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Abstract: One of the recent developments in the form of a novel probe for simultaneous in-situ measurements of Electron density and Neutral Wind (ENWi) parameters was extensively made use of during the annular solar eclipse that passed right over the magnetic dip equatorial station, Trivandrum in India. The response of the equatorial ionosphere to the annular solar eclipse of January 2010 is investigated using the data from ENWi and other ground based instruments like digital Ionosonde, HF radar, magnetometer etc. Significant effects on the neutral wind components and electron densities during the peak phase of the eclipse are brought out by the ENWi data. A clear reversal in the zonal neutral wind is observed during the rocket flights at the peak phase of the eclipse as well as in the flight conducted 3h later. The ground magnetic field measurements revealed the reversal of electrojet during the eclipse alongwith blanketing Es layers vindicating the earlier hypothesis that blanketing Es layers manifest over magnetic equatorial regions only during periods of either weak or reversed electrojet (counter electrojet). The HF radar results independently substantiate the in situ measurements with regard to the location of the irregularities and their Doppler velocities. The regional scale changes that have been brought about by the Solar eclipse both in the neutral and ionized medium and the consequent electrodynamics are highlighted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper discusses the plant-oriented instrumentation developed for a solid electrolyte-based hydrogen sensor. The sensor detects any event of steam leak at the steam generator of fast breeder reactors, by continuously monitoring the hydrogen concentration in secondary sodium. A specially designed in situ preamplifier measures the electromotive force (EMF) generated by the sensor and the temperature of sodium. After digitizing, these signals are transmitted to a signal-processing unit. A microcontroller-based signal-processing unit receives the signals and calculates the hydrogen concentration in parts per billion (ppb). The instrument measures hydrogen concentration in the range of 50 to 1000 ppb. It provides the analog signal of the hydrogen concentration to the plant computer for logging purposes. The instrumentation makes surveillance checks on instrument performance and provides a system healthiness status to the plant computer. These instruments are installed in a fast breeder test reactor (FBTR) in Kalpakkam, India, in other sodium experimental facilities of Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam, and in a fast breeder reactor in Phenix, France. The long-term performance of these instruments is found to be very good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents measurement of daytime Sodium (Na) airglow emissions at 589.6 nm wavelength using a ground based 1-m scanning monochromator from Trivandrum (8.5° N, 77° E, 0.5° N dip latitude), a nearequatorial station in India. The Na emission intensity exhibits significant temporal variability within a day and from one day to another. The Na intensity has been compared with the daytime OH airglow intensity at 731.6 nm simultaneously measured using the unique Multiwavelength Dayglow Photometer (MWDPM). The temporal variabilities of the Na and OH intensities corroborate each other in most of the occasions without any appreciable time delay, although a small time delay up to °10 min has been observed at times. It appears that the variability of daytime Na emissions is influenced too by the photo-chemical excitations. The observed similarities in the Na and OH intensities are believed to be due to the similar roles played by [O] and O3 (in their photochemical excitations) and the dynamics occurring at about the same altitude region (∼90 km). It has also been found that the gravity waves play significant role in producing the short-scale oscillations in these emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1991, the World Bank was forced to appoint a team to Conduct an independent review of the human and environmental impact of a mega-dam and water-distribution project on the river Narmada in India. The review team asked us to help assess the problems caused by the 75,000-km canal network being built for the project. We combined spreadsheet modeling with insights gained from a rapid rural appraisal to prepare both quantitative and qualitative findings and recommendations, many of which have been vindicated by later research and events. The review team used all our findings in a damning report, which led to the World Bank withdrawing from the project. Taking into account the review team's report, the Supreme Court of India has put a ban on the continuation of the project until it is satisfied that the project authorities have taken care of all the human problems of rehabilitation and resettlement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents an overview of CAWSES—India program, highlighting some of the Indian coordinated efforts to understand the Sun−Earth system as a whole, with special emphasis to the equatorial and low latitude phenomena. Two multi-institutional, multi-instrument campaigns, one under ‘Space Weather: Science and Applications’ and the other emphasizing tides under ‘Atmospheric Coupling Processes’ were conducted during February–April 2006. The highlights of the campaigns include improved prediction of equatorial spread-F (ESF) based on a ‘new factor’ combining the strength and asymmetry of the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA); simultaneous detection of quasi-2-day wave at both E and F region heights; tomographic image showing a Traveling Ionospheric Disturbance (TID) in association with a counter electrojet (CEJ) event—all highlighting the neutral and electrodynamical coupling of the equatorial ionosphere−thermosphere regions; an unusual lowering of mesospheric temperature during a moderate geomagnetic storm—highlighting a new space weather effect; diurnal tide showing a peak amplitude of 35m/s at 45km in zonal wind and a significantly lower amplitude (∼15m/s) in the meridional wind and also evidence of convective activity in the lower atmosphere influencing the tidal variability in the Mesosphere−Lower Thermosphere (MLT) region highlighting the vertical coupling of the atmospheric regions. The development of models for equatorial and low latitude ionosphere has been among the prime activities taken up under ‘Space Climate’. Two models have been developed towards this end: one based on Second Degree (SD) relationships of F region parameters to the mean sun spot number and the other a Multiple Regression Analysis (MRA) based model involving expressions relating F region parameters to that representing solar and geomagnetic activities. The two models, intended for long and short term predictions, have been found to represent the equatorial and low latitude ionosphere over Indian longitudes better than the commonly used International Reference Ionosphere (IRI). Under the theme of ‘Solar Influence on Atmospheric Climate’, a study has been made on the effects of solar variability on middle atmosphere using satellite data and model simulations, highlighting the significant differences between them. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: Risk management in the healthcare sector is a highly relevant sub-domain and a crucial research area from the humanitarian perspective. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the managerial/supply chain risk factors experienced by the government hospitals in an Indian state. The present paper analyzes the inter-relationships among the significant risk factors and ranks those risk factors based on their criticality., Design/methodology/approach: The current research focuses on 125 public hospitals in an Indian state. Questionnaire-based survey and personal interviews were conducted in the healthcare sector among the inpatients and hospital staff to identify the significant risk factors. An integrated DEMATEL-ISM-PROMETHEE method is adopted to analyze the impact potential and dependence behavior of the risk factors., Findings: The analysis asserts the absence of critical risk factors that have a direct impact on patient safety in the present healthcare system under investigation. However, the results illustrate the remarkable impact potential attributed to the risk factor, namely, staff shortage in inducing other risk factors such as employee attitudinal issues, employee health issues and absenteeism altogether resulting in community mistrust/misbeliefs. Maintenance mismanagement, monsoon time epidemics, physical infrastructure limitations are also found to be significant risk factors that compromise patient satisfaction levels., Practical Implications: Multiple options are illustrated to mitigate significant risk factors and operational constraints experienced by public hospitals in the state. The study warrants urgent attention from government officials to fill staff vacancies and to improve the infrastructural facilities to match with the increasing demand from the society. Furthermore, this research recommends the hospital authorities to start conducting induction and training programs for the hospital employees to instill the fundamental code of conduct while working in hectic, challenging and even in conditions with limited resources., Originality/value: Only limited papers are visible that address the identification and mitigation of risk factors associated with hospitals. The present paper proposes a novel DEMATEL-ISM-PROMETHEE integrated approach to map the inter-relationships among the significant risk factors and to rank those risk factors based on their criticality. Furthermore, the present study discloses the unique setting of the public healthcare system in a developing nation., (© Emerald Publishing Limited.)

Purpose: To estimate the prevalence of epilepsy in India by meta-analysis of previously published and unpublished studies and to determine patterns of epilepsy by using community-based studies., Methods: We attempted to identify as many previously published and unpublished studies as possible on the prevalence of epilepsy in India. The studies were assessed with regard to methods and definitions. The prevalence rates for rural and urban populations and for men and women were calculated with a 95% confidence interval (CI). The studies that provided details on age structure, age-specific rates, and patterns of epilepsy were chosen for meta-analysis. Both crude values and age-standardized prevalence rates were calculated after accounting for heterogeneity., Results: Twenty studies were found involving a sample population of 598,910, among whom 3,207 had epilepsy. This resulted in a crude prevalence of 5.35/1,000. After a correction for heterogeneity due to interstudy variation, the overall prevalence per 1,000 (and its 95% CI) was 5.33 (4.25-6.41); with urban areas at 5.11 (3.49-6.73); rural areas, 5.47 (4.04-6.9); men, 5.88 (3.89-7.87); and women 5.51 (3.49-7.53). After correction for the variability in estimates of heterogeneity, age-standardized rates (from five studies) revealed that the prevalence rates per 1,000 (and the 95% CI), were as follows: overall, 5.59 (4.15-7.03); men, 6.05 (3.79-8.31); women, 5.18 (3.04-7.32); urban, 6.34 (3.43-9.25); rural, 4.94 (3.12-6.76). Urban men and women had a higher prevalence of epilepsy compared with rural ones, however the difference was not statistically significant. Age-specific prevalence rates were higher in the younger age group, with the onset of epilepsy reported mostly in the first three decades of the sample population's lives. The treatment gap (i.e., the percentage of those with epilepsy who were receiving no or inadequate treatment) was more than 70% in the rural areas., Conclusions: Based on the total projected population of India in the year 2001, the estimated number of people with epilepsy would be 5.5 million. Based on a single study on the incidence of epilepsy, the number of new cases of epilepsy each year would be close to half a million. Because rural population constitutes 74% of the Indian population, the number of people with epilepsy in rural areas will be approximately 4.1 million, three fourths of whom will not be getting any specific treatment as per the present standard.

Case control analysis of 204 patients with acute ischemic stroke revealed the matched pair odds ratio (and 95% confidence limits) for hypertension, ECG abnormality, heart disease of any type, diabetes, smoking and alcohol intake to be 3.95 (2.5, 6.2), 2.1 (1.4, 3.1), 2.1 (1.4, 3.2), 1.7 (1.1, 2.6), 1.8 (1.1, 2.8) and 1.5 (0.86, 2.6), respectively. Except alcohol intake, the other factors were statistically significant. Hemoglobin, packed cell volume (hematocrit), serum cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were not found to be significant. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and uric acid were significantly lower and the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol (TC/HDL) was higher among stroke patients. The risk was considerably higher when there was any combination of hypertension, heart disease and HDL cholesterol level lower than 45 mg/dl. Logistic regression revealed hypertension, heart disease of any type, lower HDL cholesterol and uric acid and higher ratio of TC/HDL to be significant factors.