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Effectiveness in choosing one's career and building constructive self-concept in the respective academic area is always an inevitable phase for adolescent students to be successful in their academic life. The restricted academic stream/courses and study hours devoted by students in the formative years is a big challenge for them as they start to make rationale and logical decisions. The present study focuses on how course and the number of hours they spend significantly in their studies affects their career decision making self-efficacy and academic self-concept. The participants (N=480) of the study were selected using random sampling procedure (Mean age = 16 years). The two self-reports were career decision making self-efficacy scale and academic self-concept questionnaire. The results of two-way MANOVA yielded a statistically significant interaction effect between course and study hours on the combined dependent variables, F(8,942) = 4.185, p<0.05, V = 0.069, n[subscript p][superscript 2]=0.034. The main effects of course on academic self-concept and career decision making self-efficacy were statistically significant, indicating differences in science and social science stream students (through post-hoc tests). There was an insignificant effect of study hours on academic self-concept, F(2,471) = 1.77, p>0.05, n[subscript p][superscript 2]=0.01, of students. Parents and teachers should encourage students to explore their own interests and skills and to choose the course of study. A well preferred course of study boosted by regular study hours does built up the confidence in choosing a career, but does not assure expertise in the course they are on.

India is often referred to as the next development superpower, and generally, becoming a large-scale industrialization center is seen as an achievable goal for the country. This article investigates the output elasticity, substitution elasticity, and technological advancement between the various factors (i.e., labor, capital, and energy use) in the industrial sector of India. To investigate the factor's productivity, a trans-log production function was applied; however, ridge regression was used to analyze the various parameters to check the multicollinearity issue. The results show that (1) the analyzed inputs are optimistic and return-to-scale averages of 1.18, 1.41, and 1.24 between labor, capital, and energy, respectively, are increasing; (2) the pairs substitution between labor--industrial energy utilization and capital--industrial energy consumption is found to be 0.96 and 0.98, respectively, on average, indicating that capital, labor, and energy are good substitutes that need more attention in the production process; and (3) the technological progress between factors ranges from -0.4 to 0.02, in which labor--energy and capital--energy utilizations provide quicker outcomes than a capital--labor utilization. Finally, the industrial sector can attain maximum productivity if capital and skilled labor are improved under the sustainable development goals, as energy and capital are optimized for maximum efficiency. Finally, energy substitution and low-carbon technological efforts can be better suited for attaining dual-carbon goals in the industrial sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which assessed the spatial variations in soil textural fractions, bulk density and porosity of the lesser Himalayas in India. Topics include basic statistical values of the research area soil physical property data, reasons for the variation in soil characteristics, and computed semivariogram soil parameter characteristics.

The study assessed the effectiveness of public service messages on hepatitis in Punjab, Pakistan, focusing on knowledge, preventive measures, and health beliefs using the Health Belief Model. The study utilized a multistage sampling technique and systematic random sampling to survey 760 respondents, including 384 general population members and 376 hepatitis patients, from the top five districts with the most common hepatitis, finding that public service messages' effectiveness was insignificant among Hepatitis negative and hepatitis patients. The study found significant differences in knowledge about hepatitis among demographic variables such as age, background, educational qualification, respondent type, family history, and participation in health awareness activities, as tested through ANOVA and Pearson Chi-square tests. Moreover, the perceived susceptibility and perceived severity of hepatitis had a significant impact (R2 =.635, F = 605.71, β1 =.36, β2 =.58, p-value =0.000 < 0.05.) on preventive measures to avoid hepatitis. The perceived barriers and perceived benefits of hepatitis had a significant impact (R2 =.407, F = 238.96, β1 =.56, β2 = −.42, p-value =0.000) on the self-efficacy to execute positive behavior toward avoiding hepatitis. Perceived barriers negatively impact self-efficacy, while media exposure and health-related awareness about hepatitis do not significantly influence its knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Constitution of India prescribes provisions to safeguard the lives of the Scheduled Castes. Special Acts are designed to address the existing challenges related to discriminatory practices and brutal violence against them by the dominant communities. However, the protective legislations have seldom acted to restrain the increasing display of cruelty against the historically marginalised. Mundane normalised violence compels us to question the authority of caste and the functioning of the legal system in India. The persistence of caste-based violence highlights the inability of state and bureaucracy to create order in society. It is, therefore, necessary to understand the nature of the social dynamic, causes of violence against Dalits, and the working of administrative and judicial machinery. This article presents a detailed analysis of a caste violence that occurred in 2006 in the Bura Bartara village in Uttar Pradesh. It examines the usage of violence by the dominant Lodhi caste to maintain and reproduce the caste-based social order. Simultaneously, it attempts to theorise caste atrocity as a form of violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine microorganisms are renowned for being a rich source of new secondary metabolites that are significant to humans. The fungi strain KHW-7 was isolated from the seawater collected from the Gulf of Khambhat, India, and identified as Curvularia verruculosa KHW-7. On a next-generation sequencing platform, C. verruculosa KHW-7's whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and gene annotation were carried out using several bioinformatic methods. The 31.59 MB genome size, 52.3% GC, and 158 bp mean read length were discovered using WGS. This genome also contained 9,745 protein-coding genes, including 852 secreted proteins and 2048 transmembrane proteins. The antiSMASH algorithm used to analyze genomes found 25 secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) that are abundant in terpene, non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS), and polyketides type 1 (T1PKS). To our knowledge, this is the first whole-genome sequence report of C. verruculosa. The WGS analysis of C. verruculosa KHW-7 indicated that this marine-derived fungus could be an efficient generator of bioactive secondary metabolites and an important industrial enzyme, both of which demand further investigation and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil erosion poses a significant threat to sustainable land management and agricultural productivity. Addressing this issue requires advanced predictive models that can accurately identify areas at risk and inform soil conservation strategies. This study focuses on the development and interpretation of well-optimized deep learning (DL) models to predict soil erosion probability, aiming to enhance decision-making in land management. Utilizing the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) in conjunction with ground-truthing, we identified critical erosion-prone areas. To predict soil erosion probability, we employed Bayesian optimization to fine-tune Deep Neural Network (DNN), Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), Fully Connected Neural Network (FCNN), and DNN-CNN hybrid models. These DL models were verified using a set of metrics. SHAP value analysis as a means of explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) was used to interpret these DL models for better decision-making. RUSLE estimations and ground truthing highlight that Soil erosion rates in the northeastern and northwestern regions are nearing the highest observed at 25 tonnes per hectare annually, largely due to steep slopes and limited vegetation. In contrast, the southern and southeastern areas have lower erosion rates, due to denser vegetation and gentler slopes. Deep learning models, optimized using Bayesian methods, demonstrate high performance in spatially modeling soil erosion probability. The DNN model achieved an accuracy of 0.93, a precision of 0.92, and an F1-score of 0.94, identifying 222.73 sq. km as highly susceptible to erosion, which indicates its strong ability to detect true erosion events. The CNN model identified 49.68% of the study area (503.30 sq. km) as high-risk, with an accuracy of 0.90 and a precision of 0.91. The FCNN model showed a balanced risk distribution, indicating 37.04% of the land (375.25 sq. km) as very low risk and 36.43% (369.11 sq. km) as very high risk, with an accuracy of 0.91. The DNN-CNN hybrid model highlighted 41.58% of the area (421.20 sq. km) as high risk, demonstrating its effectiveness in capturing spatial patterns of erosion susceptibility. SHAP value analysis indicates that land use and soil type (LULC and K-factor) are crucial in erosion predictions, with LULC having a significant predictive influence in the DNN model. These insights facilitate the prioritization of soil conservation measures, enabling decision-makers to focus on the most impactful factors for mitigating soil erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the seismotectonics of Kachchh in western India, a region with a low-to-moderate strain rate and a history of significant earthquakes, notably the 1819, Mw 7.8 Allah Bund, and the 2001, Mw 7.6 Bhuj. Despite its substantial seismic risk, comprehensive studies on Kachchh's seismogenic sources are scarce. This is attributed to the concealed nature of active structures, hindering definitive age constraints in paleoseismological research. Our research comprises a detailed paleoseismic analysis of the north-verging, reverse Jhura Fault underlying the Jhura anticline, a segment of the Kachchh Mainland Fault. This fault segment shows evidence of surface-rupturing earthquakes in the area south of the Great Rann of Kachchh. The investigation reveals three paleoseismic events: Event I before 9.72 ka B.P., Event II between 8.63–8.20 ka B.P., and Event III between 6.20–6.09 ka B.P. The elapsed time since the last event on this fault is > 8000 years, suggesting that the area is exposed to a significant earthquake hazard. This highlights the need for more precise characterization of individual seismogenic sources for future earthquake preparedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The giant clam shells are considered excellent marine bioarchives and have been used in studying current and past climate variabilities. Here, we present the microstructure and growth rate variability of a giant clam shell (T. maxima) collected from the Minicoy Island Lakshadweep, India. We employed FE-SEM, EDX, Raman spectroscopy and petrographic analysis to identify coherent records of the past marine environmental settings and factors controlling growth rates in T. maxima. A consistent growth rate was observed throughout the shell ontology, except for the year 2010, when a relatively slow growth rate was observed due to exceptionally warm water temperatures. Slower microstructural growth is confirmed by an anomalously negative excursion in δ18O values caused by an anomalous sea surface warming event. Such kind of warming was previously documented for the region in 2010 that caused widespread coral bleaching throughout the Lakshadweep Archipelago. Interestingly, our results do not reveal any major growth hiatus in the T. maxima even after experiencing this anomalous thermal stress event, demonstrating the ability of these bivalve shells to reliably reconstruct past environments. These findings advance the potential of combining data from shell microstructure, petrographic, and isotope (δ18Oshell) analyses, to reconstruct the past extreme events preserved in giant clam shells from the Lakshadweep Archipelago. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Champhai, the rice bowl of Mizoram, is known for wet rice practices. Rapid urbanization and global climate change increased the demand for groundwater. Champhai city, being a hilly township in northeast India, is very difficult to identify the potential groundwater water availability. The present study aimed at groundwater potentiality zonation in Champhai town. For these purposes ten (10) factors from topographic, climatic, hydrological and other conditions were assigned weightage based on the AHP (analytical hierarchy process) technique. The aspect was given maximum weightage as the aspect working as the controlling factors of precipitation intensity, vegetation and soil type, while LULC (land use land cover) was assigned minimum weightage that unscientific human activities reduced infiltration rate. Subsequently, an addition of ten weighted rasters was performed for groundwater potentiality zonation. As a result, it was seen that the maximum part of the study area covered low potentiality zones (31.88%), whereas high and very high potential zone covered 14.73% and 5.08, respectively. A scientific validation technique, namely AUC (area under curve) value of 0.737, denoted a good classified groundwater water potentiality zone. Further, the single-layer sensitivity analysis highlighted that elevation, slope, aspect, infiltration number, distance to streams and rainfall had the maximum effective factors based on their effective weightage. The map removal sensitivity analysis highlighted that TWI (Topographic Wetness Index) and aspect had the maximum influence on the model. However, in a hilly environment like Champhai, the output of the current study will work as a blueprint for planning and decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the phenomenon of populism is in the preliminary stages of exploratory research, the present study involves an empirical investigation involving a case study of the United States, India, and Brazil to examine whether a correlation exists between populism and management of COVID‐19. The study adopts the ideational approach of populism as a set of ideas or discourse to review how core conceptual features of populism have impacted on management of COVID‐19. The study has two main objectives: (1) to examine whether populism in the United States, India, and Brazil has determined "a populist response" to the pandemic in dealing with the health crises and (2) to explore the management of COVID‐19 in the states led by right‐wing populism and the commonality of populist approaches adopted in handling the health crisis. Comparing the three states' statistical data of management models, the study has argued that common populist mechanisms such as distrust for experts, contempt for institutions, and suspicion of "others" have guided the US, India, and Brazilian leadership response to COVID‐19. It further argues that leadership in the United States, India, and Brazil has prevented effective management by politicizing the crisis, aggravating social polarization, and contradicting expert advice. Moreover, populist and nationalist orientation of the leadership has evaded responsibility in these states with the leadership blaming ethnicities for spreading the virus and by weakening societal solidarity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maharashtra ranks first in onion (Allium cepa L.) production with a share of 28.32%. However, the productivity of onion is low as compared to other countries. In order to enhance onion productivity, new and innovative agri-inputs are being tried continuously like providing humic acid, fulvic acid, plant growth regulators (PGR), auxin/amino acid spray, seaweed extract, biofertilizers, sulphur application etc. PGRs are considered to be one of the novel inputs that can help in increasing the productivity of onion in India economically. Plant growth regulators are considered as a new generation of agrochemicals when added in small amounts, modify the growth of the plants usually by stimulation or modifying one part of natural growth regulatory system, thereby increasing the crop yield. Most of the research data available is based on biochemical, seaweeds etc. Almost negligible literature is available pertaining to a PGR made with formulation of Seaweed extract and Protein Hydrolysate. An attempt has been made in this research work to evaluate the effect of PGR formulated with seaweed extract and Protein Hydrolysate as major constituents on onion bulb yield through both foliar and drenching application. Methods: A field experiment for evaluating the effect of plant growth regulator (PGR) formulated by Research and Development Department, M/s Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Limited was conducted at Chilli and Vegetable Research Farm, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola (MH). During the experiment, the effect of different concentration of PGR viz., 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6% and 0.8% and 1.0%, 1.2%, 1.4% and 1.6% through foliar and drenching application, respectively were studied. Result: Statistically, significant results of plant growth regulator application on vegetative growth, yield and qualitative characters of onion crop were observed. Significantly, maximum bulb yield was observed in the treatment PGR @ 0.6% (255.41 kg/ha) through foliar application which is at par with the treatment PGR @ 1.4% (246.67 kg/ha) through soil drenching along with RDF. According to the results, the suitable PGR dose for studied characters of onion under prevailing conditions was 0.6% foliar spray and 1.4% soil drenching along with recommended dose of fertilizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Orthopaedic surgeons are among the most frequent users of radiation and are often exposed to X-Ray radiation regularly. There is an overall unsatisfactory level of knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding the same among surgeons. This study aimed to assess the practices among orthopaedic surgeons regarding radiation and its hazards in India. Methodology: This questionnaire-based survey was conducted between March and September 2022. The questionnaire broadly assessed the knowledge, awareness, and practices among orthopaedic surgeons regularly exposed to X-ray radiation. The questionnaire consisted of objective and Likert scale questions which were distributed to the respondents electronically using publicly available contact information. A qualitative review of interpretations obtained from the responses and available evidence in the literature was then performed. Results: The response rate for the survey was 36.4%. 65.9% reported using trunk protection all the time during procedures. 57.1% of respondents reported not using thyroid protection during procedures. 92.3% reported not using protective goggles and 100% did not use appropriate gloves. 76.9% were not issued dosimeters, and only 5.5% of those who had been issued one wore it during radiation procedures. 58.2% reported having a dedicated employee to operate the machine. 86.8% of respondents did not have formal training and 81.3% were not aware of institutes offering formal training. Conclusion: There is very high compliance with the use of protection aprons among the respondents however, the use of other apparel like thyroid shields, protection goggles and gloves was poor. The awareness regarding radiation exposure was also poor as most respondents were not issued dosimeters, however, those issued with one were well aware of their exposure. It is imperative to prioritize both surgeons' and patients' safety where radiation exposure is concerned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significant natural energy sources for reducing the global usage of fossil fuels are renewable energy (RE) sources. Solar energy is a crucial and reliable RE source. Site selection for solar photovoltaic (PV) farms is a crucial issue in terms of spatial planning and RE policies. This study adopts a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based Multi-Influencing Factor (MIF) technique to enhance the precision of identifying and delineating optimal locations for solar PV farms. The choice of GIS and MIF is motivated by their ability to integrate diverse influencing factors, facilitating a holistic analysis of spatial data. The selected influencing factors include solar radiation, wind speed, Land Surface Temperature (LST), relative humidity, vegetation, elevation, land use, Euclidean distance from roads, and aspect. The optimal sites of solar PV power plant delineated revealed that 'very low' suitability of site covering 4.866% of the study area, 'low' suitability of site 13.190%, 'moderate' suitability of site 31.640%, 'good' suitability of site 32.347%, and 'very good' suitability of site for solar PV power plant encompassing 17.957% of the study area. The sensitivity analysis results show that the solar radiation, relative humidity, and elevation are the most effective on the accuracy of the prediction. The validation of the results shows the accuracy of solar PV power plant prediction using MIF technique in the study area was 81.80%. The integration of GIS and MIF not only enhances the accuracy of site suitability assessment but also provides a practical implementation strategy. This research offers valuable insights for renewable energy policymakers, urban planners, and other stakeholders seeking to identify and develop optimal locations for solar energy power farms in their respective regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The expansion of the Hospital Corneal Retrieval Programme (HCRP) and the role of Eye Donation Counsellors (EDCs) have shown promising results in increasing donor cornea availability. To further enhance EDC competency and improve cornea availability for transplantation, the study proposes the Eye Donation Counsellor Skill Evaluation Tool (EDC-�SET). Methods: A competency framework for EDCs and a tool for evaluation of the competency level (EDC-SET) was designed, along with scripts for emulating realistic counselling scenarios. Independent assessors were trained on using EDC-SET and evaluated EDCs participating in role-plays based on the pre-designed scripts. EDCs were briefed a priori on the EDC-SET but not on the role play scripts which were used during evaluation. Results: We piloted the tool at a tertiary eye hospital, and it was found to capture EDC competency reliably. The study evaluated seven EDCs each assessed by two independent assessors. Conformity, kappa, and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) values were calculated to estimate the parameter-�wise reliability of the EDC-�SET. The results suggest that the scores from both assessors closely matched for most of the parameters, and overall, their ratings showed moderate agreement. The difficulty level of each parameter as assessed by the two assessors was also calculated. It was observed that most participants found "Initiation of the Case" and "Empathy and Emotional Support" challenging. However, "Body Language," "Cultural Awareness," and "Attentiveness to Family Dynamics" were perceived as relatively easy or not difficult by participants. Conclusion: Evaluation of EDCs using EDC-SET revealed the varying competency levels of EDCs and showed agreement on the evaluation between the assessors. Implementing the EDC-�SET could help standardise the mapping and measurement of the skill set of EDCs, thereby enhancing their performance and reducing corneal blindness in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Uterine fibroids are the most common benign tumors in women of reproductive age, with an incidence ranging from 5.4% to 77%, leading to significant morbidity and affecting quality of life. Earlier studies suggested that uterine fibroids are more likely to develop in those women with low levels of serum vitamin D. Subsequently, the objective of the current study was to investigate the association of serum vitamin D3 levels in premenopausal women with uterine fibroids. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Indira IVF Hospital and Fertility Clinics located in India. The study was conducted from April 2022 to November 2022. In this study, a total of 160 women [80 cases and 80 controls] were enrolled. Women diagnosed with at least one uterine fibroid measuring 2 cm in size through a transvaginal scan were considered as cases, in comparison to healthy controls. Results: The mean serum vitamin D3 levels for the case and control groups were 10.85 ± 3.34 ng/ml and 19.64 ± 5.50 ng/ml, respectively. Serum vitamin D3 was significantly lower (P<0.001) in women with uterine fibroids compared to healthy controls. Additionally, a significant association was observed between serum vitamin D3 levels and the number of fibroids in the case group (P < 0.001). This indicates that as the level of serum vitamin D3 decreases, the number of fibroids increases gradually. Conclusion: Our study suggests that women with uterine fibroids tend to have low serum vitamin D3 concentrations. Therefore, serum vitamin D3 concentration needs to be considered along with other risk factors in the treatment of uterine fibroids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a backward‐looking Philips curve framework and a Logistic Smooth Transition Regression (STR) model, this article examined the exchange rate pass‐through (ERPT) to final consumer prices in the case of India. Specifically, the nonlinearity of ERPT has been investigated with respect to the level of economic activity and the rate of inflation by considering two alternative measures of exchange rate. For the first transition variable, results are markedly different between high and low‐activity regimes and signify the favourable impact of economic activity on the extent of pass‐through. In the short run, 1% exchange rate appreciation would decrease the price level by 0.244% when the economy is in a low‐activity regime; however, the same appreciation increases the price level by 0.485% when there is a boom in the economy. In the long run, ERPT in the low‐activity regime is −0.358, and in the high‐activity regime, it is 0.039. In both regimes, pass‐through coefficients differ from zero and one, implying that neither local currency pricing nor producer currency pricing characterizes the ERPT mechanism. The impact of other important determinants of inflation is also well according to theoretical expectations. Finally, for the rate of inflation, we did not report any evidence favouring the Taylor hypothesis in the case of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate and in-time prediction of crop yield plays a crucial role in the planning, management, and decision-making processes within the agricultural sector. In this investigation, utilizing area under irrigation (%) as an exogenous variable, we have made an exertion to assess the suitability of different hybrid models such as ARIMAX (Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average with eXogenous Regressor)–TDNN (Time-Delay Neural Network), ARIMAX–NLSVR (Non-Linear Support Vector Regression), ARIMAX–WNN (Wavelet Neural Network), ARIMAX–CNN (Convolutional Neural Network), ARIMAX–RNN (Recurrent Neural Network) and ARIMAX–LSTM (Long Short Term Memory) as compared to their individual counterparts for yield forecasting of major Rabi crops in India. The accuracy of the ARIMA model has also been considered as a benchmark. Empirical outcomes reveal that the ARIMAX–LSTM hybrid modeling combination outperforms all other time series models in terms of root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) values. For these models, an average improvement of RMSE and MAPE values has been observed to be 10.41% and 12.28%, respectively over all other competing models and 15.83% and 18.42%, respectively over the benchmark ARIMA model. The incorporation of the area under irrigation (%) as an exogenous variable in the ARIMAX framework and the inbuilt capability of the LSTM model to process complex non-linear patterns have been observed to significantly enhance the accuracy of forecasting. The performance supremacy of other hybrid models over their individual counterparts has also been evident. The results also suggest avoiding any performance generalization of individual models for their hybrid structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a major global pathogen of dogs affecting multiple organ systems of the body and causing the characteristic malady with prominent neurological manifestation. Natural CDV infections with typical clinical symptoms in domestic cats are not yet reported in Kerala, India, even though a few reports on the occurrence of fatal canine distemper in large felids exist. The present study reports a documented preliminary report of the natural canine distemper virus infection in a domestic cat from Kerala, India, with typical neurological manifestations. An unvaccinated adult female domestic cat was presented to the University Veterinary Hospital with the acute onset of neurological signs, viz. typical continuous myoclonus like in a CDV-infected dog and tonic-clonic seizures in between the short intervals of time. The rapid immunochromatography revealed the presence of canine distemper viral antigens on ocular, nasal and faecal samples, and the hemogram revealed thrombocytopenia and severe leukocytosis with granulocytosis, lymphocytosis and monocytosis. The animal responded well to the symptomatic therapy for viral encephalitis and recovered within 24 h to apparent normalcy, except for the myoclonus. The recurrence of acute encephalitic symptoms was reported after 45 days, and the animal died due to uncontrolled seizures by day 90, as the owner was unwilling to provide further veterinary aid for the animal. This case indicates the need for screening the cats with neurological signs for CD and further molecular characterisation of the strains involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Infections by multidrug‐resistant organisms (MDRO) are a major hurdle in hematopoietic stem‐cell transplants (HSCTs). Conditioning regimens lead to mucosal barrier injury, which in‐turn leads to transmigration of gut bacteria and sepsis. Pre‐transplant stool and throat surveillance cultures can guide empirical antibiotic policy during the neutropenic period. In this paper, we document colonization with MDRO in pre‐transplant surveillance cultures and the correlation with bloodstream infections in HSCT patients and analyze transplant outcomes with respect to these infections. Methods: A single‐center, retrospective study on HSCT was performed between January 2021 and December 2021. The incidence of bacterial infections, percentage of MDROs, correlation with pre‐transplant stool/throat surveillance cultures, and their impact on overall 100‐day and post‐100‐day to 6‐month post‐transplant survival were analyzed. Results: Sixty‐four patients were included in the study. Pre‐transplant stool surveillance cultures were positive for MDRO in 85.9% of patients. Almost half (48.5%) of the isolates were positive for carbapenemase‐producing genes (mainly New Delhi metallo‐beta‐lactamase‐1 [NDM‐1] and oxacillinase‐48 [OXA‐48]). Eighteen patients (18/64, 28%) had a positive blood culture for MDRO in the peri‐engraftment neutropenic period. Correlation between surveillance and blood cultures was seen in 61% (11/18) of patients. All‐cause mortality was 14.1% (9/64) and 25% (16/64) in patients at 100 days and 6 months post‐HSCT, respectively. The 100‐day and post‐100‐day all‐cause mortality rates were higher in patients with Gram‐negative MDRO bloodstream infections (p <.012 and <.008, respectively). Conclusion: MDRO infections can adversely affect HSCT outcomes. Pre‐transplant stool and throat surveillance cultures may guide empirical antibiotic policy and lead to favorable transplant outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Abnormal levels of heavy metals (HM) and trace elements (TE) affect body metabolism and can induce carcinogenesis. This study aims to evaluate the role of HM and TE in carcinoma urinary bladder (CAUB). Methods: Patients with biopsy-proven CAUB (n = 100) were taken as the study group, while age-and sex-matched healthy volunteers were taken as control (n = 100). Blood and urine samples were compared for Arsenic (As), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), Selenium (Se), Cadmium (Cd), Lead (Pb), and Mercury (Hg) levels. Serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels were assessed to know the redox status between the two groups. Results: A significantly higher blood level of As, Mn, and Pb was observed in CAUB cases as compared to controls. Blood Se level was significantly lower in CAUB patients. On comparing urinary levels, CAUB patients had a higher As, Mn, and Pb levels compared to controls. Further, 68% and 59% of patients had their blood and urinary HM and TE levels above the permitted level, respectively. CAUB cases also had a lower GSH-Px (113.5 ± 44.7 vs. 163.9 ± 120.5, P = 0.0002), lower SOD levels (11.35 ± 5.6 vs. 13.75 ± 3.9, P = 0.008), and a higher LPO levels (15.5 ± 14.7 vs. 11.18 ± 11.2, P = 0.02) in the serum. Conclusions: A significantly higher concentration of As, Mn, and Pb was noted in the blood and urine of CAUB patients compared to controls. CAUB cases also had lower serum GSH-Px and SOD levels with a concomitant increased serum LPO assay suggesting underlying oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cities of arid and semi-arid regions have distinctive landscape patterns and large-scale variations in soil moisture and vegetation cover which causes significant variations in land surface temperature (LST) and surface urban heat island intensity (SUHII) pattern. Therefore, the study aims to analyse the seasonal and spatial variation in LST and SUHII in the eight semi-arid cities of India in response to soil moisture and vegetation conditions. LST was retrieved from the thermal bands of Landsat data and then SUHII was calculated. The global Moran's I was used to analysis the spatial pattern of SUHII. The result shows that the mean SUHII was higher during spring and summer seasons to a tune of 0.2 to 1.0 °C in comparison to the winter and autumn season. SUHII zones exhibit seasonal variation in coverage, with high and very high zones increasing during spring and summer, while low and very low zones increase during autumn and winter. Furthermore, the highest LST was noticed in outskirt areas of the selected cities. The regression coefficient shows that soil moisture is closely associated with SUHII, while there is a weak association between vegetation condition and SUHII. This indicates that soil moisture has a higher impact on SUHII than vegetation condition in semi-arid environment. Global Moran's I showed that the SUHII had a clustered distribution pattern across all cities. The outcome of this study may provide useful insight for the urban planners in SUHII mitigation in the selected cities as well as in other semi-arid cities of the world with similar geographical conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is a book review of "The Politics of Climate Change and Uncertainty in India," edited by Lyla Mehta, Hans Nicolai Adam, and Shilpi Srivastava. The book explores the intersection of climate change and policymaking in India, focusing on three ecological zones: Kutch, the Sundarbans, and Mumbai. The authors argue for the inclusion of diverse perspectives, particularly those of marginalized communities, in climate change policymaking. The book emphasizes the importance of incorporating local knowledge and experiences for effective policymaking and adaptation strategies. Overall, the review recommends the book as a valuable resource for students, journalists, scientists, and policymakers interested in understanding and addressing climate change impacts in India. [Extracted from the article]

Introduction: Many ocular diseases have their origin in early childhood and if the morbidity goes unnoticed it may adversely affect the child's school performance and may also cause severe ocular disability in the later part of life. An early recognition and intervention leads to lifelong impact. Objective: To study the prevalence and pattern of various ocular morbidities in school going children of urban and rural areas of Aligarh. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out from October 2017 to July 2019 in 10 schools in Aligarh, a district in North Western UP. Schools from urban and rural areas were listed and 5 urban and 5 rural schools were selected by lottery method. Results: Of the total 9982 students enrolled in study, 5742 children were from urban schools, and 4240 children were from rural schools. A total 2189 students were found to be suffering from various ocular morbidities, yielding an overall prevalence of ocular morbidity of 21.93%. The prevalence in urban and rural schools was 22.41% and 21.27% respectively (P=.286). Refractive error was found to be the most common ocular morbidity followed by Vitamin A Deficiency. Conclusion: Refractive errors and Vitamin A deficiency were the most common ocular disorders identified which are preventable and treatable causes of childhood blindness. These conditions can be easily identified by regular eye screening programs and promptly corrected. Awareness among school teachers should also be improved and they should play an active role in identifying the ocular problems and referring them for timely management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization in India is having a significant impact on the environment and human health, as built-up areas are expanding while vegetation and water bodies are declining. To mitigate the negative effects of urbanization, there is an urgent need to monitor and manage the growth of cities through the creation of smart cities. Accurately identifying and mapping urban expansion patterns is crucial to achieving this goal, but this is currently lacking in India. To address this gap, this study takes a comprehensive approach to examining the processes of urban expansion in English Bazar Municipality, Malda, India. The study employs the random forest (RF) method for land use and land cover (LULC) mapping for the years 2001, 2011, and 2021 and then uses the frequency approach, landscape homogeneity, and fragmentation to model urban expansion over the same time period. The study also employs several landscape matrices to quantify urban expansion. The results of the study reveal a substantial increase in built-up areas from 601.26 hectares in 2001 to 859.13 hectares in 2021, accompanied by a corresponding decline in vegetation, cropland, and open land. This land use transition process has also led to increased fragmentation of the landscape. The spatiotemporal landscape homogeneity analysis identifies two transition zones (zone 2 and zone 1) surrounding the stable zone, which capture the new, small, isolated built-up areas and show a progression of urban expansion from 2001 to 2021. Overall, the study provides valuable insights into the changes in urban expansion and fragmentation in English Bazar Municipality. To promote sustainable urban development and enhance the quality of life for residents, it is important for stakeholders and the government to prioritize the conservation and creation of green and blue spaces. This can be accomplished through the incorporation of green infrastructure, smart city principles, community engagement and education, and partnerships with local businesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The influence of early life factors is becoming increasingly apparent as studies investigate how experiences, resources, and constraints in childhood affect health and well-being later in life. The present study contributes to this literature by examining the association between several early life factors and self-reported pain among older adults in India. Methods: Data come from the 2017-18 wave 1 of the Longitudinal Ageing Study of India (LASI). The sample size includes 28,050 older adults aged 60 and above (13,509 men and 14,541 women). Pain is a self-reported, dichotomous measure where participants responded to whether they were often troubled with pain and whether this experience interfered with their ability to carry out daily household chores. Early life factors, which are retrospective accounts of experiences, included the respondent's position in birth order, their health status, school absenteeism, being bedridden, family socioeconomic status (SES), and their parent's experience with chronic disease. Logistic regression analysis is employed to examine the unadjusted and adjusted average marginal effects (AME) of selected domains of early life factors associated with the probability of experiencing pain. Results: 22.8% of men and 32.3% of women reported pain that interfered with daily activities. Pain was higher among men (AME: 0.01, confidence interval (CI): 0.01–0.03) and women (AME: 0.02, CI: 0.01–0.04) with third or fourth birth order compared to counterparts with first birth order. Both men (AME: -0.02, CI: -0.04–0.01) and women (AME: -0.07, CI: -0.09 - -0.04) having a fair childhood health status reported a lower probability of pain. The probability of pain was higher among both men (AME: 0.03, CI: 0.01–0.07) and women (AME: 0.07, CI: 0.03–0.13) who were bedridden due to sickness in their childhood. Similarly, the pain likelihood was higher among men who missed school for more than a month due to health problems (AME: 0.04, CI: -0.01-0.09). Men and women with poor financial condition in their childhood reported (AME: 0.04, CI: 0.01–0.07) a higher probability of experiencing pain relative to their peers who reported a more financially advantaged early life. Conclusions: Findings of the present study add to the empirical literature on the association between early life factors and later life health and well-being. They also are pertinent to health care providers and practitioners working in pain management, as this knowledge better positions them to identify older adults most susceptible to pain. Moreover, findings of our study underscore that the interventions to ensure health and well-being in later life must start far earlier in the life course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial inclusion plays an important role in helping households manage risks, but its role in mitigating climate risks is unexplored. Access to formal financial institutions in regions with high climate risks increases households' access to liquidity that they need to buffer against climate shocks. Using longitudinal data from 1082 rural households located in the semi-arid tropics in India, we find that households facing high climate risks hold a higher proportion of assets in liquid form. Access to formal financial services, however, reduces the need to keep liquid assets to be able to respond to high climate variability. Our results suggest that expanded financial inclusion in regions with high climate variability can reallocate resources held in unproductive liquid assets to invest in climate adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the Sataun landslide was investigated along the National Highway-72 (NH-72) between Sirmauri Tal and Sataun towns of the Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh, Northwestern Himalaya, India. Geologically, the Sataun landslide is composed of Middle Siwalik sandstones, which are highly fractured and faulted due to the interaction of the active Sirmauri Tal Fault zone and the Malgi Fault at the site of the Sataun landslide. Through the geological field investigations, three unstable zones were identified, which are prone to landslides. A major failure along one of the unstable zones (Sataun landslide, Zone 1) occurred on the 9th of October 2019. The investigation of the Sataun landslide was carried out using geological, geomorphological, geotechnical, and kinematic analysis. A pre-landslide topography was used to analyse the slope stability using FEM (finite element modelling) technique. Geomorphological studies and field investigations suggest the presence of an active fault zone (Sirmauri Tal Fault zone) passing through the Sataun landslide zone. Grain size analysis demonstrates that the soil is non-cohesive poorly graded sandy soil and geotechnical parameters indicate low cohesion (0.17 kPa) and low angle of internal friction (33.09°). Pre-landslide slope modelling suggests a low factor of safety (0.76). Toe cutting by the Giri River, the presence of radial, transverse cracks on the landslide body, and tension cracks on the crown propose the active and progressive nature of the landslide. Although the role of active fault is the most crucial factor for the Sataun landslide failure, rainfall played a critical triggering role in the Sataun landslide. This study shows that the unstable condition of the Sataun landslide may trigger another event of similar or greater intensity in the near future; therefore, proper monitoring is required to mitigate this landslide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The yield and nutritional profile of grass and legume species in Kashmir Valley's rangelands are scantly reported. The study area in this paper included three types of sites (grazed, protected, and seed-sown) divided into three circles: northern, central, and southern Kashmir. From each circle, three districts and three villages per district were selected. Most sites showed higher aboveground biomass (AGB) compared to belowground biomass (BGB), which showed low to moderate effects on biomass. The comparison between northern, central, and southern Kashmir regions revealed that AGB (86.74, 78.62, and 75.22 t. ha−1), BGB (52.04, 51.16, and 50.99 t. ha−1), and total biomass yield (138.78, 129.78, and 126.21 t. ha−1) were the highest in central Kashmir region, followed by southern and northern Kashmir regions, respectively. More precisely, AGB and total biomass yield recorded the highest values in the protected sites of the central Kashmir region, whereas BGB scored the highest value in the protected sites of southern Kashmir region. The maximum yield (12.5 t. ha−1) recorded among prominent grasses was attributed to orchard grass, while the highest crude fiber and crude protein contents (34.2% and 10.4%, respectively), were observed for Agrostis grass. The maximum yield and crude fiber content (25.4 t. ha−1 and 22.7%, respectively), among prominent legumes were recorded for red clover. The highest crude protein content (33.2%) was attributed to white clover. Those findings concluded the successful management of Kashmir rangelands in protected sites, resulting in high biomass yields along with the considerable nutritional value of grasses and legumes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Late colonial juridical practice in India was prone to bureaucratic errors and shared with the police a fundamental disinterest in the liberty of ordinary people. This article tells the politically marginal but highly revealing story of how a series of errors during the arrest and subsequent detention of an elderly man called Peter Budge—an innocent bystander in a situation of heightened communal tensions—led to a momentary scandal in the United Provinces administration in the year 1947–48. Peter's case disappeared between the cracks of bad record-keeping, leading to his lengthy and unlawful detention. It raises important questions about the complementary relation between law and violence, and the fictitious nature of public-order laws. In contrast to the scholarship that has discussed the spectacular violence of the state, this article looks at the 'other' acts of violence of the state and argues that the everyday reality of public-order enforcement is key to understanding the nature and operations of the late colonial and post-colonial state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common chronic childhood disability of today. Health care needs are present in these children who require health services to manage their functional disability. It can change according to the age group and severity of the condition. In the current healthcare system, little is known about priorities and needs for the children with cerebral palsy especially in reference to Indian contextual situations and how these needs may differ based on the child's age and motor function. Methods: A cross sectional survey design is used in the study. 83 parents of children with cerebral palsy and their treating physiotherapists were selected in the study based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Participants were divided into 3 groups based on the age of the children. Self designed questionnaire was given to the parents and the physiotherapists to select the health care needs for the children. One time data collection was done over the period of 3 months. Conclusion: The study also shows that mostly parent's needs are considered by physiotherapists for their goal settings. Most of the time parents' needs and the physiotherapist's goals are found to be similar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior research that examined the effect of exchange rate misalignment on economic growth was based on the symmetric approach, which suggested that both overvalued and undervalued exchange rates would have a similar effect on economic growth. Recent studies, however, have demonstrated that the exchange rate tends to have an asymmetric effect on major economic variables such as trade flows and output economic growth. The current study seeks to explore the asymmetric effects of exchange rate misalignment on India's economic growth. The findings demonstrate that. in the symmetric approach scenario, exchange rate misalignment negatively impacts India's economic growth. However, after employing the non-linear ARDL technique, the study indicates significant evidence in favor of asymmetric effects. Intriguingly, the findings show that undervaluation promotes economic growth in the case of the Indian economy whereas overvaluation tends to affect it negatively. The study concludes that while an undervalued exchange rate may provide short-term economic respite, a market-based equilibrium exchange rate is essential for a growing economy like India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports on the tribological behavior of Indian rail track and wheel materials under different contaminants. A pin-on-disc tribometer was selected for the experimental analysis in ambient conditions (temperature of 24.9 °C and relative humidity of 66%). Sand, mist, leaves, and grease were the contaminants used in this investigation. The railway track was used to make the pin, and the wheel was used to make the disc. The acquired results were analyzed using frictional force and wear depth as a function of time as the variables. These pollutant effects were compared to no-contaminant conditions. It was observed that the sand increased the friction force and wear depth, whereas oil decreased friction and wear. Mist and leaves also reduced friction and wear. The effect of leaves was higher than the mist. The effect of load on various contaminants was also investigated. The results showed that as the load increased, the friction force and wear also increased for all contaminants. The results of this study can help in understanding the wear phenomenon of wheels and rail tracks in different parts of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water quality index (WQI) of Narora channel and health of endemic fish Bagarius bagarius and plant Eichhornia crassipes, district Bulandshahar, Uttar Pradesh, India were studied. Among the physicochemical properties of water, pH, D.O, Cr, Fe, Ni, and Cd were above the recommended standards. These factors lead to high WQI (4124.83), indicating poor quality and not suitable for drinking and domestic usage. In fish tissues, the highest metal load was reported in the liver (58.29) and the lowest in the kidney (33.73). Heavy metals also cause a lowering of condition indices. As expected, decreased serum protein (− 63.41%) and liver glycogen (− 79.10%) were recorded in the exposed fish. However, blood glucose (47.22%) and serum glycogen (74.69%) showed elevation. In the plant, roots (21.50) contained the highest, and leaves (16.87) had the lowest heavy metal load. Bioaccumulation factor (BAF) > 1, indicates hyperaccumulation of all metals. E. crassipes roots showed the highest translocation factor (TF) > 1 for Ni (1.57) and Zn (1.30). The high mobility factor (MF) reflected the suitability of E. crassipes for phytoextraction of Mn, Cd, Zn, Fe, Ni, and Cu. Moreover, Bagarius sp. consumption could not pose any non-cancer risk. Although, lower cancer risk can be expected from Ni and Cr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we measured various parameters of oxidative stress, immune response, and abnormalities in the erythrocyte nucleus of Labeo rohita inhabiting the polluted Kshipra River, India. The river water contains heavy metals in this order: Ni > Fe > Cd > Cr > Mn > Zn > Cu. Fe showed the highest accumulation in gills, liver, and gut, whereas Ni (gills and gut) and Cd (liver) were lowest accumulated. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were found to be increased significantly (p < 0.05) in the gills (SOD: 211%; CAT: 150%), liver (SOD: 447%; CAT: 304%), and gut (SOD: 98.11%; CAT: 58.69%) in comparison with the reference fish. However, glutathione S transferase (GST) showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher activity in the gills (25.5%) but lower activity in the liver (− 49.22%) and the gut (− 30.57%). Moreover, reduced glutathione (GSH) decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in the gills (− 46.66%), liver (− 33.20%), and gut (− 39.87%). Despite the active response of the antioxidant enzymes, the highest lipid peroxidation was observed in the liver (463%). The effect of heavy metals was also observed on the immunity of the fish, causing immunosuppression as evident by significantly (p < 0.05) lower values of acid phosphatase (− 50%), myeloperoxidase (− 48.33%), and nitric oxide synthase (− 50%) in serum. Histopathological findings showed gill lamellae shortening, hyperplasia, club-shaped lamellar tip in exposed gills and necrosis, vacuolization, and pyknosis in the exposed liver. Furthermore, polluted river water was also found to induce micronuclei (2.1%) and lobed nuclei (0.72%) in erythrocytes (0.65%). These results indicate the potential of heavy metal-induced oxidative stress and other forms of stress in inhabiting fish, highlighting the need to control the pollution of this river water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coastal landscape of the Kachchh Upland (KU) region (NW-India) changed over the last few thousand years from a shallow marine gulf to a salty desert (1-4 meters asl). In this area, bordered to the south by the Northern Hill Range (NHR), the tectonic-climatic interaction triggered the sea level fall from +2/4 m circa (6000-2000 BP) to zero. An ancient river pattern deposited a tidally regulated delta area during the sea level fall that stopped 2000- 3000 years ago due to tectonic activity and a dry climate. Deltaic-alluvial fans (DAF) in front of the NHR suggest that the KU’s tectonic activity led to fast landscape evolution. We explored such drastic changes by integrating scientific information from a multidisciplinary literature review, identifying terraces and DAFs, and inferring faults through landform recognition, quantitative morphometry, and field surveys. Our interpretation, summarized in a map, provides new information on active processes along the NHR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aging process and the pandemic have significantly affected the elderly population, resulting in a wide range of physiological and psychological changes. These changes have created a significant burden for the nation as the elderly is often overlooked. In response to this, the Government of India and AIIMS Bhopal developed a yoga-meditation-based intervention to help improve the mental health of the elderly (>60 years) during the pandemic. Methodology: A retrospective case - control study was conducted on the geriatric population aged over 60 years of both sexes from March 2021 to September 2021 at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal. The sample size was calculated to be 690 participants based on the prevalence of depression and anxiety in the elderly population and using the depression, anxiety, and stress scale 21 (DASS)-21. Participants were asked to fill out the DASS questionnaire, and those with mild to moderate depression, anxiety, or stress were randomly divided into two groups. The intervention group received a 6-week yoga-based mobile intervention, and the results were analyzed using the SPSS software version 27. Results: The between group analysis showed that MOMMY intervention was effective in reducing symptoms of depression (t=3.38, df=93, p<0.001), anxiety (t=4.33, df=93, P < 0.001) and stress (t = 1.76, df=93, P < 0.05). Conclusion: Lockdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the psychological status of individuals. The study found a significant reduction in depression, anxiety, and stress levels after the intervention, indicating the necessity of similar interventions on the geriatric population to alleviate their mental health status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extant literature links the higher bargaining power of women with favorable outcomes for the health and education of children, lower domestic abuse, and enhanced socioeconomic status. This paper examines the interplay between the financial inclusion of a woman and her intra-household bargaining power. The theoretical model predicts an ambiguous effect, wherein improvements in her well-being depend on her husband's reaction. Using household-level data from India, we show that a woman's well-being improves in many ways when she has a bank account. We use two unique instruments to address the issue of simultaneity. Placebo tests also certify our results. Our findings suggest that removing financial barriers for women increases their independence and say in household decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grierson's Linguistic Survey of India (1903–1928) is one of the most complete sources on South Asian languages. It has influenced all subsequent studies of the language situation in India. However, there are indications in the Survey's volumes, in its unpublished files, and in Grierson's correspondence, that extra-linguistic considerations affected his approach to some Indian languages. Drawing on these sources, this essay focuses on Panjabi, Siraiki, Assamese, and Hindi-Urdu. It shows how factors stemming from Grierson's views on religious difference and on language as a basis for nationality, as well as colonial politics of governance, may have influenced his characterisations of these languages. However, this does not invalidate the Survey, which is not straightforwardly 'colonial'. Moreover, each of these languages is also described using linguistic argumentation, as reflected in the LSI's skeletal grammars and its focus on dialectal variation. As such, we have to work with this tension in the LSI, without trying to resolve it either by rejecting the Survey in toto because of the instances of politics affecting its analyses, or by accepting it wholesale while ignoring the extra-linguistic considerations which influenced how it characterised some Indian languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Professional driving involves sitting in uncomfortable positions, navigating difficult terrain and roads, and occasionally conducting small repairs and other auxiliary transportation duties while at work for long periods. Drivers who engage in these activities may develop a variety of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). MSDs in professional drivers are accompanied by several risk factors. In this study, the various risk factors for MSD have been identified through the literature reviews, discussions with professional drivers, and consultations with ergonomics specialists. This study employed the ordinal priority approach (OPA), a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) technique, to rank the identified risk variables for MSD in order of importance. The same OPA method has also been used to identify the group of professional drivers who use eight different types of vehicles and are more likely to develop MSDs. The analyses findings show that the five main risk factors for MSDs among drivers are prolonged sitting, restricted posture, working hours, alcohol consumption, and uncomfortable seating. Additionally, among all drivers regarded as professionals, truck drivers are found to be the most at risk. For the study's conclusions to be validated, a sensitivity analysis was also carried out. The results of this study are anticipated to help formulate strategies for lowering these hazards through the ergonomic design of drivers' cabins by automobile OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) and vehicle scheduling by concerned transportation organizations to reduce driver tiredness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy harnessing from renewable energy sources has become more flexible with power electronic technologies. Recent advancements in power electronic technologies achieve converter efficiency higher than 98%. Today, reliable power electronic devices are needed to design a PV-based energy converter (inverter) to reduce the risk of failure and maintenance costs during operation. Wide-bandgap SiC devices are becoming more common in power electronic converters. These devices are designed to reduce switching loss and improve the efficiency of the system. Nevertheless, the cost of SiC devices is a major concern. Hence, to improve the reliability of the PV inverter while considering the economic aspects, this paper develops a highly reliable PV inverter with a hybrid Si/SiC power module that consists of a Si-IGBT with a SiC anti-parallel diode. A test case of a 3 kW PV inverter is considered for reliability analysis. The loading of the PV inverter is done under uncertain environmental conditions by considering the yearly Mission Profile (MP) data related to Ambient Temperature (AT) and Solar Irradiance (SI) at the India and Denmark locations. The effectiveness of the proposed hybrid Si/SiC power module is tested by comparing it with a conventional IGBT power module. The results showcase the marked improvement in PV inverter reliability with the proposed hybrid power module. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effort is made to implement a regional earth system model (RESM); ROM, over CORDEX-South Asia (SA). The added value of RESM is assessed for mean precipitation, its variability (intraseasonal to interannual), extremes, and associated processes. In this regard, ROM's fields are compared with the respective fields of its standalone version (REMO), the models belonging coupled model intercomparison project (CMIP5 and CMIP6), and regional climate models of CORDEX-CORE simulations. RESM shows substantial improvement for most of the Indian monsoon's aspects; however, the magnitude of the value addition varies spatiotemporally and also with different aspects.. The improved representation of intraseasonal variability (active-break spell's duration and intensity) and Interannual variability attributed to improved mean seasonal precipitation. Additionally, correct representation of sea surface temperature, Indian Ocean Dipole, and its underlying dynamics also contribute to improving the mean precipitation. The notable improvement is seen especially over the south-eastern regions of the Bay of Bengal (BoB) and South-Central India, where increasing (decreasing) low-pressure systems over Central India (BoB) are noticed as a consequence of air-sea coupling, leading to enhanced (reduced) precipitation over Central India (BoB), reducing dry (wet) bias found in REMO and the other models. Despite substantial improvements, RESM has a systematic wet bias in the mean precipitation associated with a warm bias over the western coast of the Arabian Sea. An overestimation of very high extreme precipitation due to the enhanced contribution of low-pressure systems indicates the model's limitations, suggesting the need for further tuning of the RESM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fermented bamboo shoots are rich in high protein, carbohydrates, fibre and minerals while low in fat content. In the North-East region of India and other Asian countries, they are mostly used in various food preparations. The present study was undertaken to explore the diversity of bacteria associated with Bamboo shoots and to evaluate their antibacterial profile. Based on the results the fermented bamboo shoots showed viable counts ranging from 6.55 ± 0.91 log CFU/g to 7.86 ± 1.21 log CFU/g. The 16s rRNA sequence analysis showed that these isolates belonged to the genus Bacillus (Bacillus safensis, B. tequilensis, B. siamensis, B. nakamurai, B. subtilis) and Enterobacter. These isolates have not been reported previously from fermented bamboo shoots except B. subtilis. Surprisingly, no Lactobacillus species or molds were found in any of the samples tested. Potent antibacterial activity was recorded against Klebsiella, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella and B. cereus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the outcome of 2 weeks phacoemulsification training program that is a unique collaboration between premier ophthalmic training institutes of India and Alcon Inc. initiated 10 years ago.Methods: Cataract surgeons eager to adopt phacoemulsification surgery as the primary treatment modality were enrolled in an intensive 2 weeks training program across seven premier ophthalmic institutes in India. These surgeons performed supervised phacoemulsification surgery under the guidance of expert faculty. Simultaneously didactic lectures, postoperative video discussions, and wet laboratory training were conducted. To assess improvement in the surgical skills each surgery was scored using the International Council of Ophthalmology-Ophthalmology Surgical Competency Assessment Rubrics (ICO-OSCAR). Phaco Development Specialist supported these surgeons for minimum duration of 1 year and maximum of 9 years and 2 months. In this multicentric study, surgical data of the participants enrolled between June 2010 to August 2018 was retrospectively analyzed.Results: Nine hundred 89 ophthalmologists across 27 Indian states and 4 Union Territories were trained between June 2010 and August 2018. The mean age of participants was 40.6 (+ 8.2 years) and 64.8% were males. After completing their training they performed 1,022,508 phacoemulsification surgeries in 9 years and 2 months. At follow-up, 92.11% and 88.77% of the surgeons were performing phacoemulsification at the end of 1 year and final follow-up, respectively.Conclusion: This program highlights how partnership model between industry and ophthalmologists can go hand in hand for training and skill development of doctors contributing to much-needed improvement in patient care across societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indus Basin is the second largest river basin in Asia shared by China, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Rapid climatic changes and exponential population growth have put tremendous pressure on the already depleting water resources in Indus Basin. The absence of supra‐national authority and a basin‐wide cooperation agreement is further exaggerating Basin's challenges. Moreover, an already existing Indus Water Treaty, a bilateral treaty signed between India and Pakistan is proving to be insufficient to regulate the water supply amidst the growing political tensions among the Indus riparian. To address this cross‐boundary issue, armed with game theory‐based strategies, this research proposes optimal water allocation solutions. The study adopted Bankruptcy and Asymmetric Nash bargaining solutions to determine optimal water allocations/Pareto‐optimal solutions. The results show that the optimal allocation for Pakistan and India are 181.95 and 101.95 km3 respectively, while for Afghanistan and China, the optimal allocation was found to be 2.99 and 0.11 km3 respectively. The sensitivity analysis reveals that the water allocations of Pakistan and India are sensitive to their respective changes in water claims, while insensitive to the changes in water claim of Afghanistan and China. The findings of the study can be used for negotiations and have the potential to serve as a major tool in bringing stability in the region by allocating the water optimally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in India and worldwide. Mushrooms are important nutritional foods, and in this context shiitake (Lentinula edodes), button (Agaricus bisporus) and oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus) mushrooms are known for their bioactive properties. The application of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation for the production of substantial amounts of vitamin D2 is well established. Levels of serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25-OHD), parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcium, phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were significantly (p < 0.05) improved in vitamin-D-deficient rats after feeding with UVB irradiated mushrooms for 4 weeks. Further, microscopic observations indicate an improvement in the osteoid area and the reduction in trabecular separation of the femur bone. In addition, the level of expression of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene and genes metabolizing vitamin D were explored. It was observed that in mushroom-fed and vitamin-D-supplemented groups, there was upregulation of CYP2R1 and VDR, while there was downregulation of CYP27B1 in the liver. Further, CYP2R1 was downregulated, while CYP27B1 and VDR were upregulated in kidney tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In developing countries like India, it is common for late presentation of Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) patients to a hospital as compared to that of developed countries. The objective of this study is to analyze the surgical outcome of TOF patients with age > 15 years. Methods: This is a retrospective descriptive study of the surgical outcomes of 45 adult patients undergoing correction for TOF. Epidemiology, symptomology, and preoperative evaluation were performed. Results: Most of the patients were male (33 [73%]). The median age was 21 years. A total of 42 (93.33%) patients had subaortic ventricular septal defect (VSD), while three (6.6%) patients presented with doubly committed VSD. The most common type of right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) obstruction was combined infundibular and valvular types, accounting for 34 cases (75.5%). Six patients had infundibular RVOT obstruction, while three patients (6.6%) had predominantly valvular pulmonary stenosis. We performed transright atrial repair in 33 patients. Right atrium-pulmonary artery approach was used in five patients (11.1%). The most common postoperative complication was right bundle branch block, seen in 14 patients, with a mortality rate of 2% in the early postoperative period. We achieved excellent early and midterm survival results and significant improvement in functions and disease-free quality of life. Conclusion: Intracardiac repair in adult TOF can be performed with low mortality, less residual RVOT obstruction, and need for revision of RVOT far less frequent by using the Jhajhria Infundibular Resection Adequacy Assessment technique (JIRAAT) to assess for adequacy of infundibular resectionAdult. Tetralogy of Fallot. Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular. Pulmonary Artery. Postoperative Period. Treatment Outcome. Patients Rights [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought has become a regular phenomenon in the western semi-arid regions of India, where severe drought occurs once in 8–9 years. Therefore, two drought indices, namely temperature condition index (TCI) and vegetation condition index (VCI), were prepared from using Landsat datasets to appraise and monitor of drought pattern for the pre- and post-monsoon seasons between 1996 and 2016 in the Latur district, the north-western part of India. Additionally, the average frequency layers (AFL) of all drought and land use indices were prepared to analyse the correlation between them. The results show a substantial increase in the area under high, very high and severe drought classes both pre- and post-monsoon seasons during the study period. The highest increase was noticed from the high drought class from 2532.45 to 4792.49 sq. km and 1559.84 to 3342.32 sq. km for pre- and post-monsoon season, respectively, based on the TCI and 1269.81 to 1787.77 sq. km in very high drought class for the post-monsoon season using the VCI. The correlation analysis showed that there exists a significant relationship between the land use indices and drought indices. However, the spatial pattern of correlation was heterogeneous for both pre- and post-monsoon seasons. The results of this research can help in the drought management and mitigation planning in the study area. In addition, a similar approach may be applied to analyse drought patterns in other places with similar geographic characteristics as both VCI and TCI are cost-effective and less time-consuming methods and produce reliable outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: We collected and identified beetles belonging to different species of Coleoptera that are of forensic importance in India by employing cytochrome oxidase subunit II. An attempt was made to create a molecular database of the reference sequences, as most of the studied species were not available in online databases. Sequences obtained from the present work will contribute to the creation of a national database, allowing for an increase in the knowledge of Coleoptera species of forensic interest. The foremost concern in forensic entomology is the explicit identification of the species recovered from the crime scene. From the different orders of insects, Diptera is the prime focus in this field, followed by Coleoptera, whose identification can be extremely helpful for corpses in later decomposition stages. In this study, cytochrome oxidase subunit II (COII) was used to check its adequacy as a genetic marker and to create a reference database for eleven species belonging to five families of Coleoptera, namely, Silphidae, Staphylinidae, Histeridae, Dermestidae and Scarabaeidae, from two different states in India to assist in the accurate identification of imperative beetle species in medico-legal entomology. To achieve this, standard protocols of DNA isolation, amplification and sequencing were followed. We concluded that the COII gene can be used as a molecular marker for the identification of forensically relevant species, as observed from the similarities between the phylogenetic relationship constructed by COII and morphological data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Caries in the deciduous dentition of children under six years of age is termed as early childhood caries (ECC). ECC is prevalent among Indian children and identifying modifiable risk factors is important for prevention. This systematic review was undertaken to describe the burden of ECC in India, its prevalence, associated risk factors along with its repercussions on childhood health. Materials and Methods: A search was conducted for published Indian studies on ECC through electronic databases and complemented with hand search. The protocol for the present systematic review was registered at PROSPERO (Ref No.CRD42022306234)Care was taken to include studies which could represent all parts of India-Central, North, South, East and West. Included papers were reviewed for prevalence of ECC and reported risk factors. Results: Overall 37 studies on ECC in India were identified relating to prevalence, 11 reported risk factors and two reported on the association between severe ECC and nutritional health and well-being. The prevalence of ECC in India in these studies varied from16% to 92.2%. This systematic review revealed that ECC is prevalent among Indian children and highlights the need of preventive intervention and early risk assessment by its own caries risk assessment (CRA) tool. Occurrence seems to be firmly connected with age, snacking frequency, feeding and oral hygiene habits and with social determinants of health including parental education level, low socioeconomic status and number of siblings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]