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Anomala sp. is a green coleopteran beetle that feeds on the leaves of various fruit trees. It is one of the most preferred and abundantly found edible insects in Arunachal Pradesh, India. People from different countries consume it due to its nutritional and therapeutic value, both in cooked and uncooked form. This study aimed to assess the amino acid content in this edible insect and its host plant, which is still lagging. The method involves targeted metabolomic analysis using LC–MS/MS, producing reliable and reproducible data for quantifying free amino acids using deuterated internal standards without derivatization. Results showed that 0.57% and 0.36% of essential amino acids contributed to the total amino acids content in beetle and host plant’s leaf, respectively, which does not meet the FAO requirement. Still, it has a higher content than related edible scarab beetle analyzed by other techniques. Amino acid content is significantly higher in edible beetle than in the host plant’s leaf (P< 0.001). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind energy is considered to be the cleanest fuel. India is rich in natural resources; we have learned to harness them for our benefit and advancement. As a gauge of fuel demand, India's fuel consumption increased 6.5% year over year in 2023 to around 18.57 million tons, according to figures from the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC). Even though it applies to all resources, we are currently focusing on harnessing wind energy. Wind turbines have been improved and researched to increase their efficiency since their inception. However, little progress was ever made on extracting wind energy lost at low wind speeds as they could not power a large commercial turbine. Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWT), which typically perform better at low wind speeds. To address this issue and to increase the turbine's efficiency, we applied natural shapes and curves to the turbine design. We investigated its effects using numerical analysis, discovering that the method offers certain advantages in terms of fluid flow over the turbine body, such as having better flow over the body, a low number of vortex formations, and reduced drag effects while returning the blade to its original position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β-thalassemia, a congenital genetic hematological disorder characterized by the decrease or absence of β-globin chains, leads to a decrease in levels of Hemoglobin A. The affected individuals can be categorized into two cohorts based on transfusion dependency: transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT) and non-transfusion-dependent thalassemia (NTDT). Remarkably, despite the primary pathology lying in β-globin chain depletion, β-thalassemia also exhibits an intriguing association with iron overload. Iron metabolism, a tightly regulated physiological process, reveals a complex interplay in these patients. Over time, both cohorts of β-thalassemic individuals develop iron overload, albeit through distinct mechanisms. Addressing the diverse complications that arise due to iron overload in β-thalassemic patients, the utilization of iron chelators has gained a lot of significance. With varying efficacies, routes of administration, and modes of action, different iron chelators offer unique benefits to patients. In the Indian context, three commercialized iron chelators have emerged, showcasing a high adherence rate to iron chelator-based treatment regimens among β-thalassemic individuals. In this review, we explore the intriguing connection between β-thalassemia and iron overload, shedding light on the intricate mechanisms at play. We delve into the intricacies of iron metabolism, unveiling the distinct pathways leading to iron accumulation in these patients. Additionally, the therapeutic efficacy of different iron chelators in managing iron overload complications is mentioned briefly, along with the guidelines for their usage in India. Through this comprehensive analysis, we aim to deepen our understanding of β-thalassemia and iron overload, paving the way for optimized treatment strategies. Ultimately, our findings provide valuable insights into improving the care and outcomes of individuals affected by β-thalassemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brahma Kamal are rare flowers found in high-altitude regions of the Himalaya, where bumble bees are the primary pollinators. Bumble bees are cold-adapted bees, and in India their distribution is in Himalayan Mountain ranges. We study this plant and bumble bees in the Bumla pass at about 4300 m above mean sea level (amsl) in the Eastern Himalayan Ranges in the Tawang District, Arunachal Pradesh, India. The present study systematically reported the occurrence of Brahma Kamal, which was rarely recorded in Arunachal along with a report of six species of bumble bee (Bombus abnormis, Bombus lemniscatus, Bombus mirus, Bombus pressus, Bombus prshewalskyi and Bombus sikkimi) visitors from high altitude region of state of Arunachal Pradesh, India. The flowering time of the Brahma Kamal is in the month of August, and the optimal period to record bumble bees is from June to August. This new report focuses on the extreme east of India, in the Eastern Himalaya, and adds to the data on Brahma Kamal distribution and bumble bee occurrence for future research on pollination, species distribution, threat and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Media education is a generic term for different forms of education about the media, journalism, mass communication and its allied subjects. It is the process of teaching and learning of the entire areas of communication. The media industry is one of the most thriving sectors in India and therefore media education has become an important area of study in the last two decades in India. In spite of its growing demand, the existing conventional education system has not been successful in meeting these demands. Media education in India is framed in the higher education system, comprising of programs in the universities, both government-supported and media-backed private institutions, as well as in-service and short-term courses offered by press associations and other organizations. Known as Oxford of the east in Pune there are almost 30 media education intuitions and all of them providing different media programmes. The global outbreak of COVID-19 has affected human lives in the most adverse way. The entire world is engulfed in tragedy as crisis strikes in every sector. Each person in any sector including education, health, economy, agriculture, business, entertainment etc. has been facing serious repercussions due to the outbreak of the pandemic. The media education institutions are also facing various challenges during this period. The faculties, students have faces very difficult times during this time phase. The purpose of the research is to identify the various issues faced by the different media faculties from various universities in Pune. Factors can be identified by conducting a survey based research at various universities located in Pune through in depth interview. The researcher in this research will discuss the different technical challenges faced by the faculties during this covid pandemic. The researcher also will try to find out some possible solution for these. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A realistic evaluation of drought onset is inevitable for the effective implementation of mitigation strategies. Meteorological droughts indicating the onset of drought propagation are usually quantified through unbiased indices that consider the month‐wise magnitude variations in historical climatic variables, while completely ignoring their intramonthly distributions. However, the applicability of such indices under the present scenario of changing climate, where intense short wet spells are reportedly increasing, is questionable. Such changes in the wet spells could eventually lead to prolonged intramonthly dry spells, which in turn will pose many agricultural and socioeconomic risks. To monitor the changed scenario realistically, we propose a new drought index—the Standardized Net‐Precipitation Distribution Index (SNEPI), which incorporates the distribution characteristics of the daily net‐precipitation variable. The applicability of SNEPI is critically evaluated using synthetically generated and observed precipitation series over six diverse climatic locations of India, at 1‐, 3‐, 6‐, and 12‐month time scales. The utility of SNEPI is more profound for longer time scales, understandably due to the enhanced emphasis imparted on the distribution of rainfall spells by the longer periods. Standardized Net‐Precipitation Distribution Index proves to be efficient in capturing the present scenario of increasing dryness (wetness) in wet (dry) regions when compared with the traditional Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index. Hence, the proposed index, which incorporates the changing precipitation characteristics, may aid in better quantification and monitoring of meteorological drought under the scenario of changing climate. Key Points: Revisited the concept of drought indices by accounting the precipitation characteristics such as intensity, frequency, and uniformityProposed index shows profound influence for longer time scales, implying possible utility in drought propagation to hydrological levelsProposed index may prove beneficial under the present scenario of abruptly changing climate [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficacy of the standard performance metrics [mean bias (Bias), root mean square deviation (RMSD), and correlation coefficient (CC)] compared to a new symmetric index of agreement (λ) for the evaluation of numerical weather prediction models is investigated in this study. It evaluates the weather research and forecasting (WRF) model with the global precipitation measurement's (GPM) Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) and station rainfall, as the reference datasets. This study uses three IMERG products, namely: GPM infrared-microwave merged gauge corrected (GMS), GPM microwave-calibrated infrared (GIR), and GPM inter-calibrated microwave (GMW) rainfall. The analysis showed that WRF rainfall when compared to different reference datasets is producing similar RMSD values but significantly different Bias values. This behavior is because of the inverse relationship between Bias and standard deviation of residual ( σ R ). It is so because RMSD is a function of both. However, λ is able to appropriately represent the distinct performances of WRF. The regions with contradictory behavior of RMSD and CC are also appropriately represented in λ. The evaluation using λ showed that WRF is comparable to GMS and GIR, except for GMW. The performance of WRF was not found to be very promising when compared to station rainfall, which is attributed to WRFs representation efficiency and the effect of topography. However, a comparison of IMERG products with station rainfall showed that GMS was the most agreeable followed by GIR and GMW. The study also showed that the efficacy of λ is related to its non-linear relationship with Bias and CC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure of this intervention is deliberately schizo-analytic: "and then—," and "then—." They are preparatory notes for a webinar by Transform! Europe on the COVID, arranged before the global explosion of Black Lives Matter. I question the top-down philanthropy of the bourgeois Left. I take the Rohingyas as bottom-line victims. I speak from two hometowns—Calcutta and New York. I ask the bourgeois Euro-U.S. Left not to monolithize the Global South. Many examples of how "India" is constructed are given. From New York, the United States is declared a failed state. Trump's delinquencies are mentioned. It is argued that the only remedy at present is human behaviour and the typical U.S. character is not ready to practice this. This empirical fact shows the failure of the Kantian Sublime and reminds us that Kant thinks that the human moral will comes in to protect us from a hugely frightening natural phenomenon only by "subreption," the same impulse that says that following steps provided by institutional religion will absolve us. Class and caste are taken into consideration throughout. I mention that as a coronavirus convalescent, I am donating plasma regularly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Inherited myopathies comprise more than 200 different individually rare disease-subtypes, but when combined together they have a high prevalence of 1 in 6,000 individuals across the world. Our goal was to determine for the first time the clinical- and gene-variant spectrum of genetic myopathies in a substantial cohort study of the Indian subcontinent. Methods: In this cohort study, we performed the first large clinical exome sequencing (ES) study with phenotype correlation on 207 clinically well-characterized inherited myopathy-suspected patients from the Indian subcontinent with diverse ethnicities. Results: Clinical-correlation driven definitive molecular diagnosis was established in 49% (101 cases; 95% CI, 42–56%) of patients with the major contributing pathogenicity in either of three genes, GNE (28%; GNE-myopathy), DYSF (25%; Dysferlinopathy), and CAPN3 (19%; Calpainopathy). We identified 65 variant alleles comprising 37 unique variants in these three major genes. Seventy-eight percent of the DYSF patients were homozygous for the detected pathogenic variant, suggesting the need for carrier-testing for autosomal-recessive disorders like Dysferlinopathy that are common in India. We describe the observed clinical spectrum of myopathies including uncommon and rare subtypes in India: Sarcoglycanopathies (SGCA/B/D/G), Collagenopathy (COL6A1/2/3), Anoctaminopathy (ANO5), telethoninopathy (TCAP), Pompe-disease (GAA), Myoadenylate-deaminase-deficiency-myopathy (AMPD1), myotilinopathy (MYOT), laminopathy (LMNA), HSP40-proteinopathy (DNAJB6), Emery-Dreifuss-muscular-dystrophy (EMD), Filaminopathy (FLNC), TRIM32-proteinopathy (TRIM32), POMT1-proteinopathy (POMT1), and Merosin-deficiency-congenital-muscular-dystrophy-type-1 (LAMA2). Thirteen patients harbored pathogenic variants in >1 gene and had unusual clinical features suggesting a possible role of synergistic-heterozygosity/digenic-contribution to disease presentation and progression. Conclusions: Application of clinically correlated ES to myopathy diagnosis has improved our understanding of the clinical and genetic spectrum of different subtypes and their overlaps in Indian patients. This, in turn, will enhance the global gene-variant-disease databases by including data from developing countries/continents for more efficient clinically driven molecular diagnostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In developing countries like India and south east Asia, biofortification is an emerging cost-effective strategy to address global malnutrition. This strategy involves supplying of micronutrients such as iron and zinc in the staple foods by using conventional plant breeding and biotechnology. In vitro techniques that can be applied to plant breeding programs in order to accelerate the process of obtaining a pure line, its conservation, transgenic and developing the somaclonal varients. An efficient in vitro plant regeneration system is required for successful crop improvement through genetic engineering and hence present investigation aims at estimation of iron and zinc from fifteen traditional rice cultivars of gangetic alluvial zone and to define its role in biofortification programme, conservation of these landraces with in vitro approach. Significant variability was found for the traits taken for the study. Iron concentration ranged from 35.2 μg/g (Ladhula) to 95.3 μg/g (Gandhibiroin) and zinc concentration ranged from 18.7 μg/g(Nakrasal) to 28.5 μg/g (Daharnagra) in traditional rice. Also in vitro study showed good response to development of somaclonal variations in a promising aromatic line Gandhibiroin (GB). Number of embryos per explants and percent culture with somatic embryo was found to be 9.7 embryos per explants and 65 percent of somatic embryo development at the concentration of 10.5 μM. This study will help the researchers in the area of biotechnology and bioinformatics to produce the quality food with full of micronutrients keeping pace with time using in vitro techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on Hobfoll's conservation of resources theory to examine the association of work interference with family (WIF) and family interference with work (FIW) with burnout among the primary school teachers in Chhattisgarh, India. The study also examines the moderating role of emotional intelligence (EI) in the relationship between work/family interference (WIF/FIW) and burnout. Data were collected from 713 teachers using a questionnaire survey. The study used partial least squares path modeling to test the proposed measurement and structural model. Findings reveal that WIF and FIW are positively associated with burnout. The association of WIF was found to be stronger than FIW with burnout. Moreover, EI was found to significantly moderate the associations of WIF and FIW with burnout. The research points toward practical ways of reducing burnout caused by WIF and FIW by recognizing EI as a potential personal resource to be developed through training and development for teachers. Using the conservation of resources theory, this study makes an early attempt to explore the moderating role of EI between WIF/FIW and burnout in primary school teachers in the Indian public education system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Sickle cell disease (SCD) and thalassaemia are genetic disorders that are caused by errors in the genes for haemoglobin and are some of the most common significant genetic disorders in the world, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Great disparities exist in the outcome of these conditions between resource‐ rich and resource‐poor nations. Antenatal screening for these disorders aims to provide couples with information about their reproductive risk and enable them to make informed reproductive choices; ultimately reducing the likelihood of children being born with these conditions. This review provides an overview of the current status of antenatal, pre‐marital and population screening of SCD and thalassaemia in countries with both high‐and low prevalence of these conditions, methods of screening in use, and discusses some of the pitfalls, ethical issues and controversies surrounding antenatal screening. It also discusses outcomes of some screening programmes and recognises the need for the establishment of antenatal screening in areas where their prevalence is highest; namely sub‐Saharan Africa and India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a contribution to understanding income generation and inequality in India's agricultural sector. We analyze the National Sample Surveys of agriculture in 2003 and 2013 using descriptive and regression based methods, and estimate income inequality in the agricultural sector at the scale of the nation and its 17 largest states. We show that: (a) there are significant state‐level differences in the structures/patterns of income generation from agriculture, (b) there is a negative relationship between the amount of land owned by the household and share of wages in total income, (c) income inequality in India's agricultural sector is very high (Gini Coefficient of around 0.6 during the period), and (d) about half of the income inequality is explained by the household‐level variance in income from cultivation, which in turn is primarily dependent on variance in landownership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than 40% of US grain is used for energy due to the Renewable Fuel Mandate (RFS). There are no studies of the global distributional consequences of this purely domestic policy. Using micro‐level survey data, we trace the effect of the RFS on world food prices and their impact on household level consumption and wage incomes in India. We first develop a partial equilibrium model to estimate the effect of the RFS on the price of selected food commodities—rice, wheat, corn, sugar, and meat and dairy, which together provide almost 70% of Indian food calories. Our model predicts that world prices for these commodities rise by 8–16% due to the RFS. We estimate the price pass‐through to domestic Indian prices and the effect of the price shock on household welfare through consumption and wage incomes. Poor rural households suffer significant welfare losses due to higher prices of consumption goods, which are regressive. However, they benefit from a rise in wage incomes, mainly because most of them are employed in agriculture. Urban households also bear the higher cost of food, but do not see a concomitant rise in wages because only a small fraction of them work in food‐related industries. Welfare losses are greater among urban households. However, more poor people in India live in villages, so rural poverty impacts are larger in magnitude. We estimate that the mandate leads to about 25 million new poor: 21 million in rural and 4 million in the urban population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a number of countries, youth unemployment is a pressing concern. In India, 54% of the country's population is below the age of 25 and faces a high rate of (disguised) unemployment. To augment youth employment, the Government of India has launched a number of skills training programs. This paper deals with participation in and the impact of one of these programs [Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushal Yojana (DDUGKY)] located in rural Bihar, one of India's poorest states. The analysis is based on data collected in mid-2016 and compares trained participants with non-participants who applied for the scheme but eventually did not attend. We find that the training program squarely reaches the intended target group—rural poor youth. Initially, the program leads to a 29 percentage point increase in the employment rate of the trained graduates. However, 2–6 months after the training, the employment effect of the program drops to zero. A third of the placed graduates leave their jobs due to caste-based discrimination, and another third leave due to a mismatch between the salaries offered and their living costs. The upshot is that while the training program enhances job market prospects, other labor market factors undo the positive effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The East Himalaya is one of the world's most biodiverse ecosystems. However, very little is known about the abundance and distribution of many plant and animal taxa in this region. Bumble bees are a group of cold-adapted and high elevation insects that fulfil an important ecological and economical function as pollinators of wild and agricultural flowering plants and crops. The Himalayan mountain range provides ample suitable habitats for bumble bees. Systematic study of Himalayan bumble bees began a few decades ago and the main focus has centred on the western region, while the eastern part of the mountain range has received little attention and only a few species have been verified. During a three-year survey, more than 700 bumble bee specimens of 21 species were collected in Arunachal Pradesh, the largest of the north-eastern states of India. The material included a range of species that were previously known from a limited number of collected specimens, which highlights the unique character of the East Himalayan ecosystem. Our results are an important first step towards a future assessment of species distribution, threat, and conservation. Clear elevation patterns of species diversity were observed, which raise important questions about the functional adaptations that allow bumble bees to thrive in this particularly moist region in the East Himalaya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology has played a role in the quality and assurance of life. Application of technology in the healthcare field has increased manifolds in past decade with the development of new devices and IT. Telemedicine - a technology for remote diagnosis of diseases provides health care facilities to the remote area. In the context of India, telemedicine can be an option to provide healthcare facilities to last mile, the interior villages with the help of technology. Although it is a conceptual paper, the paper investigates the enabler of telemedicine technology adoption and implementation and ends up with the proposed model with the constructs and constructs definitions with the proposed items which are useful for telemedicine implementation. Through the systematic literature review followed by one to one interaction with the physicians, patients and telemedicine experts who all are currently using the technology the propositions are made which are likely to affect the implementation and adoption of telemedicine technology. telemedicine is a useful technology, when it comes to the affordability, quality and reach of healthcare services in India. Private hospitals as well as government both have to work together to provide the better healthcare for better India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than half a century has elapsed since China and India fought a War in October–November 1962. The War saw the Chinese Army coming out with flying colours. India as a nation was shocked and had to strain every sinew to reorganise itself to win the ensuing wars with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971. There are many questions as regards the causes of the War, the events which preceded the conflict and what actually happened that led to the debacle. The article addresses these issues comprehensively and analyses the War in detail. Overall it was a failure to assess the Chinese threat in correct perspective. The Indian government did not expect China to fight a War against India.The obvious question to ask is what is the way ahead? The concluding portion of the article deals with the current situation and measures to be taken to deter China from undertaking a military adventure. There is a need to have a National Security Strategy as also leave no stone unturned to build our Comprehensive National Power. In this, our Armed Forces must be modernised to meet the Chinese forces. The Chinese Navy has of late gained strength and is making forays into the Indian Ocean. We should be prepared for this aspect and build our military diplomacy with the United States, Japan and Vietnam. Last of all to understand China, we must create nodes of excellence in our country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We present evidence on short and long-term impact of the COVID-19 crisis on India's rural youth. • A third of those in salaried job lost their jobs, and half of those who worked out of state returned home after the lockdown. • While many male workers took up informal employment, most female workers dropped out of the labor force. • Using RCT, we find that a government-supported digital platform had no effect on job search intensity or employment. This paper presents evidence on the short and long-term impact of the COVID-19 crisis on India's rural youth. We interviewed about 2,000 vocational trainees from Bihar and Jharkhand three times after the first national lockdown in 2020, between June 2020 and December 2021. We find that a third of respondents who were in salaried jobs pre-lockdown lost their jobs, and half of those who worked out of state returned home shortly after the lockdown. We report a stark difference between men and women: while many male workers took up informal employment, most female workers dropped out of the labour force. In the second part of the paper, we use a randomised experiment to document the effects of a government-supported digital platform designed to provide jobs to low-skilled workers. The platform turned out to be difficult to use and publicised only few job ads. We find no effect on job search intensity or employment. Our findings suggest that bridging the gap between rural young workers and urban formal labour markets requires more active and targeted policy interventions, especially for female workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objectives: The present study was undertaken to investigate the mutations that are present in mexR gene of multidrug resistant (MDR) isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa collected from a tertiary referral hospital of north east India. Methods: 76 MDR clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa were obtained from the patients who were admitted to or attended the clinics of Silchar medical college and hospital. They were screened phenotypically for the presence of efflux pump activity by an inhibitor based method. Acquired resistance mechanisms were detected by multiplex PCR. Real time PCR was performed to study the expression of mexA gene of MexAB-OprM efflux pump in isolates with increase efflux pump activity. mexR gene of the isolates with overexpressed MexAB-OprM efflux pump was amplified, sequenced and analysed. Results: Out of 76 MDR isolates, 24 were found to exhibit efflux pump activity phenotypically against ciprofloxacin and meropenem. Acquired resistance mechanisms were absent in 11 of them and among those isolates, 8 of them overexpressed MexAB-OprM. All the 8 isolates possessed mutation in mexR gene. 11 transversions, 4 transitions, 2 deletion mutations and 2 insertion mutations were found in all the isolates. However, the most significant observation was the formation of a termination codon at 35th position which resulted in the termination of the polypeptide and leads to overexpression of the MexAB-OprM efflux pump. Conclusions: This study highlighted emergence of a novel mutation which is probably associated with multi drug resistance. Therefore, further investigations and actions are needed to prevent or at least hold back the expansion and emergence of newer mutations in nosocomial pathogens which may compromise future treatment options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving customer satisfaction by meeting client demand within a stipulated time frame is a major challenge for any organization. To this end, many organizations are showing a greater inclination to adopt agile testing. This is especially true of information technology (IT) firms that have clients in the services and manufacturing sectors. This study focuses on the implications of agile testing attributes across different phases of IT development and maintenance projects in the services and manufacturing sectors in India. Taking an empirical approach, it examines the impact and implications of five key agile testing attributes aimed at achieving higher customer satisfaction. One-way ANOVA is used to analyze the variances. From the findings, significant differences were identified among the attributes, both in terms of types and phases of projects. The outcomes reveal that the five attributes exhibit significant differences across project phases. These contribute to creation of a handy managerial framework for prioritizing the project-specific agile testing attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbapenem resistance presents severe threat to the treatment of multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. The study was undertaken to investigate the role of efflux pumps in conferring meropenem resistance and effect of single dose exposure of meropenem on transcription level of mexA gene in clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa from a tertiary referral hospital of India. Further, in this investigation an effort was made to assess whether different components of MexAB-OprM operon expresses in the same manner and the extent of contributions of those components in meropenem resistance in its natural host (P. aeruginosa) and in a heterologous host (E. coli). Out of 83 meropenem nonsusceptible isolates, 22 isolates were found to possess efflux pump activity phenotypically. Modified hodge test and multiplex PCR confirmed the absence of carbapenemase genes in those isolates. All of them were of multidrug resistant phenotype and were resistant to all the carbepenem drug tested. MexAB-OprM efflux pump was found to be overexpressed in all the study isolates. It could be observed that single dose exposure meropenem could give rise to trivial increase in transcription of mexA gene. Different constructs of MexAB-OprM (mexR-mexA-mexB-OprM; mexA-mexB-OprM; mexA-mexB) could be expressed in both its natural (P. aeruginosa PAO1) and heterologous host (E. coli JM107) but transcription level of mexA gene varied in both the hosts before and after single dose exposure of meropenem. Different components of the operon failed to enhance meropenem resistance in E. coli JM107 and P. aeruginosa PAO1. This study could prove that MexAB-OprM efflux pump can significantly contribute to meropenem resistance in hospital isolates of P. aeruginosa where an acquired resistant mechanism is absent. Thus, equal importance should be given for diagnosis of intrinsic resistance mechanism so as to minimize treatment failure. As meropenem could not enhance mexA transcriptions significantly, there might be a possibility that the increase in expression of efflux pump genes does not mediated by single antibiotic but rather by a combination of antipseudomonal drugs which are used during treatments. Early detection of efflux genes will help in selection of proper therapeutic options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since outside the tribal areas of North-East India it is not widely known, neither in the world nor in India itself, that rats are considered a delicious food item, this was one of several reasons why we decided to present this ethnographic account of rat procurement and preparation (together with some additional comments on the cultural role that rats have especially amongst members of the Adi tribe). Consumption of rats by humans as a biological control method far superior to the use of rodenticide poisoning and rat consumption as a way to reduce hunting pressure on rare wild animals were further considerations to publish this account. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with male and female members of eight tribal communities in Arunachal Pradesh (North-East India) on the uses of rats as food and as cultural objects. The construction of rat traps as well as the preparation of rat dishes were observed and recorded photographically. Results: Numerous species of small rodents, collectively called "rats" by the locals of North-East Indian tribes and comprising the species Rattus rattus Linnaeus, R. nitidus Hodgson, R. burrus Miller, R. tanezumi Temminck as well as Bandicota bengalensis Gray and Hardwicke, B. indica Bechstein, and Mus musculus Linnaeus, are regularly trapped and consumed in roasted, cooked or smoked form. In this well-illustrated report the kinds of devices used to catch these animals are described and information is provided on how to prepare rats for human consumption. The role that rats as food and gift-exchange items play in the context of local culture is explained and the locals' most highly appreciated meat dish, known as bule-bulak oying and consisting of boiled rat's tail, legs and inner organs, is introduced. Conclusion: Given the need to meet the world's future food demands and the environmental consequences of an expanding livestock production with regard to global warming, water availability, deforestation, soil erosion etc., rats as a food item, as our example shows, should not be overlooked. Using rats as food reduces hunting pressures on other wild and often already rare animals. It is a far superior method to control rat populations than poisoning the rodents and the artisanal construction of rat traps by local menfolk helps maintaining traditional skills and knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A case study is presented on working of visa system for international travel. It discusses visa types such as immigrant visas and non-immigrant visas. It is noted that India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and many other developing countries are said to be the origins for international migration. Other topics discussed include imposing visa restrictions for curbing migration, tourism policy, and revenue generation through visa issuance.

This paper estimates the returns to household income due to improved access to electricity in rural India. We examine the effect of connecting a household to the grid and of the quality of electricity, defined as hours of daily supply. The analysis is based on two rounds of a representative panel of more than 10,000 households. We use the district-level density of transmission cables as instrument for the electrification status of the household. We find that a grid connection increases non-agricultural incomes of rural households by about 9% during the study period (1994–2005). However, a grid connection and a higher quality of electricity (in terms of fewer outages and more hours per day) increases non-agricultural incomes by about 28.6% in the same period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rabindranath Tagore imbued Indian dance and music with a new modern sensibility. He created novel and eclectic dance-and-music genres, Rabindranritya and Rabindrasangeet, when the national trend was toward classical revivalism. He inspired Indian women to dance on the national stage at a time when dance was associated with immorality and cultural degeneration. This article explores Tagore’s song and dance creations, connecting them to his radical political and philosophical thought on universal humanism. Focusing on his views on creativity and freedom, nationalism and cosmopolitanism, and women and essentialism, it is argued that this eclectic intercultural synthesis of ideas served to promote individual consciousness, empowerment and cosmopolitanism without rejecting their Indic cultural roots. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Influence of northwest (NW) Pacific anticyclone on the Indian summer monsoon (ISM), particularly over the head Bay of Bengal and monsoon trough region, is investigated. Strong NW Pacific anticyclone during summer induces negative precipitation anomalies over the head Bay of Bengal and Gangetic Plain region. Westward extension of moisture divergence and dry moisture transport from NW Pacific associated with anticyclone (ridge) and local Hadley cell-induced subsidence are responsible for these negative precipitation anomalies. The impact is maximum when the anticyclone and Indian Ocean basin warming co-occur. This contributes significantly to year-to-year variability of ISM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A consolidated list of edible insects used in the eastern part of Arunachal Pradesh (N.E. India) by Wangcho (Wancho) and Nocte tribes of the Tirap District and the Shingpo, Tangsa, Deori and Chakma of the Changlang District has been prepared. The list is based on thorough, semi-structured field-interviews with 20 informants of each tribal group. At least 51 insect species, belonging to 9 orders were considered edible. The largest number of the edible species belonged to the Coleoptera (14), followed by 10 each of the Orthoptera and Hymenoptera, 9 of the Hemiptera, 3 Lepidoptera, 2 Isoptera and one each of Ephemeroptera, Odonata and Mantodea. As far as therapeutic uses of insects are concerned, 4 species (Hemiptera) were mentioned by the Wangcho (Wancho). Food insects are chosen by members of the various tribes according to traditional beliefs, taste, regional and seasonal availability of the insects. Depending on the species, only certain, but sometimes all, developmental stages are consumed. Preparation of the food insects for consumption involves mainly roasting or boiling. With the degradation of natural resources, habitat loss, rapid population growth, and increasing 'westernization', the traditional wisdom of North-East Indian tribals related to insect uses is at risk of being lost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Against the backdrop of the alarming rise in Caesarean section (C-section) births in India, this study aimed to examine the association between C-section births, fertility decline and female sterilization in the country. A cross-sectional design was used to investigate the association between C-section delivery and subsequent reproductive behaviour in women in India. Data were from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4). The study sample comprised 255,726 currently married women in the age group of 15–49 years. The results showed a strong positive relationship between C-section births and female sterilization. The predicted probabilities (PP) from the multivariate regression model indicated a higher chance of female sterilization in women with C-section births (PP = 0.39, p <0.01) compared with those with non-C-section births (PP = 0.20, p <0.01). Both state-level correlation plots and Poisson regression estimates showed a strong negative relationship between C-section births and mean children ever born (CEB). Based on the results, it may be concluded that the use of C-sections and sterilization were strongly correlated in India at the time of the NFHS-4, thus together contributing to fertility decline. A strong negative association was found between the occurrence of C-sections and CEB. The increased and undesired use of C-section births and consequent female sterilization is a regressive socio-demographic process that often violates women's rights. Fertility decline should happen through informed choice of family planning and must protect the reproductive rights of women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the survey of regional development conditions in India. It states that U.S.-based specialists and geographers have developed the survey and used multiple definitions of development and region. It mentions that the development is conceptualized in various dimensions such as in terms of income and agriculture. It adds that Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra are unorganized sectors which continue to be essential in India's economy.

The article focuses on an entomological study of 645 species of fauna at Kane Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh, Northeastern India. It states that the study was referred to the works of Mitra and colleagues on the species of insects belonging to Odonata, Coleoptera, and Diptera. It presents the survey method, specimen collection, and extraction and preservation. Moreover, it provides data on the dominant, records and occurrence of the species, and the feeding process of the fauna.

This article looks at Bollywood dance to explore the production of the commodified bodies of global consumer culture. It focuses on “embodiment” to examine how dominant sensibilities are altered through changes in dance training and technological innovations. I argue that analyzing the dancing body as a locus of experience and expression shifts the ground from culture as text or discourse (popular in postcolonial, poststructuralist or choreographic analysis) to embodiment of subjectivity. “Remix” is the term that describes both the new training techniques and the aesthetics of Indian dances. Since the older boundaries of high and low, classical and popular are fluid under globalization, “remix” is replacing traditional codes and aesthetic experiences associated with rasa. I draw on my fieldwork among the “background dancers” in Bollywood films to argue that as consumer culture creates the dominant mode of cultural expression in India, the only durable form of dance practice seems to be the practice of consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study which explores the link between cytokine gene polymorphisms and Helicobacter pylori-mediated gastroduodenal ulcer in eastern Indian population. It states that Helicobacter pylori is the most common gastrointestinal pathogen distributed throughout the world and causes a variety of gastroduodenal diseases. It cites that the immediate production of proinflammatory cytokines in the gastric mucosa is an essential element in the response to Helicobacter pylori infection.

A catastrophic failure of a Stacker-cum-Reclaimer led to loss of several days of service in one ore handling plant in India. The failure was severe enough to initiate an investigation into the possible causes of failure and estimation of the residual life for other units of Stacker-cum-Reclaimer of the same design and age, working in the plant. The failure analysis included a visual inspection of the failed structure, metallographic studies, static stress and stability analysis under normal operating conditions, stress analysis for a possible impact load on the structure, experimental stress analysis, and fatigue life cycle analysis. The results obtained indicate that the failure could be caused by an impact load arising out of some operational conditions resulting from the conditions of the rail track on which the machine travels. The material properties, the physical conditions of the material, and a fatigue analysis indicate that the existing system can work for several more decades, provided some checkpoints are planned and instituted to monitor the health of the structure at regular intervals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: There is a paucity of population-based epidemiological information regarding hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in India. The present study was planned to outline the magnitude and pattern of HBV infection, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative infection and the associated viral mutants in India. Methods: A community-based epidemiological study of HBV infection was carried out in West Bengal, India. Serological markers of infection and potential risk factors for HBV transmission were determined. Among the infected individuals, HBV-DNA, genotypes and mutations in the precore (PC) stop codon and basal core promoter (BCP) regions were determined by DNA sequencing and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) restriction fragment length polymorphism methods. Results: Of the 7653 people included in the study, 227 (2.97%) tested positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), of whom 204 (90%) were HBeAg-negative and hepatitis B e antibody (anti-HBe)-positive, and 78% had normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. HBV-DNA could be detected by PCR in only 32% of people. G1896A PC stop codon mutants were present in 12% of people, BCP mutants in 18% and the remainder (70%) of the HBeAg-negative infections were associated with wild type sequences in these regions. Conclusions: This first general population-based epidemiological study of HBV infection from India suggests that HBV acquisition starts in early childhood and peaks in adulthood. Most infections in the community are e-negative and inactive. The point prevalence of PC stop codon and BCP mutants is low in this primarily inactive and asymptomatic HBV-infected population sample in eastern India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large and growing literature on industrial clustering suggests that firms seek locations that provide localization economies (benefits from having common buyers and suppliers, a specialized or skilled labor pool, and informal knowledge transfers). This study of manufacturing industry clusters in three Indian metropolises suggests instead that industry location decisions are guided by market imperfections, specifically rigidities in the land market caused by state action (segregationist or environmental policies, the absence of exit policies, and activist industrial promotion policies). For the investigation the authors use geographically disaggregated industry location and size data from Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai, to analyze eight industrial sectors (food and beverages, textiles, leather, printing and publishing, chemicals, metals, machinery, and electrical and electronics). The authors test for evidence of global and local clustering and distinguish between and test for coclustering and colocation of industries. The results are indicative rather than absolute and suggest that for location decisions general urbanization economies are more important than are localization economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors argue that spatial inequality of industry location is a primary cause of spatial income inequality in developing nations. Their study focuses on understanding the process of spatial industrial variation: identifying the spatial factors that have cost implications for firms, and the factors that influence the location decisions of new industrial units. The analysis has two parts. First the authors examine the contribution of economic geography factors to the cost structure of firms in eight industry sectors and show that local industrial diversity is the one factor with significant and substantial cost-reducing effects. They then show that new private sector industrial investments in India are biased toward existing industrial and coastal districts, whereas state industrial investments (in deep decline after structural reforms) are far less biased toward such districts. The authors conclude that structural reforms lead to increased spatial inequality in industrialization, and therefore, income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Populations from eastern India have been examined for the allele distribution at polymorphic sites in the IL8 and ILIB genes. Significant differences in allele frequencies between caste and tribal population groups were observed. However, there are no differences in allele frequencies among various subpopulations within caste or tribal groups. We argue that different caste populations from the same geographic location can be pooled for the purpose of population association studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article uses an experiential approach to analyze the embodied aesthetics of classical Indian dance. This approach is fundamentally different from the dominant Western epistemologies of visual analysis of cognition and perception. I look at the body in riaz (dance practice) to analyze the integration of mind and body through emotion or pleasure as explained in the Indian theory of rasa . I show how cultural memory is evoked through bodily practices which, in the context of Kathak (a classical dance in north and east India), is intimately linked to the Hindu narrative of Krishna lila . This article also explains how this embodied experience molds gendered cultural identity through riaz and rasa . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram in Central India. In the 12 years between 1989 and 2000 a total of 16 cases of ruptured uterus were managed, the incidence of rupture of the pregnant uterus being 0·62 per 1000 births. One-quarter of the cases occurred between 1983 and 1988. No teenager or elderly woman (over 40) or grandmultipara sustained a uterine rupture. Four women had a rupture of a previous scar. In five rupture had occurred in association with malpresentations, one was a case of hydrocephalus, two had a morbidly adherent placenta praevia and four had a normal presentation, with lack of progress in labour. Two of these 16 women had twins. One had come with a retained second twin with transverse lie and the other was a booked case with multiple problems, including a previous caesarean section, present twin pregnancy and placent praevia accreta and she died. This was the only maternal death. Perinatal mortality was 77·77% compared to 5·88% maternal and 100% perinatal mortality in the cases reported previously between 83 and 88, from the same institution. Overall, there is some improvement in perinatal survival and one-quarter incidence of rupture of the pregnant uterus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

investigates the impact of structural reformation in economic policy on regional development in India. Role of the state in influencing urban and regional development; Geographical patterns of post-reform foreign direct investment; Factors to consider in the development of post-reform economic policies; Accounts on the pre-reform policy framework in the country.

The article opens with an analysis of Area Studies, its relationship to Oriental Studies and International Studies in Britain and recommends a disciplinary shake-up in the wake of the Cold War. Comparative Literature can lose its European focus and Cultural Studies their metropolitan focus if they use and transform the resources developed by Area Studies under the impetus of the National Defense Education Act in the United States (1958). In this area, the imperatives of the gender struggle and Queer Studies can be taken on board. Among the poorest in the Southern hemisphere, however, the resources of neither global feminism nor oral history are enough. Drawing on experience with Indian Aboriginals, the article distinguishes between agent and subject. In the area of agency, the agenda is to work for the Aboriginals' access to the disciplines. In the arena of the subject, facing centuries of neglect, the essay recommends the patience of poiesis or imaginative (re)construction, rather than the impatience of a `gender training' that implicitly takes the history of the Euro-US as model. Using this bifocal approach, the last part of the essay touches on three examples of cross-dressing, emphasising their hetereogeneity: two pieces by the Arab-American artist Yasmina Bouziane, a photograph of the late nineteenth/early twentieth-century Indian actor Binodini Dasi cross-dressed as a male-impersonating female character; the inspiration coming from Cindy Sherman and Shakespeare respectively. And, finally, a photograph of an anonymous cross-dressed male Aboriginal who signals toward the 'bhakti' /sufi tradition that questioned religious orthodoxy by men affecting women. Since the author is a literary critic, the essay closes with an example of poiesis,-requiring imaginative interpretation-whereby the distance between the diffidence on the face of this Aboriginal and the pout on the face of Sharon Bell in Whore Carnival is named 'Globality'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the Denotified and Nomadic Tribes (DNT) of India's search for justice and struggle for rights. Among the initiatives taken by the leaders of the tribe, President Mahasweta Devi, Vice-President Laxman Gaikwad and Secretary G. N. Devy, was sending a letter to the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) informing them on the violation of human rights experienced by the tribe. In the letter, they demanded the UN to take an immediate action on the problem in accordance with Clause XXII stated in the UN Charter of Human Rights. Meanwhile, in an interview with Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, member of the DNT Rights Action Group (RAG), he expresses his ideas regarding on the petition of the DNT-RAG.

Examines the issues involved in transfer of planning technology in Calcutta, India and the importance of the political economy in determining the acceptance or rejection of the transfer and in shaping subsequent urban development. Background; Planning issues; Observations on planning and political economy.

Digital technologies adoption includes the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, has become a topic of utmost interest over the last decade. Healthcare sectors across the developed countries have already started adopting digital technologies in their service delivery scapes. However, in developing countries like India, the healthcare service sector has yet to take full advantage of such digital technology-enabled platforms to transform itself while catering to patients, managers, physicians, and healthcare practitioners. Thus, there is a need for a conceptual understanding with an overarching goal of clarifying the outcomes of digital technologies adoption on healthcare services and its orchestration. This paper analyses the impact of digitized healthcare technology adoption on the transparency and orchestration aspect of care services empirically. The theoretical relationships between digital technologies adaptation with care service transparency and orchestration have been validated here and also analyze path linkages through Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results of SEM highlight the fact that the adoption of digitized technology platforms can achieve care service-orchestration. This study results, supporting the hypotheses for achieving care service orchestration, might pave the way and motivate potential sets of hospitals, characterized by decision dilemma, waiting at the verge of digital technology adoption in the healthcare context, especially in the Indian subcontinental context. • Healthcare service providers are seeking for transformation with modern technology for patient monitoring and care. • Healthcare is a sector where, using technology can enhances process of care service by enhancing internal processes. • The study empirically validates the importance of digitech adoption for transparent and orchestrated healthcare framework. • This study is one of the early studies which explains how digitech creates 'Service Orchestration'. • IT enabled digital technology creates service orchestration which enhances the healthcare service delivery process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic pollution from emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) is of key environmental importance in India and globally, particularly due to concerns of antimicrobial resistance, ecotoxicity and drinking water supply vulnerability. Here, using a broad screening approach, we characterize the composition and distribution of EOCs in groundwater in the Gangetic Plain around Patna (Bihar), as an exemplar of a rapidly developing urban area in northern India. A total of 73 EOCs were detected in 51 samples, typically at ng.L−1 to low μg.L−1 concentrations, relating to medical and veterinary, agrochemical, industrial and lifestyle usage. Concentrations were often dominated by the lifestyle chemical and artificial sweetener sucralose. Seventeen identified EOCs are flagged as priority compounds by the European Commission, World Health Organisation and/or World Organisation for Animal Health: namely, herbicides diuron and atrazine; insecticides imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin and acetamiprid; the surfactant perfluorooctane sulfonate (and related perfluorobutane sulfonate, perfluorohexane sulfonate, perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluoropentane sulfonate); and medical/veterinary compounds sulfamethoxazole, sulfanilamide, dapson, sulfathiazole, sulfamethazine and diclofenac. The spatial distribution of EOCs varies widely, with concentrations declining with depth, consistent with a strong dominant vertical flow control. Groundwater EOC concentrations in Patna were found to peak within ∼10 km distance from the River Ganges, indicating mainly urban inputs with some local pollution hotspots. A heterogeneous relationship between EOCs and population density likely reflects confounding factors including varying input types and controls (e.g. spatial, temporal), wastewater treatment infrastructure and groundwater abstraction. Strong seasonal agreement in EOC concentrations was observed. Co-existence of limited transformation products with associated parent compounds indicate active microbial degradation processes. This study characterizes key controls on the distribution of groundwater EOCs across the urban to rural transition near Patna, as a rapidly developing Indian city, and contributes to the wider understanding of the vulnerability of shallow groundwater to surface-derived contamination in similar environments. Image 1 • Emerging organic contaminants are widely detected in groundwater used for drinking. • Lifestyle compounds such as sucralose dominate EOC concentrations in most samples. • Depth controls are more important than river proximity, population or season. • Urban EOCs are linked to wastewater, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and industry. • Seventeen compounds are identified as priority substances for monitoring. Emerging Organic Contaminants in groundwater under a rapidly developing city (Patna) in Northern India are dominated by relatively high concentrations of lifestyle chemicals and a relatively high number of medical/veterinary compounds and agrochemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adoption of any agricultural technology depends upon the way in which farmers are being informed about its benefits. Educational status, caste, gender and other social issues also play a significant role in the adoption process. To evaluate the impact of trainings on quality seed production, access to the climate resilient rice seeds, availability of information about seed sources and use of IRRI super bags, a randomized experimental research was carried out over a period of two years across five different states of India. The baseline and a follow-up survey was conducted to capture the farming practices followed by during wet seasons of 2016 and 2017, respectively. The impact of trainings, seed use, information given and agro-based goods was evaluated by comparing the adoption behaviour of treatment and control farmers. There was an increase (28.8%) in the practice of using salt solution to clean seeds primarily due to the impact of quality seed production (QSP) trainings. Female farmers responded more than the male farmers as number of women adopting the practice was higher than men. The impact of the trainings on farmers' knowledge and adoption of climate resilient/stress tolerant rice varieties (STRV) was also more pronounced on females than on male farmers. Farmers' access to seeds substantially enhanced the adoption and reusability irrespective of the gender. Similarly, the information delivered to the farmers was quite economical in enhancing the awareness and adoption of climate resilient rice, but the effect was predominantly driven by female farmers. Female farmers performed relatively better with respect to the storing the new seeds in IRRI super bags. Thus, incentivising farmers in general and female farmers in particular can serve as a potential means to adopt agricultural technologies that have potential to boost rural economy and enhance the food security. The results are being supported by a rigorous empirical analysis. • The study provides with evidence that an increase in seed cleaning practice is primarily due to the impact of trainings. • The information intervention is economical that enhances the adoption of new seeds and is mostly driven by female farmers. • Incentivising female farmers can serve as a potential means to boost rural economy and enhance the food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural and ritual uses of animals beyond those for food and medicine should not be dismissed if we wish to understand the pressure that wildlife is under. We documented such uses for the Tangsa and Wancho tribals of Eastern Arunachal Pradesh (India). Group discussions with assembled members of 10 accessible villages in each of the tribal areas were carried out in 2015 and 2016. Vernacular names of culturally important species were noted and details of hunting practices were recorded. The different uses of animals and their parts during rituals and festivals and their significance in decorations and adornments, in supernatural beliefs and in connection with tribal folklore (stories) are documented. Folklore helps us understand why some species are hunted and consumed while others for no apparent reason are killed or simply ignored. Similarities as well as differences between the two tribes were recorded and possible reasons for the differences are given. The roles that the government as well as the tribal leaders play to halt or slow down the erosion and gradual disappearance of traditions that define the two cultures without losing already rare and endangered species are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]