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We have designed a low-cost radio telescope system named the Bose Horn Antenna Radio Telescope (BHARAT) to detect the 21 cm hydrogen line emission from our Galaxy. The system is being used at the Radio Physics Laboratory (RPL) (Radio Physics Lab, IUCAA NCRA-TIFR, , ), Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), India, for laboratory sessions and training students and teachers. It is also a part of the laboratory curriculum at several universities and colleges. Here, we present the design of a highly efficient, easy to build, and cost-effective dual-mode conical horn used as a radio telescope and describe the calibration procedure. We also present some model observation data acquired using the telescope for facilitating easy incorporation of this experiment in the laboratory curriculum of undergraduate or post-graduate programs. We have named the antenna after Acharya (teacher or an influential mentor) Jagadish Chandra Bose, honoring a pioneer in radio-wave science and an outstanding teacher, who inspired several world renowned scientists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homestead farming has been the backbone agricultural economy of Kerala but the productivity of the homesteads in Kerala has yet to reach an acceptable level. In this paper the possibility of increasing the contribution of this sector through proper crop planning is sought. The optimum model was developed by using linear programming (LP) technique. The constraints included in the analysis were total area, intercropped area, investment amount and population of each enterprise. The optimum model reveal the scope of 22.83 per cent enhancement in net return as compared to net return from the existing plan. Sensitivity analysis of the optimum model revealed that further enhancement of net return in The agro-ecological region could be achieved by increasing the cropping intensity in the underutilized intercropped area and changing the binding enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fisheries is a commercially important occupation, impacting the livelihood of 39.9 lakh fishermen in India and 2.3 lakh fishermen in Kerala. Extraction of fisheries in a sustainable manner from sea and oceans ensures their presence for future generations. India stands at seventh position in world marine fish production in the year 2014. Catch of marine fish after the imposition of ban on trawling since 1988 in Kerala has grown at a rate which is three times faster than that before the ban. The usual period of ban on trawling coincides favourably with the spawning period of Mackerel whose catch is the largest in Kerala in 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article the authors examine how intra family resource allocations respond to changes in economic conditions and to genetic differences in children by estimating the determinants of variations in the sex-specific survival differentials of rural Indian children, based on standard census and household survey data. A number of testable implications concerning household allocation behavior are obtained from the theoretical framework without the imposition of special behavioral assumptions or restrictions on the biological determinants of child survival. In section I, the authors formulate a simple model of the household in which the relationships between the allocations of household resources between children, biological differences by sex in the responsiveness of survival propensities to consumption levels, adult sex-specific earnings potential, and differences in survival rates are set out explicitly. The authors then derive predictions regarding how changes in differential adult employment opportunities impact on household resource allocations and on sex differences in survival rates. In section II the authors specify the empirical framework to be applied to both 1961 aggregate district-level census data and 1971 household survey data from rural India. Results from the analysis of household level sex-specific survival rates are reported in section III, and a measure of sex differences in child survival based on census age distribution information is derived and analyzed at the level of districts from all but one state in India in section IV.

Background: The coexistence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is termed "Overlap syndrome (OS).", Objectives: The present study aimed at estimating the prevalence of OS among patients diagnosed with OSA., Methods: It was a prospective observational study conducted on patients presenting to respiratory medicine outpatient department (sleep clinic) with symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing and was found to have OSA by overnight polysomnography. These patients were then subjected to spirometry to diagnose COPD., Results: The prevalence of OS in the study population was found to be 41.3%. Excessive daytime sleepiness was found to be higher in overlap group patients (P = 0.033), the difference was statistically significant. The mean age (59.9 ± 9.6 years) was found to be high in the OS group compared to those without the same. The mean forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and FEV1/FVC (pre- and postbronchodilator) spirometry parameters were found to be lower in patients with OS., Conclusion: The study showed that the prevalence of OS in the present study was 41.3%. Excessive daytime sleepiness and age >60 years were risk factors for OS in a patient with OSA. OS patients had lower pulmonary function values., Competing Interests: None

Melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5) antibody-positive dermatomyositis (DM) displays unique cutaneous and pathologic features. We describe two cases of myositis-associated rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RP-ILD). The patients were two women from Kerala, India. Both patients had anti-MDA5 antibody-positive myositis. Both patients presented with RP-ILD without any clinical features of myositis and succumbed to their illness despite aggressive medical treatment. Anti-MDA5-antibody-positive DM is characterised by amyopathic disease with rapidly progressive and fatal ILD., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Aims: To elucidate the impact of arsenic on progression and prognosis of bladder cancer. Patients & methods: Total arsenic in 145 tumors (80 non-muscle-invasive [NMIBC] and 65 muscle-invasive bladder cancer [MIBC]) was measured and associated with Ki67 expression, tumor-clinicopathological parameters and patient outcome. Results: Tumor arsenic concentration was higher in exposed than unexposed patients (256 μg/kg vs 77 μg/kg; p < 0.0001) and positively correlated (r = 0.65; p < 0.0001) with arsenic content of patient's drinking water. Arsenic concentration showed significant association with Ki67-overexpression (p = 0.001) and advanced tumor stages (NMIBC vs MIBC; p = 0.0009). In NMIBC, high tumor arsenic (>100 μg/kg) and Ki67 overexpression was established as predictors for recurrence (hazard ratio [HR]: 4.68; p = 0.005 and HR: 3.91; p = 0.018) and progression (HR: 6.04; p = 0.023 and HR: 6.87; p = 0.013). In MIBC, association of high arsenic remained significant with increased risk of recurrence (HR: 4.58; p = 0.04). Conclusion: In NMIBC, high arsenic and Ki67 overexpression and in MIBC, only high arsenic showed prognostic importance in predicting poor patient outcome.

Background: In elderly people, the body's metabolic processes are not optimal and pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic profile of drugs are compromised or reduced. Under these conditions, the concomitant use of diverse classes of drugs can potentially increase the risk of adverse reactions and drug interactions. This will consequentially affect the already debilitated organ system. As far as the authors are aware, there are no studies addressing the drug-drug interactions and adverse drug reactions due to polypharmacy in older patients with cancer and therefore, we conducted this study., Methods: This was an observational chart-based study and was carried out in a tertiary care cancer hospital. The data concerning prescription of all prescribed medications were noted down from the medication chart of the patient in the wards., Results: The most common drug-to-drug interaction that could have happened was due to the combination of theophylline with budesonide (26.10%). Adverse drug reactions were noted during the course of time, the most common being nausea and vomiting (71.9%)., Conclusions: As the geriatric population is increasing, the need to address medical problems among aged patients with cancer is the need of the hour. The adverse drug reactions and drug interactions that have occurred were lesser when compared to published observations., Competing Interests: None

Aims: Stage 0 Acute Charcot's Neuroarthropathy (ACN)in Type 2 Diabetes patients is a challenging diagnosis with subtle clinical features and normal appearing plain radiographs of the affected foot. Delay in diagnosis can lead to progression of disease and irreversible deformities. There is a paucity of data on Stage 0 ACN from India. The aim of this study was to assess clinical and radiological characteristics and treatment outcomes in Indian Type 2 Diabetes patients with Stage 0 ACN., Materials and Methods: A comparative, case-control study was carried out amongst patients attending the Integrated Diabetes Foot Clinic at a tertiary care South Indian hospital. During the 3-year study period, a total of 1811 patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus were screened. Of these, n = 10 patients with stage 0 ACN Charcot's arthropathy were identified based on clinical features and MRI imaging of the foot for confirmation of diagnosis. These were compared with an age and duration of diabetes-matched group of n = 50 patients without ACN as controls., Results: Our study identified 10 patients (0.5%) with Stage 0 Acute charcot neuroarthropathy (ACN) in the study population. Those with ACN had higher BMI, poorer glycaemic control and greater degree of peripheral neuropathy (p < 0.05). Clinically relative lack of pain and infrared thermometric temperature difference >2 °C in the affected foot were the most significant findings, while MRI foot was useful in early detection of active and severe stage 0 disease. Total contact cast was the preferred initial offloading modality, with delay in initiating complete immobilization leading to worse outcomes., Conclusions: This is the first study to highlight the characteristic features of Stage 0 ACN in Indian Type 2 Diabetes patients. Thorough clinical evaluation, infrared thermometry and radiological findigs on MRI foot leads to early disease detection. Complete offloading, preferably with total contact casts can prevent disease progression and chronic deformities., (Copyright © 2019 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In India, blood banks are owned by state hospitals, private hospitals, NGOs and private laboratories. The aim of this study is to improve the service levels of the blood supply chain by maximizing the availability and minimizing the wastage of blood. New configuration approaches are adapted from the successful methods of manufacturing sectors. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, whole blood (WB) demand and supply data between April 2015 to March 2016 has been taken. Data analytics tool "R" is used for statistical analysis. Two new configurations, namely a) Zonal Network and b) Pull system models have been developed to compare the existing blood supply chain. The performances of the proposed configurations have been compared with the existing system using suitable indicators computed using Arena simulation software12.0. The total shortage index (TSI) and total wastage index (TWI) are used as indicators of performance measures. Weights are assigned for shortage and wastage indices to the reconfigured models. The pull system model outperforms existing model and zone model by achieving zero wastage. In transfusion medicine, importance is given to the achievement of lesser percentage shortage than wastage. If the WB inventory in blood centers is sufficient enough and we have more than one zone for distribution, then we can reduce wastages level in the blood supply chain.

Background: To investigate the prevalence of depression, suicidal ideations, alcohol and nicotine consumption in adults in an agrarian society mostly unchanged by the effects of urbanization., Methods: The Central India Eye and Medical Study is a population-based study in rural Central India close to the tribal belt and included 4711 subjects (aged 30+ years). Depression was assessed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD), suicidal ideation by six standardized questions, nicotine use by the Fagerstroem Nicotine Tolerance Questionnaire (FTNQ), and alcohol consumption by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)., Results: Mild to moderate depression (CESD sum score: 15-21) was detected in 1862 (39.6%) individuals (33.5% of men, 44.8 of women), and major depression (CESD sum score >21) in 613 (13.0%) individuals (8.1 of men, 17.3% of women). Suicide attempt was reported by 199 (4.2%) participants and suicidal thoughts during the last 6 months by 238 (5.1%) individuals. There were 887 (18.9%) smokers and smokeless tobacco was consumed by 1968 (41.8%) subjects. Alcohol consumption was reported by 1081 (23.0%) participants; 283 (6.0%) subjects had an AUDIT score ≥ 8 (hazardous drinking), and 108 (4.63%) subjects a score ≥ 13 (women) or ≥ 15 (men) (alcohol dependence)., Conclusions: In rural Central India, prevalence of major depression was comparable to figures reported from other developing countries. Prevalence of smoking and hazardous alcohol consumption was higher than as reported from urban regions. Measures should be taken to address the relatively high prevalence of suicide attempts and thoughts on suicide in rural Central India.

There are few publications on responses of patients with chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CP-CML) from the Indian sub continent to imatinib mesylate (IM). This study analyses the response rates, progression free survival (PFS), overall survival and adverse events of early CP-CML patients on IM. Analysis of patients with untreated early CP-CML on IM from 2003 to 2006 was done. Standard criteria for hematological and cytogenetic responses were used. There were 201 patients with a median follow-up of 29.5 months. Thirty three percentage, 40% and 27% belonged to the low, intermediate and high-risk Hasford groups, respectively. Ninety seven percentage achieved complete hematological response. Fifty six percentage achieved complete cytogenetic response (CCR), 23% partial cytogenetic response, 17% minor response and 4% no response. The estimated PFS and OS at 29 months for the whole group was 77 and 94%, respectively. Hasford risk groups were predictive of CCR (p = 0.0018). None required permanent drug discontinuations due to adverse events. This study shows sub optimal outcomes to IM in early CP-CML. Late presentation may be one of the reasons for these outcomes. IM was well tolerated.

Objective: To ascertain the oral and dental health status of children with cleft lip and/or palate., Design: Oral and dental examinations were carried out on 114 selected children with cleft lip and/or palate, using standard criteria and indices., Setting: These children were examined at two cleft palate clinics in the United Kingdom., Patients: All children examined were between the ages of 3 and 18 years., Results: Sixty one (53.5%) of the subjects exhibited no evidence of previous caries experience, but as many as 20% exhibited active decay. The mean caries experience in the deciduous dentition (dmfs) was 2.3, and that in the permanent dentition (DMFS) was 0.9. Caries experience of the Caucasian children of the sample was lower (mean dmfs 1.9) than that of the Asian children (mean dmfs 5.5). The mean simplified debris index of the sample was 0.9, and the mean gingival bleeding index was 0.4. Children with cleft lip and palate had generally poorer oral and gingival health than those with isolated clefts of the lip or palate., Conclusion: Twenty percent of the sample had active decay. These children had poor oral health in the surgically repaired anterior segment.