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This paper analyses the relationship between productivity and profitability of sugarcane cultivation by using state-wise data covering the period of 1973-74 and 2014-15. The descriptive, correlation and regression analyses have been carried out to study the relationship. Descriptive analysis shows that the real value of human labour cost incurred for cultivating sugarcane was found to be high in Tamil Nadu state as compared to other states selected for the analysis. Further, correlation analysis reveals bullock labour cost and yield enhancing input costs, which are positively correlated among the selected variables specifically in Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka states. Finally, the result of regression analysis carried out by using yield enhancing input cost suggests that it plays a dominant role in increasing the productivity of sugarcane, which in turn enhances profitability except Karnataka state for the entire period of analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The estimating the chlorophyll contents in the crops helps to identify the condition of crops and different classification of crops with soil characteristics in order to assist the farmer or others with agriculture growth. In this paper, a hybrid approach is introduced to estimate the Chlorophyll contents in the crops using hyperspectral image segmentation with active learning, which consists of two main steps. First, we use a sparse multinomial logistic regression (SMLR) model to learn the class posterior probability distributions with Quadratic Programming or joint probability distribution. Second, we use the information acquired in the previous step to segment the hyper spectral image using a Markov Random field segments to estimate the dependencies using spatial information and edge Information by minimum spanning forest rooted on markers. In order to reduce the cost of acquiring large training sets, PSO optimization is performed based on the SMLR posterior probabilities on the Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). The state-of-the-art performance of the proposed approach is illustrated using real hyper spectral data sets collected from the North Karnataka in a number of experimental comparisons with recently developed or statistical hyperspectral image analysis methods in terms of precision, recall and f—measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of accountability has generated extensive discussion in studies of international development, linking it with good governance, democratisation, participatory development and empowerment. India's national rural employment guarantee scheme, which aims to improve the rural infrastructure and reduce poverty by providing wage work to the rural poor, involves mandatory social audit by the beneficiaries of the scheme, in order to ensure accountability of those implementing the scheme. In this paper, we examine the social audit process in a district in the state of Karnataka to ascertain the role played by the beneficiaries in achieving such accountability. We find that Vigilance and Monitoring Committees, entrusted to spearhead the social audit process in villages, consist mainly of males and cultivators, some of whom are large landowners. We also find that social audits are dominated by the local elite who stifle “voices” from below. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Four plants with medicinal properties Carica papaya, Phyllanthus amarus, Tinospora cordifolia and Azadiracta indica were selected as a host plant for the isolation of endophytic fungi collected from Biligirirangana Hill, ranges from 11° 40' to 12° 09' North and 77° 05' to 77° 01' East, the southern part of Eastern Ghats Chamarajanagar District, Karnataka. The leaves of these plants revealed two, four, six and three isolates of endophytic fungi which belonged to the family Hypomycetes, Ascomycetes, Dothideomycetes, Coleomycetes respectively. One of the unidentified strain from each of the above four medicinal plant isolate was subjected to molecular analysis followed by 18SrRNA sequence, internal transcribed spacer regions and phylogenetic analysis. Based on the gene sequencing and phylogenetic tree the clusters species of the fungal isolate was found to be Stemphylium lycopersici, Epicoccum nigrum, Leptosphaerulina arachidicola and Phomopsis azadirachtae reported in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of collecting surface runoff on the slopes in canals cut across the western slopes of the Western Ghats, in order to divert part of a flow in the west flowing rivers to the east by gravity, is being promoted in Karnataka. This paper presents a study of the hydrological feasibility of such canals, termed 'garland canals' and claimed to be an environmental friendly alternative to the conventional technologies for inter-basin transfer of water, by their promoters. The paper presents a methodology for disaggregating normal annual rainfall into 15-min magnitudes and its application for simulating surface runoff, using a knowledge of infiltration rates on the slopes. The study has been carried out considering a part of a garland canal proposed for diverting the river Netravathi in the state. The results from the study reveal that significant amounts of flow can be collected in the proposed canal only if streams are also tapped and that because of the arrangements necessary for the purpose, garland canals cannot be considered a means superior to the conventional methods for diverting west flowing rivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

: Stem and pod rot of groundnut is an economically important soil borne disease caused by Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. The present study aimed to evaluate the indigenous bacterial bio control agent Pseudomonas fluorescens strains having multiple traits related to bio control and plant growth promoting activity. Healthy rhizospheric soil from groundnut field was collected from different North Karnataka districts. Nineteen strains of P. fluorescens were isolated by serial dilution technique on King’s B medium. The antagonistic potential of nineteen strains was tested against S. rolfsii by using dual culture technique. The per cent inhibition was highly variable among the nineteen strains of P. fluorescens ranging from 2.59 to 75.18 per cent. Maximum mycelial inhibition of S. rolfsii was recorded by the strain PF-2 (75.18%) followed by PF-3 (72.96%), PF-6 (69.62%) and least inhibition was recorded by PF-13 (2.59%). Five superior strains of P. fluorescens showed fluorescens under UV light, yellowish green pigmentation, rod shaped cells under microscope. Five superior strains were subjected for various biochemical tests and all the isolates were positive for biochemical characterization such as Gram staining, endospore production, catalase, starch hydrolysis, urease test, casein hydrolysis and gelatin liquefy action and negative for KOH and in dole test. Further, these strains were subjected for plant growth promoting traits such as HCN production, IAA production, siderophore production and volatile compounds production. Among these, the strainsviz., PF-2 and PF-3 were scored as strong with respect to antagonism and growth promotion. The strainsPF-6, PF-7 and PF-10 were scored as moderate with light brown colour. Among the tested strains of P. fluorescens, the isolates PF-2 and PF-3 were recorded higher production of siderophore, isolates PF-6, PF-7 and PF-10 showed moderate production of siderophore. The strain PF-2 of P. fluorescens showed highest per cent of mycelial inhibition of S. rolfsii indicating higher production of volatile compounds, followed by PF-3 and PF-6. Whereas, the least mycelial inhibition was recorded by the isolate PF-10 indicating less production of volatile compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yakshagana is a traditional theatre form of Karnataka, a southern state in India, having a known history of over 500 years. It is a powerful medium of folk communication that makes extensive use of independent creative elements like gestures, facial expression, body movement, costuming, make-up, music, dance and dialogue. Restricted to religious and mythological themes until the previous century, Yakshagana has shown much flexibility towards adapting modern themes in the recent decades, thus proving its potential towards development communication. Yakshagana has been extensively used in communicating themes related to health, environment, literacy, family planning, women empowerment, social harmony, agricultural development and the like. The present paper is an attempt to understand the potentialities of Yakshagana in communicating environmental consciousness with the case study of a plot titled Marisha Kalyana. The methodology comprises a thematic analysis of the text, interview with the author, and an audience survey to examine the impact of a live show. The results have been analyzed with the help of a Multiple Regression Model in a theoretical framework of attitude change, persuasion and reinforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent paper by Changalvala et al. reported finding significantly higher levels of serum fluoride (p<0.05) in 150 pregnant women, at 20 or more weeks of gestation, in Karnataka, India, with the complex multisystem disease of pre-eclampsia, than in a control group of 150 pregnant women without pre-eclampsia (1.8±0.66 and 0.18±0.31 mg/L, respectively). Whether the association between a raised serum fluoride and pre-eclampsia might be one of causation rather than association, has been discussed with respect to two of the nine Bradford Hill criteria for establishing a causal relationship, coherence and plausibility, and it was considered plausible that fluoride might be able to affect the development of the disease. Although a review by Rana et al. did not list lead as a risk factor for pre-eclampsia, this has been established in other studies and controlling for blood lead levels would be appropriate in future studies of the relationship between fluoride and pre-eclampsia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stand density management diagrams are average stand-level models that graphically display the relationship between stand yield, density, height and diameter throughout the various stages of forest development in even-aged stands. These are useful tools for designing, displaying and evaluating alternative density regimes in even-aged forest ecosystems to achieve a desired future condition. In this paper, we present a stand density management diagram constructed for sandalwood stands in Karnataka state of India. The relationship between stand density, dominant height, quadratic mean diameter, relative spacing and stand volume is exhibited in one graph. The relative spacing index was used to characterise the growing stock level. Two equations were fitted to the data collected from 19 sample plots measured annually for three years: one relates quadratic mean diameter with stand density and dominant height, whereas the other relates total stand volume with quadratic mean diameter, stand density and dominant height. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural radioactivity measurement, dose assessment, and interpretation of radiological-related parameters and radiation monitoring of the region are crucial aspects from the public awareness and environmental safety point of view. The present paper discusses the results of activity concentration of the natural radionuclides 238U, 232Th, and 40K in the soil samples collected from Raichur district. ASTM procedure was followed for the sample collection and preparation for gamma spectrometric measurements. Gamma spectrometry-based 4” × 4” NaI (Tl) scintillation detector was employed for estimating activity concentrations of the gamma-emitting radioelements. Each sample was measured for a counting period of 60,000 s. The activity concentrations of the radionuclides 238U, 232Th, and 40K were found in the range 10–119, 8–285, and 46–1646 Bq/kg, respectively. The activity concentrations of the radionuclides and the dose-related parameters for the samples were found to be comparable with the global literature values, except few samples. The data generated from this study are the baseline radiological data of the region for future references. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Memecylon clarkeanum Cogn., a vulnerable species, is reported as a new record for Karnataka from primeval sacred forest, Rameshwara Devarakadu of Hulkodu village in the region of Sharavathi river basin, Sagar taluk, Shivamogga district, central Western Ghats. The present discovery highlights the importance of sacred groves in conserving rare, endangered and endemic flora. Prior to this, the species was reported as a new record for India from Kerala in 2012. The present paper illustrates the range extension ofthe species further towards northern latitudes up to central Western Ghats, Karnataka. The study assessed distributional range, habitat, ecology, status of threat, and vulnerability for planning conservation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In numerous aspects of digital marketing usage, India is among the top two countries in the world. Almost all businesses currently use digital marketing. Thousands of start-up businesses with new ideas strive to break into the corporate sector every year. Unless they have a good marketing plan, start-ups and SMEs will be unable to compete with established and lucrative organisations. One of the leading causes of business failure is a lack of a comprehensive digital marketing strategy. However, not all of the tools available to a digital marketer are equally productive. The barrier between the "haves" and the "have nots" is narrowing as technology interventions become more widely available. Some digital marketing methods succeed, while others fail. In view of the importance of digital marketing usage in India, this paper provides a framework based on Diffusion of Innovation (DOI). It also makes use of Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) theory for obtaining conceptual framework. Two constructs are used by the researcher to frame the conceptual framework: technical and environmental. The current study employs an exploratory research design in which the study attempts to investigate the level of awareness of digital marketing tools as well as the factors influencing the adoption of digital marketing by start-ups and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) using a positivist research philosophical stand. For statistical interpretation, the study used the SPSS tool and Smart PLS. The current study's population consists of owners and managers of manufacturing and service-based start-ups and SMEs operating in Karnataka's North Karnataka area. To collect answers from the audience, this study employs a mixed methodological technique. Smart PLS - Structural Equational Modelling (SEM) is used to validate relevant hypotheses. For factor grouping and identification, the SPSS programme was employed. To obtain the SEM model, the discovered components were iterated using Smart PLS software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores various factors that influence the consumer's intention to adopt smart, green, and sustainable building materials in Bangalore city, Karnataka, India. The purpose of this study is to evaluate how consumers' actual adoption behaviour of smart, green, and sustainable building materials is influenced by their behavioural intentions. A standardized questionnaire was utilized to collect data from 382 homebuilders in Bangalore as part of a descriptive research study. A simple random sampling technique was used along with Structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed to test hypotheses framed. Findings indicate that availability and accessibility, awareness, epistemic values, and technology adoption propensity all positively affect subjective norms. Subjective norms positively impact behavioural intention and adoption behaviour. However, challenges in adoption influenced subjective norms negatively, thus hindering consumer adoption. Awareness had the greatest influence on subjective norms, emphasizing the need for increasing consumer awareness. Subjective norms successfully mediated the relationship between independent factors impacting behavioural intention and adoption behaviour. Significant indirect effects of awareness via subjective norms on Behavioural intention were observed. This study highlights the need of increasing social awareness and cultivating a positive view of social expectations in order to promote the widespread use of smart, green, and sustainable building materials, which will eventually result in long-term sustainable cities and surroundings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fisheries sector provides livelihood to about 25 million fishers and fish farmers at the primary level and almost twice the number along the value chain. The purse-seiner and trawlers are major means of large-scale harvest of marine fishery resources along Karnataka coast. Gangolli landings centre is one of the key marine fish landing centre of Udupi district of Karnataka. The present study evaluated the economic performance of both single day trawler and purse-seiner operated from the landing centre. The key economic indices like Benefit-cost (BC) ratio, operating ratio (OR), net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR) and cost efficiency were estimated to evaluate the economic performance. The BC ratios for purse-seiner were estimated at 1.20, whereas it was 1.12 for the single day trawlers. The respective operating ratio were 0.56 and 0.67. The estimated IRR for the purse-seiner was 37.18%, a slightly higher IRR was observed for single day trawler (39.01%). The cost efficiencies for purse-seiner were 0.847 and 0.939 at constant and variable return to scale, respectively. Similar cost efficiencies were also observed for the single day trawlers. It was observed that the mechanized fishing sector is operating under narrow profit margin. The declining revenue due to decrease in quantum of high valued fishes in catches and escalating fuel prices have been identified as the major factor leading to deteriorating economics of the mechanized sector in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

L-glutaminase (L-glutamine aminohydrolase EC 3.5.1.2) is an extracellular hydrolytic enzyme having anticarcinogenic potential and is widely used in enzyme therapy especially for acute lymphocytic leukemia. L-glutaminase deaminates L-glutamine to glutamic acid and ammonia. In most tumors glutamine is the primary mitochondrial substrate and is present in circulating blood. It is a source of essential amino acid necessary for development of leukemic cells. The lack or depletion of L-glutamine leads to death of tumour cells. The marine environment is a potential source of bioactive secondary metabolites that provides pharmaceutically important compounds. The present study was focussed on to study the anticancer property of L-glutaminase producing actinomycetes isolated from estuaries of Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. The isolates were screened for L-glutaminase production by qualitative and quantitative assay and the potent isolate was further subjected for MTT assay to determine its anticancer potential. The study showed 60% of isolates were positive for L-glutaminase production in Rapid plate assay and 85% of isolates were positive in semiquantitative assay. In quantitative assay the isolate Streptomyces albogriseolus exhibited high enzyme activity of 24.32+0.02 IU/ml. In MTT assay the isolate Streptomyces albogriseolus showed an IC50 value 102.0μg/ml in cervical cancer HeLa cells and IC50 value of 101.2μg/ml in HePG2 cells respectively, and could be used as good source of L-glutaminase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Very high uranium concentrations of ⁓3000 μgL−1 or more have been found in groundwater held in the granitic aquifers of four villages in eastern Karnataka, India. The highest uranium concentration was 8649 μgL−1 (calculated 218.7 BqL−1) and a maximum radon activity of 101.4 BqL−1. The ingestion doses of uranium for males and females of all age groups are very much higher compared to the corresponding dose calculated for World Health Organization and Atomic Energy Regulatory Board recommended concentrations of 30 and 60 μgL−1for drinking water. It is therefore recommended that alternative sources for drinking water need to be made to meet United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 6 to ensure good health from safe drinking water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field experiments were conducted in a randomised block design during two consecutive rabi seasons of 2016–17 and 2017–18 to evaluate the effect of botanicals and bio-pesticides on insect and mite pests of potato during the post-rainy season. The results revealed that the treatment with NSKE @ 5% proved to be the best botanical by recording 45.96 and 53.67% protection against shoot borer (Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee) and defoliator (Spodoptera litura Fabricius), respectively. However, in the case of aphids and leafhoppers, neem oil @ 2% recorded protection up to 63.38 and 60.23%, respectively. The highest percent protection against whitefly and thrips was afforded by Verticillium lecanii 2 × 108 cfu/g @ 2 g/l with 61.20 and 62.27% protection, respectively. The treatments azadirachtin 3000 ppm @ 3.00 ml/l and NSKE @ 5% offered the highest protection over control against mites by recording 45.24 and 44.44% protection, respectively. The maximum net return of ₹ 2,38,573 per hectare was obtained from chlorpyriphos 20 EC @ 2.00 ml/l with a cost-benefit ratio of 6.92. Among the botanicals, NSKE @ 5%, neem oil @ 2%, and azadirachtin 3000 ppm @ 3 ml/l recorded relatively high benefit-cost ratios of 5.45, 5.04, and 4.82, respectively. The above botanicals and biopesticides which are effective against potato pests could be recommended for their management without any fear of residues in tubers and are safe for the applicators and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors discovered a previously unknown population of Isoetes at Badami in Bagalkot district of Karnataka state, India in October 2022 which is determined to be I. bilaspurensis. This represents a new record for the Deccan plateau of Southern India and a significant disjunction from its previously known distribution in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, Central India. In light of this additional information a revised, detailed description of I. bilaspurensis is presented. Morphological comparisons with closely related taxa, its conservation status, and the phytogeographic implications of its distribution are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the mangrove flora of the Kali River estuary, Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka. Fourteen true mangrove species belonging to eight families and 11 genera were documented from four locations: Devbagh, Mavinhole, Kalimatha Island, and Halgejoog. The mangrove species show a discontinuous distribution pattern in the Kali River estuary. The highest IVI in true mangroves was recorded for Avicennia officinalis at Devbagh, Acanthus ilicifolius at Mavinhole, Sonneratia caseolaris (after Oryza coarctata) at Kalimatha Island, and S. caseolaris (after Derris trifoliata) at Halgejoog. Of the four sites, Devbagh has the highest Shannon-Wiener diversity index, and with regard to species composition, Devbagh and Kalimatha Island are the most similar sites. Kalimatha island has the most wellpreserved mangrove community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landraces are important genetic resources that have a significant role in maintaining the long-term sustainability of traditional agro-ecosystems, food, nutrition, and livelihood security. In an effort to document landraces in the on-farm conservation context, Central Western Ghat region in India was surveyed. A total of 671 landraces belonging to 60 crops were recorded from 24 sites. The custodian farmers were found to conserve a variety of crops including vegetables, cereals and pulses, perennial fruits, spices, tuber and plantation crops. The survey indicated a difference in the prevalence of landraces across the sites. A significant difference with respect to the Shannon-diversity index, Gini-Simpson index, evenness, species richness, and abundance was observed among the different survey sites. Computation of a prevalence index indicated the need for immediate intervention in the form of collecting and ex situ conservation of landraces of some crops as a back-up to on-farm conservation. The study also identified the critical determinants of on-farm conservation, including (i) suitability to regional conditions, (ii) relevance in regional cuisine and local medicinal practices, (iii) cultural and traditional significance, and (iv) economic advantage. The information documented in this study is expected to promote the collection and conservation of landraces ex situ. The National Genebank housed at ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi conserves around 550 accessions of landraces collected from the Central Western Ghats region surveyed in this report. Information collected from custodian farmers on specific uses will be helpful to enhance the utilization of these accessions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Recent advancements in dental materials have led to the development of various restorative cements. The amalgamation of various biomimetic cements becomes necessary to improve the physico-chemical properties of the existing cements. Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA) Plus and Chitosan are two such materials which are combined and chosen to check their effects on dental stem cell adhesion and proliferation. Aim: To compare and evaluate the cell adhesion and proliferation of human dental pulp stem cells on MTA Plus, MTA Plus-Chitosan Conjugate, and Chitosan by directly culturing the cells on the materials. Materials and Methods: This in-vitro study was conducted at the Central Research Laboratory in Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, S.D.M College of Dental Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka, India over a period of 1.5 years from the month of June 2020 to December 2021. The samples were divided into four groups: Group A-MTA Plus mixed with the proprietary gel (9 specimens), Group B-MTA Plus mixed with 2% Chitosan gel (9 specimens), Group C-2% Chitosan Gel (9 specimens), and Group D-Control Group (Growth Medium). Non carious extracted permanent human premolars for orthodontic purposes were collected and sectioned for the extraction of pulp tissue. The tissue was placed in a basic medium Dulbecco modified essential medium-High Glucose (DMEM-HG). Dental Pulp Stem Cells were subjected to differentiation using differentiation media (Hi-Media) containing Dexamethasone. Cell proliferation and viability were checked using trypan blue, and cell adhesion was checked using crystal violet under an inverted light microscope. To evaluate if there were any changes in the proliferation of viable cells at 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours among different materials, the Wilcoxon's Signed-rank Test was used. Statistical significance was set at p=0.05. Results: The cells were able to adhere to the biomaterial and showed a spindle-shaped morphology, which was observed under the inverted light microscope. ALP activity was measured using a photometer after cell differentiation. MTA Plus-Chitosan conjugate showed a 94% increase in cell proliferation after 48 hours (n=86/91). MTA Plus showed a 91% increase in cell proliferation after 48 hours (n=109/120). Conclusion: Chitosan can be used as a vehicle with MTA since their conjugate showed greater proliferation activity after stem cell culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a global epidemic and a serious risk for the younger generation. A sedentary lifestyle, urbanisation, and poor dietary choices are cornerstones of diabetes. Early detection of risk factors and prevention of their progression can go a long way in delaying the onset of the disease and reducing the economic burden due to its secondary complications. Aim: To assess anthropometric variables of T2DM among the population in Belagavi, North Karnataka, India. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among a study population of 4,473 individuals in 10 wards of urban Belagavi district from September 2021 to September 2023 by house-to-house visits. The 10 wards were selected using a random allocation method by computer-generated random sequence. The study population was divided into three groups: the diabetic group, children of the diabetic group, and a healthy non diabetic group (Group-1, Group-2, and Group-3) with population sizes of 649, 855, and 2,969, respectively. Anthropometric parameters were recorded by trained nurses using measuring tapes, stadiometers, and weighing scales. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 24.0 software. One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test was used to compare the data between the three groups. The Pearson's correlation test was used to find the association between Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Hip Ratio (WHR). A p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: There were no significant differences found in anthropometric parameters among the three groups (p>0.05). However, when comparing anthropometric parameters between different generations, a statistically significant difference was observed in Neck Circumference (NC) and WHR. Further, association between BMI and WHR among the three groups revealed that WHR is a better indicator of obesity compared to BMI, with a statistically significant p-value of 0.03. WHR detected 424 (90.4%), 463 (91.32%), and 1,220 (87%) obese cases in Group-1, Group-2, and Group-3, respectively, compared to BMI, which detected 371 (58.51%), 440 (52.25%), and 1,202 (41.91%) obese cases in Group-1, Group-2, and Group-3, respectively. Conclusion: The NC and WHR are better indicators of anthropometric measurements. Anthropometry could be a non invasive, cost-effective predictive tool for the future risk of developing DM. The present study determined there is an impending need to conduct regular screening programs for early identification of anthropometrics other than BMI, WHR, and NC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper sets out to provide an overview of online public access catalogue (OPAC) and Law University libraries in Karnataka state. The aim of this study is to learn about OPAC users' affirmative perception, post affirmative perception and level of satisfaction with library OPAC search. This paper deals with the user perception towards the use of OPAC in Law University libraries in Karnataka. A questionnaire was developed and distributed to 300 users including LLB students, LLM students, Research Scholars and Teaching Staff. The sample population was chosen by using the convenience sample method and the researcher received only 256 filled - in usable questionnaires. The research questionnaire applied the five point Likert's scale. Statistical tests like mean and standard deviation (SD) were applied for the purpose of accuracy. The results of the survey indicated that users have different levels of perceptions with regard to OPAC search. On the whole, there is a positive perception towards OPAC search, but the survey also underlines that not all users are fully satisfied with the OPAC system's an ability to assist in finding books and with the results of OPAC searches. Only 17.2% users indicated 100% rate of success in locating the document of their interest from the OPAC search. This research paper produces findings of relevance to any law University library to develop and implement a user - oriented or user friendly OPAC service. There have been no previous published research studies of OPAC and user perception in law University libraries in the Karnataka state of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Karnataka African Indians (Siddis, Habshis and Cafrees), drawing on both Indian performing arts and their African heritage, use dance and street theatre for political action, entertainment, social critique and self-expression. This paper focuses on Siddi dance and theatre in Uttara Kannada (North Karnataka), South India. Karnataka Siddis number about twenty thousand (Prasad, 2005). Using dramatic aesthetics, performers portray farming, hunting, child labour, violence against women and domestic work motifs to articulate Siddi grundnorms (foundational norms). I address how some Siddi dances and street theatre parallel and yet may differ from other performing arts in South India. Further, the paper complicates the current discourse on how diasporic African communities use the performing arts. My paper goes beyond the Atlantic Diaspora model. It examines ways in which Siddis of South Asia use their dance and theatre to express multiple domains of cultural art forms alongside the everyday use of such performances including a counter-hegemonic stance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper, based on an explorative study, throws some light on the functioning of water user groups in the management of water resources, i.e. canal irrigation, in one of the irrigation projects in Karnataka. Karnataka, like its neighbouring state of Andhra Pradesh, is in the limelight due to its massive support extended towards Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) or Irrigation Management Transfer (IMT). The study is an empirical investigation based on a sample of 15 WUCSs located in head, middle and tail-end regions of the Malaprabha irrigation project in three blocks of Dharwad and Belgaum districts in Karnataka. The paper analyzes the role of institutions in the creation and development of users' participation. In the light of the existing policy and legal framework an attempt is made to answer why farmers organize themselves for irrigation management, whether the water user groups are equipped in terms of capacity building, financial empowerment, administrative and technical know-how and legal powers to take over the irrigation management, and whether IMT has influenced cooperation, water distribution, its use, resource mobilization, management of irrigation structures and conflict resolution in the sample region. The findings reveal that handing over management to user groups without planning for complete rehabilitation of irrigation structures, which are two to three decades old that need major repairs and lack of will power to collect water charges, has resulted in chaotic behaviour among the farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper estimates the socioeconomic and demographic determinants of household access demand for telecommunications (or telecom) services by employing a binary logit model and using a sample survey data from Karnataka State (India). The evidence suggests that social caste, education level, size of income, income tax payers, and location of friends and relatives in local call area have significant impact on household access demand. However, the nature and magnitude of the impact of these determinants are different in rural and urban areas, respectively. Further, given the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, a rise in the average income of households is shown to have a remarkable increase in the probability for access demand. These results imply that knowledge of socioeconomic and demographic determinants are relevant inputs for design of a promotional policy for access to telecom services. Subject to the comparability of socioeconomic structures, these implications are of relevance for promotion of household access demand for telecom services in other developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of digital medical images is increasing with advanced computational power that has immensely contributed to developing more sophisticated machine learning techniques. Determination of age and gender of individuals was manually performed by forensic experts by their professional skills, which may take a few days to generate results. A fully automated system was developed that identifies the gender of humans and age based on digital images of teeth. Since teeth are a strong and unique part of the human body that exhibits least subject to risk in natural structure and remains unchanged for a longer duration, the process of identification of gender- and age-related information from human beings is systematically carried out by analyzing OPG (orthopantomogram) images. A total of 1142 digital X-ray images of teeth were obtained from dental colleges from the population of the middle-east part of Karnataka state in India. 80% of the digital images were considered for training purposes, and the remaining 20% of teeth images were for the testing cases. The proposed gender and age determination system finds its application widely in the forensic field to predict results quickly and accurately. The prediction system was carried out using Multiclass SVM (MSVM) classifier algorithm for age estimation and LIBSVM classifier for gender prediction, and 96% of accuracy was achieved from the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Human's day to day lifestyle, Population growth, human activities in urban and rural places have a great impact on the improvement in transportation zone. Mainly the noise level is increased by the traffic Vehicles such as Government vehicles, Private vehicles, commercial vehicles are caused the noise. Noise is created by traffic is causes many harmful effects such as highly increasing of stress, Sleepiness, difficulties in communication and hearing losses (it may be Permanent or Temporary hearing losses) problem. Hence it is required to monitoring the status of traffic noise produced by the number of vehicles. In the present work, monitoring the ambient noise level along a state highway corridor on State Highway(SH-85) passing through Magadi Taluk to Somwarpet Taluk via, Ramangar, Tumkuru, Mandya, Mysuru, Hassan Distrcict has been considered. We studied noise level at different location in Nagamangala. The data was collected from 2 different locations over a period of 6 months and noise level was compared. Noise level monitoring was conducted day and night twice in 6 months, at two different locations and results were discussed. The monitoring ambient noise level results were discussed with Prescribed Standards. Monitoring of Ambient Noise Level, locations, Methods and Methodology's, Results and Discussions are also described in this Paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most typically, SWOT analyses are done to evaluate a company's overall strategic position and operating environment. An organization's resources and abilities should be as closely matched to the demands of the environment in which it functions as feasible if it is to be effective. It's essential to figure out the finest ways to create a unique company model. Known as one of the best soap companies in India, Karnataka soaps & Detergents Limited is located in the state of Karnataka. The government soap factory's successor is this corporation. Karnataka Soaps & Detergents Limited is a soap making powerhouse located in the Indian state of Karnataka. This company's principal concentration is on the production of personal care products such soaps, detergents, incense sticks, and talcum powders. The company has been in business for over a century and offers a wide range of products, from simple bar soaps to scented bar soaps and detergents. Its product line is tailored to meet the needs of a wide range of customers, including those at the higher and lower ends of the socioeconomic scale. A SWOT analysis of KS&DL is the goal of this research. KS&DL's SWOT is uncovered through an in-depth examination of the company's annual reports and other industry papers, all of which were compiled using secondary sources from 2016-2017. Factory in prime position, state-of-the-art production facilities, and 75% of the world's sandalwood oil are only some of the company's strengths. Its key flaws include an inability to make full use of existing resources and a lack of efficient marketing and public relations efforts. The research also shows the possibilities and threats. The study finds that a SWOT analysis is necessary to create and implement a strategy successfully. It's a potent tool, but how it's used is very dependent on the individual. As a suggestion rather than a prescription, this is the preferred course of action to adopt. Corporations must build on their strengths, rectify their weaknesses, and take actions to defend themselves from both within and outside threats in order to be successful. This allows them to anticipate and grab new opportunities before their competitors do. They also regularly monitor the status of the environment in which their organisation works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An attempt is made in this paper to assess the present status, particularly structure, cost of construction, long-term economic benefits and socio-cultural acceptability of traditional bamboo houses in Kerala and Karnataka states of India. It also examines the major constraints and policy changes required for the promotion of bamboo houses in the study areas. This study is based on a sample survey conducted among 360 selected households dwelling in bamboo houses. Although bamboos are widely available in the study areas, the housing sector experiences severe shortage of bamboos for construction, as the pulp and paper industry purchases bamboos on a large scale by offering higher prices. In the study areas, bamboo houses are either thatched with grass or leaves or tiled using country tiles. It is reported that about 95% of the dwellers prefer tiled houses because of its durability and low maintenance cost. It is also observed that the economic benefits and sociocultural acceptability of tiled bamboo houses are higher. Poor economic conditions of the dwellers, low availability of bamboos in the construction sector, high prices of bamboo and lack of title deeds of the land are some of the major constraints identified for the promotion of bamboo houses. It also suggests that bamboo houses in the study areas may become more popular by providing more amenities and better appearance for aesthetic satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For decades, decentralisation reforms have been seen as a powerful instrument by health policy advocates to improve health sector performance in developing countries. In India, the 73rd Constitutional Amendment introduced in 1992 called for strengthening the fiscal autonomy and service delivery capacity of rural local governments. This paper explores how decentralised governance influences public health sector resource allocation, equity and efficiency in rural Karnataka. For this, the authors analysed administrative data published by the Karnataka state government to create tailored standardised performance measures that capture the degree of local governments' fiscal discretion in implementing public health programmes from 2011-18 at the district level. The findings highlight sector-specific differences in fiscal autonomy, ranging from high local discretion over funds in the nutrition sector to very limited discretion in the medical and public health sector. They also show that decentralised public health funding is not well-targeted to areas of greatest need in Karnataka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extension of urban areas is augmented reality. Identification of urban areas and mapping urban sprawl is directly related to population growth. Very frequent identification and monitoring of urban change are needed for urban governance and planners. The objective of the proposed paper was to extract the urban land cover by locating the human settlement areas and to develop a model to map potential spatio-temporal urban expansion. Multi-temporal imagery of Kalaburgai, state of Karnataka, India has been used for the work. The imagery was subjected for supervised fuzzy classification to extract spatial information of the urban area, Principal Component Analysis to transform the correlated components and lastly, unsupervised post classification on composite PCA images to separate uncorrelated pixels. Uncorrelated pixels depict the temporal change data. Results were satisfying, with 5.53 percentage area of urban change implications. Finally, the accuracy assessment of the proposed method shows promising results with an overall accuracy to be 80% and 0.78 for the kappa coefficient. Quantification of urban areas and probabilities of villages changing into cities can be done accurately by the proposed method. Significant urban expansion was observed by the results in Kalaburagi city from 2010 to 2013 with mostly vegetation changing into urban encroachment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1980s, administrative reform in a number of developing countries has been directed at achieving decentralisation of planning through the use of information systems. These experiments have not led to any significant improvement in planning and monitoring of development programmes. In this paper, we argue that a closer look at different approaches to decentralisation is useful in order to draw wider lessons about long-term impact. We trace the process of decentralisation adopted in two states of India, namely Gujarat and Karnataka. While both states are noted for their decentralisation efforts, the degree to which new work practices have become institutionalised has been influenced by differences in the structure of their planning apparatus and different approaches to the implementation of information technology for local-level planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elder abuse has devasting consequences. It jeopardizes the health and well-being of seniors and has significant implications for the health and social support. Elderly abuse has been a serious social and public health issue. It undermines a senior's independence, dignity and sense of security. It damages lives and destroys relationships in the process. When there is a need of intervention in problems of aged, Geriatric social work has to play a key role in finding out solutions for problems of senior citizens. This present paper concentrates on finding intensity and forms of elderly abuse in Davangere District of Karnataka. Elderly abuse can take various forms such as physical, psychological, emotional or financial abuse. It can also be the result of intentional or unintentional neglect. In many parts of the world elder abuse occurs with little recognition or response. Until recently, this serious social problem was hidden from the public view and considered mostly a private matter. Even today, elder abuse continues to be a taboo, mostly underestimated and ignored by societies across the world. Evidence is accumulating, however, to indicate that elder abuse is an important public health and societal problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aspects of Agriculture and irrigation have been dealt in Indian literature from the earliest times since the Harappan civilization. The Vedic and Post-Vedic texts reflect vast information about rain forecast, soil classification, underground water detection, methods of digging and consecrating wells, flora and fauna, rites for cattle, agricultural rites, and crop prosperity. This knowledge was supplemented practically by various sciences and technologies that are still being studied by scholars. Such observations have been recorded by Sages, poets and other learned scholars of Karnataka in their vast literature. Some technological developments related to agriculture and irrigation was also reflected in the various periods of kings who ruled Karnataka. One such text is 'Jalashilpi' that reflects such sciences and technologies related to agriculture and exists in form of manuscripts in various manuscript repositories. Among the various indigenous sciences discussed in the text, one of them pertains to the detection of underground water and digging of wells based on different factors like flora, rocks and stones, examining soil, the astrological factors as well as fauna. The present paper discusses these various features as mentioned in the edited text and available manuscripts of 'Jalashilpi' (also known as 'Jalashilpa' in some manuscripts). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to examine the effect of interventional measures on admitted children and, second, to estimate the level of utilization of nutrition rehabilitation centres (NRCs) through bed occupancy rate in India.Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional study involving review of records of malnourished children admitted during 1st January to 31st December 2014 in four districts of Northern Karnataka, India. The data were collected during January 2015.Findings A statistically significant difference was obtained between the weight of children at admission and discharge (p < 0.001). The average weight gain during the stay at the centres was 6.1 ± 7.1 g/kg/day. The proportion of severely malnourished children decreased from 56 per cent at admission to 32 per cent at discharge. The children who stayed for a stipulated period of 14 days were fully recovered and discharged from the centre compared to those stayed for lesser period. Poor follow-up visits of discharged children are observed, and the average bed occupancy rate was only 40 per cent.Originality/value This study showed that, the NRCs were effective in improving the condition of admitted children, but the utilization of these NRCs was sub-optimal in Karnataka. This study pointed to a number of operational issues that need to be addressed if these NRCs are being used effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Availability of suitable financial products or services to the rural mass is one of the criterion to achieve inclusive growth. This research paper highlights the role of Self Help Groups (SHGs) in achieving inclusive growth. Three major financial inclusion process indicators (FIPIs) and four major financial inclusion effectiveness indicators (FIEIs) have been used in the research to measure the effort of linked banks in providing financial products or services to the SHG members thereby fostering the inclusive growth. Research has been undertaken in Mangalore District of Karnataka State in India from 2006 to 2013. A total of 766 SHG members have taken active participation in the research through a structured schedule. Study has been divided in to two specific objectives and seven hypotheses. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks, a non-parametric statistical test has been used to validate the data. Both the indicators (FIPIs and FIEIs) have shown a weak presence before rural mass joined the SHGs. However, alarmingly all the three FIPIs have shown a considerable effort of linked banks in providing financial services to the SHG members after they joined the SHGs. At the same time, effectiveness of the efforts of the linked banks in offering financial services are also found to be robust in all the four FIEIs subsequent to joining SHGs by rural mass. Collectively, the FIPIs and FIEIs have shown an exceptional contribution in extending greater inclusive growth by accelerating the effort of providing financial services and its effectiveness in the District of Karnataka state in India through SHG model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the historical rainfall characterization and drought conditions in two major southern states of India, namely, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, through estimation of meteorological drought indices, namely, drought index (DI), Palmer drought index (PDI), and standardized precipitation index (SPI). Monthly and yearly rainfall data, including temperature, have been considered for 110 years. Deficient rainfall conditions have been identified and compared using annual rainfall classification thresholds. Annual rainfall variability and trend have been estimated using Mann–Kendall test and Sen's slope test. Comparative study on results implies that drought characterization using SPI may amply facilitate the standardization of threshold classification for severity and frequency. Based on threshold classification, it is found that Tamil Nadu witnessed on an average 11 years of moderate drought, 4.36 years of severe drought, and 1.32 years of extreme drought conditions with standard deviations of 4.28, 1.87, and 1.63 years, respectively, during the study period, whereas Karnataka witnessed on an average 9.74 years of moderate drought, 3.91 years of severe drought, and 2.30 years of extreme drought conditions with standard deviations of 4.54, 2.04, and 2.21 years, respectively, during the study period. According to the analysis, drought vulnerability in Tamil Nadu was higher than in Karnataka, based on the number of dry and wet years in terms of SPI threshold values and area covered over 110 years. Karnataka was more susceptible in terms of severity. When compared with other indices, analysis based on drought indices indicates that a single variable-based estimation using SPI is easy to assess and may be significant and definitive in terms of decision making for prioritizing drought mitigation measures in the study area in case of inadequate available data for multiple variable-based drought analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characteristics of developing convective clouds (Cu) in Karnataka State (India) during the thunderstorm formation are analyzed using weather radar and lightning detection network data. It is noted that radar characteristics of Cu which produced lightning, exceed those where lightning does not form. The study has shown that the number of negative cloud-to-ground strokes exceeds the number of positive ones by an order of magnitude. The radar characteristics of clouds in India and the North Caucasus are compared. Significant differences in lightning flash rates over the mentioned regions are registered. A low correlation is found between the supercooled volume and the flash rate of negative lightning. The paper also presents the results of studying the dynamic characteristics of four Cu seeded with a glaciogenic reagent. The thunderstorm risk is estimated for the clouds. It is shown that the seeding increases a probability of lightning events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper examines the assessing the impact of ICT on the library users and their reading habits. A total of 2463 samples were selected from 11 state universities in Karnataka State, India. A well designed questionnaire was used for the data collection and data has been analyzed using SPSS. The present study consisted of an equal number of males (51.3%) and female (48.7%) respondents and most of the them are from rural (63.0%) areas. It can be seen from the table that the majority of female (71.8%) and male (66.3%) respondents read information sources at their home. It is very interesting to note that majority of the respondents are inspired by themselves to read (68.5%) followed by good books (57.4%) and teachers (42.0%). The study found that 50.3% of male and 49.7% of female respondents opined that the ICT has made an impact on their reading habits. In this regards the result found that, the ICT has made an impact on enhancing the reading habits of the respondents. Further, it is found that, majority of the respondents strongly agreed that they can read more books available online, they can save time in searching information, they can get all information in their fingertips. The result shows that, the students and faculties have faced various problems in using ICT tools. The study recommends that, Higher education council and university authority may provide the latest and updated version of the computers along with continuous electricity supply with UPS connections and high Internet bandwidth facility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts of papers related to demography that appears in the December 1982 issue of the journal "Population and Development Review." The paper "Demography in the United States: A Partial Account of the Development of the Field," by Frank W. Notestein chronicles, from early in the century up through the 1970s, the activities of people and organizations that helped establish the field of demography in the U.S. The paper "The Causes of Demographic Change in Rural South India: A Micro Approach," by John C. Caldwell, P.H. Reddy and Pat Cadwell focuses on social, economic and demographic change in a small area in rural Karnataka, India. Among the demographic changes that have taken place over the last third of a century are declining mortality, rising age at female marriage, reductions in fertility, and shortened periods of postnatal sexual abstinence and lactation. The paper "Can Knowledge Improve Forecasts," by Nathan Keyfitz asks whether there are scientific results neglected by forecasters that would help population forecasting and if not, what it is in the nature of scholarship that makes it unstable for this purpose.

Introduction: The seeds of jackfruit are often overlooked and discarded globally, leading to the underutilization of this valuable resource. This study explored the potential of utilizing underutilized jackfruit seeds as an alternative source of human subsistence by investigating the availability of jackfruit, the utilization and underutilization of seeds at the household level, and the types of subsistence activities in the community. Methods: We used a case study of Byse village in Karnataka, India, to understand this topic. A mixed research approach was used. First, a descriptive research design was employed to collect and describe the data, while a correlation design was used to examine the relationships among variables related to jackfruit seed utilization. Second, a bibliometric analysis was conducted to explore global trends in jackfruit seed utilization. Results and Discussion: The findings indicated that agriculture, particularly arecanut farming followed by paddy rice cultivation, was the primary means of subsistence in the community. While human consumption of jackfruit seeds is statistically significant, it has a detrimental effect on seed utilization in the community (r = -0.295, p = 0.008). The study also revealed that consuming jackfruit seeds in a semidry form had a positive and significant influence (r = 0.345, p = 0.002) compared to eating them in a fresh form. Consequently, more focus could be placed on encouraging the consumption of semidry jackfruit seeds as a preferred option among residents. Despite the abundance of jackfruits, their seeds are rarely used, with a mean utilization score of 1.77. Since jackfruit seeds are limited in their application and are readily available, they could be utilized as an alternative source for sustainable human subsistence. sustainable human subsistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children form the most vulnerable strata of the society and the tobacco industry is known to target them. Article 16 of the Framework Convention of Tobacco Control (FCTC) calls for prohibition of tobacco sales to and by minors. Although interventions to stop such sales are based on sound science, it is widely acknowledged that many countries find implementation, full of challenges. In India, sales near educational institutions are banned by law, Section 6b of the Cigarettes & Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA). We conducted a survey of violations in four states [Andhra Pradesh (AP), Karnataka (KA), Meghalaya (ML), Uttar Pradesh (UP)] of India to report the number of violations and to assess if there was an association between the schools with violations and variables such as gender, size, category, location of schools. Methods: Schools in these States were asked to report the number of shops selling tobacco within 100 yards on an App circulated to all schools (289,392 in number). Chi-square tests, univariate and multivariate logistic regression performed to find association between schools with violations by Category of School, Size of School, Gender of students and location (Urban/Rural). Findings: Responses were received from 61,748 (21.3%) schools of which 16,193 (26.2%) reported violations. It was observed that the percentages of the schools with violations were similar to the prevalence of tobacco usage in the state. Four states AP, KA, ML, UP reported violations 22.2%, 17.5%, 42.9% and 31.4% respectively. On chi-square tests, there was a significant association for the states of KA and ML with regards to variables like size, category, location of schools (p-value <0.001). For AP, all variables were significantly different (p-value <0.001) while for UP variables like size and gender were significant. On logistic regression, there was significant association between the variables like size (>100), category (Upper Primary) and location (urban) for tobacco shops violations in both KA and ML except for the school category that was secondary in ML. While for AP and UP, only size (>100), location (urban) of schools have a significant association with the violations of tobacco shops. Logistic regression of pooled data of four states school size (>100) and school category (primary) and location (urban) had significantly higher association of violation of tobacco shops. Interpretation: This is the first large survey with responses from almost all parts of the four states in India. This study shows significant association with the size, category and location of schools. We anticipate that the lists of schools which have such violations can be used by enforcement agencies to take focused action. Such models will help develop effective tobacco control policies in developing countries with large populations where implementation remains a big challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fall Army Worm (FAW), scientifically referred to as Spodoptera frugiperda, originally emerged in the tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. Its migration to Africa in 2016 and subsequent spread to Asia, reaching India in May 2018, raised signifi- cant concerns about the adaptable pest's expansion. Karnataka was the first state in India to report FAW, and by 2018 and early 2019, it had spread throughout peninsular India and the North and North East regions. This highly resilient insect has the ability to infest over 100 different plant species, making it a formidable pest. FAW has two dominant strains: The corn strain 'C,' affecting maize, sorghum, and cotton, and the rice strain 'R,' affecting rice and other grasses. The damage caused by FAW varies, posing a substantial threat to agriculture. The use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies has been shown to be effective in controlling FAW. Bio-rational pesticides, including Metarrhizium rileyi and Nomuraea rileyi, along with parasitoids like Telenomus sp., Trichogramma sp., Glyptapanteles creatonoti, and Campoletis chloridae, play a crucial role in managing the pest. Semiochemicals such as (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate and habitat management methods like Push-Pull technology also contribute to successful control. Chemical insecticides like chlorantraniliprole, spinetoram, thiamethoxam, and lambda cyhalothrin can be utilized to combat FAW. However, it is essential to note that early larval chemical control is more effective than late-stage intervention. The goal of this report is to emphasize the prevalence of FAW and to demonstrate the effective management techniques that have been used to minimize its effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study attempts to analyse the consumer preference for poultry eggs in Bengaluru rural district of Karnataka. A total of 120 consumers were randomly selected for the study. The consumer preference for eggs was analysed using conjoint analysis, in which respondents rank preferences for different offers that is decomposed to determine the person's inferred utility function for each attribute and the relative importance of each attribute. The attributes considered for the study were the price of egg, colour of eggshell (brown/white), size of the egg, form (packed/unpacked) in which the egg was purchased along with frequency of purchase. The results revealed that the price of egg was the most important factor considered by consumers as they seek to make economical choices that fit their budget constraints. The second important factor which influenced the preference was colour of the eggshell because consumers believe that the colour of the eggshell is an important indicator of nutritional differences. The third important factor pertains to the size of egg. Consumers believe that the differences in size does not significantly impact their cooking or consumption experience, as long as the size falls within a reasonable range. The fourth important attribute was packaging, since eggs are mostly sold in the unpacked form, consumers are not highly concerned about this attribute. The least important attribute was the frequency of purchase and this attribute did not possess significant consideration because consumers are accustomed to buying them at inconsistent intervals; Interestingly, consumers displayed more positive attitude towards layer chicken eggs than native chicken eggs. The results of the study offer valuable insights to traders and consumers in the layer poultry industry, allowing traders to realign their strategies for improved market positioning in accordance with consumer's attribute-based preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Informed consent is an essential component in research involving human participants. However, the informed consent obtained may be incomplete and not fulfill the essential criteria of Informed Consent Forms (ICFs). Although the guidelines for developing ICFs have been clearly spelled out by various research bodies, these guidelines are not followed completely. Aim: To analyse the ICFs submitted to the Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC) of a Medical Institute in Southern India. Materials and Methods: The present study was a crosssectional observational study analysing ICFs submitted to the IEC of McGann District Teaching Hospital, Shimoga Institute of Medical Sciences (SIMS), Shivamogga, Karnataka, India, for the period 2014 to January 2023. All research projects containing ICFs during the study period were included in the study. Of the research projects submitted, only 70 had ICFs, and these were subjected to analysis as per Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines criteria. The criteria for ICFs were: statement of research, purpose/methods of the study, duration/frequency of the study, benefits to participants/community, foreseeable risks, discomfort/inconvenience, confidentiality, payment/reimbursement for participation. In addition to these, ICFs were also analysed for additional elements as per ICMR criteria for tissue and blood samples. The results were then subjected to descriptive statistical analysis and presented as mean and percentages. Results: Many of the required essential elements were present in nearly 50% of ICFs submitted to the IEC, which include information on the basic purpose/methods of the study 70 (100%), identity of the principal investigator/research team 57 (81.42%), freedom to participate/withdraw from the study 55 (78.57%), confidentiality of records 54 (77.14%), and foreseeable risks, discomfort, and inconvenience to participants 35 (50%). Other essential elements like benefits were present to participants/community 28 (40%), payment/reimbursement for participation 28 (40%), duration and frequency 12 (17.14%), statement of research 9 (12.85%), treatment/compensation for injury 4 (5.71%). Regarding additional elements of ICFs for biological samples, ICFs adhered to the ICMR requirements except none of the submitted forms had any information on the period of storage of biological samples. Conclusion: The ICF is an essential requirement for conducting research. Ensuring adherence of ICF to guidelines is important from a research perspective. The present study concludes that the majority of the essential elements were present in ICFs with a few exceptions like study as research and information on the storage of biological samples, which was nil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]