services in selected health facilities. Analysis was undertaken using a health system perspective. The joint costs like human resource, capital, and equipment were apportioned as per the time value spent on a particular service. Capital costs were discounted and annualized over the estimated life of the item. Mean annual costs and unit costs were estimated along with their 95% confidence intervals using bootstrap methodology. Results The overall annual cost of delivering services through public sector primary and community health facilities in three states of north India were INR 8.8 million (95% CI: 7,365,630–10,294,065) and INR 26.9 million (95% CI: 22,225,159.3–32,290,099.6), respectively. Human resources accounted for more than 50% of the overall costs at both the level of PHCs and CHCs. Per capita per year costs for provision of complete package of preventive, curative and promotive services at PHC and CHC were INR 170.8 (95% CI: 131.6–208.3) and INR162.1 (95% CI: 112–219

Identification of different lineages of measles virus strains circulating in Uttar Pradesh, North India.

PubMed

Shakya, Akhalesh Kumar; Shukla, Vibha; Maan, Harjeet Singh; Dhole, Tapan N

2012-10-16

Genetic analysis of measles viruses associated with recent cases and outbreaks has proven to bridge information gaps in routine outbreak investigations and has made a substantial contribution to measles control efforts by helping to identify the transmission pathways of the virus. The present study describes the genetic characterization of wild type measles viruses from Uttar Pradesh, India isolated between January 2008 and January 2011. In the study, 526 suspected measles cases from 15 outbreaks were investigated. Blood samples were collected from suspected measles outbreaks and tested for the presence of measles specific IgM; throat swab and urine samples were collected for virus isolation and RT-PCR. Genotyping of circulating measles viruses in Uttar Pradesh was performed by sequencing a 450-bp region encompassing the nucleoprotein hypervariable region and phylogenetic analysis. Based on serological results, all the outbreaks were confirmed as measles. Thirty eight strains were obtained. Genetic analysis of circulating measles strains (n = 38) in Uttar Pradesh from 235 cases of laboratory-confirmed cases from 526 suspected measles cases between 2008 and 2011 showed that all viruses responsible for outbreaks were within clade D and all were genotype D8.Analysis of this region showed that it is highly divergent (up to 3.4% divergence in the nucleotide sequence and 4.1% divergence in the amino acid sequence between most distant strains). Considerable genetic heterogeneity was observed in the MV genotype D8 viruses in North India and underscores the need for continued surveillance and in particular increases in vaccination levels to decrease morbidity and mortality attributable to measles.

Isolation and characterization of Lepidoptera specific Bacillus thuringiensis strains predominantly from north-eastern states of India.

PubMed

Tripathi, Monika; Kumar, Arvind; Kalia, Vinay; Saxena, A K; Gujar, Govind

2016-07-01

Both, the tobacco caterpillar Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) and the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera (Hibner), are serious polyphagous pests causing considerable loss to crops. Indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides for controlling them has rather resulted in their resistance development. Microbial pesticides, Bacillus thuringiensis in particular, play an important role in pest management. Here, we isolated Bacillus thuringiensis-like bacteria from the soil samples primarily collected from North East region of India along with some states viz., Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Uttarakhand and studied their toxicity against the above two insect pests at 10 gg/g along with standard strain B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki HD-I and at 1 pg/g Pseudomonasfluorescens based MVPII expressing CrylAc toxin and AUG-5. Isolates AUG-5 and GTG-7 proved toxic to more than 75% larvae on the 4h as well as 7h day of the treatment of the neonates of H. armigera. The AUG-5 isolate was also effective against S. litura. Ten effective isolates (AUG-5, GTG-4, GTG-7, GTG-9, GTG-42, GTG-64, GTG-70, GTG-3S, GTG-4S and GTG-6S) were characterized using biochemical and 16S rDNA analysis. Nearly, all the isolates tested positive for utilizing monosaccharides. All selected B. thuringiensis isolates showed resistance to ampicillin and co-trimoxazole except AUG-5 to- co-trimoxazole. AUG-5 and GTG-7 were highly toxic to both insects, and possessed cryl, cry1A and cry2 genes. These isolates AUG-5 and GTG-7 also contained high CrylAc (104.8 and 88.32 ng/mg) and Cry2Ab (3792 and 1305.9 ng/mg), respectively in their spore-crystal complex. Both, AUG-5 and GTG-7 isolates, could be considered for further development as bioinsecticides. The present study has established the diversity and richness of B. thuringiensis-like isolates in soils collected from north-eastern region of India.

Emergence of Arctic-like Rabies Lineage in India

PubMed Central

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

2007-01-01

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

Molecular and morphological diversity in locally grown non-commercial (heirloom) mango varieties of North India.

PubMed

Bajpai, Anju; Muthukumar, M; Ahmad, Israr; Ravishankar, K V; Parthasarthy, V A; Sthapit, Bhuwon; Rao, Ramanatha; Verma, J P; Rajan, S

2016-03-01

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) has been cultivated and conserved in different agro-ecologies including Malihabad region in northern part of India, that is well known for housing diverse types (heirloom and commercial varieties). In the present study, 37 mango types comprising of 27 heirloom varieties from Malihabad region and 10 commercial varieties grown in North and Eastern India were assessed for morphological attributes and molecular diversity. The employed SSR markers amplified 2-13 alleles individually, cumulatively amplifying 124 alleles. These were studied for allelic diversity and genetic dissimilarity ranged from 0.035 to 0.892 arranging the varieties in three major clusters. The results revealed that majority of unique heirloom mangoes from Malihabad were different from the eastern part of the country. It is interesting to note Dashehari, a commercial variety from Malihabad was not aligned with heirloom varieties. Commercial varieties like Gulabkhas and Langra were placed in a separate group including Bombay Green, Himsagar, Dashehari, etc., indicating their dissimilarity with heirloom varieties at molecular level and thus, indicating importance for later from conservation point of view. Furthermore, the hierarchical clustering of varieties based on fruit morphology, assembled these into four groups largely influenced by fruit size. The maximum agreement subtree indicated seemingly good fit as thirteen varieties were arrayed in common grouping pattern. Appreciable dissimilarity among the heirloom varieties demonstrated by molecular analysis, underlines the importance for their on-farm conservation.

Sexual behavior of married young women: a preliminary study from north India.

PubMed

Avasthi, Ajit; Kaur, Rajinder; Prakash, Om; Banerjee, Anindya; Kumar, Lata; Kulhara, P

2008-07-01

There are significant gaps in the scientific literature concerning female sexual behavior and attitudes surrounding sexuality, which have definitive implications on public health and clinical work. To study the sexual behavior of young married Indian women. The study group comprised 100 consecutive women attending the Department of Pediatrics for the care of noncritical children in a multispecialty, tertiary care teaching hospital setting in North India. Current levels of sexual functioning and satisfaction were assessed by using the Brief Index of Sexual Functioning for Women (BISF-W). All participants were also administered a translated and culturally adapted instrument called Sex Knowledge and Attitude Questionnaire-II (SKAQ-II). Peno-vaginal sex continues to be considered the most desired and actually performed sexual activity for arousal and orgasm, followed by kissing and foreplay. Difficulties while performing sexual activity, in the form of physical problems, were faced by 17% of the participants. The participants displayed adequate sexual knowledge and favorable attitude towards sexuality as measured by SKAQ-II. The present study is a preliminary effort to understand the contemporary female sexual behavior, knowledge and attitude by employing standard instruments. Still further studies are required in this area.

Coda Q Attenuation and Source Parameters Analysis in North East India Using Local Earthquakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohapatra, A. K.; Mohanty, W. K.; Earthquake Seismology

2010-12-01

and Arakan-Yuma Zone (BAZ) : Qc= 301 f 0.87, Shillong Plateau Zone (SPZ): Qc=126 fo 0.85. It indicates Northeastern India is seismically active but comparing of all zones in the study region the Shillong Plateau Zone (SPZ): Qc= 126 f 0.85 is seismically most active. Where as the Bengal Alluvium and Arakan-Yuma Zone (BAZ) are less active and out of three the Tibetan Plateau Zone (TPZ)is intermediate active. This study may be useful for the seismic hazard assessment. The estimated seismic moments (Mo), range from 5.98×1020 to 3.88×1023 dyne-cm. The source radii(r) are confined between 152 to 1750 meter, the stress drop ranges between 0.0003×103 bar to 1.04×103 bar, the average radiant energy is 82.57×1018 ergs and the strain drop for the earthquake ranges from 0.00602×10-9 to 2.48×10-9 respectively. The estimated stress drop values for NE India depicts scattered nature of the larger seismic moment value whereas, they show a more systematic nature for smaller seismic moment values. The estimated source parameters are in agreement to previous works in this type of tectonic set up. Key words: Coda wave, Seismic source parameters, Lapse time, single back scattering model, Brune's model, Stress drop and North East India.

Impact of stress, coping, social support, and resilience of families having children with autism: A North East India-based study.

PubMed

Das, Shyamanta; Das, Bornali; Nath, Kakoli; Dutta, Arunima; Bora, Priyanka; Hazarika, Mythili

2017-08-01

Children with autism (CWA) is a segment of population in North East India who are marginalized due to lack of resources like skilled manpower and perceived stress. In comparison to other states and countries whether these children are unique in terms of care and rehabilitation from adult caregivers was the focus of our study. The study assessed level of parental stress, social support, coping mechanisms used by family and resilience in meeting the challenges as caregivers. Parents were selected by simple random sampling from a multi-specialty center dedicated to CWA. They were assessed with the help of structured tools like the Parental Stress Scale, the social support appraisals scale, the coping self-efficacy scale, and the Family Resilience Assessment Scale. Results were analyzed with descriptive statistics and findings suggest definite stress among the parents of CWA. Personal time constraint was noticed in majority of parents, which had adversely affected their professional lives. Despite wide array of stress factors, family members had satisfactory coping skills to work in harmony in adverse circumstances. Regarding secondary social support in terms of family, friends, and neighbors, responses were mixed; religious and spirituality were often resorted avenues. Social desirability, fatigue and the sample being restricted to only one center were though the limitations but, this study throws light on pertinent issues related to families with CWA from a region where specialty centers are a rarity. The future implication could focus on CWA's future, rehabilitation, care and parental concerns which are grossly neglected in North East India. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prevalence and risk factors of gestational diabetes in Punjab, North India: results from a population screening program.

PubMed

Arora, Geeti P; Thaman, Richa G; Prasad, Rashmi B; Almgren, Peter; Brøns, Charlotte; Groop, Leif C; Vaag, Allan A

2015-08-01

The World Health Organization (WHO) has in 2013 changed the diagnostic criteria for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) to acknowledge the putative effect of mildly elevated fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels on pregnancy outcomes. We aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of GDM comparing the previous WHO 1999 criteria to the WHO 2013 criteria in North India. In a population-based screening programme, 5100 randomly selected North Indian women were studied using a cross-sectional design with a questionnaire, venous FPG and 2-h capillary plasma glucose (PG) after a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test performed between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. The prevalence of GDM was 35% using WHO 2013 criteria vs 9% using WHO 1999 criteria. FPG measurements identified 94% of WHO 2013 GDM cases as opposed to 11% of WHO 1999 GDM cases. In contrast, 2-h PG measurements identified only 13% of WHO 2013 GDM cases compared with 96% of the WHO 1999 GDM cases. Using logistic regression with backward elimination, urban habitat, illiteracy, non-vegetarianism, increased BMI, Hindu religion and low adult height were all independent risk factors of GDM using the 1999 criteria, whereas only urban habitat, low adult height and increased age were independent risk factors of GDM using the 2013 criteria. Intervention studies are needed to justify the WHO 2013 GDM criteria increasing the prevalence four fold to include more than one third of North Indian pregnant women. © 2015 European Society of Endocrinology.

Kinship Institutions and Sex Ratios in India

PubMed Central

CHAKRABORTY, TANIKA; KIM, SUKKOO

2010-01-01

This article explores the relationship between kinship institutions and sex ratios in India at the turn of the twentieth century. Because kinship rules vary by caste, language, religion, and region, we construct sex ratios by these categories at the district level by using data from the 1901 Census of India for Punjab (North), Bengal (East), and Madras (South). We find that the male-to-female sex ratio varied positively with caste rank, fell as one moved from the North to the East and then to the South, was higher for Hindus than for Muslims, and was higher for northern Indo-Aryan speakers than for the southern Dravidian-speaking people. We argue that these systematic patterns in the data are consistent with variations in the institution of family, kinship, and inheritance. PMID:21308567

Disparity in rainfall trend and patterns among different regions: analysis of 158 years' time series of rainfall dataset across India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saha, Saurav; Chakraborty, Debasish; Paul, Ranjit Kumar; Samanta, Sandipan; Singh, S. B.

2017-10-01

Rainfall anomaly during crop-growing season can have large impact on the agricultural output of a country, especially like India, where two-thirds of the crop land is rain-fed. In such situation, decreased agricultural production not only challenges food security of the country but directly and immediately hits the livelihood of its farming community. In a vast country like India, rainfall or its anomalies hardly follow a specific pattern, rather it is having high variability in spatial domain. This study focused on the trends of national and regional rainfall anomalies (wetness/dryness) along with their interrelationship using time series data of past 158 years. The significant reducing wetness trend (p < 0.05) over north mountainous India was prominent with an increasing trend over southern peninsular India (p < 0.10). However, long-term annual wetness was increasing over entire peninsular India. The results of change point tests indicate that major abrupt changes occurred between early to mid-twentieth century having regional variations. The regional interrelationship was studied using principal component, hierarchical clustering, and pair-wise difference test, which clearly indicated a significantly different pattern in rainfall anomalies for north east India (p = 0.022), north central India (p = 0.022), and north mountainous India (p = 0.011) from that of the all India. Result of this study affirmed high spatial variability in rainfall anomaly and most importantly established the unalike pattern in trends of regional rainfall vis-à-vis national level, ushering towards paradigm shift in rainfall forecast from country scale to regional scale for pragmatic planning.

Correlation of regional cardiovascular disease mortality in India with lifestyle and nutritional factors.

PubMed

Gupta, Rajeev; Misra, Anoop; Pais, Prem; Rastogi, Priyanka; Gupta, V P

2006-04-14

There is a wide disparity in prevalence and cardiovascular disease mortality in different Indian states. To determine significance of various nutritional factors and other lifestyle variables in explaining this difference in cardiovascular disease mortality we performed an analysis. Mortality data were obtained from the Registrar General of India. In 1998 the annual death rate for India was 840/100,000 population. Cardiovascular diseases contribute to 27% of these deaths and its crude mortality rate was 227/100,000. Major differences in cardiovascular disease mortality rates in different Indian states were reported varying from 75-100 in sub-Himalayan states of Nagaland, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim to a high of 360-430 in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Goa. Lifestyle data were obtained from national surveys conducted by the government of India. The second National Family Health Survey (26 states, 92,447 households, 301,984 adults) conducted in 1998-1999 reported on various demographic and lifestyle variables and India Nutrition Profile Study reported dietary intake of 177,841 adults (18 states, 75,229 men, 102,612 women). Cardiovascular disease mortality rates were correlated with smoking, literacy levels, prevalence of stunted growth at 3-years (as marker of fetal undernutrition), adult mean body mass index, prevalence of overweight and obesity, dietary consumption of calories, cereals and pulses, green leafy vegetables, roots, tubers and other vegetables, milk and milk products, fats and oils, and sugar and jaggery. As a major confounder in different states is poverty, all the partial correlation coefficients were adjusted for illiteracy, fertility rate and infant mortality rate. There was a significant positive correlation of cardiovascular disease mortality with prevalence of obesity (R=0.37) and dietary consumption of fats (R=0.67), milk and its products (R=0.27) and sugars (R=0.51) and negative correlation with green leafy vegetable intake

Characteristics of gallbladder cancer in South India.

PubMed

Sachidananda, Sandeep; Krishnan, Arunkumar; Janani, K; Alexander, P C; Velayutham, Vimalraj; Rajagopal, Surendran; Venkataraman, Jayanthi

2012-09-01

Gallbladder cancer is common in north India. It is also a well established fact that gall bladder cancer is frequently associated with gallstone disease in north India, similar to reports from the West. The magnitude of the problem of gallbladder cancer in south India and its link to gallstone disease is not clearly established. The aim of the study was to determine retrospectively, the characteristics of individuals with GBC in south India and to determine its association with gallstone disease. Retrospective data was obtained from records of proven cases of gallbladder cancer and patients undergoing cholecystectomy for gallstone disease between Jan 2001 and Dec 2010. Data retrieved included age, gender, and clinical presentation, findings on imaging, histology and details of management. The number of proven cases of gallbladder cancer each year ranged from 8 to 17. There were 38 men and 23 women. Male female ratio was 1.6:1. There were more men in the successive decades. Right upper quadrant pain (42 %) followed by jaundice (27 %) and a presence of a palpable mass (12 %) were the common clinical presentation. Pre-operative diagnosis of gall bladder cancer was possible in 80 %. Twelve patients had co-existing gallstones (19.6 %). Forty patients (50 %) had stage IV disease; only 6 patients had Stage I operable disease (9.8 %). During the same time 758 patients had cholecystectomy for gallstone disease. Only one patient had an incidental gall bladder cancer, who had an extended cholecystectomy. Gallbladder cancer is uncommon in south India and its association with gallstone is also low.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

A, A.; Gleeson, T. P.; Wada, Y.; Mishra, V.

2017-12-01

The availability and depletion of groundwater resources - a possible threat to food and water security - are impacted by both pumping and climate variability, although the relative importance of these two drivers is rarely quantified. Here we show that long-term change in the monsoon precipitation is a major driver of groundwater storage variability in most parts of India either directly by changing recharge or indirectly by changing abstraction. GRACE and observation well data show that groundwater storage has declined in north India with a rate of 2 cm/year and increased in the south India by 1 to 2 cm/year during the period of 2002-2013. A large fraction of total variability in groundwater storage is influenced by precipitation in northcentral and southern India. Groundwater storage variability in the northwestern India is mainly explained by variability in abstraction for irrigation, which is influenced by precipitation. Declines in precipitation in north India is linked with the Indian Ocean warming, suggesting a previously unrecognised teleconnection between ocean temperatures and groundwater storage. These results have strong implications for management of groundwater resources under current and future climate conditions in India.

Serogenetic variation in four caste populations of Haryana, India.

PubMed

Kushwaha, K P; Chahal, S M; Bansal, I J; Chugh, O P; Sarojani

1990-01-01

The phenotypes and gene frequencies of 3 blood groups, 7 red-cell enzymes and a serum protein were studied in 4 caste population groups of Haryana, North India. The results indicate that the distribution of these blood markers is rather homogeneous in the 4 groups and generally resembles that observed in various populations from neighbouring North Indian states.

Climatology and trends of summer high temperature days in India during 1969-2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaswal, A. K.; Rao, P. C. S.; Singh, Virendra

2015-02-01

Based on the daily maximum air temperature data from 176 stations in India from 1969 to 2013, the climatological distribution of the number of days with high temperature (HT) defined as days with maximum temperature higher than 37°C during summer season (March-June) are studied. With a focus on the regional variability and long-term trends, the impacts of HT days are examined by dividing the country into six geographical regions (North, West, North-central, East, South-central and South). Although the long-term (1969-2013) climatological numbers of HT days display well-defined spatial patterns, there is clear change in climatological mean and coefficient of variation of HT days in a recent period (1991-2013). The long period trends indicate increase in summer HT days by 3%, 5%, and 18% in north, west, and south regions, respectively and decrease by 4% and 9% in north-central and east regions respectively. However, spatial variations in HT days exist across different regions in the country. The data analysis shows that 2010 was the warmest summer year and 2013 was the coolest summer year in India. Comparison of spatial distributions of trends in HT days for 1969-1990 and 1991-2013 periods reveal that there is an abrupt increase in the number of HT days over north, west and north-central regions of India probably from mid 1990s. A steep increase in summer HT days in highly populated cities of Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Jaipur, and Visakhapatnam is noticed during the recent period of 1991-2013. The summer HT days over southern India indicate significant positive correlation with Nino 3.4 index for three months' running mean (December-January-February, January-March, February-April, March-May and April-June).

Dynamic recrystallization mechanisms and their transition in the Daling Thrust (DT) zone, Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Subhajit; Bose, Santanu; Mandal, Nibir; Dasgupta, Sujoy

2016-04-01

The Daling Thrust (DT) delineates a zone of intense shear localization in the Lesser Himalayan Sequence (LHS) of the Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya. From microstructural studies of deformed quartzite samples, we show a transition in the dynamic recrystallization mechanism with increasing distance from the DT, dominated by grain boundary bulging (BLG) recrystallization closest to the DT, and progressively replaced by sub-grain rotation (SGR) recrystallization away from the thrust. The transition is marked by a characteristic variation in the fractal dimension (D) of grain boundaries, estimated from the area-perimeter method. For the BLG regime, D ≈ 1.046, which decreases significantly to a value as low as 1.025 for the SGR regime. Using the available thermal data for BLG and SGR recrystallization, we infer increasing deformation temperatures away from the DT in the hanging wall. Based on the quartz piezometer our estimates reveal strong variations in the flow stress (59.00 MPa to 16.00 MPa) over a distance of 1.2 km from the DT. Deformation mechanism maps constructed for different temperatures indicate that the strain rates (10- 12 S- 1 to 10- 14 S- 1) comply with the geologically possible range. Finally, we present a mechanical model to provide a possible explanation for the cause of stress intensification along the DT.

Clockwise rotation of the Brahmaputra Valley relative to India: Tectonic convergence in the eastern Himalaya, Naga Hills, and Shillong Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vernant, P.; Bilham, R.; Szeliga, W.; Drupka, D.; Kalita, S.; Bhattacharyya, A. K.; Gaur, V. K.; Pelgay, P.; Cattin, R.; Berthet, T.

2014-08-01

GPS data reveal that the Brahmaputra Valley has broken from the Indian Plate and rotates clockwise relative to India about a point a few hundred kilometers west of the Shillong Plateau. The GPS velocity vectors define two distinct blocks separated by the Kopili fault upon which 2-3 mm/yr of dextral slip is observed: the Shillong block between longitudes 89 and 93°E rotating clockwise at 1.15°/Myr and the Assam block from 93.5°E to 97°E rotating at ≈1.13°/Myr. These two blocks are more than 120 km wide in a north-south sense, but they extend locally a similar distance beneath the Himalaya and Tibet. A result of these rotations is that convergence across the Himalaya east of Sikkim decreases in velocity eastward from 18 to ≈12 mm/yr and convergence between the Shillong Plateau and Bangladesh across the Dauki fault increases from 3 mm/yr in the west to >8 mm/yr in the east. This fast convergence rate is inconsistent with inferred geological uplift rates on the plateau (if a 45°N dip is assumed for the Dauki fault) unless clockwise rotation of the Shillong block has increased substantially in the past 4-8 Myr. Such acceleration is consistent with the reported recent slowing in the convergence rate across the Bhutan Himalaya. The current slip potential near Bhutan, based on present-day convergence rates and assuming no great earthquake since 1713 A.D., is now ~5.4 m, similar to the slip reported from alluvial terraces that offsets across the Main Himalayan Thrust and sufficient to sustain a Mw ≥ 8.0 earthquake in this area.

In vitro regeneration of Drosera burmannii Vahl.: a carnivorous plant of north-east India.

PubMed

Yanthan, J Sureni; Kehie, Mechuselie; Kumaria, Suman; Tandon, Pramod

2017-06-01

An efficient in vitro regeneration protocol has been developed from shoot tips of Drosera burmannii Vahl., a carnivorous plant of north-east India. Various plant growth regulators were used to study their efficacy in the induction of multiple shoots and roots. Of the various treatments, the maximum number of shoots (28.8 ± 1.5) and roots (9.7 ± 0.6) was observed in one-fourth strength standard medium (MS with 50 mg/l citric acid and 10 mg/l ascorbic acid) supplemented with 4 mg/l 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and 4 mg/l α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) followed by 26.8 ± 1.4 shoots in one-fourth strength SM fortified with 4 mg/l kinetin (KN) and 4 mg/l NAA. The well-developed plantlets with shoots and roots were potted in small plastic glasses filled with a mixture of sand and farmyard manure (3:1); these plantlets when transferred to a glasshouse for hardening and acclimatization showed 90% survival.

Complex routes into HIV care for migrant workers: a qualitative study from north India

PubMed Central

Rai, Tanvi; Lambert, Helen S.; Ward, Helen

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Migrant workers are designated a bridge population in the spread of HIV and therefore if infected, should be diagnosed and treated early. This study examined pathways to HIV diagnosis and access to care for rural-to-urban circular migrant workers and partners of migrants in northern India, identifying structural, social and individual level factors that shaped their journeys into care. We conducted a qualitative study using in-depth interviews with HIV-positive men (n = 20) and women (n = 13) with a history of circular migration, recruited from an antiretroviral therapy centre in one district of Uttar Pradesh, north India. Migrants and partners of migrants faced a complex series of obstacles to accessing HIV testing and care. Employment insecurity, lack of entitlement to sick pay or subsidised healthcare at destination and the household's economic reliance on their migration-based livelihood led many men to continue working until they became incapacitated by HIV-related morbidity. During periods of deteriorating health they often exhausted their savings on private treatments focused on symptom management, and sought HIV testing and treatment at a public hospital only following a medical or financial emergency. Wives of migrants had generally been diagnosed following their husbands' diagnosis or death, with access to testing and treatment mediated via family members. For some, a delay in disclosure of husband's HIV status led to delays in their own testing. Diagnosing and treating HIV infection early is important in slowing down the spread of the epidemic and targeting those at greatest risk should be a priority. However, despite targeted campaigns, circumstances associated with migration may prevent migrant workers and their partners from accessing testing and treatment until they become sick. The insecurity of migrant work, the dominance of private healthcare and gender differences in health-seeking behaviour delay early diagnosis and treatment

Complex routes into HIV care for migrant workers: a qualitative study from north India.

PubMed

Rai, Tanvi; Lambert, Helen S; Ward, Helen

2015-01-01

Migrant workers are designated a bridge population in the spread of HIV and therefore if infected, should be diagnosed and treated early. This study examined pathways to HIV diagnosis and access to care for rural-to-urban circular migrant workers and partners of migrants in northern India, identifying structural, social and individual level factors that shaped their journeys into care. We conducted a qualitative study using in-depth interviews with HIV-positive men (n = 20) and women (n = 13) with a history of circular migration, recruited from an antiretroviral therapy centre in one district of Uttar Pradesh, north India. Migrants and partners of migrants faced a complex series of obstacles to accessing HIV testing and care. Employment insecurity, lack of entitlement to sick pay or subsidised healthcare at destination and the household's economic reliance on their migration-based livelihood led many men to continue working until they became incapacitated by HIV-related morbidity. During periods of deteriorating health they often exhausted their savings on private treatments focused on symptom management, and sought HIV testing and treatment at a public hospital only following a medical or financial emergency. Wives of migrants had generally been diagnosed following their husbands' diagnosis or death, with access to testing and treatment mediated via family members. For some, a delay in disclosure of husband's HIV status led to delays in their own testing. Diagnosing and treating HIV infection early is important in slowing down the spread of the epidemic and targeting those at greatest risk should be a priority. However, despite targeted campaigns, circumstances associated with migration may prevent migrant workers and their partners from accessing testing and treatment until they become sick. The insecurity of migrant work, the dominance of private healthcare and gender differences in health-seeking behaviour delay early diagnosis and treatment initiation.

Medical barriers to emergency contraception: a cross-sectional survey of doctors in North India.

PubMed

Khan, M E; Dixit, Anvita; Bhatnagar, Isha; Brady, Martha

2014-05-01

Some medical doctors in India have publicly expressed opposition to making emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) easily accessible, even though ECPs are included in the method mix of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare program and as an over-the-counter (OTC) product. Such opposition affects access to ECPs by influencing policy, procurement, and distribution, besides stigmatizing the ECP user. This study was conducted to assess ECP knowledge, attitudes, and practices of doctors in North India. A cross-sectional survey of 83 doctors who provide ECPs, randomly selected from 3 cities in the state of Uttar Pradesh, was conducted in 2011. The quantitative data were complemented by 19 in-depth interviews with purposively selected senior gynecologists and other opinion leaders. All surveyed physicians cited the correct dose and regimen for ECPs. However, the large majority of those surveyed believed that ECPs work by preventing implantation. (The best evidence currently indicates that ECPs do not work by preventing implantation.) Most doctors also believed incorrectly that ECPs have several contraindications and side effects. They also had strong reservations against OTC provision of ECPs by pharmacists and community health workers (CHWs) and negative attitudes toward ECP users, which serve as serious medical barriers to mainstreaming use of ECPs. Physicians and their professional associations exert a strong influence on the operationalization of national contraceptive policies. Evidence-based advocacy and educational campaigns targeting doctors are needed to address and resolve their reservations about ECPs, particularly about its provision as an OTC product and its distribution by CHWs. Partnerships with medical associations can help reduce doctors' negative attitudes and create a conducive environment for influencing clinical practices. Such changes are needed to increase the availability and use of ECPs as part of a package of a full range of contraceptive method

Health care inequities in north India: role of public sector in universalizing health care.

PubMed

Prinja, Shankar; Kanavos, Panos; Kumar, Rajesh

2012-09-01

Income inequality is associated with poor health. Inequities exist in service utilization and financing for health care. Health care costs push high number of households into poverty in India. We undertook this study to ascertain inequities in health status, service utilization and out-of-pocket (OOP) health expenditures in two States in north India namely, Haryana and Punjab, and Union Territory of Chandigarh. Data from National Sample Survey 60 th Round on Morbidity and Health Care were analyzed by mean consumption expenditure quintiles. Indicators were devised to document inequities in the dimensions of horizontal and vertical inequity; and redistribution of public subsidy. Concentration index (CI), and equity ratio in conjunction with concentration curve were computed to measure inequity. Reporting of morbidity and hospitalization rate had a pro-rich distribution in all three States indicating poor utilization of health services by low income households. Nearly 57 and 60 per cent households from poorest income quintile in Haryana and Punjab, respectively faced catastrophic OOP hospitalization expenditure at 10 per cent threshold. Lower prevalence of catastrophic expenditure was recorded in higher income groups. Public sector also incurred high costs for hospitalization in selected three States. Medicines constituted 19 to 47 per cent of hospitalization expenditure and 59 to 86 per cent OPD expenditure borne OOP by households in public sector. Public sector hospitalizations had a pro-poor distribution in Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh. Our analysis indicates that public sector health service utilization needs to be improved. OOP health care expenditures at public sector institutions should to be curtailed to improve utilization of poorer segments of population. Greater availability of medicines in public sector and regulation of their prices provide a unique opportunity to reduce public sector OOP expenditure.

Health care inequities in north India: Role of public sector in universalizing health care

PubMed Central

Prinja, Shankar; Kanavos, Panos; Kumar, Rajesh

2012-01-01

Background & objectives: Income inequality is associated with poor health. Inequities exist in service utilization and financing for health care. Health care costs push high number of households into poverty in India. We undertook this study to ascertain inequities in health status, service utilization and out-of-pocket (OOP) health expenditures in two States in north India namely, Haryana and Punjab, and Union Territory of Chandigarh. Methods: Data from National Sample Survey 60th Round on Morbidity and Health Care were analyzed by mean consumption expenditure quintiles. Indicators were devised to document inequities in the dimensions of horizontal and vertical inequity; and redistribution of public subsidy. Concentration index (CI), and equity ratio in conjunction with concentration curve were computed to measure inequity. Results: Reporting of morbidity and hospitalization rate had a pro-rich distribution in all three States indicating poor utilization of health services by low income households. Nearly 57 and 60 per cent households from poorest income quintile in Haryana and Punjab, respectively faced catastrophic OOP hospitalization expenditure at 10 per cent threshold. Lower prevalence of catastrophic expenditure was recorded in higher income groups. Public sector also incurred high costs for hospitalization in selected three States. Medicines constituted 19 to 47 per cent of hospitalization expenditure and 59 to 86 per cent OPD expenditure borne OOP by households in public sector. Public sector hospitalizations had a pro-poor distribution in Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh. Interpretation & conclusions: Our analysis indicates that public sector health service utilization needs to be improved. OOP health care expenditures at public sector institutions should to be curtailed to improve utilization of poorer segments of population. Greater availability of medicines in public sector and regulation of their prices provide a unique opportunity to reduce public

Educational Research in North-East India: A Source Material.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malhotra, Nirmal; Mittal, Pratibha

The Northeast region of India has a distinct geophysical structure and concomitant socio-economic development. New educational development initiatives for Northeastern states include bridging gaps in basic minimum services, enhancing teachers training facilities, and preparing state specific holistic plans. This annotated bibliography represents…

The End of Tethys: Opening and Closing of Oceans between Australia, India and SE Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, R.

2008-12-01

SE Asia has grown by closure of Tethyan oceans south of Asia, principally by addition of fragments rifted from the Gondwana margins, resulting in a mosaic of continental crust and arc/ophiolite sutures. A new reconstruction identifies the blocks rifted from West and NW Australia in the Late Jurassic. They are now in Borneo, Java and Sulawesi, not West Burma as often assumed. Rifting in the Banda and Argo regions began at about 160 Ma, possibly due to south-directed subduction at the north Gondwana margin. Greater India is proposed to have extended north to the northern edge of the Exmouth Plateau and began to separate from Australia at about 140 Ma. The Banda and Argo blocks collided with the SE Asian margin between 110 and 90 Ma. At 90 Ma the Woyla intra-oceanic arc also collided with the Sumatra margin. This terminated subduction beneath Sundaland. The Indian and Australian plates were separated by a leaky transform from about 90 to 75 Ma which became a slightly convergent transform from about 75 to 55 Ma. This transform boundary is considered the eastern end of Tethys from the mid Cretaceous. There was a completely different history of subduction north of India compared to that north of Australia. The subduction history is recorded in the deep mantle by distinctive velocity anomalies which change from east to west abruptly at about 110°E. Between 90 and 45 Ma, India moved rapidly north with north-directed subduction within Tethys and at the Asian margin. It collided with an intra-oceanic arc at about 57 Ma, west of Sumatra, but continued to move north. The first contact of India with Asia was probably about 45 Ma, an estimate dependent on the shape of Greater India and the Asian margin; final ocean closure was later. North of Australia, between 90 and 45 Ma, there was no subduction beneath Sumatra and Java. During this interval south Sundaland was a mainly passive margin with some strike-slip deformation and extension. At 45 Ma Australia began to move north and

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

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

PubMed Central

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

2017-01-01

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

A Clinicomycological Study of Cutaneous Mycoses in Sawai Man Singh Hospital of Jaipur, North India

PubMed Central

Vyas, Aruna; Pathan, Nazneen; Sharma, Rajni; Vyas, Leela

2013-01-01

Background: Because of the widespread prevalence of the various cutaneous mycoses in a tropical country like India, it is important to know their patterns of etiology and clinical presentations. Aim: The present study was conducted in order to identify the clinical pattern of various cutaneous mycoses and the common etiological agents affecting the study populations admitted in SMS Hospital, Jaipur, in North India. Materials and Methods: Skin scrapings and hair and nail samples of 160 patients with clinical suspicion of dermatophytosis were collected and subjected to direct microscopy and were cultured in Sabouraud's dextrose agar. Fungal species were identified by macroscopic and microscopic examination. Data were presented as simple descriptive statistics (SPSS, Version 17.0 (Chicago Il, USA). Epi Info Version 3.5.1 (CDC, Atlanta, Georgia, USA). Results: Among the 160 clinically suspected patients of cutaneous mycoses, 60 (37.5%) were confirmed by culture. Dermatophytes and non-dermatophytes (NDM) were isolated from 66.6% (40/60) and 33.3% (20/60) of the positive cultures, respectively. Tinea capitis (50%) 30/60 was the most frequent clinical pattern and genus Trichophyton violaceum 32.5% (13/40) was the most common isolate in dermatophytosis-positive samples. Among the patients positive for NDM by culture, Tinea unguium 35% (7/20) was the most common clinical presentation and Aspergillus species 40% (8/20) were the most common etiological agents isolated. Conclusion: Although dermatophtes have been isolated from the cases of cutaneous mycoses all over the world with various frequencies, the role of NDM in the different cutaneous infections other than those of nail infections need to be evaluated. PMID:24380015

Molecular characterization of hepatitis A virus strains in a tertiary care health set up in north western India

PubMed Central

Singh, Mini Pritam; Majumdar, Manasi; Thapa, Babu Ram; Gupta, Puneet Kumar; Khurana, Jasmine; Budhathoki, Bimal; Ratho, Radha Kanta

2015-01-01

Background & objectives: Hepatitis A virus usually causes acute viral hepatitis (AVH) in the paediatric age group with a recent shift in age distribution and disease manifestations like acute liver failure (ALF). This has been attributed to mutations in 5’non-translated region (5’NTR) which affects the viral multiplication. The present study was aimed to carry out the molecular detection and phylogenetic analysis of hepatitis A virus strains circulating in north western India. Methods: Serum samples from in patients and those attending out patient department of Pediatric Gastroenterology in a tertiary care hospital in north India during 2007-2011 with clinically suspected AVH were tested for anti-hepatitis A virus (HAV) IgM antibodies. Acute phase serum samples were subjected to nested PCR targeting the 5’NTR region followed by sequencing of the representative strains. Results: A total of 1334 samples were tested, 290 (21.7%) were positive for anti-HAV IgM antibody. Of these, 78 serum samples (< 7 days old) were subjected to PCR and 47.4% (37/78) samples showed the presence of HAV RNA. Children < 15 yr of age accounted for majority (94%) of cases with highest seropositivity during rainy season. Sequencing of 15 representative strains was carried out and the circulating genotype was found to be III A. The nucleotide sequences showed high homology among the strains with a variation ranging from 0.1-1 per cent over the years. An important substitution of G to A at 324 position was shown by both AVH and ALF strains. The cumulative substitution in AVH strains Vs ALF strains as compared to GBM, Indian and prototype strain in the 200-500 region of 5’ NTR was comparable. Interpretation & conclusion: Our results showed hepatitis A still a disease of children with III A as a circulating genotype in this region. The mutations at 5’NTR region warrant further analysis as these affect the structure of internal ribosomal entry site which is important for viral

Molecular characterization of hepatitis A virus strains in a tertiary care health set up in north western India.

PubMed

Singh, Mini Pritam; Majumdar, Manasi; Thapa, Babu Ram; Gupta, Puneet Kumar; Khurana, Jasmine; Budhathoki, Bimal; Ratho, Radha Kanta

2015-02-01

Hepatitis A virus usually causes acute viral hepatitis (AVH) in the paediatric age group with a recent shift in age distribution and disease manifestations like acute liver failure (ALF). This has been attributed to mutations in 5'non-translated region (5'NTR) which affects the viral multiplication. The present study was aimed to carry out the molecular detection and phylogenetic analysis of hepatitis A virus strains circulating in north western India. Serum samples from in patients and those attending out patient department of Pediatric Gastroenterology in a tertiary care hospital in north India during 2007-2011 with clinically suspected AVH were tested for anti-hepatitis A virus (HAV) IgM antibodies. Acute phase serum samples were subjected to nested PCR targeting the 5'NTR region followed by sequencing of the representative strains. A total of 1334 samples were tested, 290 (21.7%) were positive for anti-HAV IgM antibody. Of these, 78 serum samples (< 7 days old) were subjected to PCR and 47.4% (37/78) samples showed the presence of HAV RNA. Children < 15 yr of age accounted for majority (94%) of cases with highest seropositivity during rainy season. Sequencing of 15 representative strains was carried out and the circulating genotype was found to be III A. The nucleotide sequences showed high homology among the strains with a variation ranging from 0.1-1 per cent over the years. An important substitution of G to A at 324 position was shown by both AVH and ALF strains. The cumulative substitution in AVH strains Vs ALF strains as compared to GBM, Indian and prototype strain in the 200-500 region of 5' NTR was comparable. Our results showed hepatitis A still a disease of children with III A as a circulating genotype in this region. The mutations at 5'NTR region warrant further analysis as these affect the structure of internal ribosomal entry site which is important for viral replication.

Social class and all-cause mortality in an urban population of North India.

PubMed

Singh, Ram B; Singh, Vijender; Kulshrestha, Shelendra K; Singh, Surendra; Gupta, Pankaj; Kumar, Rajeev; Krishna, Atul; Srivastav, Shiv S L; Gupta, Shashi B; Pella, Daniel; Cornelissen, Germaine

2005-12-01

There is a rapid emergence of cardiovascular disease in India with economic development, leading to an increase in mortality due to these diseases. The exact causes of death in India, however, are not known. We studied randomly selected death records from 2222 (1385 men and 837 women) victims, aged 25-64 years, out of 3034 death records during 1999-2001 at the Municipal Corporation, Moradabad. All the families of these victims could be contacted individually to find out the causes of death, by scientists/doctors-administered pre-tested verbal autopsy questionnaires, completed with the help of spouses and local treating doctors practising in the concerned lane. Social classes were assessed by a questionnaire based on attributes of per capita income, occupation, education, housing and ownership of consumer luxury items in the household. Causes of mortality included infectious diseases (41.1%, n = 915) such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diarrhea/dysentery, hepatitis B, and inflammatory brain infections as the commonest causes of death in the urban population of North India. The second most common causes of death were circulatory diseases (29.1%, n = 646), including heart attacks (10.0%), strokes (7.8%), valvular heart disease (7.2%, n = 160), sudden cardiac death, and inflammatory cardiac disease (each 2.0%, n = 44). Malignant neoplasm (5.8%, n = 131), injury (14.0%, n = 313), including accidents, fire and falls, and poisonings were also quite common causes of death. Miscellaneous causes of death were noted in 9.1% (n = 202) death records, including diabetes mellitus (2.2%, n = 49), suicides (1.8%, n = 41), congenital anomalies (1.0, n = 37), dental caries infections (1.9, n = 42), and burns (1.3%, n = 33). Pregnancy and perinatal causes (0.72%, n = 15) were not commonly recorded in our study. Circulatory diseases as the cause of mortality were statistically significantly more common among higher social classes (1-3) than in lower

Mother and child nutrition among the Chakhesang tribe in the state of Nagaland, North-East India.

PubMed

Longvah, Thingnganing; Khutsoh, Bewe; Meshram, Indrapal Ishwarji; Krishna, Sreerama; Kodali, Venkaiah; Roy, Phrang; Kuhnlein, Harriet V

2017-11-01

Despite the importance of the nutritional status and food systems of Indigenous Peoples, the subject has received very little attention, especially in North-East India. Therefore, a community-based cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among Chakhesang mothers with children under 5 years of age to evaluate their nutritional status and prevalence of chronic diseases in the context of their dietary habits. From 558 households (HHs), 661 children and 540 mothers were covered using standard anthropometric measurements as well as blood collection for haemoglobin and vitamin A. Data were collected from mothers on HH socio-demographic particulars and infant and young child feeding practices. The results showed that the prevalence of underweight, stunting, and wasting among children <5 years of age was 14%, 22%, and 7%, respectively. The prevalence of anaemia and vitamin A deficiency was 26% and 33% among children <5 years, whereas it was 33% and 26%, respectively, among mothers. Hypertension was observed in 16% of women, whereas diabetes was seen in 0.8%. Approximately 35% and 24% of HHs suffered mild or moderate food insecurity, respectively, which was associated with literacy of the parents, per capita income, and family size. Utilization of the rich agrobiodiversity and wild foods by the Chakhesangs appears to be a strong reason for their better nutritional and health status as compared to the rest of India. Therefore, this Indigenous knowledge and food system must be documented and kept vital, especially in policies and intervention programmes addressing food and nutrition security among the Chakhesangs. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The study on achievement of motor milestones and associated factors among children in rural North India

PubMed Central

Gupta, Arti; Kalaivani, Mani; Gupta, Sanjeev Kumar; Rai, Sanjay K.; Nongkynrih, Baridalyne

2016-01-01

Background: Nearly 14% of children worldwide do not reach their developmental potential in early childhood. The early identification of delays in achieving milestones is critical. The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed normal age ranges for the achievement of motor milestones by healthy children. This study aimed to assess the gross motor developmental achievements and associated factors among children in rural India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with rural children in North India. A pretested questionnaire was used to collect the data. The median age at the time of the highest observed milestone was calculated and compared with the WHO windows of achievement. Results: Overall, 221 children aged 4–18 months were included in the study. The median age of motor development exhibited a 0.1–2.1-month delay compared to the WHO median age of motor milestone achievement. The prevalence of the gross motor milestone achievements for each of the six milestones ranged from 91.6% to 98.4%. Developmental delay was observed in 6.3% of the children. After adjusting for different variables, children with birth order of second or more were found to be significantly associated with the timely achievement of gross motor milestones. Conclusion: The apparently healthy children of the rural area of Haryana achieved gross motor milestones with some delay with respect to the WHO windows of achievement. Although the median value of this delay was low, awareness campaigns should be implemented to promote timely identification of children with development delays. PMID:27843845

Reductions in India's crop yield due to ozone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghude, Sachin D.; Jena, Chinmay; Chate, D. M.; Beig, G.; Pfister, G. G.; Kumar, Rajesh; Ramanathan, V.

2014-08-01

This bottom-up modeling study, supported by emission inventories and crop production, simulates ozone on local to regional scales. It quantifies, for the first time, potential impact of ozone on district-wise cotton, soybeans, rice, and wheat crops in India for the first decade of the 21st century. Wheat is the most impacted crop with losses of 3.5 ± 0.8 million tons (Mt), followed by rice at 2.1 ± 0.8 Mt, with the losses concentrated in central and north India. On the national scale, this loss is about 9.2% of the cereals required every year (61.2 Mt) under the provision of the recently implemented National Food Security Bill (in 2013) by the Government of India. The nationally aggregated yield loss is sufficient to feed about 94 million people living below poverty line in India.

Loktak Lake, India

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-04-13

Loktak Lake is the largest freshwater lake in northeast India, and is famous for the floating "phudmis," masses of vegetation, soil and organic material. The lake is a source of water for hydropower, irrigation, drinking water, and livelihood for fish farmers. The image was acquired March 19, 2018, covers an area of 20.5 by 27.3 kilometers, and is located at 24.5 degrees north, 93.8 degrees east. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22369

Two new species and one new record of the genus Tylopilus (Boletaceae) from Indian Himalaya with morphological details and phylogenetic estimations

PubMed Central

Chakraborty, Dyutiparna; Vizzini, Alfredo; Das, Kanad

2018-01-01

Abstract Tylopilus himalayanus and T. pseudoballoui are described as new species from two Himalayan states (Sikkim and Uttarakhand) in India. Tylopilus himalayanus is characterised by a unique combination of features: reddish- or brownish-grey to purplish-grey then brown to reddish-brown or darker pileus, absence of olive or violet tinges on stipe surface, angular pores, stipe without reticulum or rarely with a faint reticulum restricted to the very apex, bitter taste of the context and positive macrochemical colour reaction of the stipe context with KOH (dark orange) and FeSO4 (dark green), medium sized (10.9–14.4 × 3.9–4.9 µm) basidiospores and occurrence under coniferous trees; T. pseudoballoui is distinguished by orange-yellow to brown-yellow sticky pileus, pale yellow pore surface with pinkish hues that turns pale to greyish-orange on bruising; angular pores, stipe concolorous to pileus with pruinose but never reticulate surface, ixocutis pattern of pileipellis and occurrence under broadleaf trees. Another species, T. neofelleus, which was reported earlier from China and Japan, was also collected from Sikkim and reported for the first time from India. All three species are described with morphological details and two-locus based (nrLSU and nrITS) phylogenetic data. PMID:29686503

Earth view over India taken during STS-121

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-07-04

STS121-331-019 (4-17 July 2006) --- (North is toward the lower right corner of the image). This vertical view over glaciers in the Karakoram Mountain range of Northern India was photographed from the Space Shuttle Discovery during the STS-121 mission. The glaciers are centered at 34.8 degrees north latitude and 77.8 degrees east longitude. The small peak in the center of the photo stands 25,170 feet high.

Strain softening along the MCT zone from the Sikkim Himalaya: Relative roles of Quartz and Micas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharyya, Kathakali; Mitra, Gautam

2011-06-01

In the Darjeeling - Sikkim Himalaya, two distinct faults form the Main Central thrust (MCT), the structurally higher MCT1 and the lower MCT2; each has accommodated translation greater than 100 km. The lower MCT2 places Greater Himalayan amphibolite grade Paro-Lingtse gneiss over Lesser Himalayan greenschist grade Daling metapelites. The MCT2 is folded by the underlying Lesser Himalayan duplex and is exposed at different structural positions of the fold. At Pelling, the MCT2 zone is exposed as a ˜373 m thick NW dipping fault zone that exposes ˜19 m of hanging wall mylonitized Lingtse gneiss. The Lingtse protolith shows evidence of amphibolite grade plastic deformation features in quartz and feldspar. Within the hanging wall mylonite zone (HWMZ), quartz and feldspar have undergone grain-size reduction by different deformation mechanisms and feldspars are sericitized suggesting the presence of fluids during deformation. We estimate a temperature of ˜300 °C within the fault zone during fluid-assisted retrogression and deformation. Reaction softening of feldspars produced a large proportion of intrinsically weak matrix. This, in combination with development of a strong foliation defined by parallel mica grains, resulted in strain softening along the MCT2 zone, and concentrated the deformation along a thin zone or zones.

NeMedPlant: a database of therapeutic applications and chemical constituents of medicinal plants from north-east region of India

PubMed Central

Meetei, Potshangbam Angamba; Singh, Pankaj; Nongdam, Potshangbam; Prabhu, N Prakash; Rathore, RS; Vindal, Vaibhav

2012-01-01

The North-East region of India is one of the twelve mega biodiversity region, containing many rare and endangered species. A curated database of medicinal and aromatic plants from the regions called NeMedPlant is developed. The database contains traditional, scientific and medicinal information about plants and their active constituents, obtained from scholarly literature and local sources. The database is cross-linked with major biochemical databases and analytical tools. The integrated database provides resource for investigations into hitherto unexplored medicinal plants and serves to speed up the discovery of natural productsbased drugs. Availability The database is available for free at http://bif.uohyd.ac.in/nemedplant/orhttp://202.41.85.11/nemedplant/ PMID:22419844

Impact of land use change on soil carbon loss of the Sikkim Himalayan piedmont

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prokop, Pawel; Ploskonka, Dominik

2014-05-01

Natural and human causes of change in land use on soil carbon were studied at the outlet of the Tista River from the Sikkim Himalayas over the last 150 years. Analysis of topographic maps and satellite images indicates that the land reforms related to location of tea gardens in the piedmont caused rapid deforestation of terraces in the late 19th century. Continuous population growth after 1930 initiated the replacement of floodplain forest by rice cultivation. Both processes changed soil carbon content and intensified fluvial activity expressed through terrace erosion. The replacement of natural forest by tea cultivation reduced the soil carbon content within terraces from 1.95 kg to 1.77 kg (in 1 m of topsoil) respectively. The replacement of natural forest by rice reduced the soil carbon content within floodplains from 0.42 kg to 0.23 kg (in 1 m topsoil) respectively. Much more dangerous, was terrace erosion leading to permanent removal of sediment including soil. The total loss of soil carbon in a 1 m thick soil layer due to conversion of 5 km2 forest to tea cultivation was about 900 t between 1930 and 2010. While the total soil carbon removed due to 1.8 km2 terrace erosion reached 3510 t in the same period. Result is the outcome of research project 2012/05/B/ST10/00309 of the National Science Centre (Poland).

Soil, water and nutrient conservation in mountain farming systems: case-study from the Sikkim Himalaya.

PubMed

Sharma, E; Rai, S C; Sharma, R

2001-02-01

The Khanikhola watershed in Sikkim is agrarian with about 50% area under rain-fed agriculture representing the conditions of the middle mountains all over the Himalaya. The study was conducted to assess overland flow, soil loss and subsequent nutrient losses from different land uses in the watershed, and identify biotechnological inputs for management of mountain farming systems. Overland flow, soil and nutrient losses were very high from open agricultural (cropped) fields compared to other land uses, and more than 72% of nutrient losses were attributable to agriculture land use. Forests and large cardamom agroforestry conserved more soil compared to other land uses. Interventions, like cultivation of broom grass upon terrace risers, N2-fixing Albizia trees for maintenance of soil fertility and plantation of horticulture trees, have reduced the soil loss (by 22%). Soil and water conservation values (> 80%) of both large cardamom and broom grass were higher compared to other crops. Use of N2-fixing Albizia tree in large cardamom agroforestry and croplands contributed to soil fertility, and increased productivity and yield. Bio-composting of farm resources ensured increase in nutrient availability specially phosphorus in cropped areas. Agricultural practices in mountain areas should be strengthened with more agroforestry components, and cash crops like large cardamom and broom grass in agroforestry provide high economic return and are hydroecologically sustainable.

Liquefaction record of the great 1934 earthquake predecessors from the north Bihar alluvial plains of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajendran, C. P.; John, Biju; Rajendran, Kusala; Sanwal, Jaishri

2016-07-01

The great 1934 Himalayan earthquake of moment magnitude (Mw) 8.1 generated a large zone of ground failure and liquefaction in north Bihar, India, in addition to the earthquakes of 1833 (Mw ~7.7) and 1988 (Mw 6.7) that have also impacted this region. Here, we present the results of paleoliquefaction investigations from four sites in the plains of north Bihar and one in eastern Uttar Pradesh. The liquefaction features generated by successive earthquakes were dated at AD 829-971, 886-1090, 907-1181, 1130-1376, 1112-1572, 1492-1672, 1733-1839, and 1814-1854. One of the liquefaction events dated at AD 829-971, 886-1090, and 907-1181 may correlate with the great earthquake of AD ~1100, recognized in an earlier study from the sections across the frontal thrust in central eastern Nepal. Two late medieval liquefaction episodes of AD 1130-1376 and 1492-1672 were also exposed in our sites. The sedimentary sections also revealed sandblows that can be attributed to the 1833 earthquake, a lesser magnitude event compared to the 1934. Liquefactions triggered by the 1934 and 1988 earthquakes were evident within the topmost level in some sections. The available data lead us to conjecture that a series of temporally close spaced earthquakes of both strong and large types, not including the infrequent great earthquakes like the 1934, have affected the Bihar Plains during the last 1500 years with a combined recurrence interval of 124 ± 63 years.

Sociodemographic Correlates of Unipolar and Bipolar Depression in North-East India: A Cross-sectional Study

PubMed Central

Kalita, Kamal Narayan; Hazarika, Jyoti; Sharma, Mohan; Saikia, Shilpi; Patangia, Priyanka; Hazarika, Pranabjyoti; Sarmah, Anil Chandra

2017-01-01

Introduction: Early diagnosis and management of depression is important for better therapeutic outcome. Strategies for distinguishing between unipolar and bipolar depression are yet to be defined, resulting improper management. This study aims at comparing the socio-demographic and other variables between patients with unipolar and bipolar depression, along with assessment of severity of depression. Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care psychiatry hospital in North-East India. The study included total of 330 subjects selected through purposive sampling technique from outpatient department after obtaining due informed consent. Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.) version 6.0 and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were applied. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0 was applied for analysis. Results: Bipolar group had onset of illness at significantly younger age with more chronicity (32.85 ± 11.084). Mean BDI score was significantly higher in the unipolar depressive group. Conclusion: Careful approach in eliciting symptom severity and associated socio demographic profiles in depressed patients may be helpful in early diagnosis of bipolar depression. PMID:28250558

Migratory ducks and protected wetlands in India

USGS Publications Warehouse

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

2017-01-01

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

Molecular detection and genetic diversity of Babesia gibsoni in dogs in India.

PubMed

Singh, M N; Raina, O K; Sankar, M; Rialch, Ajayta; Tigga, M N; Kumar, G Ravi; Banerjee, P S

2016-07-01

Babesia gibsoni is a tick borne intraerythrocytic protozoan parasite causing piroplasmosis in dogs and has been predominantly reported in Asian countries, including Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Bangladesh and India. The present communication is the first evidence on the genetic diversity of B. gibsoni of dogs in India. Blood samples were collected from 164 dogs in north and northeast states of India and 13 dogs (7.9%) were found positive for B. gibsoni infection by microscopic examination of blood smears. Molecular confirmation of these microscopic positive cases for B. gibsoni was carried out by 18S rRNA nested-PCR, followed by sequencing. Nested-PCR for the 18S rRNA gene was also carried out on microscopically B. gibsoni negative samples that detected a higher percentage of dogs (28.6%) infected with B. gibsoni. Genetic diversity in B. gibsoni in India was determined by studying B. gibsoni thrombospondin-related adhesive protein (BgTRAP) gene fragments (855bp) in 19 isolates from four north and northeast states of India. Phylogenetic analysis of the BgTRAP gene revealed that B. gibsoni parasite in India and Bangladesh formed a distinct cluster away from other Asian B. gibsoni isolates available from Japan, Taiwan and Korea. In addition, tandem repeat analysis of the BgTRAP gene clearly showed considerable genetic variation among Indian isolates that was shared by B. gibsoni isolates of Bangladesh. These results suggested that B. gibsoni parasites in a different genetic clade are endemic in dogs in India and Bangladesh. Further studies are required for better understanding of the genetic diversity of B. gibsoni prevalent in India and in its neighbouring countries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of a multicomponent school based intervention to reduce bullying among adolescents in Chandigarh, North India: A quasi-experimental study protocol.

PubMed

Rana, Monica; Gupta, Madhu; Malhi, Prahbhjot; Grover, Sandeep; Kaur, Manmeet

2018-02-05

Bullying perpetration and victimization is associated with significant academic, psychosocial and health related problems among adolescents. There is a need to develop effective interventions to prevent bullying among adolescents, especially in low and middle income countries. This paper presents the study protocol to develop, and evaluate the effect of multi-component school based prevention program for bullying in India. Quasi-experimental study. The study will be conducted among 846 students of grade 7 th and 8 th in the intervention and control schools in Chandigarh, Union Territory, North India. A government and a private school will be selected purposively in each of the intervention and control arm. The intervention is based on socio-ecological model, and will be administered at individual, relationship (parents and teachers) and school level. The primary study outcome will be the proportion of students experiencing any kind of bullying (bullying, victimization, or both), in each study arm. The effectiveness of the intervention will be measured by performing difference in difference analysis and generalized estimating equations. Bullying is an aggressive behaviour with significant morbidities, including psychological or physical trauma, affecting individuals not only in their adolescence, but also later in their adulthood. This quasi-experimental study is expected to provide evidence on whether multi-component bullying prevention intervention program, can reduce the burden of bullying perpetration and victimization among school adolescents in India. The results of the study will add in the exiting literature on bullying intervention program, especially, from the low middle-income countries, as there are limited studies available on this topic in these countries.

Integrating ethnobiological knowledge into biodiversity conservation in the Eastern Himalayas.

PubMed

O'Neill, Alexander R; Badola, Hemant K; Dhyani, Pitamber P; Rana, Santosh K

2017-03-29

Biocultural knowledge provides valuable insight into ecological processes, and can guide conservation practitioners in local contexts. In many regions, however, such knowledge is underutilized due to its often-fragmented record in disparate sources. In this article, we review and apply ethnobiological knowledge to biodiversity conservation in the Eastern Himalayas. Using Sikkim, India as a case study, we: (i) traced the history and trends of ethnobiological documentation; (ii) identified priority species and habitat types; and, (iii) analyzed within and among community differences pertaining to species use and management. Our results revealed that Sikkim is a biocultural hotspot, where six ethnic communities and 1128 species engage in biocultural relationships. Since the mid-1800s, the number of ethnobiological publications from Sikkim has exponentially increased; however, our results also indicate that much of this knowledge is both unwritten and partitioned within an aging, gendered, and caste or ethnic group-specific stratum of society. Reviewed species were primarily wild or wild cultivated, native to subtropical and temperate forests, and pend IUCN Red List of Threatened Species assessment. Our results demonstrate the value of engaging local knowledge holders as active participants in conservation, and suggest the need for further ethnobiological research in the Eastern Himalayas. Our interdisciplinary approach, which included rank indices and geospatial modelling, can help integrate diverse datasets into evidence-based policy.

In Silico Studies of Medicinal Compounds Against Hepatitis C Capsid Protein from North India

PubMed Central

Mathew, Shilu; Faheem, Muhammad; Archunan, Govindaraju; Ilyas, Muhammad; Begum, Nargis; Jahangir, Syed; Qadri, Ishtiaq; Qahtani, Mohammad Al; Mathew, Shiny

2014-01-01

Hepatitis viral infection is a leading cause of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Over one million people are estimated to be persistently infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) worldwide. As capsid core protein is the key element in spreading HCV; hence, it is considered to be the superlative target of antiviral compounds. Novel drug inhibitors of HCV are in need to complement or replace the current treatments such as pegylated interferon’s and ribavirin as they are partially booming and beset with various side effects. Our study was conducted to predict 3D structure of capsid core protein of HCV from northern part of India. Core, the capsid protein of HCV, handles the assembly and packaging of HCV RNA genome and is the least variable of all the ten HCV proteins among the six HCV genotypes. Therefore, we screened four phytochemicals inhibitors that are known to disrupt the interactions of core and other HCV proteins such as (a) epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), (b) ladanein, (c) naringenin, and (d) silybin extracted from medicinal plants; targeted against active site of residues of HCV-genotype 3 (G3) (Q68867) and its subtypes 3b (Q68861) and 3g (Q68865) from north India. To study the inhibitory activity of the recruited flavonoids, we conducted a quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR). Furthermore, docking interaction suggests that EGCG showed a maximum number of hydrogen bond (H-bond) interactions with all the three modeled capsid proteins with high interaction energy followed by naringenin and silybin. Thus, our results strongly correlate the inhibitory activity of the selected bioflavonoid. Finally, the dynamic predicted capsid protein molecule of HCV virion provides a general avenue to target structure-based antiviral compounds that support the hypothesis that the screened inhibitors for viral capsid might constitute new class of potent agents but further confirmation is necessary using in vitro and in vivo

Enhanced formation of secondary air pollutants and aggravation of urban smog due to crop residue burning emissions in North India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, Chinmoy; Kumar, Vinod; Sinha, Vinayak

2013-04-01

Biomass burning causes intense perturbations to regional atmospheric chemistry and air quality and is a significant global source of reactive pollutants to the atmosphere (Andreae and Merlet, 2001). In November 2012, large areas in North India including New Delhi experienced several weeks of aggravated smog and poor air quality due to the impact of crop residue burning, which is a biannual post harvest activity that occurs during Oct-Nov and April-May every year in the agricultural belts of North western India. In-situ high temporal resolution (1 measurement every minute) measurements of a suite of volatile organic compounds measured using proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) such as acetonitrile (biomass burning tracer) and aromatic hydrocarbons were performed simultaneously with carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, ozone and aerosol mass concentrations (PM 2.5 and PM 10) at a suburban site (30.667°N, 76.729°E and 310 m asl), impacted by air masses that had passed over the burning fields less than 72 hours ago. By using data from the same season but before the post harvest crop residue burning activity had commenced, we were able to quantify enhancements in ambient levels of the measured species due to the crop residue burning activity. When air masses influenced by the fire emissions reached the measurement site, peak values of about 8 ppbV acetonitrile, 4 ppmV CO, 100 ppbV NOx , 30 ppbV toluene and 15 ppbV benzene were observed which represented a factor of 2-5 increase over their ambient levels in the non-fire influenced period. Emission ratios of aromatic hydrocarbons/CO also showed a marked increase. Non fire event (N.F. E.) influenced and fire event (F.E.) influenced air masses had the following emission ratio enhancements: benzene/CO (N.F.E = 3; F.E. = 5), toluene/CO (N.F.E = 4; F.E. = 8.7) and sum of C8 aromatics/CO (N.F.E = 4; F.E. = 7.3) and sum of C9 aromatics/CO (N.F.E = 2.6; F.E. = 3.4). The OH reactivity of air masses which has strong

Gender equality in India hit by illiteracy, child marriages and violence: a hurdle for sustainable development.

PubMed

Brahmapurkar, Kishor Parashramji

2017-01-01

Gender equality is fundamental to accelerate sustainable development. It is necessary to conduct gender analyses to identify sex and gender-based differences in health risks. This study aimed to find the gender equality in terms of illiteracy, child marriages and spousal violence among women based on data from National Family Health Survey 2015-16 (NFHS-4). This was a descriptive analysis of secondary data of ever-married women onto reproductive age from 15 states and 3 UTs in India of the first phase of NFHS-4. Gender gap related to literacy and child marriage among urban and rural area was compared. In rural area all states except Meghalaya and Sikkim had the significantly higher percentage of women's illiteracy as compared to male. Bihar and Madhya Pradesh had higher illiterate women, 53.7% and 48.6% as compared to male, 24.7% and 21.5% respectively (P < 0.000). Child marriages were found to be significantly higher in rural areas as compared to urban areas in four most populated states. There is a gender gap between illiteracy with women more affected in rural areas with higher prevalence of child marriages and poor utilization of maternal health services. Also, violence against women is showing an upward trend with declining sex-ratio at birth.

15. Detail view of Boston Bridge Works builders plate, north ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

15. Detail view of Boston Bridge Works builders plate, north portal brace, looking southwest - India Point Railroad Bridge, Spanning Seekonk River between Providence & East Providence, Providence, Providence County, RI

The Maoist Insurgency in Nepal: 1996-2001

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-04-09

Indian border is 1660 kilometers long and crisscrossed with paths and local roads. The best land routes into Nepal are from the South. The Chinese...offered Mumbai and Kandla as ports for export, but this largesse is offered on the assumption of good behavior and the Indians are quick to punish too...much independence. India has been seen to subsume Sikkim, and coerce Bhutan and Nepal is determined not to be absorbed as an Indian satellite state. This

Prevalence and causes of low birth weight in India.

PubMed

Bharati, P; Pal, M; Bandyopadhyay, M; Bhakta, A; Chakraborty, S; Bharati, P

2011-12-01

The aims of the study are (i) to understand inter-zone and interstate variation of low birth weight (LBW) and (ii) to determine the key variables to reduce LBW in India. Using the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data of 2005-06 which showed the percentage distribution of LBW infants, ANOVA and post-hoc test were performed to determine the spatial variation of birth weight. The covariates which influence LBW fell into three categories: (i) social variables which included location, mother's education, religion, access of mothers to newspapers, television and family structure; (ii) economic variable namely, the wealth index, and (iii) biological variables which consisted of sex of the children, birth order, and mother's body mass index (BMI). Three models of Logistic regression were carried out to examine the influence of the combinations of these direct and indirect factors. In India, nearly 20% of new borns have LBW. Males have less frequency of LBW than females. The North-east zone has the lowest prevalence of LBW while the north zone has the highest. Mother's education, access to TV and nuclear family, and intake of iron tablets are the most important socio-economic influences on the determination of birth weight in India. It is essential to provide proper diet and nutritional care of mothers during pregnancy. Increased education of mothers through programmes in TV and newspapers articles have significant roles to play in reducing LBW in India.

Distribution pattern of reptiles along an eastern Himalayan elevation gradient, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chettri, Basundhara; Bhupathy, Subramanian; Acharya, Bhoj Kumar

2010-01-01

We examined the spatial distribution pattern of reptiles in an eastern Himalayan elevation gradient. The factors governing the distribution have been assessed with emphasis on the mid-domain effect. We surveyed reptiles along the elevation gradient (300-4800 m) of the Teesta valley in Sikkim, Eastern Himalaya, India using time constrained visual encounter survey. A total of 42 species of reptiles were observed during the study, and the species richness peaked at 500-1000 m with no species beyond 3000 m. The observed pattern was consistent with estimated richness, both showing significant negative relation with elevation. Lizards showed a linear decline with elevation, whereas snakes followed a non-linear relation with peak at 500-1000 m. Observed species richness deviated significantly from that predicted by a mid-domain null model. The regression between empirical and simulated richness was not significant for total reptiles as well as lizards and snakes separately. Most species distributed in the high elevation extended towards lower elevation, but low elevation species (around 50%) were restricted below 1000 m. Deviation of empirical from predicted richness indicates that the distributions of reptile species were least governed by geographic hard boundaries. Climatic factors especially temperature explained much variation of reptiles along the Himalayan elevation gradient. Most reptiles were narrowly distributed, especially those found in low elevation indicating the importance of tropical low-land forests in the conservation of reptiles in Eastern Himalayas.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2015-04-01

The timing of India-Asia collision is critical to the understanding of crustal deformation processes, since, for example, it impacts on calculations regarding the amount of convergence that needs to be accommodated by various mechanisms. In this research we use sediments originally deposited in the Tethyan ocean basin and now preserved in the Himalayan orogeny to constrain the timing of collision. In the NW Himalaya, a number of workers have proposed a ca 55-50 Ma age for collision along the Indus suture zone which separates India from the Kohistan-Ladakh Intraoceanic Island arc (KLA) to the north. This is based on a number of factors including the age of youngest marine sediments in the Indus suture (e.g. Green et al. 2008), age of eclogites indicative of onset of Indian continental subduction (e.g. de Sigoyer et al. 2000), and first evidence of detritus from north of the suture zone deposited on the Indian plate (e.g. Clift et al. 2002). Such evidence can be interpreted as documenting the age of India-Asia collision if one takes the KLA to have collided with the Asian plate prior to its collision with India (e.g. Petterson 2010 and refs therein). However, an increasing number of workers propose that the KLA collided with Asia subsequent to its earlier collision with India, dated variously at 85 Ma (Chatterjee et al. 2013), 61 Ma (Khan et al. 2009) and 50 Ma (Bouilhol et al. 2013). This, plus the questioning of earlier provenance work (Clift et al. 2002) regarding the validity of their data for constraining timing of earliest arrival of material north of the suture deposited on the Indian plate (Henderson et al. 2011) suggests that the time is right for a reappraisal of this topic. We use a provenance-based approach here, using combined U-Pb and Hf on detrital zircons from Tethyan ocean basin sediments, along with petrography and biostratigraphy, to identify first arrival of material from north of the Indian plate to arrive on the Indian continent, to constrain

Multiple constitutional aetiological factors in bone marrow failure syndrome (BMFS) patients from north India.

PubMed

Varma, Neelam; Varma, Subhash; Marwaha, Ram Kumar; Malhotra, Pankaj; Bansal, Deepak; Malik, Kiran; Kaur, Sukhdeep; Garewal, Gurjeevan

2006-07-01

A large number of patients diagnosed with bone marrow failure syndromes (BMFS), comprising aplastic anaemia (AA) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), remain aetiologically uncharacterized worldover, especially in resource constrained set up. We carried out this study to identify a few constitutional causes in BMFS patients attending a tertiary care hospital in north India. Peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures were performed (with and without clastogens) in a cohort of 135 consecutive BMFS patients, in order to detect Fanconi anaemia (FA), Down's syndrome (+21), trisomy 8 (+8) and monosomy 7 (-7). Constitutional factors were detected in 17 (12.6%) patients. FA defect was observed in 24.07 percent (13/54), 16.66 percent (1/6) and 2.85 percent (1/35) paediatric aplastic anaemia, paediatric MDS and adult MDS patients respectively. Down's syndrome was detected in 5.00 percent (2/40) adult aplastic anaemia patients. None of the patients revealed trisomy 8 or monosomy 7. Presence of an underlying factor determines appropriate management, prognostication, family screening and genetic counselling of BMFS patients. Special tests required to confirm or exclude constitutional aetiological factors are not available to majority of the patients in our country. Diepoxybutane (DEB) test yielded better results than mitomycin C (MMC) test in our experience.

First record of the Genus Lichnofugia from India with description of a new species (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae; Conocephalinae; Agraeciini; Liarina).

PubMed

Hajong, Sudhanya Ray

2014-10-24

The genus Lichnofugia is reported for the first time from India with a description of Lichnofugia umshingensis sp. nov. from Shillong, Meghalaya. The distribution of Lichnofugia thus extends eastward from Peninsular Malaysia and Thailand to north- eastern India.

Genotoxicity and oxidative stress in chromium-exposed tannery workers in North India.

PubMed

Ambreen, Khushboo; Khan, Faizan Haider; Bhadauria, Smrati; Kumar, Sudhir

2014-06-01

Trivalent chromium (Cr) is an environmental contaminant, which is extensively used in tanning industries throughout the world and causes various forms of health hazards in tannery workers. Therefore, a cross-sectional study design was used to evaluate the DNA damage and oxidative stress condition in tannery workers exposed to Cr in North India. The study population comprised 100 male tanners in the exposed group and 100 healthy males (no history of Cr exposure) in the comparable control group. Baseline characteristics including age, smoking, alcohol consumption habits and duration of exposure were recorded via interviewing the subjects. Blood Cr level (measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry), DNA damage (measured by comet assay) and oxidative stress parameters (malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD)) were estimated in both the groups. As a result of statistical analysis, exposed group showed significantly higher level of Cr (p < 0.0001), DNA damage (p < 0.0001), MDA (p < 0.0001), SOD (p < 0.05) and lower level of GSH (p < 0.001) when compared with controls. Smoking, alcohol consumption habits and age had no significant effect (p > 0.05) on DNA damage and oxidative stress parameters in both the groups. In simple and multiple correlation analysis, DNA damage and oxidative stress parameters showed significant correlation with Cr level and duration of exposure in exposed group. The findings of the present study revealed that chronic occupational exposure to trivalent Cr may cause DNA damage and oxidative stress in tannery workers. © The Author(s) 2012.

Towards seasonal forecasting of malaria in India.

PubMed

Lauderdale, Jonathan M; Caminade, Cyril; Heath, Andrew E; Jones, Anne E; MacLeod, David A; Gouda, Krushna C; Murty, Upadhyayula Suryanarayana; Goswami, Prashant; Mutheneni, Srinivasa R; Morse, Andrew P

2014-08-10

Malaria presents public health challenge despite extensive intervention campaigns. A 30-year hindcast of the climatic suitability for malaria transmission in India is presented, using meteorological variables from a state of the art seasonal forecast model to drive a process-based, dynamic disease model. The spatial distribution and seasonal cycles of temperature and precipitation from the forecast model are compared to three observationally-based meteorological datasets. These time series are then used to drive the disease model, producing a simulated forecast of malaria and three synthetic malaria time series that are qualitatively compared to contemporary and pre-intervention malaria estimates. The area under the Relative Operator Characteristic (ROC) curve is calculated as a quantitative metric of forecast skill, comparing the forecast to the meteorologically-driven synthetic malaria time series. The forecast shows probabilistic skill in predicting the spatial distribution of Plasmodium falciparum incidence when compared to the simulated meteorologically-driven malaria time series, particularly where modelled incidence shows high seasonal and interannual variability such as in Orissa, West Bengal, and Jharkhand (North-east India), and Gujarat, Rajastan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra (North-west India). Focusing on these two regions, the malaria forecast is able to distinguish between years of "high", "above average" and "low" malaria incidence in the peak malaria transmission seasons, with more than 70% sensitivity and a statistically significant area under the ROC curve. These results are encouraging given that the three month forecast lead time used is well in excess of the target for early warning systems adopted by the World Health Organization. This approach could form the basis of an operational system to identify the probability of regional malaria epidemics, allowing advanced and targeted allocation of resources for combatting malaria in India.

Tectonic interactions between India and Arabia since the Jurassic reconstructed from marine geophysics, ophiolite geology, and seismic tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaina, Carmen; van Hinsbergen, Douwe J. J.; Spakman, Wim

2015-05-01

Gondwana breakup since the Jurassic and the northward motion of India toward Eurasia were associated with formation of ocean basins and ophiolite obduction between and onto the Indian and Arabian margins. Here we reconcile marine geophysical data from preserved oceanic basins with the age and location of ophiolites in NW India and SE Arabia and seismic tomography of the mantle below the NW Indian Ocean. The North Somali and proto-Owen basins formed due to 160-133 Ma N-S extension between India and Somalia. Subsequent convergence destroyed part of this crust, simultaneous with the uplift of the Masirah ophiolites. Most of the preserved crust in the Owen Basin may have formed between 84 and 74 Ma, whereas the Mascarene and the Amirante basins accommodated motion between India and Madagascar/East Africa between 85 and circa 60 Ma and 75 and circa 66 Ma, respectively. Between circa 84 and 45 Ma, oblique Arabia-India convergence culminated in ophiolite obduction onto SE Arabia and NW India and formed the Carlsberg slab in the lower mantle below the NW Indian Ocean. The NNE-SSW oriented slab may explain the anomalous bathymetry in the NW Indian Ocean and may be considered a paleolongitudinal constraint for absolute plate motion. NW India-Asia collision occurred at circa 20 Ma deforming the Sulaiman ranges or at 30 Ma if the Hindu Kush slab north of the Afghan block reflects intra-Asian subduction. Our study highlights that the NW India ophiolites have no relationship with India-Asia motion or collision but result from relative India-Africa/Arabia motions instead.

Paleomagnetic study of 1765 Ma dyke swarm from the Singhbhum Craton: Implications to the paleogeography of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shankar, Ravi; Srinivasa Sarma, D.; Ramesh Babu, N.; Parashuramulu, V.

2018-05-01

We report the first key paleopole as a result of paleomagnetic study on a precisely dated 1765.3 ± 1.0 Ma WNW-ESE trending dyke swarm from Singhbhum Craton. This pole has been used in this study to propose the paleogeographic reconstruction of India with Baltica Craton and North China Craton. Incremental alternating field (AF) and thermal demagnetization, isolated high coercivity components with north to north-westerly declination and shallow negative inclination from 9 sampling sites which are representing different individual dykes. The primary origin of the ChRM is supported by the positive baked contact test. The WNW-ESE trending dykes yield a mean paleomagnetic direction with a declination = 329.2° and an inclination = -22.8° (k = 31.6; α95 = 9.3°). The positive bake contact test proves the primary nature of remanence. The pole position of Singhbhum Craton at 1765 Ma is 45°N, 311°E (dp = 5.2 and dm = 9.9). Paleogeographic reconstruction at ca. 1770 Ma, supported by geological, tectonic and metallogenic evidences indicate that the Baltica Craton and India linkage can be stable for at least ∼370 Ma (∼1770-1400 Ma). There is also reasonable evidence in support of India-North China Craton spatial proximity at ∼1770 Ma.

Magmatic record of India-Asia collision

PubMed Central

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

2015-01-01

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

Seroprevalence of anti-HCV antibodies among blood donors of north India

PubMed Central

Makroo, R.N.; Walia, Rimpreet Singh; Chowdhry, Mohit; Bhatia, Aakanksha; Hegde, Vikas; Rosamma, N.L.

2013-01-01

Background & objectives: Transfusion of blood and blood products although considered as a life saving treatment modality, but may lead to certain infectious and non-infectious complications in the recipients. The purpose of this analysis was to monitor the seroprevalence of anti-HCV antibody in the blood donor population in a hospital based blood bank in north India, to evaluate the trends over the years (2001-2011). Methods: Relevant information of all the blood donors who donated whole blood at the department of Transfusion Medicine, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi from the January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2011 was retrieved from the departmental records. The number of donors who were found reactive for anti-HCV anatibodies was calculated. Results: Of the 2,06,022 blood donors, 1,93,661 were males and 12,361 were females. The percentage of whole blood donors found seroreactive for anti-HCV antibodies was 0.39 per cent (n=795). The seroprevalence of anti-HCV in male blood donors was 0.38 per cent (n=750) and the respective seroprevalence in female blood donors was 0.36 per cent (n=45). No significant change in the trend of HCV seroprevalence was observed over the period under consideration. Maximum seroprevalence of anti-HCV was observed in the age group of 18 to 30 yr (0.41%) and the minimum in the age group of 51 to 60 yr (0.26%). Interpretation & conclusion: HCV seroprevalence in our study was 0.39 per cent and a decreasing trend with age was observed. No significant change in the trend of anti-HCV seroprevalence was seen over a decade. Since, no vaccine is presently available for immunization against HCV infection, transfusion transmitted HCV infection remains a potential threat to the safety of the blood supply. PMID:24056566

CMIP5 ensemble-based spatial rainfall projection over homogeneous zones of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akhter, Javed; Das, Lalu; Deb, Argha

2017-09-01

Performances of the state-of-the-art CMIP5 models in reproducing the spatial rainfall patterns over seven homogeneous rainfall zones of India viz. North Mountainous India (NMI), Northwest India (NWI), North Central India (NCI), Northeast India (NEI), West Peninsular India (WPI), East Peninsular India (EPI) and South Peninsular India (SPI) have been assessed using different conventional performance metrics namely spatial correlation (R), index of agreement (d-index), Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), Ratio of RMSE to the standard deviation of the observations (RSR) and mean bias (MB). The results based on these indices revealed that majority of the models are unable to reproduce finer-scaled spatial patterns over most of the zones. Thereafter, four bias correction methods i.e. Scaling, Standardized Reconstruction, Empirical Quantile Mapping and Gamma Quantile Mapping have been applied on GCM simulations to enhance the skills of the GCM projections. It has been found that scaling method compared to other three methods shown its better skill in capturing mean spatial patterns. Multi-model ensemble (MME) comprising 25 numbers of better performing bias corrected (Scaled) GCMs, have been considered for developing future rainfall patterns over seven zones. Models' spread from ensemble mean (uncertainty) has been found to be larger in RCP 8.5 than RCP4.5 ensemble. In general, future rainfall projections from RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 revealed an increasing rainfall over seven zones during 2020s, 2050s, and 2080s. The maximum increase has been found over southwestern part of NWI (12-30%), northwestern part of WPI (3-30%), southeastern part of NEI (5-18%) and northern and eastern part of SPI (6-24%). However, the contiguous region comprising by the southeastern part of NCI and northeastern part of EPI, may experience slight decreasing rainfall (about 3%) during 2020s whereas the western part of NMI may also receive around 3% reduction in rainfall during both 2050s and 2080s.

Aerosol characteristics in north-east India using ARFINET spectral optical depth measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pathak, B.; Subba, T.; Dahutia, P.; Bhuyan, P. K.; Moorthy, K. Krishna; Gogoi, M. M.; Babu, S. Suresh; Chutia, L.; Ajay, P.; Biswas, J.; Bharali, C.; Borgohain, A.; Dhar, P.; Guha, A.; De, B. K.; Banik, T.; Chakraborty, M.; Kundu, S. S.; Sudhakar, S.; Singh, S. B.

2016-01-01

Four years (2010-2014) of spectral aerosol optical depth (AOD) data from 4 Indian Space Research Organisation's ARFINET (Aerosol Radiative Forcing over India) stations (Shillong, Agartala, Imphal and Dibrugarh) in the North-Eastern Region (NER) of India (lying between 22-30°N and 89-98°E) are synthesized to evolve a regional aerosol representation, for the first time. Results show that the columnar AOD (an indicator of the column abundance of aerosols) is highest at Agartala (0.80 ± 0.24) in the west and lowest at Imphal (0.59 ± 0.23) in the east in the pre-monsoon season due to intense anthropogenic bio-mass burning in this region aided by long-range transport from the high aerosol laden regions of the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP), polluted Bangladesh and Bay of Bengal. In addition to local biogenic aerosols and pollutants emitted from brick kilns, oil/gas fields, household bio-fuel/fossil-fuel, vehicles, industries. Aerosol distribution and climatic impacts show a west to east gradient within the NER. For example, the climatological mean AODs are 0.67 ± 0.26, 0.52 ± 0.14, 0.40 ± 0.17 and 0.41 ± 0.23 respectively in Agartala, Shillong, Imphal and Dibrugarh which are geographically located from west to east within the NER. The average aerosol burden in NER ranks second highest with climatological mean AOD 0.49 ± 0.2 next to the Indo-Gangetic Plains where the climatological mean AOD is 0.64 ± 0.2 followed by the South and South-East Asia region. Elevated aerosol layers are observed over the eastern most stations Dibrugarh and Imphal, while at the western stations the concentrations are high near the surface. The climate implications of aerosols are evaluated in terms of aerosol radiative forcing (ARF) and consequent heating of the atmosphere in the region which follows AOD and exhibit high values in pre-monsoon season at all the locations except in Agartala. The highest ARF in the atmosphere occurs in the pre-monsoon season ranging from 48.6 Wm-2 in Agartala

Geological mapping of the Schuppen belt of north-east India using geospatial technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Tanaya; Basu, Surajit; Hazra, Sugata

2014-01-01

A revised geologic map of the Schuppen belt of northeast India has been prepared based on interpretation of digitally enhanced satellite images. The satellite image interpretation is supported by limited field work and existing geologic maps. Available geological maps of this fold thrust belt are discontinuous and multi-scaled. The authors are of multiple opinions regarding the trajectory of formation boundaries and fault contacts. Digital image processing of satellite images and limited field surveys have been used to reinterpret and modify the existing geological maps of this fold thrust belt. Optical data of Landsat Thematic Mapper, Enhanced Thematic Mapper and elevation data of ASTER have been used to prepare this revised geological map. The study area extends from Hajadisa in south to Digboi oilfield in north, bounded by Naga thrust in the west and Disang thrust in the east. PCA, Image fusion, Linear Contrast stretch, Histogram Equalization and Painted relief algorithms have been used for the delineation of major geological lineaments like lithological boundary, thrust and strike slip faults. Digital elevation maps have enabled in the discrimination between thrust contacts and lithological boundaries, with the former being located mostly in the valleys. Textural enhancements of PCA, colour composites and Painted relief algorithm have been used to discriminate between different rock types. Few geological concepts about the terrain have been revisited and modified. It is assumed that this revised map should be of practical use as this terrain promises unexploited hydrocarbon reserves.

Sources and Characteristics of Brown Carbon Aerosols over North India through Real-time Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rastogi, N.; Satish, R. V.; Shamjad, P.; Thambam, N.; Tripathi, S. N.

2016-12-01

Recent studies have documented that a certain type of organic carbon (predominantly water soluble) significantly absorb light at near-UV (300-400) and visible regions, and termed as "Brown Carbon (BrC)". Recent global models estimate that light absorption by BrC in different regions of the world may be 30-70% of that due to black carbon (BC). To assess the role of BrC on regional and global level, it is important to understand their sources and characteristics on temporal and spatial scale, which is severely lacking in literature. The major focus of present study is to fill this gap over India. The study site, Kanpur (26.5°N, 80.3°E, 142 m amsl) located in North India, receives emissions majorly from industries, vehicles, biofuel and biomass burning. Semi-continuous measurements of water soluble organic carbon (WSOC), BrC, BC and chemical composition of organic and inorganic aerosols were performed during winter season (December, 2015-Dec to February, 2016) using state-of-the-art instruments. Diurnal variability in the absorption coefficient of BrC at 365 nm (babs_365) showed higher values during late evening through early morning and attributed to primary emissions from biomass burning (BB) and fossil fuel burning (FFB). The babs_365 reduces as day progresses, which is ascribed to photo bleaching/dissociation of BrC. Primary BrC, assessed based on H:C ratios from HR-ToF-AMS, dominates the total BrC abundance with higher babs_365. Secondary BrC, assessed based on O:C ratios, was abundant in the morning and afternoon with lower babs_365. Further, diurnal variability in ratios of babs_365 with babs_405 and babs_420 suggests that BrC composition is not uniform throughout the day. Using BC370/BC880 ratio as an indicator of BB vis-à-vis FFB derived component, BB derived BrC was found to be more absorbing than that derived from FFB. Fog processing of BrC was also found to be affecting babs_365 positively. Detailed results will be presented.

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

PubMed

Dhiman, Ramesh C; Sarkar, Soma

2017-03-20

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

Correlates of school dropout and absenteeism among adolescent girls from marginalized community in north Karnataka, south India.

PubMed

Prakash, Ravi; Beattie, Tara; Javalkar, Prakash; Bhattacharjee, Parinita; Ramanaik, Satyanarayana; Thalinja, Raghavendra; Murthy, Srikanta; Davey, Calum; Blanchard, James; Watts, Charlotte; Collumbien, Martine; Moses, Stephen; Heise, Lori; Isac, Shajy

2017-12-01

Secondary education among lower caste adolescent girls living in rural Karnataka, South India, is characterized by high rates of school drop-out and absenteeism. A cross-sectional baseline survey (N=2275) was conducted in 2014 as part of a cluster-randomized control trial among adolescent girls (13-14 year) and their families from marginalized communities in two districts of north Karnataka. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used. Overall, 8.7% girls reported secondary school dropout and 8.1% reported frequent absenteeism (past month). In adjusted analyses, economic factors (household poverty; girls' work-related migration), social norms and practices (child marriage; value of girls' education), and school-related factors (poor learning environment and bullying/harassment at school) were associated with an increased odds of school dropout and absenteeism. Interventions aiming to increase secondary school retention among marginalized girls may require a multi-level approach, with synergistic components that address social, structural and economic determinants of school absenteeism and dropout. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Pre-Himalayan tectono-magmatic imprints in the Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya (DSH) constrained by 40Ar/39Ar dating of muscovite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acharyya, Subhrangsu K.; Ghosh, Subhajit; Mandal, Nibir; Bose, Santanu; Pande, Kanchan

2017-09-01

The Lower Lesser Himalayan Sequence (L-LHS) in Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya (DSH) displays intensely deformed, low-grade meta-sedimentary rocks, frequently intervened by granite intrusives of varied scales. The principal motivation of our present study is to constrain the timing of this granitic event. Using 40Ar/39Ar geochronology, we dated muscovite from pegmatites emplaced along the earliest fabric in the low grade Daling phyllite, and obtained ∼1850 Ma Ar-Ar muscovite cooling age, which is broadly coeval with crystallization ages of Lingtse granite protolith (e.g., 1800-1850 Ma U-Pb zircon ages) reported from the L-LHS. We present here field observations to show the imprints (tectonic fabrics) of multiple ductile deformation episodes in the LHS terrain. The earliest penetrative fabric, axial planar to N-S trending reclined folds, suggest a regional tectonic event in the DSH prior to the active phase of Indo-Asia collision. Based on the age of granitic bodies and their structural correlation with the earliest fabric, we propose that the L-LHS as a distinct convergent tectono-magmatic belt, delineating the northern margin of Indian craton in the framework of the ∼1850 Ma Columbia supercontinent assembly.

Development and characterization of a new set of genomic microsatellite markers in rice bean (Vigna umbellata (Thunb.) Ohwi and Ohashi) and their utilization in genetic diversity analysis of collections from North East India.

PubMed

Iangrai, Banshanlang; Pattanayak, Arunava; Khongwir, D Evanoreen Ann; Pale, Gratify; Gatphoh, Emica Mary; Das, Alpana; Chrungoo, Nikhil Kumar

2017-01-01

Rice bean [Vigna umbellate (Thumb.) Ohwi and Ohashi] is an underutilized crop believed to be domesticated in the Myanmar-Thailand region of Asia. In India, rice bean is mainly cultivated in the North-Eastern Hills, which is a hotspot for biological diversity. A 5' anchored PCR was used to develop microsatellite markers in rice bean. Twenty-eight specific primer pairs were designed and employed to characterize sixty five ricebean accessions collected from North East India. A total of 179 alleles were amplified with an average of 6.393 alleles per locus. The gene diversity was high (mean 0.534) in the accessions collected from Darjeeling, Nagaland and Manipur, which are bordering areas with East Nepal and Myanmar, respectively. Exceptionally high outcrossing rate was observed in the entire population. Population structure analysis identified three distinct clusters in which accessions collected from areas bordering Myanmar and East Nepal grouped separately. Using a combination of STRUCTURE and Principal Coordinate Analysis, relative affinity of the intermediate accessions could be established. However, differences in allelic counts among populations were non-significant. The results showed that there is a high level of genetic diversity within the accessions, with high outcrossing rate.

Genetic diversity and structure in hill rice (Oryza sativa L.) landraces from the North-Eastern Himalayas of India.

PubMed

Roy, Somnath; Marndi, B C; Mawkhlieng, B; Banerjee, A; Yadav, R M; Misra, A K; Bansal, K C

2016-07-13

Hill rices (Oryza sativa L.) are direct seeded rices grown on hill slopes of different gradients. These landraces have evolved under rainfed and harsh environmental conditions and may possess genes governing adaptation traits such as tolerance to cold and moisture stress. In this study, 64 hill rice landraces were collected from the state of Arunachal Pradesh of North-Eastern region of India, and assessed by agro-morphological variability and microsatellite markers polymorphism. Our aim was to use phenotypic and genetic diversity data to understand the basis of farmers' classification of hill rice landraces into two groups: umte and tening. Another goal was to understand the genetic differentiation of hill rices into Indica or japonica subspecies. According to farmers' classification, hill rices were categorized into two groups: umte (large-grained, late maturing) and tening (small-grained, early maturing). We did not find significant difference in days to 50 % flowering between the groups. Principal component analysis revealed that two groups can be distinguished on the basis of kernel length-to-width ration (KLW), kernel length (KL), grain length (GrL), grain length-to-width ration (GrLW) and plant height (Ht). Stepwise canonical discriminant analysis identified KL and Ht as the main discriminatory characters between the cultivar groups. Genetic diversity analysis with 35 SSR markers revealed considerable genetic diversity in the hill rice germplasm (gene diversity: 0.66; polymorphism information content: 0.62). Pair-wise allelic difference between umte and tening groups was not statistically significant. The model-based population structure analysis showed that the hill rices were clustered into two broad groups corresponding to Indica and Japonica. The geographic distribution and cultivars grouping of hill rices were not congruent in genetic clusters. Both distance- and model-based approaches indicated that the hill rices were predominantly japonica or

Gender equality in India hit by illiteracy, child marriages and violence: a hurdle for sustainable development

PubMed Central

Brahmapurkar, Kishor Parashramji

2017-01-01

Introduction Gender equality is fundamental to accelerate sustainable development. It is necessary to conduct gender analyses to identify sex and gender-based differences in health risks. This study aimed to find the gender equality in terms of illiteracy, child marriages and spousal violence among women based on data from National Family Health Survey 2015-16 (NFHS-4). Methods This was a descriptive analysis of secondary data of ever-married women onto reproductive age from 15 states and 3 UTs in India of the first phase of NFHS-4. Gender gap related to literacy and child marriage among urban and rural area was compared. Results In rural area all states except Meghalaya and Sikkim had the significantly higher percentage of women's illiteracy as compared to male. Bihar and Madhya Pradesh had higher illiterate women, 53.7% and 48.6% as compared to male, 24.7% and 21.5% respectively (P < 0.000). Child marriages were found to be significantly higher in rural areas as compared to urban areas in four most populated states. Conclusion There is a gender gap between illiteracy with women more affected in rural areas with higher prevalence of child marriages and poor utilization of maternal health services. Also, violence against women is showing an upward trend with declining sex-ratio at birth. PMID:29541324

Soil gas radon-thoron monitoring in Dharamsala area of north-west Himalayas, India using solid state nuclear track detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Gulshan; Kumar, Arvind; Walia, Vivek; Kumar, Jitender; Gupta, Vikash; Yang, Tsanyao Frank; Singh, Surinder; Bajwa, Bikramjit Singh

2013-10-01

The study described here is based on the measurements of soil gas radon-thoron concentrations performed at Dharamsala region of north-west (NW) Himalayas, India. The study area is tectonically and environmentally significant and shows the features of ductile shear zone due to the presence of distinct thrust planes. Solid state nuclear track detectors (LR-115 films) have been used for the soil gas radon-thoron monitoring. Twenty five radon-thoron discriminators with LR-115 films were installed in the borehole of about 50 cm in the study areas. The recorded radon concentration varies from 1593 to 13570 Bq/m3 with an average value of 5292 Bq/m3. The recorded thoron concentration varies from 223 to 2920 Bq/m3 with an average value of 901 Bq/m3. The anomalous value of radon-thoron has been observed near to the faults like main boundary thrust (MBT and MBT2) as well as neotectonic lineaments in the region.

Effects of water deprivation on behavioral Changes in BALB/c mice in hot humid climate of north east India.

PubMed

Chattopadhyay, Pronobesh; Pandey, Anurag; Karmakar, Sanjeev; Singh, Lokendra

2011-07-01

Abnormalities in water balance are manifested as hyponatremia and hypernatremia and the present investigation shows the effect of water deprivation in hot and humid climatic condition of north eastern part of India. Twenty four BALB/c mice of either sex (weight 30-40 g) were used for a 13-week experiment to determine the effects of water deprivation on behavioral and physiological changes. Mice were divided into control group (I) (n = 8), given water ad libitum, water-deprivation male group (15 ml/day) (Group II, n=8) and water-deprivation female group (15 ml/day) (Group III, n=8). The water deprivation mice shows significantly (P<0.05) deteriorated of reflex, progressive visual placement, emotional whereas body weight, grip strength and rectal temperature were significantly (P<0.05) increased as compared to the control group. This information is useful to those living or deployed in crisis situations where the water supply limited in a hot-humid climate.

Modern Education and the Revolt of 1857 in India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rao, Parimala V.

2016-01-01

In May 1857, a number of battalions in the Bengal army of the East India Company rebelled against their immediate British officers and the British administration in the North Western Provinces (NWP), Oudh and Bihar. The protracted conflict that stretched over a year was extremely violent, killed thousands of British officers and civilians and…

Beneficial role of D allele in controlling ACE levels: a study among Brahmins of north India.

PubMed

Kumari, Shobha; Sharma, Nidhi; Thakur, Sunil; Mondal, Prakash R; Saraswathy, Kallur N

2016-06-01

India being a country with vast diversity is expected to have different dietary and life style patterns which in turn may lead to population-specific environmental risk factors. Further, the interaction of these risk factors with the genetic makeup of population makes it either susceptible or resistant to cardiovascular disease. One such candidate gene is angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) for various cardiovascular mechanisms. ACE is the key enzyme of the renin angiotensin aldosterone system pathway which maintains homeostasis blood pressure in the body and any variation in the levels is reported to be associated with various complex diseases. The DD genotype is found to increase ACE levels, which is associated with cardiovascular diseases and decrease in ACE levels are associated with kidney diseases. The aim of this study was to understand the distribution of ACE I/D polymorphism and ACE levels among Brahmins of National Capital Region (NCR) north India, with respect to age and sex ratio distribution. In this study, 136 subjects of which 50 males and 86 females, who were unrelated up to first cousin, aged 25 to70 years were studied. ACE gene was found to be polymorphic with high frequency of heterozygote (ID) followed by II and DD genotypes. The studied population was found to be in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium with respect to ACE I/D polymorphism (P = 0.55). I allele frequency was found to be higher (0.560) than the D allele (0.44). The median level of ACE was found to be 65.96 ng/mL (48.12-86.24) which is towards lower side of the normal range. ACE levels were found to be increased among individual having either of the homozygotes that is II or DD and higher frequency of heterozygote (ID) is indicative of advantage in the population by maintaining lower ACE levels. The limitation of the present study is low sample size, however, the merit is that the subjects belonged to a Mendalian population with a common gene pool.

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

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

2017-01-01

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

Analysis of High Resolution Satellite imagery to acsees Glacier Mass Balance and Lake Hazards in Sikkim Himalayas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhushan, S.; Shean, D. E.; Haritashya, U. K.; Arendt, A. A.; Syed, T. H.; Setiawan, L.

2017-12-01

Glacial lake outburst floods can impact downstream communities due to the sudden outflux of huge quantities of stored water. In this study, we develop a hazard assessment of the moraine dammed glacial lakes in Sikkim Himalayas by analyzing the morphometry of proglacial features, and the surface velocity and mass balance of glaciers. We generated high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) using the open-source NASA Ames Stereo Pipeline (ASP) and use other open-source tools to calculate surface velocity and patterns of glacier downwasting over time. Geodetic glacier mass balance is obtained for three periods using high-resolution WorldView/GeoEye stereo DEMs (8 m posting, 2014-2016), Cartosat-1 stereo DEMs (10 m, 2006-2008) and SRTM (30 m, 2000). Initial results reveal a region-wide mass balance of -0.31±0.13 m w.eq.a-1 for the 2007-2015 period, with some debris covered glaciers showing a very low mass loss rate. Additionally, 12 annual glacier velocity fields spanning from 1991 to 2017.derived from Landsat imagery are used to explore the relationship between glacier dynamics and changes in proglacial lakes. Multi-temporal glacial lake mapping is conducted using Landsat and Cartosat imagery. Avalanche and rockfall modeling are combined with morphometric analysis of the proglacial lake area to assess the likelihood of glacial lake dam failure. The above parameters are integrated into a decision tree approach enabling categorization of moraine-dammed lakes according to their potential for outburst events.

Tracking Seed Fates of Tropical Tree Species: Evidence for Seed Caching in a Tropical Forest in North-East India

PubMed Central

Sidhu, Swati; Datta, Aparajita

2015-01-01

Rodents affect the post-dispersal fate of seeds by acting either as on-site seed predators or as secondary dispersers when they scatter-hoard seeds. The tropical forests of north-east India harbour a high diversity of little-studied terrestrial murid and hystricid rodents. We examined the role played by these rodents in determining the seed fates of tropical evergreen tree species in a forest site in north-east India. We selected ten tree species (3 mammal-dispersed and 7 bird-dispersed) that varied in seed size and followed the fates of 10,777 tagged seeds. We used camera traps to determine the identity of rodent visitors, visitation rates and their seed-handling behavior. Seeds of all tree species were handled by at least one rodent taxon. Overall rates of seed removal (44.5%) were much higher than direct on-site seed predation (9.9%), but seed-handling behavior differed between the terrestrial rodent groups: two species of murid rodents removed and cached seeds, and two species of porcupines were on-site seed predators. In addition, a true cricket, Brachytrupes sp., cached seeds of three species underground. We found 309 caches formed by the rodents and the cricket; most were single-seeded (79%) and seeds were moved up to 19 m. Over 40% of seeds were re-cached from primary cache locations, while about 12% germinated in the primary caches. Seed removal rates varied widely amongst tree species, from 3% in Beilschmiedia assamica to 97% in Actinodaphne obovata. Seed predation was observed in nine species. Chisocheton cumingianus (57%) and Prunus ceylanica (25%) had moderate levels of seed predation while the remaining species had less than 10% seed predation. We hypothesized that seed traits that provide information on resource quantity would influence rodent choice of a seed, while traits that determine resource accessibility would influence whether seeds are removed or eaten. Removal rates significantly decreased (p < 0.001) while predation rates increased (p = 0

Head and Neck Tuberculosis: Scenario in a Tertiary Care Hospital of North Eastern India

PubMed Central

Das, Debajit; Bhuyan, Uttal Taranga; Saikia, Nabajyoti

2016-01-01

Introduction Tuberculosis has affected mankind since time immemorial and with emergence of AIDS both extrapulmonary and pulmonary tuberculosis presents increased morbidity and mortality along with an increased financial burden upon the developing nations. Materials and Methods The study is a hospital based observational study of one year duration carried out in the Department of ENT in a tertiary care hospital of North Eastern India. Results Total of 63 cases were detected. Females comprised 60.3% of the study population as against 39.7% males. Most commonly affected age group were of 15 to 24 years age (57.1%). Cervical tubercular lymphadenitis was the most common lesion 90.5% (57 cases) followed by laryngeal tuberculosis 7.9% (5 cases) and tubercular otitis media with mastoiditis 1.6% (1 case). Level II lymph node was mostly affected either single or in groups (75.4%) followed by level III node (57.9%). Successful outcome of the treatment with Category I regimen was achieved in 96.8% of the cases. Conclusion Head and neck tuberculosis is not an uncommon disease and though cervical lymphadenitis is the most common presentation, isolated involvement of the larynx, ear and other subsites are not an entirely unknown entity. The clinical presentation of tuberculosis of the head and neck region can be varied and often misleading. It is therefore important for the clinician to be aware of the condition and consider it in their differential diagnosis. PMID:26894099

Infection Profile in Chronic Granulomatous Disease: a 23-Year Experience from a Tertiary Care Center in North India.

PubMed

Rawat, Amit; Vignesh, Pandiarajan; Sharma, Avinash; Shandilya, Jitendra K; Sharma, Madhubala; Suri, Deepti; Gupta, Anju; Gautam, Vikas; Ray, Pallab; Rudramurthy, Shivaprakash M; Chakrabarti, Arunaloke; Imai, Kohsuke; Nonoyama, Shigeaki; Ohara, Osamu; Lau, Yu L; Singh, Surjit

2017-04-01

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is an inherited phagocytic disorder characterized by recurrent infections with usually catalase-positive organisms. Infections in CGD from developing countries are expected to be different from those in the Western countries. We report the profile of infections in children diagnosed with CGD from a tertiary care center in North India. Case records of children diagnosed with CGD at Pediatric Immunodeficiency Clinic, Advanced Pediatrics Centre, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India, from August 1993 to April 2016 (23 years) were analyzed. Thirty-eight children were diagnosed to have CGD. Median follow-up of patients was 2 years (interquartile range 0.75, 6.0). Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas spp. were the two most common causative bacteria isolated. Aspergillus was the most common fungus isolated. The most common organ involved was the lung (94.7%). Liver abscesses were identified in 5 patients (13.2%), and 20 (52.6%) patients had lymphadenitis. Infections with Pseudomonas spp. were high in our cohort (15.7%) compared to the other studies. Infections with some unusual organisms (e.g., Fusarium dimerium and Chryseobacterium gleum) were also seen in our cohort. Children with X-linked CGD presented earlier and also had a greater number of infections as compared to autosomal recessive CGD. Various socioeconomic factors coupled with the lack of awareness and paucity of readily available diagnostic facilities for primary immunodeficiencies accounted for a late clinical presentation with severe infections and increased mortality (28.9%) in our cohort. However, mortality was similar in X-linked and autosomal recessive CGD as was the number of fungal infections. The incidence of infections and mortality was significantly lower after initiation of antibacterial and antifungal prophylaxis.

Profile of inhalant users seeking treatment at a de-addiction centre in north India.

PubMed

Gupta, Sunil; Nebhinani, Naresh; Basu, Debasish; Mattoo, Surendra Kumar

2014-05-01

Inhalants are substances whose chemical vapors are inhaled to produce euphoric, disinhibiting, and exciting effects. Data on inhalant abuse in India are relatively scarce. We report the demographic and clinical profile of inhalant users among the treatment seekers at a Drug De-addiction and Treatment Centre in north India. The records of treatment seekers at the Drug De-addiction and Treatment Centre, over 10 years (2002-2011) were scanned to identify 92 cases reporting inhalant use. Of these 92 cases, the complete record files were available for 87 (94.6%) cases. These case files were reviewed and the relevant data were collected and analyzed. Over the study period of 10 years, the number of cases with inhalant abuse per year rose steadily to peak at 20 cases (4.08% of new cases) in 2006 and then stabilized at 1-3 per cent of new cases annually. Of the 87 cases studied, all were males with a mean age of 18.9±4.12 yr, mean education of 9.8±3.42 yr and mean family income of Rs. 7676±7343.15 (median: Rs. 5000). Majority of subjects were unmarried (89.7%), urban resident (79.3%), and from a nuclear family (78.2%). About half of the subjects were students (50.6%). The most common inhalant used was typewriter correction fluid (73.6%) followed by typewriter diluent fluid (19.5%) and glue (6.9%). The most common reason for initiation was curiosity. The mean age of onset of inhalant use was 16.3±4.22 yr. Most subjects fulfilled the criteria for inhalant dependence (85.1%). Psychiatric co-morbidity and the family history of substance dependence were present in 26.4 and 32.9 per cent subjects, respectively. Majority of the subjects reported drug related problems, occupation and finance being the worst affected. Interpretations & conclusions: Our results showed that the inhalant users were mostly urban youth belonging to middle socio-economic class families. The principal sources of inhalant abuse were the commonly available substances like typewriter correction fluids

Appraising the spectrum of firework trauma and the related laws during Diwali in North India.

PubMed

Venkatesh, Ramesh; Gurav, Prachi; Tibrewal, Shailja; Agarwal, Manisha; Dubey, Suneeta; Mathur, Umang; Ganesh, Suma; Das, Sima

2017-02-01

To evaluate the epidemiological characteristics and outcomes of ocular injuries resulting from the use of firecrackers during the Diwali festival in all age groups. A single-center, retrospective, hospital-based case series presenting with ocular trauma consequent to fireworks usage in a tertiary eye care center in North India during the 5 days of Diwali festival from 2011 to 2015 was conducted. A total of 53 eyes of 45 patients were included in the study, out of which the vast majority (39/87%) were males. The mean age was 20.55 years. Almost an equal number of bystanders (25/55.5%) were affected as compared to people handling the fireworks (20/44.44%). Five (9.43%) eyes had open-globe injury, whereas 48 (90.56%) eyes had closed-globe injury. Eighteen (33.96%) eyes underwent surgical intervention. Thirty-three (62.26%) eyes had final vision >20/200 with eight (15.09%) eyes being vision <3/60 in the affected eye. Firework-related ocular trauma can lead to serious visual impairment. Mandatory legislative laws pertaining to the manufacture, sale, and use of fireworks and creating public awareness can reduce the incidence of this preventable cause of blindness in the society. Initiating new policies for retailers involved in sale of these firecrackers can also bring in decrease of such morbidities.

Appraising the spectrum of firework trauma and the related laws during Diwali in North India

PubMed Central

Venkatesh, Ramesh; Gurav, Prachi; Tibrewal, Shailja; Agarwal, Manisha; Dubey, Suneeta; Mathur, Umang; Ganesh, Suma; Das, Sima

2017-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the epidemiological characteristics and outcomes of ocular injuries resulting from the use of firecrackers during the Diwali festival in all age groups. Materials and Methods: A single-center, retrospective, hospital-based case series presenting with ocular trauma consequent to fireworks usage in a tertiary eye care center in North India during the 5 days of Diwali festival from 2011 to 2015 was conducted. Results: A total of 53 eyes of 45 patients were included in the study, out of which the vast majority (39/87%) were males. The mean age was 20.55 years. Almost an equal number of bystanders (25/55.5%) were affected as compared to people handling the fireworks (20/44.44%). Five (9.43%) eyes had open-globe injury, whereas 48 (90.56%) eyes had closed-globe injury. Eighteen (33.96%) eyes underwent surgical intervention. Thirty-three (62.26%) eyes had final vision >20/200 with eight (15.09%) eyes being vision <3/60 in the affected eye. Conclusion: Firework-related ocular trauma can lead to serious visual impairment. Mandatory legislative laws pertaining to the manufacture, sale, and use of fireworks and creating public awareness can reduce the incidence of this preventable cause of blindness in the society. Initiating new policies for retailers involved in sale of these firecrackers can also bring in decrease of such morbidities. PMID:28345570

Antagonistic Potential of Native Trichoderma viride Strain against Potent Tea Fungal Pathogens in North East India.

PubMed

Naglot, A; Goswami, S; Rahman, I; Shrimali, D D; Yadav, Kamlesh K; Gupta, Vikas K; Rabha, Aprana Jyoti; Gogoi, H K; Veer, Vijay

2015-09-01

Indigenous strains of Trichoderma species isolated from rhizosphere soils of Tea gardens of Assam, north eastern state of India were assessed for in vitro antagonism against two important tea fungal pathogens namely Pestalotia theae and Fusarium solani. A potent antagonist against both tea pathogenic fungi, designated as SDRLIN1, was selected and identified as Trichoderma viride. The strain also showed substantial antifungal activity against five standard phytopathogenic fungi. Culture filtrate collected from stationary growth phase of the antagonist demonstrated a significantly higher degree of inhibitory activity against all the test fungi, demonstrating the presence of an optimal blend of extracellular antifungal metabolites. Moreover, quantitative enzyme assay of exponential and stationary culture filtrates revealed that the activity of cellulase, β-1,3-glucanase, pectinase, and amylase was highest in the exponential phase, whereas the activity of proteases and chitinase was noted highest in the stationary phase. Morphological changes such as hyphal swelling and distortion were also observed in the fungal pathogen grown on potato dextrose agar containing stationary phase culture filtrate. Moreover, the antifungal activity of the filtrate was significantly reduced but not entirely after heat or proteinase K treatment, demonstrating substantial role of certain unknown thermostable antifungal compound(s) in the inhibitory activity.

Antagonistic Potential of Native Trichoderma viride Strain against Potent Tea Fungal Pathogens in North East India

PubMed Central

Naglot, A.; Goswami, S.; Rahman, I.; Shrimali, D. D.; Yadav, Kamlesh K.; Gupta, Vikas K.; Rabha, Aprana Jyoti; Gogoi, H. K.; Veer, Vijay

2015-01-01

Indigenous strains of Trichoderma species isolated from rhizosphere soils of Tea gardens of Assam, north eastern state of India were assessed for in vitro antagonism against two important tea fungal pathogens namely Pestalotia theae and Fusarium solani. A potent antagonist against both tea pathogenic fungi, designated as SDRLIN1, was selected and identified as Trichoderma viride. The strain also showed substantial antifungal activity against five standard phytopathogenic fungi. Culture filtrate collected from stationary growth phase of the antagonist demonstrated a significantly higher degree of inhibitory activity against all the test fungi, demonstrating the presence of an optimal blend of extracellular antifungal metabolites. Moreover, quantitative enzyme assay of exponential and stationary culture filtrates revealed that the activity of cellulase, β-1,3-glucanase, pectinase, and amylase was highest in the exponential phase, whereas the activity of proteases and chitinase was noted highest in the stationary phase. Morphological changes such as hyphal swelling and distortion were also observed in the fungal pathogen grown on potato dextrose agar containing stationary phase culture filtrate. Moreover, the antifungal activity of the filtrate was significantly reduced but not entirely after heat or proteinase K treatment, demonstrating substantial role of certain unknown thermostable antifungal compound(s) in the inhibitory activity. PMID:26361476

Oceanic and atmospheric conditions associated with the pentad rainfall over the southeastern peninsular India during the North-East Indian Monsoon season

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shanmugasundaram, Jothiganesh; Lee, Eungul

2018-03-01

The association of North-East Indian Monsoon rainfall (NEIMR) over the southeastern peninsular India with the oceanic and atmospheric conditions over the adjacent ocean regions at pentad time step (five days period) was investigated during the months of October to December for the period 1985-2014. The non-parametric correlation and composite analyses were carried out for the simultaneous and lagged time steps (up to four lags) of oceanic and atmospheric variables with pentad NEIMR. The results indicated that NEIMR was significantly correlated: 1) positively with both sea surface temperature (SST) led by 1-4 pentads (lag 1-4 time steps) and latent heat flux (LHF) during the simultaneous, lag 1 and 2 time steps over the equatorial western Indian Ocean, 2) positively with SST but negatively with LHF (less heat flux from ocean to atmosphere) during the same and all the lagged time steps over the Bay of Bengal. Consistently, during the wet NEIMR pentads over the southeastern peninsular India, SST significantly increased over the Bay of Bengal during all the time steps and the equatorial western Indian Ocean during the lag 2-4 time steps, while the LHF decreased over the Bay of Bengal (all time steps) and increased over the Indian Ocean (same, lag 1 and 2). The investigation on ocean-atmospheric interaction revealed that the enhanced LHF over the equatorial western Indian Ocean was related to increased atmospheric moisture demand and increased wind speed, whereas the reduced LHF over the Bay of Bengal was associated with decreased atmospheric moisture demand and decreased wind speed. The vertically integrated moisture flux and moisture transport vectors from 1000 to 850 hPa exhibited that the moisture was carried away from the equatorial western Indian Ocean to the strong moisture convergence regions of the Bay of Bengal during the same and lag 1 time steps of wet NEIMR pentads. Further, the moisture over the Bay of Bengal was transported to the southeastern peninsular

Profile of traditional birth attendants in a rural area of north India.

PubMed

Singh, A

1994-01-01

Two hundred traditional birth attendants (TBAs) of a community development block of India were interviewed. The majority were age 45 years or above (81%), illiterate (85%), and of low caste (78%). Most (88%) had three or more children. Although 27% had inherited the profession from older female relatives, only 4% have daughters or daughters-in-law in the profession. Almost half (48%) had conducted 11 or more deliveries in last year. The TBAs charged more money to deliver a male infant than to deliver a female. The TBA workforce in India appears to be shrinking, possibly because of gradual reduction in family size. Backup support from state maternal health care services is lacking. Existing cadre of TBAs should be involved in primary health care to ensure the survival of the institution of dais (TBAs) and to ensure the availability of basic maternity services to rural women.

Climate change and threat of vector-borne diseases in India: are we prepared?

PubMed

Dhiman, Ramesh C; Pahwa, Sharmila; Dhillon, G P S; Dash, Aditya P

2010-03-01

It is unequivocal that climate change is happening and is likely to expand the geographical distribution of several vector-borne diseases, including malaria and dengue etc. to higher altitudes and latitudes. India is endemic for six major vector-borne diseases (VBD) namely malaria, dengue, chikungunya, filariasis, Japanese encephalitis and visceral leishmaniasis. Over the years, there has been reduction in the incidence of almost all the diseases except chikungunya which has re-emerged since 2005. The upcoming issue of climate change has surfaced as a new threat and challenge for ongoing efforts to contain vector-borne diseases. There is greater awareness about the potential impacts of climate change on VBDs in India and research institutions and national authorities have initiated actions to assess the impacts. Studies undertaken in India on malaria in the context of climate change impact reveal that transmission windows in Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and north-eastern states are likely to extend temporally by 2-3 months and in Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu there may be reduction in transmission windows. Using PRECIS model (driven by HadRM2) at the resolution of 50 x 50 Km for daily temperature and relative humidity for year 2050, it was found that Orissa, West Bengal and southern parts of Assam will still remain malarious and transmission windows will open up in Himachal Pradesh and north-eastern states etc. Impact of climate change on dengue also reveals increase in transmission with 2 C rise in temperature in northern India. Re-emergence of kala-azar in northern parts of India and reappearance of chikungunya mainly in southern states of India has also been discussed. The possible need to address the threat and efforts made in India have also been highlighted. The paper concludes with a positive lead that with better preparedness threat of climate change on vector-borne diseases may be negated.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene polymorphisms and breast cancer risk in Punjabi population from North West India.

PubMed

Kapahi, Ruhi; Guleria, Kamlesh; Sambyal, Vasudha; Manjari, Mridu; Sudan, Meena; Uppal, Manjit Singh; Singh, Neeti Rajan

2014-11-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of seven VEGF promoter polymorphisms with breast cancer risk in Punjabi population from North West India. We screened DNA samples of 102 sporadic breast cancer patients and 102 unrelated healthy, gender, and age-matched individuals for seven VEGF promoter polymorphisms [-417 C/T (rs833062), -172 C/A (rs59260042), -165 C/T (rs79469752), -160 C/T, -152 G/A (rs13207351), -141 A/C (rs28357093) and -116 G/A (rs1570360)] by direct sequencing. The frequency of GG, GA, and AA genotype of -152 G/A polymorphism was 26.47 vs 38.34%, 46.08 vs 51.96%, and 27.45 vs 9.80%, in patients and controls, respectively. VEGF -152 AA genotype was significantly associated with increased risk for breast cancer (OR = 4.04, 95%CI, 1.69-9.68, p = 0.001; recessive model OR = 3.48, 95%CI, 1.59-7.63, p = 0.001). For VEGF -116 G/A polymorphism, G and A allele frequencies were 65.2 vs 76.47% and 34.8 vs 23.53% in patients and controls, respectively. Individuals having -116 AA genotype (OR = 3.40; 95%CI, 1.24-9.37; p = 0.014) and A allele (OR = 1.73; 95%CI, 1.12-2.67; p = 0.012) were associated with increased risk for breast cancer. VEGF -165 C/T and -141 A/C polymorphisms were associated with reduced risk for breast cancer. There was significantly decreased frequency of CT genotype (4.90 vs 18.63%; p = 0.002) and T allele (2.45 vs 9.31%; p = 0.003) of -165 C/T polymorphism among breast cancer patients as compared to controls. VEGF -141 A and C allele frequency were 96.57 vs 91.18% and 3.43 vs 8.82% in patients and controls, respectively. Significant reduced risk for breast cancer was observed with AC genotype (OR = 0.34, 95%CI, 0.14-0.86; p = 0.019) and C allele (OR = 0.37; 95%CI, 0.15-0.89; p = 0.023) of -141 A/C polymorphism. We did not observe association of VEGF -417 T/C, -172 C/A, -160 C/T polymorphisms with breast cancer risk in the studied subjects (p > 0.05). The VEGF -152 G/A and -116 G/A polymorphisms were found to be significantly

Duck viral enteritis (duck plague) in North American Waterfowl

USGS Publications Warehouse

Locke, Louis N.; Leibovitz, Louis; Herman, Carlton M.; Walker, John W.; Webb, James W.

1969-01-01

Duck Viral Enteritis (DVE) was first recognized in North America in January 1967, when an outbreak occurred in a commercial flock of white Pekin ducks in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York (Leibovitz and Hwang, 1968b). Originally described as a disease of domestic ducks in the Netherlands, DVE has since been reported from India and Belgium. it is also believed to have occurred in China and France (Jansen, 1968).This paper briefly reviews the status of DVE among wild waterfowl in North America and describes some of the characteristic lesions associated with this disease. The paper also mentions some of the work which has been undertaken to learn more about the status of DVE in North America.

Analysis of Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Rice Germplasm from North-Eastern Region of India and Development of a Core Germplasm Set

PubMed Central

Singh, Amit Kumar; Kumar, Sundeep; Srinivasan, Kalyani; Tyagi, R. K.; Ahmad, Altaf; Singh, N. K.; Singh, Rakesh

2014-01-01

The North-Eastern region (NER) of India, comprising of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura, is a hot spot for genetic diversity and the most probable origin of rice. North-east rice collections are known to possess various agronomically important traits like biotic and abiotic stress tolerance, unique grain and cooking quality. The genetic diversity and associated population structure of 6,984 rice accessions, originating from NER, were assessed using 36 genome wide unlinked single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers distributed across the 12 rice chromosomes. All of the 36 SNP loci were polymorphic and bi-allelic, contained five types of base substitutions and together produced nine types of alleles. The polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0.004 for Tripura to 0.375 for Manipur and major allele frequency ranged from 0.50 for Assam to 0.99 for Tripura. Heterozygosity ranged from 0.002 in Nagaland to 0.42 in Mizoram and gene diversity ranged from 0.006 in Arunachal Pradesh to 0.50 in Manipur. The genetic relatedness among the rice accessions was evaluated using an unrooted phylogenetic tree analysis, which grouped all accessions into three major clusters. For determining population structure, populations K = 1 to K = 20 were tested and population K = 3 was present in all the states, with the exception of Meghalaya and Manipur where, K = 5 and K = 4 populations were present, respectively. Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) showed that accessions were distributed according to their population structure. AMOVA analysis showed that, maximum diversity was partitioned at the individual accession level (73% for Nagaland, 58% for Arunachal Pradesh and 57% for Tripura). Using POWERCORE software, a core set of 701 accessions was obtained, which accounted for approximately 10% of the total NE India collections, representing 99.9% of the allelic diversity. The rice core set developed will be a

Association of the Myostatin gene with obesity, abdominal obesity and low lean body mass and in non-diabetic Asian Indians in north India.

PubMed

Bhatt, Surya Prakash; Nigam, Priyanka; Misra, Anoop; Guleria, Randeep; Luthra, Kalpana; Jain, S K; Qadar Pasha, M A

2012-01-01

To determine the association of the A55T and K153R polymorphisms of the Myostatin gene with obesity, abdominal obesity and lean body mass (LBM) in Asian Indians in north India. A total of 335 subjects (238 men and 97 women) were assessed for anthropometry, % body fat (BF), LBM and biochemical parameters. Associations of Myostatin gene polymorphisms were evaluated with anthropometric, body composition and biochemical parameters. In A55T polymorphism, BMI (p=0.04), suprailiac skinfold (p=0.05), total skinfold (p=0.008), %BF (p=0.002) and total fat mass (p=0.003) were highest and % LBM (p=0.03) and total LBM (Kg) were lowest (p=0.04) in subjects with Thr/Thr genotype as compared to other genotypes. Association analysis of K153R polymorphism showed that subjects with R/R genotype had significantly higher BMI (p=0.05), waist circumference (p=0.04), %BF (p=0.04) and total fat mass (p=0.03), and lower %LBM (p=0.02) and total LBM [(Kg), (p=0.04)] as compared to other genotypes. Using a multivariate logistic regression model after adjusting for age and sex, subjects with Thr/Thr genotype of A55T showed high risk for high %BF (OR, 3.92, 95% Cl: 2.61-12.41), truncal subcutaneous adiposity (OR, 2.9, 95% Cl: 1.57-6.60)] and low LBM (OR, 0.64, 95% CI: 0.33-0.89) whereas R/R genotype of K153R showed high risk of obesity (BMI; OR, 3.2, 95% CI: 1.2-12.9; %BF, OR, 3.6, 95% CI: 1.04-12.4), abdominal obesity (OR, 2.12, 95% CI: 2.71-14.23) and low LBM (OR, 0.61, 95% CI: 0.29-0.79). We report that variants of Myostatin gene predispose to obesity, abdominal obesity and low lean body mass in Asian Indians in north India.

HLA diversity among Nadars, a primitive Dravidian caste of South India.

PubMed

Shankarkumar, U; Sridharan, B; Pitchappan, R M

2003-12-01

South India is one of the oldest geophysical regions mainly occupied by Dravidian language-speaking people. Here a random panel of 61 unrelated Nadar healthy individual from Tamil Nadu State were analyzed and compared with other populations of India and the world. HLA-A, B and C alleles frequencies and their haplotype frequencies were determined by high-resolution typing of genomic DNA. The analysis revealed that the Nadar caste of South India have several characters shared with East Asian populations consistent with the demographic history of South India, as well as specific features including several unique alleles such as A*03011, A*31011, B*15011, B*3501, B*51011, Cw*02022. In addition, haplotypes such as A*31011-Cw*02022-B*3501, A*03011-Cw*04011-B*4406 and A*2402101-Cw*04011-B*51011 are of high frequency in both these populations but are rare or absent in other populations of India and the world. The study suggests that a comparatively lesser degree of genetic admixture occurred between the South Indian and North Indian racial groups than that between South Indian and East Asian groups.

Socioeconomic development and girl child survival in rural North India: solution or problem?

PubMed

Krishnan, Anand; Dwivedi, Purva; Gupta, Vivek; Byass, Peter; Pandav, Chandrakant S; Ng, Nawi

2013-05-01

Socioeconomic development has been considered as a solution to the problem of sex differentials at birth and under-five mortality. This paper analyses longitudinal data from the Ballabgarh Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) site in north India to check its veracity. A cohort of children born between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2011 at Ballabgarh HDSS were followed till death, emigration, 3 years of age or end of the study. Socioeconomic status (SES) was measured by caste, parental combined years of schooling and wealth index and divided into low, mid and high strata for each of them. Sex ratio at birth (SRB) was reported as the number of girls per 1000 boys. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves were drawn and a Cox Proportional HR of girls over boys was estimated. A total of 12 517 native born children (25 797 child years) were enrolled of which 710 died (death rate of 56.7/1000-live births and 27.5/1000 child-years. Socioeconomically advantaged children had significantly lower death rates. The SRB (10-16% lower) and neonatal death rate were consistently adverse for girls in the advantaged groups by all the three indicators of SES. The first month survival rates were better for girls in the lower SES categories (significant only in caste (HR 0.58; 0.37 to 0.91). High SES categories consistently showed adverse survival rates for girls (HR of 1.22 to 1.59). Better socioeconomic situation worsened the sex differentials, especially at birth. Therefore, specific interventions targeting gender issues are required, at least as a short-term measure.

AHP-based spatial analysis of water quality impact assessment due to change in vehicular traffic caused by highway broadening in Sikkim Himalaya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banerjee, Polash; Ghose, Mrinal Kanti; Pradhan, Ratika

2018-05-01

Spatial analysis of water quality impact assessment of highway projects in mountainous areas remains largely unexplored. A methodology is presented here for Spatial Water Quality Impact Assessment (SWQIA) due to highway-broadening-induced vehicular traffic change in the East district of Sikkim. Pollution load of the highway runoff was estimated using an Average Annual Daily Traffic-Based Empirical model in combination with mass balance model to predict pollution in the rivers within the study area. Spatial interpolation and overlay analysis were used for impact mapping. Analytic Hierarchy Process-Based Water Quality Status Index was used to prepare a composite impact map. Model validation criteria, cross-validation criteria, and spatial explicit sensitivity analysis show that the SWQIA model is robust. The study shows that vehicular traffic is a significant contributor to water pollution in the study area. The model is catering specifically to impact analysis of the concerned project. It can be an aid for decision support system for the project stakeholders. The applicability of SWQIA model needs to be explored and validated in the context of a larger set of water quality parameters and project scenarios at a greater spatial scale.

Seismic Structure of India from Regional Waveform Matching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaur, V.; Maggi, A.; Priestley, K.; Rai, S.

2003-12-01

We use a neighborhood adaptive grid search procedure and reflectivity synthetics to model regional distance range (500-2000~km) seismograms recorded in India and to determine the variation in the crust and uppermost mantle structure across the subcontinent. The portions of the regional waveform which are most influenced by the crust and uppermost mantle structure are the 10-100~s period Pnl and fundamental mode surface waves. We use the adaptive grid search algorithm to match both portions of the seismogram simultaneously. This procedure results in a family of 1-D path average crust and upper mantle velocity and attenuation models whose propagation characteristics closely match those of the real Earth. Our data set currently consist of ˜20 seismograms whose propagation paths are primarily confined to the Ganges Basin in north India and the East Dharwar Craton of south India. The East Dharwar Craton has a simple and uniform structure consisting of a 36+/-2 km thick two layer crust, and an uppermost mantle with a sub-Moho velocity of 4.5~km/s. The structure of northern India is more complicated, with pronounced low velocities in the upper crustal layer due to the large sediment thicknesses in the Ganges basin.

Deep learning for predicting the monsoon over the homogeneous regions of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saha, Moumita; Mitra, Pabitra; Nanjundiah, Ravi S.

2017-06-01

Indian monsoon varies in its nature over the geographical regions. Predicting the rainfall not just at the national level, but at the regional level is an important task. In this article, we used a deep neural network, namely, the stacked autoencoder to automatically identify climatic factors that are capable of predicting the rainfall over the homogeneous regions of India. An ensemble regression tree model is used for monsoon prediction using the identified climatic predictors. The proposed model provides forecast of the monsoon at a long lead time which supports the government to implement appropriate policies for the economic growth of the country. The monsoon of the central, north-east, north-west, and south-peninsular India regions are predicted with errors of 4.1%, 5.1%, 5.5%, and 6.4%, respectively. The identified predictors show high skill in predicting the regional monsoon having high variability. The proposed model is observed to be competitive with the state-of-the-art prediction models.

What collided with India at ~50 Ma? Constraints from the sedimentary record in the NW Himalaya, Ladakh.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Najman, Y.; Jenks, D.; Godin, L.; BouDagher-Fadel, M. K.; Bown, P. R.; Horstwood, M. S.; Garzanti, E.; Bracciali, L.; Millar, I.

2014-12-01

The timing of India-Asia collision is critical to the understanding of crustal deformation processes. In the NW Himalaya, a number of workers have proposed a ~55-50 Ma age for collision along the Indus suture zone which separates India from the Kohistan-Ladakh Intraoceanic Island arc (KLA) to the north. This is based on a number of factors including the age of youngest marine sediments in the suture (e.g. Green et al. 2008), age of eclogites indicative of onset of Indian continental subduction (e.g. de Sigoyer et al. 2000), and first evidence of detritus from north of the suture zone deposited on the Indian plate (e.g. Clift et al. 2002). Such evidence can be interpreted as documenting the age of India-Asia collision if one takes the KLA to have collided with the Asian plate prior to its collision with India (e.g. Petterson 2010 and refs therein). However, an increasing number of workers propose that the KLA collided with Asia subsequent to its earlier collision with India, dated variously at 85 Ma (Chatterjee et al. 2013), 61 Ma (Khan et al. 2009) and 50 Ma (Bouilhol et al. 2013). If correct, then the previous constraints to dating the collision as outlined above have in fact been dating the timing of India-arc collision, rather than the final ocean closure and terminal collision of India+arc with Asia as previously believed. This, plus the questioning of earlier provenance work of Clift et al. (2002) regarding the validity of their data for constraining the time when detritus from north of the suture first arrived on the Indian plate (Henderson et al. 2011) suggests that the time is right for a reappraisal of this topic. But which method to use? A provenance study now brings with it a requirement to distinguish between detritus from the KLA and Southern margin of Asia. Recently, Bouilhol et al (2013) undertook a detailed study of the KLA, using temporal and spatial variation of zircon U-Pb and Hf as well as Sr-Nd bulk analyses, to document the arc's collision

Nutritional status, food insecurity, and biodiversity among the Khasi in Meghalaya, North-East India.

PubMed

Chyne, Daniella Anne L; Meshram, Indrapal Ishwarji; Rajendran, Ananthan; Kodali, Venkaiah; Getti, Neeraja; Roy, Phrang; Kuhnlein, Harriet V; Longvah, Thingnganing

2017-11-01

A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out with 603 children ages 5 and under and 500 of their mothers from 510 households to examine the prevalence of undernutrition and chronic diseases among the Khasis of North-East India. Anthropometric measurements including Mid-Upper Arm Circumference, height, and weight were taken. Dry blood spots to estimate haemoglobin and vitamin A were collected from children and women separately by finger prick. Mothers provided data about household socio-demographic particulars and infant and young child feeding practices. The prevalence in children of underweight was 31%, stunting was 57%, and wasting was 10%. Undernutrition was higher among boys as compared to girls. Nutrient intakes were below recommended levels. The prevalence of anaemia among children ages 1 to 5 years old was 68%, and vitamin A deficiency was 59%, and they were 83% and 48%, respectively, among women. Hypertension was observed in 15% of women, whereas diabetes was less than 1%. Only about 20% of households were food secure, and this was associated with parental literacy, per capita income, and family size. Undernutrition was unacceptably high among the Khasis despite rich food biodiversity. Proper implementation of nutritional intervention programs such as Integrated Child Development Services, Mid Day Meal, and the Public Distribution System will improve the nutrient intake and nutritional status of the population. Additionally, preservation of forest lands and products paired with judicious use of the rich food biodiversity available will promote dietary diversity and ultimately better nutrition and health. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A tangled weave: Tracing outcomes of education in rural women's lives in North India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghose, Malini; Mullick, Disha

2015-06-01

This paper is based on the findings of a research study which traced 56 rural women learners 15 years after they had participated in an empowerment and education programme in North India. It attempts to understand, from the perspectives of women from marginalised communities, the ways in which participating in the programme had been empowering for them, or not. While most of the women were indeed able to transform several areas in their lives, this study illustrates that empowering outcomes cannot be assumed or articulated in categorical terms and that bringing about change requires the negotiation of power at various levels. The women's narratives stand in contrast to the prevalent discourses around women's literacy and empowerment, which highlight the importance of literacy only in terms of its positive impact on attaining development goals. Despite the vigorously discussed de-politicisation of the concept of empowerment, the authors show in this paper that empowerment, when informed by a critical feminist understanding, continues to provide a useful framework to analyse women's experiences related to education, as a process enabling women to understand and negotiate structures of power - which are neither static nor wholly dominating - and to find spaces to exercise agency. There are few longitudinal studies which trace the long-term impact of educational programmes on adult women, and most studies are in the nature of impact assessments of programmes. Through this paper the authors argue for the need to analyse the complexities around the relationship between women's education and empowerment.

Genetic biodiversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in India.

PubMed

Singh, Urvashi Balbir; Arora, Jyoti; Suresh, Naga; Pant, Hema; Rana, Tanu; Sola, Christophe; Rastogi, Nalin; Pande, Jitendra Nath

2007-07-01

Spoligotyping was performed on 540 Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates in order to evaluate the genetic biodiversity of tubercle bacilli in India. One hundred and forty seven patterns were unique and 393 were grouped in 48 clusters. Comparison with an international spoligotype database showed that the most predominant clades among tuberculosis (TB) isolates were Central Asian (CAS) and East-African Indian (EAI) with shared-types (ST) ST26 and ST11 alone being responsible for 34% of all TB cases. Twenty one (3.8%) isolates belonged to the Beijing genotype. Marked variations were observed among circulating strains, STs belonging to CAS family predominated in the North, whereas the EAI family was more common in the Southern India. TB in India is predominantly caused by strains belonging to the principal genetic group 1 (PGG1), suggesting that most of the TB burden in India may be traced to ancestral clones of the tubercle bacilli. This study gives an insight into the global M. tuberculosis genetic biodiversity in India, the predominant spoligotypes and their impact on disease transmission.

Active detection of tuberculosis and paragonimiasis in the remote areas in North-Eastern India using cough as a simple indicator.

PubMed

Rekha Devi, Kangjam; Narain, Kanwar; Mahanta, Jagadish; Deori, Rumi; Lego, Kabang; Goswami, Dibyajyoti; Kumar Rajguru, Sanjib; Agatsuma, Takeshi

2013-04-01

One of the essential steps in targeting tuberculosis (TB) intervention is early diagnosis and treatment of patients by reducing the reservoir of infection in the community. In the North-Eastern (NE) region of India pulmonary TB and paragonimiasis are overlapping public health issues. We performed a cross-sectional study in 63 remote villages from the two states Arunachal Pradesh (AP) and Assam to determine the prevalence of undiagnosed TB and paragonimiasis cases using cough as a simple indicator. In AP, 2961 individuals aged five years and above were examined and 1108 (37·4%) were found to have cough for one week or more. Of the 417 individuals who provided sputum, 11 (2·64%) were smear positive for acid-fast bacilli (AFB). All these cases were yet undiagnosed, thus the prevalence of new smear positive TB in AP was 0·37%. In Assam on the other hand 331 (23·5%) subjects out of 1410 individuals who were examined had a cough for one week or more and of the 112 individuals who provided sputum, 13 (11·6%) were smear positive for AFB. The prevalence of new smear positive TB cases was 0·78% in Assam. Sero-positivity of paragonimiasis in coughers of AP was 7·6% (n = 1091), which was significantly higher (p < 0·01) as compared to that in Assam (1·2%, n = 321). The findings of the present study suggest that TB remains a major public health concern in the NE region of India especially in the remote places and there is need to strengthen early case detection of TB.

Active detection of tuberculosis and paragonimiasis in the remote areas in North-Eastern India using cough as a simple indicator

PubMed Central

Rekha Devi, Kangjam; Narain, Kanwar; Mahanta, Jagadish; Deori, Rumi; Lego, Kabang; Goswami, Dibyajyoti; Kumar Rajguru, Sanjib; Agatsuma, Takeshi

2013-01-01

One of the essential steps in targeting tuberculosis (TB) intervention is early diagnosis and treatment of patients by reducing the reservoir of infection in the community. In the North-Eastern (NE) region of India pulmonary TB and paragonimiasis are overlapping public health issues. We performed a cross-sectional study in 63 remote villages from the two states Arunachal Pradesh (AP) and Assam to determine the prevalence of undiagnosed TB and paragonimiasis cases using cough as a simple indicator. In AP, 2961 individuals aged five years and above were examined and 1108 (37.4%) were found to have cough for one week or more. Of the 417 individuals who provided sputum, 11 (2.64%) were smear positive for acid-fast bacilli (AFB). All these cases were yet undiagnosed, thus the prevalence of new smear positive TB in AP was 0.37%. In Assam on the other hand 331 (23.5%) subjects out of 1410 individuals who were examined had a cough for one week or more and of the 112 individuals who provided sputum, 13 (11.6%) were smear positive for AFB. The prevalence of new smear positive TB cases was 0.78% in Assam. Sero-positivity of paragonimiasis in coughers of AP was 7.6% (n  =  1091), which was significantly higher (p < 0.01) as compared to that in Assam (1.2%, n  =  321). The findings of the present study suggest that TB remains a major public health concern in the NE region of India especially in the remote places and there is need to strengthen early case detection of TB. PMID:23683370

Methane emissions from a landfill in north-east India: Performance of various landfill gas emission models.

PubMed

Gollapalli, Muralidhar; Kota, Sri Harsha

2018-03-01

Rapid urbanization and economic growth has led to significant increase in municipal solid waste generation in India during the last few decades and its management has become a major issue because of poor waste management practices. Solid waste generated is deposited into open dumping sites with hardly any segregation and processing. Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) are the major greenhouse gases that are released from the landfill sites due to the biodegradation of organic matter. In this present study, CH 4 and CO 2 emissions from a landfill in north-east India are estimated using a flux chamber during September, 2015 to August, 2016. The average emission rates of CH 4 and CO 2 are 68 and 92 mg/min/m 2 , respectively. The emissions are highest in the summer whilst being lowest in winter. The diurnal variation of emissions indicated that the emissions follow a trend similar to temperature in all the seasons. Correlation coefficients of CH 4 and temperature in summer, monsoon and winter are 0.99, 0.87 and 0.97, respectively. The measured CH 4 in this study is in the range of other studies around the world. Modified Triangular Method (MTM), IPCC model and the USEPA Landfill gas emissions model (LandGEM) were used to predict the CH 4 emissions during the study year. The consequent simulation results indicate that the MTM, LandGEM-Clean Air Act, LandGEM-Inventory and IPCC models predict 1.9, 3.3, 1.6 and 1.4 times of the measured CH 4 emission flux in this study. Assuming that this higher prediction of CH 4 levels observed in this study holds well for other landfills in this region, a new CH 4 emission inventory (Units: Tonnes/year), with a resolution of 0.1 0  × 0.1 0 has been developed. This study stresses the importance of biodegradable composition of waste and meteorology, and also points out the drawbacks of the widely used landfill emission models. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aetiologic spectrum of mental retardation & developmental delay in India

PubMed Central

Aggarwal, Shagun; Bogula, Vijay Raju; Mandal, Kausik; Kumar, Rashmi; Phadke, Shubha R.

2012-01-01

Background & objectives: The aetiology of mental retardation is varied and difficult to establish. Reports from India on the spectrum of underlying causative conditions are lacking. This retrospective study was conducted to establish the various aetiologies of mental retardation (MR) and developmental delay (DD) in patients attending a medical genetics centre in north India and to assess the contribution of genetic disorders. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary care centre in north India. All patients attending the centre with MR or DD from January 2007 to December 2009 were included. The aetiology of MR/DD was ascertained after clinical assessment and targeted laboratory evaluation. The spectrum of causative conditions and contribution of genetic disorders was established. Results: A total of 338 patients were included in the study, of whom definite diagnosis was established in 253 (74.8%). The various aetiological categories were: chromosomal disorders in 112 (33.1%), non chromosomal syndromes in 32 (9.5%), neurometabolic disorders in 34 (10.1%), central nervous system structural defects in 25 (7.4%), cerebral palsy in 43 (12.7%) and environmental insults in 7 (2%). Eighty five patients (25.2%) had idiopathic mental retardation. A total of 196 (58%) patients had a genetic disorder as the cause of MR/DD. Interpretation & conclusions: The aetiology of MR/DD is varied and difficult to establish in a significant proportion of patients. Chromosomal and various monogenic disorders contribute to a large number of MR/DD cases and hence a genetic work up is essential for all such patients. PMID:23041737

HLA polymorphisms in Sindhi community in Mumbai, India.

PubMed

Chhaya, S; Desai, S; Saranath, D

2010-10-01

Indian population is an amalgamation of various ethnicities, cultural and linguistic diversities, primarily due to marriages within a community. HLA-A, B and DRB1 alleles and haplotype frequencies were investigated in the Sindhi and compared with Marathi, Gujarati and North Indian population from Mumbai. This work is a part of a larger effort aimed at analysis of the HLA profile of diverse Indian ethnics to establish an umbilical cord stem cell panel in India. HLA polymorphisms at the HLA-A, B and DRB1 loci were determined in 413 cord blood samples by the molecular method of polymerase chain reaction using sequence-specific primer amplification. The most frequent alleles included A*01, A*02, A*11 and A*24 at A locus, B*35 and B*40 at B locus and DRB1*07 and DRB1*15 in all the four groups, although the frequency fluctuated in individual communities. HLA-DRB1*03 was significantly high (P < 0.05) in the Sindhi. Phylogenetic association using neighbour-joining tree, based on DA genetic distances for HLA-A and HLA-B alleles, indicated that the Sindhis cluster with North Indian and Pakistan Sindhi. The three locus haplotype analysis revealed that A*02-B*40-DRB1*15 and A*33-B*44-DRB1*07 were common haplotypes in all the groups. The three locus haplotypes found suggest an influence from Caucasian and Oriental populations. The data will be useful in developing an umbilical cord stem cell panel in India. The results will have clinical implications in unrelated umbilical cord stem cell for transplantation in India. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Profile of Home-based Caregivers of Bedridden Patients in North India.

PubMed

Bains, Puneet; Minhas, Amarjeet Singh

2011-04-01

Caregiving to bedridden patients in India is set to become a major problem in future. To ascertain the profile of caregivers for the adult bedridden patients in Chandigarh, India. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 purposively selected bedridden people. The Katz Index of the activities of daily living was used to ascertain their degree of disability. Patients and families were interviewed about the patterns of care provision. The mean age of subjects was 69 years. A majority (68%) of them lived in joint families. All of them required assistance in bathing, dressing, toileting, and transfer. In 54% of the cases someone was hired to look after the subjects. A majority of the caregivers (82%) were family members. All caregivers were untrained. In 35% of the cases unqualified practitioners were consulted, while in 59% of the cases government hospitals were consulted. Most patients (78) were given medicines on time. Complications like urinary tract infection (39%) and pressure ulcers (54%) were reported; 57% of the patients reported satisfaction with the care provided. The main source of caregivers for the bedridden was the family. Bedridden people had high rates of medical complications. There is a need for formal training for the caregivers.

Profile of Home-based Caregivers of Bedridden Patients in North India

PubMed Central

Bains, Puneet; Minhas, Amarjeet Singh

2011-01-01

Background: Caregiving to bedridden patients in India is set to become a major problem in future. Objective: To ascertain the profile of caregivers for the adult bedridden patients in Chandigarh, India. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 purposively selected bedridden people. The Katz Index of the activities of daily living was used to ascertain their degree of disability. Patients and families were interviewed about the patterns of care provision. Results: The mean age of subjects was 69 years. A majority (68%) of them lived in joint families. All of them required assistance in bathing, dressing, toileting, and transfer. In 54% of the cases someone was hired to look after the subjects. A majority of the caregivers (82%) were family members. All caregivers were untrained. In 35% of the cases unqualified practitioners were consulted, while in 59% of the cases government hospitals were consulted. Most patients (78) were given medicines on time. Complications like urinary tract infection (39%) and pressure ulcers (54%) were reported; 57% of the patients reported satisfaction with the care provided. Conclusion: The main source of caregivers for the bedridden was the family. Bedridden people had high rates of medical complications. There is a need for formal training for the caregivers. PMID:21976795

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.

Cost of delivering secondary-level health care services through public sector district hospitals in India.

PubMed

Prinja, Shankar; Balasubramanian, Deepak; Jeet, Gursimer; Verma, Ramesh; Kumar, Dinesh; Bahuguna, Pankaj; Kaur, Manmeet; Kumar, Rajesh

2017-09-01

Despite an impetus for strengthening public sector district hospitals for provision of secondary health care in India, there is lack of robust evidence on cost of services provided through these district hospitals. In this study, an attempt was made to determine the unit cost of an outpatient visit consultation, inpatient bed-day of hospitalization, surgical procedure and overall per-capita cost of providing secondary care through district hospitals. Economic costing of five randomly selected district hospitals in two north Indian States - Haryana and Punjab, was undertaken. Cost analysis was done using a health system perspective and employing bottom-up costing methodology. Quantity of all resources - capital or recurrent, used for delivering services was measured and valued. Median unit costs were estimated along with their 95 per cent confidence intervals. Sensitivity analysis was undertaken to assess the effect of uncertainties in prices and other assumptions; and to generalize the findings for Indian set-up. The overall annual cost of delivering secondary-level health care services through a public sector district hospital in north India was ' 11,44,13,282 [US Dollars (USD) 2,103,185]. Human resources accounted for 53 per cent of the overall cost. The unit cost of an inpatient bed-day, surgical procedure and outpatient consultation was ' 844 (USD 15.5), ' 3481 (USD 64) and ' 170 (USD 3.1), respectively. With the current set of resource allocation, per-capita cost of providing health care through district hospitals in north India was ' 139 (USD 2.5). The estimates obtained in our study can be used for Fiscal planning of scaling up secondary-level health services. Further, these may be particularly useful for future research such as benefit-incidence analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis and national health accounts including disease-specific accounts in India.

Cost of delivering secondary-level health care services through public sector district hospitals in India

PubMed Central

Prinja, Shankar; Balasubramanian, Deepak; Jeet, Gursimer; Verma, Ramesh; Kumar, Dinesh; Bahuguna, Pankaj; Kaur, Manmeet; Kumar, Rajesh

2017-01-01

Background & objectives: Despite an impetus for strengthening public sector district hospitals for provision of secondary health care in India, there is lack of robust evidence on cost of services provided through these district hospitals. In this study, an attempt was made to determine the unit cost of an outpatient visit consultation, inpatient bed-day of hospitalization, surgical procedure and overall per-capita cost of providing secondary care through district hospitals. Methods: Economic costing of five randomly selected district hospitals in two north Indian States - Haryana and Punjab, was undertaken. Cost analysis was done using a health system perspective and employing bottom-up costing methodology. Quantity of all resources - capital or recurrent, used for delivering services was measured and valued. Median unit costs were estimated along with their 95 per cent confidence intervals. Sensitivity analysis was undertaken to assess the effect of uncertainties in prices and other assumptions; and to generalize the findings for Indian set-up. Results: The overall annual cost of delivering secondary-level health care services through a public sector district hospital in north India was 11,44,13,282 [US Dollars (USD) 2,103,185]. Human resources accounted for 53 per cent of the overall cost. The unit cost of an inpatient bed-day, surgical procedure and outpatient consultation was 844 (USD 15.5), i; 3481 (USD 64) and 170 (USD 3.1), respectively. With the current set of resource allocation, per-capita cost of providing health care through district hospitals in north India was 139 (USD 2.5). Interpretation & conclusions: The estimates obtained in our study can be used for Fiscal planning of scaling up secondary-level health services. Further, these may be particularly useful for future research such as benefit-incidence analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis and national health accounts including disease-specific accounts in India. PMID:29355142

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2013-07-01

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

Characterizing the genetic differences between two distinct migrant groups from Indo-European and Dravidian speaking populations in India.

PubMed

Ali, Mohammad; Liu, Xuanyao; Pillai, Esakimuthu Nisha; Chen, Peng; Khor, Chiea-Chuen; Ong, Rick Twee-Hee; Teo, Yik-Ying

2014-07-22

India is home to many ethnically and linguistically diverse populations. It is hypothesized that history of invasions by people from Persia and Central Asia, who are referred as Aryans in Hindu Holy Scriptures, had a defining role in shaping the Indian population canvas. A shift in spoken languages from Dravidian languages to Indo-European languages around 1500 B.C. is central to the Aryan Invasion Theory. Here we investigate the genetic differences between two sub-populations of India consisting of: (1) The Indo-European language speaking Gujarati Indians with genome-wide data from the International HapMap Project; and (2) the Dravidian language speaking Tamil Indians with genome-wide data from the Singapore Genome Variation Project. We implemented three population genetics measures to identify genomic regions that are significantly differentiated between the two Indian populations originating from the north and south of India. These measures singled out genomic regions with: (i) SNPs exhibiting significant variation in allele frequencies in the two Indian populations; and (ii) differential signals of positive natural selection as quantified by the integrated haplotype score (iHS) and cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity (XP-EHH). One of the regions that emerged spans the SLC24A5 gene that has been functionally shown to affect skin pigmentation, with a higher degree of genetic sharing between Gujarati Indians and Europeans. Our finding points to a gene-flow from Europe to north India that provides an explanation for the lighter skin tones present in North Indians in comparison to South Indians.

Meteorological features associated with unprecedented precipitation over India during 1st week of March 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Naresh; Mohapatra, M.; Jaswal, A. K.

2017-07-01

Unprecedented precipitation along with heavy falls occurred over many parts of India from 28th February to 2nd March 2015. Many of the stations of northwest and central India received an all time high 24 hr cumulative precipitation of March during this period. Even the national capital, New Delhi, broke all the previous historical 24 hr rainfall records of the last 100 years to the rainfall record in March 2015. Due to this event, huge loss to agricultural and horticultural crops occurred in several parts of India. In the present study, an attempt is made to understand the various meteorological features associated with this unprecedented precipitation event over India. It occurred due to the presence of an intense western disturbance (WD) over Afghanistan and neighbouring areas in the form of north-south oriented deep trough in westerlies in middle and upper tropospheric levels with its southern end deep in the Arabian Sea, which pumped huge moisture feed over Indian region. Also, there was a jet stream with core wind speed up to 160 knots that generated high positive divergence at upper tropospheric level over Indian region; along with this there was high magnitude of negative vertical velocity and velocity convergence were there at middle tropospheric level. It caused intense upward motion and forced lower levels air to rise and strengthen the lower levels cyclonic circulations (CCs)/Lows. Moreover, the induced CCs/Lows at lower tropospheric levels associated with WD were more towards south of its normal position. Additionally, there was wind confluence over central parts of India due to westerlies in association with WD and easterlies from anticyclone over north Bay of Bengal. Thus, intense WD along with wind confluence between westerlies and easterlies caused unprecedented precipitation over India during the 1st week of March 2015.

Role of absorbing aerosols on hot extremes in India in a GCM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mondal, A.; Sah, N.; Venkataraman, C.; Patil, N.

2017-12-01

Temperature extremes and heat waves in North-Central India during the summer months of March through June are known for causing significant impact in terms of human health, productivity and mortality. While greenhouse gas-induced global warming is generally believed to intensify the magnitude and frequency of such extremes, aerosols are usually associated with an overall cooling, by virtue of their dominant radiation scattering nature, in most world regions. Recently, large-scale atmospheric conditions leading to heat wave and extreme temperature conditions have been analysed for the North-Central Indian region. However, the role of absorbing aerosols, including black carbon and dust, is still not well understood, in mediating hot extremes in the region. In this study, we use 30-year simulations from a chemistry-coupled atmosphere-only General Circulation Model (GCM), ECHAM6-HAM2, forced with evolving aerosol emissions in an interactive aerosol module, along with observed sea surface temperatures, to examine large-scale and mesoscale conditions during hot extremes in India. The model is first validated with observed gridded temperature and reanalysis data, and is found to represent observed variations in temperature in the North-Central region and concurrent large-scale atmospheric conditions during high temperature extremes realistically. During these extreme events, changes in near surface properties include a reduction in single scattering albedo and enhancement in short-wave solar heating rate, compared to climatological conditions. This is accompanied by positive anomalies of black carbon and dust aerosol optical depths. We conclude that the large-scale atmospheric conditions such as the presence of anticyclones and clear skies, conducive to heat waves and high temperature extremes, are exacerbated by absorbing aerosols in North-Central India. Future air quality regulations are expected to reduce sulfate particles and their masking of GHG warming. It is

Women's Political Empowerment and Investments in Primary Schooling in India.

PubMed

Halim, Nafisa; Yount, Kathryn M; Cunningham, Solveig A; Pande, Rohini P

2016-02-01

Using a national district-level dataset of India composed of information on investments in primary schooling (data from the District Information Survey for Education [DISE, 2007/8]) and information on demographic characteristics of elected officials (data from the Election Commission of India [ECI, 2000/04]), we examined the relationship between women's representation in State Legislative Assembly (SLA) seats and district-level investments in primary schooling. We used OLS regressions adjusting for confounders and spatial autocorrelation, and estimated separate models for North and South India. Women's representation in general SLA seats typically was negatively associated with investments in primary-school amenities and teachers; women's representation in SLA seats reserved for under-represented minorities, i.e., scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, typically was positively associated with investments in primary schooling, especially in areas addressing the basic needs of poor children. Women legislators' gender and caste identities may shape their decisions about redistributive educational policies.

Three Dimensional Aerosol Climatology over India and the North Indian Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, A.; Zhang, C.

2013-12-01

the CALIPSO algorithm, probably misclassifying marine aerosol as polluted dust. The origin of much of the polluted dust, the most prominent aerosol species in the region, is the mixing of dust and smoke from Africa. Low-level southerly winds south of 10°N transport smoke northward while northerly winds north of 10°N transport dust southward and upward due to orographic lifting. At their area of convergence, zonal wind transports the now elevated polluted dust eastward toward the Indian subcontinent. Subsidence and monsoon circulation reversal during boreal winter and fall limit vertical and horizontal aerosol transport from the India, particularly in the highly populated and always polluted Indo¬-Gangetic Plain. Polluted dust, polluted continental (non-elevated smoke), and smoke aerosols are confined near the surface and located over high population density areas and known biomass burning locations. Himalayan topography is an obvious barrier for the northward extent of aerosol. However, it also acts to create a meridional circulation limiting the southward extent of aerosol. Although transport pathways and the spatial structure of aerosol are well documented in the 2D sense, understanding the mechanisms controlling the vertical structure in concert with observation of the structure will be a valuable tool in reducing the uncertainty of aerosol effects in model simulations.

Indoor air pollution and its association with poor lung function, microalbuminuria and variations in blood pressure among kitchen workers in India: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Singh, Amarnath; Kesavachandran, Chandrasekharan Nair; Kamal, Ritul; Bihari, Vipin; Ansari, Afzal; Azeez, Parappurath Abdul; Saxena, Prem Narain; Ks, Anil Kumar; Khan, Altaf Hussain

2017-04-04

The present study is an attempt to explore the association between kitchen indoor air pollutants and physiological profiles in kitchen workers with microalbuminuria (MAU) in north India (Lucknow) and south India (Coimbatore). The subjects comprised 145 control subjects, 233 kitchen workers from north India and 186 kitchen workers from south India. Information related to the personal and occupational history and health of the subjects at both locations were collected using a custom-made questionnaire. Worker lung function was measured using a spirometer. Blood pressure was monitored using a sphygmomanometer. Urinary MAU was measured using a urine analyzer. Indoor air monitoring in kitchens for particulate matter (PM), total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and carbon monoxide (CO) was conducted using indoor air quality monitors. The size and shape of PM in indoor air was assessed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to detect organic or inorganic compounds in the air samples. Particulate matter concentrations (PM 2.5 and PM 1 ) were significantly higher in both north and south Indian kitchens than in non-kitchen areas. The concentrations of TVOC, CO and CO 2 were higher in the kitchens of north and south India than in the control locations (non-kitchen areas). Coarse, fine and ultrafine particles and several elements were also detected in kitchens in both locations by SEM and elemental analysis. The FTIR spectra of kitchen indoor air at both locations show the presence of organic chemicals. Significant declines in systolic blood pressure and lung function were observed in the kitchen workers with MAU at both locations compared to those of the control subjects. A higher prevalence of obstruction cases with MAU was observed among the workers in the southern region than in the controls (p < 0.01). Kitchen workers in south India have lower lung capacities and a greater risk of

Sexual practices, myths and misconceptions among long distance truck drivers in North India.

PubMed

Sawal, N; Hans, G D R; Verma, G

2016-07-01

Long distance truck drivers and helpers constitute a high risk group for human immunodeficiency virus /acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). Despite increasing awareness of HIV/AIDS and safe sex practices, they still have a high incidence of new cases of HIV. This study carried out at an ART (anti-retroviral treatment) centre in North India aimed to evaluate the sexual myths and misconceptions prevalent among long distance drivers and helpers. This was a retrospective study carried out at apex ART centre. Data were collected retrospectively from ART records of 129 long distance Truck drivers and 68 helpers. Details of socio-demographic characteristics, contact with commercial sex workers (CSW'S), pattern of condom usage with CSW'S and factors influencing it were studied. We found that a significant number of drivers and helpers had sexual contact with CSW's and out of these, 30% of drivers and 50% of helpers reported not using condoms and instead resorting to methods like washing genitalia after sex with battery water/urine to avoid getting HIV. There was no significant relationship between pattern of condom usage and educational status, marital status and age. We also found that certain myths like sex with young CSW's was less likely to cause sexually transmitted diseases (STD's) and HIV were also widespread. Owing to continuing prevalence of such sexual myths, long distance truck drivers and helpers do not use condoms while having sex with CSW's as they feel that they can enjoy sex with CSW's and still stay protected against STD's/HIV. It is imperative that this battery water/urine antiseptic myth be specifically targeted for better HIV control in this high risk group. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Association of Physicians. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of high Protein Complete (lActo) VEgetaRian (PACER) diet in non-diabetic obese Asian Indians in North India.

PubMed

Bhardwaj, Swati; Misra, Anoop; Gulati, Seema; Anoop, Shajith; Kamal, Vineet Kumar; Pandey, Ravindra Mohan

2017-12-01

In view of the increasing prevalence of obesity in largely vegetarian Asian Indians, it is important to research a high protein, low carbohydrate vegetarian diet. The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of a "High P rotein C omplete (lacto) V E geta R ian Diet (Acronym; 'PACER diet'), on weight, body composition and metabolic profiles in non-diabetic obese Asian Indians living in north India. In this 8-week randomized control trial, 102 vegetarian subjects with body mass index (BMI) >25 kg/m 2 were randomized to either a test diet (PACER diet; high protein, high fat and moderately low carbohydrate, lacto-vegetarian diet) or control diet (standard vegetarian diet formulated as the dietary guidelines for Asian Indians) after 4 weeks of diet and exercise run-in period. A standard exercise protocol was followed for both groups. Body weight, BMI, waist circumference (WC), blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting serum insulin and lipid profile were assessed before and after the intervention. There was significant weight loss along with improvements in cardio-metabolic risk factors among both the groups post intervention. Percent reductions in the intervention group for weight (6.1± 2.9; p < 0.001), WC (3.9 ± 1.7; p < 0.001), FPG (5.9 ± 3.2; p < 0.001), total cholesterol (10.2 ± 6.3: p < 0.001), serum triacylglycerol (13.6 ± 10.6; p < 0.001) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (11.9 ± 7.1; p < 0.001]) were significantly greater than the control diet group. In summary, intervention with a PACER diet (high protein, high fat and moderately low carbohydrate, lacto-vegetarian diet) showed significant improvement in weight loss, body composition and cardio-metabolic profile as compared to a standard vegetarian diet among obese Asian Indians in north India.

Determinants of Prelacteal Feeding in Rural Northern India

PubMed Central

Roy, Manas Pratim; Mohan, Uday; Singh, Shivendra Kumar; Singh, Vijay Kumar; Srivastava, Anand Kumar

2014-01-01

Background: Prelacteal feeding is an underestimated problem in a developing country like India, where infant mortality rate is quite high. The present study tried to find out the factors determining prelacteal feeding in rural areas of north India. Methods: A crosssectional study was conducted among recently delivered women of rural Uttar Pradesh, India. Multistage random sampling was used for selecting villages. From them, 352 recently delivered women were selected as the subjects, following systematic random sampling. Chi-square test and logistic regression were used to find out the predictors for prelacteal feeding. Results: Overall, 40.1% of mothers gave prelacteal feeding to their newborn. Factors significantly associated with such practice, after simple logistic regression, were age, caste, socioeconomic status, and place of delivery. At multivariate level, age (odds ratio (OR) = 1.76, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.13-2.74), caste and place of delivery (OR = 2.23, 95% CI = 1.21-4.10) were found to determine prelacteal feeding significantly, indicating that young age, high caste, and home deliveries could affect the practice positively. Conclusions: The problem of prelacteal feeding is still prevalent in rural India. Age, caste, and place of delivery were associated with the problem. For ensuring neonatal health, the problem should be addressed with due gravity, with emphasis on exclusive breast feeding. PMID:24932400

Estimation of stature from the foot and its segments in a sub-adult female population of North India.

PubMed

Krishan, Kewal; Kanchan, Tanuj; Passi, Neelam

2011-11-21

Establishing personal identity is one of the main concerns in forensic investigations. Estimation of stature forms a basic domain of the investigation process in unknown and co-mingled human remains in forensic anthropology case work. The objective of the present study was to set up standards for estimation of stature from the foot and its segments in a sub-adult female population. The sample for the study constituted 149 young females from the Northern part of India. The participants were aged between 13 and 18 years. Besides stature, seven anthropometric measurements that included length of the foot from each toe (T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 respectively), foot breadth at ball (BBAL) and foot breadth at heel (BHEL) were measured on both feet in each participant using standard methods and techniques. The results indicated that statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between left and right feet occur in both the foot breadth measurements (BBAL and BHEL). Foot length measurements (T1 to T5 lengths) did not show any statistically significant bilateral asymmetry. The correlation between stature and all the foot measurements was found to be positive and statistically significant (p-value < 0.001). Linear regression models and multiple regression models were derived for estimation of stature from the measurements of the foot. The present study indicates that anthropometric measurements of foot and its segments are valuable in the estimation of stature. Foot length measurements estimate stature with greater accuracy when compared to foot breadth measurements. The present study concluded that foot measurements have a strong relationship with stature in the sub-adult female population of North India. Hence, the stature of an individual can be successfully estimated from the foot and its segments using different regression models derived in the study. The regression models derived in the study may be applied successfully for the estimation of stature in sub

Prevalence of arthritis in India and Pakistan: a review.

PubMed

Akhter, Ehtisham; Bilal, Saira; Kiani, Adnan; Haque, Uzma

2011-07-01

Recent studies of rheumatoid arthritis worldwide suggest that prevalence of arthritis is higher in Europe and North America than in developing countries. Prevalence data for major arthritis disorders have been compiled in West for several decades, but figures from the third world are just emerging. A coordinated effort by WHO and ILAR (International League Against Rheumatism) has resulted in collecting data for countries like Philippines, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, and rural South Africa but the information about prevalence of arthritis in India and Pakistan is scarce. Since both countries, i.e., India and Pakistan, share some ethnic identity, we reviewed published literature to examine the prevalence of arthritis in these countries. Medline and Pubmed were searched for suitable articles about arthritis from 1980 and onwards. Findings from these articles were reviewed and summarized. The prevalence, clinical features, and laboratory findings of rheumatoid arthritis are compiled for both India and Pakistan. Data collected from these two countries were compared with each other, and some of the characteristics of the disease were compared with Europe and North America. It is found to be quite similar to developed countries. Additionally, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is of different variety than reported in West. It is more of polyarticular onset type while in West pauciarticular predominates. Additionally, in systemic onset, JRA uveitis and ANA are common finding in developed countries; on the other hand, they are hardly seen in this region. Although the prevalence of arthritis in Pakistan and India is similar to Western countries, there are inherent differences (clinical features, laboratory findings) in the presentation of disease. The major strength of the study is that it is the first to pool reports to provide an estimate of the disease in the Indian subcontinent. Scarcity of data is one of the major limitations. This study helps to understand the pattern of

Anglican Evangelism in North India and the Punjabi Missionary Classroom: The Failure To Educate the Masses, 1860-77.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allender, Tim

2003-01-01

Focuses on the dominant Anglican missionary schools in Punjab (India). States that the Anglican missions failed to fulfill their original design, but that Hindu schools were successful and played a role in India's movement for independence over British settlements in the northern region. (KDR)

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

PubMed

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

2017-01-01

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

Sexual Behavior, HIV Prevalence and Awareness Among Wives of Migrant Workers: Results from Cross-sectional Survey in Rural North India.

PubMed

Ranjan, Alok; Bhatnagar, Tarun; Babu, Giridhara R; Detels, Roger

2017-01-01

Migration has been linked to the spread of HIV epidemic from the urban areas of western India to the rural areas of north India. This is the first population-based study among the wives of migrant workers of Muzaffarpur district in Bihar with objectives to describe their sexual behavior within marriage, estimate the prevalence of HIV, and to know their awareness regarding HIV/AIDS. A two-stage cluster survey was conducted by randomly selecting 25 eligible wives from each of the 34 selected villages. A total of 850 wives were interviewed and the blood samples were collected for HIV testing. To determine the factors associated with HIV/AIDS-awareness, we calculated adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using multiple logistic regression analysis. 34 (3%) of 850 wives reported condom use with their husband. HIV prevalence was 0.59% (95% CI: 0.19-1.37%) among the wives of migrant workers. Out of 850 wives, 132 (15.5%) had heard about HIV. Condoms use (OR = 3.21, 95% CI: 1.22-7.90) and premarital sex (OR=7.44, 95% CI: 1.6-33.67) were found significantly positively associated with HIV knowledge of wives. HIV awareness of the wives was significantly associated with age-group 15-24 years, literacy status, and possession of television and husbands' literacy status. The knowledge about HIV among wives had significant positive impact on condoms use and premarital sex. HIV prevalence among the wives of migrant workers was higher than the prevalence among women in the general population. Education was found to be positively associated with awareness about HIV. Effective interventions are needed for increasing awareness of HIV among wives of migrant workers in Bihar.

India plate angular velocity and contemporary deformation rates from continuous GPS measurements from 1996 to 2015.

PubMed

Jade, Sridevi; Shrungeshwara, T S; Kumar, Kireet; Choudhury, Pallabee; Dumka, Rakesh K; Bhu, Harsh

2017-09-12

We estimate a new angular velocity for the India plate and contemporary deformation rates in the plate interior and along its seismically active margins from Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements from 1996 to 2015 at 70 continuous and 3 episodic stations. A new India-ITRF2008 angular velocity is estimated from 30 GPS sites, which include stations from western and eastern regions of the plate interior that were unrepresented or only sparsely sampled in previous studies. Our newly estimated India-ITRF2008 Euler pole is located significantly closer to the plate with ~3% higher angular velocity than all previous estimates and thus predicts more rapid variations in rates and directions along the plate boundaries. The 30 India plate GPS site velocities are well fit by the new angular velocity, with north and east RMS misfits of only 0.8 and 0.9 mm/yr, respectively. India fixed velocities suggest an approximate of 1-2 mm/yr intra-plate deformation that might be concentrated along regional dislocations, faults in Peninsular India, Kachchh and Indo-Gangetic plain. Relative to our newly-defined India plate frame of reference, the newly estimated velocities for 43 other GPS sites along the plate margins give insights into active deformation along India's seismically active northern and eastern boundaries.

Women’s Political Empowerment and Investments in Primary Schooling in India

PubMed Central

Yount, Kathryn M.; Cunningham, Solveig A.; Pande, Rohini P.

2015-01-01

Using a national district-level dataset of India composed of information on investments in primary schooling (data from the District Information Survey for Education [DISE, 2007/8]) and information on demographic characteristics of elected officials (data from the Election Commission of India [ECI, 2000/04]), we examined the relationship between women’s representation in State Legislative Assembly (SLA) seats and district-level investments in primary schooling. We used OLS regressions adjusting for confounders and spatial autocorrelation, and estimated separate models for North and South India. Women’s representation in general SLA seats typically was negatively associated with investments in primary-school amenities and teachers; women’s representation in SLA seats reserved for under-represented minorities, i.e., scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, typically was positively associated with investments in primary schooling, especially in areas addressing the basic needs of poor children. Women legislators’ gender and caste identities may shape their decisions about redistributive educational policies. PMID:26924878

A detailed gravimetric geoid from North America to Eurasia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vincent, S. F.; Strange, W. E.; Marsh, J. G.

1972-01-01

A detailed gravimetric geoid of the United States, North Atlantic, and Eurasia, which was computed from a combination of satellite derived and surface gravity data, is presented. The precision of this detailed geoid is + or - 2 to + or - 3 m in the continents but may be in the range of 5 to 7 m in those areas where data is sparse. Comparisons of the detailed gravimetric geoid with results of Rapp, Fischer, and Rice for the United States, Bomford in Europe, and Heiskanen and Fischer in India are presented. Comparisons are also presented with geoid heights from satellite solutions for geocentric station coordinates in North America, the Caribbean, and Europe.

'Stratified Contraception': Emergency Contraceptive Pills and Women's Differential Experiences in Contemporary India.

PubMed

Sheoran, Nayantara

2015-01-01

Available without prescriptions in India since 2005, emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) and their advertisements have provided women with increased contraceptive options and a vocabulary to talk about their reproductive lives. I draw on long-term fieldwork with women in urban India about ECPs, demonstrating a new form of 'stratified contraception' enabled by these pills and their advertisements. I posit that there are within India spaces that replicate the luxuries and privileges of the global North. These material conditions, I suggest, are replicated when it comes to contraception as there are hubs of women consumers of contraception and contraceptive advertising that participate in an 'imagined cosmopolitanism' within the global South in close proximity to 'contraceptive ghettos.' Moving beyond simplistic binaries, I outline three major stratifications along which women experience this medical technology and outline the implications for women and their contraceptive choices when notions of northern privilege exist in the 'South.'

Occurrence of a new species of Letana (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae) in India.

PubMed

Nagar, Rajendra; Swaminathan, R

2015-11-19

A new species of the Oriental genus Letana, Walker (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae), proposed as Letana dentata sp. nov., collected from the North-eastern province, Meghalaya, India (Ri bhoi 90°55'15 to 91°16' latitude and 25°40' to 25°21' longitude, 993 MSL), is described together with the morphological characterization of eight reported species. Of these, Letana rubescens (Stål, 1861) collected from Shalimar, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir (India) is being reported for the first time from India. The other species of Letana include: L. atomifera, L. bulbosa, L. inflata, L. infurcata, L. pyrifera and L. rufonatata. Taxonomic and diagnostic characters with illustrations of the head, pronotum, ventral view of left tegmina to show stridulatory file teeth and the genitalia (supra-anal plate and subgenital plate) including the phallus sclerite has been given.

Spatial patterns and processes for shifting cultivation landscape in Garo Hills, India.

Treesearch

Ashish Kumar; Bruce G. Marcot; P.S. Roy

2006-01-01

We analyzed a few spatial patterns and processes of a shifting cultivation landscape in the Garo Hills of Meghalaya state in North East India, where about 85% of land belongs to native community. The landscape comprised 2459 km2 of land with forest cover and shifting cultivation patches over 69% and 7% area of landscape, respectively. The mean...

Prevalence and associated risk factors of Taenia solium taeniasis in a rural pig farming community of north India.

PubMed

Prasad, Kashi N; Prasad, Amit; Gupta, Rakesh K; Pandey, Chandra M; Singh, Uttam

2007-12-01

There is a lack of information on the disease burden due to Taenia solium taeniasis and its associated risk factors in pig farming communities throughout the world. The present study was conducted in a rural pig farming community of north India to estimate the prevalence of T. solium taeniasis and associated factors. Demographic, clinical and epidemiological data were collected from 1181 subjects in 210 households in 30 villages. Stool specimens from 924 subjects were examined for eggs of Taenia and other parasites. Identification of T. solium was confirmed by morphological features of segments and species-specific DNA detection from segments and stool. The prevalence of T. solium taeniasis was 18.6% (172/924); factors associated with taeniasis on multivariate analysis were age above 15 years, history of passage of Taenia segments in stool, undercooked pork consumption and poor hand hygiene (hand-washing with clay/water after defecation). Seventy-eight subjects (6.6%) with epilepsy were identified. The study showed alarmingly high rates of epilepsy and T. solium taeniasis in the study community; it highlights the need for large-scale imaging-based surveys to identify the factors associated with epilepsy including neurocysticercosis. Health education, mass anthelminthic therapy and other preventive measures are required to control the menace of the disease.

Scaling up of HIV-TB collaborative activities: Achievements and challenges in India.

PubMed

Deshmukh, Rajesh; Shah, Amar; Sachdeva, K S; Sreenivas, A N; Gupta, R S; Khaparde, S D

2016-01-01

India has been implementing HIV/TB collaborative activities since 2001 with rapid scale-up of infrastructure across the country during past decade in National AIDS Control Programme and Revised National TB Control Programme. India has shown over 50% reduction in new infections and around 35% reduction in AIDS-related deaths, thereby being one of the success stories globally. Substantial progress in the implementation of collaborative TB/HIV activities has occurred in India and it is marching towards target set out in the Global Plan to Stop TB and endorsed by the UN General Assembly to halve HIV associated TB deaths by 2015. While the successful approaches have led to impressive gains in HIV/TB control in India, there are emerging challenges including newer pockets with rising HIV trends in North India, increasing drug resistance, high mortality among co-infected patients, low HIV testing rates among TB patients in northern and eastern states in India, treatment delays and drop-outs, stigma and discrimination, etc. In spite of these difficulties, established HIV/TB coordination mechanisms at different levels, rapid scale-up of facilities with decentralisation of treatment services, regular joint supervision and monitoring, newer initiatives like use of rapid diagnostics for early diagnosis of TB among people living with HIV, TB notification, etc. have led to success in combating the threat of HIV/TB in India. This article highlights the steps taken by India, one of the largest HIV/TB programmes in world, in scaling up of the joint HIV-TB collaborative activities, the achievements so far and discusses the emerging challenges which could provide important lessons for other countries in scaling up their programmes. Copyright © 2016 Tuberculosis Association of India. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mucormycosis at a tertiary care centre in Gujarat, India.

PubMed

Patel, Atul K; Patel, Ketan K; Patel, Kamlesh; Gohel, Swati; Chakrabarti, Arunaloke

2017-06-01

The prevalence of mucormycosis is reportedly high in India, although the studies are mainly from north and south India only. We analysed the mucormycosis cases at tertiary care centres of West India. We retrieved the clinical details of all the patients with probable and proven mucormycosis diagnosed at Sterling Hospital and ID clinic at Ahmedabad, Gujarat over the period from 1 January 2013 through 30 April 2015. The data were analysed to determine demography, risk factors, underlying diseases, site of infection and outcome of these patients. A total of 27 patients with the median age of 50 (16-65) years were diagnosed with mucormycosis during the period. Rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis was the most common (51.9%) presentation. Majority (55.6%) of the patients had uncontrolled diabetes with or without ketoacidosis; 25.9% patients had no underlying disease and most of them (85.7%) had cutaneous mucormycosis. In this group, the mortality was 25.9% and an equal percentage of patients were lost to follow up; 14 (51.9%) patients could complete 6 weeks of amphotericin B therapy. All patients who completed antifungal therapy survived except one. Like other parts of India, uncontrolled diabetes was the predominant risk factor for mucormycosis in our group. Patients completing 6 weeks of amphotericin B treatment were likely to survive. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

An overview of molecular epidemiology of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in India.

PubMed

Datta, Sibnarayan

2008-12-19

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the major global public health problems. In India, HBsAg prevalence among general population ranges from 2% to 8%, placing India in intermediate HBV endemicity zone and the number of HBV carriers is estimated to be 50 million, forming the second largest global pool of chronic HBV infections. India is a vast country, comprised of multiracial communities with wide variations in ethnicity and cultural patterns, which is attributable to its geographical location, gene influx due to invasion and/or anthropological migrations in the past. Moreover, recent increase in trade, trafficking and use of illicit drugs has also considerably influenced the epidemiology of HBV, specifically in the eastern and north eastern parts of India. However, data on the molecular epidemiology of HBV in India is scanty. HBV genotypes A and D have been well documented from different parts of mainland India. Interestingly, in addition to genotypes A and D, genotype C having high nucleotide similarity with south East Asian subgenotype Cs/C1 strain, have been detected exclusively from eastern Indian HBV carriers, suggesting a recent introduction. Thus, compared to other parts of India, the molecular epidemiology of HBV is naturally distinct in eastern India. Very recently, taking the advantage of circulation of three distinct HBV genotypes within the population of eastern India, different aspects of HBV molecular epidemiology was studied that revealed very interesting results. In this study, the clinical significance of HBV genotypes, core promoter and precore mutations, possible routes of introduction of HBV genotype C in eastern India, the clinical implications of x gene variability, prevalence of the AFB1 induced p53 gene codon 249 mutation, the transmission potentiality of HBV among asymptomatic/inactive or occult HBV carriers and the genetic variability of HBV persisting in the PBL was investigated. In this manuscript, the information available on the

India

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2013-04-16

article title:  Aerosols over India     View Larger Image ... particulates, over the low-lying plains of northeastern India appear in dramatic contrast with the relatively pristine air of the ... October 15, 2001 - High concentrations of aerosols over India. project:  MISR category:  gallery ...

Healthcare-Associated Pneumonia and Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia: Bacterial Aetiology, Antibiotic Resistance and Treatment Outcomes: A Study From North India.

PubMed

Kumar, Sandeep; Jan, Rafi Ahmed; Fomda, Bashir Ahmad; Rasool, Roohi; Koul, Parvaiz; Shah, Sonaullah; Khan, Umar Hafiz; Qadri, Syed Mudasir; Masoodi, Shariq Rashid; Mantoo, Suhail; Muzamil, Mudasir

2018-04-25

Data regarding the comparative profiling of HCAP and HAP from developing countries like India are scant. We set out to address the microbial aetiology, antibiotic resistance and treatment outcomes in patients with HCAP and HAP. 318 consenting patients with HCAP (n = 165, aged 16-90 years; median 60 years; 97 males) or HAP (n = 153; aged 16-85 years; median 45 years; 92 males) presenting to a tertiary care hospital in North India from 2013 to 2015 were prospectively recruited for the study. Data on patient characteristics, microbial aetiology, APACHE II scores, treatment outcomes and mortality were studied. Clinical outcomes were compared with various possible predictors employing logistic regression analysis. Patients in HCAP had more comorbidity. Escherichia coli (30, 18%) and Acinetobacter baumannii (62, 41%) were the most commonly isolated bacteria in HCAP and HAP, respectively. Multidrug-resistant bacteria were isolated more frequently in HCAP, only because the incidence of extensively drug-resistant bacteria was markedly high in HAP (p = 0.00). The mean APACHE II score was lower in HCAP (17.55 ± 6.406, range 30) compared to HAP (19.74 ± 8.843, range 37; p = 0.013). The length of stay ≥ 5 days (p = 0.036) and in-hospital mortality was higher in HAP group (p = 0.002). The most reliable predictors of in-hospital mortality in HCAP and HAP were APACHE II score ≥ 17 (OR = 14, p = 0.00; HAP: OR = 10.8, p = 0.00), and septic shock (OR = 4.5, p = 0.00; HAP: OR = 6.9, p = 0.00). The patient characteristics in HCAP, treatment outcomes, bacterial aetiology, and a higher incidence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, suggest that HCAP although not as severe as HAP, can be grouped as a separate third entity.

Prevalence of Household-level Food Insecurity and Its Determinants in an Urban Resettlement Colony in North India

PubMed Central

Chinnakali, Palanivel; Upadhyay, Ravi P.; Shokeen, Deepa; Singh, Kavita; Kaur, Manpreet; Singh, Arvind K.; Goswami, Anil; Pandav, Chandrakant S.

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT An adequate food intake, in terms of quantity and quality, is a key to healthy life. Malnutrition is the most serious consequence of food insecurity and has a multitude of health and economic implications. India has the world's largest population living in slums, and these have largely been underserved areas. The State of Food Insecurity in the World (2012) estimates that India is home to more than 217 million undernourished people. Various studies have been conducted to assess food insecurity at the global level; however, the literature is limited as far as India is concerned. The present study was conducted with the objective of documenting the prevalence of food insecurity at the household level and the factors determining its existence in an urban slum population of northern India. This cross-sectional study was conducted in an urban resettlement colony of South Delhi, India. A pre-designed, pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire was used for collecting socioeconomic details and information regarding dietary practices. Food insecurity was assessed using Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the factors associated with food insecurity. A total of 250 women were interviewed through house-to-house survey. Majority of the households were having a nuclear family (61.6%), with mean family-size being 5.5 (SD±2.5) and the mean monthly household income being INR 9,784 (SD±631). Nearly half (53.3%) of the mean monthly household income was spent on food. The study found that a total of 77.2% households were food-insecure, with 49.2% households being mildly food-insecure, 18.8% of the households being moderately food-insecure, and 9.2% of the households being severely food-insecure. Higher education of the women handling food (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.15-0.92; p≤0.03) and number of earning members in the household (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.48-0.98; p≤0.04) were associated with lesser chance/odds of being

Prevalence of household-level food insecurity and its determinants in an urban resettlement colony in north India.

PubMed

Chinnakali, Palanivel; Upadhyay, Ravi P; Shokeen, Deepa; Singh, Kavita; Kaur, Manpreet; Singh, Arvind K; Goswami, Anil; Yadav, Kapil; Pandav, Chandrakant S

2014-06-01

An adequate food intake, in terms of quantity and quality, is a key to healthy life. Malnutrition is the most serious consequence of food insecurity and has a multitude of health and economic implications. India has the world's largest population living in slums, and these have largely been underserved areas. The State of Food Insecurity in the World (2012) estimates that India is home to more than 217 million undernourished people. Various studies have been conducted to assess food insecurity at the global level; however, the literature is limited as far as India is concerned. The present study was conducted with the objective of documenting the prevalence of food insecurity at the household level and the factors determining its existence in an urban slum population of northern India. This cross-sectional study was conducted in an urban resettlement colony of South Delhi, India. A pre-designed, pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire was used for collecting socioeconomic details and information regarding dietary practices. Food insecurity was assessed using Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the factors associated with food insecurity. A total of 250 women were interviewed through house-to-house survey. Majority of the households were having a nuclear family (61.6%), with mean family-size being 5.5 (SD +/- 2.5) and the mean monthly household income being INR 9,784 (SD +/- 631). Nearly half (53.3%) of the mean monthly household income was spent on food. The study found that a total of 77.2% households were food-insecure, with 49.2% households being mildly food-insecure, 18.8% of the households being moderately food-insecure, and 9.2% of the households being severely food-insecure. Higher education of the women handling food (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.15-0.92; p < or = 0.03) and number of earning members in the household (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.48-0.98; p < or = 0.04) were associated with lesser chance

Spatial variations in deformation mechanisms along the Main Central thrust zone: Implications for the evolution of the MCT in the Darjeeling -Sikkim Himalaya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharyya, Kathakali; Mitra, Gautam

2014-12-01

In the Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya, we recognize two distinct MCT sheets: the structurally higher MCT1 and the lower MCT2. Microstructural studies from three different segments along the transport direction of the MCT2 fault zone suggest that the fault has undergone strain softening by different mechanisms. The geometry of the tapered crystalline orogenic wedge resulted in variation of overburden along the MCT2. Strain softening by different deformation mechanisms accommodated translation of ⩾100 km along a thin MCT2 fault zone. As the mylonitic trailing part of the MCT2 in Pelling had the greatest overburden, deformation took place by dislocation creep in quartz and by microfracturing in feldspar. Reaction softening of feldspar produced an intrinsically weak matrix that primarily controlled the deformation, resulting in a strain softening fault zone. At Soreng MCT2 zone, under intermediate crustal conditions, finer-grained recrystallized quartz and micaceous matrix deformed by grain-size sensitive diffusion creep mechanisms resulting in strain softening. The fault rocks at Sivitar had the least overburden and record a prominent mineralogical change from the protolith; strain softening occurred by pressure solution slip, possibly by a combination of grain-size reduction by cataclasis and an increase in fluid activity.

Radiative Forcing Due to Major Aerosol Emitting Sectors in China and India

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Streets, David G.; Shindell, Drew Todd; Lu, Zifeng; Faluvegi, Greg

2013-01-01

Understanding the radiative forcing caused by anthropogenic aerosol sources is essential for making effective emission control decisions to mitigate climate change. We examined the net direct plus indirect radiative forcing caused by carbonaceous aerosol and sulfur emissions in key sectors of China and India using the GISS-E2 chemistry-climate model. Diesel trucks and buses (67 mW/ sq. m) and residential biofuel combustion (52 mW/ sq. m) in India have the largest global mean, annual average forcings due mainly to the direct and indirect effects of BC. Emissions from these two sectors in China have near-zero net global forcings. Coal-fired power plants in both countries exert a negative forcing of about -30 mW/ sq. m from production of sulfate. Aerosol forcings are largest locally, with direct forcings due to residential biofuel combustion of 580 mW/ sq. m over India and 416 mW/ sq. m over China, but they extend as far as North America, Europe, and the Arctic

Sex in an Imperial war zone: transnational encounters in Second World War India.

PubMed

Khan, Yasmin

2012-01-01

This article suggests how the waging of war in an imperial setting may have reshaped military and civilian relations in India from 1939-45. The number of troops stationed in India had repercussions for society and local politics. The article investigates widespread prostitution as one aspect of the gendered wartime economy. Indian prostitution was closely linked to militarization and to the effects of the 1943 Bengal famine. The article also argues this was symptomatic of a more far-reaching renegotiation of the interactions between men and women in the Indian Empire of the 1940s. Other Indian, European, North American and Anglo-Indian women worked as nurses, with the Red Cross and in a variety of roles towards the war effort. Women were subject to new social and sexual demands due to the increased numbers of troops stationed in India in the 1940s.

Phylogeography of the Golden Jackal (Canis aureus) in India

PubMed Central

Yumnam, Bibek; Negi, Tripti; Maldonado, Jesús E.; Fleischer, Robert C.; Jhala, Yadvendradev V.

2015-01-01

The golden jackal (Canis aureus) is one of the most common and widely distributed carnivores in India but phylogeographic studies on the species have been limited across its range. Recent studies have observed absence of mitochondrial (mt) DNA diversity in European populations while some North African populations of golden jackal were found to carry gray wolf (Canis lupus lupaster) mtDNA lineages. In the present study, we sequenced 440 basepairs (bp) of control region (CR) and 412 bp of cytochrome b (cyt b) gene of mtDNA from 62 golden jackals sampled from India (n = 55), Israel (n = 2) and Bulgaria (n = 5), to obtain a total of eighteen haplotypes, comprising sixteen from India and one each from Israel and Bulgaria. Except for three previously described haplotypes represented by one cyt b and one CR haplotype both from India, and one CR haplotype from Bulgaria, all haplotypes identified in this study are new. Genetic diversity was high in golden jackals compared to that reported for other canids in India. Unlike the paraphyletic status of African conspecifics with the gray wolf, the Indian (and other Eurasian) golden jackal clustered in a distinct but shallow monophyletic clade, displaying no evidence of admixture with sympatric and related gray wolf and domestic dog clades in the region. Phylogeographic analyses indicated no clear pattern of genetic structuring of the golden jackal haplotypes and the median joining network revealed a star-shaped polytomy indicative of recent expansion of the species from India. Indian haplotypes were observed to be interior and thus ancestral compared to haplotypes from Europe and Israel, which were peripheral and hence more derived. Molecular tests for demographic expansion confirmed a recent event of expansion of golden jackals in the Indian subcontinent, which can be traced back ~ 37,000 years ago during the late Pleistocene. Our results suggest that golden jackals have had a potentially longer evolutionary history in India

The Challenges and Relevance of Exploring the Genetics of North Africa's "Barbary Lion" and the Conservation of Putative Descendants in Captivity.

PubMed

Black, Simon A

2016-01-01

The lions of North Africa were unique in ecological terms as well as from a human cultural perspective and were the definitive lions of Roman and Medieval Europe. Labelled "Barbary" lions, they were once numerous in North Africa but were exterminated by the mid-20th century. Despite subsequent degeneration of the Atlas Mountain ecosystem through human pressures, the feasibility of lion reintroduction has been debated since the 1970s. Research on the long-established captive lion collection traditionally kept by the sultans and kings of Morocco has enabled selective breeding coordinated across Moroccan and European zoos involving a significant number of animals. Molecular genetic research has recently provided insights into lion phylogeny which, despite previous suggestions that all lions share recent common ancestry, now indicates clear distinctions between lions in North, West, and Central Africa, the Middle East, and India versus those in Southern and Eastern Africa. A review of the evolutionary relevance of North African lions highlights the important challenges and opportunities in understanding relationships between Moroccan lions, extinct North African lions, and extant lion populations in India and West and Central Africa and the potential role for lions in ecosystem recovery in those regions.

Seamless hydrological predictions for a monsoon driven catchment in North-East India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Köhn, Lisei; Bürger, Gerd; Bronstert, Axel

2016-04-01

Improving hydrological forecasting systems on different time scales is interesting and challenging with regards to humanitarian as well as scientific aspects. In meteorological research, short-, medium-, and long-term forecasts are now being merged to form a system of seamless weather and climate predictions. Coupling of these meteorological forecasts with a hydrological model leads to seamless predictions of streamflow, ranging from one day to a season. While there are big efforts made to analyse the uncertainties of probabilistic streamflow forecasts, knowledge of the single uncertainty contributions from meteorological and hydrological modeling is still limited. The overarching goal of this project is to gain knowledge in this subject by decomposing and quantifying the overall predictive uncertainty into its single factors for the entire seamless forecast horizon. Our study area is the Mahanadi River Basin in North-East India, which is prone to severe floods and droughts. Improved streamflow forecasts on different time scales would contribute to early flood warning as well as better water management operations in the agricultural sector. Because of strong inter-annual monsoon variations in this region, which are, unlike the mid-latitudes, partly predictable from long-term atmospheric-oceanic oscillations, the Mahanadi catchment represents an ideal study site. Regionalized precipitation forecasts are obtained by applying the method of expanded downscaling to the ensemble prediction systems of ECMWF and NCEP. The semi-distributed hydrological model HYPSO-RR, which was developed in the Eco-Hydrological Simulation Environment ECHSE, is set up for several sub-catchments of the Mahanadi River Basin. The model is calibrated automatically using the Dynamically Dimensioned Search algorithm, with a modified Nash-Sutcliff efficiency as objective function. Meteorological uncertainty is estimated from the existing ensemble simulations, while the hydrological uncertainty is

Clinico-epidemiological profile of patients attending Suraksha Clinic of tertiary care hospital of North India

PubMed Central

Banger, H. S.; Sethi, Anisha; Malhotra, Sita; Malhotra, Suresh Kumar; Kaur, Tejinder

2017-01-01

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a global health problem. Trends of STIs vary from place to place depending on various epidemiological factors prevailing in that respective geographic area. Aims and Objectives: The present study was conducted to find the pattern and prevalence of different STIs out of total STI clinic attendees, to identify any change in the trend of STIs, various epidemiological factors, and behavior of individual diseases. Materials and Methods: Case records of the patients, attending the STI clinic (Suraksha Clinic) attached with Department of Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprosy of a tertiary care medical college and hospital of North India from April 2007 to March 2014, were analyzed. All the patients were thoroughly examined and investigated. Results: This study included a total of 5468 STI clinic attendees out of which 3908 were diagnosed to have STIs. Most of the patients were male, married, and in the third decade of their lives. In our study, the highest number of patients had herpes genitalis, i.e., 850 patients (21.75%) followed by 415 patients (10.61%) having genital warts. Molluscum contagiosum was present in 239 patients (6.11%), 106 patients (2.71%) had urethral discharge whereas 81 patients (2.07%) diagnosed to have syphilis. Viral infections accounted for 38.48% of cases. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positivity was seen in 414 patients (10.59%) of total STI cases. Conclusion: The trend of STIs is changing from bacterial to viral diseases. This is because of the widespread use of antibacterial, self-medication, and treatment through national program. STIs enhance the susceptibility of an individual to acquire or transmit HIV through sexual contact. PMID:28442804

Health problems among Thai tourists returning from India.

PubMed

Olanwijitwong, Jutarmas; Piyaphanee, Watcharapong; Poovorawan, Kittiyod; Lawpoolsri, Saranath; Chanthavanich, Pornthep; Wichainprasast, Pongdej; Tantawichien, Terapong

2017-07-01

The number of Thai tourists visiting India is increasing each year. Most studies investigating health problems among international travellers to India have focused on travellers from Europe or North America, and the applicability of these studies to Asian travellers is unknown. This cross-sectional study used data collected from Thai tourists who had recently completed a trip to India. A questionnaire on demographic data, travel characteristics, pre-travel health preparation, and health problems during the trip to India was administered. All participants were also invited to answer a follow-up questionnaire 15 days after their arrival. The study included 1,304 Thai tourists returning from India between October 2014 and March 2015. Sixty-two percent were female. Overall median age was 49 years, and the median length of stay was 10.6 days. Most were package tourists, and 52% (675) reported health problems during their trip. Common health problems were cough, runny nose, and sore throat (31.1%), followed by musculoskeletal problems (21.7%), fever (12.7%), diarrhea (9.8%) and skin problems (6.6%). Other reported problems were related to the eyes/ears (2.1%), animal exposure (1.9%) and accidents (0.8%). We found that several factors may be associated with the incidence of health problems among these tourists, including travelling style and travel health preparation. In the follow-up questionnaire, 16.8% of the participants reported new or additional symptoms that developed after their return to Thailand. Respiratory symptoms were still the most common health problems during this 15-day period. Over half (52%) of Thai tourists experienced health problems during their trip to India. The most common health problem was not travellers' diarrhoea, as would be expected from published studies. Rather, respiratory and musculoskeletal problems were common symptoms. This information will be useful in pre-travel assessment and care. Our findings may indicate that health risks among

Fiscal transfers based on inputs or outcomes? Lessons from the Twelfth and Thirteenth Finance Commission in India

PubMed Central

Iyer, Smriti; Kapur, Avani; Mahbub, Rifaiyat; Mukherjee, Anit

2017-01-01

Summary Background There is limited empirical evidence about the efficacy of fiscal transfers for a specific purpose, including for health which represents an important source of funds for the delivery of public services especially in large populous countries such as India. Objective To examine two distinct methodologies for allocating specific‐purpose centre‐to‐state transfers, one using an input‐based formula focused on equity and the other using an outcome‐based formula focused on performance. Materials and Methods We examine the Twelfth Finance Commission (12FC)'s use of Equalization Grants for Health (EGH) as an input‐based formula and the Thirteenth Finance Commission (13FC)'s use of Incentive Grants for Health (IGH) as an outcome‐based formula. We simulate and replicate the allocation of these two transfer methodologies and examine the consequences of these fiscal transfer mechanisms. Results The EGH placed conditions for releasing funds, but states varied in their ability to meet those conditions, and hence their allocations varied, eg, Madhya Pradesh received 100% and Odisha 67% of its expected allocation. Due to the design of the IGH formula, IGH allocations were unequally distributed and highly concentrated in 4 states (Manipur, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Nagaland), which received over half the national IGH allocation. Discussion The EGH had limited impact in achieving equalization, whereas the IGH rewards were concentrated in states which were already doing better. Greater transparency and accountability of centre‐to‐state allocations and specifically their methodologies are needed to ensure that allocation objectives are aligned to performance. PMID:28857284

Fiscal transfers based on inputs or outcomes? Lessons from the Twelfth and Thirteenth Finance Commission in India.

PubMed

Fan, Victoria Y; Iyer, Smriti; Kapur, Avani; Mahbub, Rifaiyat; Mukherjee, Anit

2018-01-01

There is limited empirical evidence about the efficacy of fiscal transfers for a specific purpose, including for health which represents an important source of funds for the delivery of public services especially in large populous countries such as India. To examine two distinct methodologies for allocating specific-purpose centre-to-state transfers, one using an input-based formula focused on equity and the other using an outcome-based formula focused on performance. We examine the Twelfth Finance Commission (12FC)'s use of Equalization Grants for Health (EGH) as an input-based formula and the Thirteenth Finance Commission (13FC)'s use of Incentive Grants for Health (IGH) as an outcome-based formula. We simulate and replicate the allocation of these two transfer methodologies and examine the consequences of these fiscal transfer mechanisms. The EGH placed conditions for releasing funds, but states varied in their ability to meet those conditions, and hence their allocations varied, eg, Madhya Pradesh received 100% and Odisha 67% of its expected allocation. Due to the design of the IGH formula, IGH allocations were unequally distributed and highly concentrated in 4 states (Manipur, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Nagaland), which received over half the national IGH allocation. The EGH had limited impact in achieving equalization, whereas the IGH rewards were concentrated in states which were already doing better. Greater transparency and accountability of centre-to-state allocations and specifically their methodologies are needed to ensure that allocation objectives are aligned to performance. © 2017 The Authors. The International Journal of Health Planning and Management published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Estimation of stature from the foot and its segments in a sub-adult female population of North India

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Establishing personal identity is one of the main concerns in forensic investigations. Estimation of stature forms a basic domain of the investigation process in unknown and co-mingled human remains in forensic anthropology case work. The objective of the present study was to set up standards for estimation of stature from the foot and its segments in a sub-adult female population. Methods The sample for the study constituted 149 young females from the Northern part of India. The participants were aged between 13 and 18 years. Besides stature, seven anthropometric measurements that included length of the foot from each toe (T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 respectively), foot breadth at ball (BBAL) and foot breadth at heel (BHEL) were measured on both feet in each participant using standard methods and techniques. Results The results indicated that statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between left and right feet occur in both the foot breadth measurements (BBAL and BHEL). Foot length measurements (T1 to T5 lengths) did not show any statistically significant bilateral asymmetry. The correlation between stature and all the foot measurements was found to be positive and statistically significant (p-value < 0.001). Linear regression models and multiple regression models were derived for estimation of stature from the measurements of the foot. The present study indicates that anthropometric measurements of foot and its segments are valuable in the estimation of stature. Foot length measurements estimate stature with greater accuracy when compared to foot breadth measurements. Conclusions The present study concluded that foot measurements have a strong relationship with stature in the sub-adult female population of North India. Hence, the stature of an individual can be successfully estimated from the foot and its segments using different regression models derived in the study. The regression models derived in the study may be applied successfully for the

First report of Chilli veinal mottle virus in Naga chilli (Capsicum chinense) in Meghalaya, India.

PubMed

Banerjee, Amrita; Dutta, Ram; Roy, Somnath; Ngachan, S V

2014-01-01

The present study confirms the occurrence of Chilli veinal mottle virus (ChiVMV) under the genus Potyvirus in Naga chilli (Capsicum chinense) in Meghalaya based on mechanical transmission assay, transmission electron microscopy, RT-PCR and sequence analysis. This is the first record of Chivmv in Naga chilli in North-East India.

Alu polymorphic insertions reveal genetic structure of north Indian populations.

PubMed

Tripathi, Manorama; Tripathi, Piyush; Chauhan, Ugam Kumari; Herrera, Rene J; Agrawal, Suraksha

2008-10-01

The Indian subcontinent is characterized by the ancestral and cultural diversity of its people. Genetic input from several unique source populations and from the unique social architecture provided by the caste system has shaped the current genetic landscape of India. In the present study 200 individuals each from three upper-caste and four middle-caste Hindu groups and from two Muslim populations in North India were examined for 10 polymorphic Alu insertions (PAIs). The investigated PAIs exhibit high levels of polymorphism and average heterozygosity. Limited interpopulation variance and genetic flow in the present study suggest admixture. The results of this study demonstrate that, contrary to common belief, the caste system has not provided an impermeable barrier to genetic exchange among Indian groups.

Hypertension in India: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence, awareness, and control of hypertension

PubMed Central

Anchala, Raghupathy; Kannuri, Nanda K.; Pant, Hira; Khan, Hassan; Franco, Oscar H.; Di Angelantonio, Emanuele; Prabhakaran, Dorairaj

2014-01-01

Background: A region-specific (urban and rural parts of north, east, west, and south India) systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence, awareness, and control of hypertension among Indian patients have not been done before. Methods: Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus databases from 1950 to 30 April 2013 were searched for ‘prevalence, burden, awareness, and control of blood pressure (BP) or hypertension (≥140 SBP and or ≥90 DBP) among Indian adults’ (≥18 years). Of the total 3047 articles, 142 were included. Results: Overall prevalence for hypertension in India was 29.8% (95% confidence interval: 26.7–33.0). Significant differences in hypertension prevalence were noted between rural and urban parts [27.6% (23.2–32.0) and 33.8% (29.7–37.8); P = 0.05]. Regional estimates for the prevalence of hypertension were as follows: 14.5% (13.3–15.7), 31.7% (30.2–33.3), 18.1% (16.9–19.2), and 21.1% (20.1–22.0) for rural north, east, west, and south India; and 28.8% (26.9–30.8), 34.5% (32.6–36.5), 35.8% (35.2–36.5), and 31.8% (30.4–33.1) for urban north, east, west, and south India, respectively. Overall estimates for the prevalence of awareness, treatment, and control of BP were 25.3% (21.4–29.3), 25.1% (17.0–33.1), and 10.7% (6.5–15.0) for rural Indians; and 42.0% (35.2–48.9), 37.6% (24.0–51.2), and 20.2% (11.6–28.7) for urban Indians. Conclusion: About 33% urban and 25% rural Indians are hypertensive. Of these, 25% rural and 42% urban Indians are aware of their hypertensive status. Only 25% rural and 38% of urban Indians are being treated for hypertension. One-tenth of rural and one-fifth of urban Indian hypertensive population have their BP under control. PMID:24621804

Epidemiology of childhood overweight & obesity in India: A systematic review.

PubMed

Ranjani, Harish; Mehreen, T S; Pradeepa, Rajendra; Anjana, Ranjit Mohan; Garg, Renu; Anand, Krishnan; Mohan, Viswanathan

2016-02-01

Childhood obesity is a known precursor to obesity and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in adulthood. However, the magnitude of the problem among children and adolescents in India is unclear due to paucity of well-conducted nationwide studies and lack of uniformity in the cut-points used to define childhood overweight and obesity. Hence an attempt was made to review the data on trends in childhood overweight and obesity reported from India during 1981 to 2013. Literature search was done in various scientific public domains from the last three decades using key words such as childhood and adolescent obesity, overweight, prevalence, trends, etc. Additional studies were also identified through cross-references and websites of official agencies. Prevalence data from 52 studies conducted in 16 of the 28 States in India were included in analysis. The median value for the combined prevalence of childhood and adolescent obesity showed that it was higher in north, compared to south India. The pooled data after 2010 estimated a combined prevalence of 19.3 per cent of childhood overweight and obesity which was a significant increase from the earlier prevalence of 16.3 per cent reported in 2001-2005. Our review shows that overweight and obesity rates in children and adolescents are increasing not just among the higher socio-economic groups but also in the lower income groups where underweight still remains a major concern.

Molecular Characterization of Echinococcus granulosus Cysts in North Indian Patients: Identification of G1, G3, G5 and G6 Genotypes

PubMed Central

Sharma, Monika; Sehgal, Rakesh; Fomda, Bashir Ahmad; Malhotra, Anil; Malla, Nancy

2013-01-01

Background Cystic echinococcosis (CE) caused by the Echinococcus granulosus, is a major public health problem worldwide, including India. The different genotypes of E. granulosus responsible for human hydatidosis have been reported from endemic areas throughout the world. However, the genetic characterization of E. granulosus infecting the human population in India is lacking. The aim of study was to ascertain the genotype(s) of the parasite responsible for human hydatidosis in North India. Methodology/Principal Findings To study the transmission patterns of E. granulosus, genotypic analysis was performed on hydatid cysts obtained from 32 cystic echinococcosis (CE) patients residing in 7 different states of North India. Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit1 (cox1) sequencing was done for molecular identification of the isolates. Most of the CE patients (30/32) were found to be infected with hydatid cyst of either G3 (53.1%) or G1 (40.62%) genotype and one each of G5 (cattle strain) and G6 (camel strain) genotype. Conclusions/Significance These findings demonstrate the zoonotic potential of G1 (sheep strain) and G3 (buffalo strain) genotypes of E. granulosus as these emerged as predominant genotypes infecting the humans in India. In addition to this, the present study reports the first human CE case infected with G5 genotype (cattle strain) in an Asian country and presence of G6 genotype (camel strain) in India. The results may have important implications in the planning of control strategies for human hydatidosis. PMID:23785531

Estimating population salt intake in India using spot urine samples.

PubMed

Petersen, Kristina S; Johnson, Claire; Mohan, Sailesh; Rogers, Kris; Shivashankar, Roopa; Thout, Sudhir Raj; Gupta, Priti; He, Feng J; MacGregor, Graham A; Webster, Jacqui; Santos, Joseph Alvin; Krishnan, Anand; Maulik, Pallab K; Reddy, K Srinath; Gupta, Ruby; Prabhakaran, Dorairaj; Neal, Bruce

2017-11-01

To compare estimates of mean population salt intake in North and South India derived from spot urine samples versus 24-h urine collections. In a cross-sectional survey, participants were sampled from slum, urban and rural communities in North and in South India. Participants provided 24-h urine collections, and random morning spot urine samples. Salt intake was estimated from the spot urine samples using a series of established estimating equations. Salt intake data from the 24-h urine collections and spot urine equations were weighted to provide estimates of salt intake for Delhi and Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh. A total of 957 individuals provided a complete 24-h urine collection and a spot urine sample. Weighted mean salt intake based on the 24-h urine collection, was 8.59 (95% confidence interval 7.73-9.45) and 9.46 g/day (8.95-9.96) in Delhi and Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh, respectively. Corresponding estimates based on the Tanaka equation [9.04 (8.63-9.45) and 9.79 g/day (9.62-9.96) for Delhi and Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh, respectively], the Mage equation [8.80 (7.67-9.94) and 10.19 g/day (95% CI 9.59-10.79)], the INTERSALT equation [7.99 (7.61-8.37) and 8.64 g/day (8.04-9.23)] and the INTERSALT equation with potassium [8.13 (7.74-8.52) and 8.81 g/day (8.16-9.46)] were all within 1 g/day of the estimate based upon 24-h collections. For the Toft equation, estimates were 1-2 g/day higher [9.94 (9.24-10.64) and 10.69 g/day (9.44-11.93)] and for the Kawasaki equation they were 3-4 g/day higher [12.14 (11.30-12.97) and 13.64 g/day (13.15-14.12)]. In urban and rural areas in North and South India, most spot urine-based equations provided reasonable estimates of mean population salt intake. Equations that did not provide good estimates may have failed because specimen collection was not aligned with the original method.

Rural recruitment and retention of health workers across cadres and types of contract in north-east India: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Rajbangshi, Preety R; Nambiar, Devaki; Choudhury, Nandini; Rao, Krishna D

2017-09-01

Background Like many other low- and middle-income countries, India faces challenges of recruiting and retaining health workers in rural areas. Efforts have been made to address this through contractual appointment of health workers in rural areas. While this has helped to temporarily bridge the gaps in human resources, the overall impact on the experience of rural services across cadres has yet to be understood. This study sought to identify motivations for, and the challenges of, rural recruitment and retention of nurses, doctors and specialists across types of contract in rural and remote areas in India's largely rural north-eastern states of Meghalaya and Nagaland. Methods A qualitative study was undertaken, in which 71 semi-structured interviews were carried out with doctors (n = 32), nurses (n = 28) and specialists (n = 11). In addition, unstructured key informant interviews (n = 11) were undertaken, along with observations at health facilities and review of state policies. Data were analysed using Ritchie and Spencer's framework method and the World Health Organization's 2010 framework of factors affecting decisions to relocate to, stay in or leave rural areas. Results It was found that rural background and community attachment were strongly associated with health workers' decision to join rural service, regardless of cadre or contract. However, this aspiration was challenged by health-systems factors of poor working and living conditions; low salary and incentives; and lack of professional growth and recognition. Contractual health workers faced unique challenges (lack of pay parity, job insecurity), as did those with permanent positions (irrational postings and political interference). Conclusion This study establishes that the crisis in recruiting and retaining health workers in rural areas will persist until and unless health systems address the core basic requirements of health workers in rural areas, which are related to health-sector policies

India-Eurasia collision triggers formation of an oceanic microplate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matthews, Kara; Müller, Dietmar; Sandwell, David

2016-04-01

Detailed mapping of seafloor tectonic fabric in the Indian Ocean, using high-resolution satellite-derived vertical gravity gradient data, reveals an extinct Pacific-style oceanic microplate - the Mammerickx Microplate - west of the Ninetyeast Ridge. It is one of the first Pacific-style microplates to be mapped outside the Pacific basin, suggesting that geophysical conditions during formation probably resembled those that have dominated at eastern Pacific ridges. The microplate formed at the Indian-Antarctic ridge and is bordered by an extinct ridge in the north and pseudofault in the south, whose conjugate is located north of the Kerguelen Plateau. Independent microplate rotation is indicated by asymmetric pseudofaults and rotated abyssal hill fabric, also identified in multibeam data. Magnetic anomaly picks and age estimates calculated from published spreading rates suggest formation during chron 21o (~47.3 Ma). Plate reorganizations can trigger ridge propagation and microplate development, and we propose that formation of the Mammerickx Microplate is linked with the initial 'soft' stage of the India-Eurasia collision. The collision altered the stress regime at the Indian-Antarctic ridge, leading to a change in segmentation and ridge propagation from an establishing transform fault. Fast Indian-Antarctic spreading that preceded microplate formation, and Kerguelen Plume activity may have facilitated ridge propagation via the production of thin and weak lithosphere. However, both factors had been present for tens of millions of years and are therefore unlikely to have triggered the event. Prior to the collision, this combination of fast spreading and plume activity was responsible for the production of a wide region of undulate seafloor to the north of the extinct ridge and 'W' shaped lineations that record back and forth ridge propagation. Microplate formation provides a means of dating the onset of the India-Eurasia collision, and is completely independent of and

SRTM Colored and Shaded Topography: Haro and Kas Hills, India

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-04-12

On January 26, 2001, the Kachchh region in western India suffered the most deadly earthquake in India's history. This shaded topography view of landforms northeast of the city of Bhuj depicts geologic structures that are of interest in the study the tectonic processes that may have led to that earthquake. However, preliminary field studies indicate that these structures are composed of Mesozoic rocks that are overlain by younger rocks showing little deformation. Thus these structures may be old, not actively growing, and not directly related to the recent earthquake. The Haro Hills are on the left and the Kas Hills are on the right. The Haro Hills are an "anticline," which is an upwardly convex elongated fold of layered rocks. In this view, the anticline is distinctly ringed by an erosion resistant layer of sandstone. The east-west orientation of the anticline may relate to the crustal compression that has occurred during India's northward movement toward, and collision with, Asia. In contrast, the largest of the Kas Hills appears to be a tilted (to the south) and faulted (on the north) block of layered rocks. Also seen here, the linear feature trending toward the southwest from the image center is an erosion-resistant "dike," which is an igneous intrusion into older "host" rocks along a fault plane or other crack. These features are simple examples of how shaded topography can provide a direct input to geologic studies. In this image, colors show the elevation as measured by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). Colors range from green at the lowest elevations, through yellow and red, to purple at the highest elevations. Elevations here range from near sea level to about 300 meters (about 1000 feet). Shading has been added, with illumination from the north (image top). http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA03300

India. Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminar Abroad 1994 (India).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dickler, Paul

This curriculum packet on politics and international relations in India contains an essay, three lessons and a variety of charts, maps, and additional readings to support the unit. The essay is entitled "India 1994: The Peacock and the Vulture." The lessons include: (1) "The Kashmir Dispute"; (2) "India: Domestic Order and…

Trend of human brucellosis over a decade at tertiary care centre in North Karnataka.

PubMed

Patil, D P; Ajantha, G S; Shubhada, C; Jain, P A; Kalabhavi, A; Shetty, P C; Hosamani, M; Appannanavar, S; Kulkarni, R D

2016-01-01

Brucellosis is an important zoonotic disease. India having a major agrarian population is expected to have a higher prevalence. However, due to lack of laboratory facility or awareness among clinicians, the disease is largely underreported. The aim of this study was to know the prevalence and trend of human brucellosis over a decade, in patients attending a teaching hospital in North Karnataka, and to understand their geographical distribution. The study was conducted from January 2006 to December 2015 at a tertiary care teaching hospital in North Karnataka. A total of 3610 serum samples were evaluated from suspected cases of brucellosis. All serum samples were initially screened by Rose Bengal plate test, and positive samples were further analysed by Serum agglutination test (SAT) using standard Brucella abortus antigen from Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India. A titre above or equal to 1:80 IU/ml was considered as positive. Demographic data such as age, sex and native place of these patients were also analysed. We observed that human brucellosis is present in North Karnataka. The overall seropositivity of brucellosis in suspected cases was 5.1%. The positive titres ranged from 1:80 to 163,840 IU/ml. The majority of the patients were from Gadag, Koppal and Haveri districts of North Karnataka. Our study confirms the presence of human brucellosis in the northern part of Karnataka. Further studies to understand the prevalence of animal brucellosis in these areas will help in implementing prevention measures.

Forest cover change prediction using hybrid methodology of geoinformatics and Markov chain model: A case study on sub-Himalayan town Gangtok, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukhopadhyay, Anirban; Mondal, Arun; Mukherjee, Sandip; Khatua, Dipam; Ghosh, Subhajit; Mitra, Debasish; Ghosh, Tuhin

2014-08-01

In the Himalayan states of India, with increasing population and activities, large areas of forested land are being converted into other land-use features. There is a definite cause and effect relationship between changing practice for development and changes in land use. So, an estimation of land use dynamics and a futuristic trend pattern is essential. A combination of geospatial and statistical techniques were applied to assess the present and future land use/land cover scenario of Gangtok, the subHimalayan capital of Sikkim. Multi-temporal satellite imageries of the Landsat series were used to map the changes in land use of Gangtok from 1990 to 2010. Only three major land use classes (built-up area and bare land, step cultivated area, and forest) were considered as the most dynamic land use practices of Gangtok. The conventional supervised classification, and spectral indices-based thresholding using NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) and SAVI (Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index) were applied along with the accuracy assessments. Markov modelling was applied for prediction of land use/land cover change and was validated. SAVI provides the most accurate estimate, i.e., the difference between predicted and actual data is minimal. Finally, a combination of Markov modelling and SAVI was used to predict the probable land-use scenario in Gangtok in 2020 AD, which indicted that more forest areas will be converted for step cultivation by the year 2020.

The "Downside" of Women Empowerment in India: An Experimental Inquiry into the Role of Expectations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Kempen, Luuk

2009-01-01

The paper reports on a field experiment conducted among poor women organized in self-help groups in the north-east of India. The experiment tests in a simple game whether overly optimistic expectations with respect to the benefits of exercising agency reduces one's appreciation of remaining with agency in the future. If so, unrealistic…

Uncertainties in observations and climate projections for the North East India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soraisam, Bidyabati; Karumuri, Ashok; D. S., Pai

2018-01-01

The Northeast-India has undergone many changes in climatic-vegetation related issues in the last few decades due to increased human activities. However, lack of observations makes it difficult to ascertain the climate change. The study involves the mean, seasonal cycle, trend and extreme-month analysis for summer-monsoon and winter seasons of observed climate data from Indian Meteorological Department (1° × 1°) and Aphrodite & CRU-reanalysis (both 0.5° × 0.5°), and five regional-climate-model simulations (LMDZ, MPI, GFDL, CNRM and ACCESS) data from AR5/CORDEX-South-Asia (0.5° × 0.5°). Long-term (1970-2005) observed, minimum and maximum monthly temperature and precipitation, and the corresponding CORDEX-South-Asia data for historical (1970-2005) and future-projections of RCP4.5 (2011-2060) have been analyzed for long-term trends. A large spread is found across the models in spatial distributions of various mean maximum/minimum climate statistics, though models capture a similar trend in the corresponding area-averaged seasonal cycles qualitatively. Our observational analysis broadly suggests that there is no significant trend in rainfall. Significant trends are observed in the area-averaged minimum temperature during winter. All the CORDEX-South-Asia simulations for the future project either a decreasing insignificant trend in seasonal precipitation, but increasing trend for both seasonal maximum and minimum temperature over the northeast India. The frequency of extreme monthly maximum and minimum temperature are projected to increase. It is not clear from future projections how the extreme rainfall months during JJAS may change. The results show the uncertainty exists in the CORDEX-South-Asia model projections over the region in spite of the relatively high resolution.

Evidence of triple mutant Pfdhps ISGNGA haplotype in Plasmodium falciparum isolates from North-east India: An analysis of sulfadoxine resistant haplotype selection.

PubMed

Das, Manuj K; Chetry, Sumi; Kalita, Mohan C; Dutta, Prafulla

2016-12-01

North-east region of India has consistent role in the spread of multi drug resistant Plasmodium (P.) falciparum to other parts of Southeast Asia. After rapid clinical treatment failure of Artemisinin based combination therapy-Sulphadoxine/Pyrimethamine (ACT-SP) chemoprophylaxis, Artemether-Lumefantrine (ACT-AL) combination therapy was introduced in the year 2012 in this region for the treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria. In a DNA sequencing based polymorphism analysis, seven codons of P. falciparum dihydropteroate synthetase ( Pf dhps) gene were screened in a total of 127 P. falciparum isolates collected from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura of North-east India during the year 2014 and 2015 to document current sulfadoxine resistant haplotypes. Sequences were analyzed to rearrange both nucleotide and protein haplotypes. Molecular diversity indices were analyzed in DNA Sequence Polymorphism software (DnaSP) on the basis of Pf dhps gene sequences. Disappearance from selective neutrality was assessed based on the ratio of non-synonomous to synonomous nucleotide substitutions [dN/dS ratio]. Moreover, two-tailed Z test was performed in search of the significance for probability of rejecting null hypothesis of strict neutrality [dN = dS]. Presence of mutant P. falciparum multidrug resistance protein1 ( Pf mdr1) was also checked in those isolates that were present with new Pf dhps haplotypes. Phylogenetic relationship based on Pf dhps gene was reconstructed in Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis (MEGA). Among eight different sulfadoxine resistant haplotypes found, IS GNG A haplotype was documented in a total of five isolates from Tripura with association of a new mutant M538 R allele. Sequence analysis of Pf mdr1 gene in these five isolates came to notice that not all but only one isolate was mutant at codon 86 (N86 Y ; Y YSND) in the multidrug resistance protein. Molecular diversity based on Pf dhps haplotypes revealed that P. falciparum

LA-SF-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb geochronology of granitic rocks from the central Bundelkhand greenstone complex, Bundelkhand craton, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verma, Sanjeet K.; Verma, Surendra P.; Oliveira, Elson P.; Singh, Vinod K.; Moreno, Juan A.

2016-03-01

The central Bundelkhand greenstone complex in Bundelkhand craton, northern India is one of the well exposed Archaean supracrustal amphibolite, banded iron formation (BIF) and felsic volcanic rocks (FV) and associated with grey and pink porphyritic granite, tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG). Here we present high precision zircon U-Pb geochronological data for the pinkish porphyritic granites and TTG. The zircons from the grey-pinkish porphyritic granite show three different concordia ages of 2531 ± 21 Ma, 2516 ± 38 Ma, and 2514 ± 13 Ma, which are interpreted as the best estimate of the magmatic crystallization age for the studied granites. We also report the concordia age of 2669 ± 7.4 Ma for a trondhjemite gneiss sample, which is so far the youngest U-Pb geochronological data for a TTG rock suite in the Bundelkhand craton. This TTG formation at 2669 Ma is also more similar to Precambrian basement TTG gneisses of the Aravalli Craton of north western India and suggests that crust formation in the Bundelkhand Craton occurred in a similar time-frame to that recorded from the Aravalli craton of the North-western India.

Effect of Gratitude Educational Intervention on Well-Being Indicators among North Indian Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khanna, Pulkit; Singh, Kamlesh

2016-01-01

The aim of the present paper was to study the impact of a gratitude building intervention on adolescents' gratitude and well-being indicators. The sample comprised 177 students aged 11--14 years (M[subscript Age] = 12.29 years, SD = 0.67, 58% male) attending two schools in North India. Using quasi-experimental design, participating classrooms from…

Regional variability of farmer decision making and irrigation water use: insights from a data-scarce region of North India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Keeffe, Jimmy; Buytaert, Wouter; Brozović, Nick; Mijic, Ana

2014-05-01

Over the last fifty years, changes in agriculture brought about by the Green Revolution have transformed India from a famine-prone, drought-susceptible country into the worlds' third largest grain producer and one of the most intensively irrigated parts of the globe. Regionally, cheap energy, subsidised seeds and fertilisers, and in some areas Government purchase guarantees for grain promote the intensification of farming. While this allows farmers to survive, it also aggravates the drain agriculture is having on resources, particularly energy and water. Analysis at a regional scale, however, masks the considerable spatial variability that exists on a more localised level and must be taken into consideration to understand correctly aggregate system response to policy, hydrologic, and climatic change. In this study we present and analyse the results from over 100 farmer interviews conducted in the data-scarce districts of Jalaun and Sitapur on the Gangetic Plains of Uttar Pradesh during the post monsoon period of 2013. Variables such as the volumes and timing of irrigation water applied, sources of water, methods of abstraction and irrigation, and costs incurred are mapped, using qualitative data analysis and GIS. Large differences between the districts emerge, for instance in the region of Jalaun where cheaper canal water is available in addition to groundwater. This has enabled farmers to afford more water efficient technologies such as sprinklers, a practice not found in Sitapur which depends almost exclusively on more expensive diesel pumps. Results are used to delineate the spatial variability in water use practices, along with farmer behaviour and decision making. The primary data are compared with socio-economic information taken from regionally produced statistical abstracts. The combined data are used to identify the main drivers that influence farmer decision-making, which is in turn leading to groundwater overdraught in many parts of North India. Finally

Operational Remote Sensing Services in North Eastern Region of India for Natural Resources Management, Early Warning for Disaster Risk Reduction and Dissemination of Information and Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raju, P. L. N.; Sarma, K. K.; Barman, D.; Handique, B. K.; Chutia, D.; Kundu, S. S.; Das, R. Kr.; Chakraborty, K.; Das, R.; Goswami, J.; Das, P.; Devi, H. S.; Nongkynrih, J. M.; Bhusan, K.; Singh, M. S.; Singh, P. S.; Saikhom, V.; Goswami, C.; Pebam, R.; Borgohain, A.; Gogoi, R. B.; Singh, N. R.; Bharali, A.; Sarma, D.; Lyngdoh, R. B.; Mandal, P. P.; Chabukdhara, M.

2016-06-01

North Eastern Region (NER) of India comprising of eight states considered to be most unique and one of the most challenging regions to govern due to its unique physiographic condition, rich biodiversity, disaster prone and diverse socio-economic characteristics. Operational Remote Sensing services increased manifolds in the region with the establishment of North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC) in the year 2000. Since inception, NESAC has been providing remote sensing services in generating inventory, planning and developmental activities, and management of natural resources, disasters and dissemination of information and services through geo-web services for NER. The operational remote sensing services provided by NESAC can be broadly divided into three categories viz. natural resource planning and developmental services, disaster risk reduction and early warning services and information dissemination through geo-portal services. As a apart of natural resources planning and developmental services NESAC supports the state forest departments in preparing the forest working plans by providing geospatial inputs covering entire NER, identifying the suitable culturable wastelands for cultivation of silkworm food plants, mapping of natural resources such as land use/land cover, wastelands, land degradation etc. on temporal basis. In the area of disaster risk reduction, NESAC has initiated operational services for early warning and post disaster assessment inputs for flood early warning system (FLEWS) using satellite remote sensing, numerical weather prediction, hydrological modeling etc.; forest fire alert system with actionable attribute information; Japanese Encephalitis Early Warning System (JEWS) based on mosquito vector abundance, pig population and historical disease intensity and agriculture drought monitoring for the region. The large volumes of geo-spatial databases generated as part of operational services are made available to the administrators and

New record of the bush cricket, Zvenella yunnana Gorochov (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Podoscirtinae) from India.

PubMed

Mal, Jhabar; Nagar, Rajendra; Swaminathan, R

2014-10-07

The first record of a known species of bush cricket, Zvenella yunnana (Gryllidae: Podoscirtinae), collected from the North-eastern province, Meghalaya (India) is reported. Previously, the species was reported from Thailand and the Indo-China region (Gorochov, 1985, 1988). The other congeneric species reported is Zvenella geniculata (Chopard) from Thailand. The morphological characterization of Z. yunnana has been presented with suitable illustrations.

Pyrolysis and kinetic analyses of a perennial grass (Saccharum ravannae L.) from north-east India: Optimization through response surface methodology and product characterization.

PubMed

Saikia, Ruprekha; Baruah, Bhargav; Kalita, Dipankar; Pant, Kamal K; Gogoi, Nirmali; Kataki, Rupam

2018-04-01

The objective of the present investigation was to optimize the pyrolysis condition of an abundantly available and low cost perennial grass of north-east India Saccharum ravannae L. (S. ravannae) using response surface methodology based on central composite design. Kinetic study of the biomass was conducted at four different heating rates of 10, 20, 40 and 60 °C min -1 and results were interpreted by Friedman, Kissinger Akira Sunnose and Flynn-Wall-Ozawa methods. Average activation energy 151.45 kJ mol -1 was used for evaluation of reaction mechanism following Criado master plot. Maximum bio-oil yield of 38.1 wt% was obtained at pyrolysis temperature of 550 °C, heating rate of 20 °C min -1 and nitrogen flow rate of 226 mL min -1 . Study on bio-oil quality revealed higher content of hydrocarbon, antioxidant property, total phenolic content and metal chelating capacity. These opened up probable applications of S. ravannae bio-oil in different fields including fuel, food industry and biomedical domain. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing health and rehabilitation needs of people with disabilities in Cameroon and India.

PubMed

Mactaggart, Islay; Kuper, Hannah; Murthy, G V S; Sagar, Jayanthi; Oye, Joseph; Polack, Sarah

2016-09-01

To assess the association between disability and serious health problems, and the access and uptake of health and rehabilitation services in Cameroon and India. We undertook a population-based case-control study, nested within a survey in Fundong Health District, North West Cameroon (August-October 2013) and in Mahbubnagar District, Telangana State, India (February-April 2014). Disability was defined as the presence of self-reported difficulties in functioning or clinical impairments. One control without disability was selected per case, matched by age, gender and cluster. Information was collected using structured questionnaires on: socioeconomic status, health, access to health services and rehabilitation. Cases with disability were significantly more likely to report a serious health problem in the last year compared to controls in both India (OR = 3.2, 95% CI 2.1-4.8) and Cameroon (OR = 1.9, 1.4-2.7). The vast majority of people sought care when seriously ill, and this did not vary between cases and controls. Awareness and use of rehabilitation services was extremely low in both Cameroon and India. Further focus is needed to improve awareness of rehabilitation services among people with disabilities in India and Cameroon to ensure that their rights are fulfilled and to achieve the goal of Universal Health Coverage. Implications for Rehabilitation People with and without disabilities equally seek health care in India and Cameroon. However, people with disabilities experience more frequent serious health problems than people without. Extremely few people with disabilities were aware of rehabilitation services despite their existence in the study settings.

Epidemiology of childhood overweight & obesity in India: A systematic review

PubMed Central

Ranjani, Harish; Mehreen, T.S.; Pradeepa, Rajendra; Anjana, Ranjit Mohan; Garg, Renu; Anand, Krishnan; Mohan, Viswanathan

2016-01-01

Background & objectives: Childhood obesity is a known precursor to obesity and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in adulthood. However, the magnitude of the problem among children and adolescents in India is unclear due to paucity of well-conducted nationwide studies and lack of uniformity in the cut-points used to define childhood overweight and obesity. Hence an attempt was made to review the data on trends in childhood overweight and obesity reported from India during 1981 to 2013. Methods: Literature search was done in various scientific public domains from the last three decades using key words such as childhood and adolescent obesity, overweight, prevalence, trends, etc. Additional studies were also identified through cross-references and websites of official agencies. Results: Prevalence data from 52 studies conducted in 16 of the 28 States in India were included in analysis. The median value for the combined prevalence of childhood and adolescent obesity showed that it was higher in north, compared to south India. The pooled data after 2010 estimated a combined prevalence of 19.3 per cent of childhood overweight and obesity which was a significant increase from the earlier prevalence of 16.3 per cent reported in 2001-2005. Interpretation & conclusions: Our review shows that overweight and obesity rates in children and adolescents are increasing not just among the higher socio-economic groups but also in the lower income groups where underweight still remains a major concern. PMID:27121514

Northeast India Helminth Parasite Information Database (NEIHPID): Knowledge Base for Helminth Parasites.

PubMed

Biswal, Devendra Kumar; Debnath, Manish; Kharumnuid, Graciously; Thongnibah, Welfrank; Tandon, Veena

2016-01-01

Most metazoan parasites that invade vertebrate hosts belong to three phyla: Platyhelminthes, Nematoda and Acanthocephala. Many of the parasitic members of these phyla are collectively known as helminths and are causative agents of many debilitating, deforming and lethal diseases of humans and animals. The North-East India Helminth Parasite Information Database (NEIHPID) project aimed to document and characterise the spectrum of helminth parasites in the north-eastern region of India, providing host, geographical distribution, diagnostic characters and image data. The morphology-based taxonomic data are supplemented with information on DNA sequences of nuclear, ribosomal and mitochondrial gene marker regions that aid in parasite identification. In addition, the database contains raw next generation sequencing (NGS) data for 3 foodborne trematode parasites, with more to follow. The database will also provide study material for students interested in parasite biology. Users can search the database at various taxonomic levels (phylum, class, order, superfamily, family, genus, and species), or by host, habitat and geographical location. Specimen collection locations are noted as co-ordinates in a MySQL database and can be viewed on Google maps, using Google Maps JavaScript API v3. The NEIHPID database has been made freely available at http://nepiac.nehu.ac.in/index.php.

Northeast India Helminth Parasite Information Database (NEIHPID): Knowledge Base for Helminth Parasites

PubMed Central

Debnath, Manish; Kharumnuid, Graciously; Thongnibah, Welfrank; Tandon, Veena

2016-01-01

Most metazoan parasites that invade vertebrate hosts belong to three phyla: Platyhelminthes, Nematoda and Acanthocephala. Many of the parasitic members of these phyla are collectively known as helminths and are causative agents of many debilitating, deforming and lethal diseases of humans and animals. The North-East India Helminth Parasite Information Database (NEIHPID) project aimed to document and characterise the spectrum of helminth parasites in the north-eastern region of India, providing host, geographical distribution, diagnostic characters and image data. The morphology-based taxonomic data are supplemented with information on DNA sequences of nuclear, ribosomal and mitochondrial gene marker regions that aid in parasite identification. In addition, the database contains raw next generation sequencing (NGS) data for 3 foodborne trematode parasites, with more to follow. The database will also provide study material for students interested in parasite biology. Users can search the database at various taxonomic levels (phylum, class, order, superfamily, family, genus, and species), or by host, habitat and geographical location. Specimen collection locations are noted as co-ordinates in a MySQL database and can be viewed on Google maps, using Google Maps JavaScript API v3. The NEIHPID database has been made freely available at http://nepiac.nehu.ac.in/index.php PMID:27285615

Trends of drug-resistance-associated mutations in the reverse transcriptase gene of HIV type 1 isolates from North India.

PubMed

Azam, Mohd; Malik, Abida; Rizvi, Meher; Rai, Arvind

2014-04-01

A major cause of failure of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is the presence of drug-resistance-associated mutations in the polymerase gene of HIV-1. The paucity of data regarding potential drug resistance to reverse transcriptase inhibitors (RTIs) prompted us to carry out this study. This information will shed light on the extent of drug resistance already present in HIV strains and will give future directions in patient treatment and in drug design. Drug resistance genotyping of a partial reverse transcriptase gene was done in 103 HIV-1-infected patients, including the ART-naive and ART-experienced population. The drug resistance pattern was analyzed using the Stanford HIV-DR database, the IAS-USA mutation list and the REGA algorithm-v8.0. Subtyping was done using the REGA HIV-1 subtyping tool-v2.01. The majority of our sequences (96 %) were found to be subtype C, and four (3.8 %) were subtype A1. Significant prevalence of DR mutations (28 %) was observed in the RT gene. Major amino acid substitutions were seen at positions 41, 90, 98, 103, 106, 108, 138, 181, 184, 190, 215, and 219, which confer high/intermediate levels of resistance to most RTIs, independently or together. Our results show that there is an urgent need to tailor ART drug regimens to the individual to achieve optimum therapeutic outcome in North India.

Haematological profile of patients with mixed-phenotype acute leukaemia from a tertiary care centre of north India

PubMed Central

Sharma, Manupriya; Sachdeva, Man Updesh Singh; Bose, Parveen; Varma, Neelam; Varma, Subhash; Marwaha, R.K.; Malhotra, Pankaj

2017-01-01

Background & objectives: Mixed-phenotype acute leukaemia (MPAL) is a rare neoplasm with no definite treatment protocols and a distinctly poor outcome. Advancement in polychromatic flow cytometry has made its identification easier. This prospective study was designed to identify cases of MPAL and study their clinical presentation and haematological profile in a tertiary care hospital in north India. Methods: Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-anticoagulated bone marrow aspirate samples of patients diagnosed as acute leukaemia (AL) on the basis of morphology were utilized for immunophenotyping. A comprehensive panel of fluorochrome-labelled monoclonal antibodies targeting myeloid, B-cell, T-cell and immaturity markers was utilized. The patients diagnosed to have MPAL, on the basis of the World Health Organization 2008 classification, were selected for further analyses. Results: There were 15 (2.99%) patients with MPAL of the total 501 cases of AL. Seven were children, all males and mean age of 5.08±3.88 yr. Eight were adults, male:female=6:2 and mean age of 21.43±5.74 yr. Eight were diagnosed as B/myeloid and seven were T/myeloid. No association was observed between age and immunophenotype of MPAL. On morphology, 11 were diagnosed as AML and four as ALL, and no specific morphology of blasts was predictive of a MPAL. Interpretation & conclusions: MPAL appeared to be a rare neoplasm (2.99% of AL cases). A comprehensive primary panel of monoclonal antibodies should be used to identify this neoplasm known to have a poor outcome. PMID:28639598

Epidemiology of bacterial isolates among pediatric cancer patients from a tertiary care oncology center in North India.

PubMed

Kapoor, G; Sachdeva, N; Jain, S

2014-01-01

Infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in pediatric oncology. Resistance pattern of bacterial isolates determine empiric antibiotic therapy and influence outcome. This study was planned to determine profile of bacterial isolates and their antibiotic resistance pattern among pediatric cancer patients. It was a retrospective, single institutional study. The study was carried out in the department of pediatric hematology-oncology of a tertiary care cancer centre in north India over a period of 24 months (2012-2014). Microbiological data pertaining to pediatric cancer patients, less than 18 yrs of age was analysed. Hence, 238 bacterial isolates were cultured from among 1757 blood, urine and other specimens. Gram negative bacteria were the most common (74%) pathogens identified and E. coli and Klebsiella comprised 80% of them. A high incidence of extended spectrum beta lactamase producing organisms (84%), beta-lactam beta-lactamase inhibitor (78%) and carbapenem resistance was observed (29%). Blood stream infection with multi-drug resistant Klebsiella was associated with high mortality. The gram positive bacteria isolated were predominantly staphylococcus aureus and were antibiotic sensitive. Reduction in the number of culture positive isolates in the second year of our study was probably due to rigorous implementation of infection control measures. These results on microbiologic profile and antibiotic sensitivity pattern of the isolates will be extremely helpful in revision of antibiotic guidelines for our patients and in developing strategies for coping with high prevalence of multi-drug resistance. Antibiotic stewardship and strict implementation of infection control practices will be important components of this effort.

Scale-up of a comprehensive harm reduction programme for people injecting opioids: lessons from north-eastern India

PubMed Central

Lalmuanpuii, Melody; Biangtung, Langkham; Mishra, Ritu Kumar; Reeve, Matthew J; Tzudier, Sentimoa; Singh, Angom L; Sinate, Rebecca

2013-01-01

Abstract Problem Harm reduction packages for people who inject illicit drugs, including those infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), are cost-effective but have not been scaled up globally. In the north-eastern Indian states of Manipur and Nagaland, the epidemic of HIV infection is driven by the injection of illicit drugs, especially opioids. These states needed to scale up harm reduction programmes but faced difficulty doing so. Approach In 2004, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funded Project ORCHID to scale up a harm reduction programme in Manipur and Nagaland. Local setting In 2003, an estimated 10 000 and 16 000 people were injecting drugs in Manipur and Nagaland, respectively. The prevalence of HIV infection among people injecting drugs was 24.5% in Manipur and 8.4% in Nagaland. Relevant changes By 2012, the harm reduction programme had been scaled up to an average of 9011 monthly contacts outside clinics (80% of target); an average of 1709 monthly clinic visits (15% of target, well above the 5% monthly goal) and an average monthly distribution of needles and syringes of 16 each per programme participant. Opioid agonist maintenance treatment coverage was 13.7% and retention 6 months after enrolment was 63%. Antiretroviral treatment coverage for HIV-positive participants was 81%. Lessons learnt A harm reduction model consisting of community-owned, locally relevant innovations and business approaches can result in good harm reduction programme scale-up and influence harm reduction policy. Project ORCHID has influenced national harm reduction policy in India and contributed to the development of harm reduction guidelines. PMID:23599555

The Challenges and Relevance of Exploring the Genetics of North Africa's “Barbary Lion” and the Conservation of Putative Descendants in Captivity

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

The lions of North Africa were unique in ecological terms as well as from a human cultural perspective and were the definitive lions of Roman and Medieval Europe. Labelled “Barbary” lions, they were once numerous in North Africa but were exterminated by the mid-20th century. Despite subsequent degeneration of the Atlas Mountain ecosystem through human pressures, the feasibility of lion reintroduction has been debated since the 1970s. Research on the long-established captive lion collection traditionally kept by the sultans and kings of Morocco has enabled selective breeding coordinated across Moroccan and European zoos involving a significant number of animals. Molecular genetic research has recently provided insights into lion phylogeny which, despite previous suggestions that all lions share recent common ancestry, now indicates clear distinctions between lions in North, West, and Central Africa, the Middle East, and India versus those in Southern and Eastern Africa. A review of the evolutionary relevance of North African lions highlights the important challenges and opportunities in understanding relationships between Moroccan lions, extinct North African lions, and extant lion populations in India and West and Central Africa and the potential role for lions in ecosystem recovery in those regions. PMID:27656310

Prevalence of reproductive tract infections and their determinants in married women residing in an urban slum of North-East Delhi, India.

PubMed

Bhilwar, Meenakshi; Lal, Panna; Sharma, Nandini; Bhalla, Preena; Kumar, Ashok

2015-08-01

Reproductive tract infections (RTIs) have adverse implications on the health of the women. Community-based studies in India have shown a high prevalence of RTIs but here is a lack of sizeable literature from urban slums and resettlement areas. The objective was to document the prevalence and determinants of RTIs in married women (15-49 years) residing in an urban slum in Delhi, India. The study was conducted in an urban resettlement colony of Gokulpuri in the North-East district of Delhi. Systematic random sampling method was adopted to choose the study subjects, that is, married and non-pregnant women in the reproductive age group (15-49 years) residing in the study area. Data were collected using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire, through the house to house visits. The diagnosis of RTIs was made as per the World Health Organization syndromic approach. Data were analyzed in SPSS version 16 (Chicago, IL, USA). A total of 802 women were interviewed. The mean age of study subjects was 30.79 ± 7 years. A total of 352 (43.9%) women currently had symptoms of RTIs. The most frequently reported symptoms included abdominal pain (68.2%), back pain (69.6%), and vaginal discharge (59.3%). Older women (≥25 years) (odds ratio [OR] 2.2, 95% confidence interval [CI]; 1.4-3.5), those belonging to the lower socioeconomic status (OR 2.1, 95% CI; 1.5-2.9), those using cloth during menses (OR 2.6, 95% CI; 1.6-4.3), those having more than three pregnancies (OR 1.8, 95% CI; 1.2-2.6) and those using an intrauterine contraceptive device (OR 11.8, 95% CI; 4.3-32.0) had higher odds of having RTIs. A high case load was found based on the syndromic approach. Generating community awareness, ensuring proper menstrual hygiene, and improving the socioeconomic status would help in reducing the cases of RTI.

A tentative 2D thermal model of central India across the Narmada-Son Lineament (NSL)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rai, S. N.; Thiagarajan, S.

2006-12-01

This work deals with 2D thermal modeling in order to delineate the crustal thermal structure of central India along two Deep Seismic Sounding (DSS) profiles, namely Khajuriakalan-Pulgaon and Ujjan-Mahan, traversing the Narmada-Son-Lineament (NSL) in an almost north-south direction. Knowledge of the crustal structure and P-wave velocity distribution up to the Moho, obtained from DSS studies, has been used for the development of the thermal model. Numerical results reveal that the Moho temperature in this region of central India varies between 500 and 580 °C. The estimated heat flow density value is found to vary between 46 and 49 mW/m 2. The Curie depth varies between 40 and 42 km and is in close agreement with the Curie depth (40±4 km) estimated from the analysis of MAGSAT data. Based on the present work and previous work, it is suggested that the major part of peninsular India consisting of the Wardha-Pranhita Godavari graben/basin, Bastar craton and the adjoining region of the Narmada Son Lineament between profiles I and III towards the north and northwest of the Bastar craton are characterized with a similar mantle heat flow density value equal to ˜23 mW/m 2. Variation in surface heat flow density values in these regions are caused by variation in the radioactive heat production and fluid circulation in the upper crustal layer.

Oceanic microplate formation records the onset of India-Eurasia collision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matthews, Kara J.; Dietmar Müller, R.; Sandwell, David T.

2016-01-01

Mapping of seafloor tectonic fabric in the Indian Ocean, using high-resolution satellite-derived vertical gravity gradient data, reveals an extinct Pacific-style oceanic microplate ('Mammerickx Microplate') west of the Ninetyeast Ridge. It is one of the first Pacific-style microplates to be mapped outside the Pacific basin, suggesting that geophysical conditions during formation probably resembled those that have dominated at eastern Pacific ridges. The microplate formed at the Indian-Antarctic ridge and is bordered by an extinct ridge in the north and pseudofault in the south, whose conjugate is located north of the Kerguelen Plateau. Independent microplate rotation is indicated by asymmetric pseudofaults and rotated abyssal hill fabric, also seen in multibeam data. Magnetic anomaly picks and age estimates calculated from published spreading rates suggest formation during chron 21o (∼47.3 Ma). Plate reorganizations can trigger ridge propagation and microplate development, and we propose that Mammerickx Microplate formation is linked with the India-Eurasia collision (initial 'soft' collision). The collision altered the stress regime at the Indian-Antarctic ridge, leading to a change in segmentation and ridge propagation from an establishing transform. Fast Indian-Antarctic spreading that preceded microplate formation, and Kerguelen Plume activity, may have facilitated ridge propagation via the production of thin and weak lithosphere; however both factors had been present for tens of millions of years and are therefore unlikely to have triggered the event. Prior to the collision, the combination of fast spreading and plume activity was responsible for the production of a wide region of undulate seafloor to the north of the extinct ridge and 'W' shaped lineations that record back and forth ridge propagation. Microplate formation provides a precise means of dating the onset of the India-Eurasia collision, and is completely independent of and complementary to timing

Analysis of Human Papilloma Virus 16/18 DNA and its Correlation with p16 Expression in Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma in North-Eastern India: A Chromogenic in-situ Hybridization Based Study

PubMed Central

Jitani, Ankit Kumar; Mishra, Jaya; Shunyu, N. Brian; Khonglah, Yookarin; Medhi, Jayanta

2015-01-01

Background The incidence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is quite high in North Eastern India. Apart from the traditional risk factors like tobacco and alcohol consumption, human papilloma virus (HPV) is now considered an established causative agent. These HPV related tumour have a clinico-pathological profile that is quite divergent from conventional non-HPV related tumours. Association of HPV in oral cancers has not been explored in north-east India. Materials and Methods Thirty-one patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) on treatment from October 2010 to January 2013 were included in the study. Patients who received neo-adjuvant chemotherapy were excluded. HPV 16/18 DNA was evaluated using Chromogenic in-situ Hybridization (CISH). Presence of nuclear signals was taken as positive HPV expression. p16 was evaluated using immunohistochemistry and was considered positive if ≥ 80% of the tumour cells showed strong and diffuse nuclear/cytoplasmic immunostaining. The results were analysed using Fisher exact test and confidence interval was calculated where required. Results The study group age ranged from 30 to 80 years (median age- 54.2 years). The most common site was gum, with well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma being the most common histology. HPV 16/18 DNA was positive in 29% (95% CI: 13.03% - 44.97%) cases and had a clear tendency towards statistical significance with non-smoker cases (p=0.05), lymph node metastasis (p=0.05) and a significant correlation with p16 overexpression (p=0.04). There was no significant correlation with other clinico-pathological parameters. Conclusion HPV 16/18 is associated with OSCC, commonly seen among non-smokers and may be related to nodal metastasis. So, HPV may be used as a prognostic factor in OSCC and p16 may be considered as a surrogate marker for HPV. PMID:26435951

Paleolithic spread of Y-chromosomal lineage of tribes in eastern and northeastern India.

PubMed

Borkar, Minal; Ahmad, Fahim; Khan, Faisal; Agrawal, Suraksha

2011-11-01

The Indian peninsula provides a suitable region for examination of the demographic impact of migrations and invasions in historical times, because its complex recent history has involved the long-term residence of different populations with distinct geographical origins and their own particular cultural characteristics. The aim of the present study was to analyse Y chromosome haplotypes in tribes from eastern and north-eastern India, which provided the necessary phylogeographic resolution. A total of 32 Y-chromosome SNPs and 17 Y-STRs were genotyped in 607 males from nine populations (Munda, Birhor, Oraon, Paharia, Santhal, Ho, Lachung, Mech and Rajbanshi) residing in East and Northeastern India. Y-chromosomal analysis revealed high frequency of the O2a haplogroup in Austroasiatic tribes and high haplotype diversity within specific haplogroups demonstrating a lesser degree of admixture of these populations with neighbouring populations in eastern India. In addition, the presence of O3a haplogroups in Sino-Tibetan populations reflects the influx from Southeast Asia during the demographic expansion through the Northeastern corridor. The study suggested that the majority of the male gene flow of Austroasiatic tribes occurred during the late Pleistocene period. The results suggest gene flow from Southeast Asia to Northeast India, albeit more significantly among Tibeto-Burman than Austroasiatic-speaking populations.

Prevalence of oral cancer and pre-cancerous lesions and the association with numerous risk factors in North India: A hospital based study

PubMed Central

Gupta, Shalini; Singh, Rajender; Gupta, O. P.; Tripathi, Anurag

2014-01-01

Background: Oral cancer is one of the most common life-threatening diseases all over the world. Developing countries face several challenges to identify and remove potential risk factors. Chewing tobacco/pan masala is considered to be the most potent risk factor for oral precancerous lesions and oral cancer. Objectives: To investigate the relative occurrence of different oral pre-cancerous lesions and oral cancer in North India and to identify the associated risk factors. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based study was conducted and 471 subjects were recruited in the study. The subjects comprised patients with squamous cell carcinoma (n = 85), oral submucous fibrosis (n = 240), leukoplakia (n = 32), lichen planus (n = 15), and controls (n = 99). Statistical analysis of the data was done using Chi-square and regression analysis. Results: A strong correlation was observed between the presence of the chewing habit in all the oral precancerous lesions and oral cancer. Duration of the habit and intensity of habit ware also strongly correlated with the risk of oral precancerous lesions and oral cancer. Other factors such as alcohol and smoking were found to be less important in concern with oral cancer and precancerous lesions. PMID:25937723

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

PubMed

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

2016-01-01

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

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

PubMed Central

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

2016-01-01

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

A comparative evaluation of oral hygiene practices, oral health status, and behavior between graduate and post-graduate dentists of North India: An epidemiological survey

PubMed Central

Singh, Maan Surinder; Tuli, Aaswin Kaur

2013-01-01

Objectives: The present study was carried out to compare oral hygiene practices, oral health status and behavior of graduate and postgraduate dentists of North India. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out among 727 dentists (446 graduate i.e., Group A and 281 post graduate i.e., Group B) through an online questionnaire. The questionnaire covered oral hygiene regimen, adverse oral habits, information regarding dental visits and dental treatment. Results: Results showed less than adequate oral hygiene practices among both the groups with more so in the graduate group (P ≤ 0.05). Very few dentists in both the groups reported any adverse oral habit. A more positive (P ≤ 0.05) attitude towards regular dental check up and dental treatment was seen in post-graduate dentists when compared to graduates. Conclusion: Very few dentists in both the groups followed ideal dental hygiene regimen. Dentists are the role models for the society as far as oral health is concerned; hence they need to be more responsible and lay more stress on their daily regimen and improve the scenario. PMID:24478975

Modeling Precipitation Dependent Forest Resilience in India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, P.; Behera, M. D.; Roy, P. S.

2018-04-01

The impact of long term climate change that imparts stress on forest could be perceived by studying the regime shift of forest ecosystem. With the change of significant precipitation, forest may go through density change around globe at different spatial and temporal scale. The 100 class high resolution (60 meter spatial resolution) Indian vegetation type map was used in this study recoded into four broad categories depending on phrenology as (i) forest, (ii) scrubland, (iii) grassland and (iv) treeless area. The percentage occupancy of forest, scrub, grass and treeless were observed as 19.9 %, 5.05 %, 1.89 % and 7.79 % respectively. Rest of the 65.37 % land area was occupied by the cropland, built-up, water body and snow covers. The majority forest cover were appended into a 5 km × 5 km grid, along with the mean annual precipitation taken from Bioclim data. The binary presence and absence of different vegetation categories in relates to the annual precipitation was analyzed to calculate their resilience expressed in probability values ranging from 0 to 1. Forest cover observed having resilience probability (Pr) < 0.3 in only 0.3 % (200 km2) of total forest cover in India, which was 4.3 % < 0.5 Pr. Majority of the scrubs and grass (64.92 % Pr < 0.5) from North East India which were the shifting cultivation lands showing low resilience, having their high tendency to be transform to forest. These results have spatial explicitness to highlight the resilient and non-resilient distribution of forest, scrub and grass, and treeless areas in India.

The breakup of East Gondwana: Assimilating constraints from Cretaceous ocean basins around India into a best-fit tectonic model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibbons, Ana D.; Whittaker, Joanne M.; Müller, R. Dietmar

2013-03-01

models for the Cretaceous seafloor-spreading history of East Gondwana result in unlikely tectonic scenarios for at least one of the plate boundaries involved and/or violate particular constraints from at least one of the associated ocean basins. We link East Gondwana spreading corridors by integrating magnetic and gravity anomaly data from the Enderby Basin off East Antarctica within a regional plate kinematic framework to identify a conjugate series of east-west-trending magnetic anomalies, M4 to M0 ( 126.7-120.4 Ma). The mid-ocean ridge that separated Greater India from Australia-Antarctica propagated from north to south, starting at 136 Ma northwest of Australia, and reached the southern tip of India at 126 Ma. Seafloor spreading in the Enderby Basin was abandoned at 115 Ma, when a ridge jump transferred the Elan Bank and South Kerguelen Plateau to the Antarctic plate. Our revised plate kinematic model helps resolve the problem of successive two-way strike-slip motion between Madagascar and India seen in many previously published reconstructions and also suggests that seafloor spreading between them progressed from south to north from 94 to 84 Ma. This timing is essential for tectonic flow lines to match the curved fracture zones of the Wharton and Enderby basins, as Greater India gradually began to unzip from Madagascar from 100 Ma. In our model, the 85-East Ridge and Kerguelen Fracture Zone formed as conjugate flanks of a "leaky" transform fault following the 100 Ma spreading reorganization. Our model also identifies the Afanasy Nikitin Seamounts as products of the Conrad Rise hotspot.

Prevalence of Periodontal Disease in the General Population of India-A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Shewale, Akhilesh H; Gattani, Deepti R; Bhatia, Nidhi; Mahajan, Rupali; Saravanan, S P

2016-06-01

Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs (CPITN). It was also found that no prevalence studies have been carried out in few North and North Eastern states and Union Territories of India. Due to non-availability of same age groups in selected studies an overall prevalence rate could not be obtained. However, it was observed that few areas of states like West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Assam have reported a prevalence rate of periodontal disease of more than 85% in their general population. The data from the present systematic review calls for a combined initiative from the Government of India and Dental council of India to have a nationwide multicentric prevalence studies to obtain the true prevalence rate of periodontal disease in India and interventions should be provided for the same to maintain the oral health and quality of life of the affected population.

"Women's autonomy and pregnancy care in rural India: a contextual analysis".

PubMed

Mistry, Ritesh; Galal, Osman; Lu, Michael

2009-09-01

Studies in low-income countries have shown that women's autonomy (i.e. the freedom of women to exercise their judgment in order to act for their own interests) influences a number of reproductive and child health outcomes, including the use of pregnancy care services. However, studies have not examined the full spectrum of pregnancy care services needed for safe motherhood and have not accounted for community context. This study analyzed data on women and their villages from the cross-sectional population-based National Family Health Survey-2 (1998-1999) of rural India to investigate whether women's autonomy (measured in the 3 dimensions of decision-making autonomy, permission to go out, and financial autonomy) was associated with the use of adequate prenatal, delivery and postnatal care. The findings indicate women's autonomy was associated with greater use of pregnancy care services, particularly prenatal and postnatal care. The effect of women's autonomy on pregnancy care use varied according to the region of India examined (North, East and South) such that it was most consistently associated with pregnancy care use in south India, which also had the highest level of self-reported women's autonomy. The results regarding village level factors suggest that public investment in rural economic development, primary health care access, social cohesion and basic infrastructure such as electrification and paved roads were associated with pregnancy care use. Improvements in women's autonomy and these village factors may improve healthier child bearing in rural India.

Uranium (U)-Tolerant Bacterial Diversity from U Ore Deposit of Domiasiat in North-East India and Its Prospective Utilisation in Bioremediation

PubMed Central

Kumar, Rakshak; Nongkhlaw, Macmillan; Acharya, Celin; Joshi, Santa Ram

2013-01-01

Uranium (U)-tolerant aerobic chemo-heterotrophic bacteria were isolated from the sub-surface soils of U-rich deposits in Domiasiat, North East India. The bacterial community explored at molecular level by amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) resulted in 51 distinct phylotypes. Bacterial community assemblages at the U mining site with the concentration of U ranging from 20 to 100 ppm, were found to be most diverse. Representative bacteria analysed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing were affiliated to Firmicutes (51%), Gammaproteobacteria (26%), Actinobacteria (11%), Bacteroidetes (10%) and Betaproteobacteria (2%). Representative strains removed more than 90% and 53% of U from 100 μM and 2 mM uranyl nitrate solutions, respectively, at pH 3.5 within 10 min of exposure and the activity was retained until 24 h. Overall, 76% of characterized isolates possessed phosphatase enzyme and 53% had PIB-type ATPase genes. This study generated baseline information on the diverse indigenous U-tolerant bacteria which could serve as an indicator to estimate the environmental impact expected to be caused by mining in the future. Also, these natural isolates efficient in uranium binding and harbouring phosphatase enzyme and metal-transporting genes could possibly play a vital role in the bioremediation of metal-/radionuclide-contaminated environments. PMID:23080407

India Through Literature: An Annotated Bibliography for Teaching India. Part I: India Through the Ancient Classics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Donald; Johnson, Jean

The past and the present interweave in contemporary India. To understand India, one must know of the traditional stories. Two short pocket books make them accessible and acceptable to students: 1) The Dance of Shiva and Other Tales from India by Oroon Ghosh, published by the New American Library in New York; and, 2) Gods, Demons, and Others by R.…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2018-05-01

-Antarctica spreading center initiated the anticlockwise separation of Sri Lanka from India by M12n time. Seafloor spreading south of Sri Lanka due to the India-Antarctica spreading episode and the simultaneously occurring strike-slip motion east of Sri Lanka restricted this separation resulting in a failed rift. Thus Sri Lanka with strike-slip motion to its east, failed rift towards west, continental extension to its north and rifting to its south behaved as a short lived microplate during the Early Cretaceous period and remained attached to India thereafter.

Temporal trend of anemia among reproductive-aged women in India.

PubMed

Bharati, Susmita; Pal, Manoranjan; Som, Suparna; Bharati, Premananda

2015-03-01

Anemia is one of the major leading nutritional deficiencies in India, and the most vulnerable groups are preschool and adolescent children and pregnant and lactating women. The main objective of the study is to determine the temporal trend of anemia among reproductive-aged women of age 15-49 years. The study uses data from second and third rounds of the National Family Health Surveys (NFHS-2, 1998-1999, and NFHS-3, 2005-2006), conducted by the International Institute for Population Sciences. The dependent variable was the status of anemia of women. The determining variables were type of residence, age group, religion and castes, educational status, marital status, and household standard of living index. Anemia was most prevalent in the east zone for both the periods. The changes at the all India level were not much, but the north-east zone improved very well, whereas the south zone deteriorated drastically. The occurrence of severely anemic women in India varied between 1% and 2%. The highest prevalence rates were observed among women who were 15 to 24 years of age, illiterate, from non-Christian scheduled tribes (STs), unmarried, and whose standard of living was low. Rates of anemia have increased over time except in the case of Buddhists, Parsees, Jains, and the STs. From the viewpoint of our study, illiteracy and low standard of living may be the main causes of anemia among women in India. It is also necessary to take appropriate steps to curb anemia in women in their early adulthood. © 2012 APJPH.

Perceptions, practices and health seeking behaviour constrain JE/AES interventions in high endemic district of North India.

PubMed

Chaturvedi, Sanjay; Sharma, Neha; Kakkar, Manish

2017-08-08

Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) stay as poorly understood phenomena in India. Multiple linkages to determinants such as poverty, socio-economic status, gender, environment, and population distribution, make it a greater developmental issue than just a zoonotic disease. A qualitative study was conducted to map knowledge, perceptions and practices of community and health systems level stakeholders. Seventeen interviews with utilizers of AES care, care givers from human and veterinary sectors, Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), and pig owners and 4 Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) with farmers, community leaders, and students were conducted in an endemic north Indian district-Kushinagar. Core themes that emerged were: JE/AES been perceived as a deadly disease, but not a major health problem; filthy conditions, filthy water and mosquitoes seen to be associated with JE/AES; pigs not seen as a source of infection; minimal role of government health workers in the first-contact care of acute Illness; no social or cultural resistance to JE vaccination or mosquito control; no gender-based discrimination in the care of acute Illness; and non-utilization of funds available with local self govt. Serious challenges and systematic failures in delivery of care during acute illness, which can critically inform the health systems, were also identified. There is an urgent need for promotive interventions to address lack of awareness about the drivers of JE/AES. Delivery of care during acute illness suffers with formidable challenges and systematic failures. A large portion of mortality can be prevented by early institution of rational management at primary and secondary level, and by avoiding wastage of time and resources for investigations and medications that are not actually required.

Intra-seasonal and Inter-annual variability of Bowen Ratio over rain-shadow region of North peninsular India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morwal, S. B.; Narkhedkar, S. G.; Padmakumari, B.; Maheskumar, R. S.; Deshpande, C. G.; Kulkarni, J. R.

2017-05-01

Intra-seasonal and inter-annual variability of Bowen Ratio (BR) have been studied over the rain-shadow region of north peninsular India during summer monsoon season. Daily grid point data of latent heat flux (LHF), sensible heat flux (SHF) from NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis for the period 1970-2014 have been used to compute daily area-mean BR. Daily grid point rainfall data at a resolution of 0.25° × 0.25° from APHRODITE's Water Resources for the available period 1970-2007 have been used to study the association between rainfall and BR. The study revealed that BR rapidly decreases from 4.1 to 0.29 in the month of June and then remains nearly constant at the same value (≤0.1) in the rest of the season. High values of BR in the first half of June are indicative of intense thermals and convective clouds with higher bases. Low values of BR from July to September period are indicative of weak thermals and convective clouds with lower bases. Intra-seasonal and inter-annual variability of BR is found to be inversely related to precipitation over the region. BR analysis indicates that the land surface characteristics of the study region during July-September are similar to that over oceanic regions as far as intensity of thermals and associated cloud microphysical properties are concerned. Similar variation of BR is found in El Nino and La Nina years. During June, an increasing trend is observed in SHF and BR and decreasing trend in LHF from 1976 to 2014. Increasing trend in the SHF is statistically significant.

A descriptive study on evaluation of bio-medical waste management in a tertiary care public hospital of North India

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Proper management of Biomedical waste (BMW) generated in a healthcare facility is one of the most important functions of a healthcare worker (HCW) as its improper management not only poses risk to human beings and environment, but may also invite legal action against HCW as well as hospital administration. This study was carried out to evaluate quality of BMW management in 1100-bedded hospital attached to a tertiary care public institute in North India. Methods A checklist, including 29 parameters related to various functions to be carried out at source of generation by a HCW for BMW management was prepared by researcher and used after validation to record observations in all the 70 areas of hospital. A total of 6 visits were made to each area and mean percentage score was calculated for each area and each category of waste management. Results It was found that summated mean percentage score of ‘Treatment Room of Wards’, which were used exclusively by resident doctors, was significantly lower than Operation Theatres (p value: 0.033) and ‘Central Waste Collection Points of Wards’ (p value: 0.018) for the function of ‘mutilation of recyclable waste’ and it was significantly lower than all other areas (p value: 0.006 to 0.017) for the function of ‘disinfection of waste’. Conclusion It is concluded that more emphasis needs to be laid on ‘mutilation of recyclable waste’ and disinfection of waste’ by HCWs especially resident doctors. PMID:24742274

Essential Oil Composition of Valeriana Jatamansi Jones from Himalayan Regions of India

PubMed Central

Raina, Archana P.; Negi, K. S.

2015-01-01

Valeriana jatamansi Jones germplasm collected from sub-temperate Himalayan region of Uttarakhand and North-East state of Meghalaya, India was evaluated under identical conditions at National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Bhowali, India, to study germplasm diversity based on essential oil composition. Twenty one compounds were identified in V. jatamansi root oil by GC and GC-MS. The major compounds identified were patchouli alcohol (0.4-63.7%), maaliol (2.9-53.8%), seychellene (4.1-27.4%), calarene/ß-gurjunene (3.0-20.8%), α-santalene (0.6-12.0%). Other compounds present were bornyl acetate (0.6-1.5%), α-guaiene (0.7-2.3%), α-bulnesene/δ-guaiene (0.7-6.3%), 7-epi-α-selinene (0.4-1.4%), kessane (2.1-3.3%), spathulenol (0.7-3.4%), viridiflorol (0.9-7.1%), α-patchoulene (0.8-6.6%), ß-patchoulene (0.4-0.8%). Two superior chemotypes identified in V. jatamansi oil from Uttarakhand were: patchouli alcohol rich (IC573221, 63.7%) and maaliol rich (IC573222, 53.8%; IC589096, 51.7%), while accession from north-east was patchouli alcohol rich chemotype (IC574522, 57.2%). These superior chemotypes with higher amounts of patchouli alcohol and maaliol could be used for promoting cultivation as well as for meeting need of pharmaceutical industries. PMID:26009656

Fluoride in groundwater: a case study in Precambrian terranes of Ambaji region, North Gujarat, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohan Pradhan, Rudra; Biswal, Tapas Kumar

2018-06-01

Fluoride is one of the critical ions that influence the groundwater quality. World Health Organization (WHO, 1970) and Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS, 1991) set an upper limit of 1.5 mg L-1 in F- concentration for drinking water purpose and above affects teeth and bones of humans. The presence of fluoride in groundwater is due to an interaction of groundwater and fluoride bearing rocks. Fluoride rich groundwater is well known in granitic aquifers in India and elsewhere. Generally, the concentration of F- in groundwater is controlled by local geological setting; leaching and weathering of bedrock and climatic condition of an area. The main objective of the present study is to assess the hydrogeochemistry of groundwater and to understand the abundance of F- in groundwater in hard rock terranes of Ambaji region, North Gujarat. A total of forty-three representative groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for major cations and anions using ICP-AES, Ion Chromatograph (Metrohm 883 Basic IC Plus) and titration methods. The F- concentration in groundwater of this study area ranges from 0.17 to 2.7 mg L-1. Among, twenty groundwater samples have fluoride exceeding the maximum permissible limit as per the BIS (1.5 mg L-1). It is also noticed that residents of this region are affected by dental fluorosis. The general order of the dominance of major cations and anions are Ca2+ > Mg2+ > Na+ > K+ and HCO3- > Cl- > F- respectively. Geochemical classification of groundwater shows most of the samples are the alkaline earth-bicarbonate type. The semi-arid climatic conditions of the region, the dominance of granitoid-granulite suite rocks and the fracture network in the disturbed and brittle zone has facilitated the development of potential aquifers and enrichment in F- concentration in this area. The concentration of fluoride is due to high evaporation rate, longer residence time in the aquifer zone, intensive and long term pumping for irrigation.

Vegetative and reproductive phenology of a floodplain tree species Barringtonia acutangula from North East India.

PubMed

Nath, Shikhasmita; Nath, Arun Jyoti; Das, Ashesh Kumar

2016-03-01

Vegetative and reproductive phenology of Barringtonia acutangula, a floodplain tree species was studied at Chatla floodplain, Assam North East India with the aim to investigate vegetative and reproductive phenology under stressful environment of seasonal submergence and to assess the impact of environmental variables (temperature and precipitation) on tree phenophases. Quantitative assessment was made at 15 day interval for all the phenophases (leaf initiation, leaf-fall, flowering and fruiting) by tagging 40 (forty) trees over aperiod of two years (2012-14).To test seasonal influence on the phenology of Barringtonia acutangula different phenophases were correlated with environmental variables and statistical spearman's rank correlation coefficient was employed. Aridity index was computed that delineate influence of rainfall and temperature together on any phenophases. Leaf initiation showed positively significant correlation with temperature (r(s) = 0.601, p = < .05) during the year 2012-2013 whereas it was significantly correlated with rainfall (r(s) = 0.583, p = < .05) and aridity index (r(s) = 0.583, p = < .05) during the year 2013-2014. Leaf-fall was significant negatively correlated with temperature (r(s) = -0.623, p = < .05), rainfall (r(s) = -0.730, p = < .01) and aridity index (r(s) = -0.730, p = < .01) for both the studied years. Flowering was significantly influenced by temperature (r(s) = 0.639, p = < .05), rainfall (r(s) = 0.890, p = < .01) and aridity index (r(s) = 0.890, p = < .01) while in one month lag flowering was significantly correlated with rainfall (r(s) = 0.678, p = < .01) in 2012-13. Fruiting was also positively significant with temperature (r(s) = 0.795, P < .05), rainfall (r(s) = 0.835, P < .01) and aridity index (r(s) = 0.835, P < .01) for both the years. During one month lag period fruiting was positively correlated with temperature, rainfall and aridity index in both the years. Temperature, rainfall and aridity index were major

Factors precipitating outbreaks of measles in district Kangra of North India: A case-control study

PubMed Central

Gupta, Surender Nikhil; Vidya, Ramachandran; Gupta, Naveen; Gupte, Mohan D

2011-01-01

Background: Globally, measles is the fifth killer disease among children under five years of age. Despite high immunization coverage in Himachal, outbreaks are occurring. Upon two outbreaks in a hilly district in North India, a case control study was conducted to identify factors contributing to outbreaks and to recommend remedial measures to prevent further outbreaks. Materials and Methods: Factors were reviewed under three heads: program related, health care providers, and beneficiaries related. Cold chain maintenance was determined and responses were compared between workers from study Shahpur and control Nagrota Bagwan blocks. All 69 mothers of age and sex matched children with measles were enrolled. A pre-designed pre-tested data collection instrument was used. For statistical analysis, the odds ratio (OR) and adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval (C.I.) among women of children exposed and unexposed to selected characteristics were calculated. Results: Poor cold chain maintenance and gaps in knowledge of health workers supplemented with beneficiary-related issues precipitated outbreaks in case area. Univariate analysis yielded strong statistical significance to 17 variables. Important statistically significant variables are educational status; OR 27.63 (C.I. 9.46-85.16); occupation; OR 0.35 (C.I. 0.16-0.75); income; OR 5.49 (C.I. 2.36-13.00); mode of transport to health care facility; OR 8.74 (C.I. 2.90-28.23); spread of illness from one person to another; OR 5.60 (95% C.I. 1.40-25.97); first help for sick child OR 2.12 (C.I. 1.00-4.50), and place of visit after recovery; OR 3.92 (C.I. 1.80-8.63). Multiple logistic regression yielded significant association with educational status, drinking water sources, and time taken to reach the nearest health facility. Conclusion: Measles outbreaks were confirmed in high immunization coverage areas. We recommend 2nd dose opportunity for measles (MR) between 5 and 17 years; refresher trainings to workers; mobile

Instantaneous deformation and kinematics of the India-Australia Plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delescluse, Matthias; Chamot-Rooke, Nicolas

2007-02-01

Australia. Taking into account the intraplate velocity field in the vicinity of the Sumatra trench, we obtain a convergence rate of 46 mm yr-1 towards N18°E at the epicentre of the 2004 Aceh megaearthquake. The predicted instantaneous shortening in the CIB and WB and extension near Chagos-Laccadive are in good agreement with the finite deformation measured from plate reconstructions and seismic profiles, suggesting a continuum of deformation since the onset of intraplate deformation around 7.5-8 Ma. Since no significant change in India convergence is detected at that time, we suggest that the intraplate deformation started with the trenchward acceleration of Australia detaching from India along a wide left-lateral oceanic shear band activating the NyR line of weakness as well as north-south fracture zones east of it. The predicted total amount of left lateral finite strain along these faults is in the range 110-140 km.

India.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Semaan, Leslie

This text examines India's rich and long history, then uses this perspective to focus on present day problems and aspirations. It forces students to reevaluate their stereotyped images of India by presenting a nation that has striven to recover from a past of colonial domination, is presently faced with regional ethnic discord and disparity, and…

India.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Semaan, Leslie; Lightman, Kathleen

Not only is India one of the oldest continuous civilizations in the world, it has also become one of the greatest industrial nations. This package explores India's heritage, its people, and the traumatic changes of the 20th century. Contents include: Introduction, Climate, The Land, Cities, Agriculture, Rural Life, History, Religions, Dress, Food,…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2008-12-01

Integration of regional seismic data extending from coast to deep water with the gravity-magnetics reveals the expression and evolution of ridge systems and fracture zones in Indian Ocean. Kerala deepwater basin, situated in the south-western tip of India, is bounded by two prominent north-south oriented ocean fracture zones viz., Vishnu (west) and Indrani (east) of the Indian Ocean. Vishnu Fracture Zone (VFZ), which extends from the Kerala shelf southward to the Carlsberg-Ridge, over a length of more than 2500 km, has a strong bearing on the sedimentation as well as structural fabric of the basin. VFZ is identified as the transform plate margin formed during Late-Cretaceous-Tertiary separation of Seychelles from India. Represented by a highly deformed structural fabric, VFZ forms an abrupt boundary between ocean floors of about 65 MY in the west and 140 MY in the east, implying a great scope for sedimentary pile on this very older ocean floor. Armed with this premise of an older sedimentary pile towards east of VFZ, congenial for petroleum hunt, the implemented modern long offset seismic program with an objective to enhance sub-basalt (Deccan) imagery, gravity-magnetic modelling and plate-tectonic reconstructions unraveled huge Mesozoic Basin, unheard earlier. Multi-episodic rifting in western continental margin of India starting during Mid Jurassic Karoo rift along the western Madagascar, Kerala deepwater basin, and western Antarctica and conjugate margins of Africa forms the main corridor for sedimentation. Subsequent Late Cretaceous dextral oblique extension of Madagascar rift reactivated pre-existing structural framework creating major accommodation zones along the southern tip of India. Followed by separation of Seychelles during KT boundary led to the formation of VFZ (an oceanic fracture zone) forming a transform boundary between newly formed Tertiary oceanic crust to the west and older basin to the east. The pulses of right-lateral movement were associated

Medical pluralism among indigenous peoples in northeast India - implications for health policy.

PubMed

Albert, Sandra; Nongrum, Melari; Webb, Emily L; Porter, John D H; Kharkongor, Glenn C

2015-07-01

The government of India is promoting and increasing investment in the traditional medicine systems of Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) in the northeast region of India. But there are few empirical data that support this policy decision. This study estimates the awareness and use of the different medical systems in rural Meghalaya, a state in north-east India with a predominantly ethnic tribal population. We conducted a cross-sectional multistage random sample household survey across all districts of Meghalaya. To enable appropriate estimates for the whole of rural Meghalaya, the data were weighted to allow for the probability of selection of households at each stage of the sampling process. Both local tribal medicine and biomedicine were widely accepted and used, but the majority (68.7%, 95% CI: 51.9-81.7) had not heard of AYUSH and even fewer had used it. Tribal medicine was used (79.1%, 95% CI 66.3-88.0), thought to be effective (87.5%, 95% CI: 74.2-94.1) and given in a variety of disorders, including both minor and major diseases. In the 3 months prior to the survey, 46.2% (95% CI: 30.5-62.8) had used tribal medicine. Only 10.5% (95% CI: 6.1-17.6) reported ever using any of the AYUSH systems. Our comparative estimates of the awareness and use of tribal medicine, different systems of AYUSH and of biomedicine among indigenous populations of India question the basis on which AYUSH is promoted in the northeast region of India and in the state of Meghalaya in particular. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Some peace of mind: assessing a pilot intervention to promote mental health among widows of injecting drug users in north-east India

PubMed Central

Kermode, Michelle; Devine, Alexandra; Chandra, Prabha; Dzuvichu, Bernice; Gilbert, Thomhood; Herrman, Helen

2008-01-01

Background HIV prevalence in north-east India is high and injecting drug use (IDU) is common. Due to HIV-related deaths there are increasing numbers of IDU widows, many of whom are HIV infected, and experiencing poor health, social isolation, discrimination and poverty, all factors likely to be compromising their mental health. There is increasing recognition of the links between HIV and mental health. Methods The aim of this study was to pilot a peer-facilitated, participatory action group (PAG) process and assess the impact of the intervention on the mental health of participants. The intervention consisted of 10 PAG meetings involving 74 IDU widows. Changes in quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF), mental health (GHQ12) and somatic symptoms were assessed. The value of the intervention from the perspective of the participants was captured using a qualitative evaluation method (Most Significant Change). Results Participants' quality of life, mental health and experience of somatic symptoms improved significantly over the course of the intervention, and the women told stories reflecting a range of 'significant changes'. Conclusion This pilot intervention study demonstrated that a participatory approach to mental health promotion can have a positive impact on the lives of vulnerable women, and the potential to contribute to HIV prevention. Further investigation is warranted. PMID:18718027

The India Connection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdul-Alim, Jamaal

2012-01-01

Even though lawmakers in India don't seem likely to pass any laws that would enable foreign universities to set up shop in India anytime soon, opportunities still abound for institutions of higher learning in the United States to collaborate with their Indian counterparts and to engage and recruit students in India as well. That's the consensus…

Effectiveness of a multiple-strategy community intervention to reduce maternal and child health inequalities in Haryana, North India: a mixed-methods study protocol

PubMed Central

Gupta, Madhu; Angeli, Federica; van Schayck, Onno C. P.; Bosma, Hans

2015-01-01

Background A multiple-strategy community intervention, known as National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), launched in India to improve the availability of and access to better-quality healthcare, especially for rural, poor mothers and children. The final goal of the intervention is to reduce maternal and child health inequalities across geographical areas, socioeconomic status groups, and sex of the child. Extensive, in-depth research is necessary to assess the effectiveness of NRHM, on multiple outcome dimensions. This paper presents the design of a new study, able to overcome the shortcomings of previous research. Objective To propose a comprehensive, methodologically sound protocol to assess the extent of implementation and the effectiveness of NRHM measures to improve maternal and child health outcomes and reduce maternal and child health inequalities. Design A mixed-methods approach (quantitative and qualitative) is proposed for this study in Haryana, a state in North India. NRHM's health sector plans included health system strengthening, specific maternal and child healthcare strategies, and communitization. Mission documents and reports on progress, financial monitoring, and common and joint review will be reviewed in-depth to assess the extent of the implementation of plans. Data on maternal and child health indicators will be obtained from demographic health surveys held before, during, and after the implementation of the first phase of the NRHM (2005–2012) and compared over time. Differences in maternal and child health indicators will be used to measure maternal and child health inequalities; these will be compared pre- and post-NRHM. Focus group discussions (FGDs) with service providers and in-depth interviews with program managers, community representatives, and mothers will be conducted until data saturation is achieved, in two districts of Haryana. Using Nvivo software, an inductive qualitative content analysis will be performed to search for the

Effectiveness of a multiple-strategy community intervention to reduce maternal and child health inequalities in Haryana, North India: a mixed-methods study protocol.

PubMed

Gupta, Madhu; Angeli, Federica; van Schayck, Onno C P; Bosma, Hans

2015-01-01

A multiple-strategy community intervention, known as National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), launched in India to improve the availability of and access to better-quality healthcare, especially for rural, poor mothers and children. The final goal of the intervention is to reduce maternal and child health inequalities across geographical areas, socioeconomic status groups, and sex of the child. Extensive, in-depth research is necessary to assess the effectiveness of NRHM, on multiple outcome dimensions. This paper presents the design of a new study, able to overcome the shortcomings of previous research. To propose a comprehensive, methodologically sound protocol to assess the extent of implementation and the effectiveness of NRHM measures to improve maternal and child health outcomes and reduce maternal and child health inequalities. A mixed-methods approach (quantitative and qualitative) is proposed for this study in Haryana, a state in North India. NRHM's health sector plans included health system strengthening, specific maternal and child healthcare strategies, and communitization. Mission documents and reports on progress, financial monitoring, and common and joint review will be reviewed in-depth to assess the extent of the implementation of plans. Data on maternal and child health indicators will be obtained from demographic health surveys held before, during, and after the implementation of the first phase of the NRHM (2005-2012) and compared over time. Differences in maternal and child health indicators will be used to measure maternal and child health inequalities; these will be compared pre- and post-NRHM. Focus group discussions (FGDs) with service providers and in-depth interviews with program managers, community representatives, and mothers will be conducted until data saturation is achieved, in two districts of Haryana. Using Nvivo software, an inductive qualitative content analysis will be performed to search for the broader themes across the

Clinical experience on use of oral EGFR-TKIs as first-line treatment of advanced NSCLC from a tertiary care centre in North India and implications of skin rash.

PubMed

Singh, Navneet; Vishwanath, Gella; Aggarwal, Ashutosh N; Behera, Digambar

2014-01-01

Limited data are available from India on treatment outcomes with oral epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in newly diagnosed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We studied the demographic profile and treatment outcomes of patients with NSCLC, receiving first-line treatment with oral EGFR-TKIs. Retrospective study of newly diagnosed NSCLC patients treated with oral EGFR-TKIs over a 4-year period at a tertiary care institute in North India. Of 76 patients studied, females and non-smokers constituted 32.9% and 48.7%, respectively. Majority of patients had adenocarcinoma (59.2%), stage IV (64.5%) disease and Karnofsky performance status ≤ 70 (74.5%). Gefitinib was the most frequently used EGFR-TKI (92.1%). Most common indication for the use of EGFR-TKIs was poor performance status (65.8%). Among assessable patients, disease control and progressive disease were evident in 66% and 34%, respectively. Most common side effects were skin rash (17%) and diarrhoea (10.6%). Patients with and without skin rash differed significantly in relation to objective response to treatment (100% versus 23.1%) and overall survival (median not reached versus 178 days). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, malignant pleural effusion was associated with occurrence of rash (odds ratio = 0.19; 95% confidence interval = 0.04-0.95; p = 0.04). Oral EGFR-TKIs appear to be useful for the treatment of clinically selected patients with advanced NSCLC. Occurrence of skin rash was independently associated with treatment response and better survival in the current study.

Delhi, India

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-01-17

Delhi is the second largest metropolis in India, with a population of 16 million and is located in northern India along the banks of the Yamuna River. This image was acquired by NASA Terra satellite on September 22, 2003.

Estimation of the health and economic burden of neurocysticercosis in India.

PubMed

Singh, B B; Khatkar, M S; Gill, J P S; Dhand, N K

2017-01-01

Taenia solium is an endemic parasite in India which occurs in two forms in humans: cysticercosis (infection of soft tissues) and taeniosis (intestinal infection). Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is the most severe form of cysticercosis in which cysts develop in the central nervous system. This study was conducted to estimate health and economic impact due to human NCC-associated active epilepsy in India. Input data were sourced from published research literature, census data and other official records. Economic losses due to NCC-associated active epilepsy were estimated based on cost of treatment, hospitalisation and severe injury as well as loss of income. The disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) due to NCC were estimated by combining years of life lost due to early death and the number of years compromised due to disability taking the disease incidence into account. DALYs were estimated for five age groups, two genders and four regions, and then combined. To account for uncertainty, probability distributions were used for disease incidence data and other input parameters. In addition, sensitivity analyses were conducted to determine the impact of certain input parameters on health and economic estimates. It was estimated that in 2011, human NCC-associated active epilepsy caused an annual median loss of Rupees 12.03 billion (uncertainty interval [95% UI] Rs. 9.16-15.57 billion; US $ 185.14 million) with losses of Rs. 9.78 billion (95% UI Rs. 7.24-13.0 billion; US $ 150.56 million) from the North and Rs. 2.22 billion (95% UI Rs. 1.58-3.06 billion; US $ 34.14 million) from the South. The disease resulted in a total of 2.10 million (95% UI 0.99-4.10 million) DALYs per annum without age weighting and time discounting with 1.81 million (95% UI 0.84-3.57 million) DALYs from the North and 0.28 million (95% UI 0.13-0.55 million) from the South. The health burden per thousand persons per year was 1.73 DALYs (95% UI 0.82-3.39). The results indicate that human NCC causes

SRTM Colored and Shaded Topography: Haro and Kas Hills, India

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

On January 26, 2001, the Kachchh region in western India suffered the most deadly earthquake in India's history. This shaded topography view of landforms northeast of the city of Bhuj depicts geologic structures that are of interest in the study the tectonic processes that may have led to that earthquake. However, preliminary field studies indicate that these structures are composed of Mesozoic rocks that are overlain by younger rocks showing little deformation. Thus these structures may be old, not actively growing, and not directly related to the recent earthquake.

The Haro Hills are on the left and the Kas Hills are on the right. The Haro Hills are an 'anticline,' which is an upwardly convex elongated fold of layered rocks. In this view, the anticline is distinctly ringed by an erosion resistant layer of sandstone. The east-west orientation of the anticline may relate to the crustal compression that has occurred during India's northward movement toward, and collision with, Asia. In contrast, the largest of the Kas Hills appears to be a tilted (to the south) and faulted (on the north) block of layered rocks. Also seen here, the linear feature trending toward the southwest from the image center is an erosion-resistant 'dike,' which is an igneous intrusion into older 'host' rocks along a fault plane or other crack. These features are simple examples of how shaded topography can provide a direct input to geologic studies.

In this image, colors show the elevation as measured by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). Colors range from green at the lowest elevations, through yellow and red, to purple at the highest elevations. Elevations here range from near sea level to about 300 meters (about 1000 feet). Shading has been added, with illumination from the north (image top).

Elevation data used in this image was acquired by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on February 11, 2000. SRTM used the same

Risk factors associated with fluoroquinolone-resistant enterococcal urinary tract infections in a tertiary care university hospital in north India.

PubMed

Banerjee, Tuhina; Anupurba, Shampa

2016-10-01

Fluoroquinolone resistance in both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria has increased with the widespread use of fluoroquinolones. Fluoroquinolone resistance in Gram-negative bacilli has been widely studied, though staphylococci and enterococci are also notably resistant. Enterococci being the second most common cause of healthcare-associated urinary tract infections (UTIs) fluoroquinolones are often the drug of choice. This study was undertaken to assess the risk factors associated with fluoroquinolone-resistant enterococcal UTI in a tertiary level health facility in north India. A total of 365 patients with UTI caused by enterococci were studied over a period of two years. Patients with ciprofloxacin-resistant and susceptible UTI were considered as cases and controls, respectively. Resistance profile of the isolates against common antibiotics was studied by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination. Mechanisms for fluoroquinolone resistance was studied by efflux pump inhibitor activity and multiplex PCR targeting the qnr genes. A total of 204 (55.89%) cases and 161 (44.1%) controls were identified. The fluoroquinolone-resistant isolates were significantly resistant to ampicillin, high strength aminoglycosides and vancomycin. The majority (78%) of the resistant isolates showed efflux pump activity. Treatment in indoor locations, presence of urinary catheters and pregnancy along with recent exposure to antibiotics especially fluoroquinolones, third generation cephalosporins and piperacillin-tazobactam were identified as independent risk factors. Our results showed that fluoroquinolone resistance in enterococcal UTI was largely associated with indoor usage of antibiotics and use of indwelling devices. Knowledge of risk factors is important to curb this emergence of resistance.

Crustal rheology controls on the Tibetan plateau formation during India-Asia convergence

PubMed Central

Chen, Lin; Capitanio, Fabio A.; Liu, Lijun; Gerya, Taras V.

2017-01-01

The formation of the Tibetan plateau during the India-Asia collision remains an outstanding issue. Proposed models mostly focus on the different styles of Tibetan crustal deformation, yet these do not readily explain the observed variation of deformation and deep structures along the collisional zone. Here we use three-dimensional numerical models to evaluate the effects of crustal rheology on the formation of the Himalayan-Tibetan orogenic system. During convergence, a weaker Asian crust allows strain far north within the upper plate, where a wide continental plateau forms behind the orogeny. In contrast, a stronger Asian crust suppresses the plateau formation, while the orogeny accommodates most of the shortening. The stronger Asian lithosphere is also forced beneath the Indian lithosphere, forming a reversed-polarity underthrusting. Our results demonstrate that the observed variations in lithosphere deformation and structures along the India-Asia collision zone are primarily controlled by the strength heterogeneity of the Asian continental crust. PMID:28722008

Effect of sociocultural cleavage on genetic differentiation: a study from North India.

PubMed

Khan, Faisal; Pandey, Atul Kumar; Borkar, Meenal; Tripathi, Manorma; Talwar, Sudha; Bisen, P S; Agrawal, Suraksha

2008-06-01

Indian populations possess an exclusive genetic profile primarily due to the many migratory events, which caused an extensive range of genetic diversity, and also due to stringent and austere sociocultural barriers that structure these populations into different endogamous groups. In the present study we attempt to explore the genetic relationships between various endogamous North Indian populations and to determine the effect of stringent social regulations on their gene pool. Twenty STR markers were genotyped in 1,800 random North Indians from 9 endogamous populations belonging to upper-caste and middle-caste Hindus and Muslims. All nine populations had high allelic diversity (176 alleles) and average observed heterozygosity (0.742 +/- 0.06), suggesting strong intrapopulation diversity. The average F(ST) value over all loci was as low as 0.0084. However, within-group F(ST) and genetic distance analysis showed that populations of the same group were genetically closer to each other. The genetic distance of Muslims from middle castes (F(ST) = 0.0090; DA = 0.0266) was significantly higher than that of Muslims from upper castes (F(ST) = 0.0050; DA = 0.0148). Phylogenetic trees (neighbor-joining and maximum-likelihood) show the basal cluster pattern of three clusters corresponding to Muslims, upper-caste, and middle-caste populations, with Muslims clustered with upper-caste populations. Based on the results, we conclude that the extensive gene flow through a series of migrations and invasions has created an enormous amount of genetic diversity. The interpopulation differences are minimal but have a definite pattern, in which populations of different socioreligious groups have more genetic similarity within the same group and are genetically more distant from populations of other groups. Finally, North Indian Muslims show a differential genetic relationship with upper- and middle-caste populations.

India: Kachchh

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2013-04-16

... show the Kachchh region in the Gujarat province of western India. On January 26, 2001, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake devastated this area, ... for the earthquake are related to the collision of India with Asia and the resulting rise of the Himalayas to the northeast. ...

C-Window Peaks on CE-HPLC are Extremely Rare in Northern India, and Only Infrequently Represent HbC.

PubMed

Dass, Jasmita; Mittal, Suchi; Saraf, Amrita; Kotwal, Jyoti

2018-01-01

Hemoglobin C (HbC, HBB:c.19G > A) is a structural variant that has been reported rarely from India. This was a retrospective review of all high performance liquid chromatography (HPLCs) submitted over a 14 year period to a tertiary care center in North India with an aim of finding hemoglobins that elute in the C-window. Of the 32,364 HPLCs screened, 6 cases showed peaks in the C-window. Of these 6 cases, only two cases contained hemoglobin C. These was one case each of HbC/β thalassemia and compound heterozygosity for HbC and HbD. There were 4 cases which showed very similar red cell indices and chromatograms with multiple peaks eluting in D-window, C-window and an additional peak with a retention time of 4.74 min. These four cases were compound heterozygous for an α chain variant HbQ-India and a β-chain variant HbD.

India-U.S. Relations

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-07-31

military exercises. Discussions of possi- ble sales to India of major U.S.-built weapons systems are ongoing. Continuing U.S. interest in South Asia ...India and Pakistan. The United States also seeks to curtail the proliferation of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles in South Asia . Both India and...RL33515, Combat Aircraft Sales to South Asia .) ! Rates of separatist-related violence in India-controlled Kashmir have spiked following a May massacre of

Social Distance and Community Attitudes Towards People with Psycho-Social Disabilities in Uttarakhand, India.

PubMed

Mathias, K; Kermode, M; Goicolea, I; Seefeldt, L; Shidhaye, R; San Sebastian, M

2018-04-01

Stigma is an important contributor to the large treatment gap for people with mental and psycho-social disabilities (PPSD) in India. Social distance as assessed by willingness to engage in relationships with PPSD is a proxy measure of stigma and potential discrimination. In North India, investigations of community attitudes towards PPSD have been limited. To describe attitudes towards people with depression and psychosis, a community sample of 960 adults in Dehradun district, India from 30 randomised clusters, was surveyed using a validated tool to assess social distance, beliefs and attitudes related to mental illness. Participants preferred greater social distance from a person with psychosis than a person with depression. Beliefs and attitudes around mental illness were diverse reflecting a wide spread of belief frameworks. After controlling for confounding, there was increased social distance among people who believed PPSD were dangerous. Factors that reduced social distance included familiarity with PPSD, and belief that PPSD can recover. Attitudes to PPSD, stigma and social distance are complex and likely to require complex responses that include promoting awareness of mental health and illness, direct contact with PPSD and increasing access to care for PPSD.

Sources of occupational stress in the police personnel of North India: An exploratory study

PubMed Central

Singh, Shweta; Kar, Sujita Kumar

2015-01-01

Background: Police personnel in India are subjected to several distinct occupational stressors which impact their mental health and their work performance negatively. Aim: The study aimed to explore various sources of stress among police personnel. Method: In this study, 100 constables, 100 inspectors and 100 police officers of Uttar Pradesh, were evaluated using the occupational stress questionnaire. This was subjected to the quantitative as well as the qualitative analysis. Result: Occupational stress was commonly perceived among all police personnel, but the major attributes of stress in various groups were diverse. PMID:26023272

An invasive Mimosa in India does not adopt the symbionts of its native relatives.

PubMed

Gehlot, Hukam Singh; Tak, Nisha; Kaushik, Muskan; Mitra, Shubhajit; Chen, Wen-Ming; Poweleit, Nicole; Panwar, Dheeren; Poonar, Neetu; Parihar, Rashmita; Tak, Alkesh; Sankhla, Indu Singh; Ojha, Archana; Rao, Satyawada Rama; Simon, Marcelo F; Reis Junior, Fabio Bueno Dos; Perigolo, Natalia; Tripathi, Anil K; Sprent, Janet I; Young, J Peter W; James, Euan K; Gyaneshwar, Prasad

2013-07-01

The large monophyletic genus Mimosa comprises approx. 500 species, most of which are native to the New World, with Central Brazil being the main centre of radiation. All Brazilian Mimosa spp. so far examined are nodulated by rhizobia in the betaproteobacterial genus Burkholderia. Approximately 10 Mya, transoceanic dispersal resulted in the Indian subcontinent hosting up to six endemic Mimosa spp. The nodulation ability and rhizobial symbionts of two of these, M. hamata and M. himalayana, both from north-west India, are here examined, and compared with those of M. pudica, an invasive species. Nodules were collected from several locations, and examined by light and electron microscopy. Rhizobia isolated from them were characterized in terms of their abilities to nodulate the three Mimosa hosts. The molecular phylogenetic relationships of the rhizobia were determined by analysis of 16S rRNA, nifH and nodA gene sequences. Both native Indian Mimosa spp. nodulated effectively in their respective rhizosphere soils. Based on 16S rRNA, nifH and nodA sequences, their symbionts were identified as belonging to the alphaproteobacterial genus Ensifer, and were closest to the 'Old World' Ensifer saheli, E. kostiensis and E. arboris. In contrast, the invasive M. pudica was predominantly nodulated by Betaproteobacteria in the genera Cupriavidus and Burkholderia. All rhizobial strains tested effectively nodulated their original hosts, but the symbionts of the native species could not nodulate M. pudica. The native Mimosa spp. in India are not nodulated by the Burkholderia symbionts of their South American relatives, but by a unique group of alpha-rhizobial microsymbionts that are closely related to the 'local' Old World Ensifer symbionts of other mimosoid legumes in north-west India. They appear not to share symbionts with the invasive M. pudica, symbionts of which are mostly beta-rhizobial.

An invasive Mimosa in India does not adopt the symbionts of its native relatives

PubMed Central

Gehlot, Hukam Singh; Tak, Nisha; Kaushik, Muskan; Mitra, Shubhajit; Chen, Wen-Ming; Poweleit, Nicole; Panwar, Dheeren; Poonar, Neetu; Parihar, Rashmita; Tak, Alkesh; Sankhla, Indu Singh; Ojha, Archana; Rao, Satyawada Rama; Simon, Marcelo F.; dos Reis Junior, Fabio Bueno; Perigolo, Natalia; Tripathi, Anil K.; Sprent, Janet I.; Young, J. Peter W.; James, Euan K.; Gyaneshwar, Prasad

2013-01-01

Background and Aims The large monophyletic genus Mimosa comprises approx. 500 species, most of which are native to the New World, with Central Brazil being the main centre of radiation. All Brazilian Mimosa spp. so far examined are nodulated by rhizobia in the betaproteobacterial genus Burkholderia. Approximately 10 Mya, transoceanic dispersal resulted in the Indian subcontinent hosting up to six endemic Mimosa spp. The nodulation ability and rhizobial symbionts of two of these, M. hamata and M. himalayana, both from north-west India, are here examined, and compared with those of M. pudica, an invasive species. Methods Nodules were collected from several locations, and examined by light and electron microscopy. Rhizobia isolated from them were characterized in terms of their abilities to nodulate the three Mimosa hosts. The molecular phylogenetic relationships of the rhizobia were determined by analysis of 16S rRNA, nifH and nodA gene sequences. Key Results Both native Indian Mimosa spp. nodulated effectively in their respective rhizosphere soils. Based on 16S rRNA, nifH and nodA sequences, their symbionts were identified as belonging to the alphaproteobacterial genus Ensifer, and were closest to the ‘Old World’ Ensifer saheli, E. kostiensis and E. arboris. In contrast, the invasive M. pudica was predominantly nodulated by Betaproteobacteria in the genera Cupriavidus and Burkholderia. All rhizobial strains tested effectively nodulated their original hosts, but the symbionts of the native species could not nodulate M. pudica. Conclusions The native Mimosa spp. in India are not nodulated by the Burkholderia symbionts of their South American relatives, but by a unique group of alpha-rhizobial microsymbionts that are closely related to the ‘local’ Old World Ensifer symbionts of other mimosoid legumes in north-west India. They appear not to share symbionts with the invasive M. pudica, symbionts of which are mostly beta-rhizobial. PMID:23712450

Clinical and molecular epidemiology of beta-hemolytic streptococcal infections in India.

PubMed

Mathur, Purva; Bhardwaj, Nidhi; Mathur, Kushal; Behera, Bijayini; Gupta, Gunjan; Kapil, Arti; Singh, Sarman; Misra, Mahesh Chandra

2014-03-13

Beta-hemolytic streptococci (βHS) cause a diverse array of human infections. Despite the high number of cases of streptococcal carriers and diseases, studies discerning the molecular epidemiology of βHS in India are limited. This study reports the molecular and clinical epidemiology of beta-hemolytic streptococcal infections from two geographically distinct regions of India. A total of 186 isolates of βHS from north and south India were included. The isolates were identified to species level and subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was done to detect exotoxin genes, and emm types of group A streptococci (GAS) strains were ascertained by sequencing. GAS was the most common isolate (71.5%), followed by group G streptococci (GGS) (21%). A large proportion of GAS produced speB (97%), smeZ (89%), speF (91%), and speG (84%). SmeZ was produced by 21% and 50% of GGS and GGS, respectively. A total of 45 different emm types/subtypes were seen in GAS, with emm 11 being the most common. Resistance to tetracycline (73%) and erythromycin (34.5%) was commonly seen in GAS. A high diversity of emm types was seen in Indian GAS isolates with high macrolide and tetracycline resistance. SpeA was less commonly seen in Indian GAS isolates. There was no association between disease severity and exotoxin gene production.

Viral hepatitis in India.

PubMed

Acharya, S K; Madan, Kaushal; Dattagupta, S; Panda, S K

2006-01-01

Viral hepatitis is a major public health problem in India, which is hyperendemic for HAV and HEV. Seroprevalence studies reveal that 90%-100% of the population acquires anti-HAV antibody and becomes immune by adolescence. Many epidemics of HEV have been reported from India. HAV related liver disease is uncommon in India and occurs mainly in children. HEV is also the major cause of sporadic adult acute viral hepatitis and ALF. Pregnant women and patients with CLD constitute the high risk groups to contract HEV infection, and HEV-induced mortality among them is substantial, which underlines the need for preventive measures for such groups. Children with HAV and HEV coinfection are prone to develop ALF. India has intermediate HBV endemicity, with a carrier frequency of 2%-4%. HBV is the major cause of CLD and HCC. Chronic HBV infection in India is acquired in childhood, presumably before 5 years of age, through horizontal transmission. Vertical transmission of HBV in India is considered to be infrequent. Inclusion of HBV vaccination in the expanded programme of immunization is essential to reduce the HBV carrier frequency and disease burden. HBV genotypes A and D are prevalent in India, which are similar to the HBV genotypes in the West. HCV infection in India has a population prevalence of around 1%, and occurs predominantly through transfusion and the use of unsterile glass syringes. HCV genotypes 3 and 2 are prevalent in 60%-80% of the population and they respond well to a combination of interferon and ribavirin. About 10%-15% of CLD and HCC are associated with HCV infection in India. HCV infection is also a major cause of post-transfusion hepatitis. HDV infection is infrequent in India and is present about 5%-10% of patients with HBV-related liver disease. HCC appears to be less common in India than would be expected from the prevalence rates of HBV and HCV. The high disease burden of viral hepatitis and related CLD in India, calls for the setting up of a

Refractive errors among patients attending the ophthalmology department of a medical college in North-East India

PubMed Central

Natung, Tanie; Taye, Trishna; Lyngdoh, Laura Amanda; Dkhar, Begonia; Hajong, Ranendra

2017-01-01

Purpose: To determine the magnitude and pattern of refractive errors among patients attending the ophthalmology department of a new medical college in North-East India. Materials and Methods: A prospective study of the new patients (age ≥5 years), who were phakic and whose unaided visual acuities were worse than 20/20 but improved with pinhole, was done. Complete ophthalmic examination and refraction with appropriate cycloplegia for age were done for the 4582 eligible patients. Spherical equivalents (SE) of refractive errors of the right eyes were used for analysis. Results: Of the 4582 eligible patients, 2546 patients had refractive errors (55.56%). The proportion of emmetropia (SE − 0.50–+0.50 diopter sphere [DS]), myopia (SE <−0.50 DS), high myopia (SE >−5.0 DS), and hypermetropia (>+0.50 DS for adults and >+2.0 DS for children) were 53.1%, 27.4%, 2.6%, and 16.9%, respectively. The proportion of hyperopia increased till 59 years and then decreased with age (P = 0.000). The proportion of myopia and high myopia decreased significantly with age after 39 years (P = 0.000 and P = 0.004, respectively). Of the 1510 patients with astigmatism, 17% had with-the-rule (WTR), 23.4% had against-the-rule (ATR), and 19% had oblique astigmatisms. The proportion of WTR and ATR astigmatisms significantly decreased (P = 0.000) and increased (P = 0.000) with age, respectively. Conclusions: This study has provided the magnitude and pattern of refractive errors in the study population. It will serve as the initial step for conducting community-based studies on the prevalence of refractive errors in this part of the country since such data are lacking from this region. Moreover, this study will help the primary care physicians to have an overview of the magnitude and pattern of refractive errors presenting to a health-care center as refractive error is an established and significant public health problem worldwide. PMID:29417005

Net ecosystem productivity and carbon dynamics of the traditionally managed Imperata grasslands of North East India.

PubMed

Pathak, Karabi; Malhi, Yadvinder; Sileshi, G W; Das, Ashesh Kumar; Nath, Arun Jyoti

2018-09-01

There have been few comprehensive descriptions of how fire management and harvesting affect the carbon dynamics of grasslands. Grasslands dominated by the invasive weed Imperata cylindrica are considered as environmental threats causing low land productivity throughout the moist tropical regions in Asia. Imperata grasslands in North East India are unique in that they are traditionally managed and culturally important in the rural landscapes. Given the importance of fire in the management of Imperata grassland, we aimed to assess (i) the seasonal pattern of biomass production, (ii) the eventual pathways for the produced biomass, partitioned between in situ decomposition, harvesting and combustion, and (iii) the effect of customary fire management on the ecosystem carbon cycle. Comparatively high biomass production was recorded during pre-monsoon (154 g m -2  month -1 ) and monsoon (214 g m -2  month -1 ) compared to the post-monsoon (91 g m -2  month -1 ) season, and this is attributed to nutrient return into the soil immediately after fire in February. Post fire effects might have killed roots and rhizomes leading to high belowground litter production 30-35 g m -2 during March to August. High autotrophic respiration was recorded during March-July, which was related to high belowground biomass production (35-70 g m -2 ) during that time. Burning removed all the surface litter in March and this appeared to hinder surface decomposition and result in low heterotrophic respiration. Annual total biomass carbon production was estimated at 886 g C m -2 . Annual harvest of biomass (estimated at 577 g C m -2 ) was the major pathway for carbon fluxes from the system. Net ecosystem production (NEP) of Imperata grassland was estimated at 91 g C m -2  yr -1 indicating that these grasslands are a net sink of CO 2 , although this is greatly influenced by weather and fire management. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B

Refractive errors among patients attending the ophthalmology department of a medical college in North-East India.

PubMed

Natung, Tanie; Taye, Trishna; Lyngdoh, Laura Amanda; Dkhar, Begonia; Hajong, Ranendra

2017-01-01

To determine the magnitude and pattern of refractive errors among patients attending the ophthalmology department of a new medical college in North-East India. A prospective study of the new patients (age ≥5 years), who were phakic and whose unaided visual acuities were worse than 20/20 but improved with pinhole, was done. Complete ophthalmic examination and refraction with appropriate cycloplegia for age were done for the 4582 eligible patients. Spherical equivalents (SE) of refractive errors of the right eyes were used for analysis. Of the 4582 eligible patients, 2546 patients had refractive errors (55.56%). The proportion of emmetropia (SE - 0.50-+0.50 diopter sphere [DS]), myopia (SE <-0.50 DS), high myopia (SE >-5.0 DS), and hypermetropia (>+0.50 DS for adults and >+2.0 DS for children) were 53.1%, 27.4%, 2.6%, and 16.9%, respectively. The proportion of hyperopia increased till 59 years and then decreased with age ( P = 0.000). The proportion of myopia and high myopia decreased significantly with age after 39 years ( P = 0.000 and P = 0.004, respectively). Of the 1510 patients with astigmatism, 17% had with-the-rule (WTR), 23.4% had against-the-rule (ATR), and 19% had oblique astigmatisms. The proportion of WTR and ATR astigmatisms significantly decreased ( P = 0.000) and increased ( P = 0.000) with age, respectively. This study has provided the magnitude and pattern of refractive errors in the study population. It will serve as the initial step for conducting community-based studies on the prevalence of refractive errors in this part of the country since such data are lacking from this region. Moreover, this study will help the primary care physicians to have an overview of the magnitude and pattern of refractive errors presenting to a health-care center as refractive error is an established and significant public health problem worldwide.

Prevalence of antibiotic resistance in commensal Escherichia coli among the children in rural hill communities of Northeast India.

PubMed

Singh, Ashish Kumar; Das, Saurav; Singh, Samer; Gajamer, Varsha Rani; Pradhan, Nilu; Lepcha, Yangchen Doma; Tiwari, Hare Krishna

2018-01-01

Commensal bacteria are the representative of the reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes present in a community. The usage of antibiotics along with the demographic factors is generally associated with an increase in antibiotics resistance in pathogens. Northeast (NE) India is untapped with regard to antibiotic resistance prevalence and spread. In the current study, the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant commensal Escherichia coli in pre-school and school-going children (n = 550, 1-14 years old) from the rural areas of the state of Sikkim-an NE Indian state, with respect to associated demographic factors was investigated. A total of 550 fecal E. coli isolates were collected during July 2015 to June 2017. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data to ascertain the potential factors associated with the carriage of antibiotic resistance E. coli among the children. Statistical analysis along with a logistic regression identified potential external factors affecting the observed antibiotic resistance pattern. The data indicated a high prevalence of resistance to common antibiotics like ampicillin (92%), ceftazidime (90%), cefoxitin (88%), streptomycin (40%) and tetracycline (36%), but no resistance to chloramphenicol. The resistance to the combination of penicillin and quinolone group of antibiotics was observed in fifty-two percent of the isolates. A positive correlation between the harboring of antibiotics resistant E. coli with different demographic factors was observed such as, with children living in nuclear family (vs joint family 63.15%, OR 0.18, 95% CI:0.11-0.28, p < 0.01), below higher secondary maternal education (vs college graduates 59.27% OR 0.75, 95% CI:0.55-1.02, p < 0.02). A close association between different demographic factors and the high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant commensal E. coli in the current study suggests a concern over rising misuse of antibiotics that warrants a future threat of emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogen

Ecology driving genetic variation: a comparative phylogeography of jungle cat (Felis chaus) and leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) in India.

PubMed

Mukherjee, Shomita; Krishnan, Anand; Tamma, Krishnapriya; Home, Chandrima; Navya, R; Joseph, Sonia; Das, Arundhati; Ramakrishnan, Uma

2010-10-29

Comparative phylogeography links historical population processes to current/ecological processes through congruent/incongruent patterns of genetic variation among species/lineages. Despite high biodiversity, India lacks a phylogeographic paradigm due to limited comparative studies. We compared the phylogenetic patterns of Indian populations of jungle cat (Felis chaus) and leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis). Given similarities in their distribution within India, evolutionary histories, body size and habits, congruent patterns of genetic variation were expected. We collected scats from various biogeographic zones in India and analyzed mtDNA from 55 jungle cats (460 bp NADH5, 141 bp cytochrome b) and 40 leopard cats (362 bp NADH5, 202 bp cytochrome b). Jungle cats revealed high genetic variation, relatively low population structure and demographic expansion around the mid-Pleistocene. In contrast, leopard cats revealed lower genetic variation and high population structure with a F(ST) of 0.86 between North and South Indian populations. Niche-model analyses using two approaches (BIOCLIM and MaxEnt) support absence of leopard cats from Central India, indicating a climate associated barrier. We hypothesize that high summer temperatures limit leopard cat distribution and that a rise in temperature in the peninsular region of India during the LGM caused the split in leopard cat population in India. Our results indicate that ecological variables describing a species range can predict genetic patterns. Our study has also resolved the confusion over the distribution of the leopard cat in India. The reciprocally monophyletic island population in the South mandates conservation attention.

Ecology Driving Genetic Variation: A Comparative Phylogeography of Jungle Cat (Felis chaus) and Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) in India

PubMed Central

Mukherjee, Shomita; Krishnan, Anand; Tamma, Krishnapriya; Home, Chandrima; R, Navya; Joseph, Sonia; Das, Arundhati; Ramakrishnan, Uma

2010-01-01

Background Comparative phylogeography links historical population processes to current/ecological processes through congruent/incongruent patterns of genetic variation among species/lineages. Despite high biodiversity, India lacks a phylogeographic paradigm due to limited comparative studies. We compared the phylogenetic patterns of Indian populations of jungle cat (Felis chaus) and leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis). Given similarities in their distribution within India, evolutionary histories, body size and habits, congruent patterns of genetic variation were expected. Methodology/Principal Findings We collected scats from various biogeographic zones in India and analyzed mtDNA from 55 jungle cats (460 bp NADH5, 141 bp cytochrome b) and 40 leopard cats (362 bp NADH5, 202 bp cytochrome b). Jungle cats revealed high genetic variation, relatively low population structure and demographic expansion around the mid-Pleistocene. In contrast, leopard cats revealed lower genetic variation and high population structure with a F ST of 0.86 between North and South Indian populations. Niche-model analyses using two approaches (BIOCLIM and MaxEnt) support absence of leopard cats from Central India, indicating a climate associated barrier. We hypothesize that high summer temperatures limit leopard cat distribution and that a rise in temperature in the peninsular region of India during the LGM caused the split in leopard cat population in India. Conclusions/Significance Our results indicate that ecological variables describing a species range can predict genetic patterns. Our study has also resolved the confusion over the distribution of the leopard cat in India. The reciprocally monophyletic island population in the South mandates conservation attention. PMID:21060831

Gender Based Within-Household Inequality in Childhood Immunization in India: Changes over Time and across Regions

PubMed Central

Singh, Ashish

2012-01-01

Background and Objectives Despite India's substantial economic growth in the past two decades, girls in India are discriminated against in access to preventive healthcare including immunizations. Surprisingly, no study has assessed the contribution of gender based within-household discrimination to the overall inequality in immunization status of Indian children. This study therefore has two objectives: to estimate the gender based within-household inequality (GWHI) in immunization status of Indian children and to examine the inter-regional and inter-temporal variations in the GWHI. Data and Methods The present study used households with a pair of male-female siblings (aged 1–5 years) from two rounds of National Family Health Survey (NFHS, 1992–93 and 2005–06). The overall inequality in the immunization status (after controlling for age and birth order) of children was decomposed into within-households and between-households components using Mean log deviation to obtain the GWHI component. The analysis was conducted at the all-India level as well as for six specified geographical regions and at two time points (1992–93 and 2005–06). Household fixed-effects models for immunization status of children were also estimated. Results and Conclusions Findings from household fixed effects analysis indicated that the immunization scores of girls were significantly lower than that of boys. The inequality decompositions revealed that, at the all-India level, the absolute level of GWHI in immunization status decreased from 0.035 in 1992–93 to 0.023 in 2005–06. However, as a percentage of total inequality, it increased marginally (15.5% to 16.5%). In absolute terms, GWHI decreased in all the regions except in the North-East. But, as a percentage of total inequality it increased in the North-Eastern, Western and Southern regions. The main conclusions are the following: GWHI contributes substantially to the overall inequality in immunization status of Indian children

Gender based within-household inequality in childhood immunization in India: changes over time and across regions.

PubMed

Singh, Ashish

2012-01-01

Despite India's substantial economic growth in the past two decades, girls in India are discriminated against in access to preventive healthcare including immunizations. Surprisingly, no study has assessed the contribution of gender based within-household discrimination to the overall inequality in immunization status of Indian children. This study therefore has two objectives: to estimate the gender based within-household inequality (GWHI) in immunization status of Indian children and to examine the inter-regional and inter-temporal variations in the GWHI. The present study used households with a pair of male-female siblings (aged 1-5 years) from two rounds of National Family Health Survey (NFHS, 1992-93 and 2005-06). The overall inequality in the immunization status (after controlling for age and birth order) of children was decomposed into within-households and between-households components using Mean log deviation to obtain the GWHI component. The analysis was conducted at the all-India level as well as for six specified geographical regions and at two time points (1992-93 and 2005-06). Household fixed-effects models for immunization status of children were also estimated. Findings from household fixed effects analysis indicated that the immunization scores of girls were significantly lower than that of boys. The inequality decompositions revealed that, at the all-India level, the absolute level of GWHI in immunization status decreased from 0.035 in 1992-93 to 0.023 in 2005-06. However, as a percentage of total inequality, it increased marginally (15.5% to 16.5%). In absolute terms, GWHI decreased in all the regions except in the North-East. But, as a percentage of total inequality it increased in the North-Eastern, Western and Southern regions. The main conclusions are the following: GWHI contributes substantially to the overall inequality in immunization status of Indian children; and though the overall inequality in immunization status declined in all the

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

PubMed

Bharati, Susmita; Pal, Manoranjan; Bharati, Premananda

2008-11-01

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

The North Sakhalin Neogene total petroleum system of eastern Russia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lindquist, S.J.

2000-01-01

The North Sakhalin Basin Province of eastern Russia contains one Total Petroleum System (TPS) ? North Sakhalin Neogene ? with more than 6 BBOE known, ultimately recoverable petroleum (61% gas, 36% oil, 3% condensate). Tertiary rocks in the basin were deposited by the prograding paleo-Amur River system. Marine to continental, Middle to Upper Miocene shale to coaly shale source rocks charged marine to continental Middle Miocene to Pliocene sandstone reservoir rocks in Late Miocene to Pliocene time. Fractured, self-sourced, Upper Oligocene to Lower Miocene siliceous shales also produce hydrocarbons. Geologic history is that of a Mesozoic Asian passive continental margin that was transformed into an active accretionary Tertiary margin and Cenozoic fold belt by the collision of India with Eurasia and by the subduction of Pacific Ocean crustal plates under the Asian continent. The area is characterized by extensional, compressional and wrench structural features that comprise most known traps.

North-East monsoon rainfall extremes over the southern peninsular India and their association with El Niño

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Prem; Gnanaseelan, C.; Chowdary, J. S.

2017-12-01

The present study investigates the relationship between extreme north-east (NE) monsoon rainfall (NEMR) over the Indian peninsula region and El Niño forcing. This turns out to be a critical science issue especially after the 2015 Chennai flood. The puzzle being while most El Niños favour good NE monsoon, some don't. In fact some El Niño years witnessed deficit NE monsoon. Therefore two different cases (or classes) of El Niños are considered for analysis based on standardized NEMR index and Niño 3.4 index with case-1 being both Niño-3.4 and NEMR indices greater than +1 and case-2 being Niño-3.4 index greater than +1 and NEMR index less than -1. Composite analysis suggests that SST anomalies in the central and eastern Pacific are strong in both cases but large differences are noted in the spatial distribution of SST over the Indo-western Pacific region. This questions our understanding of NEMR as mirror image of El Niño conditions in the Pacific. It is noted that the favourable excess NEMR in case-1 is due to anomalous moisture transport from Bay of Bengal and equatorial Indian Ocean to southern peninsular India. Strong SST gradient between warm western Indian Ocean (and Bay of Bengal) and cool western Pacific induced strong easterly wind anomalies during NE monsoon season favour moisture transport towards the core NE monsoon region. Further anomalous moisture convergence and convection over the core NE monsoon region supported positive rainfall anomalies in case-1. While in case-2, weak SST gradients over the Indo-western Pacific and absence of local low level convergence over NE monsoon region are mainly responsible for deficit rainfall. The ocean dynamics in the Indian Ocean displayed large differences during case-1 and case-2, suggesting the key role of Rossby wave dynamics in the Indian Ocean on NE monsoon extremes. Apart from the large scale circulation differences the number of cyclonic systems land fall for case-1 and case-2 have also contributed for

Inflammatory bowel disease in India - Past, present and future.

PubMed

Ray, Gautam

2016-09-28

There is rising incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in India topping the Southeast Asian (SEA) countries. The common genes implicated in disease pathogenesis in the West are not causal in Indian patients and the role of "hygiene hypothesis" is unclear. There appears to be a North-South divide with more ulcerative colitis (UC) in north and Crohn's disease (CD) in south India. IBD in second generation Indian migrants to the West takes the early onset and more severe form of the West whereas it retains the nature of its country of origin in migrants to SEA countries. The clinical presentation is much like other SEA countries (similar age and sex profile, low positive family history and effect of smoking, roughly similar disease location, use of aminosalicylates for CD, low use of biologics and similar surgical rates) with some differences (higher incidence of inflammatory CD, lower perianal disease, higher use of aminosalicylates and azathioprine and lower current use of corticosteroids). UC presents more with extensive disease not paralleled in severity clinically or histologically, follows benign course with easy medical control and low incidence of fulminant disease, cancer, complications, and surgery. UC related colorectal cancer develop in an unpredictable manner with respect to disease duration and site questioning the validity of strict screening protocol. About a third of CD patients get antituberculosis drugs and a significant number presents with small intestinal bleed which is predominantly afflicted by aggressive inflammation. Biomarkers have inadequate diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for both. Pediatric IBD tends to be more severe than adult. Population based studies are needed to address the lacunae in epidemiology and definition of etiological factors. Newer biomarkers and advanced diagnostic techniques (in the field of gastrointestinal endoscopy, molecular pathology and genetics) needs to be developed for proper disease

Inflammatory bowel disease in India - Past, present and future

PubMed Central

Ray, Gautam

2016-01-01

There is rising incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in India topping the Southeast Asian (SEA) countries. The common genes implicated in disease pathogenesis in the West are not causal in Indian patients and the role of “hygiene hypothesis” is unclear. There appears to be a North-South divide with more ulcerative colitis (UC) in north and Crohn’s disease (CD) in south India. IBD in second generation Indian migrants to the West takes the early onset and more severe form of the West whereas it retains the nature of its country of origin in migrants to SEA countries. The clinical presentation is much like other SEA countries (similar age and sex profile, low positive family history and effect of smoking, roughly similar disease location, use of aminosalicylates for CD, low use of biologics and similar surgical rates) with some differences (higher incidence of inflammatory CD, lower perianal disease, higher use of aminosalicylates and azathioprine and lower current use of corticosteroids). UC presents more with extensive disease not paralleled in severity clinically or histologically, follows benign course with easy medical control and low incidence of fulminant disease, cancer, complications, and surgery. UC related colorectal cancer develop in an unpredictable manner with respect to disease duration and site questioning the validity of strict screening protocol. About a third of CD patients get antituberculosis drugs and a significant number presents with small intestinal bleed which is predominantly afflicted by aggressive inflammation. Biomarkers have inadequate diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for both. Pediatric IBD tends to be more severe than adult. Population based studies are needed to address the lacunae in epidemiology and definition of etiological factors. Newer biomarkers and advanced diagnostic techniques (in the field of gastrointestinal endoscopy, molecular pathology and genetics) needs to be developed for proper

Some representative species of the tribe Holochlorini (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae) and the description of two new species from India.

PubMed

Swaminathan, R; Nagar, Rajendra

2016-09-28

In the present paper two new species of the genus Holochlora (Phaneropterinae: Holochlorini) have been described viz., Holochlora umranensis sp. nov., collected from Meghalaya, the North-eastern province, India (Ri bhoi 90°55'15 to 91°16' latitude and 25°40' to 25°21' longitude, 993 MSL) and Holochlora alsigarhensis sp. nov., collected from Southern-western, Rajasthan, (Udaipur N 24 34'17 to E 73 41' 30'' and Latitude 24.5713, Longitude 73.6915, 582 MSL), as additions to the previously known species of the genus that were earlier collected from the southern parts of India. Among these, four species are being reported for the first time from India including: H. brevifissa, H. fruhstorferi, H. japonica and Rectimarginalis profunda Liu & Kang. The key morphological characters of the head, pronotum, tenth abdominal tergite, subgenital plate, cerci, titillator and the ovipositor have been illustrated with suitable line drawings to distinguish the known, reported and new species, along with a key to the genera and species.

Risk factors and prevalence of dental fluorosis and dental caries in school children of North India.

PubMed

Plaka, Kavita; Ravindra, Khaiwal; Mor, Suman; Gauba, Krishan

2017-01-01

The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of dental fluorosis, dental caries, and associated risk factors in the school children of district Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab, India, using a cross-sectional study design. Oral health status of children aged between 8 and 15 years was assessed using World Health Organization (WHO) 2013 criteria. Dental fluorosis was assessed using Dean's index, and dental caries were recorded using decayed, missing, filled/decayed, extracted, filled (DMF/def) indices. Four hundred school children were examined, of which 207 were in the 8-11-year-old group and 193 were in the 12-15-year-old group. The overall prevalence of dental fluorosis was 4.1%, which might be linked to a high concentration of fluoride in drinking water at certain locations of rural Punjab. The prevalence of dental caries was 36.5% with a mean DMF score of 0.3 and def score of 0.6. Risk factors for dental caries include oral hygiene behavior and sugar consumption patterns. The study highlights the need to increase awareness about the oral health and hygiene among the school children in India.

Development of a field-friendly automated dietary assessment tool and nutrient database for India.

PubMed

Daniel, Carrie R; Kapur, Kavita; McAdams, Mary J; Dixit-Joshi, Sujata; Devasenapathy, Niveditha; Shetty, Hemali; Hariharan, Sriram; George, Preethi S; Mathew, Aleyamma; Sinha, Rashmi

2014-01-14

Studies of diet and disease risk in India and among other Asian-Indian populations are hindered by the need for a comprehensive dietary assessment tool to capture data on the wide variety of food and nutrient intakes across different regions and ethnic groups. The nutritional component of the India Health Study, a multicentre pilot cohort study, included 3908 men and women, aged 35-69 years, residing in three regions of India (New Delhi in the north, Mumbai in the west and Trivandrum in the south). We developed a computer-based, interviewer-administered dietary assessment software known as the 'NINA-DISH (New Interactive Nutrition Assistant - Diet in India Study of Health)', which consisted of four sections: (1) a diet history questionnaire with defined questions on frequency and portion size; (2) an open-ended section for each mealtime; (3) a food-preparer questionnaire; (4) a 24 h dietary recall. Using the preferred meal-based approach, frequency of intake and portion size were recorded and linked to a nutrient database that we developed and modified from a set of existing international databases containing data on Indian foods and recipes. The NINA-DISH software was designed to be easily adaptable and was well accepted by the interviewers and participants in the field. A predominant three-meal eating pattern emerged; however, patterns in the number of foods reported and the primary contributors to macro- and micronutrient intakes differed by region and demographic factors. The newly developed NINA-DISH software provides a much-needed tool for measuring diet and nutrient profiles across the diverse populations of India with the potential for application in other South Asian populations living throughout the world.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2017-12-01

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

Molecular genetic analysis of macular corneal dystrophy patients from North India.

PubMed

Paliwal, Preeti; Sharma, Arundhati; Tandon, Radhika; Sharma, Namrata; Titiyal, Jeevan S; Sen, Seema; Vajpayee, Rasik B

2012-01-01

To identify underlying genetic defects in the carbohydrate sulfotransferase-6 (CHST6) gene in North Indian patients with macular corneal dystrophy (MCD). 30 clinically diagnosed MCD patients from 21 families and 50 healthy normal controls were recruited in the study. Detailed clinical evaluation in the patients was undertaken followed by histopathology and ultrastructural studies in corneal tissues. DNA from blood samples was amplified for the CHST6 coding and upstream region followed by direct sequencing and in silico analysis. We identified pathogenic mutations in 17 patients from 11 families. Of these 4 were novel (p.Ser54Tyr, p.Gln58Arg, p.Leu59His and p.Leu293Phe), 2 were previously reported (Arg93His and Glu274Lys) homozygous, 1 heterozygous stop codon (p.Trp123X) and 2 compound heterozygous (p.Arg93His + p.Arg97Pro; p.Leu22Arg + p.Gln58X) mutations. A missense single-nucleotide polymorphism was also identified in 11 patients. The novel mutations were conserved as shown by in silico analysis. Thirteen patients did not show any pathogenic CHST6 changes. This is the first report on molecular analysis of MCD in North Indian patients. All cases could not be explained by mutations in CHST6, suggesting that MCD may result from other changes in the regulatory elements of CHST6 or from genetic heterogeneity. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Local Economic Development and Hydropower Along the Brahmaputra River Basin in Northeast India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mock, A.

2014-12-01

Large dams have long been controversial. They offer benefits, such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions, energy security, and local development, yet produce negative social and ecological impact, such as wildlife habitat destruction, human displacement, and the disruption of downstream fishing or agricultural industries. In the past decade, the Indian government has signed Memoranda of Understanding with hydroelectric power companies for the building of over 130 large dams on the Brahmaputra River in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in Northeast India. These dams can generate 43% of India's assessed hydropower potential to sustain India's growing economy. In addition, the Indian government claims that these dams will bring local development with needed jobs. However, local Arunachali people have protested and temporarily halted hydropower projects because of the impact of dams on their existing livelihoods. Using the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation's (NEEPCO) Ranganadi Hydroelectric Project as a case study, our project examined whether dams in Northeast India provide jobs for local people, and whether distance from the dam or work colony to a worker's hometown affects the type of job the worker received. Survey data from residents at NEEPCO's work colony in Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh, was analyzed using SPSS (n = 18). Our research found that 100% of workers at the dam originally resided in Northeast India, with 33% from Arunachal Pradesh, and 67% from the nearby states of Assam, and Tripura. Further, our analysis revealed no statistically significant relationship between the distance to a worker's hometown and job type (p = .609). Where workers come from did not affect the type of job they received. More research using a larger sample size and additional hydroelectric project case studies is needed to further explore the relationship between worker home location and their job types.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Characterization of Perianal Fistulous Disease in a Rural Based Tertiary Hospital of North India.

PubMed

Chauhan, Narvir Singh; Sood, Dinesh; Shukla, Anurag

2016-01-01

To diagnose and characterize the perianal fistulous disease using Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a hilly and rural area of North India. This prospective hospital based study was conducted for a period of one year from April 2014 to April 2015 in the departments of Radiodiagnosis and Surgery of our institute. A total of 50 consecutive patients presenting with perianal fistulous disease fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in the study and taken up for MRI. The perianal fistulae were classified according to St James University hospital classification and tracks were assessed with regard to anatomical plane, length, ramifications, abscess formation, enteric communication, external cutaneous opening, enhancement and suprasphincteric extension. Surgical correlation was done in 31 patients who opted for surgical treatment. Rest of the 19 patients preferred alternative medicine for treatment or chose to postpone their surgery. The disease was much more prevalent in males in comparison to females with male to female ratio of 24:1. Grade 4 was the most common type of fistula (34%) while Grade 5 was the least common type (4%).MRI showed a high sensitivity of 93.7% and positive predictive value (PPV) of 96.7% when correlated with surgical findings. A substantial number of patients (38%) preferred alternative medicine or non surgical form of treatment. MRI is a very sensitive modality for the evaluation of perianal fistula. In our study group, the disease predominantly affected middle aged men. Ramifications and abscesses were commonly seen, affecting nearly half of the patients and majority of the patients had active fistulous tracks with posteriorly located enteric opening. Overall, transsphincteric fistulae were most common. Significant number of patients avoided surgery or showed preference for non surgical treatment.

Genetic characterization of chayote [Sechium edule (Jacq.) Swartz.] landraces of North Eastern Hills of India and conservation measure.

PubMed

Verma, Veerendra Kumar; Pandey, Avinash; Jha, Anjani Kumar; Ngachan, S V

2017-10-01

Chayote or chow-chow is an underutilized cucurbit vegetable crop, widely cultivated by farmers in the backyards and Jhum lands for its tender leaves, fruits and tuberous root. In order to initiate crop improvement program in this crop, the present study was undertaken to assess the genetic variations in the 74 chow-chow landraces collected from the North Eastern Hill region of India. Wide variations for fruit colors, fruit length (6.5-21.5 cm), fruit width (4.2-10.7 cm), fruit weight (60-560 g), vitamin-C (2.6-13.8 mg/100 g), reducing sugar (0.18-2.77%), total sugar (1.09-2.94%) and phenol content (0.17-3.85 mg/100 g FW) were recorded among the landraces. All the landraces were also characterized using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. In RAPD analyses, out of 28 primers a total of 198 reproducible amplicons were formed at an average of 7.01 per primer and an overall polymorphism of 88.38%. Eight fragments were specific to landraces with light green fruits. Four fragments were observed to be specific to RCSC-22 (dark green fruits) and another four specific to a RCSC-30 (pale yellow fruits). Out of 30 ISSR, only 5 primers generated a total of 32 reproducible amplicons with an average of 6.4 per primer and overall polymorphism of 62.5%. The pair wise similarity coefficient values ranged from 0.55 to 0.96. The grouping of landraces in cluster analysis was found to be independent of their respective geographic locations. The cuttings of suckers and shoot top (2 months old) treated with indole-3-butyric acid (200 mg l -1 ) provide an alternative for the conservation of the diverse genetic materials to the researchers.

India's population--what is being done?

PubMed

Maloney, C

1986-01-01

Thus far, India's efforts to curtail population growth have consistently failed to meet official targets. The crude birthrate (per 1000 population per year) is highest in the belt of 6 Hindi-speaking states, which include Rajasthan (40), Madhya Pradesh (38.5), Uttar Pradesh (38.4), Bihar (37.2), and Haryana (35.9). The rates are slightly lower in the other large North Indian States. The rate is 33.6 for India as a whole according to 1983 data. 3 of the South Indian states have the lowest crude birthrates: Kamataka (28.7), Tamil Nadu (27.8), and Kerata (24.9). Each of India's successive Five Year Plans gave increasingly more emphasis to population control, but the key tactical features have stayed the same. Population control comes under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, with family planning services provided through the free health delivery system. The main strategy continues to be to persuade people on an individual basis to accept the small family norm by a wide range of advertising and educational efforts. As of 1986, the family planning establishment had grown to gigantic proportions, employing half a million people in the family planning and health services. The Five Year Plan initiated in July 1985 continues the same approach but with added features. "Green cards" are given to those who accept sterilization after 2 children, allowing them a wide range of benefits such as low interest housing loans, preference in getting housing plots and enterprise loans, and salary increases for government employees. Health workers and other government employees have quotas of persons to motivate for contraceptive acceptance. They receive a small monetary incentive, which they often give to the acceptors so they can maintain their quotas and keep their jobs. The 1986 Revised Strategy for Family Planning is essentially more of the same with family planning more integrated with the health delivery system. Foreign and international donor agencies frequently have placed

Analysis of trends in streamflow and its linkages with rainfall and anthropogenic factors in Gomti River basin of North India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abeysingha, N. S.; Singh, Man; Sehgal, V. K.; Khanna, Manoj; Pathak, Himanshu

2016-02-01

Trend analysis of hydro-climatic variables such as streamflow, rainfall, and temperature provides useful information for effective water resources planning, designing, and management. Trends in observed streamflow at four gauging stations in the Gomti River basin of North India were assessed using the Mann-Kendall and Sen's slope for the 1982 to 2012 period. The relationships between trends in streamflow and rainfall were studied by correlation analyses. There was a gradual decreasing trend of annual, monsoonal, and winter seasonal streamflow ( p < 0.05) from the midstream to the downstream of the river and also a decreasing trend of annual streamflow for the 5-year moving averaged standardized anomalies of streamflow for the entire basin. The declining trend in the streamflow was attributed partly to the increased water withdrawal, to increased air temperature, to higher population, and partly to significant reducing trend of post monsoon rainfall especially at downstream. Upstream gauging station showed a significant increasing trend of streamflow (1.6 m3/s/year) at annual scale, and this trend was attributed to the significant increasing trend of catchment rainfall (9.54 mm/year). It was further evident in the significant coefficient of positive correlation ( ρ = 0.8) between streamflow and catchment rainfall. The decreasing trend in streamflow and post-monsoon rainfall especially towards downstream area with concurrent increasing trend of temperature indicates a drying tendency of the Gomti River basin over the study period. The results of this study may help stakeholders to design streamflow restoration strategies for sustainable water management planning of the Gomti River basin.

Medication misuse in India: a major public health issue in India.

PubMed

Porter, Gillian; Grills, Nathan

2016-06-01

In India, it has been estimated that 50% of family spending on healthcare is on unnecessary medications or investigations. This, combined with the wide availability of medications, has seemingly contributed to increasing rates of antibiotic resistance and further impoverishment. In this literature review, we aim to characterize the extent of misuse and describe underlying factors contributing to the misuse of medication in India. This literature review included relevant articles published after 2000 that assessed medication use and misuse in India. A narrative review framework was used to analyse each article, confirm its inclusion, extract relevant information and group the findings under thematic areas. There were 115 articles included in this literature review. The literature demonstrated that the misuse of medications in India is widespread. The factors resulting in this involves all levels of the health system including regulation, enforcement and policy, healthcare providers and consumers. This is one of the most comprehensive reviews of medication misuse in India. It indicates the widespread nature of the problem and so highlights the need for action. This review provides a detailed understanding as to the complex interplay of factors that result in medication misuse in India. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Relationship between aerosol and lightning over Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP), India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lal, D. M.; Ghude, Sachin D.; Mahakur, M.; Waghmare, R. T.; Tiwari, S.; Srivastava, Manoj K.; Meena, G. S.; Chate, D. M.

2017-08-01

The relationship between aerosol and lightning over the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP), India has been evaluated by utilising aerosol optical depth (AOD), cloud droplet effective radius and cloud fraction from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer. Lightning flashes have been observed by the lightning Imaging sensor on the board of Tropical Rainfall and Measuring Mission and humidity from modern-era retrospective-analysis for research and applications for the period of 2001-2012. In this study, the role of aerosol in lightning generation over the north-west sector of IGP has been revealed. It is found that lightning activity increases (decreases) with increasing aerosols during normal (deficient) monsoon rainfall years. However, lightning increases with increasing aerosol during deficient rainfall years when the average value of AOD is less than 0.88. We have found that during deficient rainfall years the moisture content of the atmosphere and cloud fraction is smaller than that during the years with normal or excess monsoon rainfall over the north-west IGP. Over the north-east Bay of Bengal and its adjoining region the variations of moisture and cloud fraction between the deficient and normal rainfall years are minimal. We have found that the occurrence of the lightning over this region is primarily due to its topography and localised circulation. The warm-dry air approaching from north-west converges with moist air emanating from the Bay of Bengal causing instability that creates an environment for deep convective cloud and lightning. The relationship between lightning and aerosol is stronger over the north-west sector of IGP than the north-east, whereas it is moderate over the central IGP. We conclude that aerosol is playing a major role in lightning activity over the north-west sector of IGP, but, local meteorological conditions such as convergences of dry and moist air is the principal cause of lightning over the north-east sector of IGP. In addition

Adaptation and Evaluation of the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale in India (NEWS-India).

PubMed

Adlakha, Deepti; Hipp, J Aaron; Brownson, Ross C

2016-04-02

Physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality, with most of these deaths occurring in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) like India. Research from developed countries has consistently demonstrated associations between built environment features and physical activity levels of populations. The development of culturally sensitive and reliable measures of the built environment is a necessary first step for accurate analysis of environmental correlates of physical activity in LMICs. This study systematically adapted the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS) for India and evaluated aspects of test-retest reliability of the adapted version among Indian adults. Cultural adaptation of the NEWS was conducted by Indian and international experts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with local residents and key informants in the city of Chennai, India. At baseline, participants (N = 370; female = 47.2%) from Chennai completed the adapted NEWS-India surveys on perceived residential density, land use mix-diversity, land use mix-access, street connectivity, infrastructure and safety for walking and cycling, aesthetics, traffic safety, and safety from crime. NEWS-India was administered for a second time to consenting participants (N = 62; female = 53.2%) with a gap of 2-3 weeks between successive administrations. Qualitative findings demonstrated that built environment barriers and constraints to active commuting and physical activity behaviors intersected with social ecological systems. The adapted NEWS subscales had moderate to high test-retest reliability (ICC range 0.48-0.99). The NEWS-India demonstrated acceptable measurement properties among Indian adults and may be a useful tool for evaluation of built environment attributes in India. Further adaptation and evaluation in rural and suburban settings in India is essential to create a version that could be used throughout India.

Adaptation and Evaluation of the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale in India (NEWS-India)

PubMed Central

Adlakha, Deepti; Hipp, J. Aaron; Brownson, Ross C.

2016-01-01

Physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality, with most of these deaths occurring in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) like India. Research from developed countries has consistently demonstrated associations between built environment features and physical activity levels of populations. The development of culturally sensitive and reliable measures of the built environment is a necessary first step for accurate analysis of environmental correlates of physical activity in LMICs. This study systematically adapted the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS) for India and evaluated aspects of test-retest reliability of the adapted version among Indian adults. Cultural adaptation of the NEWS was conducted by Indian and international experts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with local residents and key informants in the city of Chennai, India. At baseline, participants (N = 370; female = 47.2%) from Chennai completed the adapted NEWS-India surveys on perceived residential density, land use mix-diversity, land use mix-access, street connectivity, infrastructure and safety for walking and cycling, aesthetics, traffic safety, and safety from crime. NEWS-India was administered for a second time to consenting participants (N = 62; female = 53.2%) with a gap of 2–3 weeks between successive administrations. Qualitative findings demonstrated that built environment barriers and constraints to active commuting and physical activity behaviors intersected with social ecological systems. The adapted NEWS subscales had moderate to high test-retest reliability (ICC range 0.48–0.99). The NEWS-India demonstrated acceptable measurement properties among Indian adults and may be a useful tool for evaluation of built environment attributes in India. Further adaptation and evaluation in rural and suburban settings in India is essential to create a version that could be used throughout India. PMID:27049394

Gender Differences in Factors Related to HIV Risk Behaviors among People Who Inject Drugs in North-East India

PubMed Central

McFall, Allison M.; Solomon, Sunil S.; Srikrishnan, Aylur K.; Vasudevan, Canjeevaram K.; Anand, Santhanam; Celentano, David D.; Mehta, Shruti H.; Kumar, Suresh; Lucas, Gregory M.

2017-01-01

People who inject drugs (PWID) in India are at high risk for HIV, with women being at elevated risk. Using a socio-ecological framework, this study assessed whether factors associated with HIV transmission risk behaviors differed across men and women PWID. Data for this cross-sectional study were collected from 6449 PWID in 7 cities in Northeast India. Men (n = 5653) and women (n = 796) PWID were recruited using respondent-driven sampling (RDS). We assessed sex differences in two recent HIV transmission risk behaviors: multiple sex partners and needle/syringe sharing. We used multi-level logistic regression models, which incorporated sampling weights and random intercepts for city, to assess factors associated with these HIV risks, separately among men and women. The prevalence of HIV was significantly higher among women than men (53% vs 18.4%, p<0.01). Nearly 13% of men and 8% of women (p = .30) had multiple partners. Employment in men and relationship status and stigma in women were significantly associated with multiple partners. Approximately 25% of men and 19% of women engaged in needle sharing (p = .16). Younger age in women and depression symptoms in men were significantly associated with increased risk for sharing needles. We found that sexual and drug related risk behaviors were common among PWID in Northeast India, and there were differences between men and women in the socio-ecologic correlates of these behaviors. Contextually-integrated and gender-specific HIV prevention and intervention efforts are needed that consider factors at individual, interpersonal- and community-levels that uniquely impact HIV risks among PWID. PMID:28099458

The Cucurbitaceae of India: Accepted names, synonyms, geographic distribution, and information on images and DNA sequences

PubMed Central

Renner, Susanne S.; Pandey, Arun K.

2013-01-01

Abstract The most recent critical checklists of the Cucurbitaceae of India are 30 years old. Since then, botanical exploration, online availability of specimen images and taxonomic literature, and molecular-phylogenetic studies have led to modified taxon boundaries and geographic ranges. We present a checklist of the Cucurbitaceae of India that treats 400 relevant names and provides information on the collecting locations and herbaria for all types. We accept 94 species (10 of them endemic) in 31 genera. For accepted species, we provide their geographic distribution inside and outside India, links to online images of herbarium or living specimens, and information on publicly available DNA sequences to highlight gaps in the current understanding of Indian cucurbit diversity. Of the 94 species, 79% have DNA sequences in GenBank, albeit rarely from Indian material. The most species-rich genera are Trichosanthes with 22 species, Cucumis with 11 (all but two wild), Momordica with 8, and Zehneria with 5. From an evolutionary point of view, India is of special interest because it harbors a wide range of lineages, many of them relatively old and phylogenetically isolated. Phytogeographically, the north eastern and peninsular regions are richest in species, while the Jammu Kashmir and Himachal regions have few Cucurbitaceae. Our checklist probably underestimates the true diversity of Indian Cucurbitaceae, but should help focus efforts towards the least known species and regions. PMID:23717193

Future of endemic flora of biodiversity hotspots in India.

PubMed

Chitale, Vishwas Sudhir; Behera, Mukund Dev; Roy, Partha Sarthi

2014-01-01

India is one of the 12 mega biodiversity countries of the world, which represents 11% of world's flora in about 2.4% of global land mass. Approximately 28% of the total Indian flora and 33% of angiosperms occurring in India are endemic. Higher human population density in biodiversity hotspots in India puts undue pressure on these sensitive eco-regions. In the present study, we predict the future distribution of 637 endemic plant species from three biodiversity hotspots in India; Himalaya, Western Ghats, Indo-Burma, based on A1B scenario for year 2050 and 2080. We develop individual variable based models as well as mixed models in MaxEnt by combining ten least co-related bioclimatic variables, two disturbance variables and one physiography variable as predictor variables. The projected changes suggest that the endemic flora will be adversely impacted, even under such a moderate climate scenario. The future distribution is predicted to shift in northern and north-eastern direction in Himalaya and Indo-Burma, while in southern and south-western direction in Western Ghats, due to cooler climatic conditions in these regions. In the future distribution of endemic plants, we observe a significant shift and reduction in the distribution range compared to the present distribution. The model predicts a 23.99% range reduction and a 7.70% range expansion in future distribution by 2050, while a 41.34% range reduction and a 24.10% range expansion by 2080. Integration of disturbance and physiography variables along with bioclimatic variables in the models improved the prediction accuracy. Mixed models provide most accurate results for most of the combinations of climatic and non-climatic variables as compared to individual variable based models. We conclude that a) regions with cooler climates and higher moisture availability could serve as refugia for endemic plants in future climatic conditions; b) mixed models provide more accurate results, compared to single variable based

Future of Endemic Flora of Biodiversity Hotspots in India

PubMed Central

Chitale, Vishwas Sudhir; Behera, Mukund Dev; Roy, Partha Sarthi

2014-01-01

India is one of the 12 mega biodiversity countries of the world, which represents 11% of world's flora in about 2.4% of global land mass. Approximately 28% of the total Indian flora and 33% of angiosperms occurring in India are endemic. Higher human population density in biodiversity hotspots in India puts undue pressure on these sensitive eco-regions. In the present study, we predict the future distribution of 637 endemic plant species from three biodiversity hotspots in India; Himalaya, Western Ghats, Indo-Burma, based on A1B scenario for year 2050 and 2080. We develop individual variable based models as well as mixed models in MaxEnt by combining ten least co-related bioclimatic variables, two disturbance variables and one physiography variable as predictor variables. The projected changes suggest that the endemic flora will be adversely impacted, even under such a moderate climate scenario. The future distribution is predicted to shift in northern and north-eastern direction in Himalaya and Indo-Burma, while in southern and south-western direction in Western Ghats, due to cooler climatic conditions in these regions. In the future distribution of endemic plants, we observe a significant shift and reduction in the distribution range compared to the present distribution. The model predicts a 23.99% range reduction and a 7.70% range expansion in future distribution by 2050, while a 41.34% range reduction and a 24.10% range expansion by 2080. Integration of disturbance and physiography variables along with bioclimatic variables in the models improved the prediction accuracy. Mixed models provide most accurate results for most of the combinations of climatic and non-climatic variables as compared to individual variable based models. We conclude that a) regions with cooler climates and higher moisture availability could serve as refugia for endemic plants in future climatic conditions; b) mixed models provide more accurate results, compared to single variable based

Socio-demographic and behavioural risk factors for cervical cancer and knowledge, attitude and practice in rural and urban areas of North Bengal, India.

PubMed

Raychaudhuri, Sreejata; Mandal, Sukanta

2012-01-01

Cervical cancer is common among women worldwide. A multitude of risk factors aggravate the disease. This study was conducted to: (1) determine the prevalence and (2) make a comparative analysis of the socio-demographic and behavioural risk factors of cervical cancer and knowledge, attitude and practice between rural and urban women of North Bengal, India. Community-based cross-sectional study. A survey (first in North Bengal) was conducted among 133 women in a rural area (Kawakhali) and 88 women in an urban slum (Shaktigarh) using predesigned semi-structured questionnaires. The respondents were informed of the causes (including HPV), signs and symptoms, prevention of cervical cancer and treatment, and the procedure of the PAP test and HPV vaccination. The prevalence of risk factors like multiparity, early age of marriage, use of cloth during menstruation, use of condom and OCP, early age of first intercourse was 37.2%, 82%, 83.3%, 5.4%, 15.8% and 65.6% respectively. Awareness about the cause, signs and symptoms, prevention of cervical cancer, PAP test and HPV vaccination was 3.6%, 6.3%, 3.6%, 9.5% and 14.5% respectively. Chi-square testing revealed that in the study population, significant differential at 5% exists between rural and urban residents with respect to number of children, use of cloth/sanitary napkins, family history of cancer and awareness regarding causes of cervical cancer. Regarding KAP, again using chi-square tests, surprisingly, level of education is found to be significant for each element of KAP in urban areas in contrast to complete absence of association between education and elements of KAP in rural areas. A large number of risk factors were present in both areas, the prevalence being higher in the rural areas. The level of awareness and role of education appears to be insignificant determinants in rural compared to urban areas. This pilot study needs to be followed up by large scale programmes to re-orient awareness campaigns, especially in

Role of deep crustal fluids in the genesis of intraplate earthquakes in the Kachchh region, northwestern India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavan Kumar, G.; Mahesh, P.; Nagar, Mehul; Mahender, E.; Kumar, Virendhar; Mohan, Kapil; Ravi Kumar, M.

2017-05-01

Fluids play a prominent role in the genesis of earthquakes, particularly in intraplate settings. In this study, we present evidence for a highly heterogeneous nature of electrical conductivity in the crust and uppermost mantle beneath the Kachchh rift basin of northwestern India, which is host to large, deadly intraplate earthquakes. We interpret our results of high conductive zones inferred from magnetotelluric and 3-D local earthquake tomography investigations in terms of a fluid reservoir in the upper mantle. The South Wagad Fault (SWF) imaged as a near-vertical north dipping low resistivity zone traversing the entire crust and an elongated south dipping conductor demarcating the North Wagad Fault (NWF) serve as conduits for fluid flow from the reservoir to the middle to lower crustal depths. Importantly, the epicentral zone of the 2001 main shock is characterized as a fluid saturated zone at the rooting of NWF onto the SWF.