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The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has forced marketing educators to innovate and adapt their existing teaching methods. This article presents and discusses an experiential learning exercise called the market-immersion project (MIP) and how it was adapted to suit online teaching. The MIP was an integral part of the course on the "bottom-of-the-pyramid (BOP) and rural markets," which had to be pivoted as a photoessay exercise due to the limitations of not being able to venture out for a physical immersion. The design, implementation, and grading are elaborated for both exercises, and lessons are identified for marketing educators. Building on the lessons from two experiential learning exercises and using Kolb's experiential learning theory, a six-step model of short-term field immersion is proposed. The proposed framework could be useful for marketing educators who want to use experiential exercises, including field-based exercises, in their courses in the postpandemic scenario. Finally, implications for theory, marketing education, limitations, and future directions are presented.

The information on land use/land cover (LULC) is indispensable in regional planning, policy formulation and tracking land use/land cover changes (LULCC). The rapid urbanization of hilly terrains, driven by population growth, has significant implications for landslide risk reduction. Recognizing the need for an innovative approach for extracting LULC information, the present study uses a random forest (RF) classifier to develop a novel, pre-trained and universal tool that automatically generates LULC classification maps based on natural colour satellite imagery without any training input from the end-user. The proposed framework with an overall accuracy of 0.75 and an area under the curve (AUC) score of 0.95 in the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) approach was used for mapping built-up area expansion in regions susceptible to rainfall-induced landslides in Idukki block panchayat (administrative division), Kerala, India. By comparing the LULC information for the years 2012 and 2022, it was understood that the built-up area in the location has increased from 12.76% of the total area in 2012 to 26.48% in 2022. It is important to consider the rapid increase in built-up area expansion in the 'very high' landslide susceptibility zones in the study area. This clearly demonstrates the need for hazard inclusive planning and tracking of LULCC, for disaster risk reduction. Research Highlights: A pre-trained Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) classification tool is developed using the Random Forest (RF) classifier. Based on natural colour satellite imagery, the tool automatically generates LULC maps for various landscapes worldwide. The tool demonstrates a satisfactory performance, achieving an overall accuracy of 0.75 and an overall ROC AUC score of 0.95. The tool was used to understand the LULC changes in Idukki block panchayat between 2012 and 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The POCSO Act of 2012 in India is a crucial legislative measure aimed at distinguishing between adult and child sexual offenses, and establishing a child protection framework. It aims to protect children from sexual abuse. However, its practical implementation faces challenges, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of the situations involving the child victim. The Act, designed to create a legal sanctuary for children against sexual exploitation, hinges greatly on the judiciary’s aptitude to grasp the intricate challenges child victims confront. While the Act sets the stage for child protection, its effectiveness pivots on the sensitivity and comprehension of judges in handling cases involving child victims. This study endeavors to elucidate the obstacles faced by judges, ranging from limited awareness and entrenched biases, to the absence of specialized training. Sensitizing judges, the cornerstone of this paper’s discourse, is indispensable for fostering effective and empathetic decision-making. This study reverberates with a fervent appeal to recognize judges as torchbearers of change, instrumental in dismantling the shrouds of silence and indifference that have long cloaked child sexual offenses. Through a sensitized and empathetic judiciary, we aspire to build a society that unequivocally stands as a bulwark against the insidious menace of child sexual abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Holistically, after the green revolution, India has been a global agricultural powerhouse of various crops and in present most of the farmers adopt the traditional irrigation methods but challenging task is in utilizing minimum water resource for more productivity per crop in diversified Indian environmental conditions. Water is a precious & scarce resource in many areas of the country due to traditional agricultural irrigation & industrial use. Hence, to limit water loss & wastage in farming it is important for maximum water application efficiency. Indeed, Systematic Irrigation System (SIS) for farming is need of hour and hence, attempt is made for development of SIS using computational device, and NodeMCU & Sensor technology are illustrated in this article. The SIS prototype has developed deploying ESP8266 Wi-Fi SoC development board and various sensors such as humidity, temperature, soil moisture, PIR & rain sensor . Graphic User Interface is developed in Blynk platform. This prototype has been tested in the laboratory successfully for application efficiency and has found good performance as expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Debris flows are geomorphological processes that affect the landscape evolution process of any region. In this study, an integrated methodology is proposed to identify the chance of further debris flows and quantify the similarities between debris flow locations, materials and rheology, using field and laboratory investigations and remote sensing data. The method was tested for four failure‐triggered debris flow sites in the Western Ghats of India, using dimensionless parametric similarity values ranging from 0 to 1. The maximum parametric similarity was observed as 0.84 when comparing the flow accumulation values of Sites 3 and 4, and the maximum overall site similarity was 0.68. The calibrated rheological parameters of one site were found to be satisfactory in modelling the shape of debris flow at all other sites. The findings can be used to identify similar hotspots in the region and to simulate debris flows for quantitative hazard assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing conventional vehicle transportation landscape in India is grappling with challenges stemming from extensive air pollution, health risks, surging oil prices, limited fossil fuel resources, substantial oil import expenses and energy volatility. To counter these issues, Electric Vehicles (EVs) are progressively replacing internal combustion engines, offering a promising route toward decarbonization and mitigating climate concerns. EVs rely on electric motors powered by batteries, predominantly Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), known for their superior attributes such as low self-discharge, high energy density and extended life cycle. Nevertheless, LIB performance is significantly influenced by operating temperatures, with suboptimal conditions leading to decreased efficiency, power loss and faster aging. Addressing this, an effective Battery Thermal Management System (BTMS) becomes crucial to maintain batteries at optimal temperatures, enhancing their efficiency and safety. This study focuses on a computational analysis of passive heating systems employing Fins and Phase Change Materials (PCM) for 18650 Li-ion battery thermal management at low temperatures, with specific attention to battery module analysis. Numerical analysis using ANSYS FLUENT investigates the influence of varying PCM thickness on heat transfer, predicting temperature distribution and discussing its impact on battery output performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCTs) are increasingly being offered to patients in India for various conditions. The Indian Stem Cell Transplant Registry shows that a total of 2533 transplants were done in India in 2019. An epidemiological descriptive cross-sectional survey (55 questions) of centers providing HSCT in India was planned to analyze variations in policies and practices regarding HSCT graft manipulation (i.e., plasma reduction, red blood cell [RBC] depletion and cryopreservation). A total of 63 of 102 centers responded to the survey (response rate, 61.7%), mostly from the northern part of India (27 of 63 [42.8%]). The majority of responding centers reported performing >50 HSCTs annually (n = 24 [38%]), and 92% (58 of 63) performed stem cell collections from a pediatric donor/patient (age <18 years). A total of 56 of 63 responding centers indicated that they did product manipulations involving cryopreservation (n = 45), plasma reduction (n = 42) and RBC depletion (n = 28). Cryopreservation was primarily done by blood centers (27 of 45 [60%]), with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) being the primary constituent, used most commonly at a concentration of 5–10% (28 of 45 centers). Dump freezing was most commonly used (27 of 45) with a –80°C deep freezer. A 7-aminoactinomycin D based viability assessment was also most commonly used (30 of 45). Thawing of the product was done mainly at the bedside (30 of 45) using a wet-type thawer (36 of 45), and washing of DMSO was done by a few centers (seven of 45). Plasma reduction and RBC depletion were primarily done for ABO incompatibility at blood centers. This survey demonstrates the lack of standardization and uniformity in the minimal manipulation of hematopoietic stem cell grafts in centers supporting HSCT in India. This work also highlights the need for more studies and country-specific recommendations to establish best practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Metabolic syndrome represents aggregation of risk factors associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Assessing its incidence is an effective way for estimating the future burden of DM and ASCVD and understanding their secular trends and effect of public health measures on halting the evolution of risk factors. The present study aimed to estimate the incidence of metabolic syndrome and its predictors using a population-based cohort. Methods: A subset of Chandigarh Urban Diabetes Study cohort (n = 1023) without diabetes or metabolic syndrome was prospectively evaluated after a mean of 10.7 years. Metabolic syndrome was defined as per International Diabetes Federation criteria and diabetes as per American Diabetes Association standards. The incidence was calculated in 1000 person years, and multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the strength of association between incident metabolic syndrome and risk factors. Results: In the followed-up individuals (n = 303), incidence of metabolic syndrome was 32.1 per 1000 person years (95% CI 26.3–38.7 per 1000 person years). Amongst those developing metabolic syndrome, ≥4 components were present in 52% individuals, with low HDL-C being the most common abnormality. Those with metabolic syndrome had a five-time higher risk of diabetes (OR: 4.94; 95% CI: 2.27–9.96; p < 0.001) and a threefold higher risk of hypertension (OR: 2.67; 95% CI: 1.30–5.48; p = 0.006). Conclusion: Asian-Indians have a high incidence rate of metabolic syndrome, which is associated with sedentary lifestyle and consequent central obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power Doppler ultrasound (PDUS) is an established non-invasive modalities for quantification of inflammation, which has a bearing on the assessment of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, PDUS has several disadvantages including cost of equipment, steep learning curve and inter-observer variability. Thermal imaging has emerged as a simple, powerful tool for mapping the heat distribution pattern and has the potential to document and quantify disease activity in RA. The objective was to study the thermal imaging pattern of inflamed knee joints in cases of RA and its correlation with PDUS. This pilot case-control study was carried out at the rheumatology centre in India including 100 subjects (50 controls and 50 RA patients). All participants underwent thermal imaging and PDUS for the knee joints. The mean temperatures in area of interest in knee, thigh and knee–thigh differential were analysed in comparison with PDUS findings. RA subjects had significantly higher mean knee temperature and mean knee–thigh temperature differential compared with controls (p value < 0.00001). PDUS documented inflammation strongly correlated with knee–thigh temperature differential. There was a statistically significant difference in mean knee temperature as well as mean knee–thigh temperature differential of inflamed versus control knees. Thermal imaging has the potential to become simple, objective, cost-effective and reliable tool for diagnosis and assessment of disease activity in inflammatory arthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The severity grading tool (SGT) was recently designed by the Association for Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies (AABB) to have more objectivity in severity assignment for an adverse donor reaction after blood donation. A study was performed in India to assess the knowledge (post‐training) and determine the degree of agreement of the SGT between participating centres and the subject expert group. Materials and Methods: This prospective cross‐sectional survey‐based study was conducted by the National Coordinating Centre (NCC) of the National Blood Donor Vigilance Programme (NBDVP) of India. Thirty‐five real‐world case scenarios, validated by seven national and two international experts, were sent to the participating centres, and their responses received (diagnosis and severity grade) were compared and analysed. Results: A total of 50 blood centres participated in the study. The overall agreement between the participating centres and the expert group was 66.4%, with a fair Kendall's coefficient of concordance (W) of 0.271 (p‐value < 0.05). The degree of agreement was observed to be more than 80% for 12 centres, 60%–80% for 27 centres and <60% for 11 centres. The overall degree/percentage of agreement for cases with single and multiple types of donor adverse reaction was 71.3% and 42.6%, respectively. Conclusion: The SGT will be an efficient mode to have uniform objective reporting of the adverse donor reactions and may be implemented in the NBDVP of India. This study also highlights the need for training of the blood centres on the basic definitions and categorization of the donor's adverse reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest fires are an important ecological force that shaped the forest ecosystems, but uncontrolled fires also cause great loss of biological diversity, as well as economic wealth. Fires are critical pathways of carbon loss from a tropical dry deciduous forest. The present work estimates the effect of forest fires on tree biomass and carbon storage pattern of tropical dry deciduous forest of Panna Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, Central India. Forest fire maps were prepared using Landsat Images (1997–2017), which were classified into seven fire frequency classes (B1–B7) and one control class (B0). Five plots were laid randomly in every fire class and all trees were enumerated in these fire frequency classes. A total of 44 tree species were recorded belonging to 33 genera and 21 families. The density ranged 402–597 individuals/ha while basal area ranged 8.84–15.89 m2/ha. The total trees biomass ranged from 71.41 to 124.58 Mg/ha, and total carbon ranged between 33.87 and 59.26 Mg C/ha. Among all fire frequency classes; the highest biomass was recorded in B2 (124.00 Mg/ha) followed by B0 (118.00 Mg/ha) whereas the least was in the B7 (70.80 Mg/ha) class. Carbon stock has the same pattern as that biomass accumulation. Tree carbon stock showed a significant positive relationship with a basal area (R2 = 9.66). Our results reveal that the higher percentage of carbon was stored in intermediate burned areas whereas the lower percentage was in higher fire frequency areas. The results of the present study would improve understanding of carbon stock present in different fire frequencies and could be used to enhance the carbon sequestration potential in fire-affected areas through conservation and proper management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Probabilistic modelling is gaining increased attention in the field of assessing the landslide hazard due to the ability to account for the spatial and temporal uncertainties related to the variability of geological, hydrological, geotechnical, seismological and geomorphological parameters. In this study, a seismic landslide hazard assessment was carried out for Uttarakhand state, located in the Indian Himalayan region. A methodology was developed to model the parametric uncertainties incorporated in the modified Newmark slope stability analysis model, which considers the rock joint shear strength properties in permanent displacement computation. The uncertainties related to input parameters were taken into account by utilizing statistical distributions to represent these parameters. On a pixel-by-pixel basis, several probability density functions were simulated using the Monte Carlo method, and the simulation results were retained throughout the computation process. As a result, there were no constraints on the mathematical complexity or symmetry of the underlying distributions when casting the derived quantities into probabilistic hazard maps. The hazard map showed the probability of exceedance of seismic slope displacement beyond a threshold value of 5 cm. High probability values were observed in the Middle and Greater Himalayas, emphasizing the likelihood of a large number of earthquake-induced landslides in this region. Finally, the results were validated using the landslide inventory of the 1999 Chamoli earthquake. The prepared seismic landslide hazard map will give infrastructural planners and local authorities a tool for evaluating the risk associated with a seismic landslide for land use planning and taking appropriate mitigation measures to reduce the losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negative ties and gender (as a contextual variable) have remained under-studied in the social networks research in management. Drawing on occupational gender-typing theory, the paper hypothesizes that the relationship between indegree centrality of employees in a positive ties-based network and their tendency to cite their colleagues in negative ties differs in a feminine and a masculine occupation. Using network data from two organizations in India, the paper shows that in a feminine occupation (nursing), the higher the indegree centrality of the employees in a positive ties-based network, the less likely are they to cite negative ties whereas, in a masculine occupation (mining), the higher the indegree centrality of the employees in a positive ties-based network, more likely are they to cite negative ties. We make a theoretical contribution by extending the occupational gender-typing theory in social networks research by theorizing and examining the distinctive effects of the context – feminine and masculine occupations – on networks and work relations. We also discuss the managerial implications of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: The natural history of cervical cancer is unique that it is preceded by a precancerous condition for a long time. Morphometry as a tool can be used in early and accurate diagnosis of these precancerous and cancerous lesions. The present study aims at assessing the utility of cellular and nuclear morphometry in differentiating squamous cell abnormality from benign conditions and also differentiating the categories of squamous cell abnormalities. Materials and Methods: Forty-eight diagnosed cases of squamous epithelial cell abnormality, that is, 10 cases each of atypical squamous cell of undetermined significance (ASC-US), low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), high-grade SIL (HSIL), and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and eight cases of ASC-H (ASC cannot exclude HSIL), were made the sample population and compared with a control population of 10 cases of negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy (NILM). Parameters like nuclear area (NA), nuclear perimeter (NP), nuclear diameter (ND), nuclear compactness (NC), cellular area (CA), cellular diameter (CD), cellular perimeter (CP), and nucleocytoplasmic (N/C) ratio were used. Results: There was a significant difference in the six groups of squamous cell abnormality based on NA, NP, ND, CA, CP, and CD (P < 0.05) using one-way analysis of variance. Nuclear morphometry parameters like NA, NP, and ND were found to be the maximum for HSIL, followed by LSIL, ASC-H, ASC-US, SCC, and NILM groups in decreasing order. The mean CA, CP, and CD were found to be the maximum for NILM, followed by LSIL, ASC-US, HSIL, ASC-H, and SCC in decreasing order. On post hoc analysis, the lesions can be divided into three groups: NILM/normal; ASC-US and LSIL; and ASC-H, HSIL, and SCC, based on N/C ratio. Conclusion: In cervical lesions, holistic parameter of cytonucleomorphometry should be taken rather than taking nuclear morphometry only. N/C ratio is a highly statistically significant parameter that can differentiate between low-grade lesions and high-grade lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An audit is the examination and evaluation of health-care procedures and documents to compare the quality of care provided with accepted standards. The prescribing audit study is part of an audit that monitors, evaluates, and, if necessary, recommends changes in physicians' prescribing practices. Prescription validation is a quality improvement process that aims to improve patient care. Methodology: A prospective observational study was conducted in the outpatient department setting of the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Health-care Providers and Joint Commission International approved Super Speciality Hospitals of the Capital Territory of India. Data were collected randomly, 100 prescriptions across different department settings of Super Speciality Hospitals for 1 month in November 2022. Data were analyzed on the standard format of World Health Organization core prescribing indicators and in the form of mean and percentage. Results: A total of 17 parameters were accessed for the prescription audit. From the data, we can predict that in a total of (n = 100) samples of prescription audit, only 21.65% (368) cases had noncompliance, 67.59% (1149) cases had compliance, and 10.76% (183) did not apply to this parameters. Conclusion: According to this study, the compliance rate for prescription audit parameters is 67.59%, which should be improved by training staff regularly and holding large group meetings and internal audits. Small group meetings with experienced professionals of the organization can help in the constant maintenance of quality. It is also possible to automate the prescription creation process with software for at least the basic details. Finally, the study concludes this with the organization that needs to use its clinical pharmacy experts in the quality improvement process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India has committed to reducing the emissions intensity of GDP by 33–35% from the 2005 level by 2030 in alignment with objectives of the Paris Agreement. This will require a significant reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the food and land-use sector. In this paper, we construct three potential pathways for India to achieve its emissions target by 2050 involving moderate ambitions of mitigation action (BAU), moderate ambitions combined with achieving healthy diets (BAU + NIN), and high levels of mitigation action inclusive of healthy diets (SUSTAINABLE). Using an integrated accounting tool, the FABLE Calculator, that harmonizes various socioeconomic and biophysical data, we project these pathways under the conditions of cross-country balanced trade flows. Results from the projections show that the demand for cereals will increase by 2050, leading to increased GHG emissions under BAU. Under the SUSTAINABLE pathways, GHG emissions will decrease over the same period due to reduced demand for cereals, whereas significant crop productivity and harvest intensity gains would lead to increased crop production. The exercise reveals the indispensability of healthy diets, improved crop, and livestock productivity, and net-zero deforestation in achieving India's mid-century emission targets from the agriculture sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a simple and effective framework to combine various data-driven machine learning (ML) algorithms for short-range reservoir inflow forecasting, including the large-scale climate phenomenon indices addressing forecasting uncertainty. Random Forest (RF), Gradient Boosting Regressor (GBR), K-Nearest Neighbors Regressor (KNN), and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) were employed for predicting daily reservoir inflows considering various climate phenomenon indices (e.g., Arctic Oscillation, North Atlantic Oscillation, and Southern Oscillation Index) and hydroclimatic variables (e.g., precipitation), accounting for time-lag effects. After training the individual ML algorithm, a framework was developed to create an ensemble model using a robust weighted voting regressor (VR) method to quantify forecasting uncertainty and to improve model performances. The results of the study reveal that, for 2-day forecasts, the LSTM approach has the greatest influence on prediction accuracy, followed comparably by each model. However, none of the four models seem to be noticeably superior to the VR method, regardless of the prediction lead time. The developed framework was examined on a tropical reservoir, Bhadra reservoir Tunga-Bhadra River, located in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, weathering intensity, provenance and tectonics setting of Quaternary sediment deposits of the Ganga river, the Yamuna river and their tributaries in and around Haridwar area, Uttarakhand, India is explicated. The channel and levee sediments are well preserved along these rivers. For the purpose, the concentration of major oxides in the channel and levee sediments of rivers were analysed and chemical indices and discriminant functions were determined to understand the mobility pattern of different chemical constituents under various climatic conditions. An overall view of variation in provenance, shifting of channels and mechanism of river sediments transportation and accumulation in varying energy conditions is emphasised and validated from the field evidences and the present condition. Geomorphologically, the area comprises of bedrock strata of various lithologies, small sediments mounds and high hills, and fault scarps. The accumulated sediments and debris in channel bars and levees, and deviated drainages are the prominent features observed along the catchment of studied rivers. The results reveal the distinct concentration of heavy minerals derived from multiple provinces under low to intermediate weathering intensity, due to frequent climatic changes, migration of river channels, activation of thrusts and neotectonic activities. The integrated outcome of the present study can be used to predict the dynamics of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers and their tributaries which may provide a holistic management of headwater region above the area and its influence in lower parts of river sediment deposits in plains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The simulation of appropriate ground motion is the main objective in earthquake-resistant designing to mitigate the impact of landslides and structural damages. The seismic hazard studies serve as the basis for quantifying the hazard associated within the particular area over a given time period. In this study, the detailed site specific hazard analysis of Tindharia site as well as Darjeeling Sikkim Himalaya (DSH) region has been carried out to assure the safety of human and infrastructure against seismic risk. The study area is mountainous region on north western side of India, falls in seismic zone IV and V, and is one of the most seismically active regions with vulnerable earthquakes along with fatal landslides. The future large earthquakes are likely to occur in the region due to constant movement of Indian plate towards Eurasian plate. Therefore, the heightened seismic risk increases the demand for seismic studies near the Himalayan belt. Thus, the assessment of associated seismic hazard in the study area has been carried out by deterministic and probabilistic seismic hazard approaches. From the results, the seismo-tectonic map of a 300km radial distance of the study area is developed. The deterministic hazard distribution in terms of peak ground acceleration (PGA) and the PGA and peak spectral acceleration (PSA) hazard maps for 2% and 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years at different time periods have been generated. The updated hazard maps developed in this study play pivotal roles in mitigation measures with better pre-disaster prevention by earthquake resistant design and in preparedness and post disaster rescue in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the world is moving forward to development, it is a need of the hour to sustain the resources present, so the role of natural gas being clean and eco-friendly is increasing rapidly. Commercial, industrial, residential and transportation sectors get natural gas through pipelines called City Gas Distribution (CGD). The City Gas Distribution (CGD) network passes through the densely populated areas to reach the maximum number of customers. Although natural gas transportation through the pipeline is reasonably safe, incidents keep occurring nowadays. It is essential to learn from the past incidents to minimize and focus on the specific area where safety aspects are far behind so that the delivery of natural gas to the public is safe. This research compiles 50 incidents of Indian CGD entities along with their root causes. This paper aims to learn from the failures and provide a qualitative analysis to focus on the specific areas to enhance safety. For this approach, the paper provides an analysis of incidents using the Pareto principle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we have investigated rainfall induced landslide susceptibility of the Uttarkashi district of India through the developmentof different novel GIS based soft computing approaches namely Bagging-MLPC, Dagging-MLPC, Decorate-MLPC which are a combination Multi-layer Perceptron Neural Network Classifier (MLPC) and Bagging, Dagging, and Decorate ensemble methods, respectively. The proposed models were trained and validated with the help of 103 historical landslide events (divided into 2 samples: training (70%) and validation (30%)) and 12 landslide conditioning factors. The accuracy of the models was evaluated using different statistical methods including Area Under Curve (AUC) of Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC). The results show that though performance of all the studied models is good (AUC > 0.80) but of the hybrid Bagging-MLPC model is the best (AUC:0.965). Therefore, this newly hybrid model (Bagging-MLPC) can be used for the accurate landslide susceptibility mapping and assessment of landslide prone areas for landslide prevention and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainfall thresholds are commonly utilized to forecast landslides using the historical relationship between occurrence of slope failures and rainfall in an area. SIGMA (Sistema Integrato Gestione Monitoraggion Allerta) is a rainfall threshold model, which uses the statistical distribution of rainfall for forecasting the occurrence of landslides. The threshold curves are functions of standard deviation of the cumulated rainfall data, taking into account both long-term and short term-rainfall. To overcome the limitations of statistical rainfall threshold, the real-time monitoring data from MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) tilt sensors have been integrated with SIGMA model using a decisional algorithm for a test site (Kalimpong) in Darjeeling Himalayas, in the northeastern part of India. Three different models, the SIGMA model, tilt meter readings and the combination of both are compared quantitatively using the precipitation and landslide data of Kalimpong town between July 2017 and September 2020. The results indicate that the integration of tilt meter readings has lowered the number of false alarms issued by SIGMA model from 70 to 38 in the studied period, with an increase in the likelihood ratio from 18.10 to 20.23. The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves indicate that the combined approach has the best performance among the models considered in this study, with an area under the curve 0.976. The proposed method was found to have better performance than the other rainfall thresholds derived for Kalimpong region so far, and the prototypal model can be further fine-tuned to develop an operational Landslide Early Warning System (LEWS) for the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation approaches in tiger landscapes have focused on single species and their habitat. Further, the limited extent of the existing protected area network in India lacks representativeness, habitat connectivity, and integration in the larger landscape. Our objective was to identify sites important for connected tiger habitat and biodiversity potential in the Greater Panna Landscape, central India. Further, we aimed to set targets at the landscape level for conservation and prioritize these sites within each district in the landscape as specific management/conservation zones. We used earth observation data to derive an index of biodiversity potential. Marxan was used to identify sites that met tiger and biodiversity conservation targets with minimum costs. We found that to protect 50% of the tiger habitat with connectivity, 20% of the landscape area must be conserved. To conserve 100% of high biodiversity potential, 50% moderate biodiversity potential, and 25% low biodiversity potential, 55% of the landscape area must be conserved. To represent both tiger habitat and biodiversity, 62% of the total landscape area requires conservation or restoration intervention. The prioritized zones can prove significant for hierarchical decision making, involving multiple stakeholders in the landscape, including other tiger range areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The entire Himalayan arc is predicted to produce a series of significant earthquakes and the subsequent great earthquakes of magnitude 8.0 and higher. A substantial amount of rock tunneling is being carried out in the Himalayan region to meet the growing demand for transportation, power, and other infrastructure projects. Earthquake forces influence the final design of the tunnel, which requires further strengthening of the concrete lining and improvement in tunnel support. Because of increasing importance, it is essential to combine the dynamic forces and displacements produced by seismic ground movements into the design stage for tunnels. In this paper, a numerical analysis has been carried out to assess the seismic performance of a proposed hydropower tunnel of 8.8m diameter (horseshoe-shape) in Uttarakhand, India. The impact of earthquakes on underground structures such as tunnels is often considered to be insignificant. However, the results of this study show how that stress from seismic loads can be damaging to the stability of the tunnel. In this study, a pseudo-static approach was adopted to assess the impact of the earthquake on the tunnel lining for the sections located in different rocks namely slate (Q=3.4), quartzite (Q=6), and dolomitic limestone (Q=5.2), respectively. Pseudo-static analysis findings suggest there is a 35% increase in the lining forces for an impact of earthquake for the tunnel section situated in Slate. Furthermore, displacements and damage-prone areas are determined to assess the damage to the tunnel, which could be helpful for rapid evaluations of potential future damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Suicide results from complex interactions of various risk factors—reasons for dying (RFD)—and protective factors—reasons for living (RFL). Suicide is not necessarily a wish to die but may be an appeal for help. We analyzed RFD and RFL in persons who had attempted suicide, through their clinical records at a Crisis Intervention Clinic (CIC). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed demographic and clinical data, and classified RFD and RFL, among patients with either ideas or attempt of suicide registered at our CIC (N = 83). Using two open-ended questions from the clinical history data, we derived their RFD or RFL; (n = 53) completed these questions regarding RFD-RFL. Results: In the total sample, males and females were equally represented and educated, but males were significantly older. Most common diagnosis was nonpsychotic mood disorder. Commonest mode of suicide attempt was hanging. Family conflict vs. family responsibility, hope vs. hopelessness, stressful life events, and negative cognitions about the self and the world were important RFD. RFL included feeling responsible, love for family and for self, hope, career success, and religious beliefs, Conclusion: RFD and RFL could both be grouped in similar categories related to family, career, hope, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study analyzes the tree diversity and regeneration status of species between repeated forest fires and unburned areas of the tropical dry deciduous forest of Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR), Madhya Pradesh, Central India. Fire frequency maps were prepared with the help of Landsat 5, 7, and 8 satellite images, and the study area was classified into seven fire frequency classes (B1 to B7) and one control class (B0). Five plots were laid in every fire class including the control. A total of 45 tree species belonging to 33 genera and 20 families were recorded during the study period and of these, 44, 26, and 25 species were recorded in the three-growth stages: trees, saplings, and seedlings, respectively. Of the 7873 individuals recorded, 2667, 1243, and 3963 were seedlings, saplings, and trees, respectively. Our results showed that tree species diversity was higher at moderate fire frequencies than controls, but decreased with increasing fire frequency classes. Regeneration of species was significantly different among all fire frequency classes. Certain fire-tolerant species were increasingly dominant with increasing fire frequency classes. With fires left to continue unabated, the dry deciduous forest of the Central Indian region could have lower tree diversity in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: India is claimed to be the diabetes capital of the world. Many studies had proven that persistent hyperglycemia and associated metabolic syndrome features like hypertension, dyslipidemia and obesity contribute to the development of vascular complications. The present study aims to study the prevalence and clinical profile of microvascular and macrovascular complications in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Methods: The study is a clinical, prospective and observational study of 100 newly detected type 2 diabetics attending medicine department outpatient/ inpatient, SGRRIMHS hospital, dehradun, form the subject for the study August 2018 to July 2020 (24 months) who matched the inclusion criteria. Results: In this, 62 were males and 38 were females and the mean age was 54.05±13.24 years. 44% were detected when they presented with multiple complications due to diabetes. Common complications which they presented were coronary artery disease (15%), infection (12%), stroke (6%), ulcers (4%), neuropathy (4%) and diabetic ketoacidosis (1%). The prevalence of macrovascular complications CAD, CVD and PAD was 26.0%, 8.0% and 11.0% respectively and microvascular complications retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy was 20.0%, 34.0% and 16.0% respectively.High incidence of complications especially microvascular and CAD occur with HbA1c of range >6.5. The correlation coefficient of FBS and PPBS in relation to HbA1c was 0.56 and 0.57 respectively. Conclusion: Smoking, increased BMI and waist circumference is associated with increased prevalence of diabetes.There is high prevalence of coronary artery disease, retinopathy and nephropathy at diagnosis. HbA1c levels predict the prevalence of complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a comprehensive investigation into developing a real-time monitoring framework for a localized landslide early warning system (LEWS), focusing on the hydrological dynamics of an unsaturated slope near the Joshimath Badrinath Highway in Uttarakhand, India. Considering the steepness of the slope and its adjacency to the highway, continuous monitoring and stability assessment are crucial. The framework encompasses primary phases of monitoring, modelling, forecasting, and warning. Monitoring collected hydrological and meteorological data, used for modelling and calibration. Validation using Taylor diagrams ensured accuracy by comparing predicted and monitored data. The calibrated hydrological model guided slope stability modelling to identify instability factors. A machine learning algorithm detected potential instability. Forecasting predicted unstable periods, triggering warnings if the factor of safety (F s) values drop below 1.5. The study provided important insights into slope stability, highlighting the significance of vegetation parameters in accurately assessing slope stability using the F s. Calibration of the hydrogeological model, particularly considering rainfall, climate, and vegetation data, improved the alignment between predicted and observed volumetric water content (VWC), especially in shallower depths. However, modelling hydrological dynamics at greater depths remains challenging, emphasizing the need for refined approaches. Machine learning techniques, specifically a Random Forest model, achieve high accuracy in predicting F s , identifying VWC at 0.3-m and 3-m depths as pivotal variables. Temporal evaluation suggests a 12-month simulation as optimal, showing consistent performance across depths. Overall, the study advances slope stability modelling and offers insights into sustainable slope management practices, highlighting the complex interplay between climate, vegetation, and hydrological dynamics in unsaturated slopes. This approach lays a foundation for effective LEWS in Indian Himalayan states. • Developed a methodology for a site-specific landslide early warning system. • Tailored system addresses landslide risks specific to Chamoli. • Emphasized the critical role of real-time monitoring in assessing slope stability. • Fusion of hydrogeotechnical data with machine learning for early warning. • Climate and vegetation dynamics integrated for enhanced landslide prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater is essential for maintaining ecosystem health and overall well-being as a pivotal resource for plants and animals. The increasing public consciousness of the deterioration of groundwater quality has emphasized the significance of undertaking extended evaluations of groundwater water quality, particularly in regions undergoing substantial hydrological alterations. This study primarily aims to investigate the spatio-temporal variations in groundwater quality and evaluate its suitability for potable purposes in the region of Madhya Pradesh. The study combines the Mann-Kendall (MK) test and Sen's Slope (SS) to analyze the changes in groundwater quality of all 51 districts of Madhya Pradesh, India, utilizing 12 water quality indices using MATLAB. Data was sourced from the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) in India from the year 2001–2021. The data was then tested for homogeneity at all 1154 sampling stations using the software XLSTAT. Piper plot clustering characterized the state's groundwater as bicarbonate-calcium-magnesium (HCO 3 −-Ca2+-Mg2+) type. The study found that the groundwater in the area is heavily impacted by high levels of nitrate and hardness, which is caused by an increase in multivalent cations. The water was classified as ranging from hard to extremely hard, and approximately 25.49% of the state's groundwater has nitrate levels that exceed the acceptable limits. The MK test showed a significant increasing correlation in trends for parameters such as nitrate, sulfate, fluoride, chloride, bicarbonate, total hardness, and electrical conductivity. It also showed a significant decreasing correlation for calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. These results were observed at a confidence level of 95%. The analysis of trends has shown that human-related factors have a considerable effect on the characteristics of groundwater quality. It is therefore recommended that such human-related factors be taken into consideration when developing policies for managing groundwater resources. Consequently, these policies should emphasize the strict enforcement of rules and standards that limit the overuse of fertilizers, ensure the appropriate disposal of municipal solid and liquid wastes, and regulate industrial pollutants. • Comprehensive groundwater quality analysis across 51 districts of Madhya Pradesh using Mann-Kendall test and Sen's slope. • Revealed increasing trends in nitrate, sulfate, fluoride, conductivity, and hardness, indicating deteriorating water quality. • Over 25% of samples exceeded nitrate limits, posing health risks like methemoglobinemia and potential cancer. • The correlation between population density and pollution patterns highlights the anthropogenic impact on groundwater quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A retrospective investigation of pig tissue samples from different classical swine fever virus (CSFV) outbreaks was undertaken employing RT‐PCR for possible coinfection with other swine viruses. Four samples from three different outbreaks were found to be coinfected with Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). Phylogenetic analysis was done based on complete E gene sequenced from all four coinfected samples. This revealed a new introduction of a divergent subgroup of JEV genotype I in India. This is the first report of detection of coinfection of JEV and CSFV in pigs and the first incidence of JEV genotype I in pigs in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we developed highly accurate ensemble machine learning models integrating Reduced Error Pruning Tree (REPT) as a base classifier with the Bagging (B), Decorate (D), and Random Subspace (RSS) ensemble learning techniques for spatial prediction of rainfall-induced landslides in the Uttarkashi district, located in the Himalayan range, India. To do so, a total of 103 historical landslide events were linked to twelve conditioning factors for generating training and validation datasets. Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and Area Under the receiver operating characteristic Curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the training and validation performances of the models. The results showed that the single REPT model and its derived ensembles provided a satisfactory accuracy for the prediction of landslides. The D-REPT model with RMSE = 0.351 and AUC = 0.907 was identified as the most accurate model, followed by RSS-REPT (RMSE = 0.353 and AUC = 0.898), B-REPT (RMSE = 0.396 and AUC = 0.876), and the single REPT model (RMSE = 0.398 and AUC = 0.836), respectively. The prominent ensemble models proposed and verified in this study provide engineers and modelers with insights for development of more advanced predictive models for different landslide-susceptible areas around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Currently available screening questionnaires for Autism spectrum disorders were tested in developed countries, but many require additional training and many are unsuitable for older individuals, thus reducing their utility in lower/ middle- income countries. We aimed to derive a simplified questionnaire that could be used to screen persons in India. Methods: We have previously validated Indian Scale for Assessment of Autism (ISAA), that is now mandated for disability assessment by the Government of India. This detailed tool requires intensive training and it is time consuming. It was used to derive a new screening questionnaire: 1) items most frequently scored as positive by participants with autism in original ISAA validation study were modified for binary scoring following expert review. 2) In a new sample, clinically diagnosed individuals with/without autism were administered the screening tool and ISAA following written informed consent. Its psychometric properties were determined. Results: A 10-item scale named Indian Autism Screening Questionnaire (IASQ) was prepared in Hindi and English. Thereafter 145 parents/caregivers of participants (autism, n = 90, other psychiatric disorders, n = 55) (ages 3–18), were administered IASQ and ISAA (parents/caregivers plus observation) by separate interviewers, blind to each other and to diagnosis. At a cutoff of 1, sensitivity was 99%, specificity 62%, Positive Predictive Value 81%, and Negative Predictive Value 95%. Test-retest reliability was r = 0.767 (CI = 0.62–0.86) and interrater reliability- Krippendorff"s-alpha was 0.872. The area under Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (ROC) was 95%. There was a significant difference on IASQ-scores between participants with and without a clinical diagnosis of Autism (t = 14.57, p<0.0001). Discussion: The IASQ is a simple, easy to use screening tool with satisfactory reliability and validity, that can be administered to caregivers in 15 minutes and provides information about DSM 5 criteria for autism. It may be applicable outside India, following additional adaptation, for community-based studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Debris flows account for a substantial economy and property loss in Western Ghats of Kerala, India, especially during monsoon seasons. Wayanad district is an active erosion zone in the plateau margins of Western Ghats, and there is a remarkable rise in the number of debris flows since 2018, due to very high-intensity rainfalls in this region. This study comprises geotechnical investigation, runout modeling, and calibration of friction parameters of Kurichermala debris flow, one of the devastating debris flow events that happened in Wayanad, during the 2018 monsoon. The detailed investigation and back analysis of such events are substantial in calibrating the flow parameters for the region. These parameters can be used for predicting the flow paths of possible debris flows and quantitative risk assessment in the future. The geotechnical investigation provided vital information regarding the soil type and shear strength parameters of the debris flow and has helped in understanding the flow behavior. A dynamic numerical model, rapid mass movements (RAMMS), was used for the back analysis of the debris flow, using the shape information of the flow. For precise calibration using statistical comparison, an image processing tool has been developed, to compare the structural similarity of simulated results with the original shape of debris flow. The dry-Coulomb friction coefficient (μ) was calibrated as 0.01 and turbulent friction coefficient (ξ) as 100 m/s2 for the event, using Voellmy-Salm rheology. The shape predicted by the model had a similarity index of 0.626 with the actual shape of debris flow. The results were found to be in accordance with the field and geotechnical observations. Hence, the results can be used to predict the shape of possible debris flows in the study area. The study is the first of its kind for the region and has significant influence in risk assessment for this highly susceptible landslide zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The donor vigilance program is intended to collect and assess information on unexpected or undesirable effects or reactions resulting from blood donation. In this report, we discuss the analysis of the blood donor adverse reactions (DARs) reported in the National Blood Donor Vigilance Programme of India during the first 2 years of implementation. Materials and Methods: DAR reporting form prepared and approved by the National Executive Committee of the Haemovigilance Programme of India was used to capture the data by the blood centers and submitted to Donor-Vigil software prepared and hosted by the official website of the National Institute of Biologicals. Data reported for the years 2016 and 2017 were reviewed, analyzed, and validated by independent transfusion medicine experts. Results: During this period, a total of 19,98,101 donations denominator data were reported, in which 1,622,600 (80.9%) were valid. A total of 6091 DARs were reported, out of which 3980 (65.35%) were found valid. Only validated numerator and denominator data were included in the analysis. Generalized DARs were the most common type of DARs reported (83.7%), followed by "others" type (7.7%), localized (7.6%), allergic (0.4%), and complications related to apheresis (0.4%). The overall DAR rate was 2.45/1000 blood donations, which was higher in apheresis donations (3.07/1000) as compared to whole blood donations (2.39/1000). The DARs rates were higher in females (3.5/1000) compared to male donors (2.3/1000) and in the first time (2.5/1000) compared to repeat donors (2.15/1000). Conclusion: In this report, we concluded that younger age, first time, and female donors are more prone to DARs as compared to older age, repeat, and male donors. During the analysis of the data, we found some limitations, which can be improved by upgrading the reporting form and conducting regular continuing medical education (CMEs) of participant blood centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Autism is included as a certifiable disability in the Indian Rights of Persons with Disability Act, 2016. The Indian Scale for Assessment of Autism (ISAA), developed by the Government of India and mandated for certifying disability, is a detailed instrument that needs trained mental health experts and takes time to administer. The current project was planned to develop a simple, easy to use screening tool based on the ISAA to identify possible cases in the community. Methods: The project is planned in three phases. During the first phase, data collected during the development of the ISAA (N = 433/436 children with autism) will be used to identify questions answered as frequently, mostly, and always. During the second phase, the psychometric properties of the screening tool based on these items will be evaluated among research participants recruited from hospitals and special schools (n = 100). In the third phase, the screening questionnaire will be administered in the community (n = 500). Results: The most frequently answered questions will be selected for inclusion in the proposed screening tool. The number of items in the screening tool will be kept as few as possible, with yes or no responses Discussion: Indian Autism Screening Questionnaire (IASQ) will be tested as a screening version of ISAA, which can be used by community health workers, teachers, or school counselors. The IASQ will not provide a diagnosis of autism. A positive screening result should be followed by a thorough assessment by a trained specialist. Analyzing the psychometric properties of the test can help ensure cost-effective screening of the community to identify autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of blood transfusion services in a pandemic depends on the type, potential of community spread and risk of transfusion transmissibility. The COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest pandemic of the 21st century, affecting over 3 million people across the globe as of late April 2020. In India, the count of infected persons and deaths are rising gradually, and to prevent the community spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the Government of India announced national lockdown which affected the blood transfusion services also. There are more than 3000 decentralized blood centres all over the country. The major challenges to blood transfusion services are recruitment of healthy blood donors, follow-up of donors and patients, inventory management, staff safety and adequacy for emergency work and consumable management. Blood transfusion services also participate in treatment of COVID-19 patients by convalescent plasma collection from recovered patients. Blood transfusion services should have a strategic plan to respond to challenges generated during a pandemic which focuses on shortage, wastage and supply of blood and components in a cost-effective manner. In this review article, we will discuss the challenges to blood transfusion services of India due to COVID-19 pandemic and response to these challenges with experience to previous outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental health care workers as well as patients need to be protected from cross contamination during routine dental procedures by means of infection control measures. As dental students are at an increased risk of exposure to microorganisms it is important to assess the knowledge and awareness of personal protective measures and reinforce the practices of various personal protective measures among them. The objective of the study was to determine the level of knowledge, awareness, and compliance of undergraduate dental students towards personal protective equipment/measures, undergoing the clinical phase of training in South India's dental colleges.A cross-sectional study was conducted to obtain information regarding knowledge, awareness, and compliance with personal protective equipment's and measures. The sample (n = 210) consisted of undergraduate dental students (3rd, 4th and 5th year) of various colleges of South India. The data was collected after validation of the survey and analysed using One-way ANOVA followed by post hoc Tukey test. Knowledge about personal protective equipment and measures was significantly higher among the 5th year (p=0.003) dental undergraduate students compared to the 3rd year students. Awareness about post exposure prophylaxis was higher among the 5th (p<0.001) and 4th (p<0.001) year students compared to the 3rd year students. Compliance of personal protective equipment and measures was higher among the 5th year students ; however, willingness to treat HIV infected patients was higher among 3rd (p<0.001)and 4th year students (p<0.001) then 5th year students. The 5th year undergraduate dental students demonstrated good adherence to personal protective equipment and measures compared to the 3rd and 4th year students ; however the 5th year students were less willing to treat HIV infected patients. New protocols to be framed to tackle novel infections and with adequate training of the same to incorporated to the dental undergraduate students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variation in tree biomass and carbon (C) stocks in tropical dry forests is important at both regional and global scale to know their contribution in global C cycle. In Indian tropical forests, the information on variation in tree biomass and C stocks at forest type level is scarce and fragmented. In the present study, three tropical dry deciduous forest types: dry deciduous teak forest (DDTF), dry deciduous mixed forest (DDMF) and Boswellia forest (BF) have been selected in Madhya Pradesh, Central India, to assess the biomass and C stocks. The total tree biomass (aboveground + belowground) ranged from 70.4 (DDTF) to 296.6 (BF) Mg/ha with a mean of 184.1 Mg/ha, whereas the tree C ranged from 35.3 (DDTF) to 140.9 (BF) Mg C/ha with a mean value of 87.4 Mg C/ha. The greatest biomass (220.4 Mg/ha) and C stocks (104.7 Mg C/ha) have been observed in BF type, whereas the least biomass (160.9 Mg/ha) and C (76.4 Mg C/ha) have been observed in DDTF type, with the mean biomass and C stock values of 184.1 Mg/ha and 87.4 Mg C/ha, respectively. In both DDTF and DDMF types, Tectona grandis contributed 76.5 and 26.4% of C, whereas in BF type, Boswellia serrata contributed 73.6% of C to the total C stock. A significant positive (R2 = 0.951; p < 0.01) relationship has been observed between basal area and tree C stock. The present study would improve our understanding of C stocks present in these forest types and could be used to enhance the C sequestration potential through conservation, monitoring and management of such forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A MODIS-based technology on agricultural burning has been proposed. • Overall number of fires increasing significantly from 1268 in 2002 to 7915 in 2016. • Most of these fires were recorded in cropland (48.1%) followed by deciduous forest. • Fire counts in cropland have been increased from 454 in 2002 to 4359 in 2016. • The agricultural residue fires were maximum in April and minimum in August. An accurate characterization of the seasonal and inter-annual variability of agricultural residue burning in tropics is needed to devise strategies to control or minimize substantial amounts of particulate matter and pollutants released to the atmosphere through the burning of agricultural residues. The present study quantifies the spatiotemporal changes in agricultural residue burning in Madhya Pradesh, India. In this study, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data on the occurrence of fire over a period of 15 years (2002–2016) was used to characterize the spatial and temporal patterns of agricultural residue burning in Central India. Overall, there was an increasing trend of fire occurrence, which increased from 1268 in 2002 to 7915 in 2016. Most of these fires were in croplands (48.1%) followed by deciduous broadleaf forests (36%). Cropland fires were increased almost 10-fold from 454 in 2002 to 4359 in 2016 at an average annual rate of 64%. The agricultural residue fires were high in Rabi harvesting period (March to May), as compared to that in Kharif harvesting period (October to December). The present study indicates an increased agricultural residue burning activity in the Madhya Pradesh and needs an immediate attention and develop sustainable alternative methods for crop residue management. The present study also suggests that Modis can be used for long-term assessment of small fires. We recommend ploughing of agricultural residues into the soil as a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to the burning of crop residues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of forest fires in the soil dynamics and global carbon cycle has not been comprehensively studied in tropical forests as the effects of fire on tropical forest soils can be extremely variable. This study was aimed to understand how repeated fires affect physical and chemical properties of soil in a tropical dry deciduous forest and alter soil fertility and health. The study was carried out in the dry deciduous forest of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. Soil samples were collected from unburned (B0) to six-time burned (B6) plots. Samples were collected from each plot from three different depths viz. 0-10 (Top), 10-20 (Middle), and 20-30 cm (Bottom) and analyzed for soil physical and chemical properties. Soil pH, EC, WHC decreased with increasing fire frequencies while bulk density increased. Organic Carbon, Total N, and available P decreased with increasing fire frequencies whereas extractable K initially increased but decreased with the very high frequency of fires. NO3−N slightly decreased with high fire frequencies but NH4−N decreased significantly with increasing fire frequency. These results provide a new insight regarding the influence of repeated fires on soil that will be valuable to understand the effect of fire on the recovery of soils and nutrient dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper analyses the existing situation of drinking water supply under National Rural Drinking Water (NRDWP) programme which was initiated in 2008 under the Eleventh Plan strategy. Whether the programme ensured safe drinking water to tribal habitation is the central research question probed in the present study. The reason to formulate such a research question was that the programme was targeted to ensure availability of potable drinking water on sustainable basis in SCs/STs dominant habitations. In this context, the study focused on tribal areas of Telangana state to identify hurdles of such stipulated policy. But, in contrast to plan's goals, it was found that small clusters and habitations were not able to access water from the common water supply schemes located in rural and tribal areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Most common source of stem cell graft for both autologous and allogenic haematopoietic transplants are peripheral blood haematopoietic progenitor stem cells. Adequate collection of the CD34+ cells and safety of the allogenic donor during the leukapheresis are of prime importance to an apheresis physician. Our retrospective analysis is a comparison between of two platforms namely, COBE Spectra and Amicus, for CD34+ mononuclear cell collection. Material and method The study included the data of GSCF (Granulocyte-Colony-Stimulating Factor) mobilized allogenic PBSC collections at our centre from January 2015 to June 2016. The apheresis platforms used were COBE Spectra and Amicus. Blood cell counts were done using LH750 Beckman Coulter (Florida, Miami, USA). CD45+ & CD34+ cell counts were done using BD FACS Canto-II Flow-Cytometer by ISHAGE guidelines. Results A total of 170 PBSC (100 COBE Spectra & 70 Amicus) harvests were done on 143 donors, of which 116 completed the collection in a single session and 27 required a second session. Demographic details and pre harvest peripheral blood counts for both the groups did not show any statistical differences. Amicus processed higher blood volume with higher ACD exposure and procedure time compared to COBE Spectra. Higher platelets loss was with COBE Spectra harvests with higher product volumes collection. Collection efficiency (CE2), collection ratio, CD34+ cells dose was similar on both the platforms. RBC contamination, absolute lymphocyte and monocytes counts were significantly higher with Amicus harvest product compared with COBE Spectra. A total of 14 (8.2%; citrate toxicity) adverse reactions were reported out of 170 allogenic PBSC collections. Discussion/conclusion Our study suggests that both Amicus and COBE Spectra platforms offer comparable results for allogenic PBSC collections. Amicus offers a concentrated PBSC product with lesser volume and platelets loss but higher RBC contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indian civilization developed a strong system of traditional medicine and was one of the first nations to develop a synthetic drug. In the post independence era, Indian pharmaceutical industry developed a strong base for production of generic drugs. Challenges for the future are to give its traditional medicine a strong scientific base and develop research and clinical capability to consistently produce new drugs based on advances in modern biological sciences. Indian civilization is one of the few in the world that developed a full-fledged system of traditional medicine. The approach of Indian traditional medicine, e.g., the ayurvedic system, is herbal based in general and is more effective for chronic diseases and prevention. Although modern medicine has found its own niche in India, traditional formulations are still widely used, and more and more scientifically validated formulations are appearing in the market. In recent times, many plants used in Indian system of medicine have been analyzed by modern analytical methods and active components have been isolated. Significant amount of medicinal chemistry efforts are going on around these molecules in an attempt to develop more potent leads. These include curcumin from turmeric, 1 Bacosides from Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri), 2 and Forskolin from Coleus forskohlii. The first modern synthetic drug to be developed in India was Urea Stibamine in 1922 by UN Brahmachari against visceral leishmaniasis. 3 Visceral leishmaniasis was a severe health burden during the early part of the 20th century, and it was a life saving drug for a large section of the population. Historically, it was the second drug developed against an infectious disease after Salversan (against Syphillis) and well before penicillin or sulfa drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To evaluate the response rate of transfusion-transmissible infection (TTI)-reactive donors after notification of their abnormal test results for the year 2012. Materials and Methods: This study is an observational descriptive study performed in our department over a period of 1 year. We evaluated the response rate of TTI-reactive donors after notification of their abnormal test results over 1 year as per the existing strategy (three telephonic and two postal communications). Results: During the study period, among the annual donation of 15,322 units, 464 blood donors were found to be seroreactive. Of these 464 seroreactive cases, 47 were HIV positive, 284 were reactive for Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), 49 were Hepatitis C (HCV) positive and 84 were VDRL reactive. The TTI-reactive donors (464) for various markers were contacted: 229 (49.4%) telephonically and the remaining 235 (50.6%) not contacted on phone were informed by post. Of the 229 contacted donors, the response rate was 98.2% as only 225 donors reported (221 on the first, three on second and one on the third call) for one to one counseling. The remaining four non-responders were - one HIV and three HBsAg reactive. The remaining 235 (50.6%) reactive donors did not respond to any communication. Conclusion: Donor notification and post-donation counseling are an essential aspect of the blood bank that entails provision of information on serological status, assess the impact of test results on the donor and finally referral for medical care. As in our data only 49.4% of the blood donors could be contacted successfully, incomplete demographic details was the major limiting factor in communicating with rest. Of the 229 contacted donors, the response rate was 98.2%. A large majority (94.75%) of the notified donors in our study contacted their health care provider when given clear instructions to do so. These results are encouraging because they indicate that a major element of the notification message is acted upon when it is worded clearly. The very high response rate of the contacted donors ensured their concern for knowing their test result status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Discovery of hepatitis B infections characterized by the presence of viral genome without detectable HBsAg (Occult Hepatitis; OBI) has initiated a considerable amount of research in this regard. Our study is a serological and molecular characterization of OBI among the donors who donated at our blood bank during the study period. Material and Method During the study period HBsAg ELISA non reactive ID-NAT reactive donors samples were screened for presence of antibody against HBc, HBs and HBe. Molecular analysis of these NAT yield samples was undertaken for detection of the viral load and genotyping. Result We studied 28,134 HBsAg ELISA non reactive donor samples. On testing them with ID-NAT, HBV DNA was detected in 25 samples. Eighteen samples out of these 25 NAT yield were further worked up. The 66.6% of the NAT yield samples (12 out of 18) were reactive for antibody against HBc. The 25% (3 out of 12) of these NAT yield samples having antibody against core antigen also had antibody against HBs. The 27.7% (5 out of 18) of NAT yield detected by ID-NAT did not have any detectable serological marker in blood. Four out of 12 core antibody positive NAT yield samples had genotype A HBV infection. Conclusion As per our study molecular detection of HBV DNA by ID-NAT, we were able to analyze 18 HBV NAT yield cases among 28,134 HBsAg ELISA non reactive donors. Out of 18, 12 donors were OBI whereas the rest (6) were in window period (WP yield) of HBV infection. One out of every 3.6 NAT yield detected by ID-NAT was non reactive for all serological markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial networks range from the brain networks, to transportation networks and infrastructures. Recently interacting and multiplex networks are attracting great attention because their dynamics and robustness cannot be understood without treating at the same time several networks. Here we present maximal entropy ensembles of spatial multiplex and spatial interacting networks that can be used in order to model spatial multilayer network structures and to build null models of real data sets. We show that spatial multiplexes naturally develop a significant overlap of the links, a noticeable property of many multiplexes that can affect significantly the dynamics taking place on them. Additionally, we characterize ensembles of spatial interacting networks and we analyze the structure of interacting airport and railway networks in India, showing the effect of space in determining the link probability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we study the Indian highway network as a complex network where the junction points are considered as nodes, and the links are formed by an existing connection. We explore the topological properties and community structure of the network. We observe that the Indian highway network displays small-world properties and is assortative in nature. We also identify the most important road-junctions (or cities) in the highway network based on the betweenness centrality of the node. This could help in identifying the potential congestion points in the network. Our study is of practical importance and could provide a novel approach to reduce congestion and improve the performance of the highway network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Face is an entity that allow us to distinguish one person from another. It also permits distinctions between races, ethnic groups, sexes and even members of same family. Human face can be studied by means of natural science or more specifically by biological anthropology, which is scientific study of human biological characters. Many factors are responsible for the variation in the human's face viz hormonal, genetic heritage, sex environment and age. Aims and objectives This research was conducted in view of the importance of anthropometric indices of the face in plastic and cosmetic surgery, forensic medicine and other allied clinical sciences. Material and methods This cross-sectional study was set up to determine and compare the face shape in Jat Sikhs and Bania males of Indian Punjab origin (300 adult male Jat Sikhs and 300 adult male Banias). The total facial height & breadth of bizygomatic arch were measured and the facial index was calculated. Then these two endogamous groups were compared for these parameters. Results The dominant type of face shape in Jat Sikhs males was euryprosopic (39.94%) whereas hypereuryprosopic type of face was in dominance (44.51 %) in Bania males. Conclusion This study showed that ethnicity can affect the form of face in adult Indian Punjabi male Jat Sikhs and Banias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]