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Sustaining Work-based Learning during the COVID-19 pandemic became a challenge since access to working-cum-learning places for students of a work-based degree programme was depleted. Socio-economic challenges needed to be addressed as students came from economically weaker sections of society. Also critical were the pedagogic challenges in terms of validating the sustenance and spirit of the work-based learning (WBL) model. This case study presents a special initiative of digital freelancing offering virtual workplaces as well as livelihoods to work-based learning students during the pandemic. Merits, limitations, potential spinoffs of the WBL model for higher education and learning for development are discussed.

Background and Objectives: The second peak of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) experienced by India in April-May 2021 overwhelmed the health care system. A severe shortage of oxygen was experienced, and it was realized that some method of estimating the oxygen consumption should be available in order to streamline the distribution network of oxygen. Methods: In this paper, the authors propose a method of estimating the daily oxygen consumption for a hospital based on different formulae used to calculate oxygen consumption by various oxygen therapy devices. The proposed method was tested for its accuracy by measuring the actual oxygen consumption during the same period on the basis of pressure gauge readings difference observed on the liquid oxygen tank. The estimated and actual oxygen consumption was calculated each day for a period of 10 days. Results: The mean estimated oxygen consumption was 1.26±0.11 metric Tonne (MT), and the actual consumption was 1.34±0.08 MT. The estimated and actual consumption had a positive and significant correlation between them (correlation coefficient of 0.699). Reliability analysis performed using the Cronbach’s alpha revealed a factor of 0.94 as a coefficient between both variables indicating that the actual and calculated oxygen consumptions are nearly equal. The Bland and Altman analysis revealed a good agreement. Interpretation and Conclusions: It is concluded that the total oxygen requirement can be reliably estimated based on the proposed formulae, which can be useful to estimate the oxygen consumption of different hospitals, and plan the distribution of oxygen in a city or a district as a part of preparedness to deal with future surges of COVID-19 infections, if any. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 17 of which all nations of the world are targeting to achieve by 2030, are essential for a sustainable future. Two key aspects pertaining to good health and well-being, responsible production and consumption are integral to SDGs. Adoption of technologies like artificial intelligence and big data, presented by the fourth industrial revolution, can facilitate achieving these goals and also help establish a circular economy. In this paper, we study the concerns related to the security, privacy and confidentiality of personal information of patients in an Electronic Health Information Exchange (EHIE) System. This system helps achieve the two SDGs mentioned above and is linked to the adoption of green recovery efforts. The Antecedent, Privacy-Concern and Outcomes Micro Model (APCO) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) are used in this study to develop testable hypotheses which have been corroborated through a survey. Aadhar Card based Medical Records EHIE, which the Government of India is planning to implement by 2030, has been taken as the case study. Adoption behaviour of the EHIE System is validated through this study. Three hundred fifty-seven responses across a wide range of demographic participants were received. The structural equation modelling technique (PL-SEM) was used to validate the hypotheses. This study has found that the EHIE System has a positive impact on the intention of citizens to use EHIE for exchange of health information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetables are important for both nutritional and economic stability and contribute significantly to the agricultural landscape of India. The demand for vegetables is rising, driven by population growth and increased awareness of their benefits. This empirical study highlights the dynamics of agricultural production supply chain networks of capsicum crops in the northwestern Himalayan region, specifically Himachal Pradesh, India. The study employs the Acharya approach to analyse the various marketing channels utilized by farmers in the capsicum supply chain. This methodology sheds light on the economic nuances at each stage and examines marketing channels, costs, margins, price spread and marketing efficiency. Simultaneously, the Garrett ranking method is applied to discern and prioritize constraints faced by farmers. This comprehensive approach ensures a nuanced understanding of the economic and logistical intricacies of capsicum marketing. The analysis of marketing channels reveals five distinct pathways employed by farmers, with Channel-C (Producer–Commission Agent–Retailer–Consumer) standing out as the most dominant, representing 47.25% of the total quantity. Moreover, Channel-A (Producer–Consumer) proves to be the most cost-effective for producers and boasts the highest producer price, while Channel-C, involving commission agents, incurs higher costs. This suggests a preference for intermediaries, emphasizing factors like market access and negotiation skills, whereas Channel-D (Producer–Local Trader–Wholesaler–Retailer–Consumer) has the highest gross marketing margin, emphasizing the trade-offs between efficiency and transaction volume. The results indicate that while Channel-A is the most efficient, it is not the preferred choice due to the lower transaction quantity. Further, the absence of market consultation services, inadequate road infrastructure, high commission charges, nonremunerative prices and untimely availability of vehicles are the major constraints in marketing. The findings of the study call for targeted interventions to create a more robust and farmer-friendly marketing environment for capsicum crops in the region. The study proposes targeted recommendations, emphasizing collaborative efforts between stakeholders, government bodies and farmers. This research contributes to the academic discourse and also offers actionable insights for researchers and policymakers, fostering sustainability, profitability and equity within the capsicum supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trip-based models and activity-based models represent two extreme ends of the spectrum of travel demand models in data granularity requirement and ability to reflect the underlying motivation to travel. Modelling of representative freight activity-travel patterns (RFAPs) has the potential to serve as the bridge between these approaches. RFAP clusters represent homogeneous groups of establishments, where utility maximization models predict the probability that an establishment belongs to a particular cluster. However, it is still an open question how to define, interpret and model activity-travel patterns in the context of freight system. To answer this question, this study conducted a large-scale establishment-based freight survey (EBFS) in seven cities of India and resulted in a sample of 432 establishments and their 1613 shipment records. In the first part, this paper proposes a novel approach for identifying RFAPs based on the notion that "activities" that inspire trip-making for passenger is equivalent to "freight orders" in the case of establishments. The cluster analyses revealed the presence of three well separated main clusters and nine less separated nested clusters. Through interpretation and labelling of these RFAPs, freight travel market is categorized into useful segments. The results suggested that a priori industrial classification systems used in trip-based models are overly simplified representations of the complex structure of the travel patterns. In the last part, freight activity-travel pattern generation (FAPG) models are developed which predicts the probability that an establishment exhibits a particular RFAP. The FAPG models developed using these RFAPs could replace the traditional freight generation (FG) and freight trip generation (FTG) models due to its ability to convert the assigned activity-patterns to trips or tonnage. For example, FAPG model suggest that at an employment level of 120, there is a 56% probability that establishments will exhibit MDV-HFMH (medium duty vehicles - high frequency medium haul) pattern which, in turn, implies that FP = 1630 tons/year; shipment frequency, i.e., FTP = 8 trips/week; length of haul = 240.6 km and commercial vehicle type choice = MDV. Thus, FAPG models can present an enhanced representation of freight flows since both FG and FTG are jointly modeled in this approach. That is, the best features of both commodity-based modelling (i.e., ability to capture the fundamental mechanism that drives freight demand) and vehicle-based modelling (i.e., ability to capture freight traffic implications) are included in FAPG models. The study findings are expected to assist in identifying the variations in establishments' preferences so that it is possible to identify the type of transport supply improvements that the establishments will respond to accurately, and thus prioritize the infrastructure investments. Moreover, the discussions on these findings are expected to improve the behavioral and spatial foundations of traditional freight models. • Defines "freight orders" as logical equivalent of "household activities" that drive trip-making. • Activity based approach is used for modelling freight travel using EBFS data. • Identifies homogeneous segments of representative freight activity-travel patterns (RFAPs). • Propounds freight activity-travel pattern generation (FAPG) models based on RFAPs. • FAPG gives enhanced representations of freight flows (FG, FTG, vehicle type, haulage). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a substantial and growing recognition of the hazards of treating the interests of women as being homogenous. A variety of sources focus on diversity in the interests of a woman, ranging from bargaining with patriarchy where she is forced to carry out diverse tasks within the household, to the extension of these negotiations elsewhere in her socio-economic reality. These challenges are accentuated at times of wider social transformation. Responses of women to these challenges are also influenced by their position within the household. This article seeks to gain insights into the complex negotiations between women, households and society in times of socio-economic transformation by exploring the relationship between women's interests, strategic gender interests and practical gender interests within households that are headed by women. It does so through an empirical examination of the linkages between these interests of women across four different patterns of transformation in 21st-century rural India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red blood cells (RBCs) are the most abundant cell types in the circulatory system of vertebrates. In fish, RBCs retain their nuclei throughout their lifetime and remain transcriptionally and translationally active. While their primary function is typically associated with gas exchange, recent reports indicate that nucleated red blood cells can play a significant role in regulating the body's innate immune response. The current article describes the innate immune role of red blood cells in rohu (Labeo rohita), a freshwater fish species that holds significant commercial importance in India and South‐East Asian nations. From the whole blood and mucosal surface RBCs have been isolated through density gradient centrifugation with HiSep™LSM 1077 (density 1.007 ± 0.0010) and their purity has been confirmed by the Giemsa staining followed by microscopical observations. Toll‐like receptors (TLR2, 3, 4, 5) and nucleotide oligomerization domain (NOD)‐like receptors (NOD1 and NOD2) in RBCs of rohu fingerlings were observed to be significantly activated (P < 0.05) on infection with Aeromonas hydrophila and Edwardsiella tarda. This activation resulted in increased expression of interleukins (IL‐8, IL‐1β) and interferon (IFN)‐I genes. The activation of TLR4, NOD1 and NOD2, as well as the expression of interleukins and IFN‐I genes have been observed in both in vivo and in vitro stimulation of rohu RBCs with lipopolysaccharides. These findings highlight the importance of fish RBCs in enhancing innate immunity against various pathogenic invasions in rohu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Schwannomas are neoplasms that are rarely found in the sinonasal tract and pterygopalatine fossa (PPF). The objective of this study is to evaluate the schwannoma in the sinonasal tract and PPF including its effectiveness of endoscopic surgical excision of the lesion. Methods: This retrospective study was done between March 2018 and April 2022. There were nine cases of benign schwannomas found in the nasal cavity, the nasal ethmoid and the PPF. All patients had undergone endoscopic endonasal removal of the tumour. Results: All the patients successfully underwent endonasal endoscopic excision of the schwannoma from the sinonasal tract and PPF. Out of nine patients, one showed recurrence after 1 year during follow-up check-ups. None of the patients showed any major vascular complications during surgery. At follow-up, one patient presented with a persistent sensory deficit in the facial area. Conclusions: The endonasal endoscopic approach for schwannoma at the sinonasal tract and PPF is a safe and effective method for biopsy and treatment. This approach is highly effective for visualisation and has the potential to reduce complications. Pre-operative imaging is an important step before successful treatment by endoscopic endonasal removal of the schwannoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer (luminal and triple‐negative breast cancer [TNBC]) is the most common cancer among women in India and worldwide. Altered sphingolipid levels have emerged as a common phenomenon during cancer progression. However, these alterations are yet to be translated into robust diagnostic and prognostic markers for cancer. Here, we present the quantified sphingolipids of tumor and adjacent‐normal tissues from patients of luminal (n = 70) and TNBC (n = 42) subtype from an Indian cohort using targeted liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. We recorded unique sphingolipid profiles that distinguished luminal and TNBC tumors in comparison to adjacent normal tissue by six‐sphingolipid signatures. Moreover, systematic comparison of the profiles of luminal and TNBC tumors provided a unique five‐sphingolipid signature distinguishing the two subtypes. We further identified key sphingolipids that can stratify grade II and grade III tumors of luminal and TNBC subtype as well as their lymphovascular invasion status. Therefore, we provide the right evidence to develop these candidate sphingolipids as widely acceptable marker/s capable of diagnosing luminal vs TNBC subtype of breast cancer, and predicting the disease severity by identifying the tumor grade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Histoplasmosis is an infectious disease caused by the dimorphic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. Histoplasmosis is considered to be endemic to India, especially the Gangetic belt. Disseminated histoplasmosis may affect almost all systems. Disseminated histoplasmosis with asymptomatic adrenal involvement has been described in immunocompromised patients, whereas isolated adrenal involvement as the presenting manifestation in immunocompetent is uncommon. We aimed to determine the clinicopathological and radiological findings of adrenal histoplasmosis in immunocompetent patients attending a multispecialty diagnostic center referred from different clinics and hospitals. Materials and Methods All tissue samples were initially examined microscopically by performing potassium hydroxide (KOH) wet mounts, followed by culture on two tubes of Sabouraud dextrose agar and phase conversion. Histopathological correlation was done using tissue stains, hematoxylin and eosin, periodic acid–Schiff, and Gomori methenamine silver. Results We evaluated 84 clinically suspected cases radiologically for adrenal mass. The pathological and microbiological work-up was done from these suspected cases. A total of 19 cases were evident from the tissue stain and fungal culture methods. The affected population were mostly above 45 years and male. Seven patients had bilateral adrenal involvement. All these patients received amphotericin B and/or itraconazole treatment, which led to symptomatic improvement in most cases. Conclusion Diagnosis of invasive fungal infection requires a high index of suspicion, especially in immunocompetent patients presenting with nonspecific symptoms, clinical signs, and laboratory and radiological features that often resemble adrenal neoplasms. Clinical specimens, together with fungal culture, must be sent for cytopathology/histopathology for a definite diagnosis and appropriate management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focus in recent times on realistic pedagogy implies that we can no longer depend on a transmission model of training, either for teachers or learners. We need to develop strategies that will help teachers and learners to be co-participators in the learning process. Mental modelling is one technique suggested in this article. It is a technique through which the teacher demonstrates the mental processes of a "superior" reader while she/he makes sense of the text. Since this makes the process of reading "visible" it is easy for the learners to imitate the steps. This article records the process and findings of a study with this technique in a teacher education course. The trainees tried to guess the meanings of unknown words in texts and then listened to their tutor's mental modelling while doing the same task. Data was collected through transcripts of group discussions, mental modelling of the tutor, and retrospective notes of the tutor. Findings from the study showed that mental modelling can be an effective pedagogic strategy in Indian classrooms in terms of motivating the learners to develop improved reading strategies.

This paper reports the morphology and land use/land cover of palaeochannels along the Chambal River and it explores the prospects of their revival. A total of 104 palaeochannels were identified covering a distance of 465 km. Further, the study has identified that palaeochannels have a natural valley structure that facilitates limited and seasonal water inundation at irregular places, forming pond-like structures. The ponds are a direct consequence of blockages of natural drainage, mainly, by human construction activities. It has been found that the palaeochannels, despite having a valley structure, have private ownership and have been under cultivation. Further, this paper explores revival prospects of the palaeochannels and ponds, including their inclusion in the Amrit Sarovar Scheme (a Government Scheme). These results are significant in understanding of the geomorphological evolution of the Chambal River and in the possibility of using the areas (palaeochannels and ponds) in a more meaningful way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In India National Vector Borne Diseases Control programme is an umbrella organization for management and control of six out of eight insect-borne human diseases, viz., Malaria, Lymphatic Filariasis (LF), Kala-azar, Dengue/ Chikungunya, and Japanese Encephalitis. Of these, India is committed for elimination of the first three diseases from the country. 8.6% of India's total population belongs to tribal community yet contribute 21% of Plasmodium falciparum infection and 29% of malaria-related deaths. There is an urgent need to implement novel strategies to overcome insecticide resistance in Anopheles culicifacies that transmit 60-70% of malaria cases in India. One such strategy is to use Chilodonella uncinata, an indigenous, maternally transmitted, facultative protozoan bio-larvicide with many biological control properties against mosquito vectors. In view of the above, if India really aims to achieve malaria elimination by 2030, there is an urgent need that tribal regions are given more attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A considerable amount of plant supportive top soil removal due to water erosion is a major concern at present. The semi-arid Chambal Badlands is one of the regions, where top soil loss is a growing concern for centuries. A huge quantity of soil loss in the region experiences every monsoon season. Quantifying soil loss is a challenging due to its severely dissected topography. The objective of this study is to estimate and map the mean annual soil loss as well as sediment yield in most severely soil erosion affected district of Morena in Chambal region. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation and Sediment Delivery Ratio with Integration of Geospatial Techniques have been applied using various open sources data to address the objectives. It has been found that soil erosion has been varied in 1985, 2005 and 2014 respectively. In the year 2005, the soil loss has been reduced compared to 1985, which has been higher again in 2014 (0-66.00 tons/hectare/year in 2005 increased to 0-67.10 tons/hectare/year in 2014), especially when the total waste land has been reduced substantially. The area seems to be going through active erosional process which is subsided by the anthropogenic process in a form of gully/ravine land levelling. The ravine levelled lands are prone to further soil loss in a long run. Therefore, proper management practice needs to be introduced to prevent further soil loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human beings are affected by different diseases and suffer to different extents. Cancer is one of the major human disease and millions of people suffered from cancer and end their lives every year. Peoples are dependent on herbal medicines since prehistoric time especially from developing countries. It is very common to have different side effects of modern synthetic medicines; hence now-a-days importance of herbal medicines due to no or least side effects increases all parts of the world. But the major problems of using herbal medicines are that plants can produce very limited amount of medicinally important bioactive metabolites and they have very long growth periods. Therefore endophytes are the excellent alternative of plant derived metabolites. Endophytic microbes can synthesize exactly same type of metabolites as the plant produces. North East India is a treasure of plant resources; various types of medicinal plants are present in this region. Different types of indigenous tribes are inhabited in this region who used different plants in traditional system for treating various disease. But with increasing demand it is sometimes not sufficient to manage the demand of medicines, therefore for massive production endophytic study is crucial. In spite of having huge plant resources very limited endophytic studies are observed in this region. In this review, we studied different plants with their endophytes of NE India showing anticancer properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-response is unavoidable in any disaggregate-level survey efforts where information is sought from individuals. There is a strong need to understand the contributing factors of non-response behavior in freight surveys as there is very little information on what sort of establishments respond positively to survey inquiries. To meet this research gap, this paper analyzes the non-response behavior in an establishment-based freight survey (EBFS) conducted in Kerala, India. The analysis involves usage of five prominent classifiers: classification trees, random forests, Naïve Bayes classifier, logistic regression and K nearest neighbors. A closer look at the results revealed that the industrial classes handling commodities with high value density (machinery, electronics and electrical equipment, other manufacturing products, textiles) exhibit high non-response probability for freight surveys. This may be explained in terms of the limited logistic information shared by establishments handling high valued products due to less attention given to logistics strategies. Another reason could be that the amount of capital and opportunity costs tied up with these commodities are high, and therefore, their information tend to be more proprietary in nature. The analysis also reveals that the location of establishment plays a modest, yet, noticeable effect on non-response behavior. The establishments from cities located closer to Ports with high per-capita income are less likely to respond to survey requests, possibly due to the higher opportunity cost for time and increased concerns of intrusion into privacy. Finally, the comparison of ROC curves suggests that KNN algorithm is most suitable for modelling non-response behavior. These models are expected to be useful for developing sample weighting schemes and targeted incentive strategies that can improve the state of practice of freight data collection in middle-income countries like India. The study findings are expected to be useful for developing more elaborate and dynamically responsive survey designs for EBFS, in which sample recruitment strategies can be adapted real time during data collection. This study also informs policymakers that the apparent trends in non-response, if not arrested, are likely to weaken the validity of inferences drawn from estimates based on EBFS and undermine, perhaps fatally, the potential of EBFS to guide facility planning and policy interventions. • Study findings demonstrate a critical sampling problem that is often overlooked in freight surveys. • First research to investigate the underlying patterns in EBFS non-response. • Establishments handling high valued commodities are likely to be underrepresented in EBFS samples. • Establishments in cities closer to Ports with high per-capita income show reduced response propensity. • ROC curves suggest that KNN algorithm is most suitable for modelling non-response behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nasal obstruction is a common symptom among children with numerous causes. Congenital or acquired nasal septal deviation may cause nasal obstruction in children. Deviated nasal septum (DNS) may also result in sinusitis, headache, epistaxis and hyposmia which increase the morbidity of the child and hamper the quality of life. The present study investigated the clinical details of the DNS among children at a tertiary care teaching hospital. Methods: This is a retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary care teaching hospital between November 2016 and December 2021. History of nasal obstruction, mouth breathing, nasal bleeding and sinusitis among children with DNS was noted. Anterior rhinoscopy, fiberoptic endoscopic examinations of both nostrils and imaging such as computed tomography were done in all participating children with DNS. Results: Out of 652 children who attended the outpatient department of otorhinolaryngology, 128 (19.6%) were diagnosed with DNS. Out of 128 children with DNS, 72 (56.3%) were male; male:female ratio was 1.28:1. Out of 128 children, 54 (42.2%) children showed C-shaped DNS, 27 (21.1%) showed anterior dislocation, 21 (16.4%) showed S-shaped DNS, 15 (11.8%) showed spur and 11 (8.6%) showed nasal septal thickening. Conclusions: DNS and its impact on nasal breathing impairment in children are often underestimated by clinicians. Clinicians often are unaware on the impact of DNS and its clinical manifestations in children and its appropriate management. Early intervention for DNS in children is helpful to prevent morbid symptoms and their complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper forecasts the growth of freight transport emissions in India's trucking sector until 2050. We use the ARIMAX time series model to project the commercial vehicle population under various economic growth scenarios. CO 2 emissions are estimated using emission factors, distance traveled, and the projected commercial vehicle population. We use the validated forecasting model to investigate how emissions can be curbed through vehicle scrappage policies or fleet electrification to realign with the 2015 Paris Agreement's targets. Compared to the business-as-usual (BAU) scenario, 10-year and 15-year vehicle scrappage policies are estimated to reduce freight emissions by 6–11% and 1–2%, respectively. Fleet electrification has more pronounced effects as it results in a 35% and 70% reduction in carbon emissions for heavy and light goods vehicles in 2050, respectively, compared to the BAU scenario. These findings provide crucial insights for devising policies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in India's trucking industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐resolution multi‐temporal digital elevation model (DEM) are key to accurate mapping of gully erosion volume change studies. Owing to the lack of multi‐temporal DEM at a high spatial resolution, gully development rate, and gully erosion‐fill volume change estimates in the Indian badlands are poorly studied. Our study explored the use of multi‐temporal TerraSAR‐X add‐on for digital elevation measurement (TanDEM‐X) derived elevation models to quantify the erosion volume and gully susceptibility mapping in the Chambal badlands, Central India. The average volume of gully erosion based on the DEM subtraction method in the study area was found to be 135 × 105 m3, and the estimated annual rate of soil erosion was ~284 t hr−1 yr−1. Using machine learning models, we trained these data for gully erosion susceptibilities and volume prediction for a larger study region; and validated the results with independent samples. The accuracy of the model in terms of area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) values has reached 0.85 for training and 0.87 for validation, indicating satisfactory model performance. After validation, the best fit model was implemented onto a testing site (no multi‐temporal DEM available) in order to predict erosion zones and erosion volume estimation. The model predicted that about 40% of the area is highly affected by gully erosion, with the maximum gullying process in the north‐Central and lowest in the southwest parts of the testing area. The research framework presented in this study can be useful in estimating the erosion rate in the badlands of the Chambal Valley and can be used effectively in ravine reclamation projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-drug resistance (MDR) in bacteria is regarded as an emerging pollutant in different food production avenues including aquaculture. One hundred and sixty out of 2304 bacterial isolates from shrimp farm samples (n = 192) of Andhra Pradesh, India, were MDR. Based on biochemical identification and 16S rRNA sequencing, they were grouped into 35 bacterial species with the predominance of Vibrio parahaemolyticus (12.5%). The MDR isolates showed highest resistance toward oxytetracycline (89%) with more than 0.2 MAR (multiple antibiotic resistance), demonstrates a high-risk source. The most prevalent antibiotic-resistance gene (ARG) and mobile genetic element (MGE) detected were tetA (47.5%) and int1 (46.2%), respectively. In conjugation experiments, overall transfer frequency was found to be in the range of 1.1 × 10−9 to 1.8 × 10−3 with the transconjugants harbouring ARGs and MGEs. This study exposed the wide distribution of MDR bacteria in shrimp and its environment, which can further aggravate the already raised concerns of antibiotic residues in the absence of proper mitigation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective  The objectives of this study are (1) to describe the non-motor profile, the motor disability progression, and survival analysis of atypical parkinsonism in a tertiary care hospital of eastern India and (2) to elucidate the neurocircuitry and the putative substrates responsible for non-motor manifestations. Methods  In this prospective observational study, patients were diagnosed based on Consensus Criteria for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), The Fourth Consensus Report of the Dementia with Lewy Body (DLBD) Consortium 2017, The Autonomic Neuroscience 2018 Criteria for Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), and Armstrong 2013 Criteria for Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD). Disease severity was assessed at baseline and 6 months of follow-up using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scales (UPDRS). For PSP and MSA, the PSP-Clinical Deficits Scale (PSP-CDS) and the Unified MSA Rating Scale (UMSARS), respectively, were used. Cox regression analysis and the hazard ratio were calculated. Results  Out of 27 patients, the diagnosis was probable PSP in 12, probable MSA in 7, probable CBD in 5, and probable DLBD in 3. Non-motor symptoms were highly prevalent across all subtypes. Motor disability progression as assessed by UPDRS parts 2 and 3 showed significant deterioration over 6-month follow-up across all groups (p  < 0.05). Disease progression assessed by PSP-CDS and UMSARS over 6 months was significant (p  < 0.05). One PSP and two MSA patients died during a 6-month follow-up period. The hazard ratio in MSA was 3.5 (95% confidence interval: 0.31–0.38) with p  = 0.306. Conclusion  Atypical parkinsonian disorders are rare, and usually more severe than idiopathic parkinsonism. As no definitive treatment is available, symptomatic management involving a multidisciplinary team approach must be prioritized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Price discovery function analyses the dynamics of futures and spot price behavior in an asset's intertemporal dimensions. The present study examines the price discovery function of the bullion, metal, and energy commodity futures and spot prices through the Granger causality and Johansen–Juselius cointegration tests. The Granger causality test results show bidirectional causality between the spot and futures returns for gold, silver, aluminum, lead, nickel, and zinc. The Johansen cointegration test shows that spot and futures prices are in the long-run equilibrium path for silver, aluminum, lead, nickel, zinc, crude oil, and natural gas. The vector error correction model results suggest that both the spot and futures markets are equally efficient in price discovery for the nickel. The spot market leads the futures market in price discovery for copper and zinc. However, the futures market leads the spot market in price discovery for silver, aluminum, and lead. The findings of the study suggest the market participants for implementing hedging and arbitrage strategies. It also helps the market regulators to examine the stability of these rapidly growing commodity futures markets in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The success of any insurance scheme is contingent upon well-defined processes related to payment, referral, grievances and quality control mechanisms. Any deviation observed may result in unsatisfactory performance. This study attempts to examine various processes related to the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) and a state-specific insurance scheme across three states of India. Objective: To describe the policies and process adapted by selected states in implementing a government-sponsored health insurance scheme. To examine the strategies that work effectively, how they operate and what contextual factors enable or disable the desired implementation mechanisms. Methodology: The three states of Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha were selected to understand various processes related to the implementation of Publicly Funded Health Insurance Schemes (PFHIS) schemes in diverse settings. A realist evaluation framework was used to study the contexts and mechanisms and how this influences outcomes. Results: The three schemes differ in implementation modes and follow different strategies owing to the local contexts. Some mechanisms worked well in specific contexts, whereas similar things have hindered the process in other contexts. Conclusion: The evidence generated is helpful to strengthen implementation processes under PMJAY and allows learning from each other to increase uptake of the scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The performance of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) is crucial for the achievement of the 'health for all' goal in India. The performance and motivation of workforce are dependent on various financial and non-financial incentives. This study analyses the linkage of current incentive practices and perceived rewards/sanctions, with the motivation and performance of ASHA. Methods: Cross-sectional qualitative approach and interpretive structural modelling (ISM). Results: The motivation and performance of ASHAs were driven by various inter-related factors. The predominant rewarding factors identified were: monetary incentives, awards, and support and respect of the community towards the ASHAs. Dissatisfaction was fuelled by factors, such as sense of underpayment, comparison with peers and the community cadres of other departments, erratic duty hours, scarce disbursement of resources, financial insecurity post-retirement, difficulty in reading or writing, unavailability of health services and medicines in the nearby healthcare facilities. Conclusions: For a sustained advance in motivation and performance of ASHAs, the public health systems' focus needs to be oriented on: capacity building; optimal resource allocation, rationalised payoffs to the ASHAs working in difficult terrains and improving availability of healthcare services in primary healthcare facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To determine the prevalence of Aeromonas species in freshwater fish farms, factors affecting their prevalence and virulence factors associated with each species. Methods and Results: In a cross‐sectional study from 128 farms in four districts of Uttar Pradesh, India, 11 species of Aeromonas were identified by gyrB sequencing including the first report of Aeromonas crassostreae from fish. Four species of Aeromonas were more prevalent (MP) in fish farms, A. veronii bv. sobria (50.0%) was the highest, followed by A. caviae (18.8%), A. veronii bv. veronii (11.7%) and A. dhakensis (7.0%). The less prevalent (LP) species were A. hydrophila, A. media, A. jandaei, A. allosaccharophila, A. salmonicida, A. crassostreae and A. taiwanensis. Spatial variation in the prevalence of Aeromonas species was observed. Dominance of biovar sobria ranged from 33.3 to 68.6%, notably lesser in farms with on‐farm biosecurity measures. The prevalence of biovar veronii was significantly associated with pangas fish, rainy season and farms with on‐farm biosecurity measures. The prevalence of LP species was significantly higher in mrigal fish and winter season. Multiple virulence factors (>6) were detected in 70.2% of the Aeromonas species. Significant association of β‐hemolysin, DNase, slime production, act, ahh1, aexT and lip was observed with different species of Aeromonas. Moreover, 75.8% of Aeromonas species possessed one or more enterotoxins genes (act/alt/ast). Conclusion: Significant association of spatio‐temporal variables, host fish species and on‐farm biosecurity measures were observed on the prevalence of some of the Aeromonas species in freshwater fish farms. Most of the Aeromonas species harboured virulence factors indicating their potential for pathogenicity. Significance and Impact of the Study: This is the first study that determined the prevalence and identified the factors that affect the prevalence of Aeromonas species in freshwater fish farms. This information will be useful in managing Aeromonas infection in fish and their risks to public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Plerixafor is used for patients at risk of Stem cell mobilization failure based on clinical factors or low peripheral blood CD34 count. It is also added upfront to any mobilization irrespective of risk factor, but the cost-effectiveness of the approach is an issue. Data on plerixafor in different settings of autologous hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) collection from India are scant. We are hereby reporting the experience of failure/success of mobilization rate and few important significant variables (CD34+ dosage, failed collection) between plerixafor and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor alone groups among autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) at our institute. METHODS: This was a record-based single-center study on patients who underwent aHSCT from January 2013 to June 2019 at a tertiary care hospital. Descriptive statistics were used for baseline characteristics, transplant-related factors, and peritransplant outcomes. All statistical analyses were performed at the 5% significance level. RESULTS: During the study duration, a total of 96 patients had undergone autologous hematopoietic stem cell collection (aHSCC), all by peripheral blood stem cell harvest, requiring 131 apheretic collections. Of the total 131 collections in 96 patients, plerixafor was used in 63 apheresis collections (48% of total pheresis) in 40 patients. Among the 40 patients who were administered plerixafor to augment the collection, 34 patients had upfront use of plerixafor. We did not observe any significant adverse event related to plerixafor use. CONCLUSION: A rational utilization of plerixafor can facilitate the process and logistics of aHSCC outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The current global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), led to the investigation with clinical, biochemical, immunological, and genomic characterization from patients to understand the pathophysiology of viral infection. Methods: Samples were collected from six asymptomatic and six symptomatic SARS-CoV-2-confirmed hospitalized patients in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. Clinical details, biochemical parameters, and treatment regimen were collected from a hospital; viral load was determined by RT-PCR; and the levels of cytokines and circulating antibodies in plasma were assessed by Bio-Plex and isotyping, respectively. In addition, whole-genome sequencing of viral strains and mutational analysis were carried out. Results: Analysis of the biochemical parameters highlighted the increased levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), serum SGPT, serum SGOT, and ferritin in symptomatic patients. Symptomatic patients were mostly with one or more comorbidities, especially type 2 diabetes (66.6%). The virological estimation revealed that there was no significant difference in viral load of oropharyngeal (OP) samples between the two groups. On the other hand, viral load was higher in plasma and serum samples of symptomatic patients, and they develop sufficient amounts of antibodies (IgG, IgM, and IgA). The levels of seven cytokines (IL-6, IL-1α, IP-10, IL-8, IL-10, IFN-α2, IL-15) were found to be highly elevated in symptomatic patients, while three cytokines (soluble CD40L, GRO, and MDC) were remarkably higher in asymptomatic patients. The whole-genome sequence analysis revealed that the current isolates were clustered with 19B, 20A, and 20B clades; however, 11 additional changes in Orf1ab, spike, Orf3a, Orf8, and nucleocapsid proteins were acquired. The D614G mutation in spike protein is linked with higher virus replication efficiency and severe SARS-CoV-2 infection as three patients had higher viral load, and among them, two patients with this mutation passed away. Conclusions: This is the first comprehensive study of SARS-CoV-2 patients from India. This will contribute to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2 infection and thereby advance the implementation of effective disease control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article uses as its entry point the empirical phenomenon of what we call 'real estate politicians' in India; that is, politicians whose main source of wealth is real estate. We argue that the rise of real estate politicians is situated within deeper processes of 'labour voter contradictions' in low-wage democratic societies of the global south. On the one hand, countries like India largely compete in the global economy based on their cheaper labour costs, but on the other hand, the condition of electoral democracy makes it imperative for politicians to meet the consumption, including housing, needs of their low-wage but electorally mobilised labour voters. As real estate politicians mediate the negotiated access of unorganised and surplus workers to informal land and unauthorised housing, the delinking of housing struggles from labour struggles leaves processes of capitalist agglomeration unchecked. This, we argue, blunts the potential of land struggles to emerge as sites of radical labour politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GIS based groundwater uranium and other physico-chemical parameters pH, electrical conductivity, oxidation reduction potential, temperature, chloride, fluoride, nitrate, sulphate, phosphate, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate were analyzed in the alluvial soil region of Gunnaur tehsil of India. A comprehensive study of spatial distribution, spatial autocorrelation, uranium speciation, bi-variate spatial correlation and multi-variate cluster variable analysis assessment were conducted in order to determine uranium linkages with other water parameters. The minimum, mean and maximum values of uranium concentration were found to be below detection level, 9.33 µg/L and 51.5 µg/L, respectively. 92.85% of the samples had uranium concentration below 30 µg/L, which was within WHO prescribed limit. Ca2UO2(CO3)3 was found as dominating uranium species. Spatial distribution and bi-variate analysis showed linkages between uranium with calcium and bicarbonates. Cluster analysis showed that pH, oxidation reduction potential and fluoride levels were the driving factors of uranium with a 43.3092 similarity level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chikungunya fever (CHIKF) is an arbovirus disease caused by chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an alphavirus of Togaviridae family. Transmission follows a human-mosquito-human cycle starting with a mosquito bite. Subsequently, symptoms develop after 2–6 days of incubation, including high fever and severe arthralgia. The disease is self-limiting and usually resolve within 2 weeks. However, chronic disease can last up to several years with persistent polyarthralgia. Overlapping symptoms and common vector with dengue and malaria present many challenges for diagnosis and treatment of this disease. CHIKF was reported in India in 1963 for the first time. After a period of quiescence lasting up to 32 years, CHIKV re-emerged in India in 2005. Currently, every part of the country has become endemic for the disease with outbreaks resulting in huge economic and productivity losses. Several mutations have been identified in circulating strains of the virus resulting in better adaptations or increased fitness in the vector(s), effective transmission, and disease severity. CHIKV evolution has been a significant driver of epidemics in India, hence, the need to focus on proper surveillance, and implementation of prevention and control measure in the country. Presently, there are no licensed vaccines or antivirals available; however, India has initiated several efforts in this direction including traditional medicines. In this review, we present the current status of CHIKF in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study is an attempt to examine young consumers' intention toward green products using an extended version of the theory of planned behavior (TPB), which incorporates willingness to pay premium and environmental concern. This study was tested empirically using survey data collected from 316 respondents in India and the data were analyzed using SPSS and STATA computer program. The empirical results suggested that extended version of the TPB influenced the intention of the young consumers' toward green products. Further, all hypotheses were accepted and there is a strong correlation between the five examined factors in buying green products. In addition, the results also validated the appropriateness of the extended TPD for exploring young consumers' toward green products. This study offers insights from the perspective of an emerging economy and future research directions on young consumers' intention toward green products. Based on the results, future research directions are likewise discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses and compares transferability of freight production (FP) and freight trip production (FTP) models to provide guidance on when, when not, and how to transfer models from one spatial context to another. Separate sets of model parameters are estimated for various industry sectors in two regions within Kerala, a Southern State of India and are transferred to Jaipur, a Northern State of India. Model performance in five different transfer combinations are assessed to understand the degree of transferability of FP and FTP models which included intrastate transfers within Kerala and interstate transfers to Jaipur. Two approaches of updating model parameters using locally collected data are evaluated – Bayesian updating and combined transfer estimation – with metrics that measure transferability improvement. The relative performance of transferred models revealed that the degree of transferability of freight models vary widely across industry sectors and depends on: (i) measure of business size and the (ii) metric of measuring freight activity. That is, employment-based models show better transferability than area-based models and FP models are more transferable than FTP models. The transferability results also suggested that the interstate transferability is higher than interstate transferability. Overall, the study findings will assist planning agencies to: (i) identify the locational characteristics that restrict the transferability of freight models, (ii) develop modelling strategies that focus on the appropriate metric of measuring freight and business size indicators, and (iii) reduce costs and resources in regions where there is lack of institutional capacity to develop freight demand model systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anthropogenic activities affect the river channel as well as the whole system in different magnitudes and dimensions. Barakar River, the main tributary to the Damodar River in eastern India, is modified by several engineering structures. Hydrological parameters, such as monthly discharge, peak flow discharge and geomorphological factors, such as gradient, width–depth ratio, grain size, braid–channel ratio, sinuosity ratio, riffle-pool sequence, and stream power are taken into consideration to highlight the significant alterations of the river due to dam and bridge construction. The alterations are assessed with the help of hydrological data, satellite images, and digital elevation data along with field survey. The downstream section of the dams, the river is characterised by high braiding, sinuous, total and unit stream power along with the presence of a box-shaped bedrock channel, high gradient, bed coarsening and armouring due to the release of high-velocity sediment-free 'hungry water'. In the upstream reach, the grain size decreases towards the dam, and it increases suddenly with poor sorting at the immediate downstream regime of the dam. The effects of bridges on the Barakar river morphology include an increase of gradient, width and depth of the river channel at the downstream of the bridges. The construction of bridges influences riffle-pool sequences. Thereby, the pool depth spacing is greater than the riffle crest spacing. However, the integration of natural as well as human-induced factors can be the best approach to understand the anthropogenic alteration of the river. Moreover, construction of some check dams at the upper section of the tributaries of the Barakar River can be very effective for morphological stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examines the implications of rainwater harvesting structure hapa in the Bankura district of West Bengal, India. The paper finds that proper management and harvesting of surface and subsurface runoffs in hapas can facilitate groundwater recharge and increase both net irrigated area and moisture in soil leading to higher cropping intensity and yield in dryland areas. However, dissected plateau and residual hillocks can reduce irrigation efficiency of hapas. Although sprinkler or drip irrigation along with cultivation of drought and lateritic resilient, low moisture crop can help in coping up with geophysical and climatic vulnerability, appropriate crop diversification is also necessary. There is also a need for regular maintenance and desiltation of hapas. The water user groups should play an active role for this, especially for hapas in common land. Further, scientific guidance is necessary for designing appropriate structure of hapas in different geo-physical conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freight generation (FG) models are important to transportation authorities and planning agencies as they can be used to forecast local/regional/state/national freight movements for facility planning and evaluation of freight-specific investments. Compared to the modelling efforts in passenger transportation, freight transportation remains largely unexplored in developing economies like India mainly because of the absence of national wide commodity flow survey unlike in developed economies. In recognition of this, we collected establishment-based-freight-survey data from 432 establishments in Kerala, India. These data are used to classify the establishments into 13 homogenous industry sectors; several FG models are developed for these sectors. The relationships of annual freight production (FP) and attraction (FA) with establishment size variables (employment and area) were investigated with three modelling approaches. Firstly, a set of 52 practice-ready FG models are estimated using linear regression technique for establishments in each industry sector. Modelling results revealed that employment is a better representative of FP, whereas area represents FA better. The employment-based FP rates in Kerala are found to be lower than that in New York, much like what is observed in passenger transportation; passenger trip rates in developing economies are lower than that in developed countries. Secondly, FG rate tables and Nomograms are developed using Multiple Classification Analysis technique for all industry sectors considering employment and floor area as categories. These nomograms and FG rate tables may be used as planning tools for city developing agencies, while incorporating freight transportation in the overall planning process. Lastly, ANCOVA analyses is provided to assess the geographical disparities on FG and, thereby the model transferability. Study findings will be useful in developing policy guidelines for freight-specific investments, operational strategies, freight movement regulations, and taxation policies, etc. for Indian cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) in January 2020 declared outbreak of novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19, an international public health emergency. It was stated that there was high COVID-19 spread risk to various other countries across world. According to WHO in March 2020, COVID-19 was characterized as pandemic. However, this sudden crisis is generating great deal of stress, anxiety, and depression throughout the world. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the psychological impact and various associated factors during the developing COVID-19 situation among both the healthcare and non-healthcare working professionals in India. Materials and Methods: This was an observation-based cross-sectional study conducted during the lockdown period and following the lifting of the lockdown for a total of 3 months duration. A structured questionnaire was send via the (email) electronic mail system to a target population of 350 people. Out of which 300 responded. The questionnaire was comprised of study variables: (a) Gender; (b) age-group range which was categorized into- (i) Between 30 snf 50 years and (ii) More than 50 years; (c) Presence of any comorbid medical condition; psychological symptoms of- (d) insomnia; (e) anxiety; and (f) depression. Statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-square test for determining significance. Results: Mean ± SD values for age were found to be 35.54 ± 6.09; 33.84 ± 7.87; 32.16 ± 5.89 and 55.76 ± 8.98 for physicians, nurses, technical staff, and non-healthcare professionals while the percentages of male study participants was found to be 37.2%, 15%, 57%, and 65% and female study participants was 62.8%, 85%, 43%, and 35% for the physicians, nursing staff, technicians, and non-healthcare professionals. Depression, insomnia, and anxiety between healthcare and non-healthcare professional workers, demonstrated significant P values of 0.05, 0.03, and 0.02, respectively. Conclusion: The present study has shown a significant psychological impact arising from this crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Oral cancer has been ranked as the sixth most common cancer globally. It has been reported to be increasing in incidence especially, in the southern parts of Asia which chiefly includes, India. Diagnosis of oral cancer is followed by a vigorous and highly morbid treatment protocol which drastically impacts the patient's quality of life. This in turn can cause extreme stress in a person. This study aimed to assess the impact of the practice of Yoga on stress levels in cancer patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 200 subjects diagnosed with oral cancer were selected for this study. Their stress levels were scored both before and after initiating the practice of Yogic exercises in a one-month interval using a questionnaire. Obtained scores were entered in Microsoft Excel 2007 worksheet and an unpaired t-test was applied. P values of less than 0.05 and 0.001 were considered statistically significant and extremely significant, respectively. Results: Study results showed a reduction in stress level scores (48 ± 0.99 to 37 ± 5.2) after adopting yoga for one month. An extremely significant P value of less than 0.001 was obtained. Conclusion: It can be concluded from this study that yoga is an effective method in reducing stress levels in individuals diagnosed with oral cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to the emerging literature on freight studies by identifying the optimal freight traffic analysis zone (FTAZ) system at which to conduct macro-level freight travel analysis. To arrive at the optimal scale, we develop alternate zone systems by grouping census wards with similar freight-related characteristics (industrial characteristics, commercial land use characteristics, locational characteristics and socio-demographic characteristics). The resultant zone systems are analysed at multiple geographic scales and the optimal scale of each zone system is determined by performing the Brown–Forsythe test. Results suggest that a 1:3 aggregation ratio (24–28 zones) is the optimal scale for Metropolitan FTAZs, whereas the publicly available ad-hoc zone system and prior literature on National FTAZs follow 1:10 aggregation. The study findings suggest that Metropolitan planning organizations need to reconsider their existing data collection strategy, consider a larger aggregation ratio and, by extension, adopt smaller zones to ensure that both local and global freight travel characteristics are captured in freight travel analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study enhances the understanding of the particulate matters (PM2.5 and PM10) and their physical and chemical behavior over the Taj Mahal, Agra, in North-Central India. The mass concentration was determined, and the shape and size of the particles and chemical characterizations have been carried out using SEM–EDX. The high level and significant variation of PM10 (162.2 µg m−3) and PM2.5 (83.9 µg m−3) were observed. The exceedance factor of the present study region is in critical and moderate condition. Morphological characterization reveals the particles of different shapes and sizes, while elemental analysis shows the presence of Si, Al, Fe, Ca, K, Cl, Mg, Na, Cu, and Zn. The dominance of Si indicated the contribution of natural sources, i.e., soil over this region. Three significant sources, viz. soil/road paved dust/vegetative emissions, vehicular/industrial emissions, and intermingling of dust and combustion particles, have been identified using principal component analysis over North-Central India. Health risk analysis of particulate matter identified carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic metals in the present study, which comes in contact with human beings during inhalation. The non-carcinogenic risk was much higher than the acceptable level. The high carcinogenic risks were found in Zn in PM10 and Cu in PM2.5 for both children and adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The pathological accumulation of abdominal fluid (ascites) is due to multiple causes often associated either with peritoneal and non-peritoneal diseases. The differential diagnosis of the above patients is made by biochemical, cytological and imagological methods. Aim: The present study was conducted in serum and ascitic fluid to estimate the levels of Cholesterol, Triglycerides, SATG and SACG along with SAAG to differentiate ascitic patients of ovarian cancer from liver cirrhosis. Materials and Methods: The present prospective crosssectional study was carried out between December 2016 and June 2019 in the Department of Gastroenterology, Osmania General Hospital, Hyderabad, Telangana, India. A total of 375 ascitic patients, (230 patients with liver cirrhosis, 145 ovarian cancer) and 150 age and sex-matched healthy volunteers (hospital working staff and patient's attendant) were enrolled in this study. Serum and ascitic fluid concentrations of Total proteins Total Proteins (TP), Albumin (ALB), Cholesterol (CHOL) and Triglycerides (TG) were measured by standard methods using the autoanalyzer. Serum Ascitic Albumin Gradient (SAAG), Serum Ascitic Cholesterol Gradient (SACG) and Serum Ascitic Triglycerides Gradient (SATG) were derived by the calculation method. The statistical analysis was conducted by one-way ANOVA; SPSS (version 22). A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Significantly increased levels of ascitic fluid TP, ALB, CHOL, and TG were observed in ovarian cancer patients when compared to the ascitic fluid of liver cirrhosis (p<0.001). Ascitic fluid total proteins, albumin and SAAG showed the highest diagnostic efficiency (99%) with a sensitivity of (100%) and specificity of 99%. Ascitic fluid CHOL and SATG were also found the highest diagnostic efficiency 95%; 87%; Sensitivity of 93%; 84%. The Area under the curve of CHOL and SATG strongly indicated the diagnostic efficiency of 0.984 and 0.945, respectively. Conclusion: The present study suggested ascitic fluid cholesterol and SATG were found to be the more sensitive parameters that would be used as an additional biomarker along with the SAAG for screening and differential diagnosis of ovarian cancer, to that of liver cirrhosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The state-of-practice in planning, designing, and conducting freight surveys leave much to be desired, even in the era of big data analytics. This paper addresses this issue by providing a comprehensive, yet, inexpensive integrated data collection framework for conducting establishment-based freight survey (EBFS). The paper demonstrates the application of the proposed framework by implementing it in eight cities across two geographically dissimilar states of India. This is the first freight survey of its kind in terms of scale and scope in developing countries, where there is no established practice in freight data collection. Guidelines are suggested for overcoming challenges in EBFS such as: (a) efficient allocation of survey resources within budgetary constraints; (b) effective survey instrument design for reducing the respondent burden; (c) determination of sample size requirements and the expected number of sampling units to be contacted (d) development of sampling strategies using sampling frames with limited auxiliary information; and (e) data collection strategies to improve response rates. The heuristics for allocation of survey resources are mathematically formulated and predicted using the web-based survey responses obtained from planners of past surveys. Trade-off scenarios between different components of survey resources (money, time, and manpower) are presented to enable the planners to arrive at a suitable EBFS design for meeting research requirements within resource constraints. Analysis of results suggest that the response rates for EBFS are largely linked to the physical characteristics of commodities and city demography. The discussions provided on resource allocation, survey instrument design, sampling design, pilot surveys, interviewer training, response rate improvement strategies, and data processing are expected to guide for best practices in future surveys. In sum, the literature synthesis, case-study illustrations, and the proposed framework for EBFS design are expected to strengthen the state-of-practice of EBFS by making the rigorous random sample surveys less expensive, more systematic, and in turn, replacing the need to opt for convenience samples. Highlights • A structured synthesis of establishment freight surveys (EBFS) is presented and insights are drawn. • An integrated comprehensive framework is proposed for planning, designing, and conducting EBFS. • Guidelines and tools provided for resource allocation, survey instrument design, sampling and data collection strategies. • Survey design framework is implemented, and findings are reported for two dissimilar states in India. • Survey response rates found to be influenced by physical characteristics of commodities and city demography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study attempts to analyze possible aerosol–cloud–precipitation interaction over the eastern part of India including Bhubaneswar city and the whole Odisha region primarily using a long-term satellite-based dataset from 2000 to 2016 during pre-monsoon period. Relationship between aerosol optical depth (AOD), rainfall, and cloud properties is examined by taking convectively driven rain events. The two-sample student's t test is used to compute "p" value of datasets that are statically significant. Role of aerosols in governing cloud properties is analyzed through the variation of COD (cloud optical depth) and CER (cloud effective radius) in the AOD ranges 0.2–0.8. A relatively stronger and affirmative AOD–CER relationship is observed over Bhubaneswar city compared to Odisha region though the aerosols still play an appreciable role for the later too. The AOD–COD relationship is weak over both the regions. For Odisha, relationships between aerosol and cloud parameters are insignificant irrespective of rainfall regimes. Fostering of heavy rainfall over these regions takes place due to invigoration and microphysical effect during pre-monsoon months, depending upon meteorological conditions. Liquid water content and presence of a mixed-phase zone, both seem to be quite important in the convectively driven precipitation over Odisha region including Bhubaneswar city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analysed the diversity of tree species, their distribution and soil nutrient status along altitudinal gradients of Saptasajya hill range, Eastern Ghats, India. Thirty quadrats of 10m×10m size for trees across the altitude ranges between 81m and 450m were laid. Field sampling were conducted at 3 different elevation sites of the hill range: Site 1- Low Elevation Forest (LEF), Site 2- Middle Elevation Forest (MEF) and Site 3- High Elevation Forest (HEF). A total of 368 individuals which belongs to 48 species among 42 genera and 27 families were recorded in 0.3 ha sampling areas. Maximum numbers of tree species occurred at LEF (35) followed by MEF (34) and HEF (14). The density of tree species varied from 433 ha-1 to 390 ha-1 with average basal area of 30.64 m2/ha. The Shannon diversity index (H') varied among the three sites was 2.19 (LEF), 1.84 (MEF) and 1.29 (HEF). The soil parameters of three forest sites were analysed and correlated with tree species richness, diversity and density. Species richness and tree diversity index were positively correlated with pH (r=0.743 and r=0.829 respectively; p<0.05), whereas tree density was negatively correlated with pH (r= -0.597), phosphorous (r= -0.401), organic carbon (r= -0.543) and tree diversity index (r= - 0.364). It could be helpful to understand the pattern of vegetation and its relation to soil nutrients in Eastern Ghats of India implicating conservation plan for tree species in tropical moist deciduous forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study is intended to investigate the effect of traffic composition and the use of a paved emergency lane on capacity. Ahmedabad-Vadodara four-lane divided intercity expressway (Mahatma Gandhi expressway, designated as NE-1) which has an emergency lane on either side is taken as a case study. For modeling traffic flow on expressway, a microscopic simulation technique is employed in this study. The simulation model was developed, calibrated, and validated for rendering as well as replicating the real traffic conditions. Results of the study show that the capacity is greatly influenced by emergency lanes and traffic composition. The result of the present study is expected to highlight the ongoing national-level efforts of developing guidelines for Indo-Highway Capacity Manual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a set of freight generation (FG) models for seven cities in Kerala, India. Models were formulated by considering business size variables that capture establishment freight activity. Model estimation results revealed that business size indicators such as number of employees and gross floor area explained the freight generation well. Number of years in business ( YB ) was identified as another variable and considered in model specification to estimate FG. Detailed investigation of single variable FG models suggested that employment-based models are suitable for cities with dense commercial activities and higher land value, while area-based models better represented FG in cities with medium level of urbanization. Area appears to be a skewed indicator for representing business size in cities with dense commercial activities. In this case, where acquiring area is difficult, employment may be a better representative of growth in freight activity. As an extension of city specific FG models, three types of combined FG models were developed to provide quantitative statistical evidence for differences in model specifications across the cities. The statistical findings from these models suggest that freight activities are influenced by the interaction of establishment characteristics and its location. Interaction effect is more prominent when area is used to represent the business size. Since a systematic commodity flow survey practice is absent in India, planners and policy makers can be benefited from this study while making decisions on freight specific investment schemes and freight operation strategies. The interaction FG models discussed subsequently in this study may be utilized in transportation planning application for the state, regional and corridor level network capacity needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Gully and badland erosion constitute important land‐degradation processes with severe on‐site and off‐site effects above all in sedimentary deposits and alluvial soils of the arid and semi‐arid regions. Agricultural use of the affected land is impeded both by the irreversible loss of topsoil and the morphological dissection of the terrain. In various badland regions around the world, a solution to the latter problem is attempted by infilling of gullies and levelling of badland topography in order restore a morphology suitable for agricultural cultivation. Gully and badland levelling for agricultural reclamation has been conducted for decades in the large ravine lands of India. This study aims at analysing the distribution and dynamics of land levelling within the Chambal badlands in Morena district, Madhya Pradesh, between 1971 and 2015. Using high to medium resolution satellite images from the Corona, Landsat, Aster and RapidEye missions and a multi‐temporal classification approach, we have mapped and quantified areas that were newly levelled within eight observation periods. We analysed the spatial relation of levelled land to several physical and socio‐economic factors that potentially influence the choice of reclamation site by employing geographic information system (GIS) analysis methods and results from focus‐group discussions in selected villages. Results show that nearly 38 km2 or 23% of the badlands in the study area have been levelled within 45 years. The levelling rate generally increases during the observation period, but the annual variability is high. We have found spatial relationships to badland morphology, vicinity of existing cropland and proximity to villages and drainage lines. From a socio‐economic point of view, availability of financial and technical means, access rights to the badland and ownership issues play an important role. Considering studies on soil degradation caused by levelling of badlands in other regions, the sustainability of the newly reclaimed fields in the Chambal badlands is questionable. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Badlands along the lower Chambal valley has been recognised as one of India's worst forms of soil erosion. Theories of their origin vary from surface warping because of Himalayan orogeny to climate change (an increased rainfall in the past). Despite the wide recognition of the Chambal badlands, studies on gully morphology in the badlands have been scarce. The objectives of this study are to investigate the erosion processes governing gully erosion using the topographic threshold concept of the SA (Slope and contributing Area) relationship. As per this concept, the combination of S and A at the gully head expresses critical flow conditions that lead to the formation of the gully head, and mathematically it can be expressed as S = aAb. To study the same, 29 gullies were measured within the badlands in the Lower Chambal Valley. Considering the whole data, the relationship was found to be S = 0.041A−0.086 with a wide scatter. Interestingly, on classifying the data based on the width-depth ratio (WDR), two different and contrasting relationships were found, i.e., S = 0.032A-0.125 (WDR > 1), and S = 0.18A0.048 (WDR < 1). This may indicate that classification based on WDR can differentiate between overland and seepage flow. The weak negative SA relationship further indicates a dominant role played by soil piping and mass movement in the formation and evolution of gully within the badlands in the LCV. Moreover, strong positive relationships were found between average width and average depth, indicating the same processes were involved in shaping the depth and width of studied gullies. • SA relationship is reported herewith for lower Chambal valley badlands. • A positive SA relationship has been found along with a negative SA relationship. • Width-Depth Ratio (WDR) may be a useful classification criteria to identify overland and seepage flow erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional identities have periodically asserted themselves in Indian politics, both before and after Independence. The intensity of this regionalism has, however, tended to vary quite substantially from state to state and over time, ranging from a somewhat benign influence on state politics to demands for secession. These differences are typically explained in terms of specific local political conditions. While the local is undoubtedly important, this article argues that a larger theoretical explanation is also possible: Once we recognize that regionalism operates in multiple spaces, it becomes evident that the way these spaces are experienced has its influence on the practice of local politics. The article goes on to match its theoretical expectations with the politics of regionalism in the neighboring south Indian states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]