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Setting up water users' associations (WUAs) and involving them in the management of delivery systems is an important innovation in improving the performance of public irrigation systems. Most Indian states are in a great hurry to turn over management of “below-the outlet” systems to WUAs. Yet the crucial link between the work done by the institutional organizers who set up these WUAs, the efficacy of the WUAs and the eventual performance of the irrigation systems remains unexplored. This paper attempts to explore this link. It shows that overdrive in the formation of WUAs may reduce their institutional sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper traces the evolution of India's Regional Trading Arrangements (RTAs). From limited scope RTAs with developing countries earlier to more comprehensive agreements with neighbouring economies, India is now negotiating RTAs with some of the major Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) economies. These moves are examined in the context of the global RTA scene with particular relevance to Asia. The impetus provided by India's liberalized trading framework and its rapid growth is assessed. The pros and cons of RTAs are looked at and the possible approaches that India could adopt in shaping more balanced agreements dwelt upon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the status of human development in India today. With a brief introduction to the concept of human development, the paper compares India's achievements on human development indicators with neighboring Asian countries and the Millennium Development Goals. With rapid economic growth the need to invest in areas which contribute to human development indicators becomes even more pertinent. The paper therefore attempts to search for factors which contribute to human development attainment and look for solutions to reverse the low attainment situation in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the relationship between the Indian state and society for promoting economic growth and development in India. It argues that the shift to private sector and trade promotion, which was essential for growth, required technocratic conviction and economic crises, for accelerating the pace of change. While growth has resulted in social development, serious challenges to growth and human development remain. Poor physical and human infrastructure in many areas, and the politics of subsidies for the well-to-do at the cost of more inclusive public investment, pose major challenges for making the growth story a more inclusive one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Eastern Karakoram is a remote and under studied region of Ladakh in the northwestern Himalaya. The geology of the area provides insight into the evolution of the south Asian margin since the Paleozoic and is dominated structurally by the Karakoram fault, an ∼800 km long dextral strike-slip fault that bounds western Tibet. In this paper, a 1:250,000 geological map is presented based upon fieldwork and interpretation of satellite imagery. An overview of the geology of the Eastern Karakoram is also presented and includes a discussion of the architecture and kinematics of the central segment of the Karakoram fault. The construction of the map has aided our understanding of the initiation and evolution of the Karakoram fault and of the geology of the south Asian margin in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the blogosphere has expanded outside its original US context, it has changed from an extended community in which everyone shares a roughly similar set of suppositions and languages to a set of separate blogospheres characterized by different cultures and languages. Bridgebloggers—bloggers who seek to mediate between these cultures and languages—play an increasingly crucial role in connecting these disparate spheres of conversation and argument together. In this paper, I discuss the difficulties of quantifying the extent to which the blogosphere is characterized by different language communities and national communities. I employ qualitative evidence to examine blogospheres emerging in Asia, Southern Africa, the Arab-speaking world and elsewhere, and to assess the importance of bridgebloggers in drawing connections between them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Misuse of antibiotics is a well-known driver of antibiotic resistance. Given the decentralized model of the Indian health system and the shortage of allopathic doctors in rural areas, a wide variety of healthcare providers cater to the needs of patients in urban and rural settings. This qualitative study explores the drivers of antibiotic use among formal and informal healthcare providers as well as patients accessing care at primary health centers across Paschim Bardhaman district in West Bengal. Materials and methods: We conducted 28 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with four groups of healthcare providers (allopathic doctors, informal health providers, nurses, and pharmacy shopkeepers) as well as patients accessing care at primary health centers and hospitals across Paschim Bardhaman district. Qualitative data was analyzed using the framework method in an inductive and deductive manner. Results: Our results indicate that patients demand antibiotics from healthcare providers and seek the fastest cure possible, which influences the prescription choices of healthcare providers, particularly informal health providers. Many allopathic doctors provide antibiotics without any clinical indication due to inconsistent follow up, lack of testing facilities, risk of secondary infections, and unhygienic living conditions. Pharmaceutical company representatives actively network with informal health providers and formal healthcare providers alike, and regularly visit providers even in remote areas to market newer antibiotics. Allopathic doctors and informal health providers frequently blame the other party for being responsible for antibiotic resistance, and yet both display interdependence in referring patients to one another. Conclusions: A holistic approach to curbing antibiotic resistance in West Bengal and other parts of India should focus on strengthening the capacity of the existing public health system to deliver on its promises, improving patient education and counseling, and including informal providers and pharmaceutical company representatives in community-level antibiotic stewardship efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the efforts of community health workers to increase access to healthcare among ethnic minority groups in low- and -middle income countries, members of ethnic minorities are less likely than women from other ethnic groups to use maternal and child healthcare services. However, much less is known about the factors that limit access of ethnic minorities to healthcare services, including the services of community health workers in Nepal, who are known as Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs). To address this issue, we conducted a qualitative study to explore perceived barriers to accessing maternal and child healthcare services among ethnic minority groups in two different geographical locations (the hill and Terai regions- flatland bordering south India) with varying degrees of access to local healthcare centres. Between April 2014 and September 2014, semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty FCHVs, 26 women service users and 11 paid local health workers. In addition, 15 FCHVs participated in four focus group discussions. A thematic analysis of the data identified five major themes underlying barriers to accessing available maternal and child healthcare services by ethnic minority groups such as Dalits, Madhesi, Muslim, Chepang and Tamang. These themes include: a) lack of knowledge among service users; b) lack of trust in volunteers; c) traditional beliefs and healthcare practices; d) low decision-making power of women; and e) perceived indignities experienced when using health centres. We conclude that community health programmes should focus on increasing awareness of healthcare services among ethnic minority groups, and the programmes should involve family members (husband and mothers-in-law) and traditional health practitioners. Both the FCHVs and local healthcare providers should be trained to communicate effectively in order to deliver respectful care among ethnic minorities if we want to achieve universal healthcare coverage for maternal and child health in low- and -middle income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on topics including multiple forms of malnutrition (MOM), public health nutrition (PHN), micronutrient deficiencies, exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

The clinopyroxene amphibolite from the Bailang terrane is located in the central section of the Yarlung Zangbo suture zone (YZSZ), southern Tibet. The study of it is expected to provide important clues for the subduction of the Neo-Tethyan Ocean below the Asian Plate and thus for better understanding of the development of the India-Asia collision zone. Based on integrated textural, mineral compositional, metamorphic reaction history and geothermobarometric studies of the clinopyroxene amphibolite within a serpentinite mélange, four overprinted metamorphic stages are established. They are the first metamorphic record of M1 stage indicated by a relict assemblage of plagioclase+clinopyroxene+amphibole, an early M2 stage characterized by an assemblage of medium-grained clinopyroxene+amphibole+plagioclase+quartz as well as rutile inclusion in titanite, which is formed during burial process, an isobaric cooling M3 stage which is characterized by an assemblage of clinopyroxene+amphibole+plagioclase+titanite, and a decomposing retrograde stage M4, which is represented by the amphibolite+plagioclase symplectite+titanite+ rutile+quartz. By applying the THERMOCALC (versions 6.2 and 6.3) technique in the NCFMASHTO system, the P-T conditions estimated from M1 to M4 stages are ca. 8.6 kbar/880 °C, 10.8-13.4 kbar/800-840 °C, 12.7-13.2 kbar/650-660 °C and <11.2 kbar/640 °C, respectively. The mineral assemblages and their P-T conditions define a counterclockwise P-T path for the clinopyroxene amphibolite of the Xigaze ophiolite, suggesting that the rocks underwent a cooling process during burial from magmatic protolith, and a decompressing stage after the pressure peak metamorphic conditions, which implies that the Bailang terrane of the Xigaze ophiolite may have experienced subduction/collision-related tectonic processes. The peak metamorphism reaches to the transitional P-T conditions among amphibolite facies, granulite facies and eclogite facies with a burial depth of 30–40 km. After exhumation of the ophiolitic unit to the shallow crustal levels, the clinopyroxene amphibolite exposes to a high fO2 condition on the basis of the stable epidotebearing assemblage in the T-MO2 diagrams. A late subgreenschist facies overprinting subsequently occurs, the relevant mineral assemblage is prehnite+albite+chlorite+epidote+quartz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Abortion is legal in India and medication abortion (MA) using a combined regimen of mifepristone and misoprostol is the preferred method. Users increasingly purchase MA kits directly from pharmacies, in some cases experiencing perceived complications and approaching a facility for care. We present findings of a qualitative research tracing the decision-making pathway(s) of MA users in Uttar Pradesh, India, to help understand knowledge and behaviour gaps, and recommend ways to improve the overall quality of care at these service delivery points. Methods: Forty in-depth interviews were conducted with recent MA users (20 each of clinic and pharmacy clients) across three districts. Providers were purposively selected in collaboration with an international organization selling MA kits, using their list of pharmacies and clinics. MA users were identified from the clients of the selected providers, and additionally through the snow ball method. Interviews were conducted in Hindi with verbal informed consent in a private place convenient to the respondent. Transcripts were translated to English and analysed thematically. Results: Users first sought MA kits at pharmacies out of convenience, low cost and customer anonymity. Men often purchased kits for their partners and trusted the chemist for guidance on dosage, progression and side effects. For side effects or other concerns after using an MA kit, users first visited their neighbourhood doctor or traditional practitioner. These providers either attempted to treat the issue and failed, or directly advised her to consult a gynaecologist. The final point of care was gynaecologists, preferably female private practitioners with their own clinics. They diagnosed most abortion-related cases as incomplete abortions, emptying the uterus using the dilation and curettage method. Comparatively low cost and convenience made users inclined towards repeat use of MA. Conclusion: There are information gaps at various stages in the MA pathway that need to be addressed. Large scale public information programmes are required on safe abortion care- when is it legal, where to obtain MA, dosage, side effects and signs of possible complications. Pharmacists could be trained or incentivized to improve their quality of care to facilitate adequate exchange of information on MA. Since, for most couples, the male partner purchases MA, information approaches or tools are needed that pharmacists can give men to share directly with the MA user. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have performed backward trajectory calculations and simulations with the three-dimensional Chemical Lagrangian Model of the Stratosphere (CLaMS) for two succeeding monsoon seasons using artificial tracers of air mass origin. With these tracers we trace back the origin of young air masses (age <6 months) at the top of the Asian monsoon anticyclone and of air masses within the tropical pipe (6 months < age <18 months) during summer 2008. The occurrence of young air masses (<6 months) at the top of the Asian monsoon anticyclone up to ∼460 K is in agreement with satellite measurements of chlorodifluoromethane (HCFC-22) by the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) instrument. HCFC-22 can be considered as a regional tracer for continental eastern Asia and the Middle East as it is mainly emitted in this region. Our findings show that the transport of air masses from boundary layer sources in the region of the Asian monsoon into the tropical pipe occurs in three distinct steps. First, very fast uplift in "a convective range" transports air masses up to 360 K potential temperature within a few days. Second, air masses are uplifted from about 360 K up to 460 K within "an upward spiralling range" within a few months. The large-scale upward spiral extends from northern Africa to the western Pacific. The air masses are transported upwards by diabatic heating with a rate of up to 1–1.5 K per day, implying strong vertical transport above the Asian monsoon anticyclone. Third, transport of air masses occurs within the tropical pipe up to 550 K associated with the large-scale Brewer–Dobson circulation within ∼1 year. In the upward spiralling range, air masses are uplifted by diabatic heating across the (lapse rate) tropopause, which does not act as a transport barrier, in contrast to the extratropical tropopause. Further, in the upward spiralling range air masses from inside the Asian monsoon anticyclone are mixed with air masses convectively uplifted outside the core of the Asian monsoon anticyclone in the tropical adjacent regions. Moreover, the vertical transport of air masses from the Asian monsoon anticyclone into the tropical pipe is weak in terms of transported air masses compared to the transport from the monsoon anticyclone into the northern extratropical lower stratosphere. Air masses from the Asian monsoon anticyclone (India/China) contribute a minor fraction to the composition of air within the tropical pipe at 550 K (6 %), and the major fractions are from Southeast Asia (16 %) and the tropical Pacific (15 %). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Upper Triassic Langjiexue Group in southeastern Tibet has long been an enigmatic geological unit. It belongs tectonically to the northern Tethys Himalayan zone, but provenance signatures of the detritus it contains are significantly different from those of typical Tethys Himalayan sandstones. Because the Langjiexue Group is everywhere in fault contact with Tethys Himalayan strata, its original paleogeographic position has remained controversial for a long time. According to some researchers, the Langjiexue Group was deposited onto the northern edge of the Indian passive continental margin, whereas others interpreted it as an independent block accreted to the northern Indian margin only during final India-Asia convergence and collision in the Paleocene. This study compares the Langjiexue Group and coeval Upper Triassic strata of the southern Tethys Himalayan zone (Qulonggongba Formation). Our new provenance data indicate that Qulonggongba Formation sandstones contain common felsic volcanic rock fragments, minor plagioclase, and euhedral to subhedral zircon grains yielding Late Paleozoic to Triassic ages. These provenance features compare well with those of the Langjiexue Group. Because the Qulonggongba Formation certainly belongs to the Tethys Himalayan zone, the provenance similarity with the Langjiexue Group indicates that the latter is also an in situ Tethys Himalayan sedimentary sequence rather than part of an exotic block. Volcanic detritus including Late Paleozoic to Triassic zircon grains in both Langjiexue Group and Qulonggongba Formation are interpreted to have been derived from the distant Gondwanide orogen generated by Pan-Pacific subduction beneath the southeastern margin of Gondwana. The Qulonggongba Formation, deposited above marlstones of the lower Upper Triassic Tulong Group, is overlain by India-derived coastal quartzose sandstones of the uppermost Triassic Derirong Formation. Deposition of both the Qulonggongba Formation and the Langjiexue Group were most likely controlled by regional tectonism, possibly a rifting event along the northern margin of Gondwana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Exacerbations are important outcomes in asthma. Risk factors for exacerbations may differ in different populations. Although various demographic and clinical variables were examined in previous studies on exacerbation risks in asthma, important variables such as ethnicity, adherence, and medication titration were not included. This study examined independent predictors of future exacerbations in a multi-ethnic asthma population in Asia, while including the variables of ethnicity, medication adherence, and medication change in our analysis. Methods: We recruited patients with physician-diagnosed asthma in a tertiary hospital in Singapore over a one-year period. Exacerbations requiring ≥3 days of systemic corticosteroids one year prior to study enrolment (previous exacerbations) and the year following enrolment (future exacerbations) were recorded from electronic medical records. Medication adherence was based on pharmacy refill. An increase or a decrease in the Global Initiative for Asthma treatment steps were considered to be medication up- and down-titration, respectively. A multivariate logistic regression model was constructed to determine independent predictors of future exacerbations. Results: The study cohort of 340 patients comprised mainly of Chinese (53.2%), Malay (32.9%), and Indian (9.7%) ethnicities. After multivariate analysis, only Indian ethnicity (OR 3.75, 95% CI 1.077–13.051, p = 0.038), Asthma Control Test score (OR 0.913, 95% CI 0.839–0.995, p = 0.037), and the number of previous exacerbations (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.416–2.391, p < 0.001) were independent predictors of future exacerbations. Conclusions: There are ethnic differences in exacerbation risk in Asian populations. Each incremental worsening of the asthma symptom control score and each additional exacerbation also increases the risk of future exacerbations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work we couple the HTAP_v2.2 global air pollutant emission inventory with the global source receptor model TM5-FASST to evaluate the relative contributions of the major anthropogenic emission sources (power generation, industry, ground transport, residential, agriculture and international shipping) to air quality and human health in 2010. We focus on particulate matter (PM) concentrations because of the relative importance of PM 2.5 emissions in populated areas and the well-documented cumulative negative effects on human health. We estimate that in 2010, depending on the region, annual averaged anthropogenic PM 2.5 concentrations varied between ca. 1 and 40 µ g m -3 , with the highest concentrations observed in China and India, and lower concentrations in Europe and North America. The relative contribution of anthropogenic emission sources to PM 2.5 concentrations varies between the regions. European PM pollution is mainly influenced by the agricultural and residential sectors, while the major contributing sectors to PM pollution in Asia and the emerging economies are the power generation, industrial and residential sectors. We also evaluate the emission sectors and emission regions in which pollution reduction measures would lead to the largest improvement on the overall air quality. We show that air quality improvements would require regional policies, in addition to local- and urban-scale measures, due to the transboundary features of PM pollution. We investigate emission inventory uncertainties and their propagation to PM 2.5 concentrations, in order to identify the most effective strategies to be implemented at sector and regional level to improve emission inventories, knowledge and air quality modelling. We show that the uncertainty of PM concentrations depends not only on the uncertainty of local emission inventories, but also on that of the surrounding regions. Countries with high emission uncertainties are often impacted by the uncertainty of pollution coming from surrounding regions, highlighting the need for effective efforts in improving emissions not only within a region but also from extra-regional sources. Finally, we propagate emission inventory uncertainty to PM concentrations and health impacts. We estimate 2.1 million premature deaths per year with an uncertainty of more than 1 million premature deaths per year due to the uncertainty associated only with the emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Outreach and promotion programs are essential to ensuring uptake of new public health interventions and guidelines. We assessed the costs and operation dynamics of outreach and promotion efforts for up front Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) testing for pediatric presumptive tuberculosis (TB) patients in four major Indian cities. Methods: Xpert test costs were assessed as weighted average per-test costs based on the daily workload dynamics matched by test volume specific Xpert unit cost at each study site. Costs of outreach programs to recruit health providers to refer pediatric patients for Xpert testing were assessed as cost per referral for each quarter based on total program costs and referral data. All costs were assessed in the health service provider’s perspective and expressed in 2015 USD. Results: Weighted average per-test costs ranged from $14.71 to $17.81 at the four laboratories assessed. Differences between laboratories were associated with unused testing capacity and/or frequencies of overtime work to cope with increasing demand and same-day testing requirements. Outreach activities generated between 825 and 2,065 Xpert testing referrals on average each quarter across the four study sites, translating into $0.63 to $2.55 per patient referred. Overall outreach costs per referral decreased with time, stabilizing at an average cost of $1.10, and demonstrated a clear association with increased referrals. Conclusions: Xpert test and outreach program costs within and across study sites were mainly driven by the dynamics of Xpert testing demand resulting from the combined outreach activities. However, these increases in demand required considerable overtime work resulting in additional costs and operational challenges at the study laboratories. Therefore, careful laboratory operational adjustment should be evaluated at target areas in parallel to the anticipated demand from the Xpert referral outreach program scale-up in other Indian regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural irrigation has significant potential for altering local climate by reducing soil albedo, increasing evapotranspiration, and enabling greater leaf area. Numerous studies using regional or global climate models have demonstrated the cooling effects of irrigation on mean and extreme temperature, especially over regions where irrigation is extensive. However, these model‐based results have not been well validated due to the limitations of observational data sets. In this study, multiple satellite‐based products, including the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) data sets, are used to isolate and quantify the local impacts of irrigation on surface climate over irrigated regions, which are derived from the Global Map of Irrigation Areas (GMIA). The relationships among soil moisture, albedo, evapotranspiration, and surface temperature are explored. Strong evaporative cooling by irrigation lowers daytime surface temperature over arid and semi‐arid regions, such as California's Central Valley, the Great Plains, central Asia, and northwestern India. However, the cooling effects are less evident in areas of eastern China and the Lower Mississippi River Basin despite extensive irrigation over these regions. Results are also compared with irrigation experiments using the Community Earth System Model (CESM) to assess the model's ability to represent land–atmosphere interactions in regards to irrigation. CESM greatly underestimates the surface temperature response to irrigation. The comparison between the offline and coupled simulations suggests that the irrigation‐induced cooling can be regulated by the interactions between land surface and atmosphere, and amplified signals are found over the "hot spot" regions. Meanwhile, model resolution can also influence the magnitude of the local cooling by irrigation. This study, for the first time, thoroughly investigated the observed local impacts of irrigation on surface climate based on multiple satellite‐based products at the global scale. Strong evaporative cooling of irrigation on daytime surface temperature is found over arid and semi‐arid regions, such as California's Central Valley, the Great Plains, central Asia, and northwestern India. However, the cooling effects are less evident in areas of eastern China and the Lower Mississippi River Basin despite extensive irrigation over these regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on more recent science spending developments in countries such as China, Korea, India and Brazil, there is a growing sense that the world’s scientific deck of cards is in the midst of a major reshuffle. But it is not clear if this reordering is limited to just the top spenders, or, indeed, how these changes have been playing out over the longer term. The new, more comprehensive research and development (R&D) spending estimates presented and discussed here reveal that we are in the midst of a possibly game-changing, albeit partial and perhaps irregular, reshuffle of the global R&D deck. These changes have potentially profound domestic and international economic development implications over the medium to long term. Notably, the fortunes of many of the world’s poorer countries continue to look bleak. Using the evolving structure of past R&D spending to project forward, and absent marked changes in science policies and spending priorities, we foresee a continuing and substantial shift in the geography of R&D towards parts of Asia, along with a continuing large, and in many respects growing, gap between the world’s scientific haves and have-nots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commercial surrogacy in emerging countries such as India is often associated with exploitation of vulnerable women, the assumption being that it is performed by poor and uneducated women for rich intended parents. However, the hypothesis that surrogates are poor women has rarely been confronted with field data. The objective was to compare the socioeconomic characteristics of Indian surrogates interviewed in social studies with those of Indian women in the general population in order to provide preliminary data on whether surrogates have a specific profile and are indeed disadvantaged compared with their counterparts. The study analyzes the data from four cross-sectional studies carried out in India among surrogates between 2006 and 2014. Surrogates were recruited through clinics, agencies and agents. Data were collected during face-to-face interviews. The resulting convenience sample included 96 Indian surrogates. Their sociodemographic characteristics were compared with those of the general population extracted from Indian national surveys. The surrogates interviewed had their first child at a younger age than women in the general population, but they tended to have a smaller family. Their social situation tended to be better than that of the general population in terms of education, employment and family income. These results provide first empirical evidence moderating the common assumption that Indian surrogates are the poorest and least educated women. This does not mean, however, that exploitation does not exist. More studies are needed to confirm these results and to explore the issue in new international destinations for surrogacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recognizing that enteric fever disproportionately affects the poorest and the most vulnerable communities that have limited access to improved sanitation, safe water sources, and optimal medical care, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has funded efforts to augment global understanding of the disease since the foundation's inception. At the turn of the century, early efforts focused on characterizing the burden of disease in Asia and evaluating use of the available Vi-polysaccharide vaccines through the Diseases of the Most Impoverished projects at the International Vaccine Institute (IVI). More recent efforts have centered on supporting development of typhoid conjugate vaccines and expanding disease surveillance efforts into Africa, as well as generating a greater understanding of the clinical severity and sequelae of enteric fever in Africa, Asia, and India. The Typhoid Vaccine Accelerator Consortium is playing a critical role in coordinating these and other global efforts for the control of typhoid fever. Here, we outline the scope of support and strategic view of the foundation and describe how, by working through strong partnerships, we can realize a radical reduction of the significance of enteric fever as a global public health problem in the next 10 to 15 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fuelwood plays an important role in the rural economy of the developing countries of Asia and Africa. Optimizing energy fixation in forest trees through high density energy plantations (HDEP), gasification of wood, and conversion of forest tree biomass, are some of the potential areas whereby additional research and development input for efficient management of atmospheric carbon in our energy system can be incorporated. For example, the photosynthetic efficiency of forest trees is rarely above 0.5%, which on the basis of theoretical considerations can be increased by up to 6.6%. Thus there is an ample scope to improve the efficiency up to 1%, which amounts to doubling of the productivity of the forests. Recent policy changes and experiences with wood-based bio-energy programmes in several countries indicate that woodfuels may become increasingly attractive as industrial energy sources. Use of biodiesel and the formulation of a project for undertaking 13.4 million ha of Jatropha plantations in India highlight the seriousness with which the Government of India is promoting carbon neutral energy plantations. The cost of establishment of plantations primarily for fuel production and its conversion to energy are major deterrents in this pursuit. Some of the issues in developing countries, like low productivity on marginal lands, degraded forest lands, and unorganized units for biomass energy conversion, result in cost escalation as compared to other energy sources. This paper revisits the scope for raising energy plantations, a comparison of the direct and indirect mitigation potential uses of plantations as an adaptation strategy through reforestation and afforestation projects for climate change mitigation and socio-economic issues to make this venture feasible in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1998, the Asia Pacific Bioinformatics Network (APBioNet), Asia's oldest bioinformatics organisation was set up to champion the advancement of bioinformatics in the Asia Pacific. By 2002, APBioNet was able to gain sufficient critical mass to initiate the first International Conference on Bioinformatics (InCoB) bringing together scientists working in the field of bioinformatics in the region. This year, the InCoB2006 Conference was organized as the 5th annual conference of the Asia-Pacific Bioinformatics Network, on Dec. 18-20, 2006 in New Delhi, India, following a series of successful events in Bangkok (Thailand), Penang (Malaysia), Auckland (New Zealand) and Busan (South Korea). This Introduction provides a brief overview of the peer-reviewed manuscripts accepted for publication in this Supplement. It exemplifies a typical snapshot of the growing research excellence in bioinformatics of the region as we embark on a trajectory of establishing a solid bioinformatics research culture in the Asia Pacific that is able to contribute fully to the global bioinformatics community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims This study aims to measure the prevalence rates and patterns of help-seeking behavior as a consequence of being harmed by drinkers in five Asian countries (India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Lao PDR and Thailand). Methods A total of 9832 respondents aged 18–65 years from the WHO/ThaiHealth Collaborative Project were surveyed between 2012 and 2014 about their experiences of being negatively affected due to another's drinking, and whether and where they sought help, focusing on four adverse aspects of harms from others' drinking. Results The prevalence of seeking help from any source in the past year due to harm from others' drinking ranged from 7% to 20%. The most common service used by those who were affected by other people's drinking was asking for help from friends, followed by calling the police and using health-related services. The largest proportion of help-seeking was among those reporting property harm, followed by those being harmed physically and sexually by drinkers. Conclusion Given a wide range of harms from others' drinking in the general population and different needs of those affected, prevalence rates for help-seeking behavior due to others' drinking in South and South East Asian countries were low and the help sought was often informal. There is a large knowledge gap in our understanding of the mechanisms of help-seeking behavior and the pathways for access to help among those affected. Further studies are important for enhancing the social response services available and making these more accessible to those who need help. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence supports the integration of prevention and management for tuberculosis (TB) with non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Bi-directional screening for TB and diabetes mellitus (DM) is already implemented in India, a country with a dual burden of TB and NCDs. However, very limited programmatic data are available on the feasibility of adding other NCDs and their risk factors in such screening programme. Objective: To assess the yield, feasibility, and acceptability of a two-stage integrated screening for NCDs and risk factors for NCDs among patients with TB ≥20 years and treated in DOTS centres of two medical colleges in Delhi, between October 2016 and March 2017. Methods: It was a mixed-methods, triangulation study with a quantitative component (cross-sectional study using questionnaires, anthropometric measurements and records review) and a qualitative component (descriptive study using interview data). Results: Amongst 403 patients screened, the prevalence of hypertension was 7% (n = 28) with 20 new cases detected and 8% for DM (n = 32) with 6 new cases diagnosed. The number needed to screen to find a new case was 20 and 63 for hypertension and DM respectively. The most frequent NCD-risk factors were inadequate vegetable (80%) and fruits (72%) intake, alcohol use (34%), use of smokeless tobacco (33%) and smoking (32%). Clustering of four or more risk factors was associated with increasing age and male sex (p<0.05). Both patients and health providers considered the screening relevant and acceptable. However, waiting time and costs involved in blood tests were considered as bothersome by the patients, while health providers perceived increased workload, inadequate medical supplies and inadequate skills and knowledge as key challenges in implementation of the screening. Conclusion: Integrating screening for NCDs and their risk factors in the existing TB programme produces high yield and it is feasible and acceptable by patients and health providers provided the challenges are overcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the North America-dominated YMCA as an influential agent promoting ‘rural reconstruction’ schemes on the Indian subcontinent from the 1920s to the 1950s. During that period, religiously inclined civil society actors from the United States played a crucial role in shaping reform programmes designed to improve South Asian agriculture and educate the ‘backward’ village population. It sheds light on the global history of ‘sustainable village development’ programmes by reconstructing the emergence of a specific new body of development knowledge that was ostentatiously ‘low modernist’ — that is simple, cheap and easily reproducible — and thus deemed ideally suited for the uneducated and impoverished peasants of the global South. The new method was forged in South Asia through the mingling of American ‘scientific’ agricultural expertise and a protestant missionary impulse to morally ‘uplift’ the subcontinental villager with various strands of ‘colonial’, local and global knowledge. This ‘pidginised’ template enjoyed a worldwide circulation from the late 1930s onwards and informed the emerging transnational development regime that would flourish later during the early Cold War era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects about 1.4% of the population in South Asia but very few have access to any form of health care service. The objective of this study was to explore the beliefs and practices related to the care of children with ASD to inform strategies for intervention. In Pakistan, primary data were collected through in-depth interviews of parents (N = 15), while in India a narrative review of existing studies was conducted. The results show that the burden of care is almost entirely on the mother, leading to high levels of stress. Poor awareness of the condition in both family members and front-line health-providers leads to delay in recognition and appropriate management. There is considerable stigma and discrimination affecting children with autism and their families. Specialist services are rare, concentrated in urban areas, and inaccessible to the majority. Strategies for intervention should include building community and family support networks to provide respite to the main carer. In the absence of specialists, community members such as community health workers, traditional practitioners and even motivated family members could be trained in recognizing and providing evidence-based interventions. Such task-shifting strategies should be accompanied by campaigns to raise awareness so greater inclusivity can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Suboptimal nutrition among children remains a problem among South Asian (SA) families. Appropriate complementary feeding (CF) practices can greatly reduce this risk. Thus, we undertook a systematic review of studies assessing CF (timing, dietary diversity, meal frequency and influencing factors) in children aged <2 years in India.Design: Searches between January 2000 and June 2016 in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Global Health, Web of Science, OVID Maternity & Infant Care, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, BanglaJOL, POPLINE and WHO Global Health Library. Eligibility criteria: primary research on CF practices in SA children aged 0-2 years and/or their families. Search terms: 'children', 'feeding' and 'Asians' and derivatives. Two researchers undertook study selection, data extraction and quality appraisal (EPPI-Centre Weight of Evidence).Results: From 45 712 abstracts screened, sixty-four cross-sectional, seven cohort, one qualitative and one case-control studies were included. Despite adopting the WHO Infant and Young Child Feeding guidelines, suboptimal CF practices were found in all studies. In twenty-nine of fifty-nine studies, CF was introduced between 6 and 9 months, with eight studies finding minimum dietary diversity was achieved in 6-33 %, and ten of seventeen studies noting minimum meal frequency in only 25-50 % of the study populations. Influencing factors included cultural influences, poor knowledge on appropriate CF practices and parental educational status.Conclusions: This is the first systematic review to evaluate CF practices in SA in India. Campaigns to change health and nutrition behaviour and revision of nationwide child health nutrition programmes are needed to meet the substantial unmet needs of these children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Most stroke research is conducted in high income countries, yet most stroke occurs in low- and middle-income countries. There is an urgent need to build stroke research capacity in low- and middle-income countries. Aims To review the global health literature on how to improve research capacity in low- and middle-income countries, provide additional data from the recently completed ATTEND Trial and provide examples from our own experience. Summary of review The main themes from our literature review were: manpower and workload, research training, research question and methodology and research funding. The literature and our own experience emphasized the importance of local stakeholders to ensure that the research was appropriate, that there were robust local ethics and regulatory processes, and research was conducted by trained personnel. Research training opportunities can be developed locally, or internationally, with many international schemes available to help support new researchers from low- and middle-income country settings. International collaboration can successfully leverage funding from high income countries that not only generate data for the local country, but also provide new data appropriate to high income countries. Conclusions Building stroke research capacity in low- and middle-income countries will be vital in improving global health given the huge burden of stroke in these countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Local people in the Himalayan region use a wide range of wild and non-cultivated edible plants (WNEPs) for food, spice, medicinal, and cultural purposes. However, their availability, use, status and contribution to livelihood security are poorly documented, and they have been generally overlooked in recent agro-biodiversity conservation and management programmes. The study aimed to investigate WNEP diversity and current status in a part of the Kailash Sacred Landscape--a transboundary landscape shared by Nepal, India and PR China--in terms of collection, use, management and conservation initiatives. Methods: Multiple methodologies and tools were used for data collection. A series of participatory tools (45 key informant interviews, 10 focus group discussions, a crop diversity fair, direct observation of species through a transect walk and rapid market assessments) was followed by a household survey (195 respondents) and complemented by a literature review. Results: The study recorded 99 WNEPs belonging to 59 families of which 96 were angiosperms, one gymnosperm and two pteridophytes. Species were used for food, spice, medicine, rituals and income generation. Thirty-five species had multiple uses, including these: 40 species were used for fruit and 31 for vegetables. WNEPs contribute significantly to daily food requirements, especially the vegetables. The use value of Dryopteris cochleata was found highest (0.98) among frequently used vegetable species. The values of informant consensus factor were found maximum for worms in the stomach (0.99) and minimum for skin disease treatment (0.67). Nearly 85% of households depended exclusively on WNEPs for at least more than a month per year. Results on the importance and use of different species, gender roles in WNEP activities and conservation approaches are presented. Conclusions: People living in the Kailash Sacred Landscape depend significantly on WNEPs, and this is especially critical in times of food shortage. The WNEPs have considerable potential as an important supplement to cultivated food crops. Farmers prioritise species with multiple use values and popular vegetables. However, there are numerous challenges and interventions needed to ensure conservation and management of species and their continued availability to support food security and local livelihoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Background: The use of early morning sputum samples (EMS) to diagnose tuberculosis (TB) can result in treatment delay given the need for the patient to return to the clinic with the EMS, increasing the chance of patients being lost during their diagnostic workup. However, there is little evidence to support the superiority of EMS over spot sputum samples. In this new analysis of the REMoxTB study, we compare the diagnostic accuracy of EMS with spot samples for identifying Mycobacterium tuberculosis pre- and post-treatment.Methods: Patients who were smear positive at screening were enrolled into the study. Paired sputum samples (one EMS and one spot) were collected at each trial visit pre- and post-treatment. Microscopy and culture on solid LJ and liquid MGIT media were performed on all samples; those missing corresponding paired results were excluded from the analyses.Results: Data from 1115 pre- and 2995 post-treatment paired samples from 1931 patients enrolled in the REMoxTB study were analysed. Patients were recruited from South Africa (47%), East Africa (21%), India (20%), Asia (11%), and North America (1%); 70% were male, median age 31 years (IQR 24-41), 139 (7%) co-infected with HIV with a median CD4 cell count of 399 cells/μL (IQR 318-535). Pre-treatment spot samples had a higher yield of positive Ziehl-Neelsen smears (98% vs. 97%, P = 0.02) and LJ cultures (87% vs. 82%, P = 0.006) than EMS, but there was no difference for positivity by MGIT (93% vs. 95%, P = 0.18). Contaminated and false-positive MGIT were found more often with EMS rather than spot samples. Surprisingly, pre-treatment EMS had a higher smear grading and shorter time-to-positivity, by 1 day, than spot samples in MGIT culture (4.5 vs. 5.5 days, P < 0.001). There were no differences in time to positivity in pre-treatment LJ culture, or in post-treatment MGIT or LJ cultures. Comparing EMS and spot samples in those with unfavourable outcomes, there were no differences in smear or culture results, and positive results were not detected earlier in Kaplan-Meier analyses in either EMS or spot samples.Conclusions: Our data do not support the hypothesis that EMS samples are superior to spot sputum samples in a clinical trial of patients with smear positive pulmonary TB. Observed small differences in mycobacterial burden are of uncertain significance and EMS samples do not detect post-treatment positives any sooner than spot samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early French travellers painted very interesting pictures when they travelled to far off regions in the South-East Asia and articulated the idea of the exotic east through their travelogues for a curious western audience. The paper seeks to study the changes in perceptions in early travel writings of the east and the west and explores how the east was perceived by the west and how these ideas changed with the advent of Colonialism and Occidentalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the role played by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regarding the bilateral relations among the great powers in Asia, China-U.S., China-Japan, and China-India. It is stated that China has remained a strong supporter of ASEAN's central position in regional organizations since the 1990s, and the two sides have developed an extensive framework for bilateral cooperation. The ASEAN countries themselves promote good relations within these major powers.

The article presents the progress report of the Asian Agri-History Foundation (AAHF) for the year 2009. The AAHF Trust was established in 1994 by a group of agricultural scientists to educate agriculturists and other people connected with agriculture of Asia with its rich agricultural heritage. AAHF was honored with an annual national award, "Param Poojaniya Shree Guruji Puraskar -- 2009," provided by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Janakalyan Samiti, Maharashtra, India. The award was received by AAHF chairman Y.L. Nene on behalf of AAHF. Information is also presented on several meetings and workshops of AAHF.

The article presents information on the progress report of the Asian Agri-History Foundation (AAHF) Trust for the year 2008. It informs that the recommendations for the trust include documentation of medicinal and aromatic plant species of Uttarakhand, India. It further informs that people contact AAHF to seek information about agricultural heritage of Asia. It has been found that the AAHF trust won Sipani Krishi Anusandhan Farm (SKAF) Award every year for the Best published Paper in Asian Agri-History.

Is the 'Silk Road' a meaningful term? Is it being used simply to provide a historical legitimacy for our preoccupation with the dichotomy of east and west, the rising power of India and China and the waning of Europe, and our ambivalence towards globalisation? If it ever had any descriptive or analytic force for scholarship, is this now lost and should we discard the term entirely in our scholarly discourse as misleading at best and leave it for the marketers to exploit as a symbol of luxury and exoticism? This article argues that although the term 'Silk Road' has become a widely used portmanteau term, with apt clarification it is still a meaningful term for scholarship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural change in Asia among India, China, and Pakistan has been intense and is directly associated with the instability that has resulted. As these governments move forward on their regional and global power cycles, what points of non-linearity (critical points) yet await the region and the larger system, and with what effect? The article calls for management of the foreign policy role such that comparative calm is sustained in the midst of structural change and uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the increase in the understanding of the influence of various lifestyle factors such as sedentary behaviour and level of physical activity (PA) on physical and mental health, there has been a growing research interest on how physical inactivity correlates with depressive outcomes across countries. The present study aimed to examine 1) the pattern of engaging in PA among middle- and older-aged population in four South Asian countries, and 2) whether PA is associated with higher prevalence of depression.Methods: This cross-sectional study is based on country-representative data obtained from WHO's World Health Survey (WHS). Subjects were 7204 men and women aged above 50 years from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, all of which are classified as Low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) in World Bank reports. Outcome variables were self-ported depression (SRD) and ever being diagnosed with depression. Association between frequency of moderate (MPA) and vigorous physical activity (VPA) and depression was analysed by multivariable regression methods.Result: Prevalence of self-reported depression was respectively 47.7%, 40.3%, 40.4% and 11.4% in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Prevalence of being ever diagnosed with depression was highest in Nepal (38.7%), followed by India (17.7%), Bangladesh (2.5%) and Sri Lanka (2%). Multivariable analysis shown statistically significant association between PA and diagnosed depression in Bangladesh and India, but not with SRD. In Bangladesh, compared to those who reported engaging in MPA on daily basis, the odds of reporting diagnosed depression were more than five times higher [AOR = 5.512; 95% CI = 1.159-26.21] for those who never took MPA. In India, those never took VPA had 44% higher [AOR = 1.442; 95% CI = 1.046-1.987] odds of being diagnosed with depression compared those who never engaged in VPA.Conclusion: Lower frequency of vigorous physical activity were significantly associated with higher rates of depression diagnosed. Based on the findings, it is recommendable that health programs targeting mental health among middle- and older-aged population take steps to promote the level of PA within a multi-dimensional depression prevention framework. Longitudinal studies are needed to understand the role of vigorous and moderate physical activity on the onset and intervention of depression among elderly population in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There exist three mainstream opinions regarding the timing of the initial collision between the Indian and Eurasian continents, namely, 65±5, 45±5, and 30±5 Ma. Five criteria are proposed for determining which tectonic event was related to the initial collision between India and Asia: the rapid decrease in the rate of plate motion, the cessation of magmatic activity originating from the subduction of oceanic crust, the end of sedimentation of oceanic facies, the occurrence of intracontinental deformation, and the exchange of sediments sourced from two continents. These criteria are used to constrain the nature of these tectonic events. It is proposed that the 65±5 Ma tectonic event is consistent with some of the criteria, but the upshot of this model is that the magmatic activity originating from the Tethyan subduction since the Mesozoic restarted along the southern margin of the Asian continent in this time after a brief calm, implying that the subduction of the Neotethys slab was still taking place. The magmatic activity that occurred along the southern margin of the Asian continent had a 7-Myr break during 72-65 Ma, which in this study is interpreted as having resulted from tectonic transformation from subduction to transform faulting, indicating that the convergence between the Indian and Asian continents was once dominated by strike-slip motion. The 30±5 Ma tectonic event resulted in the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau, which was related to the late stage of the convergence between these two continents, namely, a hard collision. The 45±5 Ma tectonic event is in accordance with most of the criteria, corresponding to the initial collision between these two continents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Although the influence of the type of institutional setting on the risk of cesarean birth is well documented, less is known about the regional variations in institution-specific cesarean rates within countries. Our purpose was to examine regional variations in cesarean rates across public and private facilities in five Asian countries with a sizeable private sector: Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, and the Philippines. Methods Demographic Health Survey data and a hierarchical model were used to assess regional variations in the mode of delivery while controlling for a wide range of socioeconomic, demographic, and maternal risk factors. Results The risk of cesarean birth was greater in a private facility than in a government hospital by 36-48 percent in India and Indonesia and by 130 percent in Bangladesh. Regional gradients in cesarean birth were found to be steeper for deliveries in private facilities than in government hospitals in India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The residents of India's high-use states were 55 percent more likely to undergo a cesarean delivery in a government hospital and 83 percent more likely in a private facility than their counterparts in the medium-use states. Similarly, compared to the residents of the Philippines's medium-use provinces, giving birth in a government facility increased the likelihood of a cesarean delivery by 84 percent and by 173 percent in a private facility. Conclusions Large regional variations in cesarean rates suggest the need for more informed clinical decision making with respect to the selection of cases for cesarean delivery and the establishment of well-developed guidelines and standards at the provincial or state levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is based on a review of around 100 western English print press articles recording rape in India. No cases were reported prior to the tragic and brutal rape of Nirbhaya in Delhi on the 16 December 2012. The article presents a critical analysis of the dominant discourses running through the articles and highlights the extent to which the colonial lens is still present as the main perspective through which India is viewed. The article highlights how press narratives are problematic for two main reasons. Firstly, because of the narrow reporting of only rape which suggests it occurs only to middle-class or modern urban women, the daily experiences of low-caste and Dalit women for example is ignored. Secondly, we identify the construction of a problematic-male who is labelled deviant, sexually feral and the key perpetrator of all rape violence in India. This article in no way denies the reality of violence against women in India, quite the contrary, but argues that the distorting imperialist picture emerging through the press does not support the work of feminist activists in India whose nuanced and complex understanding of the realities of violence must lead the way to eradicating it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Our objective is to contribute to the literature regarding the association between immigrant children's health, their ethnicity and their living in neighbourhoods with a high ethnic concentration of one's own ethnicity. Using data from families from five ethnic groups who all immigrated to Vancouver metropolitan region in Canada, our research question asks: How ethnicity, ethnic concentration and living in a neighbourhood with others of the same ethnic background contribute to the health of immigrant children? Design. Two data sets are integrated in our study. The first is the New Canadian Children and Youth Study, which collected original data from five ethnic groups who immigrated to metropolitan Vancouver. The second data set, from which we derived neighbourhood data, is the Canadian census. The dependent variable is health status as reported by the parent. Independent variables are at both the individual and neighbourhood levels, including ethnicity, sex and the percentage of people living in the neighbourhood of the same ethnic background. Analysis was completed using hierarchical linear modelling. Results. Children (n = 759) from 24 neighbourhoods were included in the analyses. Health status varied by ethnicity and ethnic concentration, indicating the heterogeneity of immigrant populations. Conclusion. With the lack of research on the health of immigrant children and youth living in ethnic concentrations, our findings make an important contribution to understanding the influences on the well-being of immigrant populations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

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Suicide rates are higher at high altitudes, and some hypothesize that hypoxia is the cause. There may be a significant correlation between rates of depression and altitude, but little data exist outside the United States. The purpose of the present study is to conduct a survey of depression among the elderly highlanders in Asia. We enrolled 114 persons aged 60 years or older (mean, 69.2 ± 6.7 years; women, 58.8%) in Domkhar (altitude, 3800 m), Ladakh, India and 173 ethnic Tibetans (mean, 66.5 ± 6.1 years; women, 61.3%) in Yushu (altitude, 3700 m), Qinghai Province, China. The two-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2) and the geriatric depression scale were administered. A psychiatrist interviewed the subjects who had a positive score on the PHQ-2. The results of the interview with the residents conducted by the specialist showed that two cases (1.8%) from Domkhar and four (2.3%) from Qinghai had depression. Despite the high altitude, the probability of depression was low in elderly highlander in Ladakh and Qinghai. Our finding seems to indicate that cultural factors such as religious outlook and social/family relationship inhibit the development of depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]