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Currently, migrant entrepreneurship grows rapidly in the globe. This research study is an attempt to investigate factors and challenges influencing female migrant entrepreneurship in the business landscape of India. The research question leading the study is: 'What factors are responsible to impact on the rise of female migrant entrepreneurship in India and what challenges female migrant entrepreneurship faces?' To answer the question, the study has employed the semi-experimental and observational research methods of quantitative research design. To investigate the impacts of push and pull factors on female migrant entrepreneurship, semi-experimental research method has been employed while investigating challenges the observational research method has been considered in the study. Data were collected from 250 female migrant entrepreneurs using closed-ended questionnaires and a survey. The study has found that the pull factors of government policy, independence in business, financial gain, marketing facility, access to resources and work life, all positively influence female migrant entrepreneurship. Accordingly, discontent with the trading climate in one's native country, unemployment and individual goals positively impact on female migrant entrepreneurship by pushing female migrant entrepreneurs to India's trade landscape to initiate a business. The findings concluded that the pull factor of 'availability of infrastructure' doesn't influence female migrant entrepreneurship while the push factor of 'limitation in the growth of trade in the home country' positively influences female migrant entrepreneurship. The study has also revealed that the challenges of identity crisis, language barrier, cultural difference in trade, administrative procedures, market competitiveness, financial instability, and discrimination based on foreignness influence female migrant entrepreneurship in India. However, based on the results, the challenges of currency exchange barrier and communication barrier in the entrepreneurial process of female migrant entrepreneurship in India have been found insignificant. This study will help policymakers to make a good policy for the growth and development of female migrant entrepreneurship in India by providing with the knowledge of push and pull factors and challenges of female migrant entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apiship is conceptualized as a way of earning where one produces honey for sale by rearing bees to earn livelihood. Honey is the primary commercial output of apiship. Because of its expanding and ever-increasing market demand, apiship has become an essential source of self-employment and income, ultimately leading to poverty alleviation. This study examines factors influencing apientrepreneurs to choose apiship as a primary occupation and men's dominant status in apiship. This study adopts a positivist approach to philosophy that undertakes quantitative examination of findings. Data were collected from 800 apientrepreneurs using a survey with closed-ended questionnaires. The study revealed that the pull factors of amount of investment, risk in investment, demand for the produce, amount of work, income stability, and flexibility in working time and the push factor of unemployment all have significant positive impacts on apientrepreneurs' decision to pursue apiship as a primary occupation. The study further found that age, education, and desire for independence are independent of the choice of apiship as a primary occupation. The study also found that the driving factors of reluctance of woman, stinging nature, cultivating related crops, tendency of awareness among women, and work as a helper of man significantly influence men's dominant status in apiship. The study's identification of driving factors influencing the choice of apiship as a primary occupation highlights the need for policymakers to create favorable policies for leveraging these motivating factors to attract unemployed individuals to take up apiship. The study's findings on the driving factors of men's dominant status in apiship could also help policymakers to make proper policies to make women aware of apiship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Since the outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China, the epidemic has rapidly spread all over the world in just a few months. Different steroids have been proven effective in treating COVID-19 pneumonia. However, comparative efficacy data between different steroids have been evaluated in a few studies from various parts of the world. To date, no study with a large number of patients has been conducted in the eastern part of India. Aim: To compare the efficacy of dexamethasone and methylprednisolone in terms of outcomes and disease progression in COVID-19 pneumonia patients. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 377 patients with moderate and severe COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to Medical College and Hospital from May 2020 to December 2020, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Patient records were divided into two groups based on the type of steroids administered (dexamethasone and methylprednisolone). Clinical, laboratory, treatment, and outcome data were tabulated for analysis. Demographic patterns in the two groups were compared, and efficacy was analysed in terms of hospital course (hospital stay length, type of respiratory support received) and final outcome (cured or death) in both groups. The data collected were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 29.0. Qualitative variables were expressed as counts and percentages, while quantitative variables were presented as mean±Standard Deviation (SD). Results: There were no significant differences between the two treatment groups based on demographic features (age, sex), co-morbidities (diabetes, hypertension, etc.), disease severity (hypoxia, hypotension) on admission day, and smoking status. The study showed that methylprednisolone significantly reduced the requirement for high-flow oxygen (p-value=0.002), Non Invasive Ventilation (NIV) (p-value=0.001), and invasive ventilation (p-value=0.001) compared to dexamethasone. However, there was no significant difference (p-value=0.800) in the duration of hospital stay between the methylprednisolone and dexamethasone treatment groups. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis also showed a significant survival benefit among patients who received methylprednisolone compared to dexamethasone (log-rank p-value=0.039). Conclusion: The present study concludes that in COVID-19 pneumonia, the administration of methylprednisolone leads to a significant reduction in mortality and the need for high-flow oxygen, NIV, and invasive ventilation compared to dexamethasone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In India, human-elephant conflict has been on the rise for the last few decades. The situation is worse in the state of Assam, where 5719 elephants are present, and the density of elephants is greater than that of other areas. Most of the elephant habitats in the state are fragmented or intermingled with human-used lands. As a result, human-elephant conflict (HEC) has been increasing in the state. Each year, an average of 80 elephants and 70 humans die in the state because of HEC. Most of these conflicts occur during the paddy harvesting season. At that time of year, the elephants come out from their habitats and take refuge in forest patches and tea gardens near agricultural fields and raid crops at night. Different methods have been adopted to identify conflict-affected areas, but none of the studies have tried to identify all the HEC-affected areas in the state. Here, we provide a rapid appraisal approach for identifying HEC hotspots in the state by using published news information as the primary source of data. A total of 216 villages were identified as HEC-affected areas in Assam. The identified areas can be used to understand site-specific problems and for HEC mitigation practices, as these areas are currently limited to only a few areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some patients with chronic pancreatitis experience pancreatic duct obstruction caused by stones, which may contribute to chronic abdominal pain. Although relieving this obstruction through a procedure known as extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy could potentially alleviate the pain, there is no high-quality evidence demonstrating the benefit of such intervention. The objective of this randomized, sham-controlled trial was to assess the efficacy and safety of pancreatic duct decompression through lithotripsy and endoscopic retrograde pancreatography. Visual Abstract. Extracorporeal Shock-Wave Lithotripsy and Endoscopy for the Treatment of Pain in Chronic Pancreatitis: Some patients with chronic pancreatitis experience pancreatic duct obstruction caused by stones, which may contribute to chronic abdominal pain. Although relieving this obstruction through a procedure known as extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy could potentially alleviate the pain, there is no high-quality evidence demonstrating the benefit of such intervention. The objective of this randomized, sham-controlled trial was to assess the efficacy and safety of pancreatic duct decompression through lithotripsy and endoscopic retrograde pancreatography. Background: No randomized controlled trials have substantiated endoscopic decompression of the pancreatic duct in patients with painful chronic pancreatitis. Objective: To investigate the pain-relieving effect of pancreatic duct decompression in patients with chronic pancreatitis and intraductal stones. Design: 24-week, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03966781) Setting: Asian Institute of Gastroenterology in India from February 2021 to July 2022. Participants: 106 patients with chronic pancreatitis. Intervention: Combined extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL) and endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (ERP) compared with sham procedures. Measurements: The primary end point was pain relief on a 0- to 10-point visual analog scale (VAS) at 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes were assessed after 12 and 24 weeks and included 30% pain relief, opioid use, pain-free days, questionaries, and complications to interventions. Results: 52 patients in the ESWL/ERP group and 54 in the sham group were included. At 12 weeks, the ESWL/ERP group showed better pain relief compared with the sham group (mean difference in change, −0.7 [95% CI, −1.3 to 0] on the VAS; P  = 0.039). The difference between groups was not sustained at the 24-week follow-up, and no differences were seen for 30% pain relief at 12- or 24-week follow-up. The number of pain-free days was increased (median difference, 16.2 days [CI, 3.9 to 28.5 days]), and the number of days using opioids was reduced (median difference, −5.4 days [CI, −9.9 to −0.9 days]) in the ESWL/ERP group compared with the sham group at 12-week follow-up. Safety outcomes were similar between groups. Limitation: Single-center study and limited duration of follow-up. Conclusion: In patients with chronic pancreatitis and intraductal stones, ESWL with ERP provided modest short-term pain relief. Primary Funding Source: Asian Institute of Gastroenterology and Aalborg University Hospital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of SHILAP Revista de Lepidopterologia is the property of Sociedad Hispano-Luso-Americana de Lepidopterologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A large proportion of disability around the world is preventable. Levels of disability in many poor countries can be reduced by achieving the international development targets for economic, social and human development. In this paper, the author studied the different contributory and causative factors of locomotor disability, disease states and the significance of poverty in relation to disability in Eastern part of India. Final data were collected from 200 people with locomotor disability by personally visiting each individual and their family at their home or institutes on the basis of personal interviews, discussions with them, their parents and teachers. Data were collected by situational sampling technique and tools used for the study were General information schedule (GIS) and Semi-structured interview schedule. The study revealed that various diseases which resulted in locomotor disability in some way were related to poverty. The nature and causative factors for various diseases which resulted in locomotor disability are malnutrition, unhygienic condition in the pre-natal and postnatal period of the mother as well as carelessness of the medical practitioners. Among the other associated significant indirect causes has been found to be illiteracy, ignorance of the parents, and various socio-cultural issues. However, general improvements in living conditions will not be enough but an integrated and specific steps are required for prevention of disability, ensuring that people with disabilities are able to fully participate in the developmental process and claim their rights as well as obtain a fair share of the benefits as full and equal members of society.

Identifying and analysing distinct blood cells is crucial for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in the field of biomedicine. The present study was undertaken to study the cytomorphological and cytochemical characteristics of the blood cells of Zoar, a non‐descript indigenous breed of chicken extensively reared under backyard poultry farming in Mizoram, India. For this study, 2 mL of blood samples were aseptically collected from the wings veins of 12 chickens and were processed for light microscopic study under standard protocols. The matured erythrocytes were elliptical, while the immature erythrocytes appeared oval. The heterophils were positive for SBB (SBB), Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS), acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase and Arylsulphatase while the eosinophils were positive for SBB, PAS, alkaline phosphatase, cytochrome oxidase and peroxidase. The basophils of were positive for toluidine blue while the thrombocytes were positive for PAS. These cytochemical and cytoenzymatic staining properties plays a very important role in diagnosis, differentiation, and classification of leukaemias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study assesses the impact of Indian National Satellite 3D (INSAT‐3D)‐derived atmospheric (temperature and relative humidity) profiles on the simulation of severe thunderstorms over eastern India during the premonsoon season. Two sets of numerical experiments, without assimilation (CNTL) and with assimilation of INSAT‐3D profiles (INSAT) have been conducted using the three‐dimensional variational data assimilation system of the Weather Research and Forecasting model for 11 thunderstorm events. Analysis increments are positive with INSAT profile assimilation in the lower to middle atmosphere in the thunderstorm region. The errors in the initial fields have been reduced by approx. 50% after the assimilation. After assimilation, the predictions of the surface fields (2‐m temperature, 2‐m relative humidity, and 10‐m wind speed) have been improved at the mature stage (by 37%, 26%, and 15%) compared to the CNTL. Similar improvements are noticed in the vertical profiles of relative humidity and wind speed in the INSAT experiment. The time and magnitude of updrafts and downdrafts improved in INSAT. After assimilation, rainfall intensity improved in nine cases, and time improved in four cases out of 11. The Critical Success Index (False Alarm Rate) of the INSAT ranges from approx. 0.6–0.15 (∼0.37–0.48) for all thresholds, and are higher (lower) than the CNTL. The rainfall area is improved by 25% for light rainfall, 11% for moderate rainfall, and 2% for heavy rainfall in the INSAT over the CNTL experiment. Overall thunderstorm prediction has been improved with the assimilation of INSAT‐3D data. Thus, the study highlights the viability of INSAT‐3D profiles in improving thunderstorm predictions over eastern India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) associated mucormycosis (CAM) was reported predominantly from India during the second wave of COVID‐19 and has a high mortality rate. The present study aims to understand the fungal community composition of the nasopharyngeal region of CAM‐infected individuals and compare it with severe COVID‐19 patients and healthy controls. The fungal community composition was decoded by analyzing the sequence homology of the internal transcribed spacer‐2–(ITS‐2) region of metagenomic DNA extracted from the upper respiratory samples. The alpha‐diversity indices were found to be significantly altered in CAM patients (p < 0.05). Interestingly, a higher abundance of Candida africana, Candida haemuloni, Starmerella floris, and Starmerella lactiscondensi was observed exclusively in CAM patients. The interindividual changes in mycobiome composition were well supported by beta‐diversity analysis (p < 0.05). The current study provides insights into the dysbiosis of the nasal mycobiome during CAM infection. In conclusion, our study shows that severe COVID‐19 and CAM are associated with alteration in mycobiome as compared to healthy controls. However, the sequential alteration in the fungal flora which ultimately leads to the development of CAM needs to be addressed by future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide, and its incidence is increasing in developing countries. Chemotherapy plays a significant role in the treatment of locally advanced and metastatic colorectal cancer. Oxaliplatin has remained the backbone of the treatment of colorectal carcinoma. The primary dose-limiting toxicity of oxaliplatin is neuropathy, which can reduce compliance during therapy and impair daily living activities. With limited data regarding the occurrence of oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy (OIPN) in the Indian population, we aimed to determine the incidence and severity of oxaliplatin-induced neurotoxicity and its clinical correlation with various clinical parameters in patients with colorectal carcinoma in a cancer care centre from North-East India. Material and Methods: A prospective observational analysis was performed on all histologically confirmed cases of colorectal adenocarcinoma who received oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy either in an adjuvant setting or first-line palliative setting at Dr. B. Borooah Cancer Institute between April 2019 to March 2020. Results: Our study evaluated 76 patients with colorectal carcinoma with a mean age of 54.07 ± 10 years. The majority (65.8%) of the patients had adenocarcinoma of the colon, and 34.2% had rectal adenocarcinoma. Twenty-three (30.3%) patients presented with metastatic disease. Oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy regimens were either CAPOX (72.4%) or FOLFOX (27.6%). Acute OIPN was observed in 59 patients (77.6%), and the most common symptom was cold-induced perioral paraesthesia. The most frequent grade for acute OIPN was grade II (30.3%). Chronic OIPN was seen in 47 (61.8%) patients, with the majority developing grade II neuropathy and was manifested mainly after 4th cycle of chemotherapy. The incidence of OIPN was higher in the patients aged ≥60 years, with a cumulative oxaliplatin dose of > 1000 mg/m² and baseline low serum magnesium or calcium level. Conclusion: Oxaliplatin is one of the essential chemotherapy drugs used in colorectal cancer with significant dose-limiting toxicity of peripheral neuropathy. Well-timed identification of neuropathic symptoms can increase treatment adherence and improve the patient's quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tobacco use is a recognized risk factor for many chronic diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hypertension, cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes, cancer and microbial infections (respiratory tract infections, bacterial meningitis), etc. Material and Methods: A community-based "One group" interventional study was conducted to see the effect of cognitive behavioural therapy in reducing tobacco usage and its dependency among all the adult males population aged 18 years and above residing in Palam area of Delhi. Data was collected using a semi-structured, self-designed interview schedule to collect information from study subjects. Fagerstrom and Modified Fagerstrom questionnaire was used to assess the subject's nicotine dependence status. Result: The total population study was 274 out of which 105 were tobacco users. Out of 105,2 did not give consent for cognitive behaviour therapy.A total of 103 study subjects were given cognitive behavioral therapy and then followed at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months respectively, and analyzed for quitting at each follow-up. Study subjects who had quitted tobacco was 11 i.e. 10.6%. Change in Nicotine dependency was statistically significant. Conclusion: Cognitive behaviour therapy is found to be a very effective tool in reducing tobacco usage as well as nicotine dependency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastic (MP) pollution in freshwater environments has drawn considerable attention over the decades due to the risk posed by MPs to the aquatic fauna and human health. In this study, the occurrence of MPs was assessed from the gastrointestinal tracts (GIT) of indigenous fishes from Bhogdoi River, a tributary of River Brahmaputra, northeast hill region, Assam, India. All the fish species (n = 180) analysed showed 100% occurrence of MPs sampled from three stations of River Bhogdoi. A total of 488 microplastic particles were recorded from GIT of fishes collected. The mean abundance of MPs was highest in Station-II (7.64 ± 2.77 numbers individual−1) with lowest in S-I (3.17 ± 0.99 numbers individual−1). The MP size of 100–500 μm, MP shape of fibre (43.33%) and fragments (35.33%), blue colour MPs (26–37%) and polymer type PA (23–30%) were most prevalent in fishes analysed from River Bhogdoi. The mean abundance of MPs was higher in herbivore fishes (8.52 ± 1.22 numbers individual−1) as compared to carnivorous and omnivorous fish species with highest abundance in Labeo rohita (12.11 ± 2.13 numbers individual−1). Fibre and fragments with size range of 100–500 μm were dominant among all the feeding habits. Blue and black colour MPs were abundant among herbivore and carnivore fishes. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results confirmed that polyamide and polypropylene were the most abundant MP polymer in the fishes analysed. The present study provides baseline information of MPs in River Bhogdoi, Assam, for its future monitoring and assessment of contaminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In India, male dominance historically prevailed in the realms of travel and travel writing due to their alignment with ideals of masculine courage and sexuality. However, in the post-millennial era, Indian women began to emerge as solo travelers in the tourism industry, facilitated by increased access to higher education and diverse professions. By analyzing the travel memoir of Shivya Nath, a prominent Indian female travel blogger, titled The Shooting Star (2018), this article explores the concept of solo travel as a heterotopic space—a realm of resistance and negotiation that empowers women and offers an alternative form of liberation. Nath's memoir celebrates female emancipation, defying narratives of victimhood. The argument presented is that solo travel represents an active form of resistance against gender stereotypes, enabling women to overcome personal fears and logistical obstacles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new fungus of Lepiota sect. Ovisporae, growing on leaf litter, is described based on macro-micromorphological and molecular evidence. It is distinguished macroscopically by a yellowish-white cap covered with brownish squamules forming a disc, a cylindrical stipe with a non-persistent double-edged annulus, and microscopically by ellipsoid to cylindrical basidiospores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The burden of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare systems worldwide has been compromising the progress made in the fight against HIV. This paper aims to determine how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted HIV comprehensive care service delivery globally as well as to consolidate the evidence and recommendations that may be useful in averting future crisis. Methods: This review adheres to PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, DOAJ, Science Direct and other sources like Google Scholar and citations from included studies were searched methodically to locate studies evaluating the effects of COVID on services for HIV care. The NIH and JBI quality assessment tools were used for the quality assessment of individual studies. Results: In the present review 31 eligible studies were included and the impact on HIV care cascade were summarised under six themes: Lab services, Treatment and allied services, Counselling services, Outreach services, Psycho-social impact and Implementation of sustainable strategies. The studies also presented many innovative alternatives which were lucidly highlighted in the present article. Conclusion: Current evidence depicts multiple factors are responsible for the interruption of HIV care service delivery during the pandemic, especially in low resources settings. The prospective, alternative solutions that have been used to circumvent the threat have also been addressed in this review, in addition to the negative aspects that have been observed. Transition with new innovative, sustainable care paradigms may prove to be the building blocks in removing HIV-AIDS as a public health threat. Registration: Open Science Framework (DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/74GHM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to (i) prepare a premonsoon thunderstorms database, (ii) understand the thunderstorm frequency, duration and intensity and (iii) composite analysis of dynamic and thermodynamic processes related to thunderstorms over India. The thunderstorm associated rainfall varies across India. Hence, a percentile‐based approach is implemented with the integrated multi‐satellite retrievals for global precipitation measurement (IMERG) dataset at 0.1° resolution to identify thunderstorms for 2001–2021. The 93rd percentile appears to be better for thunderstorm detection, with a success ratio of 82% (642 events are confirmed out of 786 detected) in eastern India. Further analysis indicated that 84% of the detected thunderstorms in eastern and northeastern India are associated with lightning activity. Based on this long‐term (2001–2021) thunderstorm data, the highest frequency of thunderstorms (40–45 events·year−1) is observed over the western foothills of the Himalayas, the northeast region, and the west coast of Kerala. The thunderstorm duration in the eastern and northeastern regions and the southwest coast of India is mostly 0.5–2.5 h, producing heavy rainfall (>7 mm·h−1) due to more moisture content and stronger updrafts. The composite structure of thermodynamic indices exhibits significant spatial variations over India and can be used to differentiate the regions of high thunderstorm activity. The minimum (maximum) convective available potential energy (convective inhibition) value required for thunderstorm development is not uniform throughout the country. However, the composites of K index and total totals index during thunderstorms are mostly uniform. This study highlights the benefits of IMERG rainfall in thunderstorm detection over India and helps to understand the local forcings and the effect of thunderstorm activity on different sectors like aviation, agriculture and so forth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Myelodysplastic Neoplasms (MDS) are clonal stem cell disorders characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis and progression to acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplasia-related (AML-MR). A major mechanism of pathogenesis of MDS is the aberration of the epigenetic landscape of the hematopoietic stem cells and/or progenitor cells, especially DNA cytosine methylation, and demethylation. Data on TET2, the predominant DNA demethylator of the hematopoietic system, is limited, particularly in the MDS patients from India, whose biology may differ since these patients present at a relatively younger age. We studied the expression and the variants of TET2 in Indian MDS and AML-MR patients and their effects on 5-hydroxymethyl cytosine (5-hmC, a product of TET2 catalysis) and on the prognosis of MDS patients. Results: Of the 42 MDS patients, cytogenetics was available for 31 sub-categorized according to the Revised International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-R). Their age resembled that of the previous studies from India. Bone marrow nucleated cells (BMNCs) were also obtained from 13 patients with AML-MR, 26 patients with de-novo AML, and 11 subjects with morphologically normal bone marrow. The patients had a significantly lower TET2 expression which was more pronounced in AML-MR and the IPSS-R higher-risk MDS categories. The 5-hmC levels in higher-risk MDS and AML-MR correlated with TET2 expression, suggesting a possible mechanistic role in the loss of TET2 expression. The findings on TET2 and 5-hmC were also confirmed at the tissue level using immunohistochemistry. Pathogenic variants of TET2 were found in 7 of 24 patient samples (29%), spanning across the IPSS-R prognostic categories. One of the variants – H1778R – was found to affect local and global TET2 structure when studied using structural predictions and molecular dynamics simulations. Thus, it is plausible that some pathogenic variants in TET2 can compromise the structure of TET2 and hence in the formation of 5-hmC. Conclusions: IPSS-R higher-risk MDS categories and AML-MR showed a reduction in TET2 expression, which was not apparent in lower-risk MDS. DNA 5-hmC levels followed a similar pattern. Overall, a decreased TET2 expression and a low DNA 5-hmC level are predictors of advanced disease and adverse outcome in MDS in the population studied, i.e., MDS patients from India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study reports Lepiota bengalensis, originally described from Bangladesh, as a new record for Indian mycobiota. The taxon can be distinguished from similar looking Lepiotas by nrITS phylogenetic analysis. Detailed taxonomic descriptions, field photographs, and microscopic illustrations are provided for the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Geriatric anemia is one of the neglected and undiagnosed health problems throughout the world leading to increased morbidity and mortality among this vulnerable age group. Anemia in elderly is often an indicator of an underlying co-morbid condition. Morphological pattern of anemia may reflect the underlying etiology and thus directs the appropriate way to management of the condition. Aims: To evaluate the severity and morphological pattern of anemia in geriatric age groups. Materials and Methods: Elderly individuals aged 60 years or older of either sex with Hb level <12 gm/dl in women and <13 gm/dl in males were included in this study as geriatric anemic population. Blood samples were analyzed for Hb, hematocrit (Hct), Mean corpuscular volume (MCV), Mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), Mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and Red cell distribution width (RDW-CV). Anemia was graded as mild, moderate and severe according to WHO criteria. Morphological classification was done based on RBC indices and peripheral blood smear examination. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS software. Results: Total 277 geriatric anemic subjects were included in this study. Female to male ratio was 1.9:1. Most of the participants (60.29%) were in the age group of 60-69 years. Majority had mild anemia (48.02%). Normocytic-normochromic was the most predominant morphological subtype (74.73%). Mean Hb, MCH and MCHC were found to be significantly lower in geriatric females compared to males (P < 0.05).Conclusion: Normocytic-normochromic anemia of mild degree was the most common type of anemia among geriatric population. Evaluation of morphological pattern of anemia may help in appropriate management of underlying condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of the present study was to study the pattern of microbial flora, their susceptibility patterns, and clinical variables among bloodstream infections in febrile neutropenic patients with solid tumors and hematological malignancies in the paediatric age group in North-East India. Methods: It was a retrospective and observational study done in a single tertiary care cancer centre in North-East India. The study period was from 1st January 2020 to 31st December 2021. The study population included all the patients below the age of 18 years who developed febrile neutropenia during treatment for a diagnosed cancer. Results: A total of 378 blood culture samples were studied. Febrile neutropenia was found in 252 patients (66.7%). There were 45 positive blood cultures (17.8%) among them. Gram-negative and gram-positive organisms accounted for 62% and 38% of all positive cultures respectively. Escherichia coli (39%) was the most common gram-negative isolate, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (32%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18%) and Acinetobacter baumannii (7%). Coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CoNS) was the most common gram-positive isolate (47%). Sensitivity to beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor (BL/BLI) antibiotics like cefaperazone/sulbactam was seen in 60% of Pseudomonas isolates. Sensitivity to colistin was noted in 89% of Klebsiella and 82% of E. coli isolates. The incidence of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was 50%. Conclusion: The knowledge of the microbiological profile and resistance patterns among patients treated for paediatric cancer with febrile neutropenia is a key factor in deciding the antimicrobial policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malnutrition in low- and middle-income countries causes cognitive decline and other health problems. Harmonized Diagnostic Assessment of Dementia for Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI DAD) is an extensive study on late-life cognition and dementia. This study examines the link between nutrition and cognitive abilities in older adults using data from the LASI DAD. We conducted descriptive statistics on nutritional parameters (body-mass index, waist-hip ratio, and Mini-Nutritional Assessment), cognitive functions, and socio-demographic variables in 2,892 adults aged ≥60 years. Cognitive domains assessed included delayed recall, orientation, language, executive function, abstract reasoning, and attention. Cognitive impairment was defined as impaired performance in two or more domains. Mean age was 69.3 ± 7.1 years, 52.9% were female, and 57.5% were illiterate. Low body-mass index (adjusted OR: 1.88, p <.001), at risk of malnutrition (adjusted OR: 1.89, p <.001) and malnourished (adjusted OR: 2.86, p <.001) on Mini-Nutritional Assessment were associated with the presence of cognitive impairment. Better cognitive performance was associated with increased body mass index (adjusted OR: 0.74, p -.03), hemoglobin (adjusted OR: 0.91, p -.006), and serum albumin (adjusted OR: 0.38, p <.001). This study shows that nutritional status assessed by anthropometric measures and blood markers is strongly linked to cognitive performance in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ash collected from thrown-away by-products while preparing a popular traditional food additive, kolakhar of the Assamese community of North East, India, was used as an alternate cost-effective, porous bioadsorbent option from the conventional activated carbon for the purification of carcinogenic dyes laden water. The base material for kolakhar preparation was taken from the discarded banana stem waste to stimulate agricultural waste management. Methylene blue (MB) and basic fuchsin (BF) dyes were used as model cationic dyes. Characterization techniques like CHN, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field emission-scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis of the prepared banana stem ash (BSA) reveal the presence of high inorganic contents and functional groups in the irregular, porous bioadsorbent with surface area 55.534 m2 g−1. Various regulating parameters studied to optimize the adsorption capacity of BSA were bioadsorbent dose (0.1–3 g/L), temperature (298–318 K), contact time (0–150 min), pH (2–9), and initial dye concentrations (10–40 mg/L). Non-linear kinetic models suggested Elovich for both MB and BF adsorption, while the non-linear isotherm model suggested Langmuir and Temkin for MB and BF adsorption, respectively, as best-fitted curves. The monolayer adsorption capacity (qm) for MB and BF was 15.22 mg/g and 24.08 mg/g at 318 K, respectively, with more than 95% removal efficiency for both dyes. The thermodynamic parameters studied indicated that the adsorption is spontaneous. The ∆H0 values of MB and BF adsorptions were 2.303 kJ/mol (endothermic) and − 29.238 kJ/mol (exothermic), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbes evolve rapidly by modifying their genomes through mutations or through the horizontal acquisition of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) linked with fitness traits such as antimicrobial resistance (AMR), virulence, and metabolic functions. We conducted a multicentric study in India and collected different clinical samples for decoding the genome sequences of bacterial pathogens associated with sepsis, urinary tract infections, and respiratory infections to understand the functional potency associated with AMR and its dynamics. Genomic analysis identified several acquired AMR genes (ARGs) that have a pathogen-specific signature. We observed that blaCTX-M-15, blaCMY-42, blaNDM-5, and aadA(2) were prevalent in Escherichia coli, and blaTEM-1B, blaOXA-232, blaNDM-1, rmtB, and rmtC were dominant in Klebsiella pneumoniae. In contrast, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii harbored blaVEB, blaVIM-2, aph(3'), strA/B, blaOXA-23, aph(3') variants, and amrA, respectively. Regardless of the type of ARG, the MGEs linked with ARGs were also pathogen-specific. The sequence type of these pathogens was identified as high-risk international clones, with only a few lineages being predominant and region-specific. Whole-cell proteome analysis of extensively drug-resistant K. pneumoniae, A. baumannii, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa strains revealed differential abundances of resistance-associated proteins in the presence and absence of different classes of antibiotics. The pathogen-specific resistance signatures and differential abundance of AMR-associated proteins identified in this study should add value to AMR diagnostics and the choice of appropriate drug combinations for successful antimicrobial therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem: Hepatitis B is one of the leading causes of mortality in India. Despite the mass vaccination programme, the burden of the infection is still increasing due to its vertical transmission. Asymptomatic nature of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection owing to immune tolerance among pregnant women is a major issue in this regard. Method of study: As such, this study aims to investigate the potential role of altered Toll‐like receptor (TLR) expression (TLR‐3, 7 and 9) along with peripheral blood HBeAg status in attaining differential cord blood (CB) HBV DNA status. Result: Expression analysis reveals an overall downregulation of expression with mean ± SD value 1.14 ± 1.05, 0.86 ± 0.5 and 0.71 ± 0.4 (TLR 3, 7 and 9, respectively) upon comparison with healthy women. Further stratification based on CB HBV DNA status; the downregulation of expression was found to be significantly (p <.05) associated with positive CB HBV DNA status apart from peripheral HBeAg status. One hundred percent HBeAg positive parturiting women exhibit positive CB HBV DNA. Pearson's correlation analysis reveals a positive correlation between CB HBV DNA status and altered TLR expression, HBeAg status and mother HBV DNA status and as such can be associated with the potential risk of HBV vertical transmission. Conclusion: This study suggests that the downregulation of TLR 3, 7 and 9 may be a risk factor for potential vertical transmission of HBV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

The Northern pig-tailed macaque is listed as Endangered in India and vulnerable globally. In this study, we assessed the status and behavioral activities of Northern pig-tailed macaque (Macaca leonina) in the Inner Line Reserve Forest (ILRF). Population study was conducted through complete count method. A total of 29 individuals were found in three separate troops. We studied the activity profile of the species following a focal female individual of a selected troop and have obtained information on the anthropogenic threats and other conservation issues in the forest. Eight behavioral activities (viz., feeding, resting, locomotion, playing, grooming, vocalization, agonistic and mating) were recorded both in the summer and winter seasons. The activity budgets of the Northern pig-tailed macaque varied with the seasons and most of the times were spent on locomotion followed by feeding, resting, playing, vocalization and other three behavioral activities. During winter, over three-fourth of the time was spent on four major activities such as locomotion (31.7%), feeding (25.1%), resting (14.3%), and vocalization (9.7%). Although, time spent on locomotion (25.0%) was also highest in summer, however, time spent in resting (24.6%) and playing (15.6%) increased in the season than the time spent in feeding (15.0%). Potential threats were identified through questionnaire surveys of the people inhabited in and around forest. Multistage sampling method was used to select the villages at first and then respondents from the selected villages. One-fourth of the respondents constitute 159 of the total 637 household and additional 51 respondents comprising elder person, hunter and forest staff. As per peoples' perceptions, the main threats faced by the macaque were timber logging (44.90%), followed by cultivation (30.96%), harvesting of non-timber forest product (8.88%), hunting (6.34%), illegal trade/poaching (5.83%) and forest fire (3.04%). A proper conservation action plan is needed for the species that should ideally include providing alternative livelihoods to the forest villagers to reduce peoples' impact on the forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

North East (NE) India is one of the ‘biodiversity hotspots’ of the world supporting about 50% of India’s biodiversity. In the sparse to dense forests across alpine to tropical climatic conditions, the NE region has a vast distribution of medicinal plants. The present study has compiled and enlisted the wide range of medicinal plants used by different ethnic communities along with the highly traded medicinal and endemic plant species of superior quality attributes in the region. The results are derived from an extensive review of information published in different research papers including those in books, journals, public domain documents of government agencies, NGOs and business and trade databases. The number of important species used in traditional healthcare systems of the different sister states of NE India ranges from 400 to 952 and out of these, the number of different commercially promising species ranges from 7 to 14 species. Thirty-seven species of medicinal plants in NE India are identified to have importance in the national and international trade of medicinal plants and products and most of these are harvested from the wild. Despite of rich heritage and large plant diversity, the herbal drugs market of NE India has not grown at the pace observed the mainland India’s herbal drug trade. Poor infrastructure in terms of quality control and quality assurance, GLP-compliant laboratories for herbal drugs, constraints of accessibility to the region, widespread collection of the medicinal herbs from the wild coupled with lack of sustainable harvesting and package of practices for domestic cultivation of medicinal herbs are issues need to be addressed in future for exploring maximum benefit to the economy of the region from medicinal plant resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with systemic hyper-inflammation. An adaptive interaction between gut microbiota and host immune systems is important for intestinal homeostasis and systemic immune regulation. The association of gut microbial composition and functions with COVID-19 disease severity is sparse, especially in India. We analysed faecal microbial diversity and abundances in a cohort of Indian COVID-19 patients to identify key signatures in the gut microbial ecology in patients with severe COVID-19 disease as well as in response to different therapies. The composition of the gut microbiome was characterized using 16Sr RNA gene sequences of genomic DNA extracted from faecal samples of 52 COVID-19 patients. Metabolic pathways across the groups were predicted using PICRUSt2. All statistical analyses were done using Vegan in the R environment. Plasma cytokine abundance at recruitment was measured in a multiplex assay. Results: The gut microbiome composition of mild and severe patients was found to be significantly different. Immunomodulatory commensals, viz. Lachnospiraceae family members and Bifidobacteria producing butyrate and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), were under represented in patients with severe COVID-19, with an increased abundance of opportunistic pathogens like Eggerthella. The higher abundance of Lachnoclostridium in severe disease was reduced in response to convalescent plasma therapy. Specific microbial genera showed distinctive trends in enriched metabolic pathways, strong correlations with blood plasma cytokine levels, and associative link to disease outcomes. Conclusion: Our study indicates that, along with SARS-CoV-2, a dysbiotic gut microbial community may also play an important role in COVID-19 severity through modulation of host immune responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Poor ventilation in healthcare settings is a concern for airborne infections, particularly in light of the potential for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission. This study aimed to assess the implementation status of airborne infection control (AIC) measures in primary and secondary public healthcare facilities (HCFs) and to explore the facilitating factors and barriers in the implementation of AIC measures. Methods: A mixed-methods approach was adopted, which includes a cross-sectional descriptive study using a checklist to collect data on the implementation of AIC measures in 22 primary and two secondary public HCFs in Puducherry, South India, between October 2020 and February 2021. Further, key informant interviews (KIIs) were conducted among medical officers (MOs). The qualitative data were manually analyzed, and transcripts created from handwritten notes and audio recordings were deductively evaluated. Results: Of the twenty-four health facilities visited, 54.2% had infection control (IC) committees. Annual IC training was held for housekeeping staff, MOs, nurses, and laboratory technicians in 23 (95.8%), 21 (87.5%), 20 (83.4%), and 14 (58.4%) facilities, respectively. Respiratory symptomatic patients were counseled on cough etiquettes in 22 (91.6%) facilities. Adequate cross-ventilation was present in outpatient departments in 16 (66.6%) institutions. N95 masks and face shields were provided in 21 (87.5%) facilities. Training through the KAYAKALP program and the presence of a separate sputum collection area were facilitators of IC, while lack of patient adherence and delays in fund release were found as barriers. Conclusion: Overall, the AIC measures were well-implemented, but improvements are needed in infrastructure development for patient segregation in outpatient departments and dedicated AIC training for all healthcare personnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses the sensitivity of Land Use Land Cover (LULC) representation on the evolution of mesoscale convective systems over Bhubaneswar, a rapidly growing city (~ 77% growth in the last two decades) in India. In this study, three types of LULC maps have been prepared using supervised machine learning (ML) methods such as Classification and Regression Trees (CART), Naive Bayes (NB), and Support Vector Machine (SVM) on Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform using Landsat 8 for 2014. A high accuracy score (87%) and kappa coefficient (84%) revealed the best performance of CART in generating the LULC map. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model at 6 and 2 km horizontal resolution is forced with these LULC maps. Model results highlight that the CART experiment exhibits relatively less bias in 2 m relative humidity (~ – 10% to – 5%), 2 m temperature (~ 2.5 °C to ~ 0 °C), and 10 m wind speed (– 1 to ~ 1.8 m s−1) up to peak stage of the thunderstorms. The CART performs better with less rainfall error (~ – 16 mm) than CNTL (~ – 33 mm), NB (~ – 37 mm), and SVM (~ – 38 mm) and is supported by the quantitative statistical analysis, viz. less false alarm ratio, critical success index for different thresholds. LULC class-wise analysis indicates a higher variation in surface and lower atmospheric parameters over urban, shrubland, and cropland while less variation over barren, forest, and water. Thus, the study highlights the credibility of ML models in representing LULC information to input the high-resolution models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tibetan Wolf Canis lupus chanco is one of the two Critically Endangered species of Ladakh, India. Six free-ranging Tibetan wolves were immobilized using ketamine and xylazine mixture as part of the rescue operations. Dose rates of 4.92 ± 0.52 mg/kg body weight and 2.08 ± 0.29 mg/kg body weight for ketamine and xylazine respectively provided good level of anesthesia for carrying out effective capture. Drug induction was recorded at 4.4 ± 1.1 minutes with animal coming into sternal recumbency by 5.6 ± 1.5 minutes and animals were approached at 6.2 ± 1.7 minutes. Duration of anesthesia was 35.25 ± 6.07 minutes. Yohimbine administered for reversal at the dosage of 0.125 mg/kg body weight provided reversal effect with animal standing by 15.5 ± 4.2 minutes. The current information suggests that xylazine and ketamine mixture is effective and safe for capturing the free-ranging Tibetan Wolves for wildlife management interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A resilient health system necessitates strong governance, political commitment, effective administrative entities and inter-organisational collaboration. This paper examines India's current health policy landscape and explores the analytical and operational capacities required to establish a robust post-pandemic health system using the policy capacity framework described by Wu et al. (2015). We emphasised the need for a coordinated policy response to strengthen health information systems, health service management, human resource management and healthcare financing. The role that the planned implementation of Indian public health management cadres would play in the coming era, the importance of a comprehensive health information management system and the need for operational coordination between government and non-governmental organisations has also been emphasised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human–wildlife conflicts (HWCs) are escalating globally because of human population growth and increased per capita demand for and consumption of natural resources. These conflicts may be exacerbated where anthropogenic land uses are encroaching on designated conservation or protected areas. Large mammals, such as the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), are increasingly victimized in HWCs as movement across large-scale areas places them at odds with land areas used by humans. The number of human–elephant conflicts (HECs) reported in India involving the Indian elephant (E. m. indicus) have also increased. Managers require better information on the pattern and distribution of HECs to mitigate them and conserve elephants. To address this, we studied 1306 HECs reported from 2015 to 2019 in Patharia Hills Reserve Forest, southern Assam, India. We visited these 1306 sites based on our inventory of complaints filed and recorded the village where the incident occurred, the types and extent of damage, the approximate cost of damage and information about elephants. Conflicts peaked at crop maturity. Ninety-five percent of damage reported involved rice crops (644 ha) belonging to 1245 farmers, and 59 incidents involved household and property damaged. The estimated cost of HEC during the study period was 85,688 USD. The average affected cropland size of each farmer was 0.52 ha. Of the identified 23 HEC-affected villages, four villages were mildly affected (10 or < 10 incidents), 12 villages were moderately affected (11–50 incidents), three villages were highly affected (51–100 incidents), and a remaining four villages were severely affected (> 100 incidents). In villages reporting more HECs, long-term management practices, such as community training for on-sight deterrent of elephants, can be adopted to reduce conflicts. In these areas, villagers also reported the damage compensation process implemented by the government was slow. Expediting the compensation process coupled with increased community training and cultivation of deterrent crops may help reduce villagers' animosity toward elephant conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is the most common complication following childbirth. Postpartum haemorrhage remains a significant contributor to maternal mortality and morbidity throughout the world. PPH is often classified as primary/immediate/early, occurring within 24 hours of birth, or secondary/delayed/late, occurring from more than 24 hours post birth to up to 12 weeks postpartum. Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the percentage of patients requiring medical therapy for PPH management and to determine the percentage of patient requiring surgical therapy for PPH management. Methods: The present study was a population and hospital based observational study conducted in the Dept of Gynae and Obstetrics, R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. All the patients presenting with postpartum haemorrhage following delivery during my study period and meeting my inclusion criteria which is 304. Template was generated and analysis was done on STATA11 software. Results: In the present study the overall incidence of PPH is 1.4%(304 out of 22,182 deliveries). higher prevalence is seen between 24-27yrs and >=27yrs. Prevalence of PPH is more in women with no schooling (31.9%) The PPH occurred mostly at the gestational age 37- 40wks (60%). Atonic PPH has higher prevalence (50.6%) than other types of PPH. In instrumental delivery traumatic PPH has higher prevalence (50%). In caesarean section Atonic PPH (80.64%) had higher prevalence than any other types. Atonic type of PPH is responsible for most maternal death (75%). Uterine tamponade was mostly done and successful in PPH following vaginal delivery (86.66%). Conclusions: To conclude, majority of deaths following PPH is preventable if timely and prompt intervention is made. Antenatal anaemic status contributed a significant role in PPH occurrence which should be corrected to decrease the prevalence of PPH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This study aims to describe the demographic and clinical profile and ascertain the determinants of outcome among hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) adult patients enrolled in the National Clinical Registry for COVID-19 (NCRC). Methods NCRC is an on-going data collection platform operational in 42 hospitals across India. Data of hospitalized COVID-19 patients enrolled in NCRC between 1st September 2020 to 26th October 2021 were examined. Results Analysis of 29 509 hospitalized, adult COVID-19 patients [mean (SD) age: 51.1 (16.2) year; male: 18 752 (63.6%)] showed that 15 678 (53.1%) had at least one comorbidity. Among 25 715 (87.1%) symptomatic patients, fever was the commonest symptom (72.3%) followed by shortness of breath (48.9%) and dry cough (45.5%). In-hospital mortality was 14.5% (n  = 3957). Adjusted odds of dying were significantly higher in age group ≥60 years, males, with diabetes, chronic kidney diseases, chronic liver disease, malignancy and tuberculosis, presenting with dyspnoea and neurological symptoms. WHO ordinal scale 4 or above at admission carried the highest odds of dying [5.6 (95% CI: 4.6–7.0)]. Patients receiving one [OR: 0.5 (95% CI: 0.4–0.7)] or two doses of anti-SARS CoV-2 vaccine [OR: 0.4 (95% CI: 0.3–0.7)] were protected from in-hospital mortality. Conclusions WHO ordinal scale at admission is the most important independent predictor for in-hospital death in COVID-19 patients. Anti-SARS-CoV2 vaccination provides significant protection against mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The second wave of COVID-19 triggered crises in India and resulted in a regional scale lockdown (March 2021), exempting specific economic sectors from economic misery. A national lockdown was announced during the first wave of this pandemic (March, 2020), resulting in a dramatic improvement in air quality. The present study explored whether the regional lockdown has an equal influence on air quality in various urban morphological units as the national lockdown. Results show that the regional lockdown in 2021 improved air quality by 32% more than the national lockdown in 2020. The rate of air quality improved between pre-lockdown and during a nationwide lockdown was 33%, 41% and 15% in industrial, commercial, and residential zones, respectively, but 53%, 46% and 43% during the regional lockdown. Because of the regional lockdown, air quality has improved at a quicker pace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing urbanization has led to diminished agricultural mainland for food production worldwide. Riverine sandbars could be viewed as prospective landmasses which could act as additional agricultural lands. The present study emphasizes sandbar area availability and the scope of utilizing these landmasses through geospatial techniques, modelling studies and questionnaire surveys. Satellite images were derived at decadal scales to determine the change in the land-use land cover (LULC) within the Brahmaputra River in Assam, India. The fluctuations in the landmasses under different streamflow conditions were derived using a hydrodynamic model. The results showed that the percentage of vegetated sandbars has increased from ~27.36% in 1976–1980 to ~44.67% in 2016–2017, and consecutively, the percentage of non-vegetated sandbars has decreased from ~51.18 to ~30.93%. Furthermore, it was found that the area under cropland and vegetated sandbar varied seasonally. To further understand the utilization of these resources, a socioeconomic survey with a structured set of questions was conducted at various sandbars. The survey revealed various aspects of economic benefits, practices of sandbar cultivation, beneficial produce, difficulties faced, and willingness among farmers to expand sandbar cultivation. Coupling the prevailing traditional knowledge of cultivation among the farmers with scientifically derived information obtained from satellite data and mathematical model simulations can lead to a more systematic utilization of the ecosystem. Thus, the study shows the immense potential of utilizing the sandbars of large rivers to sustain food demands, alongside developing links between land-use change, ecosystem behavior, and socio-economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to generate a pooled national estimate on dental health care services utilization by the adult population in India from any public or private facility in an effort to highlight the demand and usage for oral health care. Methods: In this meta-analysis, PubMed, ScienceDirect, DOAJ, and Google Scholar were searched using a search strategy that combined MeSH headings and keywords (e.g., "Oral Health", "Dental Health Services", utilization, India, etc.) for articles on dental utilization among Indian adults, published between January 2011 and June 2022. Study quality was assessed using the NIH Quality assessment tool, and a random-effects inverse-variance method was used for pulling utilization proportions. Meta-regression and sub-group analyses were conducted to identify the sources of heterogeneity. Heterogeneity is reported as I2. To examine publication bias, the funnel plot, egger's test, and trim-and-fill analysis were performed. Results: From 4012 identified articles, 21 were eligible for inclusion. The pooled dental care utilization amongst Indian adults were found to be 23.96% (confidence interval [CI]: 16.81%– 31.11%, P <0.001,>2=98.93%), and the highest estimate was in South Zone (30.02%, CI: 19.14–40.90, P <0.01,>2=98.63%). Visual inspection of the funnel plot revealed the presence of publication bias (egger's P value 0.02). A mild decrease in utilization estimate was noted through trim and fill analysis (adjusted estimate 17.65%, CI: 8.97–26.33, P =0.03). No significant subgroup effect was found for the variables study zone and conduction years (P value: 0.09 & 0.34 respectively). Conclusion: Future studies should be undertaken to focus on the demand and supply of oral health care services since an evidential gap has been identified due to the uneven distribution of studies available from various regions of India. The heterogeneity can be attributed to the diverse socioeconomic, literacy, and inherent health system performance status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India led the global tiger conservation initiatives and has doubled its wild tiger population to 2967 (2603–3346) since 2006. As the extant habitats are shrinking continuously, the persistence of these growing populations can only be ensured through focused landscape-scale conservation planning across all the existing tiger landscapes of Indian. We used intensive field-sampling, genetic analyses and GIS modelling to investigate tiger population structure, source-recipient dynamics and functionality of the existing corridors across the Indian part of Terai-Arc landscape (TAL). Using a 13 microsatellite marker panel we identified 219 individual tigers across Indian TAL. Further genetic analyses revealed three weakly, but significantly differentiated tiger subpopulations, termed as 'Tiger Genetic Blocks (TGBs)'. Genetic migrant detection and gene flow analyses distinguished seven source and 10 recipient areas within this landscape. Circuitscape analyses ascertained total 19 (10 high, three medium and six low conductance) corridors across this landscape, of which 10 require immediate conservation attention. Overall, the tiger populations residing in the western, central and eastern TAL still maintain functional connectivity through these corridors. We suggest urgent management plan involving habitat recovery and protection of ~ 2700 sq. km. identified area to establish landscape connectivity. Further, mitigation measures associated with ongoing linear infrastructure developments and transboundary coordination with Nepal will ensure habitat and genetic connectivity and long-term sustainability of tigers in this globally important landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geoscientists have extensively used machine learning for geological mapping and exploring the mineral prospect of a province. However, the interpretation of results becomes challenging due to the complexity of machine learning models. This study uses a convolutional neural network (CNN) and Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) to estimate potential locations for gold mineralisation in Rengali Province, a tectonised mosaic of volcano-sedimentary sequences juxtaposed at the interface of the Archaean cratonic segment in the north and the Proterozoic granulite provinces of the Eastern Ghats Belt in Eastern India. The objective is to integrate multi-thematic data involving geological, geophysical, mineralogical and geochemical surveys on a 1:50 K scale with the aim of prognosticating gold mineralisation. The available data utilised during the integration include aero-geophysical (aeromagnetic and aerospectrometric), geochemical (national geochemical mapping), ground geophysical (gravity), satellite gravity, remote sensing (multispectral) and National Geomorphology and Lineament Project structural lineament maps obtained from the Geological Survey of India Database. The CNN model has an overall accuracy of 90%. The SHAP values demonstrate that the major contributing factors are, in sequential order, antimony, clay, lead, arsenic content and a magnetic anomaly in CNN modelling. Geochemical pathfinders, including geophysical factors, have high importance, followed by the shear zones in mineralisation mapping. According to the results, the central parts of the study area, including the river valley, have higher gold prospects than the surrounding areas. Gold mineralisation is possibly associated with intermediate metavolcanics along the shear zone, which is later intruded by quartz veins in the northern part of the Rengali Province. This work intends to model known occurrences with respect to multiple themes so that the results can be replicated in surrounding areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work intended to model the vegetation health index (VHI) of rabi crop and explored its time series change (1990–2019) at pixel scale using Landsat satellite imageries. Identification of consistency level of rabi crop was another objective. VHI was estimated by integrating crop condition index (CCI) and temperature condition index (TCI). The CCI and TCI were derived from normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and land surface temperature (LST). 80% of the study area covered by rabi crop with 8.73% of variability. Remarkable change in crop health (VHI) was detected in the last 30 years. 5% of rabi cropped area was under good health category in the present decade (2010–2019), while it was around 10% during 1990–2009. During last decade, the poor health category of rabi crop was only 7.40% area, while it reached to 66.74% in the present decade. Good VHI area was getting fragmented and vice versa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation of any species needs the support and cooperation of local people. In order to understand the aƫtudes and perceptions of the locals about the Capped Langur, the present study was carried out around Barail Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam. The study was carried out through a questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, and interaction with forest staff & local experts to assess the perception of present threats and conservation problems. A total of 400 respondents were interviewed during the study periods. The results reveal that a majority of respondents supported Capped Langur conservation. Habitat loss and fragmentation was considered a major threat (47%), followed by human exploitation (22%), developmental activities (17%), agricultural extension (8%), and hunting & teasing (6%). Knowledge concerning Capped Langurs and perceptions of threats varied considerably among respondents. Increased awareness among local people is suggested to motivate them towards conservation. Benefit sharing and promotion of value-added services through skill development could also be highly rewarding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Propolis has several uses in human health, including its role as a nutritious and beneficial dietary component, as well as a folk medicine. In this study, we aimed to explore the phytochemical and anticancer activity of propolis collected by honeybees in Assam, India. The chloroform fraction (CF) from the ethanol extract of propolis was screened for antioxidant activity and in vitro cytotoxicity. Finally, the chemical composition of CF was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. CF was found to contain 223.44 ± 5.16 mg/g gallic acid equivalents of total phenolic content and 114.43 ± 7.087 mg quercetin/g of flavonoids. The CF presented antioxidant activities against 2, 2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2, 2′-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt free radicals, with IC 50 values recorded as 68.54 ± 3.1% and 7.26 ± 0.55, respectively. The fractions exhibited growth inhibition in breast cancer cells. The cell migration capacity of both MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells was significantly decreased by CF. Additionally, the fraction was observed to arrest the cell cycle of MDA-MB-231 cells at the S phase and of MCF-7 cells at the G2/M phase. In MDA-MB-231 cells, CF enhanced p53 expression and downregulated CDK2, Cyclin A, Cdc25A, and Cyclin D1, expression whereas in MCF-7 cells, CF downregulated CDK1 and Cyclin B1 expression. Furthermore, confocal microscopy revealed a decrease in the expression of the Ki-67 protein in both MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells following treatment with CF. The propolis from north-east India exhibited antioxidant and anticancer properties in vitro , suggesting its therapeutic potential for breast cancer. [Display omitted] • Breast cancer cells respond better to chloroform propolis fraction. • Propolis chloroform fraction halts MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 in S and G2/M. • Flavonoids, terpenes and alkaloids in propolis aid in anticancer effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]