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Analyses the 1293 Indian publications in cataract research during 2002-2011, with a focus on contribution and citation impact of 15 most productive countries, India's overall contribution, its growth, citation impact, the share of international collaborative papers, identification of significant countries in India's international collaboration, different types of cataract research, analyses of research by subfields and different population age groups, productivity, and impact of leading Indian institutions and authors and pattern of communication of Indian output in most productive journals. The Scopus Citation Database has been used to retrieve the data for 10 years (2002-2011). Indian publications increased from 87 papers in 2002 to 195 papers in 2011, witnessing an annual average growth rate of 10.03%, registering an average citation impact per paper of 3.26 and international collaborative share of 21.58% during 2002-2011. Suggest that the government should encourage the decision makers and ophthalmologists and allied persons involved in ophthalmic services to make serious efforts in reducing the burden of cataract disease by increasing the R&D, strengthening of national and international collaboration and improve the existing training programs for ophthalmologic professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A diet high in sodium contributes to a significant proportion of Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) due to cardiovascular diseases. This paper describes the awareness, behaviour and determinants related to dietary salt intake in an adult population of 18–69 years that were assessed as part of the National NCD Monitoring Survey (NNMS) in India. A sub-sample of 3000 adults selected through simple random sampling from 150 nationally representative Primary Sampling Units (PSUs) was included. Data regarding awareness and behaviour related to dietary salt intake were collected. Urinary sodium excretion in spot urine samples was estimated and used to calculate dietary salt intake. The dietary salt intake's sociodemographic, behavioural and metabolic determinants were also analysed. Less than one-third of the adults of both genders in all age groups in rural and urban areas were aware that daily high salt intake could affect health. The estimated mean daily salt intake was 8.0 g (8.9 g/day for men and 7.1 g/day for women). The salt intake was significantly higher in men [Adjusted OR = 17.66 (5.24–59.46)], rural areas [Adjusted OR = 6.14 (1.83–20.60)], overweight and obese respondents [Adjusted OR = 17.62 (3.17–98.07)]. The perception of the harmful effects of high salt intake and practices to limit salt intake was low in the study population. The mean daily salt intake was higher than the WHO recommendation of up to 5 g daily. The mean dietary salt intake is high in the Indian population, which calls for planning and implementing control of dietary salt consumption measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Empirically, the official measurement of multidimensional poverty often shows children as the poorest age group. According to Global Multidimensional Poverty Index report, Africa and South Asia bear the highest burden multidimensional child poverty (MCP). Around one-third of children aged 0–4 are multidimensionally poor in India. Policymakers in India must have appropriate information on child poverty to alleviate poverty. The purpose of this paper is to examine MCP trends and track efforts to reduce child poverty at the national level across geographic regions, castes, and religious groups. Methods: We used the Alkire-Foster method to calculate the MCP index (MCPI) among children aged 0–4 using the latest two rounds of National Family Health Survey data (2015–16 and 2019–21). We applied the Shapley decomposition method to analyse the marginal contribution of incidence and intensity that lead to changes in MCPI. Results: In India, the incidence of child poverty reduced by more than 40% between 2015–16 and 2019–21 (46.6–27.4%) and the MCPI reduced by half (24.2–12.6%). The relative decline in MCPI has been largest for urban areas, northern regions, Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Hindus. Children from rural areas, Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Muslim households are the poor performers. When focusing exclusively on the poor child, we found all the population subgroups and geographic locations reduced the censored headcount ratios in all 14 indicators. Across places of residence, castes, religions, and regions the, indicators like electricity, birth registration, drinking water, assisted delivery, sanitation and cooking fuel made significant improvements between 2015–16 to 2019–21. Conclusion: The study indicates that by studying the MCPI over time, one can identify the priorities in policy development to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Many instruments have been developed to measure the perceived luxuriousness of brands, but one of the most frequently used scales is the "brand luxury index" (BLI) from Vigneron and Johnson (2004) that distinguishes between high- and low-luxury brands. Despite its popularity and widespread use in academic research, the scale's psychometric properties and equivalence across cultures have been questioned. Recently, modified versions of the scale have been developed to strengthen the quality of the measurement. However, the performance and the measurement invariance of the modified version have not yet been investigated. The current paper aims to test the model fit of the modified BLI scale and the measurement invariance across gender, age and country groups using nine datasets from a total of three different countries. Design/methodology/approach: This paper conducts a multi-group CFA to examine the measurement invariance of the BLI scale. Nine datasets were used in this study. The data were collected across three countries, the United States (5 datasets), China (2 datasets) and India (2 datasets) from 2016 to 2018. Findings: The results of this analysis suggest that the modified BLI scale has an acceptable model fit and can be interpreted equivalently across gender and age groups. Metric invariance was found among the US, China and India. However, scalar measurement invariance was established only across two countries: the US and India. A follow-up analysis shows that partial scalar invariance can be established across the US, China and India when removing constraints on the parameters of three items: exclusive, precious and sophisticated. Originality/value: This study is the first study to test the model fit of the modified BLI scale. The findings of this paper contribute to both the academia and industry. The authors recommend scholars and marketers to use a modified 19-item BLI scale to measure the perceived luxuriousness of brands in future research. First, the modified BLI scale tested in the current study offers very good performance with model fit values of a quality that has rarely been seen in prior research. The original scale of Vigneron and Johnson (2004) has been criticized for its poor model fit (Christodoulides et al., 2009). The modified scale of Doss and Robinson (2013) also has problems with the fit value. Second, the modified 19-item scale also shows adequate measurement invariance across different gender, age and countries. For scholars and marketers, the establishment of the metric invariance of the modified 19-item BLI scale implies that the scale can be used across gender, age and countries (the US, China and India) if the purpose of the study is to understand the relationship between some variables and perceived luxuriousness of a brand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, shifting cultivation is known to be an important driver of tropical deforestation. However, in this paper, we argue that it can be sustainably managed if the environmental boundary conditions, laid by the traditional customs and practices, are fully respected. We narrate an empirical study from the Zunheboto district of Nagaland, India, where we deployed a mixed research method to explore the Indigenous and Local Knowledge and Practices (ILKPs) associated with shifting cultivation (aka Jhum), particularly concerning farm-level practices, forest and biodiversity conservation, and disaster risk reduction measures. The research method included analysis of primary data obtained through Focus Group discussions (FGDs), key informant interviews (n = 21), and a questionnaire survey (n = 153) with Jhum farmers from two different age groups, i.e., below 50 years (middle-aged farmers) and above 50 years (older farmers). From the qualitative inquiry, we identified 15 ILKPs, which were then validated from survey responses. We used the Mann–Whitney U test to examine differences in agreement between two groups of framers. Based on this analysis, we conclude that upholding of the ILKPs holds strong potential for the local implementation of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly, SDG-1(No poverty), SDG-2 (Zero hunger), and SDG-15 (Life on land). However, eight of the identified ILKPs showed a statistically significant difference between older and middle-aged farmers, underlining a declining trend. Finally, we suggest suitable policy measures to mainstream ILKPs to balance the trade-offs in food production and biodiversity conservation, and to ensure the future sustainability of Jhum cultivation in the region and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Narcotic drugs and substance abuse have been considered a menace across the world for many decades. The world saw drug addiction or substance abuse as a crime rather than as a medical-legal challenge faced by individuals. However, in the last few years, this perception seems to have transformed from a punitive approach to a reformatory and rehabilitative approach. Most surveys suggest that drug use peaks amongst the age group of 18-25 years. Surveys also indicate a high rate of initiation of drug use amongst adolescents. The importance of the issue is manifest from the fact that 50% of the Indian population is below the age of 25 years and around 65% is below the age of 35 years, and it is expected that the average age of the Indian population would be 29 years by the year 2020. In this paper, the authors have attempted to trace the journey of the NDPS Act and shed light on the issues such as lack of rehabilitation and pendency, which have marred the success of the Act. This paper seeks to analyse the drug laws of India which were enacted to deal with the menace of drug abuse as well as to fulfil its international obligations. Simultaneously, the authors have attempted to bring forth the key factors which seem to have shattered the intent and objectives behind this piece of legislation. The authors have weighed the Act against International Conventions and tried to test its congruity with the rehabilitative approach. Relying on various reports, domestic and global judicial developments and other reliable sources, the authors have attempted to bring forth the challenges which are being faced in dealing with the matters relating to narcotic drugs and substance abuse under the NDPS Act and other ancillary laws and provide some suggestions thereon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India's youth unemployment rose from 15.5% in 1991 to 23% in 2019. This period also witnessed a declining trend in India's youth to working-age population ratio from 33% to 27%. These statistics are aligned with the existing studies which postulate that if the working-age segment has a large proportion of youth in the age group of 15 to 24 years, it will lead to a high unemployment rate. Given such a context, this paper aims to examine and estimate the demographic, monetary and macroeconomic factors influencing India's rising youth unemployment, with the help of Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach to cointegration. This study also brings in a new dimension to the existing studies by providing an in-depth analysis of the role of millennials cohort, which entered the working-age segment in 1995, in contributing to India's rising youth unemployment. A disaggregated analysis of India's youth unemployment based on the criteria of education and gender has also been carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chairman of the drafting committee of the modern Indian Constitution, Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar, emphasized that education cultivates democracy in society, strengthens the roots of democracy, and brings about social transformation. The social transformation includes a way of life that will promote liberty, equality, and fraternity, which are Dr Ambedkar's "key elements of an ideal society". This paper discusses the implications for higher education campuses for achieving an ideal society in light of the emerging evidence on peer group formation around identities and issues of discrimination associated with caste in the context of increasing student diversity. The paper also emphasizes the important role of a civic-learning approach to higher education; meaning an active engagement with values of liberty, equality, and fraternity. There is a shared belief that higher education has a great potential to be a social laboratory for civic learning and to inculcate democratic values and foster peaceful interactions among members of diverse groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the various ways in which organizational structures of the corporate university are imbricated in racial hierarchies underlying global immigration, with particular reference to non-immigrant precarity in US academia. Moving beyond critiques focused on curriculum and pedagogy, I argue that as an epitomizing product of capitalism, the corporate university must be dismantled to decenter global knowledge creation itself. We must view the generation of critical social science research in context of interactions between the colonizing structure of global immigration laws and Global North's academic institutional hierarchies. The paper begins by theoretically framing corporate university, its co-option of diversity and equality as the cornerstone of contemporary neoliberalism and its entanglements with contemporary immigration regimes such that it emerges as a site for non-immigrant precarity. I then discuss how seemingly critical fields of inquiry such as academic feminism are institutionally arranged within corporate universities to sustain racialized precarity for non-immigrants in academia, through hiring, research, and pedagogical practices. I conclude by drawing on two grassroots education models in India as means for (re)imagining decolonial possibilities with subversive philosophies of education and spatial alternatives, which are crucial for feminist research to be meaningful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The absence of reliable registration of Covid-19 deaths in India has prevented proper assessment and monitoring of the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, India's relatively young age structure tends to conceal the severity of Covid-19 mortality, which is concentrated in older age groups. In this paper, we present four different demographic samples of Indian populations for which we have information on both their demographic structures and death outcomes. We show that we can model the age distribution of Covid-19 mortality in India and use this modeling to estimate Covid-19 mortality in the country. Our findings point to a death toll of approximately 3.2–3.7 million persons by early November 2021. Once India's age structure is factored in, these figures correspond to one of the most severe cases of Covid-19 mortality in the world. India has recorded after February 2021 the second outbreak of coronavirus that has affected the entire country. The accuracy of official statistics of Covid-19 mortality has been questioned, and the real number of Covid-19 deaths is thought to be several times higher than reported. In this paper, we assembled four independent population samples to model and estimate the level of Covid-19 mortality in India. We first used a population sample with the age and sex of Covid-19 victims to develop a Gompertz model of Covid-19 mortality in India. We applied and adjusted this mortality model on two other national population samples after factoring in the demographic characteristics of these samples. We finally derive from these samples the most reasonable estimate of Covid-19 mortality level in India and confirm this result using a fourth population sample. Our findings point to a death toll of about 3.2–3.7 million persons by late May 2021. This is by far the largest number of Covid-19 deaths in the world. Once standardized for age and sex structure, India's Covid-19 mortality rate is above Brazil and the USA. Our analysis shows that existing population samples allow an alternative estimation of deaths due to Covid-19 in India. The results imply that only one out of 7–8 deaths appear to have been recorded as a Covid-19 death in India. The estimates also point to a very high Covid-19 mortality rate, which is even higher after age and sex standardization. The magnitude of the pandemic in India requires immediate attention. In the absence of effective remedies, this calls for a strong response based on a combination of non-pharmaceutical interventions and the scale-up of vaccination to make them accessible to all, with an improved surveillance system to monitor the progression of the pandemic and its spread across India's regions and social groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trauma is a global challenge and India has one of the highest trauma deaths in the world. Despite the United Nations' target to halve the global number of deaths and injuries from road traffic crashes by 2030, death tolls from road traffic injuries (RTI) are rising in India. In the pediatric age group, falls from height add to the burden of trauma. Uncontrolled bleeding from exsanguination on scene is estimated to account for nearly 40% of RTI trauma related mortality. Stopping the bleeding in the first few minutes is crucial for meaningful survival and hence the role of training lay public who can reach the scene in minutes. Active bleeding control (ABC) pilot research project to simulation train the bystanders to stop the bleed showed promising outcomes in Hyderabad, India. This paper describes the ABC project and discusses the role of pediatricians in training the public to reduce morbidity and mortality from uncontrolled bleeding at the trauma scene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is based on the District library, Lakhimpur, Assam, India, which is an endeavor to highlight the reading habits of users in Pre & Post lockdown period (pre lockdown period refer as April 2019 to 24th March 2020 and post Lockdown as after 30th June 2020 to 20th March 2021) of Lakhimpur District Library (LDL). The aim of the present study is also to find out the time used by the users of the Lakhimpur district library in different age groups. The finding of the study also reveals that there is scope for development of LDL to bring more users. The study highlights the pre & post lockdown period scenario of the library where 150 Nos. of users were surveyed with structured questionnaire as a tool for data collection and collected data has been analyzed and presented in the tables and based on the available data on the Library suggestions have been given to improve the functions of the Library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to derive insights from Kongthong village, popularly known as the "whistling village," a low-key rural tourism destination that has often gone under the radar. As an upcoming rural tourism destination, mothers create a unique tune for their children, ensuring that their identity remains unique. This is because the residents of Kongthong have two names: an official name and another in the form of a whistled tune. The primary objective of this study is to better understand the rural tourism activities at Kongthong and to explore the symbiotic relationship between indigenous cultural practices and holistic development through tourism. Design/methodology/approach: The study uses an ethnographic approach wherein the researchers conducted in-depth interviews and group discussions. The study respondents are the village elders, youth, men and women across different age groups. The various governing bodies act as secondary data sources concerning tourism and development. Findings: The study observes that rural tourism activities in Kongthong go hand in hand with understanding indigenous knowledge. The governing bodies and the local community are on the right path to achieving potential growth and preserving the village as a holistic rural tourist destination. Originality/value: Rural tourism in Kongthong highlights the traditional practices of the Khasi community. Owing to this, Kongthong was nominated for the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) best tourism village by the Government of India as it showcases local culture through social, economic and political elements at the destination that add value to a tourism product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Are you an adult? It is a difficult question to answer and it becomes even more complicated if you are an Indian women who is in the age group of 18-25 years. Even though this period of life, i.e the bracket of 18-25 years, has been termed by popular literature as Emerging Adulthood, however it's worth contemplation whether the 'popular literature' which is majorly developed in western socio-cultural contexts, can be used to understand women in this age group in Indian socio-cultural settings which are replete with layers of complexities and multiplicities. This research paper attempts to answer various unanswered, unexplored questions including analysing the nuances of adulthood and womanhood. This research paper is an outcome of the doctoral research work primarily based upon exploring the existence and nature of Emerging Adulthood in the Indian socio-cultural context. For this research study, the mixed research methods approach was adopted and the data was collected and analysed in two phases. The first phase was primarily quantitative in approach with 'social survey' as the main method and knowing about the existence of Emerging Adulthood in India as the main objective. In the second phase of the research work, representative sample from the targeted population was interviewed, followed by narrative analysis. This analysis has come up with some interesting findings related to the gender differences in the process of identity development during emerging adulthood, for instance, the way women experience this phase of life is completely different from the experiences of men. This not only gives way to the possibility of a separate theory for identity development of women during emerging adulthood but also questions the very basis of the way certain psychological constructs are defined and understood from ages. This paper focuses upon developing a theoretical perspective on identity development of women during Emerging Adulthood. It provides a theoretical framework emphasising various aspects of identity development of women in India. This theorisation will not enrich the present theoretical frameworks of understanding identity development but it will also provide an alternate perspective of understanding identity development as process, the perspective of women in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper constructs long-run estimates of total missing women (including missing girls at birth and excess female deaths) in China and India over seven decades from 1950 to 2020. We find that the number of missing women in India has been higher than in China throughout the seven decades. Over time, missing girls at birth grew faster in China than in India, but China has made more rapid progress in reducing excess female deaths after birth. While the share of missing girls at birth in total missing women has risen since the 1980s, there has also been a shift in excess female mortality from younger to older age groups. Our estimated trends are consistent with key economic, social, demographic and technological events and developments in the two countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing number of organisations, including medical associations, recommend that research subjects should be given the option of being informed about the general outcome and results of the study. We recently completed a study involving nine serosurveys from 2018 to 2020 in five districts of India among three age groups (children 9 months to < 5 years; 5 to < 15 years of age, and women 15 to < 50 years of age before and after the measles and rubella (MR) vaccination campaigns). In Palghar district of Maharashtra all individuals in 30 selected clusters were enumerated, and 13 individuals per age group were randomly sampled. We established the procedures to return the results to the respondents for each stage of the survey. Of the 1,166 individuals selected for the measles and rubella serosurvey, 971 (83%) agreed to participate and were enrolled. Participants were informed that they will only be contacted if they test seronegative for measles and/or rubella antibodies. Overall, 140 individuals enrolled in the survey tested seronegative for IgG antibodies to measles and/or rubella viruses; were provided the reports and informed to seek medical advice. Upon follow up by phone, 10% (14) of the 140 participants reported to have been vaccinated. In this paper we discuss the procedures, experiences and considerations in returning results to participants in a community-based measles and rubella serosurvey. Although the lessons learned are specific to post measles-rubella vaccine campaign serosurvey in India, they might be helpful to those contemplating sharing results to participants of large scale survey settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify key countries and their focal research fields on the information divide. Design/methodology/approach: Literature was retrieved to identify key countries and their primary focus. The literature research method was adopted to identify aspects of the primary focus in each key country. Findings: The key countries with literature on the information divide are the USA, China, the UK and India. The problem of health is prominent in the USA, and solutions include providing information, distinguishing users' profiles and improving eHealth literacy. Economic and political factors led to the urban–rural information divide in China, and policy is the most powerful solution. Under the influence of humanism, research on the information divide in the UK focuses on all age groups, and solutions differ according to age. Deep-rooted patriarchal concepts and traditional marriage customs make the gender information divide prominent in India, and increasing women's information consciousness is a feasible way to reduce this divide. Originality/value: This paper is an extensive review study on the information divide, which clarifies the key countries and their focal fields in research on this topic. More important, the paper innovatively analyzes and summarizes existing literature from a country perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there are several studies documenting the impact of the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) – the largest preschool intervention – in India, few have documented to what extent it improves the quantity and quality of food consumed by young children. This paper attempts to provide causal estimates of the impact of the ICDS on calories, protein, iron, and Vitamin A intakes of children. Using matching techniques to define an appropriate counterfactual, and a primary survey in four villages in rural Bihar, our results suggest that: (a) for older children three to six years who benefit from cooked meals, the ICDS did result in higher intakes of calories, protein, and iron, and no substantive evidence that as a consequence there was substitution away from food at home. However, there was no impact on vitamin A intake; (b) for younger children whose mothers are given take-home rations, there is no evidence the ICDS improved intakes of calories or any other nutrients. Thus, even though the monetary value of the transfer was the same across both age groups, there is evidence to suggest the mode of transfer does seem to matter to ICDS effectiveness, consistent with other literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on an empirical exercise carried out in five villages of Odisha in eastern India, the paper looks into ageing of the farm population and the experiences and responses of farmers of various age groups to farming. The findings of the study indicate that agriculture is greying, farmers are getting older and the youth, particularly of higher and cultivating castes, are averse to farming. The unwillingness of these youths to join farming is mainly attributed to loss of social status, declining profitability in agriculture and discouragement of immediate 'mentors', the middle‐aged farmers, caused by the perpetual decline of farm income and loss of social recognition. The hitherto nonfarming youths, belonging to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and service‐rendering castes, especially the female youths, are joining farming to fill this gap, mostly as leased‐in cultivators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the imbalances in sex composition of selected states of India and examines whether preference for sons among women influences contraceptive use. Data for this study was collected from the National Family and Health Survey -- 5 and focuses on the DEMARU states. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted for the DEMARU states, for which the dependent variable was contraceptive use. Nine independent variables, viz, education level of the women, wealth status in quintiles, religion, social group, place of residence, the number of living children, the age group of women, sex preference for the child and mass media exposure, were considered for the analysis to evaluate whether these factors have affected the contraceptive use. The study observes that contraceptive use and the factors influencing contraception are not uniform across the states. Son preference was a major factor that impacted contraception across all the DEMARU states. Considerable variations in contraceptive use were seen across states for different variables. Interestingly, the place of residence was not a significant explanatory variable for any of the states except for Haryana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: India is undergoing a demographic transition characterized by population aging and is witnessing a high dementia rate. Although nearly 7 million people live with dementia in India, dementia awareness is poor, and current resources addressing dementia care are basic and often incomplete, duplicated, or conflicting. To address this gap, this study aims to use digital media, which has had a massive technological uptake in India, to improve dementia care in India. Objective: The objective of this paper is to describe an intervention study design that examines the feasibility and acceptability of Moving Pictures India, a digital media resource to improve dementia care in India. Methods: This study employs a mixed methods design and is divided into 4 phases: (1) video interviews with Indian caregivers and health professionals; (2) coproduction of resources; (3) pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT); and (4) dissemination and analytics. The pilot RCT will follow an experimental parallel group design with 2 arms aiming to assess the impact, feasibility, and acceptability of the developed resources. The primary outcome measures for the pilot RCT will be feasibility and acceptability, while the secondary outcome measures will be caregiver burden, mood, and quality of life. Results: This study received funding from the Alzheimer's Association in the United States in July 2021. In 2023, we will enroll 60 dementia caregivers (40 caregivers in the intervention arm and 20 in the control) for the pilot RCT. The study has been approved by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences Ethics Committee (26th IEC (BEH.SC.DIV.)/2020-21 dated November 11, 2020); the Health Ministry's Screening Committee, India (proposal ID 2020-10137); the Curtin University Human Research Ethics Committee (approval number HRE2020-0735); and the NARI Research Governance Office (site-specific approval dated March 17, 2021). Conclusions: This protocol is designed to deliver unique, coproduced, and evidence-based media resources to support caregivers of persons with dementia in India and other countries aiming to utilize digital media for dementia care. If the intervention is found feasible and acceptable, postpiloting analytics and qualitative feedback will be used to develop an implementation trial to evaluate the effectiveness of the potential low-risk high-benefit intervention in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Presently the leprosy program has no defined surveillance protocols for patients who complete the fixed duration multidrug therapy and are released from treatment (RFT). Hence, the information about the post‑RFT events in these patients is sparse and qualitative and quantitative data regarding their health care requirements is missing. During the DermLep survey carried out by the Indian Association of Dermatologists,Venereologists and Leprologists (IADVL), a number of patients presented to dermatologists during the post RFT period for a variety of symptoms. This paper analyses the events in these patients during the post RFT period. Results: Out of a total of 3701 leprosy patients who presented to 201 dermatologists across India during the DermLep survey, 708 (26.2%) were in the post RFT period (488 males; 220 females). Of these, 21% were PB and 79% MB patients as per their treatment records. Majority were in the age group of 31‑59 years (55.5%); however, a significant proportion of them (20.7%) were elderly (>60 years). Majority of the patients (45.5%) presented within the first year of RFT with variable symptoms; 28% were between 1‑5 years, 5.5% between 5‑10 years; and 11.0% presented more than 10 years after RFT. Most common presenting complaint being persistent skin lesions as perceived by patients in 21.2%, followed by neuritis in 14.5%; trophic ulcers in 13.8%; deformities in 67 (11.8%); lepra reactions in 66 (11.6%); and recurrence of original symptoms in 6.7%. Conclusion: The DermLep Survey highlights the importance of ‘post RFT’ patients as an important subset of leprosy patients who visit dermatologists for various health related issues. The most common complaints in this subset were active/persistent skin lesions, lepra reactions and neuritis. In these patients, who are a sub‑group of ‘persons affected with leprosy’ the disease related issues can persist for many years post RFT. Hence, it is important to provide services in the programme to monitor and manage these complications for the prevention of impairments, disability and the related social issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an attempt to study the pattern of the household expenditure in school education in India. Three age groups are considered for the analysis: Primary school age group (5-10 years), Upper Primary school age group (11-14 years) and Secondary and Higher Secondary school age group (15-18 Years). Using NSSO 71st (2014) round unit level data, it is found that there is: (a) higher average household expenditure in urban area than that of rural, (b) substantial gap in average expenditure for male and female students and (c) average household expenditure is higher in the developed states. The major components of household expenditure for all the age groups are course fee; and expenditure on books, stationary and uniform at all India level. The percentage share of private coaching becomes higher while moving to higher age groups. The elasticity of substitution is estimated separately for religion, caste and state specific at different age level as mentioned above. It is found that a household is ready to spend more than one per cent due to one per cent change in household consumption expenditure for all states, religions and social groups. The values of the estimated coefficients become less from age group 5-10 to the age group 15-18 in most cases. This implies that guardians do not want to give up the opportunity cost to be spent on their children. This suggest that government should invest more in education sector to attract more household expenditure on education as households positively respond to the change in consumption expenditure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to highlight that child labour is complementary to adult labour in the brick kiln industry. Design/methodology/approach - The paper presents a case study of bonded labourers in the brick kiln industry of Southeast India. Findings - The paper finds that child labour is used by parents in the moulding process in order to avoid falling into debt bondage. In this industry, brick making is organized as a home-based enterprise. Thus, child labour increases the family productivity and consequently its income. In case of a ban on child labour bonded parents will be worse-off. NGOs can play an essential role by preventing families from falling into bondage and by improving their living standards. Originality/value - The results may help the NGOs address child labour issues in the developing world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a survey conducted in the year 2020, we came to know that India's around 50% of population includes young people of the age group of 25 and students. Guiding this young mass in the right way and strengthening their future is a huge responsibility put over the head of the elder citizens of India such as their parents teachers and professors. This paper aims to build a model that can predict the students' competency level and the risk factors or the fields where he needs to put their effort to improve themselves, and this model also helps the parents, professors and Educational institutes to know about their children's and students in which zone they stand, are they ready to compete with others. This analysis is done by using different ML bifurcation algorithms. Also we aim to find the best classifier which can emerge with the highest predicting accuracy among all other classifiers to the above-said problem. The accuracy of 88.5% is achieved through the proposed machine learning algorithm for particular education datasets which have been taken into consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research paper is to investigate the influence of stress in the workplace on the job satisfaction of employees. Also the study focus on Organizational and Individual Strategies for Managing Stress in jobs in telecom sector. A sample of 250 employees of different age groups from the telecommunications sector in India were used in this study. Out of 250, two hundred twenty-five (225) instituting 90.0% response rates were collected. In this study Conflict in the workplace, workload, and physical environment and other factors were used to assess work stress. Previous research has shown that stressors from workload, role conflicts, and the physical environment have a negative impact on employee job satisfaction. According to the results of this study, it has been observed that stress is negatively related to employee job satisfaction, which is in sync with results obtained by Caplan (1991) and Keller (1975). This study shows that employees satisfaction is key factor in running a successful telecom sector business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bollywood movies have witnessed a drastic change in its content with the rapid digitalisation in India. Its content is now influenced from the daily chores on the social media platforms and the kind of contents that most of the younger generations spend time on. This paper attempts at the understanding of pornographic contents as the dominant issue in Bollywood movies with its rise of consumption among the younger generation on social media platforms today. The paper undertakes a qualitative investigation about the penetration of pornographic contents into different forms and art involved in the cinema. The manifestation of pornographic contents through various media/channels in the Bollywood movies during the age of 'Digital India' have also been traced down in this paper to draw a clear picture of the position of Bollywood movies and visualise future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to advertisement is considered to be the primary source of indulgence and distraction for children. Past studies have treated children as both empowered and vulnerable. Empowered because after a certain age children become mature enough to understand the difference between entertainment and persuasion, but before reaching that stage children are extremely naïve. This paper aims to explore the changes in childrens' attitude towards frequent changes in advertising campaigns with reference to a popular product of a famous chocolate multinational brand in India. Four focus groups comprising of 22 children of both the genders between the age group of 8–14 years participated in the study. Selective advertisement from a period of three decades (1983–2016) were chosen and shown to the children in a birthday party and their responses were collected. Congruency Theory of Social Psychology was applied for the analysis of the excerpts. The findings reveals that frequent changes in advertising campaigns create confusion in the minds of the children. The entertainment and empathy towards the advertisement were reduced considerably when the advertisement execution shifted from children to adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature on the individual difference in the display of organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB), with respect to age, gender, total work experience, organizational tenure has not been conclusive. While studies on different culture and organizational context have come up with different f indings, there is a paucity of such research in academic organisations. With this backdrop, this study aims at studying the impact of demographic variables such as gender, age, work experience organizational tenure, and job category in an Indian university context. The f indings revealed that male and female employees don't differ signif icantly in the display of citizenship behaviour; there was also no signif icant difference in the display of OCB among teaching and non-teaching category; the different age groups were found to differ in the conscientiousness dimension of OCB. The f indings further revealed total work experience and organizational tenure to be better antecedents of OCB. The paper has theoretical and practical implications in the demographic difference in display of OCB in academic organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HTN) have been on the rise in recent decades all over the world more remarkably in developing countries like India. We intend to measure the prevalence of DM and HTN in the Indian population and to compare the trends and various correlates of these diseases in NFHS (National Family Health Survey)-4 and 5. Data of NFHS-4 and 5 were accessed from dhs program website. All statistical analyses were done in SAS (version 9.4). Mixed effects survey logistic regression models were used for estimating odds ratio (OR).p-values <0.05 were considered significant.1,637,762 individual case entries were evaluated. Both the diseases showed an increasing trend as per the advancing age in both sexes. The highest prevalence of DM is seen in the age group of 45–49 years (7.8%) in females and > 50 years (11.9%) in males as per NFHS-5. Similarly, the highest prevalence of HTN was seen in the age group of45–49 years (31.2%) in females and > 50 years (41.4%) in males as per NFHS-5. The OR (95% CI) of prevalence of DM, HTN and both the diseases in age group >50 years was 14.46 (13.14–15.7), 16.65 (15.78–17.6), 79.5 (64.76–97.73) respectively when compared to reference age group15-19 years. Highest odds for having both DM, HTN concurrently was in age >50 years with aOR(95% CI) 65.32 (52.26–72.63) in NFHS 4 and 35.57 (97.47–45.53) in NFHS 5.Rise in prevalence of DM, HTN and concurrent presence is noted with an apparent increase in cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of ill-health on labour force participation is a well-recognized concern in both developed and developing countries. However, previous studies have often overlooked age differentials in this relationship, assuming uniform effects across age groups. This study aims to fill this gap by examining how ill-health affects labour outcomes among different age segments in India. Utilizing data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) Wave 1, which covers over 72,000 individuals aged 45 and above, this research investigates the linkage between health and labour force outcomes. The labour outcomes in this study includes labour force participation, labour earnings and hours worked. Present study used instrumental variable approach to mitigate endogeneity issues and establish causal relationships between health and labour outcomes. The Heckman selection model is utilized to address selection bias in analysing wage and hours worked. The study reveals several key findings. Firstly, ill-health consistently leads to a decline in labour force participation among both middle-aged (28 percent) and elderly (36 percent) individuals in India. This underscores the pervasive impact of health on workforce engagement, particularly in a context with limited social security measures. Secondly, the research identifies significant variations in the effects of ill-health on wages and hours worked based on age. Among elderly individuals, there is a pronounced reduction in both wages and hours worked due to ill-health. However, this effect is less pronounced among middle-aged adults. Furthermore, socioeconomic factors play a pivotal role in shaping how ill-health influences labour outcomes among different age groups. This study underscores the importance of considering age differentials in the impact of ill-health on labour outcomes, offering valuable insights for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers seeking to address this critical issue in India's dynamic socio-economic landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India's informal sector of solid waste management involving rag pickers, middlemen and wholesale dealers face relative apathy at the community level. Lack of sustainable commitment from the government and stringent implementation of regulatory framework to manage waste has resulted in negative impacts of this obstinate issue. Rag pickers from diverse age groups including women, do not have any social or occupational recognition in the country and also suffer from local injuries, infections and systemic illnesses. There is hardly any published evidence of the key determinants of health of ragpickers, gender or age specific health, awareness on handling wastes and hygiene practices. This paper presents a systematic analysis of the morbidity profile of ragpickers to assess their health more so, from non-governmental organisations. This research involved 306 ragpickers which were divided into seven age groups and surveyed to ascertain the most prominent disease for a particular age group. A Neutrosophic health rating model has been proposed employing Neutrosophic Fuzzy Set theory [5]. This model can be used to implement long term occupational health monitoring programs and health awareness campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the important demographic features of any population is the fertility rate which has a direct relationship with both the social and the biological environment. Demographic factors like age at marriage, present family size, gender preference (Mahadevan [27], Bhasin [3], Asari and John [2], Chachra and Bhasin [18], Bhasin and Nag [19]) and socio economic factors like education, occupation, religion, contraceptive practice, etc. (Bhatia [20], Asari and John [2]) are the determinants of desired family size and all these are considered as the cause of the variation of fertility. So far researchers have proposed a variety of reproductivity measures and mathematical models to describe the reproductivity pattern of human population (Islam and Ali [21], Peristera and Kostaki [22] and Nasir et al. [23]). The objective of this study is to examine the current pattern of Age Specific Fertility Rate(ASFR) and to study the trend in fertile age groups by fitting non linear models to the ASFR data for all the states in India obtained from the sample registration system [1], of India. Cross Validity Prediction Power (CVPP),Shrinkage, and R2 are used to identify the best model for the states. Model identification for Forward Age Specific Fertility Rate (FASFR) and Backward Age Specific Fertility Rate (BASFR) along with validity measures are also presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Very high uranium concentrations of ⁓3000 μgL−1 or more have been found in groundwater held in the granitic aquifers of four villages in eastern Karnataka, India. The highest uranium concentration was 8649 μgL−1 (calculated 218.7 BqL−1) and a maximum radon activity of 101.4 BqL−1. The ingestion doses of uranium for males and females of all age groups are very much higher compared to the corresponding dose calculated for World Health Organization and Atomic Energy Regulatory Board recommended concentrations of 30 and 60 μgL−1for drinking water. It is therefore recommended that alternative sources for drinking water need to be made to meet United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 6 to ensure good health from safe drinking water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey was conducted through semi-structured interviews, involving 38 local fishermen of three villages in the Gangani region along Shilabati River in West Bengal, India. The survey revealed that three threatened species of turtles--Nilssonia gangetica, Nilssonia hurum, and Lissemys punctata--were clandestinely harvested by the riverine communities. These species are also being documented for the first time from this area, popularly called Jangal Mahal. N. gangetica was the most commonly harvested species, followed by L. punctata and N. hurum, mostly for consumption, local sale, and as traditional medicine. The most frequently used method for capturing turtles was the 'multiple hook bait'; exclusively practiced by adult males of the fisher community, usually belonging to the age group 21-40 years, between February and June. The study indicated that the respondents knew that harvesting of turtles was clandestine, yet they continued to do so as their traditional right, as they believed minor catches will not harm local turtle populations. It is assumed that N. hurum, which is an endangered species, is already rare and on the brink of local extinction, whereas other two species are coping with the harvest in the specialized riparian habitat and adjacent ponds. In this study the harvesting of threatened turtle species was ardently associated with the socio-cultural customs rather than an economic compulsion but to check rising threat to these species, the uncontrolled harvest needs to be addressed urgently as a high priority conservation issue. This requires further explorations on the ecology of turtles, initiatives by enforcement agencies, and utilizing the inherent knowledge of indigenous people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The workplaces of the 21st Century are multi-generational, wherein employees of different generational groups—from experienced Baby Boomers to the new-bees Gen Z—work alongside. Entry of the youngest generation—Gen Z—into the workforce has challenged the dynamics of leading teams at workplaces. Literature has established consensus that employees of each generational group have unique expectations and preferences for leadership behaviour. However, it has not been addressed adequately, especially in the Indian context. Since work performance is impacted significantly by how a leader leads his/her team, we contribute to the existing body of knowledge by building upon the behavioural theory of leadership. We adopted qualitative research methodology to explore the leadership behaviour preferences of Indian Gen X, Gen Y, and Gen Z employees in a multi-generational work environment. Our findings provide ample evidence of both differences and similarities in the leadership behaviour preferences of the Indian Gen X, Gen Y and Gen Z employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary education is a key to success for every developing nations. As a developing nation, India also gives utmost importance in the field of primary education. In India primary education covers the age group between 6-14 years. Again, in our nation this level of education is made free and compulsory to attain 100% literacy for nation's progress. Slums used to grow in city areas where dwellings are unfit for human habitation. In Guwahati, which is the major city of the North-East India, slums are generally found near the Railway tracks and market areas. The children residing in these areas suffers from various problems which hampers in their studies and other relative activities relating to their primary education. However, this paper is an attempt to find out the major problems faced by the slum children in attaining their primary education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though the lifeworlds of many Indigenous and Local Communities (ILCs) across the world are deeply intertwined with nature, 'fortress conservation' has led to their exclusion from lands in which they have resided for generations with concomitant social and material costs. Enhanced evidence-based understanding on the untenability of 'fortress conservation', evolving international law on the rights of the Indigenous peoples and the advocacy of numerous actors in the international arena have led to the ascendency of the rights-based approach (RBA) in global conservation politics with long-standing struggles of ILCs over land and resources reframed as human rights. Though its effective realization on the ground has been stymied by pre-existing power asymmetries and inequal relationship between ILCs vis-à-vis other actors, nevertheless, RBA has gradually gained traction in the legal and policy framework governing conservation including resettlement from protected areas in countries like India. Using an anthropological, interpretative lens, this paper critically analyses the resettlement of Tribal and other traditional forest dwellers from the Satpura Tiger Reserve in the Central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh post the adoption of the NTCA Guidelines of 2011 which are in sync with the broad contours of RBA. The paper concludes that certain factors are crucial to the realization of RBA on the ground namely 'Free, Prior and Informed Consent' (FPIC), recognition and settlement of rights under relevant legal provisions, the assertion of free choices concerning resettlement options, livelihood and financial handholding as well as adequate provisioning for community facilities. However, certain challenges such as power asymmetries on the ground, quasi-egalitarian decision-making, limitations to the exercise of free choice and persistence of the earlier 'need-based' governmentality come in the way of realization of RBA in letter and spirit which need to be overcome for reconciling 'conservation with justice'. • The rights-based approach has gained ground in global conservation strategies. • The rights of Indigenous peoples over land and resources is reframed as human rights. • The legal framework on resettlement from protected areas in India is increasingly rights-based. • Power asymmetries pose challenges for effective resettlement on the ground. • Long-term support and provisioning for community facilities is needed post-resettlement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As old age is the last stage of one's life cycle with depleting health conditions. Old age institutions, which are budding up rapidly in urban areas as a new dwelling hub for elderly due fast forming nuclear families. It's alarming that India has 1/3rd of its geriatric population and increasing its number day by day. So, necessary care and direct nutritional assessment is need of an hour. Therefore, the study aimed at evaluating the anthropometric status of geriatric subjects living in oldage institutions in the age group of 60-100 years, who were selected from the three different old age institutions located in Bangalore. The total of 100 geriatric subjects were selected using random sampling method where males were (n=37) and females were (n=63). The anthropometric measurements included height (cm), weight (Kg), mid arm circumference (cm), waist and hip measurements (cm), calf circumference (cm) and Body Mass Index (BMI). The dietary intake was also assessed using twenty-four-hour dietary recall method and compared along with anthropometric measurements were collected using structured questionnaire and applied required statistical tools for the tabulated data. The results revealed that the majority of the geriatric subjects both females (79.36%) and males (54.05%) had no source of income. BMI classification determined underweight was most prevalent in females (66.66%) and males (54.05%), normal were (27.02%) and (22.22%), followed by only (4.76%) of females were obese. The dietary patterns as provided by the institutions revealed majority of them met (60-80%) of Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). Hence, BMI and dietary intake were correlated depicting that anthropometric measurements were directly proportional to dietary intake among the geriatric subjects living in old age institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing research suggests that women spend a disproportionate amount of time on unpaid housework and childcare compared to men. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence on unequal time burdens due to childcare among women. This study analyses the quantum of time poverty and multitasking behaviours of 3623 rural women with children of varying ages across rural North India. Findings show that mothers with infants spend more time on childcare and less time on self-care and leisure, and employment-related activities as compared to mothers with older children; they also multitask with childcare more than mothers of older children across all their daily activities. Our findings suggest that interventions and policies need to be designed to raise awareness, identify/adopt novel approaches and technologies to reduce work burden of unpaid work on women's time, provide accessible childcare and encourage a more equitable distribution of household responsibilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The present investigation was intended to generate some basic data on electrocardiography (ECG) parameters in different breeds and their alterations in respect to sex and age. Materials and Methods: The present investigation was carried out on 239 owned dogs of 11 different breeds presented to the Institute Veterinary Clinic during 2018-2019. The animals, irrespective of breed and sex were grouped on the basis of their age groups. Recordings of ECG were performed by a single-channel ECG machine (CardiartR, BPL, India) at 25 mm/s paper speed and 10 mm=1 mV calibration keeping the animals on the right lateral recumbence without any anesthesia. Heart rate, along with the amplitude and duration of different waves and complexes was measured. Results: Heart rate did not vary significantly among breeds, sex, and different age groups. The highest heart rate has been reported in Doberman and the lowest in Beagle. The heart rate was lowest at the age group of 6 months-2.5 years and highest around 10.5-12.5 years irrespective of breed and sex. The incidence of sinus arrhythmia was mostly seen in older dogs. All the waves and complexes did not vary significantly between breeds, age, and sex except P duration which was significantly (p<0.05) higher in Golden retriever and Doberman breeds. Conclusion: The present investigation generated some reference values of ECG in dogs which will help the clinicians to diagnose different cardiac abnormalities through ECG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This paper discusses patterns of daily smokeless tobacco (SLT) use and correlates of poly SLT use among married women aged 18–40 years in a Mumbai slum community with implications for tobacco control. Methods: Using a mixed methods approach, the study included a structured survey with 409 daily SLT users and in-depth interviews with 42 women. Participants for the survey were selected using a systematic sampling procedure (one woman in every fourth eligible household). Univariate and bivariate analysis, and multiple logistic regressions were conducted to identify demographic and social factors associated with women’s use of poly SLT products. To illustrate survey results, in-depth interviews were analyzed using Atlas ti software. Results: Sixty-four percent of the women surveyed used only one type of SLT; of these, 30% used mishri, 32% used pan with tobacco and the rest used chewed tobacco (11%), gul (17%) or gutkha (10%). Thirty-six percent used more than one type of SLT. Poly SLT users chewed or rubbed 50% more tobacco as compared to single users (mean consumption of tobacco per day: 9.54 vs. 6.49 grams; p<0.001). Women were more likely to be poly SLT users if they were illiterate as compared to literate (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=1.67; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.07-2.71), if they had lived in Mumbai for 10 years or more, versus less than ten years (AOR=1.67, 95% CI=1.03-2.71); and if their husband was a poly SLT user as compared to a non SLT user (AOR=2.78, 95% CI=1.63-4.76). No differences were noted between pregnant and non-pregnant women in SLT consumption patterns. Conclusions: Tobacco control policies and programs must focus specifically on both social context and use patterns to address SLT use among women of reproductive age with special attention to poly SLT users, an understudied and vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the traditional media is getting over saturated with advertisements, brands are looking for new avenues every time to promote their names among the consumers. In film brand placement emerged as a successful avenue to gain attention from consumers. Though It's not a very new phenomenon, but over the years it has gained huge importance from the market making it a billion-dollar industry. It's interesting to see how methodically both the film makers and the brands are working together to integrate the brand message within the films as an integral part. Throughout the World, in film brand placement is gaining huge popularity. In India also in film branding is becoming a very important source of earning revenues. Not only in Hindi films, regional films are also earning huge money from this technique. Scenes within a film are made these days to accommodate brand placement in presence of popular actors. In India, idol worshipping is very common hence whenever celebrity endorses a brand that too within a film, consumers notices and remembers the brand. The research paper attempts to find out the acceptance of in film branding among audience and their recall capacity. A survey was conducted among the people to see how they reacts to in film brand placements for this study. The results clearly show how easily people do remember and recall the brands shown within films. In fact, consumers find nothing wrong about in film brand placement. People belonging to the age group of 17 years to 27 years, who watches movies regularly, accepts in film brand placement positively and do remember the brands shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is a vast country spread across five climatic zones. The current Indian building codes specify thermal comfort standards for naturally ventilated offices only. This paper presents a year-long field study carried out during 2015–16 to investigate thermal comfort in naturally ventilated (NV) classrooms of three government residential schools located in the composite climatic zone of India. A total of 1890 data sets were collected from children and teenagers in the age group of 10–18 years. The students in naturally ventilated classrooms were found to be more adaptive than what is prescribed in the ASHRAE thermal comfort standards. Indoor operative temperatures of 28.2°C and 19.4°C were recorded as the neutral temperatures of the summer and winter seasons, respectively. The study proposes a thermal comfort range of 16°C to 33.7°C for 80% acceptability. The study also proposes an adaptive thermal comfort model for naturally ventilated secondary school classrooms in composite climatic zones. The results show that students are adapted to higher temperatures in classroom environments. The study provides a baseline for further research in developing thermal comfort standards for secondary school classrooms in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repeated serological testing tells about the change in the overall infection in a community. This study aimed to evaluate changes in antibody prevalence and kinetics in a closed cohort over six months in different sub-populations in India. The study included 10,000 participants from rural and urban areas in five states and measured SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in serum in three follow-up rounds. The overall seroprevalence increased from 73.9% in round one to 90.7% in round two and 92.9% in round three. Among seropositive rural participants in round one, 98.2% remained positive in round two, and this percentage remained stable in urban and tribal areas in round three. The results showed high antibody prevalence that increased over time and was not different based on area, age group, or sex. Vaccinated individuals had higher antibody prevalence, and nearly all participants had antibody positivity for up to six months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile banking liberates people from spatial and temporal constraints and delivers significant convenience but people are still hesitant to use mobile banking. The purpose of this study is to examine the most important factors influencing and impeding consumer adoption of mobile banking. This study uses Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and Technology Readiness (TR) as a theoretical basis and integrates it with cognitive resistance to propose a conceptual model for m-banking adoption in India. Data was collected from 536 mobile banking customers from Delhi/NCR, using convenience sampling and was analysed using structural equation modelling. The findings revealed that the impact of facilitating factors namely, performance expectancy, effort expectance, social influence, optimism and innovativeness on behavioural intention to use m-banking is much more than the impact of inhibiting factors namely, discomfort, insecurity and cognitive resistance and also that behavioral intention has a significant impact on adoption of m-banking. In examining the relationship between facilitating factors and behavioral intention, there is no substantial moderation impact of age groups. However, gender moderated the relationship between effort expectancy and behavioral intention, as well as the relationship between optimism and behavioral intention. This research would help policymakers to understand and overcome the reluctance and barriers of adoption and would result in ensuring more adoption of advanced technological channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute limb ischemia (ALI) can be defined as sudden deterioration in limb perfusion, often producing new or worsening symptomatology and usually threatening limb viability. The incidence of ALI is approximately 1.5 cases per 10,000 persons per year. Objective: The main objective of the study is to assess the spectrum of ALI and effective management options in a tertiary care center. Methodology: This was a retrospective and prospective observational study. All patients admitted in tertiary care center with ALI were included in this study. The medical records of patients admitted since last three years were collected retrospectively and the data of patients with ALI getting admitted during next one year was collected simultaneously. Patients who were included prospectively were followed for at least one month. Results: In the study period, we received 136 patients with 138 ALI (ALI presenting with 14 days = 95, ACLI = 17, ALI with delayed presentation = 26). Average age of patients was 47.4 years. 21 to 40 years age group made the largest cohort of 56 patients. 10.79% of the lower limb ischemia were female (15 out of 136). Among these categories, the outcomes depend upon the time of presentation (earlier presentation has the better outcomes in terms of limb salvage). The delayed presentation of ALI has poorer outcome of amputation whereas mortality rates are higher in ALI presenting early. Patency in ALI is better due to embolus. Outcome of ALI due to embolus are best followed by acute thromboembolic occlusion without pre-existing CLI. The worst outcomes in amputation are for ACLI when they present late. Etiology wise Cardio embolic group comprised as the commonest cause; High Altitude Thrombosis also is very significant in our setting. Class II B ischemia which is most surgically amenable, and the amputation rate is 20%. Conclusion: In our study, outcome of various modalities of management of ALI has been evaluated. Our study provided data which could be accessed to define the outcome and most amenable to any useful intervention affecting outcome in patients of limb ischemia. Revascularization in ALI is aimed not only to prevent amputation but also to limit the level of amputation which is a forgotten aspect of salvage procedure in lower extremity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]